Device for determining the distance between vehicle body and vehicle wheel
First Claim
1. A device for determining a vertical distance between a body of a vehicle and at least one wheel adjustably mounted thereto, said vehicle including a coupling component coupled to said wheel and to said body such that a change in the vertical distance between said wheel and body causes the relative position of said coupling component to change with respect to said body, said device comprising:
- a first inclination sensor attached to the vehicle body, said first sensor generating first inclination signals indicative of the inclination of the vehicle body with respect to a reference plane;
a second inclination sensor attached to said coupling component, said second sensor generating second inclination signals indicative of the inclination of said coupling component with respect to said reference plane; and
a control unit for receiving said first and second inclination signals transmitted by said inclination sensors, wherein said control unit determines from said first and second inclination signals a distance signal which is correlated to the vertical distance between the vehicle wheel and the vehicle body, wherein said control unit determines a differential signal and assigns a said vertical distance to said differential signal correlated to that vertical distance.
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Abstract
The intention is to specify a simplified design for a device which is used in vehicles for determining a vertical distance between a vehicle body and at least one vehicle wheel which is adjustably mounted thereon.
In the device according to the invention, a first inclination sensor which generates first inclination signals which are correlated to the inclination of the vehicle body with respect to a reference position, and transmits them to a control unit, is attached to the vehicle body. Attached to a coupling component which is adjusted, together with the vehicle wheel, relative to the vehicle body, is a second inclination sensor which generates second inclination signals which are correlated to the inclination of this coupling component with respect to a reference position, and transmits them to the control unit. The control unit then determines from the inclination signals of the inclination sensors a distance signal which is correlated to the vertical distance between the vehicle wheel and the vehicle body.
49 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A device for determining a vertical distance between a body of a vehicle and at least one wheel adjustably mounted thereto, said vehicle including a coupling component coupled to said wheel and to said body such that a change in the vertical distance between said wheel and body causes the relative position of said coupling component to change with respect to said body, said device comprising:
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a first inclination sensor attached to the vehicle body, said first sensor generating first inclination signals indicative of the inclination of the vehicle body with respect to a reference plane;
a second inclination sensor attached to said coupling component, said second sensor generating second inclination signals indicative of the inclination of said coupling component with respect to said reference plane; and
a control unit for receiving said first and second inclination signals transmitted by said inclination sensors, wherein said control unit determines from said first and second inclination signals a distance signal which is correlated to the vertical distance between the vehicle wheel and the vehicle body, wherein said control unit determines a differential signal and assigns a said vertical distance to said differential signal correlated to that vertical distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for controlling a level adjustment device in a motor vehicle wherein said vehicle includes a coupling component coupled between the vehicle wheel and the vehicle body such that a change in the vertical distance between the wheel and the body causes the relative position of the coupling component to change with respect to the vehicle body, and wherein said method comprises the steps of:
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providing a first inclination sensor attached to the vehicle body, said first sensor generating first inclination signals indicative of the inclination of the vehicle body with respect to a reference plane;
providing a second inclination sensor attached to said coupling component, said second sensor generating second inclination signals indicative of the inclination of said coupling component with respect to said reference plane;
providing a control unit for receiving said first and second inclination signals from said inclination sensors, wherein said control unit determines from said first and second signals a distance signal indicative of the vertical distance between the vehicle wheel and the vehicle body; and
controlling said vehicle leveling device based on an output from said control unit. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeDaimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
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Original AssigneeDaimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
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InventorsSteinert, Hans-Rudolf, Kutscher, Eberhard
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Primary Examiner(s)Rice, Kenneth R.
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Assistant Examiner(s)BUCHANAN, CHRISTOPHER R
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Application NumberUS09/498,441Time in Patent Office949 DaysField of Search280/5.508, 280/5.514, 280/6.16, 280/6.159, 701/37, 701/38US Class Current280/5.508CPC Class CodesB60G 17/0152 characterised by the action...B60G 17/01925 Pendulum-type devicesB60G 21/10 not permanently interconnec...B60G 2400/05 AttitudeB60G 2400/252 verticalB60G 2401/00 Indexing codes relating to ...B60G 2401/12 Strain gaugeB60G 2800/01 Attitude or posture controlB61F 5/24 Means for damping or minimi...G01B 7/315 for testing wheel alignment
