Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

David A Hoptry

David Andrew Shal

Gary R Denton

James M Petrofes

Marvin Herbert Miller

First and second members are attached together by an attachment device which includes a key hole shaped slot provided in the first member and having an enlarged entry portion communicating with a narrow slot portion. An aperture is provided in the second member and a bolt having a threaded shank and an enlarged head is press fit part way into the aperture of the second member so that the enlarged head is spaced somewhat longitudinally away from engaging the second member. The second member is hung on the first member by inserting the enlarged head of the bolt through the entry portion of the key hole shaped slot and then sliding the second member laterally of the first member so that the shank enters the narrower slot portion. A nut, is threaded on to the threaded shank and tightened so that the press fit of the shank of the bolt is forcibly pulled further through the aperture of the second member and the enlarged head of the bolt is drawn tightly against the first member to securely attach together the first and second members. The shank of the bolt preferably has splines thereon by which the press fit of the shank into the aperture resists rotation of the bolt shank and promotes axial movement of the bolt shank through the aperture during tightening of the nut. In addition, the nut preferably has an unthreaded bore portion which is larger than the splines of the shank so that the nut may be fully threaded on to the bolt without the splines interfering with the threads of the nut.

Attachment device

A motor vehicle suspension system has a damper with a member rotatable through positions producing separate discrete damping characteristics. Feedback apparatus comprises a contact pad for each position, a brush rotating with the rotatable member, and an electric circuit generating an output voltage in a first voltage range when the brush does not contact a contact pad and in a second range when it does. The output voltage is repeatedly sampled to control a position count. A count control increments the count with the first sample in the second range following a predetermined number of consecutive samples in the first range but prevents further increment of the count until after a predetermined number of consecutive samples in the second range. The rotatable member can thus be stopped immediately upon the first detection of the selected position while the counting control is changed only once in each new position of the rotatable member.

Motor vehicle suspension with damper having a quickly stopped rotatable

A motor vehicle suspension system has a damper with a member rotatable through positions producing separate discrete damping characteristics. Feedback apparatus comprises a contact pad for each position, a brush rotating with the rotatable member, and an electric circuit generating an output voltage in a first voltage range when the brush does not contact a contact pad and in a second range when it does. The output voltage is repeatedly sampled to control a position count. An overrun detector responds to a predetermined change of the sampled output voltage from the second range to the first voltage range after deactivation of the motor at a selected contact pad to restart the motor so as to resume rotation of the rotatable member toward the selected contact pad.

Motor vehicle suspension with damper having rotatable member overrun

A motor vehicle suspension system in which a motor drives a rotatable member through a plurality of rotational positions producing distinct damping characteristics provides a position feedback voltage on a single feedback line for low cost, easier packaging and greater reliability. Contact pads for the rotational positions are separated by electrically insulating regions; an electric contact member moves circularly with the rotatable member over the contact pads; and an electric circuit generates the position feedback voltage in a first voltage range when the electric contact member contacts any of the insulating regions, in a second voltage range when the electric contact member contacts a home position contact pad and in a third voltage range when the electric contact member contacts any other contact pad. A control updates a position count whenever the output voltage changes from the first to another voltage range; and the count is corrected, if necessary, when the third voltage range is detected.

Growing community of inventors

Grand Blanc, MI, United States of America

David A Hoptry