Suspension device with hydraulic shock absorber with selective shock absorbing control

• US 20050217953A1
• Filed: 11/04/2004
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bos SARL
• Original Assignee: Bos SARL
• Inventors: Bossard, Olivier
• Application Number:
  US10/980,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20050217953A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 188/281
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/421 Pivoted lever mechanisms for mounting suspension elements, e.g. Watt linkage
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/466 Throttling control, i.e. regulation of flow passage geometry F16F9/464, F16F9/465 take precedence

Abstract

A suspension device for a wheeled vehicle, includes a shock absorber (105) and a spring (110), disposed between a non-suspended portion of a vehicle and a suspended portion of the vehicle, the shock absorber (105) having a shock absorber body (1) provided with a cylindrical cavity (10) in which slides a piston (2), the piston being connected to a rod (3) leaving the cylindrical cavity through a sealing ring (4), the piston (2) being provided with calibrated elements (5) for passage of a fluid such as an oil from sub-cavity (10a) to a sub-cavity (10b) as a function of the movements of the piston, in response to forces exerted on the suspension, the piston including a discharge device (15), this discharge device being adapted to take a position of opening a conduit between one sub-cavity and the other and a position of closing this conduit.

Claims

1. Suspension device for a wheeled vehicle, comprising a shock absorber (105) and a spring (110), disposed between a non-suspended portion (120) of the vehicle and a suspended portion (130) of the vehicle, the shock absorber (105) comprising a shock absorber body (1) provided with a cylindrical cavity (10) in which slides a piston (2), the piston being connected to a piston rod (3) leaving the cylindrical cavity through a sealing ring (4), the piston (2) being provided with a calibrated means (5) for passage of a fluid such as an oil, from one sub-cavity (10a) to a sub-cavity (10b) delimited by the position of the piston as a function of movements of the piston, in response to forces exerted on the suspension, characterized in that the piston comprises a discharge device (15), this discharge device being adapted to take an open position of a conduit (16, 17) between one sub-cavity and the other and a closed position of this conduit and in that the control of the discharge device is effected by a control rod (20) sliding axially within the piston rod (3) and terminating in a movable body (21), provided with means (27) for securement on one of said non-suspended (120) and suspended (130) portions.

2. Suspension device according to claim 1, characterized in that the discharge device comprises a first channel (16) opening into the upper sub-cavity (10b), at least one second channel (17) opening into the lower sub-cavity (10a) and a closure system (18, 19) for the passage between the first and second channels (16, 17) comprising a needle valve (18) resting on a seat (19) when the communication between said first channel (16) and said second channel (17) is closed, the needle valve (18) being spaced from the seat (19) when the communication between the first channel (16) and the second channel (17) is open.

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection means of the shock absorber rod (3) to the rolling structure comprises a body fixed relative to the shock absorber, this fixed body being constituted by a head (6) secured to the shock absorber rod (3), the movable body (21) being movable relative to the shock absorber and provided with securement means (27) to the rolling structure.

4. Suspension device according to claim 3, characterized in that the movable body (21) comprises a first portion, disposed in a chamber (22) in the head (6) secured to the shock absorber rod (3), adapted to slide in the chamber (22) between an upper abutment position and a lower abutment position, delimited by an upper wall and a lower wall of the chamber.

5. Suspension device according to claim 4, characterized in that the chamber (22) is closed by a screw-threaded plug (25) provided with a central passage to let pass a second portion of the movable body (21) comprising said securement means (27), the screw-threaded plug comprising an annular bottom (24) which coacts with a surface (26) of the movable body (21) to limit the possibility of play of the movable body (21).

6. Suspension device according to claim 5, characterized in that the screw-threaded plug (25) permits adjusting the path of play of the movable body (21) and thus of the discharge device through the control rod (20) to adjust the quantity of passage of fluid into the discharge device.

7. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the discharge device remains in the closed position of the conduit (16, 17) as long as the suspension remains stressed, the discharge device passing to the open position of the conduit (16, 17) upon passage of the suspension to the free mode.

8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the shock absorber body (1) is closed on the side opposite the sealing ring (4) by a second head (7) provided with means (8) securing the shock absorber to one of said suspended (130) and non-suspended (120) portions.

9. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring (110) is disposed coaxially to the shock absorber and held compressed between two annular abutments (13, 14) one secured to the shock absorber body, the other secured to the shock absorber rod.

10. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a compensating element (201) is positioned between the movable body (21) and the shock absorber body (1), the compensating device opposing a movement of the discharge device to the open position of the conduit.

11. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a compensating element (206) is positioned between the movable body (21) and the shock absorbing body (1), the compensating device (201) promoting the movement of the discharge device to the open position of the conduit.

12. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that an oscillating arm (200) connects the non-suspended portion (120) of the vehicle and the suspended portion (130) of the vehicle and in that a compensating device, comprising a rod (204), fixed at one end to the shock absorbing body (1) and by a second end to an arm (205) articulated on the oscillating arm (200), and a spring (203), disposed between said oscillating arm and said rod, exerts a separating force between the movable body (21) and the shock absorbing body (1) promoting the movement of the discharge device to the open position of the conduit.

13. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the connection means of the shock absorber rod (3) to the rolling structure comprises a body fixed relative to the shock absorber, this fixed body being constituted by a head (6) secured to the shock absorber rod (3), the movable body (21) being movable relative to the shock absorber and provided with securement means (27) to the rolling structure.