Patents by Inventor Douglas L. Milliken

Douglas L. Milliken 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).

  • Patent number: 5154442
    Abstract: A damper for a vehicle suspension utilizes accelerometer elements for controlling damping rate in response to lateral or longitudinal ("horizontal") acceleration of the vehicle. The accelerometer can be a mass/spring assembly within the damper housing. The accelerometer is linked to at least one damping rate adjuster element, such as a variable orifice or pop-off valve, so that increasing displacement of the accelerometer, in response to increasing vehicle horizontal acceleration, varies the setting of the rate-controlling elements to modify the damping rate. The horizontal acceleration/damping curve can be "tuned," and can be varied in X and Y axes, by selecting various accelerometer weights and springs, or by utilizing multiple accelerometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1992
    Inventor: Douglas L. Milliken