US5028073A — Dynamic vehicle suspension system including elect…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 168 words

A suspension system for controlling the relative position of a vehicle and a wheel assembly supporting the vehicle for travel over a surface of terrain, said system comprising: means for connecting the vehicle and the wheel assembly to establish an equilibrium position therebetween in which the vehicle is supported in a predetermined position with respect to the surface of the terrain; a dynamoelectric machine comprising a stationary assembly and a rotatable assembly magnetically coupled thereto, said stationary assembly having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be electrically energized to apply an electromagnetic field to said rotatable assembly thereby to rotatably drive said rotatable assembly about an axis; means for translating rotation of said rotatable assembly as driven by said stationary assembly into linear motion between the wheel assembly and the vehicle; and means responsive to deviations of the vehicle from its predetermined position for energizing the winding stages to substantially maintain the vehicle in its predetermined position as the vehicle travels over the surface of the terrain.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 168 words

A suspension system for controlling the relative position of a vehicle and a wheel assembly supporting the vehicle for travel over a surface of terrain, said system comprising: means for connecting the vehicle and the wheel assembly to establish an equilibrium position therebetween in which the vehicle is supported in a predetermined position with respect to the surface of the terrain; a dynamoelectric machine comprising a stationary assembly and a rotatable assembly magnetically coupled thereto, said stationary assembly having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be electrically energized to apply an electromagnetic field to said rotatable assembly thereby to rotatably drive said rotatable assembly about an axis; means for translating rotation of said rotatable assembly as driven by said stationary assembly into linear motion between the wheel assembly and the vehicle; and means responsive to deviations of the vehicle from its predetermined position for energizing the winding stages to substantially maintain the vehicle in its predetermined position as the vehicle travels over the surface of the terrain.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 31 words

The suspension system of claim 1 wherein the connecting means resiliently connects the vehicle and the wheel assembly along an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotatable assembly.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 36 words

The suspension system of claim 2 wherein the translating means is constructed and arranged to move the wheel assembly relative to the vehicle along an axis coaxial with the axis of rotation of said rotatable assembly.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 29 words

The suspension system of claim 3 wherein the translating means comprises a threaded shaft integral with and coaxial with said rotatable assembly, a nut coaxially engaging the threaded shaft.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 22 words

The suspension system of claim 4 wherein said stationary assembly is on the vehicle and said nut is on the wheel assembly.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 22 words

The suspension system of claim 4 wherein said stationary assembly is on the wheel assembly and said nut is on the vehicle.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 45 words

The suspension system of claim 4 wherein said stationery assembly is capable of rotating said rotatable assembly at between approximately 7,000 and 10,000 revolutions per minute and said threads have a pitch in the range of from approximately 20 mm to 25 mm per revolution.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 26 words

The suspension system of claim 3 wherein the translating means comprises a nut coaxially positioned on said rotatable assembly and a threaded shaft engaging the nut.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

The suspension system of claim 8 wherein said stationary assembly is on the vehicle and said threaded shaft is on the wheel assembly.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 23 words

The suspension system of claim 8 wherein said stationary assembly is on the wheel assembly and said threaded shaft is on the vehicle.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 46 words

The suspension system of claim 8 wherein said said stationary assembly is capable of rotating said rotatable assembly at between approximately 7,000 and 10,000 revolutions per minute and said threads have a pitch in the range of from approximately 20 mm to 25 mm per revolution.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 32 words

The suspension system of claim 8 wherein the translating means comprises a threaded shaft integral with and coaxial with said rotatable assembly and an internally threaded shaft coaxially receiving said threaded shaft.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 23 words

The suspension system of claim 12 wherein said stationary assembly is on the vehicle and said threaded shaft is on the wheel assembly.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 23 words

The suspension system of claim 12 wherein said stationary assembly is on the wheel assembly and said threaded shaft is on the vehicle.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 46 words

The suspension system of claim 12 wherein said said stationary assembly is capable of rotating said rotatable assembly at between approximately 7,000 and 10,000 revolutions per minute and said threads have a pitch in the range of from approximately 20 mm to 25 mm per revolution.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 37 words

The suspension system of claim 1 wherein the translating means comprises means for hydraulically converting rotary motion of said rotational assembly into linear motion applied to change the relative position of the vehicle and the wheel assembly.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 26 words

The suspension system of claim 16 wherein the hydraulically converting means comprises a pump driven by said rotatable assembly and a ram driven by said pump.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 21 words

The suspension system of claim 17 wherein said pump is on the vehicle and said ram is on the wheel assembly.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 21 words

The suspension system of claim 17 wherein said pump is on the wheel assembly and said ram is on the vehicle.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 19 words

The suspension system of claim 1 wherein said stationary assembly and said rotatable assembly comprise a switched reluctance motor.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 21 words

The suspension system of claim 1 wherein said stationary assembly and said rotatable assembly comprise a salient pole electronically commutated motor.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 38 words

The suspension system of claim 21 wherein said stationary assembly comprises six coils and said rotatable assembly comprises four radially polarized magnetic poles constructed and arranged to provide an air gap flux density of approximately 0.63 Telsa therebetween.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 31 words

The suspension system of claim 1 wherein the total inertia of said rotatable assembly and the translating means is in the range of 5-25% of the inertia of the wheel assembly.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 27 words

The suspension system of claim 23 wherein the total inertia of said rotatable assembly and the translating is approximately 10% of the inertia of the wheel assembly.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 50 words

The suspension system of claim 1 further comprising means for storing regeneration energy generated by rotation of said rotatable assembly in said stationary assembly caused by relative movement of the vehicle and the wheel assembly resulting from changes in the relative position of the wheel assembly relative to the vehicle.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 24 words

The suspension system of claim 25 wherein the storing means comprises a capacitor filter bank connected to the winding stages of said stationary assembly.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 33 words

The suspension system of claim 1 further comprising means for detecting a failure of the suspension system and means for short circuiting said winding stages in response to failure of the suspension system.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 181 words

A suspension actuator for controlling the relative position of a vehicle and a wheel assembly supporting the vehicle for travel over a surface of terrain, said actuator for use in combination with means for connecting the vehicle and the wheel assembly to establish an equilibrium position therebetween in which the vehicle is supported in a predetermined position with respect to the surface of the terrain, and means for sensing deviations of the vehicle from its predetermined position said actuator comprising: a dynamoelectric machine comprising a stationary assembly and a rotatable assembly magnetically coupled thereto, said stationary assembly having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be electrically energized in response to deviations sensed by the sensing means to apply an electromagnetic field to said rotatable assembly thereby to rotatably drive said rotatable assembly about an axis; and means for translating rotation of said rotatable assembly as driven by said stationary assembly into linear motion between the wheel assembly and the vehicle whereby the vehicle is substantially maintained in its predetermined position as the vehicle travels over the surface of the terrain.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 181 words

A suspension actuator for controlling the relative position of a vehicle and a wheel assembly supporting the vehicle for travel over a surface of terrain, said actuator for use in combination with means for connecting the vehicle and the wheel assembly to establish an equilibrium position therebetween in which the vehicle is supported in a predetermined position with respect to the surface of the terrain, and means for sensing deviations of the vehicle from its predetermined position said actuator comprising: a dynamoelectric machine comprising a stationary assembly and a rotatable assembly magnetically coupled thereto, said stationary assembly having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be electrically energized in response to deviations sensed by the sensing means to apply an electromagnetic field to said rotatable assembly thereby to rotatably drive said rotatable assembly about an axis; and means for translating rotation of said rotatable assembly as driven by said stationary assembly into linear motion between the wheel assembly and the vehicle whereby the vehicle is substantially maintained in its predetermined position as the vehicle travels over the surface of the terrain.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 30 words

The suspension actuator of claim 28 wherein the connecting means comprises a resilient member connecting the vehicle and the wheel assembly along an axis parallel to the axis of rotation.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 29 words

The suspension system of claim 29 wherein the translating means comprises a threaded shaft integral with and coaxial with said rotatable assembly, a nut coaxially engaging the threaded shaft.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 46 words

The suspension system of claim 30 wherein said said stationary assembly is capable of rotating said rotatable assembly at between approximately 7,000 and 10,000 revolutions per minute and said threads have a pitch in the range of from approximately 20 mm to 25 mm per revolution.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 37 words

The suspension actuator of claim 28 wherein the translating means comprises means for hydraulically converting rotary motion of said rotational assembly into linear motion applied to change the relative position of the vehicle and the wheel assembly.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 26 words

The suspension actuator of claim 32 wherein the hydraulically converting means comprises a pump driven by said rotatable assembly and a ram driven by said pump.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 38 words

The suspension actuator of claim 28 wherein said stationary assembly comprises six coils and said rotatable assembly comprises four radially polarized magnetic poles constructed and arranged to provide an air gap flux density of approximately 0.63 Telsa therebetween.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 50 words

The suspension system of claim 28 further comprising means for storing regeneration energy generated by rotation of said rotatable assembly in said stationary assembly caused by relative movement of the vehicle and the wheel assembly resulting from changes in the relative position of the wheel assembly relative to the vehicle.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 33 words

The suspension actuator of claim 28 further comprising means for detecting a failure of the suspension actuator and means for short circuiting said winding stages in response to failure of the suspension actuator.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 206 words

A suspension system for controlling the relative position of a vehicle and a wheel assembly supporting the vehicle for travel over a surface of terrain, said system comprising: a resilient member connecting the vehicle and the wheel assembly along an axis to establish an equilibrium position therebetween in which the vehicle is supported in a predetermined position with respect to the surface of the terrain; a rotatable assembly having a threaded shaft; a stationary assembly on the vehicle magnetically coupled to said rotatable assembly and having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be electrically energized to apply an electromagnetic field to said rotatable assembly thereby to rotatably drive said rotatable assembly on a rotational axis parallel to the axis of the resilient member; a nut engaging the threaded shaft and on the wheel assembly for linearly changing the relative position of said vehicle and said wheel assembly along an axis coaxial with the rotational axis in response to rotation of said rotatable assembly as driven by said stationary assembly; and means responsive to deviations of the vehicle from its predetermined position for energizing the winding stages to substantially maintain the vehicle in its predetermined position as the vehicle travels over the surface of the terrain.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 206 words

A suspension system for controlling the relative position of a vehicle and a wheel assembly supporting the vehicle for travel over a surface of terrain, said system comprising: a resilient member connecting the vehicle and the wheel assembly along an axis to establish an equilibrium position therebetween in which the vehicle is supported in a predetermined position with respect to the surface of the terrain; a rotatable assembly having a threaded shaft; a stationary assembly on the vehicle magnetically coupled to said rotatable assembly and having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be electrically energized to apply an electromagnetic field to said rotatable assembly thereby to rotatably drive said rotatable assembly on a rotational axis parallel to the axis of the resilient member; a nut engaging the threaded shaft and on the wheel assembly for linearly changing the relative position of said vehicle and said wheel assembly along an axis coaxial with the rotational axis in response to rotation of said rotatable assembly as driven by said stationary assembly; and means responsive to deviations of the vehicle from its predetermined position for energizing the winding stages to substantially maintain the vehicle in its predetermined position as the vehicle travels over the surface of the terrain.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-07-01	1994-12-31	1995-07-02	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-07-01	1998-12-31	1999-07-02	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-07-01	2002-12-31	2003-07-02	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Dynamic vehicle suspension system including electronically commutated motor

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