Damper Control Device for Motorcycle Jump Shock Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional damper control devices fail to adjust damping force appropriately for the magnitude of a vehicle's jump, leading to excessive shock during landing, as they do not consider damping force during landing events.

Innovation Solution

A damper control device and suspension system that adjust damping force based on extension time, using stroke sensors and a control unit to adjust the damping force adjustment valve, ensuring optimal damping force is applied according to the jump's magnitude by increasing damping force with longer extension times.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the damping force is set to be small during jump start (throttle position ≤ reference position and brake not applied), then the body posture of the motorcycle during the jump is stabilized, but the damping force is too small for high-altitude jumps, causing the damper to contract completely and apply large shock to the rider

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebody posture stability during jumpVSAvoidshock applied to rider during landing
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The damping force is made dynamically adjustable based on the extension time of the damper. The control unit counts the extension time and adjusts the damping force accordingly, transitioning from a static damping force setting to a dynamic one that adapts to the jump magnitude, thereby resolving the contradiction between jump stability and rider comfort during landing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from the extension time measurement to adjust the damping force. The control unit continuously monitors the extension time through stroke sensors and modifies the damping force adjustment valve based on this feedback, creating a closed-loop control system that optimizes damping force for different jump conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3431375B1Damper control device and suspension device
Publication Date: 2023.08.09 KYB CORP
  • EP3431375B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3431375B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3431375B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Since a control device (C) for dampers (DF), (DR) and a suspension device (S) of the present invention control damping force of the dampers (DF), (DR) based on extension time, when jump of a vehicle (V) is small, the damping force of the dampers (DF), (DR) does not become excessively large, or when the jump of the vehicle (V) is large, the damping force of the dampers (DF), (DR) does not become excessively small, and a large shock is not applied to a rider of the vehicle (V).