Ford Patents “G.O.A.T.” Dynamic Suspension System (Including “Daredevil” Mode) for 2021 Bronco

[OX1]

It sounds like an extension of the idea behind Fox dynamic shocks and disconnecting swaybars. Lots of sensors and motor actuated parts.

For now it can sit in a dusty folder next to the shower curtain thing patent.

Not sure why this is patent-able when stuff like this is already in production.
How about "removed swaybars" , disconnected permanently

https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-ca...mercedes-benz-gle-e-active-body-control-tech/

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[frinesi2]

You know, the background section of this patent is a fantastic technical breakdown of the differences between solid axle and independent suspension from a whole-system perspective.

 

[frinesi2]

I'm reading through the text (just started) and so far they're mostly talking about using sensors and a control system to determine the current driving dynamic of the vehicle suspension, assigning a "vehicle state" (e.g. on-road, off-road, rock-crawling), and, based on the computed vehicle state, adjusting the suspension height.

That's all from the summary.


eta: okay I'm getting deeper in to the summary and I'm starting to recognize some of the technology they're talking about.

Here's the skinny - they want to use the sort of tech you see on autonomous cars (active terrain scanning and vehicle state sensors combined with a priori maps) to adjust suspension height to achieve whatever optimal stance suits the current driving dynamic goals.

 

[BroncoBuckaroo]

Not sure why this is patent-able when stuff like this is already in production.
How about "removed swaybars" , disconnected permanently

https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-ca...mercedes-benz-gle-e-active-body-control-tech/

Patents are all about dates..the Ford Patent was applied for in 2015, its actual approval came nearly 5 years later. The guy who invented the interval wipers made a bundle in court ..while his patent was getting approved nearly every auto company ripped him off, but then he won big bucks.

 

[sardog12]

instead of just a disconnecting sway bar, could you somehow have the a-arms and diff on a separate than the main frame frame, and disconnect it from the frame but lock all the joints? probably more complicated than whatever this is.

I wonder....

anything I can think of though would make it a bitch and a half to customize, so it has to be something I can't even comprehend right now.

That is my first thought reading through this. Overly complicated means more crap to potentially break and have to fix and lifting/modding could easily be a bear.

 

[frinesi2]

They have a list of suspension targets and modes to achieve those targets, each one with its own description.

Targets
- Terrain Target
- Traffic Target
- Weather Target
- Parking Target
- Fuel Economy Target
- Driver Preference Target
Modes
- Entertainment Suspension Mode
- Music Mode
- Daredevil Mode
- Avoidance Suspension Mode
- Traffic Suspension Mode
- Freight Transporting Suspension Mode
- City Mobility Mode
- Cooperative Suspension Mode
- Utility Suspension Mode
- Office Suspension Mode
- Towing Suspension Mode
- Cradle Suspension Mode
- Resting Suspension Mode
- Suspension Minder Mode
- Haptic Suspension Mode
- Safety Suspension Mode
- Driver Suspension Mode
- Expert Driver Suspension Mode
- Novice Driver Suspension Mode
- Fun-to-Ride Suspension Mode
- Fun-to-Drive Suspension Mode
- Quiet Suspension Mode
- Vigilance Boosting Suspension Mode

I want to meet the engineer that convinced them to put this one in the list:

Daredevil Mode
In one exemplary embodiment, EMS may be configured to regulate a suspension height of the vehicle to achieve a target suspension height the correlates to a desired daredevil driving experience (e.g., daredevil mode). For example, the vehicle's suspension height may be mapped to the target's suspension height such that the vehicle can be driven on, for example, two and/or three wheels without overturning to achieve the daredevil driving experience. The ESM may be configured to coordinate small brake steering and/or throttling of the vehicle to a desired suspension height adjustment and, in some instances, implement a safety guard via actuators.

 

[Chadillac]

That is my first thought reading through this. Overly complicated means more crap to potentially break and have to fix and lifting/modding could easily be a bear.

yeah i think this idea should/could be reserved for "Raptor" grade only. I don't want something this complicated on a daily driver. Would likely cause headaches down the road.

 

[frinesi2]

That is my first thought reading through this. Overly complicated means more crap to potentially break and have to fix and lifting/modding could easily be a bear.

no YOU'RE overly complicated


Patents are wish lists, except once you file a patent, all the other kids have to pay you money to ask Santa for the same thing.

 

[93_SVT_3503]

So we can drive this b*X@# on the moon?!?!

 

[OX1]

You know, the background section of this patent is a fantastic technical breakdown of the differences between solid axle and independent suspension from a whole-system perspective.

Not really much there that this list hasn't already beat to death.

Here's the skinny - they want to use the sort of tech you see on autonomous cars (active terrain scanning and vehicle state sensors combined with a priori maps) to adjust suspension height to achieve whatever optimal stance suits the current driving dynamic goals.

Patents are all about dates..the Ford Patent was applied for in 2015, its actual approval came nearly 5 years later. The guy who invented the interval wipers made a bundle in court ..while his patent was getting approved nearly every auto company ripped him off, but then he won big bucks.

no YOU'RE overly complicated
Patents are wish lists, except once you file a patent, all the other kids have to pay you money to ask Santa for the same thing.

And why is Merc not technically infringing?
(I guess they didn't keep the sway bars??)

I want to meet the engineer that convinced them to put this one in the list:

I've tried the 3 wheel thing, not sure if maintaining susp height would have helped.

 

[frinesi2]

@OX1 I couldn't tell you, I don't know enough about the specifics of each manufacturer's systems to tell you who's infringing whom. I'd imagine they felt that their methodology was sufficiently novel to warrant a patent.

Also I think daredevil mode had something more like this in mind

 

[Adk_st]

So we can drive this b*X@# on the moon?!?!

Space Bronco confirmed

 

[WCampbellAZ]

Have you all seen that crazy electric spider legged of road machine that has been around for a few years now? Maybe its got actuators that individually adjust wheel height during rock crawling situations. Ya know like when a wheel thats needed for traction is hanging off the ground because you are all twisted and flexed out. Maybe active components force that tire down to get traction?
Thats my guess.

This would make sense but I'm not sure they would need to patent it. Range Rovers have had that capability for years.

 

[frinesi2]

This would make sense but I'm not sure they would need to patent it. Range Rovers have had that capability for years.

Their options, if they want to use this kind of technology, are:

1. Pay whoever owns the IP for JLR's system so they can use that one.

2. Come up with their own way of doing the same way that is sufficiently different enough that they can get their own patent and not have to pay somebody else to use it.

 

[BroncoBuckaroo]

If you look at the patent ..the example it uses as a "previous patent" is the Moon Landing Rover..which is kinda interesting.

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