DISPLACEMENT MEASUREMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A SUSPENSION SYSTEM IN A VEHICLE

• US 20120205887A1
• Filed: 02/15/2011
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Montocchio, Denis J., Mish, Dean L., Stander, Francois
• Granted Patent: US 8,448,963 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/124.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/019 characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/11 Mounting of sensors thereon
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/252 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/04 Suspension or damping

Abstract

A vehicle includes a chassis, an axle, a suspension strut and a sensor assembly. The suspension strut includes a barrel having a lower end and an upper end, and a rod having a lower end and an upper end. The rod lower end is slidably received within the barrel upper end. The barrel lower end is coupled with the axle and the rod upper end is coupled with the chassis. A sensor assembly is coupled between the chassis and the barrel for sensing relative movement between the chassis and the barrel.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a chassis;

an axle;

a suspension strut including a barrel having a lower end and an upper end, and a rod having a lower end and an upper end, said rod lower end slidably received within said barrel upper end, said barrel lower end coupled with said axle and said rod upper end coupled with said chassis; and

a sensor assembly coupled between said chassis and said barrel for sensing relative movement between said chassis and said barrel.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said sensor assembly is coupled with said upper end of said barrel.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said sensor assembly indirectly senses relative movement between said chassis and said axle.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said sensor assembly includes a portion thereof which is positioned within a protected area within said chassis.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, including a protective structure carried by said chassis, and wherein said sensor assembly is at least partially protected from physical damage.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein said protective structure includes a plate positioned ahead of said sensor assembly relative to a travel direction of the vehicle.

7. A strut displacement measurement system for a vehicle, comprising:

a suspension strut including a barrel having a lower end and an upper end, and a rod having a lower end and an upper end, said rod lower end slidably received within said barrel upper end, said barrel lower end being couplable with an axle of the vehicle and said rod upper end being couplable with a chassis of the vehicle; and

a sensor assembly coupled with the barrel and couplable with the chassis of the vehicle for sensing relative movement between the chassis and the barrel.

8. The strut displacement measurement system of claim 7, wherein said sensor assembly is coupled with said upper end of said barrel.

9. The strut displacement measurement system of claim 7, wherein said sensor assembly indirectly senses relative movement between said chassis and said axle.

10. A method of measuring a relative displacement between a vehicle chassis and an axle of a vehicle, including the steps of:

providing a suspension strut including a barrel having a lower end and an upper end, and a rod having a lower end and an upper end, said rod lower end slidably received within said barrel upper end;

coupling the barrel lower end with the axle and said rod upper end with the vehicle chassis;

coupling a sensor assembly between said chassis and said barrel; and

sensing relative movement between said chassis and said barrel using said sensor assembly.

11. The method of measuring a relative displacement of claim 10, wherein said sensor assembly indirectly senses relative movement between said chassis and said axle.

12. The method of measuring a relative displacement of claim 10, including the step of at least partially protecting the sensor assembly from physical damage using a protective structure carried by said chassis.

13. The method of measuring a relative displacement of claim 12, wherein said protective structure includes a plate positioned ahead of said sensor assembly relative to a travel direction of the vehicle.