Method and apparatus for an adaptive suspension support system

摘要

A method and apparatus for an adaptive, multi-axis suspension system providing both coarse and fine suspension for payloads such as passenger seats, trailers, passenger compartments of motor vehicles, shock/vibration generating devices etc. Coarse suspension control is provided to maintain the payload within a selected position regardless of the weight of the payload. Fine suspension control is provided by monitoring and analyzing vibration characteristics in time and/or frequency domains to determine a variable amount of damper resistance to be exerted by a magnetorheological (MR) device. A nominal damper resistance of the MR device is selected based at least on the combined weight of the payload. A piston of the MR device is centered about its throw range and the piston is actuated at angles not parallel to the movement of the payload to provide low-profile operation.

主权项

1. An adaptive suspension support system, comprising:
a payload; at least one damper having a damper resistance based, at least in part, on information indicative of a weight of the payload; a gear drive coupled to a piston of the at least one damper and the payload, wherein the piston is actuated along a directional vector that is different than a directional vector of movement of the payload; and at least one pneumatic device coupled to the payload and operable to maintain a position of the piston between a minimum and a maximum throw position.