Suspension strut with spring device and vibration damper

Abstract

To provide a suspension strut with a spring device and a vibration damper, which makes it possible to improve the signal quality and reduce the time delay; and a motorcycle with the suspension strut.SOLUTION: A suspension strut system with a spring device and a vibration damper has a first receptacle having a housing, and has a travel measuring device for detecting the current spring travel of the suspension strut. The housing has an inner recess. The travel measuring device has a magneto-operative sensor device arranged in the inner recess. The sensor device is adapted to detect a magnetic field of a magnet device spaced apart from the sensor device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a suspension strut as set forth in the preamble of claim 1, comprising a spring device and a vibration damper, the vibration damper comprising a cylinder configured to receive a damping fluid and a working piston axially movable therein. The present invention further relates to a system according to claim 6 comprising a suspension strut and a magnet device, and also to a motorcycle comprising a front wheel and a rear wheel, a driver's saddle and a drive unit, and a rear wheel swing arm for guiding the rear wheel, and the system according to claim 6.

Summary of the Invention

[0002] A suspension strut as described above is arranged, for example, in a motorcycle or in other vehicles equipped with a driver's saddle such as a scooter.

[0003] European Patent Registration No. 2036746 discloses a sensor module with an acceleration sensor for a shock absorber of a passenger car. The sensor module is provided here in a recess of a guide bush for a piston rod and is arranged outside the shock absorber.

[0004] European Patent Registration No. 1964696 discloses a shock absorber having a position sensor, an evaluation module being arranged outside the shock absorber as well, and a magnet being arranged inside the inner tube of the shock absorber in the longitudinal direction of the shock absorber.

[0005] Therefore, both arrangements are characterized in that the respective sensor modules are arranged outside the outer tube of the respective shock absorber.

[0006] Such a configuration is disadvantageous for motorcycles, especially for off-road sports motorcycles that are exposed to significant external influences, such as the possibility of damage caused by rain, dirt, stones, or dust. Even for street motorcycles, among the sensor modules, the positions exposed in the silhouette on the outside of the motorcycle are exposed to rain, and the sensor modules may be damaged, which is disadvantageous. Also, for both types of motorcycles, the vibration of the engine may be transmitted to the sensor modules arranged outside, which may affect the signal quality.

[0007] To determine the relative speed and the vehicle body speed for the purpose of influencing the damping behavior of such a suspension strut and isolating the movement of a motorcycle, particularly in this case, the movement of the rear end or the rear body of the motorcycle in the traveling direction from disruptive stimuli such as road surface irregularities, knowledge of the spring path as a result of the stimulus and the acceleration of the motorcycle body in the vertical axis direction of the motorcycle is important because these values are input parameters for control according to a principle called skyhook control.

[0008] Here, the spring path is determined as the path along which the working piston or other reference points of the motorcycle move within the cylinder or the working cylinder due to the stimulus when the motorcycle is traveling on an uneven road surface. And the relative speed is determined by the numerical time differentiation of the spring path, so it is necessary to determine the spring path.

[0009] According to a known procedure by the applicant, the rotation angle of the rear wheel swing arm is used to determine the spring path, and a known suspension strut is supported on the rear wheel swing arm. Here, a permanent magnet is arranged in the region of the swing arm rotation point, and the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet is evaluated by the sensor device to determine the rotation angle.

[0010] This procedure for determining the spring path and relative speed has actually been successful, but it has been found that there is still room for improvement in this procedure. The place where the rotation angle of the swing arm is detected via a device called a swing arm angle sensor and a sensor device arranged adjacent thereto is near the drive unit in the form of an internal combustion engine, and as a result, the vibration of the engine is transmitted to the sensor unit.

[0011] The vibration of the engine may disrupt the signal quality of the rotation angle signal detected by the sensor device due to high-frequency noise. The sensor signal used for evaluation needs to be attenuated by numerical filtering. This filtering requires calculation time and results in a time delay, which means that the control of the solenoid that affects the damping behavior through the control of the valve device of the vibration damper is performed with a time offset from the original stimulus.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0012] In order to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, an object of the present invention is to provide a suspension strut provided with a spring device and a vibration damper, whereby it is possible to improve the signal quality and reduce the time delay. In addition, a motorcycle equipped with such a suspension strut is also provided.

[0013] To solve this problem regarding the suspension strut, the present invention has the features defined in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments here are described in further claims. The present invention also has the features defined in claim 8 regarding a motorcycle.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0014] The present invention relates to a suspension strut comprising a spring device and a vibration damper. The vibration damper comprises a cylinder configured to receive a damping fluid and a working piston axially movable therein, which is coupled to a piston rod having a longitudinal axis. The working piston divides the interior of the cylinder into a first working space and a second working space and is adapted to control the flow of the damping fluid between the first and the second working spaces, and comprises a valve device and an electrically actuated solenoid. The solenoid actuates the valve means of the valve device to change the flow path of the valve device between the first and the second working spaces. The suspension strut has a first receptacle having a housing on which the piston rod is supported. The first receptacle is adapted to arrange the suspension strut on a first vehicle body element of a vehicle. The suspension strut has a second receptacle adapted to arrange the suspension strut on a second vehicle body element of the vehicle. The suspension strut has a path measuring device for detecting the current spring path of the suspension strut. The housing has an inner recess, and the path measuring device has a magnetically actuated sensor device arranged in the inner recess and adapted to detect the magnetic field of a magnet device arranged at a distance from the sensor device. A suspension strut is provided.

[0015] Accordingly, the present invention provides a suspension strut comprising a spring device and a vibration damper. The spring device is, for example, a main spring radially surrounding the vibration damper. The vibration damper has a cylinder or a tubular cylinder adapted to receive a damping fluid in the form of, for example, working oil or fork oil. A working piston axially movably arranged in the cylinder is supported by a piston rod having a longitudinal axis. The working piston divides the interior of the cylinder here into a first working space and a second working space. The first working space is adapted to be configured as a compression chamber, for example, and the second working space is adapted to be configured as a rebound chamber.

[0016] The vibration damper also has a valve device adapted to control the flow of damping fluid between the first working space and the second working space, and an electrically actuated solenoid that actuates the valve means of the valve device to change the flow path of the valve device between the first working space and the second working space. One or more valve means are, for example, spring washers or valve shims, which are axially displaced by the solenoid via a push rod or a pull rod actuated by the solenoid, thereby closing or opening the cross-section of the flow path or the passage between the spring washer and the control edge of the valve device. During the flowing movement of the damping fluid through the passage, a damping operation is performed, whereby the movement of the working piston as a result of the excitation caused by the motorcycle running on a bumpy road surface, etc. is cancelled, that is, the amplitude of the movement is reduced.

[0017] The suspension strut has a first receptacle having a housing, and the piston rod is supported on the first receptacle. Thus, the first receptacle is configured as a foot of the suspension strut, and the foot is adapted to have a hole or a sleeve, into which, for example, a bolt is inserted, whereby the foot is removably fixed to, for example, the rear wheel swing arm of the motorcycle. Accordingly, the foot or the receptacle is configured as a housing for receiving the sleeve and is made, for example, from an aluminum alloy by a forming process.

[0018] The first receptacle is adapted to arrange the suspension strut on a first body element of the vehicle, the vehicle can be the aforementioned motorcycle, the first body element can be the rear wheel swing arm of the aforementioned motorcycle, and the piston rod of the vibration damper is supported thereon.

[0019] The suspension strut will here be supported directly on the first vehicle body element, i.e. for example supported in a receptacle of the first vehicle body element or else supported by way of a kinematic intermediary, for example this can be a deflection via which the suspension strut is supported on the rear wheel swing arm or on a first receptacle.

[0020] The suspension strut also has a second receptacle adapted to arrange the suspension strut on a second vehicle body element of the vehicle. The vehicle is the motorcycle already mentioned, and the second receptacle is configured in the form of a housing with a sleeve for receiving bolts etc., and the second receptacle is removably arranged on the second vehicle body element of the vehicle using bolts etc. The second vehicle body element is, for example, a support or receptacle on a frame component of the vehicle. In the case of a motorcycle, it is a support on the frame of the motorcycle, on which the suspension strut is removably fixed by the bolts already mentioned.

[0021] The suspension strut has a path measuring device for detecting the current spring path of the suspension strut. The current value of the spring path is differentiated over time to determine the relative speed already mentioned. The relative speed is here used as an input variable for the chassis control of the vehicle, which is carried out, for example, in accordance with the principle of skyhook control already mentioned.

[0022] According to the invention, the housing has an inner recess, and the path measuring device has a magnetically actuated sensor device arranged in the inner recess, which is adapted to detect the magnetic field of a magnet device arranged at a distance from the sensor device.

[0023] In the suspension strut according to the invention, the path measuring device has a magnetically actuated sensor device arranged in the inner recess of the housing, which for example has a Hall sensor for detecting a three-dimensional magnetic field. The magnetic field is here arranged at a distance from the sensor device and is produced by a magnet device which is, for example, a permanent magnet.

[0024] The relative movement of the magnet device with respect to the sensor device results in a change in the induced magnetic field detected, for example, by the aforementioned Hall sensor.

[0025] Since the path measuring device is arranged in the inner recess in the housing, on the one hand, it is protected from environmental influences that cause problems such as dust, dirt, and water, and on the other hand, it is also protected by the housing from influences that cause problems such as the engine vibration already mentioned.

[0026] Such engine vibration may superimpose high-frequency noise on the path signal of the sensor device or the Hall sensor, which, as already mentioned above, must be filtered by signal processing in order to improve the signal quality of the path signal. Due to the configuration of the suspension strut according to the present invention, high-frequency noise is less likely to be superimposed on the raw signal of the sensor device in the form of the path signal, that is, the spring path signal, and thus the signal quality of the raw signal is improved.

[0027] Since the noise in the raw signal has already been significantly reduced, the effort required for numerical signal processing of the raw signal is reduced, especially the effort required for filtering the path signal from the raw signal is significantly reduced, and thus the time required for post-processing the raw signal to determine the path signal is shortened.

[0028] Since the spring path signal is a real-time signal of the current spring path of the suspension strut, the time delay due to numerical post-processing of the real-time signal decreases until the current value for supplying current to the solenoid is generated from the real-time signal and the flow path cross-section or the flow path of the valve device is changed. For example, the time required to obtain the path signal from the raw signal is reduced from 30 milliseconds to 3 milliseconds. Therefore, the chassis control made possible by affecting the damping behavior of the vibration damper corresponds to real-time control with almost no time delay.

[0029] Therefore, reducing the time delay leads to an improvement in the control strategy for determining the damping behavior of the vibration damper that the vehicle driver currently needs or desires, and thus leads to an improvement in convenience when driving the vehicle.

[0030] When the magnet device changes its position relative to the sensor device, this continuously occurs while the vehicle equipped with the suspension strut according to the present invention is running, and the magnetic field of the magnet device detected by the sensor device also changes. For example, when the magnet device performs a rotational movement relative to the sensor device, the change in the magnetic field is detected and evaluated by the sensor device. This evaluation is performed, for example, in the form of an angle due to the above-described rotational movement of the magnet device relative to the sensor device.

[0031] The relative rotational movement of the magnet device starts from the first angle value existing at time t and leads to the second angle value existing at time t1.

[0032] Therefore, the rotational movement brings about a difference in the determined angle values. From the known geometric data of the vehicle and the suspension strut, the spring path generated along the longitudinal axis of the piston rod during the relative rotational movement of the magnet device is determined.

[0033] Therefore, by numerically differentiating the time change of the spring path, the relative speed, which is the input parameter of the aforementioned suspension control, is determined.

[0034] According to an improvement of the present invention, the path measuring device is removably fixed particularly within the inner recess and has a circuit board provided with at least one Hall sensor, and the inner recess is provided to be cast with a casting compound.

[0035] This configuration means that the sensor device is protected from external interference and the signal quality of the Hall sensor is improved.

[0036] According to an improvement of the present invention, the sensor device has an acceleration sensor adapted to detect the acceleration of the longitudinal axis of the suspension strut, and the sensor device is adapted to transmit the detected acceleration to an evaluation device.

[0037] When the magnet device moves relative to a sensor device having one or more sensor elements, as already described above, the magnetic field detected by the sensor elements changes. Therefore, the position of the magnet device represents the reference point of the sensor device, and the change in its position is detected by the sensor device by the sensor elements, whereby the relative spring path srel that has moved is obtained, and thereby the relative velocity vrel of the compression movement is determined by the numerical time derivative of the spring path.

[0038] The body speed vbody of the motorcycle body is determined by further detecting the value of the body acceleration abody of the motorcycle body using an acceleration sensor and also numerical time integration.

[0039] The values determined in this way are then used to determine the minimum damping force cmin and the maximum damping force cmax, from which the desired damping force c for damping the compression movement is determined according to the following skyhook control relationship.

[0040] TIFF2025102654000002.tif22170

[0041] The circuit board is a printed circuit board having conductor tracks for supplying electrical energy to a hall sensor disposed thereon. The circuit board also has connection elements for connecting connection lines for introducing electrical energy. The circuit board is disposed together with the hall sensor within a housing, i.e., within an inner recess of the housing, and the inner recess is cast with a casting compound after the circuit board is disposed together with the hall sensor. The casting compound ensures that the circuit board with the hall sensor is firmly held within the housing and is also reliably protected from impacts, shocks or vibrations coming from the internal combustion engine of a motorcycle equipped with a suspension strut according to the present invention. Thereby, the influence of high-frequency noise on the sensor signal is also reduced. Accordingly, the quality of the signal emitted from the hall sensor via the conductor tracks on the circuit board, resulting from the detection of the magnetic field, is improved.

[0042] Also, the above-described acceleration sensor is disposed on the printed circuit board, and using this, the acceleration of the vehicle body of the motorcycle is detected, and this acceleration is included in the skyhook control to determine a desired damping force.

[0043] The path signal and the acceleration signal are passed, via lines disposed on the printed circuit board and connection lines connected to the circuit board, for example as a pulse wave modulation signal, to an evaluation device which is, for example, a chassis controller.

[0044] According to an improvement of the present invention, it is also provided that the sensor device has connection means for supplying current to an electrically operating solenoid. This connection means is, for example, the connection line already described above, and via this, in addition to supplying current to the sensor device, the signal determined by the sensor device is also passed to the evaluation device. Further, due to this functional integration and the feature of the present invention that the piston rod is supported by a first receptacle which also receives the path measuring device according to the present invention and the connection lines are also led out therefrom, the connection means or the connection line for supplying current to the solenoid will be led through the piston rod to the solenoid.

[0045] This means that the connection means for supplying current to the solenoid is also arranged inside the piston rod and thus inside the cylinder of the vibration damper, and is protected from external interference.

[0046] According to an improvement of the invention, it is also provided that the housing is formed of a plastic material and has a passage for receiving the electrical connection means. The printed circuit board carrying the three-dimensional hall sensor and the acceleration sensor as already described above is arranged in the plastic housing and protected by a casting compound. Furthermore, the housing has a passage for receiving the electrical connection means, through which current is also supplied to the solenoid and electrical energy is supplied to the sensors, and furthermore, the values or sensor signals provided by the sensors are generated and passed on to the evaluation device in the form of the chassis controller already mentioned as an example.

[0047] The invention also provides a system comprising a suspension strut as detailed above and a magnet device, the magnet device being adapted to be arranged on the rear wheel swing arm of a motorcycle.

[0048] That is to say, the magnet device is arranged, for example, directly on the upper side of the rear wheel swing arm, is on the upper side when viewed in the vertical axis direction of the motorcycle, and is directly adjacent to the flange surface or connection surface for arranging the first receptacle of the suspension strut.

[0049] When a motorcycle travels on a rough road surface, the rear wheel swing arm performs a rotational movement on the frame component of the motorcycle and is supported here on the suspension strut according to the present invention. The first receptacle of the suspension strut is arranged adjacent to the magnet device, that is, the magnet device is arranged so as to perform a circular segment-shaped relative movement with respect to the sensor device of the path measurement device. The magnetic field of the magnet device that changes during relative movement is detected by the sensor device in the form of the angle signals described above, and these are transferred to an evaluation device in the form of the chassis controller described above as an example. In addition to these angle signals, acceleration signals are also transmitted via the sensor device, which represent the acceleration of the longitudinal axis of the piston rod and are similarly transferred to the evaluation device. The evaluation device numerically integrates the acceleration signals and determines the vehicle body speed of the motorcycle therefrom.

[0050] The spring path calculated from the angle signals is differentiated in time to determine the relative speed, which is evaluated together with the vehicle body speed according to the aforementioned skyhook law to determine the desired damping. The current damping value determined in this way is used to supply current to the solenoid so that the solenoid is connected to the current for a predetermined time for changing the flow path of the valve device.

[0051] The present invention also provides a system comprising a suspension strut as described above and a magnet device, and the magnet device is adapted to be arranged on a holder. The holder is, for example, a holder arranged on the deflection and receiving the magnet device.

[0052] When the suspension strut performs a spring movement, the holder provided with the magnet device performs a circular segment-shaped movement with respect to the sensor device arranged in the recess inside the first receptacle of the suspension strut.

[0053] In this way, a magnetic field that changes due to the relative movement of the magnet device is detected by the sensor device and evaluated to provide the above-described sensor signal. Also in this embodiment, the movement of the vehicle body of the motorcycle is detected and evaluated to determine the above acceleration signal.

[0054] The present invention also provides a motorcycle comprising a front wheel, a rear wheel, a driver's saddle, a drive device, a rear wheel swing arm for guiding the rear wheel, the above-described system, and a magnet device disposed on the rear wheel swing arm, wherein the rotational movement of the rear wheel swing arm causes a circular or circular segmental relative movement of the magnet device with respect to the sensor device.

[0055] This circular or circular segmental relative movement of the magnet device with respect to the sensor device causes the above-described change in the magnetic field of the magnet device, which is detected by the sensor device and transferred to the evaluation device in the form of a sensor signal as already described.

[0056] The present invention also provides a motorcycle comprising a front wheel, a rear wheel, a driver's saddle, a drive unit, a rear wheel swing arm for guiding the rear wheel, a system as described above, and a holder, and a magnet device disposed on the holder, wherein the rotational movement of the rear wheel swing arm causes a circular or circular segmental relative movement of the magnet device with respect to the sensor device.

[0057] The holder is disposed, for example, on the deflection where the suspension strut is supported. This circular or circular segmental relative movement of the magnet device with respect to the sensor device causes the above-described change in the magnetic field of the magnet device, which is detected by the sensor device and transferred to the evaluation device in the form of a sensor signal as already described above.

[0058] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0059]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0060] FIG. 1 of the drawings schematically shows an apparatus 200 belonging to the applicant for detecting the swing arm angle.

[0061] This device 200 includes a permanent magnet 203 disposed on the upper surface 201 of the rear wheel swing arm 202. This magnet, together with the rear wheel swing arm 202, is configured to rotate about a pivot point 204, and at the pivot point 204, the rear wheel swing arm 202 is disposed on a component (not shown in detail) of the motorcycle.

[0062] The rotational movement of the rear wheel swing arm 202 at the pivot point 204 leads to a change in the relative position of the permanent magnet 203 with respect to the swing arm angle sensor 205.

[0063] In this known device 200, the measured values 206 shown in the figure according to FIG. 12 regarding the movement of the spring are detected in millimeters and recorded over time in seconds. As is readily apparent, these measured values have a relatively large spread compared to the average value. This large spread is due in particular to high-frequency noise induced by the engine vibrations of the motorcycle's internal combustion engine, and this effect is further increased when determining the speed signal by numerically differentiating the path signal.

[0064] FIG. 2 of the drawings is a longitudinal sectional view of the suspension strut 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] The suspension strut 1 has a spring device 3 configured as a main spring 2 and includes a vibration damper 4 configured to receive a damping fluid (not shown in the drawings) in the form of fork oil or hydraulic oil.

[0066] The vibration damper 4 has a cylinder 5, which is configured as a cylindrical cylinder in the illustrated embodiment of the suspension strut 1. Further, the vibration damper 4 also has an operating piston 6 that is axially movable within the cylinder 5 and performs a damping operation in conjunction with the damping fluid.

[0067] The operating piston 6 is coupled to, i.e., fixed to, the piston rod 7, which has a longitudinal axis 8.

[0068] The actuating piston 6 divides the interior 9 of the cylinder 5 into a first working space 10 and a second working space 11.

[0069] The first working space 10 is also called the compression chamber, and the second working space 11 is also called the rebound chamber. The damping oil in the compression chamber is pressurized during the compression movement of the suspension strut 1, and the damping oil in the rebound chamber is pressurized during the rebound movement of the suspension strut 1.

[0070] The vibration damper 4 comprises a valve device 12 with valve means 15 in the form of a spring simulation or valve simulation 13, which is actuated by an electrically operating solenoid 14, i.e. is displaced in the axial longitudinal direction 16 of the cylinder 5 in order to control the flow of damping fluid between the first working space 10 and the second working space 11 by changing the cross-sectional area 17 of the flow path 18.

[0071] The damping operation performed by the actuating piston 6 is controlled by changing the cross-sectional area 17 through which the damping fluid flows in order to flow between the first working space 10 and the second working space 11.

[0072] As can be seen from Figure 2 of the drawing, the suspension strut 1 has a first receptacle 19, which has a housing 20 on which the piston rod 7 is supported.

[0073] As can also be seen from Figures 3 and 4 of the drawing, the first receptacle has a recess 21, which, as can be seen from Figure 9 of the drawing for example, is such that a bolt 22 passes through it, and the support of the suspension strut 1 serves its purpose on a first vehicle body element 23, which is the rear wheel swing arm 24 shown in Figure 8 of the drawing for example. Thus, the suspension strut 1 is supported via the first receptacle 19 on the rear wheel swing arm 24, i.e. by a bolt shown in more detail in Figure 8 of the drawing for example, which corresponds to the bolt 22 according to Figure 9 of the drawing.

[0074] The suspension strut 1 also has a second receptacle 25 with a recess 26, which serves to receive a bolt, using which the suspension strut 1 is supported on a second vehicle body element 27, which is, for example, the motorcycle 28 shown in FIG. 13 of the drawings.

[0075] As can be seen from FIG. 13 of the drawings, the second vehicle body element 27 is a frame component 29 of the motorcycle 28.

[0076] FIG. 2 of the drawings shows that the housing 20 has an inner recess 30 in which a path measuring device 31 is arranged, the path measuring device 31 having a magnetically actuated sensor device 32 adapted to detect the magnetic field of a magnet device 33 arranged at a distance from the sensor device 32 (more details can be seen from FIG. 5 of the drawings). The magnet device 33 can be understood, for example, from FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings, and the magnet device 33 is a permanent magnet 34.

[0077] FIG. 5 of the drawings is an exploded view of the path measuring device 31. The path measuring device 31 is arranged in the inner recess 30 of the housing 20, especially (as can be seen from FIG. 2 of the drawings) so as to be removably fixed therein and comprises a sensor device 32.

[0078] The path measuring device 31 has a sensor device 32, which has a circuit board or printed circuit board 35 on which a Hall sensor 36 is arranged. Further, an acceleration sensor 37 is also arranged on the circuit board 35 and is adapted to measure the acceleration of the piston rod 7 along the longitudinal axis 8. The circuit board 35 is covered by a closure cap 38 covering the circuit board 35. Further, the circuit board 35 has a connection socket 39 to which connection means 40 are connected, the connection means serving to supply power to the circuit board 35 having sensors 36, 37, and through which sensor signals from the sensors 35, 36 are also sent to an evaluation device 41, which is a chassis controller (as can be seen from FIG. 13 of the drawings).

[0079] The circuit board 35 is formed of a plastic material and is received in a housing 42 having a passage 43 for receiving the connecting means 40.

[0080] The sleeve 44 receives the connecting means 40 and serves to fix the connecting means 40 in the passage 43.

[0081] An O-ring 46 for sealing the inner recess 30 outward is arranged in the groove 45 of the plastic housing 42.

[0082] The housing 42 arranged in the inner recess 30 is removably fixed by means of the screw 48 shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings via the recess 47 shown in FIG. 5, and the inner recess 30 or the inner recess 49 of the housing 42, or both inner recesses, are adapted to be cast with a casting compound so that the circuit board 35 and / or the housing 42 are protected from dirt and water ingress.

[0083] The solenoid 14 is also supplied with electrical energy via a connecting wire or connecting means 52, that is, for example, via an electric wire 50 arranged in the inner recess 51 of the piston rod 7.

[0084] FIG. 3 of the drawings shows that the path measuring device 31 is arranged in the housing 20 together with the sensor device 32, and the cross-sectional view according to FIG. 4 of the drawings shows that the connecting wire 52 for supplying electrical energy to the solenoid 14 is also arranged in the inner recess 30 of the housing 20 and is surrounded by a casting compound (not shown in more detail).

[0085] FIG. 6 of the drawings is a side view of the foot according to FIG. 3 and explains how it moves.

[0086] As can be seen from the schematic view according to FIG. 6 of the drawings, when the rear wheel swing arm 24 rotates relative to the housing 20 and thus relative to the sensor device 32 arranged in the housing, the magnet device 33 performs a circular segment-like movement. The rotation angle in the illustrated embodiment is 33 degrees.

[0087] The sensor device 32 can detect a magnetic field that changes due to the relative movement of the magnet 33 by using a three-dimensional Hall sensor 36. The detection signal of the sensor 36 is sent to the evaluation device 41 of the motorcycle 28 via the connection means 40. The evaluation device 41 uses this to determine the current spring path of each of the suspension struts 1 in real time. Further, most of the acceleration of the rear wheel 55 of the motorcycle 28 without a spring is detected via the acceleration sensor 37, and these signals are also transferred to the evaluation device 41. The evaluation device determines the desired damping force c for the compression movement or the rebound movement of the suspension strut 1 using the above-mentioned signals, supplies current to the solenoid 14 to change the flow path 18, and as a result, the armature 53 of the solenoid 14 is displaced along the longitudinal axis 8 of the suspension strut 1, the spring sim 13 is also displaced, the flow path cross-section 17 of the flow path 18 increases or decreases, the damping operation performed by the vibration damper 4 increases or decreases, and the damping that cancels out the spring movement of the suspension strut 1 by the vibration damper 4 increases or decreases.

[0088] FIG. 7 of the drawings shows that the magnet device 33 is arranged on the holder 54, and the holder 54 rotates relative to the receptacle 20 together with the rotary bearing 56 and thus relative to the path measuring device 31 during the spring movement of the suspension strut 1. FIG. 8 of the drawings shows that the magnet device 33 is directly arranged on the upper side 57 of the rear wheel swing arm 24.

[0089] Figure 9 of the drawings shows a configuration in which the suspension strut 1 is supported by the deflection 58, and this deflection 58 is supported by the rear wheel swing arm 24. Due to the rotational movement of the rear wheel swing arm 24, the deflection 58 rotates relative to the housing 20 of the suspension strut 1, together with the holder 54 of the rotary bearing 56, that is, the path measuring device 31 is arranged. A permanent magnet (not shown in more detail in Figure 9 of the drawings) is arranged in the receiving eye 59 of the holder 54, and the magnetic field of the permanent magnet acts on the sensor device 32 arranged in the housing 20.

[0090] Finally, Figure 10 of the drawings shows a holder 60 which is integrally formed with the deflection 58 and in which a permanent magnet 34 is arranged in its receiving eye 61. During the rotational movement of the rear wheel swing arm (not shown in detail in Figure 10) relative to the suspension strut 1, the magnetic field exerted by the permanent magnet 34 thus changes relative to the path measuring device 31, which, as already explained above, is detected by the sensor device 32.

[0091] Finally, Figure 11 of the drawings is a partial cross-sectional view of the suspension strut 1 arranged on the deflection according to the present invention.

[0092] The suspension strut 1 is supported on the deflection 58 together with the first receptacle 19. Further, the suspension strut 1 is supported on the frame boom 61 together with the second receptacle 25. The permanent magnet 34 is arranged in the holder 54 and performs a circular segment-shaped movement as described with reference to Figure 6 of the drawings during the rotational movement of the rear wheel swing arm (not shown in detail) relative to the suspension strut 1. The magnetic field that changes during the relative movement of the permanent magnet 34 with respect to the housing 20 provided with the path measuring device 31 is detected by the sensor device 32, and the resulting signal is transmitted to the evaluation device 41 as already explained above.

[0093] FIG. 12 of the drawings shows the raw signal measurement value 206 already described above, obtained using a known configuration 200 equipped with a swing arm angle sensor 205.

[0094] In comparison, the raw signal measurement value 301 obtained using the suspension strut 1 according to the present invention, in which the path measurement device 31 is integrated into the housing 20 or the foot portion 302, shows a significantly smaller spread than the spread of the measurement value 206.

[0095] The path measurement device 31 according to the present invention or the suspension strut 1 according to the present invention shows that the noise of the raw signal is significantly low because the path measurement device 31 is integrated into the foot portion 302 of the suspension strut 1, which is manifested by the significantly small spread of the raw signal 301.

[0096] That is, the raw signal 301 requires significantly less filtering than the raw signal 206 for determining the spring path. This leads to a time advantage in post-processing the raw signal 301 because the numerical effort involved in filtering the signal is reduced, and thus the calculation time required for post-processing is also reduced.

[0097] This shortens the time delay when controlling the damping force by the vibration damper in real time.

[0098] Finally, FIG. 13 of the drawings shows a motorcycle 28 equipped with a front wheel 63, a driver's saddle 64, and a drive device 66 in the form of an internal combustion engine. The rear wheel swing arm 24 is supported at a swing arm pivot point 65 and performs a pivoting movement there. The rear wheel swing arm 24 is supported by the suspension strut 1 according to the present invention, and the spring path of the suspension strut 1 that occurs when the rear wheel swing arm 24 pivots is detected by the suspension strut 1 as described in detail above.

[0099] The configuration of the suspension strut according to the present invention ensures a circular segmental relative movement of the permanent magnet with respect to the Hall sensor of the sensor device. Accordingly, the Hall sensor can always accurately determine the position of the permanent magnet in real time. The position signal thus determined is converted into an angle and transferred to an evaluation device in the form of, for example, a chassis controller. Furthermore, the acceleration sensor records the acceleration in the longitudinal axis direction of the suspension strut, and this acceleration signal is also transferred to the evaluation device. Both signals are processed to generate a relative speed signal of the vibration damper for real-time control. Furthermore, both signals are also evaluated to determine the movement of the motorcycle body in the direction of the vertical axis 62 and the movement of the rear wheel 55 of the motorcycle 28 according to FIG. 13.

[0100] Features of the present invention not specifically described in detail above are referred to in the claims and the drawings.

Explanation of Signs

[0101] 1: Suspension strut, 2: Main spring 3: Spring device 4: Vibration damper 5: Cylinder 6: Actuating piston 7: Piston rod 8: Longitudinal axis 9: Inside 10: First working space 11: Second working space 12: Valve device 13: Spring sim 14: Solenoid 15: Valve means 16: Axial longitudinal direction 17: Cross-sectional area 18: Flow path 19: First receptacle 20: Housing 21: Recess 22: Bolt 23: First vehicle body element 24: Rear wheel swing arm 25: Second receptacle 26: Concave portion 27: Second vehicle body element 28: Motorcycle 29: Frame component 30: Inner concave portion 31: Path measurement device 32: Sensor device 33: Magnet device 34: Permanent magnet 35: Circuit board 36: Hall sensor 37: Acceleration sensor 38: Closure cap 39: Connection socket 40: Connection means 41: Evaluation device 42: Housing 43: Passage 44: Sleeve 45: Groove 46: O-ring 47: Concave portion 48: Screw 49: Inner concave portion 50: Electric wire 51: Inner concave portion 52: Connection wire 53: Armature 54: Holder 55: Rear wheel 56: Rotation bearing 57: Upper side 58: Deflection 59: Receiving eye 60: Holder 61: Frame boom 62: Vertical axis 63: Front wheel 64: Driver's saddle 65: Swing arm pivot point 66: Drive device, internal combustion engine 200: Device 201: Upper surface 202: Rear wheel swing arm 203: Permanent magnet 204: Pivot point 205: Swing arm angle sensor 206: Measured value 301: Raw signal measurement value 302: Foot

Claims

1. A suspension strut (1), comprising: a spring device (3) and a vibration damper (4); wherein the vibration damper (4) comprises a cylinder (5) configured to receive a damping fluid, and a working piston (6) movable axially therein; the working piston (6) is coupled to a piston rod (7) having a longitudinal axis (8); the working piston (6) divides the interior (9) of the cylinder (5) into a first working space (10) and a second working space (11); a valve device (12) adapted to control the flow of damping fluid between the first working space (10) and the second working space (11); and an electrically actuated solenoid (14); the solenoid (14) actuates valve means (15) of the valve device (12) to change a flow path (18) of the valve device (12) between the first working space (10) and the second working space (11); the suspension strut (1) has a first receptacle (19) having a housing (20); the piston rod (7) is supported on the first receptacle (19); the first receptacle (19) is adapted to dispose the suspension strut (1) on a first body element (23) of a vehicle (28); the suspension strut (1) has a second receptacle (25); the second receptacle (25) is adapted to dispose the suspension strut (1) on a second body element (27) of the vehicle (28); the suspension strut (1) has a path measuring device (31) for detecting a current spring path of the suspension strut (1); the housing (20) has an inner recess (30); the path measuring device (31) has a magnetically actuated sensor device (32) disposed in the inner recess (30); the magnetically actuated sensor device (32) is adapted to detect a magnetic field of a magnet device (33) disposed at a distance from the sensor device (32). A suspension strut (1).

2. The path measuring device (31) is particularly removably fixed in the inner recess (30) and has a circuit board (35) comprising at least one Hall sensor (36). The inner recess (30) is characterized by being cast from a casting compound. The suspension strut (1) according to claim 1.

3. The sensor device (32) has an acceleration sensor (37) adapted to detect the acceleration of the longitudinal axis of the suspension strut (1), and the sensor device (32) is adapted to transmit the detected acceleration to an evaluation device (41), which is characterized. The suspension strut (1) according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The sensor device (32) is characterized by having connection means (52) for supplying current to the solenoid (14) that operates electrically. The suspension strut (1) according to one of the preceding claims.

5. The housing (20) is formed of a plastic material and has a passage (43) for receiving electrical connection means (40), which is characterized. The suspension strut (1) according to one of the preceding claims.

6. A system comprising the suspension strut (1) according to one of the preceding claims and a magnet device (33), wherein the magnet device (33) is adapted to be arranged on the rear wheel swing arm (24) of a motorcycle (28), which is characterized.

7. A system comprising the suspension strut (1) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 5 and a magnet device (33), wherein the magnet device (33) is adapted to be arranged on holders (54, 60), which is characterized.

8. A motorcycle (28) comprising a front wheel (63), a rear wheel (55), a driver's saddle (64), a drive device (66), a rear wheel swing arm (24) for guiding the rear wheel (55), the system according to claim 6, and a magnet device (33) arranged on the rear wheel swing arm (24), wherein the rotational movement of the rear wheel swing arm (24) results in a circular relative movement of the magnet device (33) with respect to the sensor device (32), which is characterized.

9. A motorcycle (28) comprising a front wheel (63), a rear wheel (55), a driver's saddle (64), a drive unit (66), a rear wheel swing arm (24) for guiding the rear wheel (55), the system according to claim 7, It includes a magnet device (33) disposed on the holder (54, 60). A motorcycle (28), characterized in that the rotational movement of the rear wheel swing arm (24) causes a circular relative movement of the magnet device (33) with respect to the sensor device (32).

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