Load Sensor System with Improved Assembly Connection
AssigneeDriving Innovations, LLC
InventorTimothy James Scott
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A load sensor having a centrally disposed aperture element through which a fastening element of a vehicle air suspension assembly passes to affix the load sensor between the vehicle air suspension assembly and the vehicle suspension, wherein the load sensor has a force measurement sensor disposed proximate an elongate slot to generate a load signal which varies based on an amount of strain in the load sensor, wherein the load signal received by a load calculator allows calculation of the load exerted from the vehicle frame to the vehicle suspension.
Claims61
A load sensor, comprising:
- a load sensor body having a load sensor body first end configured to couple to a vehicle frame and a load sensor body second end configured to couple to a vehicle suspension;
- and
- a force measurement sensor disposed on said load sensor body, said force measurement sensor generating a load signal which varies based on an amount of force transferred from said vehicle frame to said vehicle suspension.
The load sensor of claim 2, wherein said air suspension assembly comprises a tubular elastomeric member sealably joined to a first end mounting plate affixable to said vehicle frame and a second end mounting plate affixed to said load sensor body first end, said load sensor body second end affixable to said vehicle suspension. 4 The load sensor of claim 3, wherein said tubular elastomeric member sealably joined to said first end mounting plate and to said second end mounting plate defines an elastomeric member interior space fillable with a fluid.
The load sensor of claim 4, wherein said fluid is selected from the group consisting of:
- a mixture of gases, air, a purified gas, nitrogen, and argon, or combinations thereof.
The load sensor of claim 4, further comprising a valve coupled to said first or second end mounting plate, said valve operable to allow passage of said fluid into or away from said elastomeric member interior space.
The load sensor of claim 4, wherein said vehicle suspension includes a beam extending from a vehicle axle, said second end mounting plate configured to affix to said beam of said vehicle suspension.
A method of making a load sensor, comprising:
- disposing a force measurement sensor on said load sensor body between a load sensor body first end and a load sensor body second end;
- configuring said load sensor body first end to couple to a vehicle frame;
- configuring a load sensor body second end to couple to a vehicle suspension,
- said force measurement sensor adapted to generate a load signal which varies based on an amount of force transferred from said vehicle frame to said vehicle suspension.
A retrofit load sensor kit, comprising:
- a load sensor body having a first face opposite a second face, said first face configured to affix to a vehicle air suspension assembly, said second face configured to affix to a vehicle suspension;
- an elongate slot disposed in said load sensor body;
- and
- a force measurement sensor disposed proximate an elongate slot first end or an elongate slot second end of said elongate slot, said force measurement sensor capable of generating a load signal which varies based on an amount of strain in said load sensor body.
A method, comprising:
- disposing an elongate slot in a load sensor body, said load sensor body having a first face opposite a second face;
- configuring said first face to affix to a vehicle air suspension assembly;
- configuring said second face to affix to a vehicle suspension;
- disposing a force measurement sensor proximate an elongate slot first end or an elongate slot second end of said elongate slot, said force measurement sensor capable of generating a load signal which varies based on an amount of strain in said load sensor body.
A load sensor system, comprising:
- a vehicle suspension including a pair of beams outwardly extending from vehicle axle proximate an axle first end and an axle second end;
- a pair of air suspension assemblies correspondingly coupled between said pair of beams of said vehicle suspension and a vehicle frame, each of said pair of air suspension assemblies including a load sensor capable of generating a load signal which varies based on an amount of force transferred through the corresponding one of said pair of air suspension assemblies from said vehicle frame to said vehicle suspension;
- a load sensor computer communicatively coupled to each load sensor, said load sensor computer including a processor communicatively coupled to a memory element, said memory element containing a load sensor program including a load calculator executable to:
- receive said load signal generated by said load sensor;
- and
- calculate a load exerted from said vehicle frame to each of said pair of beams of said vehicle suspension based on said load signal generated by said load sensor;
- and
- a central computer communicatively coupled to each of said load sensor computers, said central computer including a central processor communicatively coupled to a central memory element containing a central program executable to receive said load calculated by said load sensor computer.
A method, comprising:
- outwardly extending a pair of beams of a vehicle suspension from a vehicle axle proximate an axle first end and an axle second end;
- correspondingly coupling a pair of air suspension assemblies between said pair of beams of said vehicle suspension and a vehicle frame, each of said pair of air suspension assemblies including a load sensor capable of generating a load signal which varies based on an amount of force transferred through the corresponding one of said pair of air suspension assemblies from said vehicle frame to said vehicle suspension;
- communicatively coupling a load sensor computer to each load sensor, said load sensor computer including a processor communicatively coupled to a memory element, said memory element containing a load sensor program including a load calculator executable to:
- receive said load signal generated by said load sensor;
- and
- calculate a load exerted from said vehicle frame to each of said pair of beams of said vehicle suspension based on said load signal generated by said load sensor;
- and
- communicatively coupling a central computer to each of said load sensor computers, said central computer including a central processor communicatively coupled to a central memory element containing a central program executable to receive said load calculated by said load sensor computer.
A method, comprising:
- disposing a load on a vehicle, said vehicle having a load sensor coupled between a vehicle frame and a vehicle suspension;
- generating a load signal with said load sensor which varies based on a load force transferred from said vehicle frame to said vehicle suspension;
- processing said load signal by operation of a load calculator to calculate said load disposed on said vehicle frame.
The method of 52, wherein said load sensor coupled to an air suspension assembly coupled to said vehicle frame.
A method of retrofitting a vehicle, comprising:
- disposing a load sensor between a vehicle air suspension assembly and a vehicle suspension, said load sensor including:
- a load sensor body having a first face opposite a second face, said first face configured to affix to a vehicle air suspension assembly, said second face configured to affix to a vehicle suspension;
- an elongate slot disposed in said load sensor body;
- a force measurement sensor disposed proximate an elongate slot first end or an elongate slot second end of said elongate slot, said force measurement sensor capable of generating a load signal which varies based on an amount of strain in said load sensor body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.