Weight sensing system and method for vehicles with non-fluid springs

• US 7,398,668 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2006
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Firestone Industrial Products
• Original Assignee: BFS Diversified Products LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Nordmeyer, Daniel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALL, ERIC SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US11/475,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20070295065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 73/11.3, 73/11.5, 73/110.4, 737/60, 737/81, 738/620.41
• US Class Current: 73/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/15 Coil springs resisting deflection by winding up
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/12 Wound spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/252 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/52 in tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/60 Load
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/64 Wheel forces, e.g. on hub, spindle or bearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/842 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/984 Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/08 for incorporation in vehicles

Abstract

A system and method of sensing a load on a vehicle that includes a plurality of wheel-engaging members is disclosed. The vehicle body is supported on the plurality of wheel-engaging members and receives a cargo having a cargo weight. The method includes providing a non-fluid spring having an unloaded length and a spring rate, the non-fluid springs are supported between the vehicle body and one of the wheel-engaging members and being deflected to a loaded length under the cargo weight of the cargo. The method continues with determining the loaded length of the non-fluid springs. The method also includes determining an approximate value of the cargo weight based at least partially upon the spring rate and the loaded length of the non-fluid spring.

Claims

1. A method of sensing a weight of a load on a vehicle that includes an unsprung mass and a sprung mass supported on the unsprung mass, said method comprising:

a) providing a non-fluid spring, a controller, and a distance sensor in communication with said controller and operatively associated with said non-fluid spring, said non-fluid spring having an unloaded spring dimension and a spring rate, said non-fluid spring supported between the sprung mass and the unsprung mass and being deflected to a loaded spring dimension under the weight of the load, said controller including a memory storing a plurality of loaded spring dimension ranges for said non-fluid spring and a plurality of approximate weight values corresponding to said plurality of loaded spring dimension ranges;

b) determining said loaded spring dimension of said non-fluid spring by generating a distance signal having a relation to said loaded spring dimension of said non-fluid spring using said distance sensor and communicating said distance signal to said controller; and

c) determining an approximate weight value of the load based at least partially on said spring rate and said loaded spring dimension of said non-fluid spring by correlating said distance signal with a loaded spring dimension range of said plurality of loaded spring dimension ranges and retrieving an approximate weight value from said memory based at least in part on said loaded spring dimension range.

2. A method of sensing a weight of a load on a vehicle that includes an unsprung mass and a sprung mass supported on the unsprung mass, said method comprising:

a) providing a non-fluid spring, a controller, and a distance sensor in communication with said controller and operatively associated with said non-fluid spring, said non-fluid spring having an unloaded spring dimension and a spring rate, said non-fluid spring supported between the sprung mass and the unsprung mass and being deflected to a loaded spring dimension under the weight of the load, said controller including a processing device and a memory storing a spring rate value having a relation to said spring rate of said non-fluid spring;

b) determining said loaded spring dimension of said non-fluid spring by generating a distance signal having a relation to said loaded spring dimension of said non-fluid spring using said distance sensor and communicating said distance signal to said controller; and

,

c) determining an approximate weight value of the load based at least partially on said spring rate and said loaded spring dimension of said non-fluid spring by retrieving said spring rate value from said memory and calculating said approximate weight value based at least in part on said spring rate value.

3. A method of sensing a weight of a load on a vehicle that includes an unsprung mass and a sprung mass supported on the unsprung mass, the unsprung mass of the vehicle including a wheel operatively associated therewith, the wheel including an inflatable tire having a tire pressure and being operable within a first tire pressure range under a first load condition and within a second tire pressure range under a second load condition, said method comprising:

a) providing a non-fluid spring and an output device, said non-fluid spring having an unloaded spring dimension and a spring rate, and said non-fluid spring being supported between the sprung mass and the unsprung mass, and being deflected to a loaded spring dimension under the weight of the load;

b) determining said loaded spring dimension of said non-fluid spring;

c) determining an approximate weight value of the load based at least partially on said spring rate and said loaded spring dimension of said non-fluid spring;

d) correlating said approximate weight value with one of said first and second load conditions;

e) selecting one of the first tire pressure range and the second tire pressure range based at least in part on said correlated load condition in d); and

,

f) communicating said selected one of the first and second tire pressure ranges using said output device.

4. A method of sensing a weight of a load on a vehicle that includes an unsprung mass and a sprung mass supported on the unsprung mass, said method comprising:

a) providing a non-fluid soring and a temperature sensor operative to generate a temperature signal having a relation to an environmental temperature, said non-fluid spring having an unloaded spring dimension and a spring rate, said non-fluid spring supported between the sprung mass and the unsprung mass, and being deflected to a loaded spring dimension under the weight of the load;

b) determining said loaded spring dimension of said non-fluid spring;

c) determining an approximate weight value of the load based at least partially on said spring rate and said loaded spring dimension of said non-fluid spring; and

d) compensating for a variation in the environmental temperature in at least one of b)or c).

5. A method of sensing a weight of a load on a vehicle that includes an unsprung mass and a sprung mass supported on the unsprung mass, a starting system and a load weight threshold, said method comprising:

a) providing a non-fluid spring having an unloaded spring dimension and a spring rate, and said non-fluid spring being supported between the sprung mass and the unsprung mass, and being deflected to a loaded spring dimension under the weight of the load;

b) determining said loaded spring dimension of said non-fluid spring;

c) determining an approximate weight value of the load based at least partially on said spring rate and said loaded spring dimension of said non-fluid spring; and

,

d) disengaging the starting system if said approximate weight value exceeds the load weight threshold.

6. A suspension system for an associated vehicle that includes an associated sprung mass supported on an associated unsprung mass, the associated sprung mass adapted to support an associated load having an associated weight, said suspension system comprising:

a non-fluid spring supported between the associated sprung and unsprung masses, said non-fluid spring having a spring rate and a deflection under the associated weight of the associated load;

a distance sensor operatively disposed between the sprung and unsprung masses and operative to generate a distance signal having a relation to said deflection of said non-fluid spring; and

.

a controller in communication with said distance sensor and receiving said distance signal therefrom, said controller including a memory storing a plurality of approximate load weight values corresponding to a plurality of deflections of said non-fluid spring, and said controller operative to approximately determine the associated weight of the associated load based at least partially on said spring rate and said distance signal.

7. A suspension system for an associated vehicle that includes an associated vehicle body supported on a plurality of associated wheel-engaging members with the associated body capable of supporting an associated load, said suspension system comprising:

first and second non-fluid springs, said first non-fluid spring supported between the associated vehicle body and a first one of the plurality of associated wheel-engaging members, said second non-fluid spring supported between the associated vehicle body and a second one of the plurality of associated wheel-engaging members, said first non-fluid spring having a first spring rate and a first deflection under the associated load, said second non-fluid spring having a second spring rate and a second deflection under the associated load;

a first distance sensor supported between the associated vehicle body and the first one of the plurality of associated wheel-engaging members, said first distance sensor operative to generate a first distance signal having a relation to said first deflection of said first non-fluid spring;

a second distance sensor supported between the associated vehicle body and the second one of the plurality of associated wheel-engaging members, said second distance sensor operative to generate a second distance signal having a relation to said second deflection of said second non-fluid spring; and

,

a controller in communication with said first and second distance sensors and receiving said first and second distance signals therefrom, said controller operative to determine a weight of the associated load based at least partially on said first and second spring rates and said first and second distance signals.

8. A suspension system for an associated vehicle that includes an associated sprung mass supported on an associated unsprung mass, the associated sprung mass adapted to support an associated load having an associated weight, said suspension system comprising:

a non-fluid spring supported between the associated sprung and unsprung masses, said non-fluid spring having a spring rate and a deflection under the associated weight of the associated load;

a distance sensor operatively disposed between the sprung and unsprung masses and operative to generate a distance signal having a relation to said deflection of said non-fluid spring; and

,

a controller in communication with said distance sensor and receiving said distance signal therefrom, said controller including a memory and a processing device, said memory storing said spring rate and an algorithm for approximately determining the associated weight of the associated load based at least partially on said spring rate and said distance signal, and said controller operative to approximately determine the associated weight of the associated load based at least partially on said spring rate and said distance signal.

9. A suspension system according to claim 8, wherein said controller is operative to generate an output signal indicative of the associated weight of the associated load, and said suspension system further comprises an output device in communication with said controller, said output device adapted to receive said output signal and communicate the associated weight of the associated load.

10. A weight sensing kit for use on an associated vehicle having an associated unsprung mass, an associated spruna mass supported on the associated unsprung mass and adapted to support an associated load having an associated weight, and an associated suspension system operatively connected between the associated sprung and unsprung masses, the associated suspension system including an associated non-fluid spring having an associated spring rate, the associated unsprung mass including an associated wheel that includes an associated inflated tire having an associated tire pressure, and the associated vehicle including an associated pressure sensor in communication with the associated inflated tire and operative to generate an associated pressure signal having a relation to the associated tire pressure, said weight sensing kit comprising:

a distance sensor capable of being operatively secured between the sprung and unsprung masses, and operative to generate a distance signal having a relation to a displacement of the associated non-fluid spring;

a controller capable of being supported on the associated vehicle and operative to receive said distance signal from said distance sensor and receive the associated pressure signal from the associated pressure sensor, said controller also being operative to determine the associated weight of the associated load based at least in part on said distance signal and the associate spring rate of the associated non-fluid spring, and said controller being further operative to generate an output signal in relation to at least the associated weight and the associated pressure signal.

11. A weight sensing kit according to claim 10 further comprising an output device capable of being supported on the associated vehicle and connected to said controller, said output device adapted to receive the output signal and communicating the associated weight of the associated load.

12. A suspension system for an associated vehicle that includes an associated sprung mass supported on an associated unsprung mass, the associated unsprung mass including an associated wheel that includes an associated inflatable tire having an associated tire pressure, and the associated sprung mass adapted to support an associated load having an associated weight, said suspension system comprising:

a non-fluid spring supported between the associated sprung and unsprung masses, said non-fluid spring having a spring rate and a deflection under the associated weight of the associated load;

a distance sensor operatively disposed between the sprung and unsprung masses and operative to generate a distance signal having a relation to said deflection of said non-fluid spring;

a controller in communication with said distance sensor and receiving said distance signal therefrom, said controller operative to approximately determine the associated weight of the associated load based at least partially on said spring rate and said distance signal; and

,

a pressure sensor in operative association with the associated inflatable tire and in communication with said controller, said pressure sensor adapted to generate a pressure signal having a relation to the associated tire pressure and communicate said pressure signal to the controller.

13. A suspension system according to claim 12, wherein the associated inflatable tire is operable within a first pressure range under a first load condition and within a second pressure range under a second load condition, and said controller is operative to determine whether the associated tire pressure of the associated tire is within an appropriate one of said first and second tire pressure ranges based at least partially on said approximate determination of the associated weight of the associated load.

14. A suspension system according to claim 13, wherein said controller is operative to generate an output signal corresponding to said determination of the associated tire pressure being within an appropriate one of said first and second tire pressure ranges, and said suspension system further comprising an output display in communication with said controller and receiving said output signal therefrom.

15. A method of sensing a weight of a load on a vehicle that includes an unsprung mass and a sprung mass supported on the unsprung mass, the unsprung mass of the vehicle including a wheel operatively associated therewith, the wheel including an inflatable tire having a tire pressure and being operable within a first tire pressure range under a first load condition and within a second tire pressure range under a second load condition, said method comprising:

a) providing a non-fluid spring having an unloaded spring dimension and a spring rate, and said non-fluid spring being supported between the sprung mass and the unsprung mass, and being deflected to a loaded spring dimension under the weight of the load;

b) determining said loaded spring dimension of said non-fluid spring;

c) determining an approximate weight value of the load based at least partially on said spring rate and said loaded spring dimension of said non-fluid spring;

d) correlating said approximate weight value with one of said first and second load conditions;

e) selecting one of the first tire pressure range and the second tire pressure range based at least in part on said correlated load condition in d);

f) determining an approximate pressure value of the tire pressure of the inflatable tire;

g) determining if said approximate pressure value is within said selected one of said first and second tire pressure ranges; and

,

h) generating a signal indicative of said determination in g).

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein a) includes providing a controller and a pressure sensor in communication with said controller and in operative association with the inflatable tire, and f) includes determining said approximate tire pressure using said pressure sensor.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein f) includes generating a pressure signal having a relation to said approximate tire pressure using said pressure sensor and communicating said pressure signal to said controller.

18. A method according to claim 16, wherein a) includes providing an output device in communication with said controller, and h) includes communicating at least one of said approximate tire pressure, said selected one of said first and second tire pressure ranges, or an indicia of said determination in g) on said output display.