초록 ▼

A watercraft seat suspension includes a damper mounted between a watercraft seat and the watercraft hull. The damper includes an electrically actuated mechanism controlling fluid flow from a first chamber to a second chamber within the damper. A sensor senses motion of the seat relative to the hull.

A watercraft seat suspension includes a damper mounted between a watercraft seat and the watercraft hull. The damper includes an electrically actuated mechanism controlling fluid flow from a first chamber to a second chamber within the damper. A sensor senses motion of the seat relative to the hull. A control unit interpolates the sensor signal and develops an actuating signal controlling the electrically actuated mechanism. In one arrangement, the electrically actuated mechanism is a solenoid actuated by the actuating signal to effect one of two different damping modes. In another arrangement, the electrically actuated mechanism includes a conductor coil and flux ring generating a magnetic field proportional to the actuating signal to vary the viscosity of magneto-rheological fluid in the damper.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A seat suspension system for watercraft having a seat for carrying an occupant of the watercraft and hull structure in contact with water and to which said seat is attached, said suspension system comprising:a) a first support connected to said seat; b) a second support connected to said hull str

1. A seat suspension system for watercraft having a seat for carrying an occupant of the watercraft and hull structure in contact with water and to which said seat is attached, said suspension system comprising:a) a first support connected to said seat; b) a second support connected to said hull structure; c) a fluid damper mounted between said first and second supports, said damper having a first chamber with fluid adjacent said first support, a second chamber with fluid adjacent said second support, a dividing member between said chambers having a gap providing fluid communication between said chambers, and electrically actuated means adjacent said gap for controlling fluid flow from one chamber to the other through said gap, wherein said electrically actuated means includes a plunger movable from a first position whereat said gap is open to a second position whereat said gap is closed, said dividing member further having an additional opening providing fluid communication between said chambers, and said electrically actuated means including a solenoid for moving said plunger when actuated from one of said positions to the other position; d) spring means operatively connected to the fluid damper for biasing said first support relative to said second support; e) a sensor for detecting motion of said seat and generating a sensor signal indicative of said motion; and, f) a control unit connected to said sensor and to said electrically actuated means for generating a set control signal in response to said sensor signal causing said electrically actuated mechanism to control fluid flow through said gap whereby an active seat suspension damper cushions watercraft forces imposed on said seat occupant. 2. The seat suspension of claim 1 wherein said electrically actuated means includes a coil generating a magnetic field in and through said gap in response to current flowing through said coil and said fluid is a magneto-rheological fluid.3. The seat suspension of claim 2 wherein said control signal is a current or voltage having a waveform of set configuration determined as a function of said sensor signal.4. The seat suspension system of claim 1 wherein said damper is a suspension strut having a spring base affixed to its outer tube and the spring means comprises a spring compressed between said spring base and said first support.5. The seat suspension system of claim 4 wherein said strut damper has an inner tube mounted to said first support and said outer tube mounted to said hull.6. The seat suspension of claim 1 wherein said damper further includes a closed end tubular member connected at one of its ends to one of said supports; said dividing member includes a piston movable within said tubular member and a piston rod connected to said piston and extending through the other one of said tubular ends, said piston rod connected to the other one of said supports.7. The seat suspension system of claim 6 wherein said first support is a first cylinder connected to said seat and said second support is a second cylinder connected to said hull structure and one of said cylinders telescopes into and out of the other cylinder.8. The seat suspension of claim 1 wherein said first support has a pivot at one end and a mount at its opposite end for attachment to said damper.9. The seat suspension system of claim 1 wherein said second support includes a pedestal mounted to said hull structure and a bottom support plate mounted to said pedestal and said first support includes a top support plate and a seat mounted to said top plate.10. The seat suspension system of claim 9 further including a first damper adjacent one end of said support plates and a second damper adjacent the opposite end of said support plates.11. The seat assembly of claim 9 further including a pivot at one common end of each support plate whereby the top support plate rotates relative to said bottom support plate and said damper positioned between said support plates adjacent the opposite common ends of said support plates.12. The seat suspension of claim 9 wherein said damper is an isolator having an elastomer body portion with a first fastener post extending therefrom; a rigid body portion with a second fastener post extending therefrom; a partition member between said body portions dividing the inside of said isolator into said first chamber on one side of said partition member and said second chamber on the opposite side of said partition member; a diaphragm in said first chamber dividing the space in said first chamber between said partition member and said diaphragm into a sealed first chamber and the space in said first chamber between said diaphragm and its associated body portion into a vented first chamber; said partition member having an opening therethrough providing additional fluid communication between said first sealed chamber and said second chamber; and damper fluid in said second and first sealed chambers.13. The seat suspension of claim 12 wherein said electrically actuated means includes a solenoid coil and a plunger movable when said coil is energized from a first position closing or opening said gap to a second position opening or closing said gap, respectively, and said damper fluid being hydraulic fluid.14. The seat suspension of claim 12 wherein said electrically actuated means includes said gap being generally annular within said partition member, an electrical coil circumscribing said gap on one side thereof, a circular flux ring circumscribing said gap on the other side thereof and said damper fluid being M-R fluid.15. The suspension system of claim 1 wherein said sensor measures a physical characteristic resulting from a force applied to said seat resulting in motion to said seat selected from the group consisting of a) positional change, b) velocity, c) acceleration, d) pressure and e) load or spring mass.16. An active seat suspension system for watercrafts having a seat for carrying an occupant of the watercraft and hull structure in contact with water and to which said seat is affixed, said suspension system comprising:a) a first support connected to said seat; b) a second support connected to said hull structure; c) a fluid damper mounted between and to said first and second supports, said damper having a first chamber adjacent said first support, a second chamber adjacent said second support, an intermediate member having a gap between said first and second chambers, a solenoid coil and a plunger movable when said coil is energized to open or close said gap; d) a sensor for measuring a physical property resulting from a force imposed on said seat and generating a sensor signal indicative of the motion of said seat; e) a power supply; and, f) a control unit connected to said power supply, said sensor and said coil developing a control signal for energizing said coil in response to measurements detected by said sensor to variably control damping of said seat in response to motion of the watercraft and forces imparted to the hull of said watereraft by water. 17. The suspension of claim 16 wherein said physical property is selected from one or more of the group consisting of a) position, b) velocity, c) acceleration, d) pressure, and e) mass or weight.18. An active watercraft seat suspension system comprising:a) a sensor generating a sensor signal indicative of motion of a watereraft seat; b) a damper connected between a hull of said watercraft and said seat, said damper having a control device therein responsive to an actuating signal for controlling the resistance of said damper, wherein said damper has an internal dividing member dividing the interior of said damper into a first sealed chamber on one side of said member and a second sealed chamber on the opposite side of said member, said member having a gap providing fluid communication between said first and second chambers, and said control device in said damper includes a solenoid coil and a plunger movable in response to said actuating signal from a first position sealing said gap to a second position whereat said gap is not sealed; c) spring means disposed about the fluid damper and operatively connected to the fluid damper for biasing said first support relative to said second support; and, d) a control unit electrically connected to said sensor and adapted to generate said actuating signal in response to said sensor signal. 19. The seat suspension of claim 18 wherein said damper has an elastomer portion and said member is a partition member.20. The seat suspension of claim 18 wherein said damper includes a cylindrical tube and said member includes a piston sealingly slidable in said tube.21. The seat suspension of claim 18 wherein said damper has an internal dividing member dividing the interior of said damper into a first sealed chamber on one side of said member and a second sealed chamber on the opposite side of said member; each sealed chamber having magneto-rheological fluid disposed therein; said member having a gap providing fluid communication between said first and second chamber; and said control device includes a conductor coil on one side of said gap and a flux ring on the opposite side of said gap for generating a magnetic field within said gap in response to said actuating signal controlling the apparent viscosity of said fluid passing through said gap.22. The seat suspension of claim 21 wherein said damper has an elastomer body portion; said interior member includes a partition member; said gap is an annular opening extending through said partition member, said coil is formed as a ring circumscribing one peripheral edge of said annular opening and said flux ring circumscribes the opposite peripheral edge of said annular opening.23. The seat suspension of claim 21 wherein said member includes a piston, said flux ring movable with said piston, and said gap defined as an annular opening between said piston and said flux ring.