Telescopic Suspension Fork With Protected Internal Travel Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing telescopic suspension fork systems for motorcycles, particularly off-road motorcycles, face challenges due to externally mounted sensor modules that are vulnerable to damage from environmental factors like rain, dirt, and vibrations, which can affect signal quality.
Innovation Solution
A telescopic suspension fork design featuring two fork legs with an outer and inner tube, where a magneto-operational sensor device is housed within the piston rod and a magnet device is positioned at a radial distance, protecting the sensor from environmental damage and vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the sensor module is arranged on the outside of the outer tube, then the sensor is easily accessible and can be mounted externally, but the sensor is exposed to environmental damage from rain, dirt, and vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device is nested within the hollow piston rod, which serves as a protective housing. The piston rod acts as an inner container within the larger suspension fork structure, protecting the sensor from environmental factors while maintaining integration with the suspension system.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow piston rod serves as an intermediary structure that houses the sensor device. This intermediate housing isolates the sensor from direct exposure to environmental factors like rain, dirt, and vibrations, while still allowing the sensor to function within the suspension system.
2Ease of repair
If the sensor module is arranged on the outside of the outer tube, then the sensor can be easily accessed for installation and maintenance, but the signal quality is influenced by engine vibrations transmitted to the externally arranged sensor
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device is nested within the hollow piston rod, which provides vibration isolation. The nested structure allows the sensor to be protected from engine vibrations while remaining integrated with the suspension system, maintaining signal quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow piston rod acts as an intermediary that isolates the sensor from engine vibrations. This intermediate structure filters out harmful vibrations while allowing the sensor to accurately measure suspension movement.
3Reliability
If the sensor device is placed inside the hollow piston rod, then the sensor is protected from environmental damage and vibrations, but the sensor arrangement becomes more complex internally
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow piston rod serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the suspension system, acts as a protective housing for the sensor device, and serves as a conduit for the magnet. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional protective structures, simplifying the overall design despite the internal arrangement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively protects the sensor from environmental damage and vibrations, ensuring reliable signal quality and improved durability of the suspension fork system.
Implementation Method 1
The displacement measuring device has a magneto-operational sensor device in an interior space of the piston rod and at least one magnet device at a radial distance from the sensor device
Data Source
AI summary
A telescopic suspension fork having two telescopic fork legs, each of which is provided with an outer tube with an axial longitudinal extension and with an inner tube axially displaceable relative thereto in the direction of the axial longitudinal extension, and with an axial longitudinal extension. One telescopic fork leg is a telescopic suspension fork leg with a spring device, and one telescopic fork leg is a telescopic damper fork leg with a damper device and a piston on a piston rod; the telescopic suspension fork has a displacement measuring device configured to detect the distance travelled by the axial displacement of the inner tube relative to the outer tube; the displacement measuring device has a magneto-operational sensor device in an interior space of the piston rod and at least one magnet device at a radial distance from the sensor device.