Richard E Mccall

US Patent:

55259600, Jun 11, 1996

Filed:

Sep 8, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/117799

Inventors:

Richard E. McCall - Irving TX
Craig A. Coad - Denton TX
Larry L. Uland - Argyle TX

International Classification:

B60Q 100

US Classification:

340438

Abstract:

A system for monitoring the steady state condition of a motor vehicle shock absorber is used to identify conditions in which a tire may be under- or over-inflated, or in which a shock absorber needs adjustment or replacing. A device for measuring distance, such as a measuring tape, is affixed along the length of a movable portion of a shock absorber, and is monitored by a shock absorber sensor, which is mounted in a fixed position relative to the measuring device. The vertical distance through which the movable portion of the shock absorber moves and the velocity of the oscillations of said movable portion is thereby monitored, and data is transmitted from the sensor to a circuit for transforming said data into a visual display for visual monitoring by the vehicle driver. Said data is further sent through a comparator circuit for comparing to other data received simultaneously from at least one other sensor similarly mounted in relation to another shock absorber of the vehicle. When the vertical distance or frequency oscillation data of a shock absorber sensor deviates beyond a predetermined threshold variance from the data of said other sensor, an alarm indicator is activated for encouraging the driver to check the air pressure and/or shock absorber of the particular tire(s) associated with the deviation.