Vehicle chassis level sensor

• US 10,239,375 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2016
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bourns Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bourns Incorporated
• Inventors: Shinozaki, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M
• Application Number:
  US15/549,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20180037078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/14 having helical, spiral or coil springs only B60G11/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/16 characterised by means specially adapted for attaching the spring to axle or sprung part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 15/063 characterised by the mounting of the spring on the damper B60G15/065, B60G15/066 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 15/067 characterised by the mounting on the vehicle body or chassis of the spring and damper unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/019 characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/142 with a single lateral arm, e.g. MacPherson type
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/12 Wound spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/11 Mounting of sensors thereon
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/124 Mounting of coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/172 Hall effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/06 the arm being rigid
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/12 Attachments or mountings F16F1/041, F16F13/02 take precedence; of combinations of vibration damper and mechanical spring for vehicle suspension units B60G15/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/32 Details

Abstract

A damper assembly for a vehicle having a chassis and a control arm moveably coupled to the chassis includes a first spring seat configured to be fixed to the chassis, a second spring seat configured to be supported by the control arm, a coil spring extending between the first spring seat and the second spring seat, and a sensor module supported by the first spring seat or the second spring seat. The sensor module is operable to determine a state of compression of the coil spring.

Claims

1. A damper assembly for a vehicle, the vehicle having a chassis and a control arm moveably coupled to the chassis, the damper assembly comprising:

a first spring seat configured to be fixed to the chassis;

a second spring seat configured to be supported by the control arm;

a coil spring extending between the first spring seat and the second spring seat; and

a sensor module supported by the first spring seat or the second spring seat, the sensor module being operable to determine a state of compression of the coil spring;

wherein the sensor module includes a Hall effect sensor and a permanent magnet, and

wherein the permanent magnet interacts with a coil of the coil spring.

2. The damper assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor module measures a gap between a first coil of the coil spring and the sensor module.

3. The damper assembly of claim 2, wherein the permanent magnet faces the first coil of the coil spring, and wherein the sensor module senses a magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet to measure the gap.

4. The damper assembly of claim 3, wherein the sensor module senses a first magnetic flux when the gap is a first size, and wherein the sensor module senses a second magnetic flux that is greater than the first magnetic flux when the gap is a second size that is less than the first size.

5. The damper assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the sensor module is molded into the first spring seat or the second spring seat.

6. The damper assembly of claim 1, wherein the permanent magnet is embedded in the first spring seat or the second spring seat.

7. The damper assembly of claim 1, further comprising a strut configured to be supported by the control arm, wherein the second spring seat is fixed to the strut.

8. The damper assembly of claim 7, wherein the coil spring is positioned around the strut.

9. The damper assembly of claim 1, wherein the second spring seat is configured to be fixed to an axle that is supported by the control arm.

10. A suspension system for a vehicle, the suspension system comprising:

a first control arm configured to be pivotally coupled to a chassis of the vehicle;

a second control arm configured to be pivotally coupled to the chassis of the vehicle;

a first wheel hub supported by the first control arm;

a second wheel hub supported by the second control arm; and

a damper assembly including

a first spring seat configured to be fixed to the chassis of the vehicle,

a second spring seat supported by the control arm,

a coil spring extending between the first spring seat and the second spring seat, and

a sensor module supported by the first spring seat or the second spring seat, the sensor module being operable to determine a state of compression of the coil spring;

wherein the sensor module measures a gap between a first coil of the coil spring and the sensor module.

11. The suspension system of claim 10, wherein the sensor module includes a magnet facing the first coil of the coil spring, and wherein the sensor module senses a magnetic field generated by the magnet to measure the gap.

12. The suspension system of claim 11, wherein the sensor module senses a first magnetic flux when the gap is a first size, and wherein the sensor module senses a second magnetic flux that is greater than the first magnetic flux when the gap is a second size that is less than the first size.

13. The suspension system of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the sensor module is molded into the first spring seat or the second spring seat.

14. The suspension system of claim 10, wherein the damper assembly further includes a strut supported by the control arm, wherein the coil spring is positioned around the strut, and wherein the second spring seat is fixed to the strut.

15. The suspension system of claim 10, further comprising an axle supported by the first and second control arms and supporting the first and second wheel hubs, wherein the second spring seat is fixed to the axle.

16. A sensing system that measures compression of a vehicle coil spring, the sensing system comprising:

a housing configured to be coupled to an end of the coil spring;

a permanent magnet supported by the housing, the permanent magnet having a magnetic field that interacts with a coil of the coil spring; and

a magnetic sensor supported by the housing, the magnetic sensor being operable to sense the magnetic field from the permanent magnet;

wherein the magnetic field at the magnetic sensor changes when the compression of the coil spring changes.

17. The sensing system of claim 16, wherein the magnetic sensor senses an increased magnetic flux as a gap between the permanent magnet and a coil of the coil spring decreases, and wherein the magnetic sensor senses a decreased magnetic flux as the gap between the permanent magnet and the coil of the coil spring increases.

18. A damper assembly for a vehicle, the vehicle having a chassis and a control arm moveably coupled to the chassis, the damper assembly comprising:

a first spring seat configured to be fixed to the chassis;

a second spring seat configured to be supported by the control arm;

a coil spring extending between the first spring seat and the second spring seat; and

a sensor module supported by the first spring seat or the second spring seat, the sensor module being operable to determine a state of compression of the coil spring;

wherein the sensor module measures a gap between a first coil of the coil spring and the sensor module.

19. The damper assembly of claim 18, wherein the sensor module includes a magnet facing the first coil of the coil spring, and wherein the sensor module senses a magnetic field generated by the magnet to measure the gap.

20. The damper assembly of claim 19, wherein the sensor module senses a first magnetic flux when the gap is a first size, and wherein the sensor module senses a second magnetic flux that is greater than the first magnetic flux when the gap is a second size that is less than the first size.