Spring for a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9604515-B2
Application number	US-201313955910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2013
Priority date	Aug 7, 2012
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

A spring made of a fiber composite includes a metal thread which is connected to the spring and has an electrical resistance which changes in dependence on a deformation of the spring. The metal thread can be integrated inside the spring or may also be arranged on an outer side of the spring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spring for a motor vehicle, comprising a fiber composite matrix extending in a direction of elongation, and a metal thread having an electrical resistance which changes in dependence on a deformation of the spring, wherein the metal thread is encased inside the fiber composite matrix, extends uninterruptedly inside the fiber composite matrix in the direction of elongation of the fiber composite matrix along said direction over its whole length and has opposite ends guided from inside of the fiber composite matrix outwards of both opposite ends of the fiber composite matrix to measure the electrical resistance of the metal thread continuously over the whole length of the spring.

2. The spring of claim 1 , constructed as a load-bearing spring.

3. The spring of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of said metal thread configured to enable separate determination of their change in resistance.

4. The spring of claim 1 , wherein the fiber composite is composed of GFRP (glass fiber reinforced plastic) or CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic).

5. The spring of claim 1 , constructed in the form of a helical spring, spiral spring, leaf spring, disk spring, or torsion bar spring.

6. The spring of claim 1 , wherein the metal thread is embedded immovably in the fiber composite matrix so as to track a slightest spring movement or change in geometry of the spring.

7. The spring of claim 1 , wherein the fiber composite matrix has an inner core, and the metal thread is wound helically about the inner core.

8. The spring of claim 1 , wherein the fiber composite matrix has an inner core extending in the direction of elongation of the fiber composite matrix, and the metal thread extends along the inner core in the direction of elongation of the fiber composite matrix.

9. A motor vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle wheel;
a damping device having a spring made of a fiber composite matrix extending in a direction of elongation and a metal thread having an electrical resistance which changes in dependence on a deformation of the spring, wherein said metal thread is encased inside the fiber composite matrix, extends uninterruptedly inside the fiber composite matrix in the direction of elongation of the fiber composite matrix along said direction over its whole length and has opposite ends guided from inside of the fiber composite matrix outwards of both opposite ends of the fiber composite matrix to measure the electrical resistance of the metal thread continuously over the whole length of the spring.

10. The motor vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the fiber composite is composed of GFRP (glass fiber reinforced plastic) or CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic).

11. The motor vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the spring is a helical spring, spiral spring, leaf spring, disk spring, or torsion bar spring.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 9 , constructed as a load-bearing spring.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of said metal threads extending in the direction of elongation of the fiber composite matrix along said direction and configured to enable separate determination of their change of resistance.

14. The motor vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the metal thread is embedded immovably in the fiber composite matrix so as to track a slightest spring movement or change in geometry of the spring.

15. The motor vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the fiber composite matrix has an inner core, and the metal thread is wound helically about the inner core.

16. The motor vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the fiber composite matrix has an inner core extending in the direction of elongation of the fiber composite matrix, and the metal thread extends along the inner core in the direction of elongation of the fiber composite matrix.

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Schmitt Joachim

Classifications

• B60G17/019

  characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof {(B60G17/01941 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F16F1/3615

  with means for modifying the spring characteristic (F16F1/371 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60G2202/12

  Wound spring · CPC title

• F16F1/3665

  Wound springs · CPC title

• B60G11/00 Primary

  Resilient suspensions characterised by arrangement, location or kind of springs (single wheel suspension by pivoted arm resilient in itself B60G3/00; adjusting spring characteristic B60G17/00; springs per se F16F) · CPC title