Patents by Inventor C. Ian Dodd

C. Ian Dodd has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Electronic control of vehicle air suspension
    Patent number: 7192032
    Abstract: A system is provided for use on large vehicles of the type wherein the vehicle frame (12) is supported on vehicle axle assemblies (14, 20, 22) through air bags (26, 30, 32), and each air bag has a lower end coupled to the lower end of an arm such as a swing arm (112) whose upper end is pivotally mounted on the frame. The height of the air bag is sensed by a pair of tilt sensors (50, 52), one on a tilt arm such as the swing arm (112), that has one end pivotally connected to the vehicle frame and an opposite end at least pivotally connected to the vehicle axle assembly. The other sensor senses tilt of the vehicle frame about an axis parallel to the axes of pivoting of the tilt arm. Each tilt sensor senses tilt of its location with respect to gravity, and the difference in tilt indicates air bag height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Barksdale, Inc.
    Inventors: C Ian Dodd, Hasmukh R. Shah
  • Electronic control of vehicle air suspension
    Patent number: 6918600
    Abstract: A system is provided for use on large vehicles of the type wherein the vehicle frame (12) is supported on vehicle axle assemblies (14, 20, 22) through air bags (26, 30, 32), and each air bag has a lower end coupled to the lower end of an arm such as a swing arm (112) whose upper end is pivotally mounted on the frame. The height of the air bag is sensed by a pair of tilt sensors (50, 52), one on a tilt arm such as the swing arm (112), that has one end pivotally connected to the vehicle frame and an opposite end at least pivotally connected to the vehicle axle assembly. The other sensor senses tilt of the vehicle frame about an axis parallel to the axes of pivoting of the tilt arm. Each tilt sensor senses tilt of its location with respect to gravity, and the difference in tilt indicates air bag height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Barksdale, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Ian Dodd, Hasmukh R. Shah
  • Electronic control of vehicle air suspension
    Publication number: 20030197337
    Abstract: A system is provided for use on large vehicles of the type wherein the vehicle frame (12) is supported on vehicle axle assemblies (14, 20, 22) through air bags (26, 30, 32), and each air bag has a lower end coupled to the lower end of an arm such as a swing arm (112) whose upper end is pivotally mounted on the frame. The height of the air bag is sensed by a pair of tilt sensors (50, 52), one on a tilt arm such as the swing arm (112), that has one end pivotally connected to the vehicle frame and an opposite end at least pivotally connected to the vehicle axle assembly. The other sensor senses tilt of the vehicle frame about an axis parallel to the axes of pivoting of the tilt arm. Each tilt sensor senses tilt of its location with respect to gravity, and the difference in tilt indicates air bag height.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Inventors: C. Ian Dodd, Hasmukh R. Shah