Suspension Modification Enacted During Travel (i.e., Active Suspension Control) Patents (Class 280/5.5)
  • Patent number: 11975583
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an acceleration sensor detecting collision, an electric actuator disposed outside a vehicle body, a battery and a boosting circuit supplying a high voltage to the electric actuator, and an electric suspension control ECU controlling the boosting circuit and the electric actuator, and in a case where the acceleration sensor detects the collision, the electric suspension control ECU limits the supply of the high voltage to the electric actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya Konada, Satoshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 11932072
    Abstract: A suspension control system including a suspension control unit, an unsprung mass accelerometer positioned at each wheel of the vehicle, and a global positioning system. The suspension control unit determines if a road irregularity, such as a bump or pothole, is approaching based on vehicle location data, provides pre-emptive road event classification information for the approaching road irregularity, and sets both a threshold based suspension pre-setting and a threshold based pre-trigger based on the pre-emptive road event classification information. The suspension control unit monitors the unsprung mass acceleration data, calculates a slope value for the unsprung mass acceleration data, and activates a suspension control action if the unsprung mass acceleration data exceeds the threshold based pre-trigger and the slope value exceeds a maximum slope value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: DRIV Automotive Inc.
    Inventors: Kylian Praet, Miguel Dhaens
  • Patent number: 11814042
    Abstract: A vehicle may receive sensor data captured by a sensor, determine that the sensor data represents an object in the environment, and determine a collision probability associated with a collision between the vehicle and the object. Based at least in part on the collision probability, the vehicle may determine one or more mitigating actions to perform prior to, during, and/or after the collision. The mitigating action may be associated with adjusting a hydraulic fluid pressure in at least a portion of a hydraulic fluid system of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Johannes Edren, Markus Jost, Ahditya Melkote, Amanda Brown Prescott
  • Patent number: 11566702
    Abstract: A derailleur shifting system comprise a front derailleur, a rear derailleur, an operating device and a controller. The front derailleur is configured to be controlled to shift among front gear positions. The rear derailleur is configured to be controlled to shift among rear gear positions. The operating device is configured to generate an operational instruction associated with one or both of the front derailleur and the rear derailleur. The controller is configured to control one or both of the front derailleur and the rear derailleur to shift according to the operational instruction, an estimated gear position table and a gear position control table. The estimated gear position table comprises an estimated front gear position of the front derailleur and an estimated rear gear position of the rear derailleur, and the gear position control table comprises matching relationships between the front gear positions and the rear gear positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: TEKTRO TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hsun-Yu Chuang
  • Patent number: 11554625
    Abstract: A device for supplying hydraulic energy in a chassis system of a vehicle includes a first hydraulic pump and a first electric motor for driving the first hydraulic pump, a second hydraulic pump and a second electric motor for driving the second hydraulic pump, and a common electronic unit which is arranged to control the first and the second electric motor, wherein the two electric motors and the two pumps are preferably designed to be identical in structure and/or respectively form first and second motor-pump groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: RAPA Automotive GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Rocco Kemnitz, Tim Rubitzko, Werner Leupold
  • Patent number: 11218128
    Abstract: The invention relates to an interference suppressor for a direct current circuit, a vehicle component, a high-voltage intermediate circuit and a vehicle. The interference suppressor for a direct current circuit, which comprises two conductors, is characterized in that the interference suppressor comprises a first connection for connecting the interference suppressor to a first conductor of the direct current circuit; a second connection for connecting the interference suppressor to a second conductor of the direct current circuit; a sensor, wherein the sensor can be coupled in noncontact manner to the direct current circuit and is designed to detect the passing of a predetermined limit value of a superimposed alternating voltage in the first conductor of the direct current circuit; and is designed, by impressing a current in the first connection, to reduce the alternating voltage in the first conductor of the direct current circuit substantially to the predetermined limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Brusa Elektronik AG
    Inventor: Axel Krause
  • Patent number: 11130548
    Abstract: A human-powered vehicle control device includes an electronic controller operatively coupled to a motor that assists in propulsion of a human-powered vehicle. The electronic controller is configured to changes at least one of a ratio of output of the motor to a human driving force that is input to the human-powered vehicle or an upper limit value of an output torque of the motor in accordance with the human driving force inputted to the human-powered vehicle upon determining a transmission ratio of the human-powered vehicle is in a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Satoshi Shahana
  • Patent number: 11084371
    Abstract: A motor drive device includes: a trailing arm that extends in a vehicle front-rear direction and includes a vehicle body-side attachment portion and wheel-side support portion, the vehicle body-side attachment portion formed on a forward portion side of the trailing arm and coupled to a vehicle body via a rubber bush, the wheel-side support portion formed on a rear side of the trailing arm and supporting a rear wheel; and a motor that is supported by the trailing arm and drives the rear wheel. The motor and the rubber bush are disposed in such a way that motor and the rubber bush are seen as being substantially aligned in a vehicle up-down direction when viewed in a vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignees: SHOWA CORPORATION, HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD., F-TECH INC.
    Inventors: Kenji Fukasawa, Kenji Kato, Hiroyuki Takahashi, Yutaka Hozumi, Sumitaka Ito, Junichi Midorikawa, Masayuki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11001121
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicular suspension device that achieves both of improvement in driving stability and improvement in vehicle movement performance. The vehicular suspension device includes a suspension capable of adjusting a roll center height by control of an actuator, and a roll center controller. The controller includes a traveling state corresponding height determination unit configured to determine the roll center height of the suspension in accordance with a predetermined rule on the basis of vehicle speed information and road surface information, and an actuator controller configured to control the actuator so that the roll center height reaches the roll center height determined by the unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuichi Kosaka, Yuta Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10906529
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a four-wheel-drive vehicle is configured to, during braking of the vehicle in a two-wheel-drive state, determine whether or not a degree of a yaw movement for deflecting the vehicle is larger than a predetermined first degree. When the degree of the yaw movement is larger than the first degree, the control apparatus increases a first coupling torque of a first coupling device and a second coupling torque of a second coupling device to a predetermined first torque value which is larger than zero, and controls a ground contact load adjusting device in such a manner that a first ground contact load at a rear wheel at an outer side with respect to the yaw movement becomes larger than a second ground contact load at a rear wheel at an inner side with respect to the yaw movement by a predetermined first load difference or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryochi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10761543
    Abstract: Systems and methods for steering a mobile agricultural machine to align a guidance point with a guidance line. One method includes setting the guidance point and setting the guidance line. The method also includes receiving, from an orientation sensor mounted on the mobile agricultural machine, orientation information including one or both of a pitch angle and a roll angle of the mobile agricultural machine. The method further includes calculating an orientation correction based on the orientation information. The method also includes modifying the guidance point using the orientation correction and steering the mobile agricultural machine to align the modified guidance point with the guidance line and/or modifying the guidance line using the orientation correction and steering the mobile agricultural machine to align the guidance point with the modified guidance line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Trimble Inc.
    Inventors: Dietrich Schaff, Doug Brewer, Jeremy Hopper
  • Patent number: 10730359
    Abstract: A suspension control system dynamically adjusts pistons located proximal to wheels of an agricultural machine to substantially equalize distribution of weight of the machine at each wheel and/or provide a substantially constant desired orientation of the machine above a ground surface thereby protecting laterally extending sprayer booms from contacting the ground. Articulation, pitch, roll and/or machine height can be determined from piston measurements on the machine to apply such height corrections. For sprayers, this allows controlling clearance and suspension height to maintain the boom parallel to the ground to prevent damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Roy A. Bittner, Blaine A. Schwalbe, Nathan P. Brooks
  • Patent number: 10703162
    Abstract: A suspension control system allows a state variable of a vehicle used for the damper damping force control to be computed at a high precision without regards to the caster angle given to the suspension geometry. A suspension control system for a vehicle provided with a variable damper that can adjust a damping force according to an input signal comprises a wheel rotational speed sensor for detecting a wheel rotational speed, a gain circuit for computing the unsprung load of each wheel according to the wheel rotational speed variation detected by the wheel speed sensor, a single wheel model computing unit for computing the sprung velocity and the stroke speed by inputting the unsprung load to a single wheel model representing the behavior of the vehicle, and a damper control unit for controlling a damping force of the variable damper according to the computed sprung velocity and stroke speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoma Kanda, Masaki Izawa
  • Patent number: 10685307
    Abstract: A system and method of implementing an end-of-life purchase of an item used in manufacturing. A method includes comparing a supply of an article to a demand for the article. The method also includes securing an amount of the article when the supply does not exceed the demand by a predetermined threshold, and waiting a predetermined period of time before repeating the comparing when the supply exceeds the demand by the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: John E. Drummond, Thomas J. Fleischman, Matthew W. Schoellmann
  • Patent number: 10670493
    Abstract: The invention provides a safety diagnosis system for structure, which comprises one GNSS receiver installed on an upper floor of a structure, a control device having a storage unit for storing a program which prepares an absolute displacement curve of the structure based on an absolute coordinate measured by the GNSS receiver and a displacement of the absolute coordinate, calculates a maximum inter-layer displacement and a maximum inter-layer deformation angle per each floor based on the absolute displacement curve and prepares an inter-layer deformation angle curve and a judging unit for performing a diagnosis of the safety of the structure based on the maximum inter-layer displacement and the maximum inter-layer deformation angle, and a display unit, wherein the control device calculates the maximum inter-layer displacement and the maximum inter-layer deformation angle per each floor and the inter-layer deformation angle curve based on a displacement of the absolute coordinate and the program and makes the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TOPCON
    Inventors: Tadayuki Morishita, Yoshihito Saito, Hiroaki Ryujin, Koichiro Fuse, Kazuhiro Ogawa, Kaoru Kumagai, Ritsuo Sakimura
  • Patent number: 10663029
    Abstract: A device and a method for influencing a dynamic property of at least one movably mounted body of two bodies coupled mechanically at least via a variably adjustable stiffness along a first force path. The invention includes a damping element with constant damping properties directly or indirectly coupled in series with the variably adjustable stiffness along the first force path Both bodies are mechanically directly or indirectly coupled via a second force path running parallel to the first force path along which at least one adjustable stiffness is incorporated. The damping property of the damping element and the adjustable stiffnesses are coordinated and configured so that a damping property assigned to the device for mechanical coupling can be varied exclusively by the adjustable stiffnesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Jan Christoph Hansmann, Stefan Wolter, Bjoern Seipel, William Kaal, Sven Herold
  • Patent number: 10569813
    Abstract: Vehicle cab suspension control systems are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the cab suspension control systems can include front cab-to-frame mounts that include controllable elastomer-based isolators that can provide real time variable damping to improve ride quality and/or road holding and reduce cab roll in response to, for example, input from one or more cab and/or frame mounted accelerometers, position sensors, etc. Embodiments of the control systems described herein can utilize a single vehicle controller (e.g., an ECU) to control all of the cab suspension components (e.g., semi-active damping technologies, air spring technologies, etc.) employed on a vehicle to provide a single suspension control solution that can provide improved ride performance, road holding, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Link Mfg., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tye B. Davis, William E. Ott
  • Patent number: 10500897
    Abstract: A front wheel caliper bracket for supporting an axle is provided in a lower end portion of a front fork. A wheel speed sensor is mounted on the bracket. The wheel speed sensor includes a fixing section and a sensor section, and is mounted on a sensor mounting section of the bracket by a bolt. The sensor mounting section is integrally formed with a rotation regulating portion in a projecting fashion. When fastened by the bolt, a lateral part of the rotating wheel speed sensor comes into contact with the rotation regulating portion to regulate the rotation of the wheel speed sensor, so that the stress from the rotation regulating portion is not exerted directly on the sensor section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Ono, Hiroshi Kurata, Hiroaki Shibuya, Shinpei Okazaki, Daisuke Tabuchi, Yoshiyuki Imai, Akira Ogitani, Naoyuki Yamate, Shinichiro Kato
  • Patent number: 10486524
    Abstract: A suspension system (20) is described for vehicle with a frame, comprising an element (R, 12) propulsive by rolling on the ground; two units (12a, 12b) adapted to impart a torque to the propulsive element that are controllable independently of one another, where the two units are movable relative to the propulsive element independently from one another and rigidly connectable to the frame at one same point (P). By moving one or each unit relative to the propulsive element the distance between the latter and said point is made to vary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: TEXA DYNAMICS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Adriano Girotto
  • Patent number: 10078334
    Abstract: A lane-control system suitable for use on an automated vehicle comprising a camera, a lidar-sensor, and a controller. The camera captures an image of a roadway traveled by a host-vehicle. The lidar-sensor detects a discontinuity in the roadway. The controller is in communication with the camera and the lidar-sensor and defines an area-of-interest within the image, constructs a road-model of the roadway based on the area-of-interest, determines that the host-vehicle is approaching the discontinuity, and adjusts the area-of-interest within the image based on the discontinuity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Premchand Krishna Prasad, Michael I. Chia
  • Patent number: 10042361
    Abstract: A method for guiding a terrestrial vehicle along a desired path can include receiving a position signal from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) antenna and a gyro signal from a gyro sensor that is indicative of: (i) at least one of a pitch and a roll of the terrestrial vehicle, and (ii) a gyro-based heading direction. A position of a point of interest of the terrestrial vehicle at a location different than the GNSS antenna can be determined based on the position signal, the gyro signal, and a positional relationship between the first location and the second location. A position-based heading direction of the point of interest of the terrestrial vehicle can be determined based on the determined position of the point of interest and at least one previously determined position of the point of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Beijing Unistrong Science & Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dennis M. Collins, John A. McClure
  • Patent number: 10006379
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an engine in a variety of different cylinder operating modes are presented. In one example, an actual total number of available cylinder modes is increased in response to a vehicle's suspension setting and road roughness. By increasing the available cylinder modes, the engine may be operated in a higher number of modes where one or more engine cylinders may be deactivated to conserve fuel. The number of cylinder modes is increased during conditions where vehicle occupants may be less likely to object to operating the engine with fewer active cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Eric Rollinger, Adam J. Richards, Robert Michael Grant, Steven Lin, Matthew Gerow
  • Patent number: 9975603
    Abstract: A method for actuating a bicycle electronic gearshift comprising the steps of: receiving a signal indicative of the heart rate of a cyclist using the bicycle; receiving a signal indicative of the power delivered by the cyclist; calculating a performance index as a function of the value of the signal indicative of the power and of the value of the signal indicative of the heart rate; obtaining a reference value for the performance index; comparing the calculated performance index with the reference value of the performance index; and, emitting a control signal as a function of the outcome of comparing step. A bicycle electronic system for practicing the disclosed method comprises an electronic gearshift, a heart rate monitor, a power sensor, and a controller configured to carry out each step of the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Campagnolo S.r.l.
    Inventors: Gianluca Bortolozzo, Flavio Cracco
  • Patent number: 9969426
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for controlling a steering assist unit of a vehicle. The method includes receiving first accelerometer data, second accelerometer data, and third accelerometer data then comparing and calculating differences between the first accelerometer data, second accelerometer data and the third accelerometer data to determine a relative movement values for the second and third locations. The relative movement value represents the contraction or expansion of separate systems as they independently move at or near the second and third locations. The method further includes outputting a control signal to control the travel of the steering assist unit based on the relative movement values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Scott R Kloess, Michael C Gaunt, Terrel D Johnson
  • Patent number: 9925840
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a ride height sensing system that includes an encoded electromagnetic source as an input unit for a Hall Effect sensors and the signal from the electromagnet is encoded to enable the rejection of ambient magnetic field. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, a band pass filter is used for signal processing of the encoded electromagnetic data. Additionally, several Hall Effect sensors may be used with a single electromagnetic source to provide multi-axis sensing and as such, provides robustness in determining ride height changes, or in the case of dependent suspensions (solid axle), a single electromagnetic source can used to determine ride height at multiple locations on the axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony Mario D'Amato, Harold Bernard Samuels, John Jeffrey Pfeiffer
  • Patent number: 9558599
    Abstract: A monitoring system implemented on a truck. The system includes: a plurality of strain and pressure gauges at critical locations at which a failure is predicted to occur; a processor with memory hardware configured to process the acquired real-time data from the gauges to determine measures of actual instantaneous stress and a real-time operating state; an output device configured to provide information comparing measures of actual instantaneous stress with corresponding reference values of maximum allowable stress, and to provide the real-time information derived from the real-time operating state. The real-time information derived from the real-time operating state preferably includes an amount of cumulative damage or closeness to failure having regard to the measures of actual instantaneous stress and the real-time operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: TECH MINING PTY LTD
    Inventors: Gerard Bernard Chitty, Lasha Biyanga Aponso
  • Patent number: 9505404
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a collision system in a vehicle that uses a three dimensional imaging device to map a three dimensional object external to the vehicle. A positioning module will superimpose the position of the body of the vehicle onto the mapped object in dependence of the potential impact location. The positioning module will communicate the impact location to a collision avoidance aid such as an audio or visual warning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: Matt Jones, Richard Rowe
  • Patent number: 9440645
    Abstract: A traction control system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a yaw rate detector configured to detect the yaw rate of a saddled vehicle, and a controller configured to perform a traction control based on the detected yaw rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuya Hieda
  • Patent number: 9020698
    Abstract: A suspension system for a traveling vehicle body is disclosed. The system includes a suspension reference position varying mechanism (18) for varying a reference position of a suspension stroke of the suspension mechanism (100), and a controller (35) configured to calculate an intermediate value from a maximal value corresponding to the maximal position of the suspension stroke and a minimal value corresponding to the minimal position of the suspension stroke, and to control the suspension reference position varying mechanism such that, when the calculated intermediate values deviates from a set target range, the intermediate value is displaced toward the target range. The controller (35) increases a control execution frequency for the suspension reference position varying mechanism (18) when the traveling speed of the vehicle body is low, and reduces the control execution frequency for the suspension reference position varying mechanism (18) when the traveling speed of the vehicle body is high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Iwami, Shigeki Hayashi, Akihiro Matsuzaki, Toshimitsu Yazaki, Atsushi Hayashi, Kazuma Ishihara
  • Patent number: 8943916
    Abstract: A chassis actuator adjusting a movably mounted component of a chassis, which has a first actuator component connected to the movably mounted component and a second actuator component connected to a fixed chassis component. The actuator components are adjustable axially by a ball screw that has a threaded spindle and a nut which runs on spindle. The nut is driveable by a drive motor that has a rotor coupled to the nut and a fixed stator arranged axially symmetrically with respect to the nut. The rotor is coupled to the nut by a wrap spring which radially surrounds the nut and via which the nut is rotated during rotation of the rotor and which forms a brake device. The brake device can be actuated by an external chassis force which acts on and rotates the nut and builds up a friction moment that counteracts the rotation of the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Juergen Osterlaenger, Mark Lauger, Thomas Mehlis
  • Publication number: 20150028549
    Abstract: An active road noise control system for a vehicle (10) comprising am or more inertial actuators (30) for suppressing vibrations in the chassis of the vehicle (10) and/of vehicle body (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventor: Barry Slater
  • Publication number: 20140353933
    Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to displacement-independent remote adjustable coupling of a first suspension member to a second suspension member. In an illustrative embodiment, the first suspension member may move substantially independently of any motion of the second suspension member, when in an uncoupled state. When in a coupled state, for example, the first suspension member may move in response to movement of the second suspension member. In some embodiments, the coupling between members may be performed by removing and/or stiffening one or more degrees of motion of the suspension system. For example, in some systems, a variable shock absorber may be stiffened in response to a control system signal. A remotely coupled suspension system may advantageously provide optimal suspension configuration for various riding conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Skinz Protective Gear
    Inventors: Jake Hawksworth, Jeff Hawksworth
  • Patent number: 8886403
    Abstract: A suspension system and a method for controlling a suspension system for a muscle-powered two-wheeled vehicle having a damper device with a first damper chamber and a second damper chamber coupled with one another via a controllable damping valve. A sensor is provided for capturing data about a current operational state. An electric control device and a data storage device for controlling the damper device are provided, such that at least one damping characteristic of the damper device can be influenced by a signal from the control device. The control device is configured and organized to provide a teaching mode in which route-related data are stored in the memory. The control device is furthermore configured and organized to provide a repeat mode in which the damper device is controlled according to the route-related data stored in the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: DT Swiss, Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Battlogg, Martin Walthert, Gernot Elsensohn, Jürgen Pösel
  • Patent number: 8868294
    Abstract: This disclosure, and the exemplary embodiments described herein, provides vehicle suspension systems and methods including a plurality of gas springs and an associated height control system. The height control system includes height sensors associated with the gas springs, a valve arrangement, a pressurized gas service and a control circuit which includes a variable hysteresis circuit to dynamically control the response of the suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Firestone Industrial Products Company, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony E. Gambrall
  • Patent number: 8855856
    Abstract: A system for providing vehicle roll control that controls the friction-force of dampers provided at the wheels of the vehicle. The system includes a lateral acceleration sensor for determining the lateral acceleration of the vehicle, a steering angle sensor for determining the steering angle of the vehicle and a speed sensor for determining the speed of the vehicle. The system calculates a current control signal for one or more of the dampers based on the lateral acceleration and/or the steering angle, and uses one or both of the current control signals to control the friction-force of the inside, outside or both of the dampers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jihan Ryu, Chandra S. Namuduri
  • Patent number: 8840118
    Abstract: Various embodiments related to hydraulic actuators and active suspension systems as well as their methods of use are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Levant Power Corporation
    Inventors: Marco Giovanardi, Clive Tucker, Ross J. Wendell, Zackary Martin Anderson, Colin Patrick O'Shea, Vladimir Gorelik, Tyson David Sawyer, Jonathan R. Leehey, Johannes Schneider, Robert Driscoll, Patrick W. Neil, Shakeel Avadhany
  • Publication number: 20140265168
    Abstract: Various embodiments related to hydraulic actuators and active suspension systems as well as their methods of use are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Levant Power Corporation
    Inventors: Marco Giovanardi, Clive Tucker, Ross J. Wendell, Zackary Martin Anderson, Colin Patrick O'Shea, Vladimir Gorelik, Tyson David Sawyer, Jonathan R. Leehey, Johannes Schneider, Robert Driscoll, Patrick W. Neil, Shakeel Avadhany
  • Publication number: 20140265170
    Abstract: Various embodiments related to hydraulic actuators and active suspension systems as well as their methods of use are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Levant Power Corporation
    Inventors: Marco Giovanardi, Clive Tucker, Ross J. Wendell, Zackary M. Anderson, Colin Patrick O'Shea, Vladimir Gorelik, Tyson David Sawyer, Jonathan R. Leehey, Johannes Schneider, Robert Driscoll, Patrick W. Neil, Shakeel Avadhany
  • Publication number: 20140265169
    Abstract: Various embodiments related to hydraulic actuators and active suspension systems as well as their methods of use are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Levant Power Corporation
    Inventors: Marco Giovanardi, Clive Tucker, Ross J. Wendell, Zackary Martin Anderson, John Giarratana, Richard Anthony Zuckerman, Colin Patrick O'Shea, Vladimir Gorelik, Tyson David Sawyer, Jonathan R. Leehey, Johannes Schneider, Robert Driscoll, Patrick W. Neil
  • Publication number: 20140252733
    Abstract: A laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle includes a vehicle body and at least three wheels. The first and second wheels are assigned to a common axle to form a first wheel pair. A first wheel control part suspends the first wheel of the wheel pair from the vehicle body and a second wheel control part suspends the second wheel of the wheel pair from the vehicle body. The first wheel control part is coupled to the second wheel control part via a double lever rotatably mounted on the vehicle body. At least two pivot points for the double lever can be defined on the vehicle body, the pivot points being spaced apart in a direction of a longitudinal extent of the double lever.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert SPAHL, Edmund HALFMANN, Torsten GERHARDT, Marc SIMON
  • Publication number: 20140252731
    Abstract: A laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle includes a vehicle body and at least three wheels, first and second wheels of the three wheels being assigned to a common axle to form a first wheel pair. The vehicle includes at least one wheel control part suspending each of the first and second wheels of the wheel pair from the vehicle body. At least one resilient element supports each wheel control part on the vehicle body. The resilient element has a non-linear spring characteristic with a spring rate which increases in a compression direction and decreases in a rebound direction. The vehicle may be a motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert SPAHL, Edmund HALFMANN, Torsten GERHARDT, Marc SIMON
  • Publication number: 20140252730
    Abstract: A laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle includes a vehicle body and at least three wheels, with two of the wheels being assigned to a common axle to form a first wheel pair. A first wheel control part suspends the first wheel of the wheel pair from the vehicle body and a second wheel control part suspends the second wheel of the wheel pair from the vehicle body. The first wheel control part is configured to be coupled to the second wheel control part via a first gearwheel mechanism, and the second wheel control part is configured to be coupled to the first wheel control part via a second gearwheel mechanism. The first and second gearwheel mechanisms each have a negative transmission ratio between a drive shaft and an output shaft. The laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle may be a motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert SPAHL, Edmund HALFMANN, Torsten GERHARDT, Marc SIMON
  • Publication number: 20140252732
    Abstract: A laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle includes a vehicle body and at least three wheels. The first and the second wheels are assigned to a common axle to form a first wheel pair. Each wheel of the wheel pair is rotatably mounted on a wheel support. The wheel supports of the wheel pair are connected to one another in an articulated manner via a double lever which is mounted rotatably at a first pivot point on the vehicle body. The wheel supports of the wheel pair also are connected to one another in an articulated manner via a parallel trailing arm, which runs parallel to the double lever and is configured to transmit lateral tilting of one wheel support to the other wheel support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert SPAHL, Edmund HALFMANN, Torsten GERHARDT, Marc SIMON
  • Publication number: 20140239603
    Abstract: A device for use in a vehicle steering system, said device comprising at least one actuator affixed to a wheel linkage of at least one wheel of said vehicle steering system. The actuator comprises a rotation assembly engagable with a first wheel linkage segment, an electric motor for actuating movement of the rotation assembly via a gear box and one or more sensors integrally contained in the actuator for sensing one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of force, speed, turns and rotation. Rotation of the rotation assembly actuates linear movement of said first wheel linkage segment into and out of said actuator to thereby adjust one or more wheel parameters of said at least one wheel, and wherein said one or more sensors provide real time data to an actuator control unit integral to said actuator to self-adjust rotational parameters of said rotation assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Inventor: Alexander Balandin
  • Patent number: 8781684
    Abstract: A three-wheeled vehicle that includes: a single front wheel; two rear wheels; a passenger cabin; an electronic steering control unit; and a steering input device configured to send an electronic signal to the electronic steering control unit corresponding to an input received at the steering input device associated with turning the three-wheeled vehicle; wherein the electronic steering control unit is configured to counter-steer the front wheel in response to receiving the electronic signal, wherein the counter-steering of the front wheel initiates a leaning of the passenger cabin a direction of turning of the three-wheeled vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Alpha Motors Company Limited
    Inventor: Ian A. Bruce
  • Patent number: 8781681
    Abstract: In an active suspension system for actively suspending a plant, a fail-safe system controlled by a failure-detector has a selectively-activated damper coupled to the plant. The damper may be a separate element from the actuator. Under normal circumstances, the damper is deactivated and therefore generates no damping force. However, if the failure detector detects an abnormal state in the system, it activates the damper, thereby causing a damping force that resists motion of the plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: James A. Parison, Jr., Upendra V. Ummethala
  • Patent number: 8755971
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a variance determination module and a fault detection module. The variance determination module determines a variance of samples generated from a ride height signal. The ride height signal is output by a ride height sensor that detects a ride height of a vehicle. The fault detection module detects a fault in the ride height sensor based on the variance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Inventors: Brian A. MacFarlane, John F. Larsen, Steven A. Opiteck
  • Patent number: 8755969
    Abstract: A bicycle suspension control apparatus includes a user operating device and a control device. The control device is operatively coupled to the user operating device to selectively control a front bicycle suspension between a plurality of operating states and a rear bicycle suspension between a plurality of operating states. The control device is configured to selectively change the operating states of both the front and rear bicycle suspensions to different ones of the operating states in response to a single operation of the user operating device. The control device controls the front and rear bicycle suspensions such that a first operating state change operation of one of the front and rear bicycle suspensions occurs later than a second operating state change operation of the other of the front and rear bicycle suspensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Tadashi Ichida, Hideki Ikemoto, Toyoto Shirai
  • Patent number: 8725351
    Abstract: An active suspension system for a suspended device. The system has an electromagnetic actuator that produces force on the suspended device and that is powered by a power source, and a control system that provides control signals that cause the electromagnetic actuator to exert force on the suspended device. The control system is adapted to receive a turn-off signal that results in disabling the electromagnetic actuator from producing force on the suspended device. When the control system receives a turn-off signal it provides actuator turn-off control signals that cause the force exerted by the electromagnetic actuator to progressively transition to zero over a transition time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Selden, Antonio Sangermano
  • Patent number: 8718871
    Abstract: A method for setting the damping force for at least one motor vehicle vibration damper which is connected between a vehicle body and a wheel, wherein, for the vibration damper or for each vibration damper, a damping force is determined and set within an actuating range defined by a lower limiting value and an upper limiting value, as a function of a vertical movement of the vehicle body, and as a function of a vertical movement of the respective wheel, and wherein the lower limiting value of the actuating range is also determined as a function of the vertical movement of the vehicle body and as a function of the vertical movement of the respective wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. H.C. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jochen Liebold, Thorsten Brobeil