Vehicle having suspension with continuous damping control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11124036-B2
Application number	US-201816013210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2018
Priority date	Nov 7, 2012
Publication date	Sep 21, 2021
Grant date	Sep 21, 2021

Abstract

A damping control system for a vehicle having a suspension located between a plurality of ground engaging members and a vehicle frame includes at least one adjustable shock absorber having an adjustable damping characteristic. The system also includes a controller coupled to each adjustable shock absorber to adjust the damping characteristic of each adjustable shock absorber, and a user interface coupled to the controller and accessible to a driver of the vehicle. The user interface includes at least one user input to permit manual adjustment of the damping characteristic of the at least one adjustable shock absorber during operation of the vehicle. Vehicle sensors are also be coupled to the controller to adjust the damping characteristic of the at least one adjustable shock absorber based vehicle conditions determined by sensor output signals.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A damping control method for a vehicle having a suspension located between a plurality of ground engaging members and a vehicle frame, a controller, a plurality of vehicle condition sensors, and a user interface, the suspension including a plurality of adjustable shock absorbers including a front right shock absorber, a front left shock absorber, and at least one rear shock absorber, the damping control method comprising:
receiving, by the controller, a plurality of inputs from the plurality of vehicle condition sensors, wherein the plurality of vehicle condition sensors comprises a multi-axis acceleration sensor;
determining, by the controller, whether the vehicle is in an airborne event based on comparing a first acceleration value from the multi-axis acceleration sensor with a first threshold, wherein the first acceleration value corresponds to a first axis;
in response to determining the vehicle is in the airborne event, providing, by the controller and to the plurality of adjustable shock absorbers, one or more first commands to result in adjusting one or more damping characteristics for the plurality of adjustable shock absorbers;
in response to determining the vehicle is not in the airborne event, determining, by the controller, whether the vehicle is in a braking event or a cornering event based on comparing a second acceleration value from the multi-axis acceleration sensor with a second threshold, wherein the second acceleration value corresponds to a second axis different from the first axis;
in response to determining the vehicle is in the braking event, providing, by the controller and to the plurality of adjustable shock absorbers, one or more second commands to result in adjusting the one or more damping characteristics for the plurality of adjustable shock absorbers; and
in response to determining the vehicle is in the cornering event, providing, by the controller and to the plurality of adjustable shock absorbers, one or more third commands to result in adjusting the one or more damping characteristics for the plurality of adjustable shock absorbers.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
subsequent to the determining the vehicle is in the airborne event, determining, by the controller, whether the vehicle is in contact with ground based on comparing a third acceleration value from the multi-axis acceleration sensor with a third threshold, wherein the third acceleration value corresponds to the first axis; and
in response to determining the vehicle is in contact with ground, providing, by the controller and to the plurality of adjustable shock absorbers, one or more fourth commands to result in adjusting the one or more damping characteristics for the plurality of adjustable shock absorbers.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the determining whether the vehicle is in contact with ground is based on determining that the third acceleration value has a magnitude greater than the third threshold and is sustained for a time period greater than a time threshold.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
generating the one or more fourth commands, wherein the one or more fourth commands comprises at least one command to result in an increase of a rebound damping characteristic for the front right shock absorber or the front left shock absorber for a time duration.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
generating the one or more fourth commands, wherein the one or more fourth commands comprises at least one command to result in an increase of a rebound damping characteristic for the at least one rear shock absorber for a time duration.

6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
receiving, form the user interface, a user input indicating a user selected mode of damping operation for the plurality of adjustable shock absorbers; and
generating the one or more fourth commands based on the user selected mode.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, based on a direction the vehicle is turning, at least one inner adjustable shock absorber from the plurality of adjustable shock absorbers; and
generating the one or more third commands, wherein the one or more third commands comprises at least one command to result in an increase of a rebound damping characteristic for the at least one inner adjustable shock absorber.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of vehicle condition sensors further comprises a vehicle speed sensor, and wherein the method further comprises:
receiving, from the vehicle speed sensor, information indicating a speed of the vehicle, and
wherein the at least one command to result in the increase of the rebound damping characteristic is based on the speed of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, based on a direction the vehicle is turning, at least one outer adjustable shock absorber from the plurality of adjustable shock absorbers; and
generating the one or more third commands, wherein the one or more third commands comprises at least one command to result in an increase of a compression damping characteristic for the at least one outer adjustable shock absorber.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of vehicle condition sensors further comprises a vehicle speed sensor, and wherein the method further comprises:
receiving, from the vehicle speed sensor, information indicating a speed of the vehicle, and
wherein the at least one command to result in the increase of the compression damping characteristic is based on the speed of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating the one or more second commands, wherein the one or more second commands comprises at least one command to result in an increase of a compression damping characteristic for the front right shock absorber or the front left shock absorber.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating the one or more second commands, wherein the one or more second commands comprises at least one command to result in an increase of a rebound damping characteristic for the at least one rear shock absorber.

13. A vehicle comprising:
a frame;
a suspension located between a plurality of ground engaging members and the frame, the suspension including a plurality of adjustable shock absorbers including a front right shock absorber, a front left shock absorber, and at least one rear shock absorber;
a plurality of vehicle condition sensors, wherein the plurality of vehicle condition sensors comprises an acceleration sensor and a steering sensor;
a user interface,
a controller operable to control operation of the suspension, the controller including instructions thereon that when interpreted by the controller cause the controller to:
receive, from the acceleration sensor, acceleration information indicating a first acceleration value;
receive, from the steering sensor, steering information;
determine whether the vehicle is in an airborne event based on the first acceleration value being less than an acceleration value threshold for a time period greater than a time threshold;
determine whether the vehicle is in a cornering event based on the steering information;
generate, based on whether the vehicle is in the airborne event or whether the vehicle is in the cornering event, one or more commands to result in an adjustment of one or more damping characteristics for at least one of the plurality of adjustable shock absorbers; and
providing, to the at least one of the plurality of adjustable shock absorbers, the one or more commands.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wher

Assignees

• Polaris Inc

Inventors

• Brady Louis J
• Scheuerell Alex R
• Franker Steven R
• Nysse Aaron J

Classifications

• B60G2400/40

  Steering conditions · CPC title

• B60G2400/102

  vertical · CPC title

• B60G2400/61

  Load distribution · CPC title

• B60G2400/33

  Throttle position · CPC title

• B60G2800/94

  Electronic Stability Program (ESP, i.e. ABS+ASC+EMS) · CPC title