Abstract: A vehicle suspension strut is disclosed that includes a housing having a chamber and a piston slidably disposed in the chamber. A piston rod is connected to the piston and extends out of the housing. The piston rod includes a bore extending longitudinally therein. A magnetostrictive transducer provides an output signal indicative of the piston position with respect to the housing. The magnetostrictive transducer includes a magnetostrictive waveguide disposed in the bore and a magnet joined to the housing that is operably coupled to the magnetostrictive waveguide and the magnetostrictive waveguide abruptly terminates at one end.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 27, 1999
Date of Patent:
March 16, 2004
Assignee:
MTS Systems Corporation
Inventors:
David S. Nyce, Arnold F. Sprecher, Jr., David Edward Shoff