A stroke sensor system includes a conductor, a coil which moves relative to the conductor and is fitted to one end side of the conductor; and a ferromagnetic body which is arranged on an end position side of the coil. A position of an end portion on one end side of the conductor in a state where a fitting ratio between the conductor and the coil is maximized is defined as the end position. The ferromagnetic body is located on an opposite side to the conductor with the coil interposed therebetween.

A shock absorber includes a cylinder which is a conductor; a rod inserted into the cylinder from one end side of the cylinder, a suspension spring arranged outside the cylinder, a spring receiver which receives a load of the suspension spring on the one end side of the rod, and a protective member arranged on the one end side of the rod and configured to protect the rod. The protective member has a coil configured to detect a relative position between the cylinder and the protective member, and an end portion formed on the one end side of the protective member is arranged so as not to receive a load from the spring receiver.

A ball joint (1), for a vehicle chassis, having a joint housing (3) and a joint body (4) having a spherical portion (5). The joint body (4) is held by the joint housing (3) at the spherical portion (5) of the joint body such that the joint body is mounted for articulation movement relative to the joint housing. A sensor assembly comprises a first sensor element (6) associated with the joint housing (4) and a second sensor element (7) associated with the joint body (4). The second sensor element interacts with the first sensor element (6) in order to sense the position of the joint body (4) relative to the joint housing (3). The ball joint is characterized in that the second sensor element (7) is arranged in the region of the spherical portion (5) of the joint body (4).

Provided is a damper with which the energy efficiency for attenuating input vibration corresponding to the unsprung resonance frequency and the sprung resonance frequency can be improved. Also provided is a method for manufacturing this damper. In this damper the electrical resonance frequency, as specified by the inductance of an electromagnetic motor and the capacitance of a capacitor, is set within 20% of the unsprung resonance frequency, thereby enabling the input vibration corresponding to the sprung resonance frequency as well as the input vibration corresponding to the unsprung resonance frequency to be reduced.

A shock absorber for a vehicle suspension system may include a damper tube defining an axis, a rod operably coupled to the damper tube to be movable along the axis relative to the damper tube in response to jounce and rebound events, a dust boot operably coupled to the rod and extending along peripheral sides of the rod and at least a proximal end of the damper tube relative to the rod, the dust boot being movable with the rod, a target disposed on a damper bump cap operably coupled to the proximal end of the damper tube, and a measurement assembly affixed to the dust boot. The measurement assembly may include a PCB elongated parallel to the axis to track relative movement between the target and the measurement assembly responsive to the jounce and rebound events to generate ride height information based on the relative movement.

A suspension system (20) is described for vehicle with a frame, comprising an element (R, 12) propulsive by rolling on the ground; two units (12a, 12b) adapted to impart a torque to the propulsive element that are controllable independently of one another, where the two units are movable relative to the propulsive element independently from one another and rigidly connectable to the frame at one same point (P). By moving one or each unit relative to the propulsive element the distance between the latter and said point is made to vary.

A shock absorber for a vehicle having a damper and a first and second springs mounted coaxially around the damper and a preload adjuster for partially compressing at least one of the springs independently of the compression stroke. In one embodiment the preload adjuster is remotely controllable. In another embodiment the shock absorber includes an additional mechanism for preloading at least one of the springs.

A damper system for a vehicle is provided that includes an outer tube, a piston rod, and a piston assembly that is mounted to the piston rod and separates the outer tube into first and second working chambers. A valve assembly, mounted to the piston assembly, controls fluid flow between the first and second working chambers. A magnetic rotor is fixed to and extends annularly about the outer tube. A stator assembly is coupled to the piston rod by a spherical bearing assembly. The stator assembly includes a plurality of coils that apply an active damping force to the piston rod when energized. The coils can also generate electricity from axial movements of the piston rod relative to the outer tube. One or more glide bearings are disposed radially between the coils and the magnetic rotor in a sliding fit to stabilize the stator assembly.

A magneto-elastically-based active force sensor, used with a tow coupling between a towed and a towing vehicle or a coupling between a vehicle body and a suspension of the vehicle, which outputs a signal useful for determining forces acting on the coupling. The outputted force information may be provided by processor-enabled embedded software algorithms that take inputs from the force sensor and other sensors, may be used by one or more vehicle systems during operating of the vehicle, such as engine, braking, stability, safety, and informational systems. The force sensor includes directionally-sensitive magnetic field sensing elements inside the sensor, and shielding may be used around the sensors to reduce the influence of external magnetic fields on the sensing elements. The force sensor may be used with different tow and vehicle weight sensing coupling devices installed on different types of automobile cars and trucks.

The invention relates to a load sensor arrangement (100) for installation on a vehicle axle (106) of a vehicle (108). The load sensor arrangement (100) comprises: a non-invasive load sensor (102) for measuring a load subjected to the vehicle axle (106) and a sensor holder (110). The sensor holder (110) comprises a sensor holding portion (112) and a mounting portion (114). The mounting portion (114) is adapted for attachment to the vehicle axle (106), and the sensor holding portion (112) is adapted for holding the load sensor (102) in a position for direct measuring on the vehicle axle (106). The load sensor arrangement (100) comprises an attachment element (118) for releasable connection of said load sensor (102) to said sensor holding portion (112). The invention further relates to a vehicle axle arrangement, a vehicle, a method of installing a non-invasive load sensor on a vehicle axle, and the use of a load sensor arrangement.