Importance

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Abstract

A vehicle suspension system (1) which provides roll control comprises a pair of hydraulic actuators (2, 3) mounted at wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle chassis, each hydraulic actuator (2, 3) being connected between the wheel and the chassis. Each hydraulic actuator (2, 3) has a fluid filled variable volume fluid chamber (8, 9) defined by a cylinder (4, 5) and piston (6, 7), one part being connected to the wheel and the other part to the chassis. An hydraulic accumulator (12, 13) is connected to each fluid chamber via a fluid transfer line (14, 15) to act as a spring with damping means being provided by a flow restrictor orifice (10, 11). A pump (16) communicates via fluid transfer lines (14, 15) between both hydraulic actuator fluid chambers (8, 9) through a control valve (19) which is operable to isolate both chambers (8, 9) from each other and from the pump (16) or to selectively connect one chamber (8, 9) to an inlet (17) of the pump (16) and the other chamber (8, 9) to an outlet of the pump (16). A sensor (21) senses one or more vehicle attitude parameters such as lateral roll and longitudinal pitch of the vehicle. The sensor (21) is connected to a controller (20) having means for regulating operation of the control valve (19) for direct pumping of fluid between the chambers (8, 9) in response to the sensed (21) parameters to counteract one or both of lateral roll and longitudinal pitch of the vehicle.

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First Claim