Abstract:
A ride-height robust sensor measures shock absorber travel and monitors absolute ride-height in a front and rear shock absorber of a motorcycle regardless of varying cargo weights. Rather than modifying the frame, the sensor is mountable directly to a motorcycle rear shock absorber using a novel upper mount and lower mount. A second sensor is mountable to a front shock absorber using a novel ride-height upper fork bracket and ride-height lower fork bracket. A novel ride-height display module and attendant control module provide a visual display of shock height using a multicolored six LED array. User-customised ride-height and dismount height are activated upon motor ignition and cutoff using a solenoid control module. Components are electronically isolated from the motorcycle ignition system and shock solenoids for accuracy and reliability. The ride-height controller enters sleep mode when not in use and is installable by the user.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to aftermarket motorcycle parts. More particularly, the present invention relates to monitoring and control apparatus for motorcycle suspensions that uses shock-absorber length for monitoring and solenoid controllers for setting user-programmable ride-height. 
       BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
       [0002]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved technique to determine and control the ride-height of a motor cycle. Setting a motorcycle suspension height using a single, unmonitored shock-absorber setting can lead to wildly varying ride-heights and unexpectedly scraping and jarring the frame. Further, some motorcycle ride-heights, especially on touring bikes, are too high for comfortable dismounting. Measuring the suspension height using pressure gauges becomes inaccurate if the cargo, fuel level or number of riders is changed. Accurate measuring of ride-heights in varying conditions therefore requires a direct measurement of shock length. 
         [0003]    A rheostat arm or wheel mounted to the motorcycle frame can be set to measure shock absorber travel, but this method results in both poor accuracy and poor resolution when mounted to a working motorcycle. A more elegant method of providing motorcycle ride-height monitoring and control is sought. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    A linear transducer acts as a robust and accurate installable sensor for measuring shock absorber travel and monitoring ride-height in a front and rear shock absorber of a motorcycle. The robust ride-height sensor used is capable of measuring shock absorber travel of as little as 2.5 inches for a Softail or up to 4.75 inches for a custom touring bike. 
         [0005]    However, installable motorcycle modifications of this type are typically mounted to the frame, which would require an unmanageably large sensor in this case. For example, a linear transducer mounted to the frame and swing arm would require an awkward and expensive frame modification and 14-inch transducer. 
         [0006]    Instead, in the invention, a small ride-height robust sensor is mountable directly to a rear shock absorber using a novel upper mount and lower mount. A second ride-height robust sensor is mountable to a front shock absorber using a novel ride-height upper fork bracket and ride-height lower fork bracket. 
         [0007]    A ride-height display module and attendant control module connected to the front and rear ride-height robust sensors provides a visual display of absolute shock lengths ranging from shock absorber maximum travel, minimum travel and graduated travel lengths in between. The ride-height display module is calibrated to custom motorcycle frames upon installation by matching display maximum and minimum with shock travel maximum and minimum. A multicolored six LED display helps the rider determine ride-height at a glance, day or night. 
         [0008]    The ride-height display module is also used to input a custom Auto Air-Up setting to customize the suspension ride-height and a custom Auto Dump setting to customize the suspension dismount height. The motorcycle absolute ride-height controller will thereafter activate solenoid-controlled shock-absorbers to raise the motorcycle suspension to Auto Air-Up height upon ignition start and lower the suspension to Auto Dump height upon ignition cutoff. Ride-height and dismount height activation can also be controlled by rider button inputs, or disabled when not wanted. 
         [0009]    The ride-height controller, display module and sensors are protected from the signal noise and voltage spikes of a motorcycle electrical system by isolation circuitry. Solenoid output circuitry is capable of providing up to  4  amps in solenoid control. The control module microprocessor is fast enough to process and display shock travel in real time over every road bump and features a sleep mode when not in use. 
         [0010]    Other methods and structures are described in the detailed description below. This summary does not purport to define the invention. The invention is defined by the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a side view of rear mounted portion of the motorcycle absolute ride-height controller in the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of a ride-height robust sensor. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  shows an overhead view of a ride-height upper mount. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  shows a cross-section view of a strap side of a ride-height upper mount. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a flattened viewed of the ride-height lower mount. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the ride-height lower mount folded into shape. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a side view of front mounted portion of the motorcycle absolute ride-height controller in the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a flattened viewed of the ride-height upper fork bracket. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a flattened viewed of the ride-height robust sensor clamp. 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a view of the ride-height robust sensor clamp folded into shape. 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the ride-height lower fork bracket. 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the ride-height lower fork bracket. 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  depicts an exemplary front side of the ride-height display module. 
           [0024]      FIG. 14  depicts an exemplary back side of the ride-height display module. 
           [0025]      FIG. 15  is a simplified flowchart showing connections between components of the motorcycle absolute ride-height controller in the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]      FIG. 1  is a side view of rear mounted portion of the motorcycle absolute ride-height controller in the preferred embodiment of the invention, including a ride-height robust sensor, ride-height upper mount and ride-height lower mount. 
         [0027]    The rear mounted portion of the motorcycle absolute ride-height controller is mounted to the rear suspension of a motorcycle. The ride-height robust sensor  1  is mounted to the sheath or upper portion  2  of a motorcycle shock absorber using the ride-height upper mount  3 . The ride-height robust sensor  1  is mounted to the stem or lower portion  4  of a motorcycle shock absorber using the ride-height lower mount  5 . 
         [0028]    The ride-height upper mount  3  is shaped to fit a portion of the circumference of the shock absorber sheath  2  on one side and the ride-height robust sensor body  6  on the other. A securing strap  7  is wrapped around the outside of the ride-height upper mount  3 , securing ride-height robust sensor body  6  securely to rear shock sheath  2 . In the preferred embodiment, the securing strap  7  is a hose clamp with a securing screw  8 . 
         [0029]    The ride-height lower mount  5  is a bracket shaped with a horizontal hole through which it is attached to the motorcycle swing-arm  9  with a swing-arm bolt  10 . In most cases, this will mean it is bolted to a swing-arm linkage. The ride-height lower mount  5  is also shaped with a vertical hole through which it is secured to the extensible rod portion  11  of the ride-height robust sensor  1  by the ride-height robust sensor&#39;s rod bolt  12 . 
         [0030]    In the figure, a typical single-shock swing arm is indicated. The shock is mounted diagonally and therefore the vertical hole of the ride-height lower mount  5  is diagonally vertical. The top end of the shock is typically secured to an upper rear portion of the motorcycle frame  13  with an upper rear shock bolt  14 . For a twinshock motorcycle, it is only necessary to mount the ride-height robust sensor to one of the rear shocks. 
         [0031]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of a ride-height robust sensor. The ride-height robust sensor  1  is a linear sensor capable of measuring shock absorber lengths of up 4.75 inches and as low as 2.5 inches. The ride-height robust sensor  1  must be capable of delivering accurate shock length measurements repeatedly despite being subjected to the noise and vibration of an operating motorcycle. 
         [0032]    In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the ride-height robust sensor is a linear transducer or linear potentiometer operating as a voltage divider. The extension of the extensible rod portion  11  from the body portion  6  of the ride-height robust sensor  1  corresponds directly to the extension of the shock absorber stem, the ride-height robust sensor therefore producing a ride-height signal directly corresponding to the height of the shock absorber. An elastic strain gauge works similarly, but is not expected to be as durable as a linear transducer. A pressure gauge is not used as a ride-height robust sensor in the invention because different rider and cargo weights give inaccurate measures of ride-height. Similarly, a rheostat arm or wheel used to measure the shock absorber stem travel tends to be inaccurate and to give poor resolution. 
         [0033]    In the described embodiment, a 125 millimeter linear displacement transducer is used. The ride-height robust sensor body  6  as shown has a rectangular cross-section, though some embodiments will use a sensor with a rounded body. 
         [0034]      FIG. 3  shows an overhead view of a ride-height upper mount  3 . The ride-height upper mount  3  comprises a ride-height robust sensor body opening  15 , a shock absorber body opening  16  connected by strap sides  17   a  and  17   b.  In the described embodiment, the ride-height robust sensor body opening  15  is rectangular with a width of eighteen millimeters, a rectangular depth  18  of 0.625 inches and screw opening  19  on the inner edge 0.171 inches in diameter  19 . In the described embodiment, the front to back depth  20  of the ride-height upper mount  3  is 1.75 inches, with the strap sides  17   a  and  17   b  sloped to minimized bends in the securing strap of  FIG. 1 , above. 
         [0035]    In the described embodiment, the shock absorber body opening  16  has a radius of 2.250 inches, a depth  21  of 0.50 inches and is separated from the ride-height robust sensor body opening  15  by 0.625 inches of HDPE plastic  22 . The plastic body of the ride-height upper mount  3  is wider than the shock absorber body opening  16  and the ride-height robust sensor body opening  15  at their respective edges for strength. In the described embodiment, shock absorber edge  23  is 2.125 inches wide and the sensor body edge  24  is one inch wide. 
         [0036]      FIG. 4  shows a cross-section view of a strap side  17   a  of a ride-height upper mount. The strap side depth  25  is sufficient to provide strength to the ride-height upper mount and to leave room for an interior strap channel  26 . In the preferred embodiment, the strap side depth  25  is 0.750 inches of HDPE plastic with a 0.562 inch wide interior strap channel  26 . The interior strap channel  26  prevents the securing strap from slipping upward or downward off of the ride-height upper mount. 
         [0037]      FIG. 5  is a flattened viewed of the ride-height lower mount  5 . The ride-height lower mount  5  comprises a limb surface  26  with a vertical screw hole  27  and a side surface  28  with a horizontal screw hole  10 . The ride-height lower mount  5  is of steel or other material of sufficient rigidity when folded to hold a ride-height robust sensor to the shock absorber of a moving motorcycle. 
         [0038]    Measurements are indicated for the preferred embodiment of the ride-height lower mount  5 : 0.250 inches on the wide unfolded side  36  and 1.250 inches on the narrow unfolded side  30 . The lengthwise edge  31  is 3.187 inches in the preferred embodiment with 2.250 inches separation  32  between the screw holes. The vertical screw hole  27  is 0.250 inches separation  33  from the narrow unfolded side  30  and 0.250 inches separation  34  from the limb surface edge  35 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the ride-height lower mount  5  folded into shape. Limb surface  26  is folded perpendicular to side surface  28 . In the preferred embodiment, ride-height lower mount horizontal screw hole  10  is offset  36  from the fold edge  37  by 0.750 inches, the side surface edge  38  measures 1.375 inches and the narrow portion of the side surface below the fold  39  measures 0.375 inches. 
         [0040]      FIG. 7  is a side view of front mounted portion of the motorcycle absolute ride-height controller in the preferred embodiment of the invention, including a ride-height robust sensor, ride-height upper fork bracket and ride-height lower fork bracket. 
         [0041]    The front mounted portion of the motorcycle absolute ride-height controller is mounted to the front fork of a motorcycle. The ride-height robust sensor  1  is mounted to the sheath or upper portion  2  of a motorcycle shock absorber using the ride-height upper fork bracket  40 . The ride-height robust sensor  1  is mounted to the lower portion  41  of the front fork using the ride-height lower fork bracket  42 . 
         [0042]    The ride-height upper fork bracket  40  is shaped to be held, on both sides of the twin fork, between the upper portion  43  of the front fork and the sheath portion  2  of the motorcycle shock absorber. Measuring the front ride-height requires measuring only one front shock, so the ride-height upper fork bracket  40  holds a ride-height robust sensor  1  on only one side. 
         [0043]    The ride-height lower fork bracket  42  is shaped with a horizontal hole through which it is attached to the lower portion  41  of the front fork with a lower fork bolt  43 . The ride-height lower fork bracket  42  is also shaped with a vertical hole through which it is secured to the extensible rod portion  11  of the ride-height robust sensor  1  by the ride-height robust sensor&#39;s rod bolt  12 . In the figure, a typical front twin-fork is indicated. The shock is mounted diagonally and therefore the vertical hole of the ride-height lower fork bracket  42  is diagonally vertical. 
         [0044]      FIG. 8  is a flattened viewed of the ride-height upper fork bracket  40 . Right slat  44   a  and left slat  44   b  fit the right and left sides of the motorcycle front fork. The upper fork sensor clamp  45  comprises a middle portion  46  and side fold sections  47   a  and  47   b.  In the preferred embodiment, the ends of the side fold sections comprise underfold sections  48  to clip onto the ride-height robust sensor. 
         [0045]    In the preferred embodiment, upper fork sensor clamp middle portion  46  is 0.75 inches in length and side fold sections  47   a  and  47   b  are 1.25 inches each, with the underfold sections  48  extending a further 0.125 inches from the ends of the side fold sections. In the preferred embodiment, the upper fork sensor clamp  45  section width  49  is 0.75 inches. 
         [0046]      FIG. 9  is a flattened viewed of the ride-height robust sensor clamp  50 . The middle section  51  of the ride-height robust sensor clamp  50  fits horizontally over the upper fork sensor clamp with side sections  52  bent parallel. Screws clamp upper fork sensor clamp tightly to ride-height robust sensor body through matched screw holes  53   a  and  53   b.  In the preferred embodiment, clamp middle section  51  is 0.9375 inches across and side sections  52  are 1.125 inches each, with the distance  54  from the center of the screw hole to corner at 0.875 inches. 
         [0047]      FIG. 10  is a view of the ride-height robust sensor clamp  50  folded into shape. An exemplary screw  55  fits screw holes  53   a  and  53   b.  The folded ride-height robust sensor clamp  50  fits horizontally over the ride-height robust sensor body and clamp side sections  52  to hold them tightly together. 
         [0048]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the ride-height lower fork bracket  42  with lower fork bracket vertical bolt hole  56  and lower fork bracket horizontal bolt hole  57 . In the preferred embodiment, the ride-height lower fork bracket has a width  58  of 0.75 inches, the lower fork bracket vertical bolt hole  56  has a diameter of 0.1875 inches, lower fork bracket horizontal bolt hole  57  has a diameter of 0.250 inches and rests a distance  59  of 0.375 inches from the vertical end of the ride-height lower fork bracket  42 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the ride-height lower fork bracket  42 . In the preferred embodiment, the ride-height lower fork bracket has a length  60  of 1.75 inches, a sensor limb  61  of 0.75 inches, and the vertical screw hole a distance  62  of 0.3125 inches from the sensor limb end. 
         [0050]      FIG. 13  depicts an exemplary front side of the ride-height display module  62 . The ride-height display module  62  provides the user a visual indication of the length of the motorcycle shock-absorber as measured by ride-height robust sensors. The visual indication allows for showing at least a high shock length, a low shock length and at least one shock length between the aforementioned high and low. 
         [0051]    In the preferred embodiment, the ride-height display module  62  features a multicolor array of six LEDs for ride-height visual indication at a glance. A red LED  63  indicates the motorcycle suspension is at or near its lowest point. Adjacent, two yellow LEDs  64  and  65  indicate suspension heights one and two steps higher than the lowest point. Adjacent the yellow LEDs, three green LEDs  66 ,  67  and  68  indicate progressively stepped higher suspension heights, with the final green LED indicating the suspension at or near its highest point steps. In the preferred embodiment, the red LED  63  indicates what is considered a 0% shock height, the last green LED  68  indicates what is considered 100% of the shock&#39;s greatest length and with the intermediate LED indicators corresponding to 20% increases in measured shock length. 
         [0052]    The ride-height display module  62  also features an air down button  69  and an air up button  70 . Holding the air down button  69  tells the motorcycle absolute ride-height controller to lower the suspension and holding the air up button  70  tells the motorcycle absolute ride-height controller to elevate the suspension. 
         [0053]    In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the motorcycle absolute ride-height controller performs an Auto Dump action and an Auto Air-Up action. Auto Dump controls the shocks to release pressure, lowering the suspension to a user-set dismount height upon deactivation of the motorcycle engine. Auto Air-Up controls the shocks to return to a user-set suspension riding height upon engine start. In such embodiments, the ride-height display module  62  also features a toggle switch for disabling the Auto Dump and Auto Air-Up feature. 
         [0054]    Users of the invention can set a custom dismount height for Auto Dump and a custom ride-height for Auto Air-Up using a combination of the disable switch and appropriate Auto Dump button  69  or Auto Air-Up button  70 . In most embodiments, the dismounting height will default to completely emptying the shock absorber and dropping the suspension to its lowest level. 
         [0055]      FIG. 14  depicts an exemplary back side of the ride-height display module  62 . Included are a front high shock setting button  71 , front low shock setting button  72 , rear high shock setting button  73  and rear low shock setting button  74 . On installing the motorcycle absolute ride-height controller, the rear shock is aired up to the maximum functional height allowed by the frame and pressing the rear high shock set button  73  correlates that height to the highest indicator on the display module. The rear shock is also deflated completely and pressing the rear low shock set button  74  correlates that height to the lowest indicator on the display module  62 . The same process is performed for the front shock measurement using the front high shock setting button  71  and front low shock setting button  72 . 
         [0056]      FIG. 15  is a simplified flowchart showing connections between components of the motorcycle absolute ride-height control circuit in the preferred embodiment of the invention. In the preferred embodiment, the motorcycle absolute ride-height control circuit is contained in a housing separate from the ride-height display module and is installable on or near the motorcycle battery or other motorcycle power components. However, alternate embodiments may prefer to combine elements of the control circuit and display module. 
         [0057]    A microprocessor  75  receives ride-height sensor signals via sensor input circuitry  76  and outputs ride-height display signals to the ride-height display module  78 . A ride-height robust sensor signal line  77  connects each ride-height robust sensor to input circuitry  76 . In the preferred embodiment, the microprocessor  75  has a clock rate of 20 Mhz and a sleep mode with reduced current draw when the motorcycle ignition is off. User-customized Auto-Air Up settings, Auto Dump settings and other data are stored in a memory  88 , either on-board to the microprocessor or separate. 
         [0058]    Shock motor output circuitry  79  for controlling front and rear solenoids to raise and lower the front and rear motorcycle shock-absorbers is controlled by the microprocessor  75 . Solenoid output circuitry  79  sends its output to the solenoid, or linear actuator, commutator or other shock-absorber motor via a shock motor control up connector  80  and a shock motor control down connector  81 . In the preferred embodiment, solenoid output circuitry  79  comprises a 4 amp capable MOSFET arrangement. 
         [0059]    A power supply module  82  provides power to the microprocessor  75  and other electronic components. The power supply module  82  draws power over a motorcycle battery input  83  and an ignition input  84 . Ignition input  84  allows for automatic raising of shocks to ride-height at ignition start and automatic lowering of shocks to dismount height at ignition cutoff. Battery power also bypasses the power supply module  82  directly to the solenoid output circuitry  79 . 
         [0060]    Because motorcycle shock-raising solenoids or motors produce intermittent noise and voltage spikes which can interfere with sensor readings, a first isolation circuit  85  is used to allow one-way control signals from the microprocessor  75  to the solenoid output circuitry  79 . In the preferred embodiment, the first isolation circuit  85  comprises an optocoupler with a 60 mA output. In some embodiments, a second isolation circuit  86  may be used between the ride-height robust sensor and the microprocessor. And, in some embodiments, a third isolation circuit  87  may be used between the power supply module  85  and microprocessor  75 . The third isolation circuit  87  prevents interference from noisy motorcycle ignitions and provides enough current to power the microprocessor. 
         [0061]    Although the simplified flowchart showing connections between components of the motorcycle absolute ride-height control circuit in the preferred embodiment of the invention depicts one instance of each circuit component, some embodiments of the invention use two instances of control circuit components where appropriate. For instance, embodiments of the invention implementing front and rear shock absorber control may employ two sensor input circuits and two solenoid output circuits. Some embodiments may employ two microprocessors. 
         [0062]    Where a connection component is recited in the description of  FIG. 15 , this is to be understood as encompassing any integrated cable, separable cable, or cable port. Further, where any such cord, integrated cable, separable cable or cable port is recited in the description of the invention, it is to be understood as a connection component for the sake of the claims. 
         [0063]    Although the present invention has been described in connection with certain specific embodiments for instructional purposes, the present invention is not limited thereto. Accordingly, various modifications, adaptations, and combinations of various features of the described embodiments can be practiced without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.