System for determining damper velocity in a solid axle suspension

A system for determining a damper velocity in solid axle suspension for a vehicle including a frame, the system comprising:

• a solid axle connecting a left rear wheel and a right rear wheel of the vehicle together;
• a pair of dampers corresponding to the left rear wheel and the right rear wheel of the vehicle, wherein each damper defines a respective damper length;
• a pair of distance sensors that each correspond to the left rear wheel and the right rear wheel of the vehicle, wherein the pair of distance sensors each generate sensor signals that are indicative of respective distances between respective portions of the frame of the vehicle and the solid axle;
• and
• one or more controllers in electronic communication with the pair of distance sensors, wherein the one or more controllers access a pair of three-dimensional look-up tables that each correspond to one of the dampers of the pair of dampers, wherein each three-dimensional look-up table defines a relationship between the respective distances measured by the pair of distance sensors and the respective damper length of each damper, and wherein each three-dimensional look-up table is determined based on a kinematic study where the solid axle suspension is in a curb position, a compression position, and a rebound position of the vehicle, and wherein the one or more controllers include one or more processors that execute instructions to:
• receive, from the pair of distance sensors, the sensor signals indicating the respective distances between the frame of the vehicle and the solid axle;
• in response to receiving the sensor signals, locate a value on each of the pair of three-dimensional look-up tables, wherein the value represents a respective damper length of one of the dampers corresponding to the respective distances measured by the pair of distance sensors;
• and
• derive the respective damper length of each damper with respect to time to determine a velocity corresponding to each damper.

A vehicle including a solid axle suspension, comprising:

• a frame;
• a solid axle connecting a left rear wheel and a right rear wheel of the vehicle together;
• a pair of dampers corresponding to the left rear wheel and the right rear wheel of the vehicle, wherein each damper defines a respective damper length;
• a pair of distance sensors that each correspond to the left rear wheel and the right rear wheel of the vehicle, wherein the pair of distance sensors each generate sensor signals that are indicative of respective distances between respective portions of the frame of the vehicle and the solid axle;
• and
• one or more controllers in electronic communication with the pair of distance sensors, wherein the one or more controllers access a pair of three-dimensional look-up tables that each correspond to one of the dampers of the pair of dampers, wherein each three-dimensional look-up table defines a relationship between the respective distances measured by the pair of distance sensors and the respective damper length of each damper, and wherein each three-dimensional look-up table is determined based on a kinematic study where the solid axle suspension is in a curb position, a compression position, and a rebound position of the vehicle, and wherein the one or more controllers include one or more processors that execute instructions to:
• receive, from the pair of distance sensors, the sensor signals indicating the respective distances between the frame of the vehicle and the solid axle;
• in response to receiving the sensor signals, locate a value on each of the pair of three-dimensional look-up tables, wherein the value represents a respective damper length of one of the dampers corresponding to the respective distances measured by the pair of distance sensors;
• and
• derive the respective damper length of each damper with respect to time to determine a velocity corresponding to each damper.