METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SUSPENSION ADJUSTMENT

• US 20110202236A1
• Filed: 02/07/2011
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fox Factory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fox Factory Incorporated
• Inventors: Galasso, Mario, Franklin, Joseph, Fox, Robert C., Laird, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 10,036,443 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/37
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/04 for mounting axles resiliently on cycle frame or fork for sidecars, forecars or the like B62K27/06
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/286 the shock absorber being connected to the chain-stay via a linkage mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2228/08 pre-stressed
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/3264 Arrangements for indicating, e.g. fluid level; Arrangements for checking dampers F16F9/3292 takes precedence; testing of vehicle damping G01M17/04

Abstract

Methods and apparatus of a system for vehicles comprising a vehicle suspension, a sensor operable to measure an operational characteristic of the vehicle suspension, and a processor in communication with the sensor that is operable to suggest an operational setting of the vehicle suspension in response to an input from the sensor corresponding to the operational characteristic. A method for adjusting a suspension of a vehicle may comprise receiving suspension data with a processor, calculating a suspension setting suggestion with the processor, communicating the suspension setting suggestion to a user interface device, and adjusting the suspension based on the suspension setting suggestion.

Claims

1. A system for a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle suspension;

a sensor operable to measure an operational characteristic of the vehicle suspension; and

a processor in communication with the sensor and operable to suggest an operational setting of the vehicle suspension in response to an input from the sensor corresponding to the operational characteristic.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle suspension includes at least one of a front suspension and a rear suspension of a vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a position sensor and the operational characteristic includes a position of the vehicle suspension.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the position of the vehicle suspension corresponds to a stroke of the vehicle suspension during compression or rebound of the vehicle suspension.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the suspension system includes a damper valve, and the operational characteristic is a position of the damper valve between a full open setting and a full closed setting.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is in communication with the sensor via at least one of wired communication and wireless communication.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is operable to measure a plurality of operational characteristics of the vehicle suspension, wherein the plurality of operational characteristics include position, velocity, and acceleration of the vehicle suspension.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes at least one of a potentiometer, an accelerometer, a GPS, a pressure sensor, and a piezoelectric sensor.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a computer system and a communication device, each operable to communicate with the processor and display data corresponding to the operational characteristic measured by the sensor.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one computer system and communication device includes at least one of a personal desktop computer, a laptop computer, and a hand-held personal computing device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one computer system and communication device is operable to adjust the vehicle suspension to the operational setting suggested by the processor.

12. A system for a vehicle, comprising:

a sensor operable to measure an operational characteristic of the vehicle;

a processor operable to receive data from the sensor corresponding to the operational characteristic; and

a communication device operable to receive data from the processor and display information regarding the operational characteristic of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the communication device includes a software program operable to generate the information based on the data received from the processor.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensor includes a position sensor and the operational characteristic includes an initial sag, compression, or rebound setting of the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is in communication with the sensor via at least one of wired communication and wireless communication.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is in communication with the communication device via at least one of wired communication and wireless communication.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the information is an instruction to adjust the operational characteristic to a recommended setting.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising a computer system operable to receive the data from the processor and display the data corresponding to the operational characteristic of the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the communication device is operable to adjust the operational characteristic of the vehicle to a recommended setting.

20. A method for adjusting a suspension of a vehicle, comprising:

receiving suspension data with a processor;

calculating a suspension setting suggestion with the processor;

communicating the suspension setting suggestion to a user interface device; and

adjusting the suspension based on the suspension setting suggestion.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising obtaining the suspension data with a sensor coupled to the vehicle, and communicating the suspension data to the processor via at least one of wired communication and wireless communication.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising inputting the suspension data into the user interface device, and communicating the suspension data to the processor via at least one of wired communication and wireless communication.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising communicating the suspension setting suggestion to the user interface device via at least one of wired communication and wireless communication.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising manually adjusting the suspension based on the suspension setting suggestion.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising creating a profile, entering the suspension data into the profile using the user interface device, and communicating the suspension data to the processor.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising obtaining the suspension data and communicating the suspension data to the processor while operating the vehicle.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising creating an electronic file with the user interface device, and tracking the suspension data and the suspension setting suggestion using the electronic file.

28. A suspension system, comprising:

a vehicle suspension;

a sensor positioned to sense a feature of the suspension;

a processor having an operative communication link with the sensor and having an operative communication link with a computer readable medium;

a transmitter having an operative communication link with the processor; and

a graphical user interface having an operative communication link with the transmitter.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the operative communication link with the sensor comprises a wire.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein operative communication with the transmitter comprises a wireless protocol.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the operative communication link with the sensor transfers information at a first data rate and the operative communication link with the transmitter transfers information at a second data rate and the first data rate is greater than the second data rate.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the feature comprises at least one of state of compression, velocity, internal pressure and temperature.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the computer readable medium stores a first amount of information related to real time performance of the suspension and the graphical user interface receives a second amount of information related to the suspension performance and the first amount is greater than the second amount.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein at least some of the information related to real time performance is retrieved by the processor, via the operative communication link with the computer readable medium, and is transformed by the processor into the information related to the suspension performance.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the transmitter transmits at least some of the information related to the suspension performance to the graphical user interface via the operative communication link with the transmitter.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the graphical user interface includes a program for receiving information via the operative communication link with the transmitter.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the program includes a template format for the graphical user interface into which format received data may be displayed.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the graphical user interface further processes the at least some of the information related to the suspension performance and displays a result within the template format.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the result comprises a suggestion to alter a set up condition of the suspension.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the result comprises suspension usage efficiency data that illustrates the adequacy, or lack thereof, of the state of at least one initial set up condition.