Claims
- 1. A vehicle-mountable, suspension monitoring system for producing suspension-analysis information during a desired period of vehicle operation, the suspension-analysis information being usable to determine adjustments to a vehicle suspension that includes a rebound circuit and a compression circuit, the suspension monitoring system comprising:
sensor structure located adjacent a desired section of such vehicle suspension; a control/processing/display (CPD) unit connected to communicate with the sensor structure, the CPD unit being manually operable by a vehicle operator and mountable on such vehicle in a location adjacent the vehicle operator; a power source operatively connected to the CPD unit; and wherein the sensor structure is configured to sense suspension related information and communicate the suspension related information to the CPD unit, and wherein the CPD unit is configured to receive the suspension related information from the sensor structure and to convert the suspension related information into suspension-analysis information, and wherein the CPD unit is further configured to store the suspension-analysis information during a desired period of vehicle operation and to display the suspension-analysis information to the vehicle operator for use in adjusting such vehicle suspension.
- 2. The suspension monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the suspension-analysis information includes an amount of compression of such vehicle suspension.
- 3. The suspension monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the suspension-analysis information includes a rate of compression of such vehicle suspension.
- 4. The suspension monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the suspension-analysis information includes a rate of rebound of such vehicle suspension.
- 5. The suspension monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the suspension-analysis information includes an indication of a full compression of such vehicle suspension.
- 6. The suspension monitoring system of claim 2, wherein such vehicle suspension is connected to couple an operator support frame to a plurality of wheel assemblies, and wherein the sensor structure includes an ultrasonic transducer configured to sense movement of at least one of such wheel assemblies relative to such operator support frame.
- 7. The suspension monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the sensor structure includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers configured to sense movements of a plurality of such wheel assemblies relative to such operator support frame.
- 8. The suspension monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a digital computer system connectable to the CPD unit and configured to download the suspension-analysis information from the CPD unit.
- 9. The suspension monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the digital computer system includes a display monitor, and wherein the digital computer system is configured to convert the suspension-analysis information into waveform data and to display the waveform data on the display monitor.
- 10. The suspension monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the CPD unit is configured to store the suspension-analysis information for multiple periods of vehicle operation.
- 11. The suspension monitoring system of claim 10, wherein the CPD unit is configured to selectively display the suspension-analysis information for one of the multiple periods of vehicle operation.
- 12. A motorcycle-mountable, suspension monitoring system for producing suspension-analysis information during a desired period of motorcycle operation, the suspension-analysis information being usable to determine desired adjustments to a motorcycle suspension that includes front and rear suspension assemblies, and a rebound circuit and a compression circuit associated with each assembly, the suspension monitoring system comprising:
sensor structure located adjacent a desired section of such motorcycle suspension; a control/processing/display (CPD) unit connected to communicate with the sensor structure, the CPD unit being manually operable by a motorcycle rider and mountable on such motorcycle in a location adjacent the motorcycle rider; a power source operatively connected to the CPD unit; wherein the sensor structure is configured to sense suspension related information of such suspension and to communicate the suspension related information to the CPD unit; and wherein the CPD unit is configured to receive the suspension related information from the sensor structure and to convert the suspension related information to suspension-analysis information, and wherein the CPD unit is further configured to display suspension-analysis information to the rider for use in adjusting such motorcycle suspension.
- 13. The suspension monitoring system of claim 12, wherein such front suspension assembly is connected to couple a rider support frame to a front wheel assembly and such rear suspension assembly is connected to couple a rider support frame to a rear wheel assembly, and wherein the sensor structure includes a front sensor substructure for sensing compression information of such front suspension assembly and includes a rear sensor substructure for sensing compression information of such rear suspension assembly.
- 14. The suspension monitoring system of claim 13, wherein the front sensor substructure is configured to measure movement of such front wheel assembly relative to such rider support frame, and wherein the rear sensor substructure is configured to measure movement of such rear wheel assembly relative to such rider support frame.
- 15. The suspension monitoring system of claim 14, wherein the front sensor substructure includes an ultrasonic transducer configured to measure movement of such front wheel assembly relative to such rider support frame, and wherein the rear sensor substructure includes an ultrasonic transducer configured to measure movement of such rear wheel assembly relative to such rider support frame.
- 16. The suspension monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the CPD unit is configured to determine an amount of compression of such motorcycle suspension from the suspension-analysis information and to display the amount of compression to the motorcycle rider for use in adjusting such vehicle suspension.
- 17. The suspension monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the CPD unit is configured to determine a rate of compression of such motorcycle suspension from the suspension-analysis information and to display the rate of compression to the motorcycle rider for use in adjusting such vehicle suspension.
- 18. The suspension monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the CPD unit is configured to determine a rate of rebound of such motorcycle suspension from the suspension-analysis information and to display the rate of rebound to the motorcycle rider for use in adjusting such vehicle suspension.
- 19. The suspension monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the CPD unit is configured to determine an occurrence of a full compression of such motorcycle suspension from the suspension-analysis information, and to display an indicator of the full compression to the motorcycle rider for use in adjusting such vehicle suspension.
- 20. The suspension monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the CPD unit is configured to store the suspension-analysis information during a desired period of motorcycle operation, and wherein the CPD unit is operable to display the stored suspension-analysis information to the motorcycle rider after completion of the desired period of motorcycle operation.
- 21. The suspension monitoring system of claim 20, further comprising a digital computer system connectable to the CPD unit and configured to download the suspension-analysis information from the CPD unit.
- 22. The suspension monitoring system of claim 21, wherein the digital computer system includes a display monitor, and wherein the digital computer system is configured to convert the suspension-analysis information into waveform data and to display the waveform data on the display monitor.
- 23. The suspension monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the CPD unit is configured to store the suspension-analysis information for multiple periods of motorcycle operation and to selectively display the suspension-analysis information for one of the multiple periods of motorcycle operation.
- 24. For a vehicle having a rider support frame coupled to at least one wheel assembly by a vehicle suspension, the vehicle suspension having a compression circuit and a rebound circuit to allow the wheel assembly to move relative to the rider support frame, sensor structure for measuring the compression and rebound of the vehicle suspension, the sensor structure comprising:
a transducer mountable adjacent such rider support frame, the transducer being configured to transmit a detection signal; a target mountable adjacent such wheel assembly and configured to receive the detection signal transmitted by the transducer and to return a response signal; wherein the transducer is further configured to receive the response signal from the target, and wherein a time delay between the transmission of the output signal by the transducer and the reception of the return signal by the transducer is proportional to a distance between the transducer and the target; and wherein the transducer is further configured to generate one or more output signals corresponding to the time delay.
- 25. The sensor structure of claim 24, wherein the transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic detection signal.
- 26. The sensor structure of claim 24, further comprising a variable length conduit having a proximal end connected adjacent such rider support frame, and a distal end connected adjacent such wheel assembly, and where the detection signal and the response signal propagate at least partially within the conduit.
- 27. The sensor structure of claim 26, wherein the target is within the conduit.
- 28. The sensor structure of claim 26, wherein the transducer is within the conduit.
- 29. The sensor structure of claim 26, wherein the target includes an air vent to allow air to flow into and out of the conduit.
- 30. The sensor structure of claim 26, wherein the conduit includes a plurality of concentric, telescoping segments.
- 31. A vehicle-mountable, control/processing/display (CPD) unit for analyzing suspension related information, and for converting the suspension related information into suspension-analysis information, and for displaying suspension-analysis information to a vehicle operator, the suspension related information being received during a desired period of vehicle operation from a sensor coupled to a vehicle suspension that includes a compression circuit and a rebound circuit, and the suspension-analysis information being usable to determine adjustments to the vehicle suspension, the CPD unit comprising:
a central processing unit mountable on such vehicle and connectable to communicate with such sensor, and configured to analyze the suspension related information received from such sensor and to convert the suspension related information into suspension-analysis information, and where the central processing unit includes an information storage device for storing suspension-analysis information during a desired period of vehicle operation; a display device mountable on such vehicle and connected to the central processing unit and configured to display the suspension-analysis information to the vehicle operator for use in adjusting such vehicle suspension; and a power source operatively connected to the central processing unit and the display device.
- 32. The CPD unit of claim 31, wherein the suspension-analysis information includes an amount of compression of such vehicle suspension.
- 33. The CPD unit of claim 31, wherein the suspension-analysis information includes a rate of compression of such vehicle suspension.
- 34. The CPD unit of claim 31, wherein the suspension-analysis information includes a rate of rebound of such vehicle suspension.
- 35. The CPD unit of claim 31, wherein the suspension-analysis information includes an indication of a full compression and an indication of a non-compression of such vehicle suspension.
- 36. The CPD unit of claim 31, wherein the central processing unit is connectable to a plurality of such sensors and is configured to analyze the suspension related information received from such plural sensors and to convert the suspension related information into plural sets of suspension-analysis information, and wherein the display device is configured to display the plural sets of suspension-analysis information to the vehicle operator for use in adjusting such vehicle suspension;
- 37. The CPD unit of claim 31, wherein the central processing unit is connectable to a digital computer and controllable to download the suspension-analysis information to the digital computer.
- 38. A method of determining adjustments to a vehicle suspension having a compression circuit and a rebound circuit, the method comprising:
sensing suspension related information of such vehicle suspension during a desired period of vehicle operation; converting the suspension related information into suspension-analysis information, the suspension-analysis information being usable by a vehicle operator to adjust such vehicle suspension; storing the suspension-analysis information for a desired period of vehicle operation in an information storage device mountable on such vehicle; and displaying the suspension-analysis information to the vehicle operator on a display device mountable on such vehicle in a location adjacent the vehicle operator.
- 39. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of converting includes determining an amount of compression of such vehicle suspension.
- 40. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of converting includes determining a rate of compression of such vehicle suspension.
- 41. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of converting includes determining a rate of rebound of such vehicle suspension.
- 42. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of converting includes determining whether such vehicle suspension is fully compressed.
- 43. The method of claim 38, further comprising downloading the suspension-analysis information from the information storage device to a digital computer having a display monitor and displaying the suspension-analysis information on the display monitor as a waveform.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/228,013, filed Jan. 8, 1999, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09228013 |
Jan 1999 |
US |
Child |
10189298 |
Jul 2002 |
US |