This invention relates generally to a position sensor in a bearing housing assembly of a shock assembly.
Most semi-active suspension systems benefit from shock position sensor technology for feedback utilized in control algorithms. However, it is difficult to integrate a position sensor into the shock for many reasons, such as additional dead length requirements, integration with coil springs, compatibility with steel shock bodies, etc. Due to these complexities, the position sensor is generally not integrated into the shock assembly, instead requiring additional sensors on the suspension, such as rotary potentiometers acting on A-arms to calculate shock stroke. In certain cases, such as with leaf spring suspensions, this is very difficult to do. Due to complexity and cost, often a central initial measurement unit (IMU) is used, resulting in a tradeoff in performance compared to a control system that has shock position feedback.
Accordingly, there is a need for directly integrating a position sensor in the bearing housing assembly of a shock assembly.
An embodiment includes a bearing housing position sensor assembly, wherein the bearing housing position sensor assembly comprises: a bearing housing assembly; a bearing housing position sensor provided within the bearing housing assembly; a shaft member mounted for movement within the bearing housing assembly; and at least one rotary member, wherein the at least one rotary member is engaged with the shaft member and operatively coupled with the bearing housing position sensor.
The bearing housing assembly may be provided with at first enlarged rectangular recessed portion which receives a first slidable block member therein. The bearing housing position sensor may be mounted within the first slidable block member, and wherein the bearing housing position sensor may be positioned to operatively couple to the at least one rotary member. A first extendable coil spring member may be positioned within the first enlarged rectangular recessed portion of the bearing housing assembly, and wherein the first extendable coil spring member may be connected between the bearing housing assembly and the first slidable block member. A second enlarged rectangular recessed portion may be provided in the bearing housing assembly, and a second slidable block member may be positioned within the second enlarged rectangular recessed portion, and wherein the second slidable block member may be operatively coupled to the at least one rotary member.
A second extendable coil spring member may be positioned within the second enlarged rectangular recessed portion of the bearing housing assembly, and wherein the second extendable coil spring member may be connected between the bearing housing assembly and the second slidable block member. The bearing housing position sensor may be provided with a rotary encoder disc member secured to a position sensor housing, wherein the position sensor housing having the rotary encoder disc member may be mounted within the first slidable block member, and wherein the rotary encoder disc member may be operatively coupled to the at least one rotary member. The at least one rotary member may be fixedly mounted to an elongate shaft member, and wherein the elongate shaft member may be supported by both the first and second slidable block members.
An embodiment includes a shock assembly having a bearing housing position sensor, the shock assembly comprising: a cylinder housing; a bearing housing assembly, wherein the bearing housing assembly is secured to the cylinder housing; a bearing housing position sensor provided within the bearing housing assembly; a shaft member mounted for movement within the cylinder housing and the bearing housing assembly; and at least one rotary member, wherein the at least one rotary member is biased toward and engaged with the shaft member and operatively coupled with the bearing housing position sensor.
The bearing housing assembly may be provided with a first enlarged rectangular recessed portion which receives a first slidable block member therein. The bearing housing position sensor may be mounted within the first slidable block member, and wherein the bearing housing position sensor may be positioned to operatively couple to the at least one rotary member. A first extendable coil spring member may be positioned within the first enlarged rectangular recessed portion of the bearing housing assembly, and wherein the first extendable coil spring member may be connected between the bearing housing assembly and the first slidable block member. A second enlarged rectangular recessed portion may be provided in the bearing housing assembly, and wherein a second slidable block member may be positioned within the second enlarged rectangular recessed portion and operatively coupled to the at least one rotary member. A second extendable coil spring member may be positioned within the second enlarged rectangular recessed portion of the bearing housing assembly, and wherein the second extendable coil spring member may be connected between the bearing housing assembly and the second slidable block member.
The bearing housing position sensor may be provided with a rotary encoder disc member secured to a position sensor housing, wherein the position sensor housing having the rotary encoder disc member may be mounted within the first slidable block member, and wherein the rotary encoder disc member may be operatively coupled to the at least one rotary member. The at least one rotary member may be fixedly mounted to an elongate shaft member, and the elongate shaft member may be supported by both the first and second slidable block members.
Another embodiment includes a method of using a shock assembly having a bearing housing position sensor, the method comprising: providing a cylinder housing; securing a bearing housing assembly to the cylinder housing; locating a bearing housing position sensor within the bearing housing assembly; mounting a shaft member for movement within the cylinder housing and the bearing housing assembly; engaging at least one rotary member with the shaft member and operatively coupling the at least one rotary member to the bearing housing position sensor; and measuring the movement of the shaft member with the bearing housing position sensor.
The method may further comprise providing the bearing housing assembly with at least one enlarged rectangular recessed portion and positioning a slidable block member therein. The method may further comprise mounting the bearing housing position sensor within the slidable block member and positioning the bearing housing position sensor to operatively couple to the at least one rotary member. The method may further comprise biasing the at least one rotary member toward the shaft member, which may include positioning an extendable coil spring member within the at least one enlarged rectangular recessed portion of the bearing housing assembly and connecting the extendable coil spring member between the bearing housing assembly and the slidable block member.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the particular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the Figures, wherein like reference numbers refer to similar items throughout the Figures, and:
As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to a bearing housing assembly having a position sensor.
An embodiment of a shock assembly 10 having bearing housing position sensor assembly 11 is depicted in
In
Rotary encoder disc member 24 is used to determine shock position. Based on diameter of the wheel assembly 16 and resolution of the rotary encoder disc member 24, the shock position can be calculated to a certain accuracy. Wheel assembly 16 contacts the shaft member 18 and spins as the shock goes through its travel. The spinning wheel assembly 16 is operatively coupled to rotary encoder disc member 24 via elongate shaft member 30 which determines the exact shock travel.
Elongate shaft member 30 is mounted within a first slidable block member 32 and a second slidable block member 34. Both first and second slidable block members 32, 34 may each be provided with upper recessed linear track portions 36, 37 and lower recessed linear track portions 38, 39. The upper and lower recessed linear track portions 36, 37 and 38, 39 are respectively slidably mounted on upper protruded linear track portions 40, 41 and lower protruded linear track portions 42, 43 provided in both a first enlarged rectangular recessed portion 44 and a second enlarged rectangular recessed portion 45 of the bearing housing assembly 12 (See
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The method 100 may further comprise providing the bearing housing assembly with at least one enlarged rectangular recessed portion and positioning a slidable block member therein. The method 100 may also comprise mounting the bearing housing position sensor within the slidable block member and positioning the bearing housing position sensor to operatively couple with the at least one rotary member. Additionally, the method 100 may comprise biasing the at least one rotary member toward the shaft member, which may include positioning an extendable coil spring member within the at least one enlarged rectangular recessed portion of the bearing housing assembly and connecting the extendable coil spring member between the bearing housing assembly and the slidable block member.
In an embodiment, an additional sensor may be incorporated as a zero point at a known displacement to ensure the rotary encoder disc member 24 is tracking position correctly. In some cases, such as very high-speed hits or bumps, there is a risk of losing counts with the rotary encoder disc member 24 causing drift in the measurement.
In an embodiment, a geared system may be used to provide absolute position. Gearing may be used to reduce an output rotation of the wheel assembly 16 to implement an absolute position of rotary encoder disc member 24 vs. tracking the rotations.
In an embodiment, a position sensor may be used to measure the position of a shaft guard on the shock. A wheel may face the outside of a shaft and run along the inside of a shaft guard as the shock goes through its travel.
The embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented in order to best explain the present invention and its practical application and to thereby enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purposes of illustration and example only. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit and scope of the forthcoming claims.