Automated control system for an electronically controlled sway bar link

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11634003-B2
Application number	US-202117553134-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2021
Priority date	Dec 17, 2020
Publication date	Apr 25, 2023
Grant date	Apr 25, 2023

Abstract

A sway bar system is described. The sway bar system includes a sway bar having a first end and a second end. An electronically controlled connector to provide a remotely controllable physical connection and disconnection capability between a first location on a vehicle and the first end of the sway bar; and the second end of the sway bar coupled to a second location on the vehicle.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. A sway bar system comprising:
a sway bar having a first end and a second end;
an electronically controlled connector to provide a remotely controllable physical connection and disconnection capability between a first location on a vehicle and said first end of said sway bar;
said second end of said sway bar coupled to a second location on said vehicle;
a graphical user interface (GUI) communicatively coupled with said vehicle;
said GUI to present configuration information about said electronically controlled connector in a user interactive format;
said GUI configured to receive a user input, said user input to change said electronically controlled connector from a present connected or disconnected configuration to the other of said connected or disconnected configuration; and
a control system to receive said user input from said GUI and automatically connect or disconnect said electronically controlled connector based on said user input.

2. The sway bar system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second electronically controlled connector, said second electronically controlled connector to provide a remotely controllable physical connection and disconnection capability between said second end of said sway bar and said second location on said vehicle.

3. The sway bar system of claim 1 , further comprising:
said first location on said vehicle is a control arm on a first side of said vehicle; and
said second location on said vehicle is another control arm on a second side of said vehicle.

4. The sway bar system of claim 1 , further comprising:
said first location on said vehicle is a suspension component on a first side of said vehicle; and
said second location on said vehicle is another suspension component on a second side of said vehicle.

5. The sway bar system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electronically controlled damper link, said electronically controlled damper link coupled between said first location on said vehicle and said electronically controlled connector.

6. The sway bar system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electronically controlled damper link, said electronically controlled damper link coupled between said second end of said sway bar and said second location on said vehicle.

7. The sway bar system of claim 6 , wherein said electronically controlled damper link comprises:
a damper cylinder, said damper cylinder having a damper cylinder volume;
a damping piston axially moveable within said damper cylinder;
a shaft fixedly coupled to said damping piston;
a fluid reserve cylinder, said fluid reserve cylinder comprising:
a fluid reservoir chamber;
a gas chamber; and
an internal floating piston fluidly separating said fluid reservoir chamber and said gas chamber; and
a valve fluidly coupled to said damper cylinder and said fluid reserve cylinder, said valve having a flow area wherein a ratio of said damper cylinder volume to said flow area of said valve is adjustable.

8. The sway bar system of claim 1 , wherein said electronically controlled connector comprises:
a linear actuator to provide said remotely controllable physical connection and disconnection capability.

9. The sway bar system of claim 1 , wherein said electronically controlled connector comprises:
a rotary actuator to provide said remotely controllable physical connection and disconnection capability.

10. The sway bar system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the control system to automatically connect or disconnect said electronically controlled connector based on external conditions.

11. The sway bar system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the control system to automatically connect or disconnect said electronically controlled connector based on one or more sensor inputs received from one or more sensors selected from a group consisting of: an inertial gyroscope, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a steering wheel turning sensor, a single spectrum camera, and a multi spectrum camera.

12. The sway bar system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the control system to automatically connect or disconnect said electronically controlled connector based on one or more characteristics selected from a group consisting of: a user preference, a vehicle speed, a maneuver, and a ride type.

13. A vehicle sway bar system comprising:
a sway bar having a first end and a second end;
a first electronically controlled connector to provide a remotely controllable physical connection and disconnection capability between a first location on a vehicle and said first end of said sway bar;
a second electronically controlled connector, said second electronically controlled connector to provide a remotely controllable physical connection and disconnection capability between said second end of said sway bar and a second location on said vehicle;
a graphical user interface (GUI) communicatively coupled with said vehicle;
said GUI to present configuration information about one or both of said first electronically controlled connector and said second electronically controlled connector in a user interactive format;
said GUI configured to receive a user input, said user input to change one or both of said first electronically controlled connector and said second electronically controlled connector from a present connected or disconnected configuration to the other of said connected or disconnected configuration; and
a control system to receive said user input from said GUI and automatically connect or disconnect one or both of said first electronically controlled connector and said second electronically controlled connector based on said user input.

14. The vehicle sway bar system of claim 13 , further comprising:
the control system to automatically connect or disconnect one or both of said first electronically controlled connector and said second electronically controlled connector based on external conditions.

15. The vehicle sway bar system of claim 13 , further comprising:
the control system to automatically connect or disconnect one or both of said first electronically controlled connector and said second electronically controlled connector based on one or more sensor inputs received from one or more sensors selected from a group consisting of: an inertial gyroscope, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a steering wheel turning sensor, a single spectrum camera, and a multi spectrum camera.

16. The vehicle sway bar system of claim 13 , further comprising:
the control system to automatically connect or disconnect one or both of said first electronically controlled connector and said second electronically controlled connector based on one or more characteristics selected from a group consisting of: a user preference, a vehicle speed, a maneuver, and a ride type.

Assignees

• Fox Factory Inc

Inventors

• Negishi Nobuhiko
• Strickland Rick
• Tsiaras Philip
• Peterson Andrew

Classifications

• B60G2202/442

  Rotary actuator · CPC title

• B60G2206/11

  the arm being a radius or track or torque or steering rod or stabiliser end link · CPC title

• B60G2800/012

  Rolling condition · CPC title

• B60G2600/202

  using a remote, e.g. cordless, transmitter or receiver unit · CPC title

• B60G2401/28

  Gyroscopes · CPC title