Suspension stop instrumented under deformation in order to measure forces

• US 7,192,041 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2003
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SNR Roulements
• Original Assignee: SNR Roulements
• Inventors: Blanchin, Olivier, Nicot, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth; Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODEN JR, BARRY J
• Application Number:
  US10/712,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20040100057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 280/124.155, 280/124.146, 280/124.147, 188/1.11 R, 188/1.11 E, 188/321.11, 267/220
• US Class Current: 280/124.147
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/019 characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/46 camber angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/312 The spring being a wound spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/112 on dampers, e.g. fluid dampers
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/124 Mounting of coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/128 Damper mount on vehicle body or chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/418 Bearings, e.g. ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/43 Fittings, brackets or knuckles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/44 Centering or positioning means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4502 using resilient buffer
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/61 Adjustable during maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/60 Load
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/915 Suspension load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/54 Arrangements for attachment grommet-type rubber mounting springs per se F16F1/3732; construction of cylinder ends F16F9/3242; attachments to vehicles B60G13/001, B60G15/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/58 Stroke limiting stops, e.g. arranged on the piston rod outside the cylinder F16F9/49 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0019 by using strain gages, piezoelectric, piezo-resistive or other ohmic-resistance based sensors

Abstract

The invention concerns a suspension stop for a motor vehicle wheel, comprising a device for measuring the forces applied to the vehicle wheel, the said device comprising at least one deformation sensor (12) which is associated with a fixed member (1, 6) of the said stop so as to measure the deformations of the said member which are caused by the said forces applied, and a calculation means able, from these deformations, to calculate the corresponding forces applied.

Claims

1. A suspension stop for a motor vehicle wheel, comprising a suspension spring, a damper and a snubber, the stop comprising:

a top cup secured to a chassis of the vehicle, and providing an abutment for the snubber;

a roller bearing provided with a fixed top race secured to the top cup, a rotating bottom race fixed to the suspension spring, and rolling bodies disposed between the races; and

a device for measuring the forces applied to the vehicle wheel, the device comprising at least one deformation sensor which is associated with the top race so as to measure the deformations of the top race caused by the forces applied, and a calculation means for calculating, from these deformations the corresponding forces applied.

2. The stop according to claim 1, wherein the device is arranged to measure vertical forces applied to the vehicle wheel.

3. The stop according to claim 1, further comprising a bottom cup associated with the bottom race and providing an abutment for the spring.

4. The stop according to claim 1, wherein the bottom and top cups each comprise extensions which cooperate so as to form a static sealing means to protect the sensor or sensors.

5. The stop according to claim 1, wherein the at least one deformation sensor is selected from the group consisting of strain gauges based on piezoresistive elements, surface acoustic wave sensors and magnetic field sensors.