User Selected Settings for Vehicle With Pneumatic Suspension and Tire Inflation System

Abstract

A method of setting the rides height of the air springs and air pressures of the tires, including receiving a user selected setting or preprogrammed ride height settings; sensing a ride height of, and air pressure within, each of the air springs; determining the weight of the vehicle based on the sensed ride height and air pressure within each of the air springs; providing specified ride heights for the left and right front and rear air springs; determining specified air pressures for the left and right front and rear tire inflators, based upon the determined weight of the vehicle and selected setting; inflating the left and right front and rear air springs to the specified ride heights; and inflating the left and right front and rear tires to the specified air pressures.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An air spring and tire inflation system comprising:
 a control system;   left and right side front air springs each monitored by an air pressure sensor in communication with the control system to sense air pressures within the left and right side front air springs, and each having an associated ride height sensor in communication with the control system to sense the ride heights of the left and right side front air springs;   left and right side rear air springs each monitored by an air pressure sensor in communication with the control system to sense air pressures within the left and right side rear air springs, and each having an associated ride height sensor in communication with the control system to sense the ride heights of the left and right side rear air springs;   left and right side front tire inflators;   left and right side rear tire inflators;   an air spring air pressure manifold;   a tire air pressure manifold;   a supply of pressurized air in communication with the air spring and tire air pressure manifolds;   one or more air conduits extending from the air spring air pressure manifold to the left and right side front air springs;   one or more air conduits extending from the air spring air pressure manifold to the left and right side rear air springs;   one or more air conduits extending from the tire air pressure manifold to the left and right side front tire inflators;   one or more air conduits extending from the tire air pressure manifold to the left and right side rear tire inflators;   a user interface in communication with the control system, wherein the user interface includes a plurality of user selectable settings;   wherein after a setting has been selected, the control system is adapted to receive air pressure and ride height readings from the left and right side front air springs and air pressure and ride height readings from the left and right side rear air springs from the air pressure and ride height sensors, and the control system is adapted to determine a weight of a vehicle on which the air spring and tire inflation system is positioned based on the received air pressure and ride height readings;   wherein the control system is adapted to determine, based on the selected setting, ride height settings for the left and right side front air springs and ride height settings for the left and right side rear air springs;   wherein the control system is adapted to determine, based on the selected setting and determined weight of the vehicle, air pressure settings for the left and right side front tire inflators and air pressure settings for the left and right side rear tire inflators;   wherein the control system is adapted to communicate to the air spring air pressure manifold the determined ride height settings for the left and right side front air springs and the determined ride height settings for the left and right side rear air springs, and the air spring air pressure manifold is adapted to inflate the left and right side front air springs to the determined ride height settings for the left and right side front air springs, and the air spring air pressure manifold is adapted to inflate the left and right side rear air springs to the determined ride height settings for the left and right side rear air springs; and   wherein the control system is adapted to communicate to the tire air pressure manifold the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side front tire inflators and the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side rear tire inflators, and the tire air pressure manifold is adapted to provide the air pressure of the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side front tire inflators to the left and right side front tire inflators, and the tire air pressure manifold is adapted to provide the air pressure of the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side rear tire inflators to the left and right side rear tire inflators.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the air spring air pressure manifold and tire air pressure manifold comprise a single, integrated manifold. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ride heights of the left and right side front air springs, the ride heights of the left and right side rear air springs, the tire pressures in the left and right side front tire inflators, and the tire pressures in the left and right side rear tire inflators, are adapted to be set by the selection of one of the plurality of user selectable settings on the user interface without any further human action. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a predetermined ride height is associated with each of the user selectable settings, and after the setting has been selected, the control system is adapted to communicate with the air spring air pressure manifold to adjust the ride heights of the left and right side front air springs and to adjust the ride heights of the left and right side rear air springs to the specified ride heights. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the weight of the vehicle is determined after the ride heights of the left and right side front air springs, and the left and right side rear air springs have been adjusted to the specified ride heights. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the specified ride heights for the left and right side front air springs and left and right side rear air springs are determined based on a selected setting and vehicle type. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the weight of the vehicle is determined based on the ride heights of, and air pressures sensed within, the left and right side front air springs and the left and right side rear air springs. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ride height sensors comprise a +/−5V Hall Effect sensors. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a single air pressure sensor is positioned within an air galley in the tire air pressure manifold and is adapted to separately monitor the air pressures within the left and right front and rear tires. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of user selectable settings is a fording setting. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein upon selection of the fording setting, the system is adapted to raise the ride height 20% or more of a full jounce travel of the left and right front and rear air springs. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the left and right side front air springs, and the left and right side rear air springs, each comprise a cylinder shock assembly having:
 a damper having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end includes a first mount and the second end of the damper extends into an air cylinder float;   the damper includes a housing defining a cavity, the damper having a rod positioned in the air cylinder float, the rod having a first end positioned within the cavity of the damper and a second end affixed to an end cap that is connected to a first end of the air cylinder float;   a first piston affixed to the first end of the rod within the cavity of the damper,   a second piston affixed to the damper, the second piston having one or more seals on an outer surface thereof that sealingly engage an inner surface of the air cylinder float;   wherein the air cylinder float is a solid member that does not expand as the air pressure within increases during compression.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein at a designed vehicle ride height the air pressure within the air cylinder floats is 175 psi or more. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a single air pressure sensor is positioned within an air galley in the air spring air pressure manifold and is adapted to separately monitor the air pressures within the left and right front and rear air springs. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a weight is assigned to each of the left and right front and rear air springs, and a total vehicle weight is based on summing the weight assigned to the left and right front and rear air springs. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the tire inflator pressure settings are determined by the control system accessing a look up table including values for ride height settings and a determined vehicle weight. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein control system comprises an electronic control unit. 
     
     
         18 . An air spring and tire inflation system comprising:
 a control system;   left and right side front air springs each monitored by an air pressure sensor in communication with the control system to sense air pressures within the left and right side front air springs, and each having an associated ride height sensor in communication with the control system to sense the ride heights of the left and right side front air springs;   left and right side rear air springs each monitored by an air pressure sensor in communication with the control system to sense air pressures within the left and right side rear air springs, and each having an associated ride height sensor in communication with the control system to sense the ride heights of the left and right side rear air springs;   left and right side front tire inflators;   left and right side rear tire inflators;   an air spring air pressure manifold;   a tire air pressure manifold;   a supply of pressurized air in communication with the air spring and tire air pressure manifolds;   one or more air conduits extending from the air spring air pressure manifold to the left and right side front air springs;   one or more air conduits extending from the air spring air pressure manifold to the left and right side rear air springs;   one or more air conduits extending from the tire air pressure manifold to the left and right side front tire inflators;   one or more air conduits extending from the tire air pressure manifold to the left and right side rear tire inflators;   a user interface in communication with the control system, wherein the user interface includes a plurality of user selectable settings;   wherein after a setting has been selected, the control system is adapted to receive air pressure and ride height readings from the left and right side front air springs and air pressure and ride height readings from the left and right side rear air springs from the air pressure and ride height sensors;   wherein the control system is adapted to determine, based on the selected setting, ride height settings for the left and right side front air springs and ride height settings for the left and right side rear air springs;   wherein the control system is adapted to determine, based on the selected setting and vehicle type, air pressure settings for the left and right side front tire inflators and air pressure settings for the left and right side rear tire inflators;   wherein the control system unit is adapted to communicate to the air spring air pressure manifold the determined ride height settings for the left and right side front air springs and the determined ride height settings for the left and right side rear air springs, and the air spring air pressure manifold is adapted to inflate the left and right side front air springs to the determined ride height settings for the left and right side front air springs, and the air spring air pressure manifold is adapted to inflate the left and right side rear air springs to the determined ride height settings for the left and right side rear air springs; and   wherein the control system is adapted to communicate to the tire air pressure manifold the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side front tire inflators and the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side rear tire inflators, and the tire air pressure manifold is adapted to provide the air pressure of the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side front tire inflators to the left and right side front tire inflators, and the tire air pressure manifold is adapted to provide the air pressure of the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side rear tire inflators to the left and right side rear tire inflators.   
     
     
         19 . The air spring and tire inflation system of  claim 18 , wherein one of the plurality of user selectable settings is an unloaded vehicle setting, and after the unloaded vehicle setting has been selected, the right heights of the left and right rear air springs are determined based on the unloaded vehicle setting and vehicle type, and the tire pressures of the left and right front and rear tire inflators are determined based on the unloaded vehicle setting and vehicle type. 
     
     
         20 . The air spring and tire inflation system of  claim 19 , wherein one of the plurality of user selectable settings is a loaded vehicle setting, and after the loaded vehicle setting has been selected, the right heights of the left and right rear air springs are determined based on the loaded vehicle setting and vehicle type, and the tire pressures of the left and right front and rear tire inflators are determined based on the loaded vehicle setting and vehicle type. 
     
     
         21 . The air spring and tire inflation system of  claim 18 , wherein the left and right front and rear air springs are adapted to be initially filled with a low pressure air supply of 120 psi or less extending through the air pressure manifold. 
     
     
         22 . The air spring and tire inflation system of  claim 21 , wherein the left and right front and rear air springs are adapted to be further filled with a high pressure air supply of 150 psi or more extending through the air pressure manifold. 
     
     
         23 . The air spring and tire inflation of  claim 18 , wherein left and right front and rear tires adapted to be filled with a low pressure air supply of 120 psi or less extending through tire pressure manifold. 
     
     
         24 . The air spring and tire inflation system of  claim 18 , wherein the system is adapted to adjust the ride heights of the left and right front and rear air springs based on receiving a signal from a wheel speed sensor associated with left and right front and rear tires. 
     
     
         25 . An air spring and tire inflation system comprising:
 a control system;   left and right side front air springs each monitored by an air pressure sensor in communication with the control system to sense air pressures within the left and right side front air springs, and each having an associated ride height sensor in communication with the control system to sense the ride heights of the left and right side front air springs;   left and right side rear air springs each monitored by an air pressure sensor in communication with the control system to sense air pressures within the left and right side rear air springs, and each having an associated ride height sensor in communication with the control system to sense the ride heights of the left and right side rear air springs;   an air spring air pressure manifold;   a tire air pressure manifold;   a supply of pressurized air in communication with the air spring and tire air pressure manifolds;   one or more air conduits extending from the air spring air pressure manifold to the left and right side front air springs;   one or more air conduits extending from the air spring air pressure manifold to the left and right side rear air springs;   one or more air conduits extending from the tire air pressure manifold to the left and right side front tire inflators;   one or more air conduits extending from the tire air pressure manifold to the left and right side rear tire inflators;   preprogrammed ride height settings for the left and right side front and rear air springs;   wherein the control system is adapted to receive air pressure and ride height readings from the left and right side front air springs and air pressure and ride height readings from the left and right side rear air springs from the air pressure and ride height sensors, and the control system is adapted to determine a weight of a vehicle on which the air spring and tire inflation system is positioned based on the received air pressure and ride height readings;   wherein the control system is adapted to determine, based on the preprogrammed ride height settings setting and determined weight of the vehicle, air pressure settings for left and right side front tires and air pressure settings for left and right side rear tires;   wherein the control system is adapted to communicate to the air spring air pressure manifold the preprogrammed ride height settings for the left and right side front air springs and the preprogrammed ride height settings for the left and right side rear air springs, and the air spring air pressure manifold is adapted to inflate the left and right side front air springs to the preprogrammed ride height settings for the left and right side front air springs, and the air spring air pressure manifold is adapted to inflate the left and right side rear air springs to the preprogrammed ride height settings for the left and right side rear air springs; and   wherein the control system is adapted to communicate to the tire air pressure manifold the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side tire front tires and the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side rear tire, and the tire air pressure manifold is adapted to provide the air pressure of the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side front tires to the left and right side front tires, and the tire air pressure manifold is adapted to provide the air pressure of the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side rear tires to the left and right side rear tires.   
     
     
         26 . A method of setting ride heights and air pressures of air springs and tires in a vehicle having an air spring and tire inflation system, including the steps of:
 providing an air spring and tire inflation system including a control system, left and right side front air springs each monitored by an air pressure sensor in communication with the control system to sense air pressures within the left and right side front air springs, and each having an associated ride height sensor in communication with the control system to sense the ride heights of the left and right side front air springs, left and right side rear air springs each monitored by an air pressure sensor in communication with the control system to sense air pressures within the left and right side rear air springs, and each having an associated ride height sensor in communication with the control system to sense the ride heights of the left and right side rear air springs, left and right side front tire inflators, left and right side rear tire inflators, an air spring air pressure manifold, a tire air pressure manifold, a supply of pressurized air in communication with the air spring and tire air pressure manifolds, one or more air conduits extending from the air spring air pressure manifold to the left and right side front air springs, one or more air conduits extending from the air spring air pressure manifold to the left and right side rear air springs, one or more air conduits extending from the tire air pressure manifold to the left and right side front tire inflators, one or more air conduits extending from the tire air pressure manifold to the left and right side rear tire inflators, a user interface in communication with the control system, wherein the user interface includes a plurality of user selectable settings;   selecting a setting on the user interface;   receiving air pressure and ride height readings from the left and right side front air springs and air pressure and ride height readings from the left and right side rear air springs from the air pressure and ride height sensors;   determining a weight of a vehicle on which the air spring and tire inflation system is positioned based on the received air pressure and ride height readings;   determining, based on the selected setting, ride height settings for the left and right side front air springs and ride height settings for the left and right side rear air springs;   determining, based on the selected setting and determined weight of the vehicle, air pressure settings for the left and right side front tire inflators and air pressure settings for the left and right side rear tire inflators;   communicating to the air spring air pressure manifold the determined ride height settings for the left and right side front air springs and the determined ride height settings for the left and right side rear air springs;   using the air spring air pressure manifold to inflate the left and right side front air springs to the determined ride height settings for the left and right side front air springs, and using the air spring air pressure manifold to inflate the left and right side rear air springs to the determined ride height settings for the left and right side rear air springs;   communicating to the tire air pressure manifold the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side front tire inflators and the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side rear tire inflators;   using the tire air pressure manifold to provide the air pressure of the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side front tire inflators to the left and right side front tire inflators, and using the tire air pressure manifold to provide the air pressure of the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side rear tire inflators to the left and right side rear tire inflators; and   inflating left and right side front and rear tire on the vehicle with the left and right side front and rear tire inflators to the specified air pressures for the left and right side front and rear tire inflators.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the air spring air pressure manifold and tire air pressure manifold comprise a single, integrated manifold. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the ride height for the left and right side front air springs, the ride height for the left and right side rear air springs, the tire pressure in the left and right side front tires, and the tire pressure in the left and right side rear tires, are automatically set by the system without any human action. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the left and right side front air springs, and the left and right side rear air springs, each comprise a cylinder shock assembly having:
 a damper having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end includes a first mount and the second end of the damper extends into an air cylinder float;   the damper includes a housing defining a cavity, the damper having a rod positioned in the air cylinder float, the rod having a first end positioned within the cavity of the damper and a second end affixed to an end cap that is connected to a first end of the air cylinder float;   a first piston affixed to the first end of the rod within the cavity of the damper,   a second piston affixed to the damper, the second piston having one or more seals on an outer surface thereof that sealingly engage an inner surface of the air cylinder float;   wherein the air cylinder float is a solid member that does not expand as the air pressure within increases during compression.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein at a designed vehicle ride height the air pressure within the air cylinder floats is 175 psi or more. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the tire inflator pressure settings are determined by the control system accessing a look up table including values for a ride height setting and a determined vehicle weight. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein a single air pressure sensor is positioned within an air galley in the air spring air pressure manifold, and further include the steps of separately monitoring the air pressures within each of the left and right front and rear air springs with the air pressure sensor positioned within the air galley. 
     
     
         33 . A method of setting ride heights and air pressures of air springs and tires in a vehicle having an air spring and tire inflation system, including the steps of:
 providing an air spring and tire inflation system including a control system, left and right side front air springs each monitored by an air pressure sensor in communication with the control system to sense air pressures within the left and right side front air springs, and each having an associated ride height sensor in communication with the control system to sense the ride heights of the left and right side front air springs, left and right side rear air springs each monitored by an air pressure sensor in communication with the control system to sense air pressures within the left and right side rear air springs, and each having an associated ride height sensor in communication with the control system to sense the ride heights of the left and right side rear air springs, left and right side front tire inflators, left and right side rear tire inflators, an air spring air pressure manifold, a tire air pressure manifold, a supply of pressurized air in communication with the air spring and tire air pressure manifolds, one or more air conduits extending from the air spring air pressure manifold to the left and right side front air springs, one or more air conduits extending from the air spring air pressure manifold to the left and right side rear air springs, one or more air conduits extending from the tire air pressure manifold to the left and right side front tire inflators, one or more air conduits extending from the tire air pressure manifold to the left and right side rear tire inflators, a user interface in communication with the control system, wherein the user interface includes a plurality of user selectable settings;   selecting a setting on the user interface;   receiving air pressure and ride height readings from the left and right side front air springs and air pressure and ride height readings from the left and right side rear air springs from the air pressure and ride height sensors;   determining, based on the selected setting, ride height settings for the left and right side front air springs and ride height settings for the left and right side rear air springs;   determining, based on the selected setting and vehicle type, air pressure settings for the left and right side front tire inflators and air pressure settings for the left and right side rear tire inflators;   communicating to the air spring air pressure manifold the determined ride height settings for the left and right side front air springs and the determined ride height settings for the left and right side rear air springs;   using the air spring air pressure manifold to inflate the left and right side front air springs to the determined ride height settings for the left and right side front air springs, and to inflate the left and right side rear air springs to the determined ride height settings for the left and right side rear air springs;   communicating to the tire air pressure manifold the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side front tire inflators and the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side rear tire inflators;   using the tire air pressure manifold to provide the air pressure of the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side front tire inflators to the left and right side front tire inflators, and to provide the air pressure of the determined air pressure settings for the left and right side rear tire inflators to the left and right side rear tire inflators; and   inflating left and right side front and rear tires on the vehicle with the left and right side front and rear tire inflators to the specified air pressures for the left and right front and rear tire inflators.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further including the step of initially filling the left and right front and rear air springs with a low pressure air supply of 120 psi or less extending through the air spring air pressure manifold. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further including the step of filling the left and right side front and rear air springs with a high pressure air supply of 150 psi or more extending through the air spring air pressure manifold. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , further including the step of filling left and right side front and rear tires with a low pressure air supply of 120 psi or less extending through the air spring air pressure manifold. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , further including adjusting the ride height of one of the left or right front or rear air springs in response to a signal received from a wheel speed sensor for increasing the traction of the vehicle.