Electronically Controlled Suspension System, Method for Controlling a Suspension System and Computer Program

• US 20150197308A1
• Filed: 02/20/2015
• Published: 07/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gustav Magenwirth GmbH & Co KG
• Original Assignee: Gustav Magenwirth GmbH & Co KG, Befra Electronic, S.R.O. (Katek SE)
• Inventors: Beier, Jrgen, Knstle, Reiner, Kern, Christoph, Butora, Peter, Koller, Florian
• Granted Patent: US 9,592,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 1/06 Saddles capable of parallel motion up and down
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/00 Electrical equipment arrangements specially adapted for use as accessories on cycles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/20 Cycle computers as cycle accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/411 Torque sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/412 Speed sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/414 Acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/415 Inclination sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/4152 for sensing longitudinal inclination of the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/22 electronic, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2025/044 Suspensions with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2025/045 Suspensions with ride-height adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/08 for front wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/10 for rear wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/20 for rear wheel

Abstract

An electronically controlled suspension system for a bicycle includes at least one spring element between first and second parts the bicycle, both parts being movably interconnected. At least one parameter of the spring element is modified. At least one actuator influences the spring element to modify the at least one parameter. An electronic module produces a control signal for the at least one actuator. A control device is influenced by the control signal produced by the electronic module. The control device is connected to at least one of the electronic module and the actuator through a radio signal. A corresponding method controls the suspension system for the bicycle and a computer program executes the method.

Claims

1. An electronically controlled suspension system for a bicycle, comprising:

at least one spring element disposed between a first part of the bicycle and a second part of the bicycle, both parts being movably interconnected, the at least one spring element having at least one parameter that can be modified;

at least one actuator operatively influencing the spring element to modify the at least one parameter;

an electronic module producing at least one control signal for the at least one actuator; and

at least one control device by which the control signal produced by the electronic module can be influenced, the at least one control device having at least one multi-axis micromechanical acceleration sensor.

2. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of:

the at least one control device; and

the actuator,

is connected to the electronic module through a radio signal.

3. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein the multi-axis micromechanical acceleration sensor is adapted to determine an acceleration in three spatial directions.

4. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein that the at least one control device comprises at least one of:

an operating element;

a tilt sensor;

a speed sensor;

a torque sensor; and

a position sensor.

5. The suspension system according to claim 4, wherein:

the bicycle has at least one of a brake lever and a gearshift lever; and

a joint attachment element disposes the operating element with one of the brake lever and the gearshift lever.

6. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic module comprises a map memory to receive topographic information.

7. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic module determines at least one of a speed and a position by integration of data of the acceleration sensor over time.

8. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein that the actuator is selected from at least one of an electric motor, a magnetic-valve controller, a piezo-valve controller, a controller containing a shape memory alloy, and a controller being a shape memory alloy.

9. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the control device and the electronic module has at least one first operating condition and at least one second operating condition, wherein, compared to the first operating condition, in the second operating condition a number of functions that can be executed is reduced and an energy consumption is lowered.

10. The suspension system according to claim 9, wherein at least one of:

the electronic module changes from the first operating condition to the second operating condition when no acceleration is detected over a settable time; and

the electronic module changes from the second operating condition to the first operating condition when an acceleration is detected.

11. The suspension system according to claim 4, wherein the position sensor contains at least one radio navigation system.

12. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the electronic module and the operating element includes or is a cell phone.

13. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of:

at least one of the control device and the electronic module contain at least one operating condition indicator; and

at least one of the control device and the electronic module visualize an operating condition by at least one of at least one LED and an LCD display.

14. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic module enables at least one manual operating condition in which the user influences the control signal produced by the electronic module and the electronic module enables at least one automatic operating condition in which the control signal produced by the electronic module is produced depending on at least one riding parameter.

15. The suspension system according to claim 14, wherein the at least one riding parameter is selected from at least one of a terrain topography, a longitudinal acceleration, a transverse acceleration, a tilt, a driving torque, a speed, and a road condition.

16. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter is selected from at least one of a spring force, a damping force, a suspension travel, a zero position, and a saddle height.

17. A method for controlling a suspension system for a bicycle, comprising the steps of:

producing an input variable by at least one control device, the input variable representing an acceleration in at least one spatial direction;

transmitting the input variable to an electronic module;

producing a control signal for at least one actuator with the electronic module;

modifying at least one parameter of at least one spring element with the at least one actuator, the spring element being disposed between first and second parts of the bicycle movably interconnected.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the input variable represents at least one of a driver'"'"'s desire, a tilt, a terrain topography, a speed, and a road condition.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the at least one parameter is selected from at least one of a spring force, a damping force, a suspension travel, and a zero position.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the input variable is transmitted to the electronic module through a radio signal.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the tilt, the position, and the speed is determined by integration of the acceleration over time.

22. The method according to claim 17, which further comprises detecting acceleration in three spatial directions with a three-dimensional micromechanical acceleration sensor.

23. A data carrier with data stored thereon or a signal sequence suitable for transmission through a computer network and representing data, the data representing a computer program that carries out the method according to claim 17 when the computer program is running.

24. A seat post for a bicycle, comprising:

a post body having;

a first end shaped to be connected to a bicycle frame;

a second end shaped to be connected to a saddle;

at least two longitudinal portions meshing with each other and slidable relative to one another along a longitudinal extension; and

a fixing apparatus by which the two longitudinal portions can be fixed to one another in a settable relative position, the fixing apparatus being influenced to selectively fix and unfix by a radio signal.

25. The seat post according to claim 24, wherein the radio signal is produced by an operating element.

26. The seat post according to claim 24, wherein the radio signal is produced by an electronic module dependent upon terrain topography.

27. The seat post according to claim 24, wherein the two longitudinal portions are connected to each other through a gas pressure spring.