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US4103532A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Device for measuring the damping effect of motor vehicle suspensions

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1977-05-11
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Granted: 1978-08-01
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Expires: 1997-05-11
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Abstract

Abstract This invention relates to a device for measuring the damping effect of motor vehicle suspensions. The device according to the invention comprises operating means for imparting a periodic vertical oscillating movement to a motor vehicle suspension, first and second sensor means for transducting into corresponding electrical signals the instantaneous force transmitted to the suspension and the instantaneous displacements of the point of application of said oscillating movement to the suspension, first processing means for calculating and integrating over one cycle the scalar product of said signals and second processing means for dividing said integrated scalar product by a quantity proportional to the product of the oscillation frequency and the square of the oscillation amplitude.

Inventors

  • 👤 Carlo Buzzi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 09:00
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01M; G01M17/00; G01M17/007; G01M17/04

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 150 words
A device for measuring the damping effect of motor vehicle suspensions, comprising operating means for imparting a periodic vertical oscillating movement to a motor vehicle suspension, first sensor means for transducing the instantaneous force transmitted to the suspension into an electrical signal, second sensor means for transducing the instantaneous displacements of the point of application of said oscillating movement to the suspension into an electrical signal, first processing means for integrating over one cycle the scalar product of the signals emitted by the first and second sensor means to produce a first signal which is indicative of the amount of energy dissipated in one cycle, and second processing means for dividing said first signal by a quantity proportional to the product of the oscillation frequency and the square of the oscillation amplitude to produce a second signal indicative of the value of the equivalent viscous damping coefficient of the suspension.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 150 words
A device for measuring the damping effect of motor vehicle suspensions, comprising operating means for imparting a periodic vertical oscillating movement to a motor vehicle suspension, first sensor means for transducing the instantaneous force transmitted to the suspension into an electrical signal, second sensor means for transducing the instantaneous displacements of the point of application of said oscillating movement to the suspension into an electrical signal, first processing means for integrating over one cycle the scalar product of the signals emitted by the first and second sensor means to produce a first signal which is indicative of the amount of energy dissipated in one cycle, and second processing means for dividing said first signal by a quantity proportional to the product of the oscillation frequency and the square of the oscillation amplitude to produce a second signal indicative of the value of the equivalent viscous damping coefficient of the suspension.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said operating means are arranged to produce an oscillation of constant amplitude and frequency.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 46 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said operating means are constituted by at least one rotating eccentric mounted on a shaft driven by a motor, on said eccentric there resting a support board for a motor vehicle wheel associated with the suspension under measurement.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 16 words
A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said motor is of the variable speed type.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 41 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said operating means are constituted by at least one rotating eccentric mounted on a shaft driven by a motor, said eccentric being arranged to act on suspension parts separated from the motor vehicle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 16 words
A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said motor is of the variable speed type.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 19 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first sensor means are constituted by a piezoelectric measuring device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 19 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first sensor means are constituted by a magnetostriction measuring device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 18 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein first sensor means are constituted by an electrodynamic measuring device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 18 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second sensor means are constituted by a differential transformer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 53 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second sensor means are constituted by an electrodynamic measuring device arranged to produce an output signal proportional to the speed, said measuring device being followed by an integrator for converting said signal into a signal the value of which is proportional to the displacement.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3416363A Cited
US3836757A Cited
US3902352A Cited
US3981174A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1981-07-31 1982-01-30 1982-08-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1985-07-31 1986-01-30 1986-08-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1989-07-31 1990-01-30 1990-08-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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