Abstract: A controllable brake includes a housing and a rotor supported on a shaft. The rotor is housed within a chamber containing a field controllable material which is acted upon by a magnetic field generator to impede movement of the rotor. The shaft is supported by bearings. The controllable brake housing defines a second housing chamber adapted to enclose means for monitoring and/or controlling the brake and in this way, an integrated, compact controllable brake is provided.

Abstract: A magneto-rheological fluid damper includes a damper body having a reservoir for a magneto-rheological fluid, a piston rod, a piston rod guide disposed within the damper body, where the piston rod guide has a passage therein for receiving the piston rod. The magneto-rheological fluid damper further includes at least a first piston rod seal and at least a second piston rod seal arranged to seal between the piston rod guide and the piston rod. The magneto-rheological fluid damper further includes a fluid chamber defined between the piston rod guide and the piston rod, the fluid chamber being in communication with the reservoir. The magneto-rheological fluid damper further includes a piston rod guide filter arranged in a communication path between the fluid chamber and the reservoir to filter particulates out of the magneto-rheological fluid entering the fluid chamber. The magneto-rheological fluid damper further includes an accumulator arranged between the piston rod guide and the damper body.

Abstract: A damper device comprising a first mode having a first level of damping, a second mode having a second level of damping corresponding to a predetermined function, a sensor system having a first output corresponding to a normal position and a second output corresponding to an end stop approaching position, and a control system operable for receiving the first output and the second output and executing the first mode and the second mode. The damper device is operable in the first mode when the control system receives the first output and is operable in the second mode when the control system receives the second output.

Abstract: A controllable brake with a shaft having an axis of rotation and a shaft end. The controllable brake including a controllable brake rotor connected with the shaft, the rotor having a rotation plane. The controllable brake includes a controllable brake magnetic field generator located proximate the controllable brake rotor, the controllable brake magnetic field generator for generating a controllable magnetic field strength.

Abstract: A controllable suspension system for controlling the relative motion between a first body and a second body includes at least one strut including a magneto-rheological fluid damper. The fluid damper includes a piston rod guide disposed within a damper body. The piston rod guide has a passage therein for receiving a piston rod. A piston rod bearing assembly is disposed in the piston rod guide to engage with and support reciprocal motion of the piston rod. At least a first piston rod seal and at least a second piston rod seal are arranged to seal between the piston rod guide and the piston rod. A fluid chamber is defined between the piston rod guide and the piston rod. A piston rod guide gas charged accumulator is arranged between the piston rod and the damper body.

Abstract: A magneto-rheological fluid damper includes a damper body having a reservoir for a magneto-rheological fluid, a piston rod, a piston rod guide disposed within the damper body, where the piston rod guide has a passage therein for receiving the piston rod. The magneto-rheological fluid damper further includes at least a first piston rod seal and at least a second piston rod seal arranged to seal between the piston rod guide and the piston rod. The magneto-rheological fluid damper further includes a fluid chamber defined between the piston rod guide and the piston rod, the fluid chamber being in communication with the reservoir. The magneto-rheological fluid damper further includes a piston rod guide filter arranged in a communication path between the fluid chamber and the reservoir to filter particulates out of the magneto-rheological fluid entering the fluid chamber. The magneto-rheological fluid damper further includes an accumulator arranged between the piston rod guide and the damper body.

Abstract: A vehicle operator input device for controlling the vehicle with the operator input device including an operator interface lever moveable by a vehicle operator in first and second directions about an axis. The operator input device includes a sensor system with a sensor target. The sensor system senses the moveable operator interface lever and provides an operator interface lever position signal as a function of a position of the operator interface lever.

Abstract: A controllable brake includes a rotor supported on one shaft end. The rotor is housed within a chamber containing a field controllable material which is acted upon by a magnetic field generator to change the rheology of the material and thereby impede movement of the rotor. The shaft is supported by two bearings which, in combination with the housing define a second housing chamber adapted to enclose means for monitoring and/or controlling the brake and in this way, an integrated, compact controllable brake is provided.

Abstract: A controllable brake includes a rotor supported on one shaft end. The rotor is housed within a chamber containing a field controllable material which is acted upon by a magnetic field generator to change the rheology of the material and thereby impede movement of the rotor. The shaft is supported by two bearings which, in combination with the housing define a second housing chamber adapted to enclose means for monitoring and/or controlling the brake and in this way, an integrated, compact controllable brake is provided.

Abstract: A damper device comprising a first mode having a first level of damping, a second mode having a second level of damping corresponding to a predetermined function, a sensor system having a first output corresponding to a normal position and a second output corresponding to an end stop approaching position, and a control system operable for receiving the first output and the second output and executing the first mode and the second mode. The damper device is operable in the first mode when the control system receives the first output and is operable in the second mode when the control system receives the second output.

Abstract: A controllable brake includes a rotor supported on one shaft end. The rotor is housed within a chamber containing a field controllable material which is acted upon by a magnetic field generator to change the rheology of the material and thereby impede movement of the rotor. The shaft is supported by two bearings which, in combination with the housing define a second housing chamber adapted to enclose means for monitoring and/or controlling the brake and in this way, an integrated, compact controllable brake is provided.

Abstract: A method for limiting endstop collisions when non-typical inputs are experienced and also when the seat is leveled at a position above or below the normal leveling zone limits. According to the method of the invention a temporary or transient control method referred to as rebound control method causes a large damping force to be applied by the seat suspension system in response to non-typically large inputs. The large damping force is applied until a duration timer timesout. Also according to the invention, a level control algorithm provides additional damping when the seat is leveled outside the normal leveling zone. The degree of additional damping provided is a function of the distance the seat exceeds the normal leveling zone.

Abstract: In a seat suspension system, a method for adjusting the gain applied to a control signal to accommodate for large variations in rider weight and input severity and thereby provide rider comfort over a wider range of conditions than is possible with fixed gains or tunings. The method of the present invention is adaptable to changes in system operating conditions.

Abstract: In a seat suspension system, a method for adjusting the gain applied to a control signal to accommodate for large variations in rider weight and input severity and thereby provide rider comfort over a wider range of conditions than is possible with fixed gains or tunings. The method of the present invention is adaptable to changes in system operating conditions.

Abstract: A method for limiting endstop collisions when non-typical inputs are experienced and also when the seat is leveled at a position above or below the normal leveling zone limits. According to the method of the invention a temporary or transient control method referred to as rebound control method causes a large damping force to be applied by the seat suspension system in response to non-typically large inputs. The large damping force is applied until a duration timer timesout. Also according to the invention, a level control algorithm provides additional damping when the seat is leveled outside the normal leveling zone. The degree of additional damping provided is a function of the distance the seat exceeds the normal leveling zone.

Abstract: An Adaptive Off-state (AO) control method (55) for use in conjunction with a suspension system (10) including a controllable damper (22) interconnecting relatively moveable members (12, 14) to reduce the transmission of vibrational forces therebetween. Such suspension systems (10) are switchable between alternative on- and an off-state in accordance with a primary control method (53) and/or a secondary override control method (59). Sensors (48, 52) monitor the parameters of the suspension system (10), such as the displacement, velocity, and acceleration of the moveable members (12, 14). Damper command signals (107) are provided to the damper (22) in the on-state (116) to adjust the damping characteristics thereof. In the off-state, the damping signal in conventional systems is approximately zero or a constant relatively low magnitude.

Abstract: A controllable valve assembly (18) applicable in Magnetorheological (MR) fluid devices (20), such as MR mounts and MR dampers. The valve assembly (18) includes a valve body (32) having a magnetic circuit (40) contained therein which carries magnetic flux .phi., a controllable passageway (42) within the magnetic circuit (40), a MR (magnetically controlled) fluid (44) including soft-magnetic particles in a liquid carrier contained in the controllable passageway (42), a magnetic flux generator, such as a wound wire coil (46), generating magnetic flux .phi. which is directed through the MR fluid (44) in the controllable passageway (42) thereby generating "rheology" changes causing restriction in flow of MR fluid (44) therethrough.

Abstract: A controllable valve assembly (18) applicable in Magnetorheological (MR) fluid devices (20), such as MR mounts and MR dampers. The valve assembly (18) includes a valve body (32) having a magnetic circuit (40) contained therein which carries magnetic flux .PHI., a controllable passageway (42) within the magnetic circuit (40), a MR (magnetically controlled) fluid (44) including soft-magnetic particles in a liquid carrier contained in the controllable passageway (42), a magnetic flux generator, such as a wound wire coil (46), generating magnetic flux .PHI. which is directed through the MR fluid (44) in the controllable passageway (42) thereby generating "rheology" changes causing restriction in flow of MR fluid (44) therethrough.

Abstract: A controllable secondary suspension system (20) for vehicle cabs (18) and the like which flexibly suspends and controls movement of the vehicle's cab (22) relative to the vehicle's frame (24). The system (20) includes at least one flexible support (26), which are preferably two spaced apart air springs flexibly suspending the cab (22) relative to the frame (24), at least one controllable fluid damper, and preferably two spaced-apart controllable fluid dampers, such as Magnetorheological (MR) fluid dampers (28, 28'), interconnected between the cab (22) and the frame (24). In one aspect, the system (20) may include at least one sensor, such as a relative position sensor (30), for providing relative vibration information between the cab (22) and the frame (24), and a controller (36) for processing the relative vibration information to determine current to be supplied to the controllable fluid damper (28) to control the degree of damping thereof.

Abstract: A method for controlling end stop collisions in electro-mechanical systems including dampers or actuators. In a first aspect, a velocity-squared control method determines an end stop control signal (V.sub.end stop) based, at least in part, upon a square of the relative velocity (V.sub.inst). Preferably, the displacement (.delta..sub.end) to the end stop is also used to derive the end stop control signal (V.sub.end stop). In another aspect, a snubber control method is employed which produces a snubber control signal (V.sub.snub) based, at least in part, upon a continuous function of a snubber incursion distance (.delta..sub.z) within a snubber zone (Z). Preferably, the velocity-squared end stop and the snubber control methods operate together. When used in conjunction with an end stop control method, the snubber control method prevents end stop collisions for cases where the end stop control algorithm alone would not.