A vehicle weight sensing system particularly useful for trailers. An axle tube is mounted to the vehicle or trailer through its suspension members that may be leaf springs. A mounting block is affixed to the axle tube for mounting a strain gauge. The mounting block is fixed to the axle tube between the suspension members connected to the axle tube. The mounting block has a mounting surface opposite to the mating surface and a notch extends from the mating surface toward the mounting surface. The notch terminates between the mating surface and the mounting surface. The notch separates rigidified sections of the mounting block and the rigidified sections straddle the notch. The stain gauge measures strain in the axle and thereby generates a signal proportional to the weight on the trailer. The signal can be used to properly proportion a brake system on the trailer.

A leveling system for a lift device includes an axle, a pin, a cradle, and a chassis. The axle is configured to rotatably couple with one or more tractive elements. The pin extends through a bore of the axle. The cradle is pivotally coupled with the pin. The chassis is pivotally coupled with the pin and includes a first actuator and a second actuator. The first actuator and the second actuator each include a body and a rod configured to extend relative to the body. The rods of the first actuator and the second actuator are configured to be extended to engage corresponding surfaces on opposite sides of the cradle. The cradle and the chassis are configured to rock in unison a limited angular amount relative to the axle.

Described are devices, systems, and methods that enable greater control and customization of variable suspension systems via mechanical modification, among other advantages. In one example, a linkage device is configured to be attached to a suspension arm of a vehicle and to a vehicle frame of the vehicle. The linkage device is configured to mechanically modify one or more physical states detected by a sensor of the vehicle, thereby causing the sensor to output modified signals to a controller, and causing the controller to output modified control signals to a variable shock absorber connected between the vehicle frame and the suspension arm, thereby modifying one or more variable physical properties of the variable shock absorber.

Described are devices, systems, and methods that enable greater control and customization of variable suspension systems via mechanical modification, among other advantages. In one example, a linkage device is configured to be attached to a suspension arm of a vehicle and to a vehicle frame of the vehicle. The linkage device is configured to mechanically modify one or more physical states detected by a sensor of the vehicle, thereby causing the sensor to output modified signals to a controller, and causing the controller to output modified control signals to a variable shock absorber connected between the vehicle frame and the suspension arm, thereby modifying one or more variable physical properties of the variable shock absorber.

A regenerative shock absorber that include a housing and a piston that moves at least partially through the housing when the shock is compressed or extended from a rest position. When the piston moves, hydraulic fluid is pressurized and drives a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic motor, in turn, drives an electric generator that produced electric energy. The electric energy may be provided to a vehicle, among other things. The regenerative shock absorber may also provide ride performance that comparable to or exceeds that of conventional shock absorbers.

Provided is a sensor device in which the sensitivity of a strain sensor is hardly inhibited despite the fact that a glass material is used as a protective material, and in which the glass material hardly breaks. The sensor device of the present invention includes: an optical laminate including a glass film, an adhesive layer, a resin layer, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer in the stated order; and a strain-sensing unit, wherein the glass film has a thickness of from 20 μm to 150 μm. In one embodiment, the strain-sensing unit is arranged on a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer side of the optical laminate.

A vehicle weight sensing system is particularly useful for trailers. An axle tube is mounted to the vehicle or trailer through its suspension members that may be leaf springs. A mounting block is affixed to the axle tube for mounting a strain gauge. The mounting block is fixed to the axle tube between the suspension members connected to the axle tube. The mounting block has a mounting surface opposite to the mating surface and a notch extends from the mating surface toward the mounting surface. The notch terminates between the mating surface and the mounting surface. The notch separates rigidified sections of the mounting block and the rigidified sections straddle the notch. The stain gauge measures strain in the axle and thereby generates a signal proportional to the weight on the trailer. The signal can be used to properly proportion a brake system on the trailer.

A suspension system includes a vehicle frame component, a suspension component coupled to and movable relative to the vehicle frame component, a flexible sensor, and a rotatable joint. The flexible sensor is elongated between a first end and a second end, and the first end of the flexible sensor is fixed relative to one of the vehicle frame component or the suspension component. The rotatable joint couples the second end of the flexible sensor to the other of the vehicle frame component or the suspension component.

A connected component platform (CCP) is disclosed. The CCP receives user information and sensor derived data. The system also includes an overall data evaluator to access a performance database and use the user information in conjunction with information from the performance database to evaluate the received user information as a method to develop user guidance data in the area of suspension tuning and suspension maintenance recommendations. The system further includes a data evaluation results formator to receive the user guidance data from the overall data evaluator, format the user guidance data into a user accessible digital format, and output the user guidance data in the user accessible digital format.

A load sensor system including one or more of a vehicle suspension including a pair of beams outwardly extending from a vehicle axle, a pair of air suspension assemblies correspondingly coupled between the pair of beams and a vehicle frame, where each of the air suspension assemblies includes a load sensor capable of generating a load signal, a load sensor computer communicatively coupled to the load sensor having a load sensor program including a load calculator, and a central computer communicatively coupled to the load sensor computer having a central program executable to receive the load calculated by the load sensor computer.