Chassis part consisting of fiber-reinforced plastics, equipped with an integrated sensor

• US 7,083,199 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2002
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZF Lemforder Metallwaren AG
• Original Assignee: ZF Lemforder Metallwaren AG
• Inventors: Spratte, Joachim, Schönhoff, Stefan, Kruse, Jochen, Gräber, Jürgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US10/466,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20040046380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• Field of Search: 280/782, 280/124.136, 280/124.171, 280/5.507, 280/5.508, 280/5.513, 280/124.134, 280/124.135, 737/68, 738/626.32
• US Class Current: 280/782
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/00 Resilient suspensions characterised by arrangement, location or kind of springs single wheel suspension by pivoted arm resilient in itself B60G3/00; adjusting spring characteristic B60G17/00; springs per se F16F
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/019 characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/112 longitudinally arranged
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/11 Mounting of sensors thereon
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1162 directly mounted on the suspension arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/10 Constructional features of arms
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/7101 Fiber-reinforced plastics [FRP]
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/10 Acceleration; Deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/60 Load
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/61 Load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/64 Wheel forces, e.g. on hub, spindle or bearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/10 Piezoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/144 Fiber optic sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/02 Retarders, delaying means, dead zones, threshold values, cut-off frequency, timer interruption
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/042 Monitoring means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/08 Failure or malfunction detecting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/80 Detection or control after a system or component failure
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/94 Electronic Stability Program (ESP, i.e. ABS+ASC+EMS)
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/001 Suspension arms, e.g. constructional features B60G7/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/366 made of fibre-reinforced plastics, i.e. characterised by their special construction from such materials

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a chassis part for connection and force transmission between a vehicle chassis of at least one wheel, consisting of fiber-reinforced plastics or plastic composite systems, preferably for a passenger car or utility vehicle.

The present invention is characterized in that at least one means for measuring forces acting on the chassis parts is integrated in the plastic portions of the chassis parts.

Claims

1. A chassis part for connection and force transmission between a vehicle chassis and at least one wheel of a motor vehicle, the chassis part comprising:

a plastic portion consisting essentially of fiber-reinforced plastics or plastic composite systems defining a control arm;

at least one measuring means for measuring forces acting on the chassis part, said measuring means being integrated in the plastic portion of the chassis part;

an electronic documentation device wherein said measuring means is coupled with said electronic documentation device for receiving the measured forces; and

a temperature sensor wherein coupling said measuring device with said electronic documentation device for the measured forces includes evaluating the measured values in the electronic documentation device based on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor, further wherein the control arm consists of fiber-reinforced plastics or plastic composite systems.

2. A chassis part in accordance with claim 1 above, wherein at least one means for measuring the acting forces is a wire strain gauge.

3. A chassis part in accordance claim 1, wherein the means for measuring the acting forces are arranged such that they can record forces along at least two-axes.

4. A chassis part in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means for measuring the acting forces is arranged so as to record forces along at least three independent axes.

5. A chassis part according to claim 1, wherein the control arm consists of fiber-reinforced plastics.

6. A chassis part in accordance with claim 1 above, wherein at least one means for measuring the acting forces is a piezo element.

7. A chassis part in accordance with claim 1 above, wherein at least one means for measuring the acting forces is an acceleration sensor.

8. A chassis part in accordance with claim 1 above, wherein at least one means for measuring the acting forces is a fiber-optic light guide embedded in the plastic of the chassis part.

9. A vehicle with a chassis part, the vehicle comprising:

a chassis part control arm with a plastic portion consisting essentially of fiber-reinforced plastics or plastic composite systems and at least one measuring means for measuring forces acting on the chassis part, said measuring means being integrated in the plastic portion of the chassis part; and

an electronic control device for stabilizing the driving and/or the position of the vehicle by action on driving or braking elements, said electronic control device being coupled to said measuring means;

an electronic documentation device wherein said measuring means is coupled with said electronic documentation device for the measured forces; and

a temperature sensor wherein coupling said measuring means with said electronic documentation device for the measured forces includes evaluating the measured values in the electronic documentation device based on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.

10. A vehicle in accordance with claim 9, wherein the electronic documentation device is integrated within said electronic control device for stabilizing the driving and/or the position of the vehicle.

11. A vehicle in accordance with claim 9, wherein the documentation device has means for warning when preset maximum loads and/or the service life of said chassis part are exceeded.

12. A vehicle in accordance with claim 9, wherein the documentation device has means for locking the vehicle when preset maximum loads are exceeded.

13. A method of using a chassis part, the method comprising:

providing the chassis part as a control arm part made of plastic or composite materials with an integrated measuring device for measuring forces acting on the chassis part;

measuring forces acting on the control arm part using the integrated measuring device

providing a temperature sensor for temperature measurement in the region of the control arm;

providing an electronic documentation device;

coupling the measuring device with the electronic documentation device for the measured forces; and

evaluating the measured values in the electronic documentation device based on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

checking the service life of these chassis part based on the measured forces.

15. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

collecting measured values and providing the values to an electronic control device for one of headlight leveling control and for the stabilization of the driving and the position of a vehicle.