Abstract:
A shock absorber assembly that includes a piston rod damper is provided. The shock absorber includes a partially hollow screw acting as a telescoping tube for the piston rod damper, a coil spring at least partially surrounding the screw, a nut affixed to the screw and acting as a spring seat for an end of the coil spring and a motor drive for actuating the nut to selectively compress or decompress the spring.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/260,903, filed Nov. 30, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The embodiments disclosed herein relate to shock absorber assemblies for suspension assemblies and, more particularly, to an automated adjustment assembly for shock absorber assemblies. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A shock absorber assembly generally includes a piston/tube shock mechanism provided with adjustment devices permitting variation of the effective length and thus operating parameters, of a coil spring surrounding the shock mechanism. Adjustment is obtained by the vertical displacement of a member surrounding a body sleeve disposed exteriorly of the shock mechanism and wherein this vertical displacement alters the elevation of one end of the coil spring. A lock nut secures the obtained adjustment. Adjustment of the member and nut may be manipulated with a simple tool cooperating with a specific configuration on the periphery of the member and nut, As such, in order to adjust the effective length, users must exit the vehicle and go to each individual coil and manually turn a retaining nut to adjust the spring downforce pressure of the suspension. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, it is desirable to reduce the adjustment time and improve the accuracy of adjustment. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In an embodiment of the invention, a shock absorber assembly that includes a piston rod damper is provided. The shock absorber includes a partially hollow screw acting as a telescoping tube for the piston rod damper, a coil spring at least partially surrounding the screw, a nut affixed to the screw and acting as a spring seat for an end of the coil spring and a motor drive for actuating the nut to selectively compress or decompress the spring. 
         [0006]    In another embodiment of the invention, a suspension assembly having a shock absorber assembly includes a piston rod damper. Also included is a screw acting as a telescoping tube for the piston rod damper. Further included is a spring at least partially surrounding the screw. Yet further included is a nut affixed to the screw and acting as a spring seat for an end of the coil spring. Also included is a motor drive for actuating the nut to selectively compress or decompress the spring. 
         [0007]    These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates a shock absorber assembly of a suspension assembly; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the shock absorber assembly connected to a vehicle; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates a ball nut and ball screw arrangement of the shock absorber assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    Referring now to the Figures, where the invention will be described with reference to specific embodiments, without limiting same,  FIGS. 1-3  show a portion of a suspension assembly  10 . In particular, a shock absorber assembly  20  of the suspension assembly  10  is illustrated. As will be appreciated from the disclosure herein, the embodiments of the shock absorber assembly  20  improve current suspension systems in automotive and racing vehicles. However, other types of vehicles may benefit from the embodiments disclosed herein. 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates the shock absorber assembly  20  in accordance with one aspect of the invention. The shock absorber assembly  20  includes an upper mount  22  and a lower mount  24 , each attachable to a vehicle (not shown). A damper  26 , such as a piston rod or gas shock is disposed between the upper and lower mounts  22 ,  24  and at least partially disposed or seated within a ball screw  28  at one end, and the lower mount  24  at another end. As shown, a coil spring  30  is disposed about the ball screw  28  and seated at one end on the lower mount  24  and at another end on a ball nut  32 . A motor drive  34  is provided and actuated by a control module  36  in response to operator or computer input. The control module  36  may be hardwired, located within the cab of a vehicle, or located remote to the vehicle and activated wirelessly. 
         [0014]    In the embodiment shown, a gear box  38  converts motion of the motor drive  34  to actuate the ball nut  32  to apply a force F1 to compress the coil spring  30  or to drive the ball nut  32  in a reverse direction F2 to decompress the coil spring  30 . Movement of the ball nut  32  in the F1 and F2 directions causes the suspension assembly  10  to become more or less compliant. 
         [0015]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , an individual suspension assembly is attached to the vehicle chassis at each corner of the vehicle in the vicinity of a road wheel.  FIG. 3  illustrates one aspect of the invention showing the ball nut  32  and ball screw  28  arrangement. 
         [0016]    The suspension assembly  10  reduces the adjustment time required by a user when adjusting the shock absorber assembly  20 . In addition, operator error is reduced or eliminated in applying adjustment when applying a down force pressure to stiffen the suspension or relieving the down force pressure to make the suspension more compliant. Specifically, the automated capability of the shock absorber assembly  20  eliminates user time and reduces the opportunity for error between suspension points. With this system, automated spring adjust forces are applied through a signal sent from a control module. 
         [0017]    In an embodiment of the invention, an operator adjusts each of the individual suspension points simultaneously, with accuracy, and with a large reduction of time. This adjustment may occur from the cab of the vehicle or could be done wirelessly and remotely by a racing crew. 
         [0018]    In another embodiment of the invention, each individual assembly can either be adjusted together or be adjusted independently; or any combination in between. In one embodiment, this can account for racing suspension tuning where it may be desirable to have different down pressure from one suspension point to another suspension point. 
         [0019]    The automated suspension adjuster is accomplished by eliminating the manual adjust retaining nut seen in prior art embodiments, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,614, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. Furthermore, systems that are not presently adjustable can now be adjusted by adding the suspension assembly shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
         [0020]    In an embodiment of the invention, all systems will be able to adapt to gas shocks and can utilize the existing spring. It will be appreciated that the invention may be used on multiple point of a vehicle and chassis. Load is applied to the existing spring utilizing an electric motor and gear box paired to a ball screw/ball nut combination for compactness and efficiency. This allows the spring pressure to be adjusted while the vehicle is stationary or in motion. 
         [0021]    While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description.