Distance indicating system and method
First Claim
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1. A distance indicating system for an associated air spring used on an associated vehicle, the associated air spring including first and second support members secured together by an elastomeric wall such that the support members move relative to one another in response to a load applied to the associated air spring, said distance indicating system comprising:
- a transceiver including a first antenna and operative to broadcast an electromagnetic wave using said first antenna; and
,a transponder spaced a distance from said transceiver and within the broadcasting range of said electromagnetic wave, said transponder including a second antenna adapted to receive said electromagnetic wave, and said transponder operative to shunt said second antenna for a predetermined period, the shunted said second antenna inducing an amplitude variation of said electromagnetic wave broadcasted by said transceiver, said amplitude variation increasing as the distance from said first antenna to said second antenna decreases; and
one of said transceiver and said transponder supported on one of said first and second support members,wherein said distance indicating system detects and measures the amplitude variation of said broadcasted electromagnetic wave, correlates specific amplitude variations with respective distances from said transceiver first antenna to said transponder second antenna, and generates a signal representative of the respective distances.
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Abstract
A distance indicating system includes a transceiver broadcasting an electromagnetic wave and a transponder spaced a distance from the transceiver that receives the electromagnetic wave. The transponder is adapted to induce a modulation of the electromagnetic wave in relation to the distance between the transceiver and the transponder. A method is also disclosed.
73 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A distance indicating system for an associated air spring used on an associated vehicle, the associated air spring including first and second support members secured together by an elastomeric wall such that the support members move relative to one another in response to a load applied to the associated air spring, said distance indicating system comprising:
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a transceiver including a first antenna and operative to broadcast an electromagnetic wave using said first antenna; and
,a transponder spaced a distance from said transceiver and within the broadcasting range of said electromagnetic wave, said transponder including a second antenna adapted to receive said electromagnetic wave, and said transponder operative to shunt said second antenna for a predetermined period, the shunted said second antenna inducing an amplitude variation of said electromagnetic wave broadcasted by said transceiver, said amplitude variation increasing as the distance from said first antenna to said second antenna decreases; and one of said transceiver and said transponder supported on one of said first and second support members, wherein said distance indicating system detects and measures the amplitude variation of said broadcasted electromagnetic wave, correlates specific amplitude variations with respective distances from said transceiver first antenna to said transponder second antenna, and generates a signal representative of the respective distances. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An air spring assembly comprising:
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an upper end member; a lower end member in spaced relation to said upper end member; a flexible spring member supported between said upper and lower end members; and a distance indicating system comprising; a transceiver supported on one of said upper end member and said lower end member, said transceiver including a first antenna and adapted to broadcast an electromagnetic wave using said first antenna; and
,a transponder supported on the other of said upper end member and said lower end member, said transponder including a second antenna operative to shunt said second antenna for a predetermined period, the shunted said second antenna inducing an amplitude variation of said electromagnetic wave, said amplitude variation increasing as the distance from said first antenna to said second antenna decreases, wherein said distance indicating system detects and measures said amplitude variation of said broadcasted electromagnetic wave, correlates specific amplitude variations with respective distances from said transceiver first antenna to said transponder second antenna, and generates a signal representative of said respective distances. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of determining a distance between first and second structural members interconnected by a flexible spring of an air suspension assembly, said method comprising steps of:
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a) providing a transceiver supported on said first structural member and including a first antenna; b) providing a transponder supported in spaced relation to said transceiver, said transponder including a second antenna; c) broadcasting an electromagnetic wave using said first antenna and thereby inductively coupling said transceiver and said transponder through said first and second antennae; d) shunting said second antenna for a predetermined period, the shunted said second antenna inducing an amplitude variation of said electromagnetic wave broadcasted by the transceiver, said amplitude variation increasing as the distance from said first antenna to said second antenna decreases; e) detecting said amplitude variation of the said broadcasted electromagnetic wave; and
,f) determining said distance between said transceiver and said transponder based at least in part on said detected amplitude variation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification