Patent ID: 6036179
Filing Date: 2000-03-14
Classification: B60C,B60G

Abstract:
An air spring including:an end plate and a piston member located in a generally axial spaced relationship when in an at rest position, said end plate and piston member being adapted to be mounted on spaced portions of an apparatus and movable towards and away from each other upon said apparatus encountering shocks to absorb said shocks and to maintain said spaced portions of the apparatus at a predetermined spaced relationship when in said at rest position;a fluid pressure chamber formed between said end plate and piston member by a flexible elastomeric sleeve having opposed open ends sealingly connected to said end plate and piston member;height sensing means mounted on one of the end plate and piston member for determining changes in the axial separation of said end plate and piston member and for generating a control signal in response to said changes; anda monitoring device in fluid communication with the fluid pressure chamber including a battery, at least one sensor for sensing the fluid pressure within the air spring, and electronic circuit means for receiving the control signal from the height sensor and the sensed fluid pressure for determining the load on the air spring and for transmitting the load by wireless communication to a remote interrogator external of the air spring.