US 11,687,070 B2
System and method for predicting shock absorber lifespan
Rahul Chandrashekar, Farmington, MI (US); Christopher M. Niemiec, Livonia, MI (US); and Scott W. McNeil, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Assigned to Ace Controls Inc., Farmington Hills, MI (US)
Filed by Ace Controls Inc., Farmington Hills, MI (US)
Filed on Aug. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/400,591.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/064,612, filed on Aug. 12, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0050450 A1, Feb. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. G05B 23/02 (2006.01); F16F 9/32 (2006.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01)
CPC G05B 23/0283 (2013.01) [F16F 9/3292 (2013.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An industrial shock absorber system, comprising:
an industrial shock absorber having a body and a force-receiving member movably connected to the body whereby a force applied to the force-receiving member causes movement of the force-receiving member relative to the body from an extended position to a retracted position causing movement of a working fluid whereby the working fluid resists movement of the force-receiving member as the force-receiving member moves from the extended position to a retracted position when a force is applied to the force-receiving member;
a resilient member biasing the force-receiving member towards the extended position such that the force-receiving member returns to the extended position from the retracted position if a force applied to the force-receiving member is released to define a Rod Return Time (RRT);
a sensor configured to generate measured sensor data corresponding to at least one of a pressure of the working fluid, a temperature of the working fluid, and rod position data corresponding to a position of the force-receiving member relative to the body; and
at least one computing device operably coupled to the sensor, wherein the computing device is configured to determine at least one of Time-Through-Stroke (TTS) and RRT based on the sensor data and to compare measured TTS and/or measured RRT to expected and/or historical TTS and/or RRT data to detect and/or predict failure of the industrial shock absorber.