Measuring device for a motor vehicle

• US 7,643,944 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2006
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Noe, Alfons, Godert, Gunter, Warnken, Klaus, Klank, Michael, Spratte, Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): Fulton; Christopher W
• Application Number:
  US11/996,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20080184577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 335/34, 336/00, 737/87, 340/438, 340/686.3, 702/34, 701/29
• US Class Current: 702/34
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/019 characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/144 with two lateral arms forming a parallelogram
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/18 Multilink suspensions, e.g. elastokinematic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/11 Mounting of sensors thereon
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/416 Ball or spherical joints
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/051 Angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/252 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/172 Hall effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/122 Summation signal
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/14 Differentiating means, i.e. differential control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/702 Improving accuracy of a sensor signal
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/005 Ball joints B60G7/006 takes precedence; for steering linkage B62D7/16; ball joints per se F16C11/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/008 Attaching arms to unsprung part of vehicle B60G7/005, B60G7/006 take precedence

Abstract

A measuring device is provided for a motor vehicle, with a bracket (1), with a joint (8), which is connected to the bracket (1) and which has a joint housing (20) and a pivot pin (19) mounted movably in same. A component (2) is provided which is connected to the joint (8) and which is mounted pivotably on the bracket (1) via the joint (8). An angle measuring device (17, 18) is provided, by which the angle (φ) of the component (2) in relation to the bracket (1) can be determined. An analyzer (23) is connected to the angle measuring device (17, 18) and has a double differentiator (24), which is connected to the angle measuring device (17, 18) and which is followed downstream by a summer or integrator (26) via the intermediary of a calculating unit (25).

Claims

1. A measuring device for a motor vehicle, the measuring device comprising:

a bracket;

a joint connected to said bracket, said joint having a joint housing and a pivot pin mounted movably in said joint housing;

a vehicle component connected to said joint, said vehicle component being mounted pivotably on said bracket via said joint;

an angle measuring device for determining an angle of said component in relation to said bracket;

an analyzer connected to said angle measuring device, said analyzer having a double differentiator connected to said angle measuring device and a summer or integrator following said double differentiator via the intermediary of a calculating unit.

2. A measuring device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a threshold value transducer wherein said summer or integrator is followed by said threshold value transducer.

3. A measuring device in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

a signal transducer wherein said signal transducer is arranged downstream of said threshold value transducer and can be actuated by said threshold value transducer.

4. A measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said summer or integrator has a memory.

5. A measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said double differentiator, said calculating unit and said summer or integrator are comprised as digital assembly units or are formed by at least one digital computer.

6. A measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a sampling frequency of said double differentiator is greater than a sampling frequency of said summer or integrator.

7. A measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the component is formed by a control arm in a motor vehicle wheel suspension.

8. A measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the bracket is formed from a motor vehicle body or from a motor vehicle wheel suspension.

9. A measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said angle measuring device is integrated in said joint.

10. A measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said calculating unit includes an absolute value former.

11. A measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said calculating unit has a functional unit and a multiplier.

12. A process for determining a fatigue value characterizing the fatigue of a motor vehicle component mounted pivotably on a bracket, the process comprising:

providing a joint connected to said bracket, said joint having a joint housing and a pivot pin mounted movably in said joint housing;

providing the vehicle component connected to said joint so that said vehicle component is mounted pivotably on said bracket via said joint;

providing an angle measuring device for determining an angle of said component in relation to said bracket;

providing an analyzer connected to said angle measuring device;

determining angle data by consecutive measurement of said angle between said component and said bracket;

determining acceleration data by double differentiation of said angle data over time;

determining sign-free force data on the basis of said acceleration data; and

determining the fatigue value by summing up or integrating said sign-free force data over the time.

13. A process in accordance with claim 12, wherein said sign-free force data are determined by forming an absolute value from said acceleration data.

14. A process in accordance with claim 12, wherein a load profile is determined and the sign-free force data are determined on the basis of said load profile.