USE OF INDUCTIVE SENSING TO CONTROL DECOUPLER POSITION AND SWITCHABLE MOUNT PERFORMANCE

• Main Authors: Jordon Wayne, Mihalic Joe, McDonough William B, Lucas Jay
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 22.09.2016
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS INVEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OFTRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVEREDIN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GASEXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS, IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; BLASTING; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; LIGHTING; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION; MEASURING; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS; MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEARDIMENSIONS; MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; SPRINGS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; TESTING; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

A mount assembly for vibration isolation or an engine includes a housing having first and second fluid chambers that are selectively connected through an elongated, first path, and a shorter, second path. A decoupler is received in the housing, and an inductive sensor assembly senses a position of the decoupler. An associated method of inductively sensing a decoupler position to improve switchable mount performance is provided. Metallic particles or a metal inserts are provided in the decoupler to cooperate with an induction coil mounted adjacent the decoupler.