Active Valve Suspension Tuning With Mobile Tune Swapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle suspension systems with active valve control face challenges in dynamically adjusting suspension characteristics to accommodate varying terrain, leading to potential damage from extreme settings and inefficiencies in maintaining optimal performance across different riding conditions.
Innovation Solution
An active valve system that uses sensors to detect terrain conditions and adjust suspension characteristics, allowing for customizable tunes that can be easily swapped using a smartphone app, with settings transmitted via Bluetooth or NFC to the vehicle's controller, enabling real-time adjustments to maintain optimal damping and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If suspension characteristics are hardened to reduce shock and vibration, then ride comfort on smooth terrain is improved, but risk of damage to rim and frame increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of suspension characteristics through active valve control that responds to real-time terrain conditions. Sensors detect terrain features and automatically adjust valve opening characteristics to provide firm suspension on smooth terrain while softening suspension when obstacles are detected, eliminating the need for fixed hard or soft settings and preventing damage from inappropriate suspension characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensor feedback that continuously monitors terrain conditions and feeds this information to the active valve controller. This closed-loop control enables the suspension to automatically adapt its characteristics based on actual riding conditions, switching between firm and soft modes to optimize both comfort and protection against damage
2Ease of operation
If suspension characteristics are softened to improve comfort on rough terrain, then ride comfort is improved, but risk of damper bottoming out and component damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The active valve system dynamically adjusts suspension softness based on real-time terrain detection. When sensors detect rough terrain or obstacles, the system softens the suspension to improve comfort and allow the suspension to absorb impacts. When the terrain becomes smooth, the system automatically firms up the suspension to prevent bottoming out and protect components from damage
Solution Approach 2:
Sensor feedback provides continuous information about terrain conditions to the active valve controller, enabling automatic adjustment of suspension characteristics. This feedback mechanism ensures the suspension remains in the optimal state for current conditions, preventing both excessive softness that leads to bottoming out and excessive firmness that causes component damage
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual adjustment of suspension characteristics is allowed, then adaptability to different terrain is improved, but risk of moving suspension beyond manufacturer recommended ranges increases
Solution Approach 1:
The active valve system performs self-adjustment of suspension characteristics based on sensor input without requiring manual intervention. The controller automatically selects appropriate valve opening characteristics to match terrain conditions, eliminating the need for rider judgment and preventing accidental adjustment beyond recommended ranges while maintaining full adaptability to different terrain types
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensor feedback to automatically determine when terrain changes require suspension adjustment and makes appropriate adjustments within manufacturer recommended ranges. This automated feedback-based control provides adaptability to varying terrain while ensuring reliability by preventing adjustments that would exceed safe operating parameters
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for utilizing an active valve customizable tune application is disclosed. The system includes a mobile device having a memory, an active valve tune application, and at least one processor. The processor initiates the active valve tune application, receives, from a database, an active valve suspension tune having a number of performance range adjustable settings, and receives user related input information. At least one of the performance range adjustable settings is modified based on the received input information to generate a modified active valve suspension tune. The system includes an active suspension of a vehicle, wherein the modified active valve suspension tune is implemented by the active suspension.