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Suspension strut with selectively controllable differential rebound and jounce damping

  • US 4,886,255 A
  • Filed: 05/27/1987
  • Issued: 12/12/1989
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1987
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A frictionally damped suspension strut, comprising:

  • a first load bearing member;

    a second load bearing member telescopically movable within said first load bearing member;

    a load responsive bidirectional damping assembly supported by said first load bearing member, and comprising first damping means for applying a first frictional damping force to said second load bearing member continuously during contraction of said first and second load bearing members under jounce conditions, and for applying a second frictional damping force to said second load bearing member continuously during extension of said first and second load bearing members under rebound conditions, said first and second frictional damping forces being proportional to the loads applied to said first and second load bearing members under jounce and rebound conditions, respectively; and

    a velocity responsive rebound damping assembly supported by said second load bearing member, and comprising second damping means for applying a third frictional damping force to said first load bearing member essentially only in response to extension of said first and second load bearing members under rebound conditions, and then after a lost-motion interval which is (i) shorter as said extension velocity increases and (ii) longer as said extension velocity decreases,said second damping means comprising lost-motion control means including a precompressed elastomer member which is deflectable in shear, in a direction parallel to the direction of travel of said first and second load bearing members, during said lost-motion interval, and means forming a space providing clearance along said direction of travel sufficient to permit said elastomer member to deflect in shear until said first and second load bearing members have moved a certain distance of travel,whereby the frictional damping force obtained under rebound conditions initially consists of said second frictional damping force and then comprises the sum of said second frictional damping force and said third frictional damping force.

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