IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,037,074
Granted Patent B2
US 12,037,074 · App. 17/034,476 · Granted Jul 16, 2024

Control device, suspension, and method for controlling suspension

Inventors: Yuki Sakagawa (Osaka, JP); Toyoto Shirai (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: Shimano Inc.
B62K25/04B62J45/20B62J45/41B62K2025/044
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,037,074
App. No.
17/034,476
Granted
Jul 16, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A control device is provided for controlling a suspension of a human-powered vehicle. The control device includes comprises an electronic controller. The suspension includes a first member, a second member movable relative to the first member, and an adjustment unit adjusting a relative movable amount of the first member and the second member. The electronic controller is configured to electrically control the adjustment unit in accordance with relative position information related to a relative position of the first member and the second member.

Claims (32)

1. A control device for a suspension of a human-powered vehicle, the suspension includes a first member, a second member telescopically attached to the first member to be telescopically movable relative to the first member, and an adjuster adjusting a relative movable amount of the first member and the second member, the adjuster including a valve that opens and closes the flow passage, the adjuster further including an electric actuator that opens and closes the valve, the actuator being positioned internally of the first and second members, the control device comprising:

an electronic controller configured to electrically control the adjuster in accordance with relative position information related to a relative position of the first member and the second member.

2. The control device according to claim 1 , further comprising

a detector configured to detect the relative position information.

3. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the suspension further includes a first chamber defined by the first member and the second member, a second chamber defined by the first member and the second member, and a flow passage fluidly connecting the first chamber and the second chamber;

and

the electronic controller is configured to control the valve in accordance with the relative position information.

4. The control device according to claim 3 , wherein

the electronic controller is configured to control the valve in accordance with a comparison result of predetermined relative position information of the first member and the second member and the relative position information.

5. The control device according to claim 4 , wherein

the predetermined relative position information is predetermined in accordance with a predetermined relative movable amount of the first member and the second member.

6. The control device according to claim 5 , further comprising

a storage that stores table data indicating a corresponding relationship of the predetermined relative position information and the predetermined relative movable amount.

7. The control device according to claim 3 , wherein

the electronic controller is configured to control the electric actuator.

8. A human-powered vehicle suspension comprising the control device according to claim 1 , and further comprising:

the first member;

the second member telescopically movable relative to the first member; and

the adjuster adjusting the relative movable amount of the first member and the second member.

9. A suspension control method for controlling a suspension for a human-powered vehicle, the suspension includes a first member, a second member movable relative to the first member, and an adjuster adjusting a relative movable amount of the first member and the second member, the suspension control method comprising:

detecting relative position information related to relative position of the first member and the second member;

comparing the relative position information and predetermined relative position information; and

controlling the adjuster in accordance with a comparison result of the relative position information and the predetermined relative position information; and

evaluating an adjustment result of the relative movable amount resulting from the controlling of the adjuster, the evaluating of the adjustment result further including

obtaining pre-control relative position information in accordance with the relative position information detected during a first predetermined period prior to the controlling of the adjuster,

obtaining post-control relative information in accordance with the relative position information detected during a second predetermined period subsequent to the controlling of the adjustment unit, and

evaluating the adjustment result in accordance with a comparison result of the pre-control relative position information and the post-control relative position information.

10. The suspension control method according to claim 9 , further comprising

determining whether to start the detecting of the relative position information.

11. The suspension control method according to claim 10 , wherein

the determining of whether to start the detecting of the relative position information is based on at least one of input information from a user, traveling information of the human-powered vehicle, and traveling environment information of the human-powered vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2020
From: SAKAGAWA, YUKI; SHIRAI, TOYOTO
To: SHIMANO INC.
Reel/Frame 053901/0731 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-188892 · Oct 15, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210107588A1 · Apr 15, 2021