Abstract: A damper assembly for a suspension system of a vehicle includes a housing adapted to be mounted to one end of a strut in the suspension system. The housing has a chamber with fluid therein. The damper assembly also includes at least one diaphragm extending across the chamber to react with the fluid, to be compliant at relatively small displacements, and to be rigid at relatively large displacements.

Abstract: A damper assembly for a suspension system of a vehicle includes a housing adapted to be mounted to one end of a strut in the suspension system. The housing has a chamber with fluid therein. The damper assembly also includes at least one diaphragm extending across the chamber to react with the fluid, to be compliant at relatively small displacements, and to be rigid at relatively large displacements.

Abstract: The ability of a damper to attenuate smooth road shake in a vehicle is tested using a test fixture that is controlled by inputting data for periodic low amplitude periodic excitations having a selected frequency range, selected amplitude range and a selected dither representative of vehicle operation on relatively smooth roads. The selected frequency range is about 5 Hz to 30 Hz and the selected amplitude range is about 0.05 mm to 2.00 mm. A preferred frequency is about 15 Hz which is applied preferably for about 200 cycles in a series of separate tests at individual amplitudes of, for example, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00 and 2.00 mm. The damper is tested to produce low amplitude test results comprising displacement, force and velocity parameters, measured as functions of time.

Abstract: An assembly operable to be used with a steering wheel of a vehicle and to suppress a vibration transmitted to the steering wheel includes a plurality of support flexures and an inertial ring attached to the support flexures. The support flexures are operable to be attached to the steering wheel and the support flexures and the inertial ring are tuned to suppress a vibration at a predetermined band of frequencies. The support flexures and the inertial ring are positioned in an annular cavity formed in the rim.

Abstract: An on-road balancing system is provided that includes an analyzer, vibration sensor, and rotation sensor. The rotation sensor is coupled to at least one vehicle wheel and the vibration sensor is coupled to a component within the vehicle. The analyzer is responsive to input from the rotation sensor and the vibration sensor to calculate a phasor quantity representative of vibrations transmitted from the wheel to the component.

Abstract: An assembly operable to be used with a steering wheel of a vehicle and to suppress a vibration transmitted to the steering wheel includes a plurality of support flexures and an inertial ring attached to the support flexures. The support flexures are operable to be attached to the steering wheel and the support flexures and the inertial ring are tuned to suppress a vibration at a predetermined band of frequencies. The support flexures and the inertial ring are positioned in an annular cavity formed in the rim.

Abstract: An on-road balancing system is provided that includes an analyzer, vibration sensor, and rotation sensor. The rotation sensor is coupled to at least one vehicle wheel and the vibration sensor is coupled to a component within the vehicle. The analyzer is responsive to input from the rotation sensor and the vibration sensor to calculate a phasor quantity representative of vibrations transmitted from the wheel to the component.

Abstract: A noise inhibiting wheel cover for a wheel assembly having a wheel includes a substrate adapted to engage the wheel of the wheel assembly. The noise inhibiting wheel cover also includes a layer of noise inhibiting material located at contact sites between the substrate and the wheel of the wheel assembly to reduce noise caused by mechanical actions therebetween.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing tires comprising the steps of: constructing a sample set of tires; measuring at least two parameters of each tire of the sample to obtain first and second measurement data; measuring force variations of each tire of the sample set during a rotation test at a select rotation rate to obtain force variation data; determining transfer functions between the first and second measurement data and the force variation data; constructing a set of production tires; measuring the two parameters of the production tires; predicting force variations of the production tires at the select rotation rate based on the transfer functions and the two measured parameters of the production tires; responsive to the predicted force variations, comparing the production tires to predetermined criteria; and controlling manufacture of the tires responsive to the comparison.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for the evaluation and diagnosis of tire contributions to annoying erratic motions of a vehicle, which motions are induced when the vehicle travels over longitudinally grooved pavement. The apparatus utilizes a vehicle the forward end of which is supported on a laterally movable carriage, with freedom to yaw, and the rear end of which carries a loaded test tire and an axially spaced companion tire on respective curcumferentially grooved and circumferentially smooth tire driving means. Sensor means are provided to measure transverse or angular motions or displacements generated as the test tire moves laterally across the grooved drive surfaces in response to lateral movement of the carriage.

Abstract: A method of predicting tread-wear for pneumatic tires, the method incorporating laboratory measurements of pressure and traction data exerted by selected tires against a surface, and the collection of actual treadwear data from road-testing of the tires in order to establish an empirical relationship of certain phenomena which affect tread-wear. The relationship is ultimately reduced to tread-wear predicting equation having parameters which are associated with tabularized numerical values collected from the data in the laboratory and on the tire test-course. The foregoing abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.