A vibration damper for vehicles includes a damper tube which is at least partially filled with damper medium and which has a longitudinal axis along which a piston rod is movable back and forth. A working piston is movable jointly with the piston rod, by means of which working piston the interior space of the damper tube is divided into a piston-rod-side working space and a piston-rod-remote working space. The vibration damper has a leakage indicator for the damper medium.

A head unit device for controlling motion of an object includes shear thickening fluid (STF), an alternative STF (ASTF), and a chamber configured to contain a portion of the STF and the ASTF. The chamber further includes a piston compartment and an alternative reservoir. The head unit device further includes a reservoir injector configured within the chamber, and a piston housed at least partially radially within the piston compartment. The chamber further includes a set of fluid flow sensors and a set of fluid manipulation emitters to control the reservoir injector to adjust flow of the ASTF from the alternative reservoir to the piston compartment to cause selection of one of a variety of shear rates for a mixture of the STF and the STF within the piston compartment.

A compact testing module (1) for use in dynamic characteristics experiments of hydraulic damper valve under extreme high or low temperature conditions, an automated system and approach based on the compact testing module (1). The compact testing module (1) comprises an outer cylinder assembly (2), a guide seat assembly (3), a foam/air separator for guide seat (4), an inner cylinder (5), a piston-and-rod assembly (6), fluids (7), a foot valve assembly (8), a washer for inner cylinder (9), a washer for foot valve assembly (10), a fluid-guiding structure (11), a magnet (12), a fluid-returning assembly (13), a framework oil seal (14), a screw cover (15) and a dust wiper (16). Based on the integrated design principle, the compact testing module (1) allows the fluids (7), the pressure fluid supplier, the hydraulic damper valve being tested (32), the pressure sensors be all integrated in one component.

Methods and apparatus of a system for vehicles comprising a vehicle suspension, a sensor operable to measure an operational characteristic of the vehicle suspension, and a processor in communication with the sensor that is operable to suggest an operational setting of the vehicle suspension in response to an input from the sensor corresponding to the operational characteristic. A method for adjusting a suspension of a vehicle may comprise receiving suspension data with a processor, calculating a suspension setting suggestion with the processor, communicating the suspension setting suggestion to a user interface device, and adjusting the suspension based on the suspension setting suggestion.

A shock absorber system may include at least one sensor that is configured to measure an operating parameter of the shock absorber during operation of the shock. The operating parameter may comprise one or more of pressure, temperature, a position of a piston rod of the shock absorber, a velocity of the piston rod, and/or an acceleration of the piston rod. The system may be configured to evaluate measured operating parameter data and to predict a lifespan of the shock absorber and/or detect failure.

An additively manufactured metering pin may comprise a shaft portion comprising a first end and a second end, a head portion disposed at the second end of the shaft portion, and a slot disposed in the head portion, the slot extending through a perimetrical surface of the head portion and an end surface of the head portion.

A system for monitoring the health of a damping device is provided, the damping device having a tube assembly containing at least one fluid, the system including: a sensor assembly mounted on an outer surface of the tube assembly, the sensor assembly having a thermometer; a transmitter configured for transmitting data, including temperature values gathered by the thermometer; a receiver configured for receiving the data; and a processor, configured for performing an analysis of the data. The processor sends an alarm signal, when values from the data are outside pre-programmed values of an alarm threshold.

A replacement indicator for a shock absorber includes a pressure sensor which monitors pressure of operating fluid inside the shock absorber. The replacement indicator includes an indicative mechanism operatively coupled with the pressure sensor. The indicative mechanism includes an indicator component coupled to the shock absorber. The indicator component gets displaced relative to an outer surface of the shock absorber when the pressure of the operating fluid drops below a threshold pressure.

A method and apparatus for a suspension comprising a spring having a threaded member at a first end for providing axial movement to the spring as the spring is rotated and the threaded member moves relative to a second component. In one embodiment, the system includes a damper for metering fluid through a piston and a rotatable spring member coaxially disposed around the damper and rotatable relative to the damper.

Methods and apparatus of a system for vehicles comprising a vehicle suspension, a sensor operable to measure an operational characteristic of the vehicle suspension, and a processor in communication with the sensor that is operable to suggest an operational setting of the vehicle suspension in response to an input from the sensor corresponding to the operational characteristic. A method for adjusting a suspension of a vehicle may comprise receiving suspension data with a processor, calculating a suspension setting suggestion with the processor, communicating the suspension setting suggestion to a user interface device, and adjusting the suspension based on the suspension setting suggestion.