Suspension strut for a vehicle

• US 10,125,841 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluid Ride, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Fluid Ride, Ltd.
• Inventors: Coombs, Joshua, Edmondson, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Sahni, Vishal R
• Application Number:
  US15/784,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20180038440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 13/08 hydraulic
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/08 Characteristics of fluid dampers adjusting fluid dampers in general F16F9/44 - F16F9/53
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/60 Vehicles using regenerative power
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/064 Units characterised by the location or shape of the expansion chamber F16F9/068, F16F9/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/066 Units characterised by the partition, baffle or like element F16F9/068, F16F9/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/18 with a closed cylinder and a piston separating two or more working spaces therein
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/3207 Constructional features F16F9/34 - F16F9/50 take precedence; assembly or repair F16F9/3271
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/348 Throttling passages in the form of annular discs or other plate-like elements which may or may not have a spring action, operating in opposite directions or singly, e.g. annular discs positioned on top of the valve or piston body F16F9/341, F16F9/3415 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/43 Filling or drainage arrangements, e.g. for supply of gas filling vessels with, or discharging from vessels, compressed, liquefied, or solidified gases F17C
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/46 allowing control from a distance , i.e. location of means for control input being remote from site of valves, e.g. on damper external wall attachment of valve units to cylinders F16F9/325
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/50 Special means providing automatic damping adjustment, i.e. self-adjustment of damping by particular sliding movements of a valve element, other than flexions or displacement of valve discsF16F9/53 takes precedence; Special means providing self-adjustment of spring characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/5165 by use of spherical valve elements or like free-moving bodies

Abstract

A hydraulic strut system that damps vehicle vibration and includes a compressible fluid, a strut, and a valve plate. The strut includes three concentric tubes defining an inner cavity, an intermediary cavity, and an outer reservoir cavity, the inner cavity and intermediary cavity being fluidly coupled, wherein the inner cavity receives a piston that divides the inner cavity into a first volume and a second volume, the piston having an aperture that allows one way flow from the first volume to the second volume. The valve plate is removably coupled to the strut, and includes a first fluid path that allows one-way fluid flow from the intermediary cavity to the reservoir cavity, the first fluid path including a damping valve that damps fluid flowing therethrough; and a second fluid path that allows one-way fluid flow from the reservoir cavity to the inner cavity, the second fluid path further including a replenishment valve.

Claims

1. A strut system comprising:

a strut comprising;

a primary tube defining a first cavity;

a piston disposed within the primary tube, the piston separating the first cavity into a first volume and a second volume, the piston defining an aperture fluidly connecting the first volume with the second volume; and

an aperture valve within the aperture configured to permit fluid flow from the first volume to the second volume;

an intermediary vessel fluidly coupled to the first cavity;

a reservoir vessel;

a damping flow path fluidly coupling the intermediary vessel to the reservoir vessel;

a replenishment flow path fluidly coupling the reservoir vessel to the first cavity;

a damping control chamber fluidly coupled to the intermediary vessel; and

a damper valve within the damping flow path, the damper valve configured to damp fluid flowing therethrough;

wherein;

the piston is configured to translate substantially along a central axis defined by the primary tube; and

the damper valve comprises;

a damper valve element configured to translate along a damper valve axis substantially parallel the central axis; and

an actuator configured to adjust a damping force of the damper valve based on a damping control chamber pressure applied to the actuator at the damping control chamber, wherein the actuator is configured to increase the damping force in response to an increase in the damping control chamber pressure.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a replenishment valve within the replenishment flow path, the replenishment valve configured to control fluid flow from the reservoir vessel to the first cavity.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the damper valve axis is substantially collinear with the central axis.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pump, the pump comprising:

a pump inlet fluidly coupled to the reservoir vessel; and

a pump outlet fluidly coupled to the inner cavity;

wherein the pump is operable between;

a recovery mode that recovers energy from and damps fluid flowing therethrough; and

a pumping mode that pumps fluid from the reservoir volume into the first volume.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a regeneration valve that controls fluid flow to the pump, wherein the regeneration valve is operable between:

a closed mode that prevents fluid flow to the pump; and

an open mode that permits fluid flow to the pump.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the strut further comprises:

the intermediary vessel; and

a secondary tube encircling at least a portion of the primary tube;

wherein the intermediary vessel is cooperatively defined by the secondary tube and the primary tube.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the primary tube defines a plurality of apertures extending through a wall of the primary tube.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the strut further comprises:

the reservoir vessel; and

a tertiary tube encircling at least a portion of the secondary tube;

wherein the reservoir vessel is cooperatively defined by the secondary tube and the tertiary tube.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the reservoir vessel is external the strut.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the actuator comprises an actuator piston coupled to the damper valve,

the actuator piston is fluidly coupled to the damping control chamber, and

the actuator piston is configured to apply an adjusting force to the damper valve based on the damping control chamber pressure.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the damper valve comprises a disc valve mechanically coupled to the actuator piston.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the damper valve is a one-directional valve configured to:

damp fluid flow through the damping flow path from the intermediary vessel to the reservoir vessel; and

substantially prevent fluid flow through the damping flow path from the reservoir vessel to the intermediary vessel.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a damper control valve operable between:

an open mode, wherein the damping control chamber is fluidly coupled to the reservoir vessel via the damper control valve; and

a restricted mode, wherein the damper control valve is configured to restrict fluid flow from the intermediary vessel to the reservoir vessel.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the damper control valve comprises an active valve, wherein the active valve is configured to be actively controlled.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the active valve is a solenoid-controlled valve.

16. A method for operating a suspension system of a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a strut system, the strut system comprising;

a strut comprising;

a primary tube defining a first cavity;

a piston disposed within the primary tube, the piston separating the first cavity into a first volume and a second volume, the piston defining an aperture fluidly connecting the first volume with the second volume;

an aperture valve within the aperture configured to permit fluid flow from the first volume to the second volume;

an intermediary vessel fluidly coupled to the first cavity;

a reservoir vessel;

a damping flow path fluidly coupling the intermediary vessel to the reservoir vessel;

a replenishment flow path fluidly coupling the reservoir vessel to the first cavity;

a third flow path from the intermediary vessel to the reservoir vessel, the third flow path comprising a damping control chamber fluidly coupled to the intermediary vessel;

a damper valve within the damping flow path, the damper valve configured to damp fluid flowing therethrough, the damper valve comprising an actuator configured to adjust a damping force of the damper valve based on a damping control chamber pressure applied to the actuator at the damping control chamber, wherein the actuator is configured to increase the damping force in response to an increase in the damping control chamber pressure; and

a damper control valve within the third flow path, the damper control valve configured to control fluid flow from the intermediary vessel to the reservoir vessel;

controlling the damper valve to operate in a reduced damping force mode by controlling the damper control valve to allow fluid flow along the third flow path; and

in response to determining a damping trigger, controlling the damper valve to operate in an increased damping force mode by controlling the damper control valve to restrict fluid flow along the third flow path.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the damper control valve comprises a solenoid-controlled valve.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the damping trigger comprises determining a vehicle turning condition.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the damping trigger comprises detecting a road surface imperfection of a road on which the vehicle is driving.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the damper valve comprises a disc valve;

the actuator comprises an actuator piston mechanically coupled to the disc valve;

the actuator piston is fluidly coupled to the damping control chamber; and

the actuator piston applies an adjusting force to the damper valve based on the damping control chamber pressure.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the strut system further comprises a replenishment valve within the replenishment flow path, the replenishment valve configured to control fluid flow from the reservoir vessel to the first cavity.