Two-way magnetorheological fluid valve assembly and devices utilizing same
First Claim
1. A two-way controllable valve assembly, comprising:
- (a) a valve body having at least a portion of a magnetic circuit contained therein, said magnetic circuit being capable of carrying a magnetic flux,(b) a controllable passageway adjacent to said valve body and situated within said magnetic circuit,(c) a magnetorheological fluid including soft-magnetic particles dispersed within a carrier liquid contained in said controllable passageway,(d) a magnetic flux generator for generating a magnetic flux which is carried by said magnetic circuit and which is directed to act upon said magnetorheological fluid contained in said controllable passageway to generate rheology changes in said magnetorheological fluid within said controllable passageway thereby restricting flow of said magnetorheological fluid through said controllable passageway, and(e) means for providing asymmetric flow characteristics across said controllable valve assembly thereby creating a higher pressure differential across said controllable valve assembly in a first flow direction and a lower pressure differential across said controllable valve assembly in a second flow direction without having to rapidly switch said magnetic flux within said magnetic circuit thereby resultantly creating higher flow restriction in said first flow direction and lower flow restriction in said second flow direction.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A controllable valve assembly (18) applicable in Magnetorheological (MR) fluid devices (20), such as MR mounts and MR dampers. The valve assembly (18) includes a valve body (32) having a magnetic circuit (40) contained therein which carries magnetic flux Φ, a controllable passageway (42) within the magnetic circuit (40), a MR (magnetically controlled) fluid (44) including soft-magnetic particles in a liquid carrier contained in the controllable passageway (42), a magnetic flux generator, such as a wound wire coil (46), generating magnetic flux Φ which is directed through the MR fluid (44) in the controllable passageway (42) thereby generating "rheology" changes causing restriction in flow of MR fluid (44) therethrough. In one aspect, a one-way check valve (34) is operative with a passive passageway (36) which is arranged in parallel relationship to the controllable passageway (42) provides "asymmetric" damping across the controllable valve (18) creating higher pressure differentials in a first direction and a lower in a second direction without "rapidly switching" the current to the coil (46). In another aspect, "asymmetric" damping is provided by a "changeable gap" formed by a moveable wall portion of the controllable passageway (42). In a third aspect, a first controllable passageway provides controllable flow in a first direction and a second controllable passageway provides controllable flow in a second direction, thereby provide "asymmetry." In a fourth aspect, "asymmetry" is provides by a "variable magnetic short" which changes magnetic circuit reluctance dependent on flow direction.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A two-way controllable valve assembly, comprising:
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(a) a valve body having at least a portion of a magnetic circuit contained therein, said magnetic circuit being capable of carrying a magnetic flux, (b) a controllable passageway adjacent to said valve body and situated within said magnetic circuit, (c) a magnetorheological fluid including soft-magnetic particles dispersed within a carrier liquid contained in said controllable passageway, (d) a magnetic flux generator for generating a magnetic flux which is carried by said magnetic circuit and which is directed to act upon said magnetorheological fluid contained in said controllable passageway to generate rheology changes in said magnetorheological fluid within said controllable passageway thereby restricting flow of said magnetorheological fluid through said controllable passageway, and (e) means for providing asymmetric flow characteristics across said controllable valve assembly thereby creating a higher pressure differential across said controllable valve assembly in a first flow direction and a lower pressure differential across said controllable valve assembly in a second flow direction without having to rapidly switch said magnetic flux within said magnetic circuit thereby resultantly creating higher flow restriction in said first flow direction and lower flow restriction in said second flow direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A two-way controllable valve assembly, comprising:
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(a) a valve body having at least a portion of a magnetic circuit contained therein which is capable of carrying a magnetic flux, (b) a controllable passageway adjacent to said valve body in a vicinity of said magnetic circuit, (c) a magnetorheological fluid contained in said controllable passageway, (d) a magnetic flux generator for generating a magnetic flux which is carried by said magnetic circuit and which is directed to act upon said magnetorheological fluid in said controllable passageway to provide controllable rheology changes to said magnetorheological fluid in said controllable passageway thereby restricting flow through said controllable passageway, and (e) a magnetic return moveable relative to said valve body creating a changeable gap which varies as a function of flow direction in said controllable passageway thereby providing asymmetric damping, said magnetic return being situated relative to said magnetic circuit such that magnetic body forces acting on said magnetic return are minimized.
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21. A two-way controllable valve assembly, comprising:
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(a) a valve body having at least a portion of a magnetic circuit contained therein which is capable of carrying a magnetic flux, (b) a controllable passageway adjacent to said valve body in a vicinity of said magnetic circuit, (c) a magnetorheological fluid contained in said controllable passageway, (d) a magnetic flux generator for generating a magnetic flux which is carried by said magnetic circuit and which is directed to act upon said magnetorheological fluid in said controllable passageway to provide controllable rheology changes to said magnetorheological fluid in said controllable passageway thereby restricting flow through said controllable passageway, and (e) a separate passive passageway arranged in parallel relationship to said controllable passageway, said passive passageway having a one-way check valve fluidically operative therewith, said passive passageway being located outside said magnetic circuit such that said magnetorheological fluid passing through said passive passageway is not exposed to any substantial amount of said magnetic flux and wherein said passive passageway passes either (i) through said valve body, or (ii) about said valve body.
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22. A controllable magnetorheological fluid damper including a housing having a closed end, an aperture through an end opposed to said closed end, and an internal chamber located therein, a piston slidably received within said internal chamber and subdividing said internal chamber into a first and second chamber, a piston rod attached to said piston and slidably received within said aperture, means for attaching said piston rod to a first member, means for attaching said housing to a second member, a valve body within said piston, said valve body having at least a portion of a magnetic circuit contained therein which is capable of carrying a magnetic flux, a controllable passageway adjacent to said valve body in a vicinity of said magnetic circuit, said controllable passageway capable of controllable flow, a magnetorheological fluid contained within said controllable passageway, said first chamber, and said second chamber, a magnetic flux generator within said valve body for generating a magnetic flux which is carried by said magnetic circuit and which is directed to act upon said magnetorheological fluid in said controllable passageway to provide said controllable flow to said magnetorheological fluid in said controllable passageway, the improvement comprising:
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a passive passageway arranged in parallel relationship to said controllable passageway, said passive passageway having a one-way check valve fluidically operative therewith so as to allow substantial flow in a second flow direction associated with movement of said piston in a second direction and substantially restrict flow in a first flow direction associated with movement of said piston in a first direction, said passive passageway being situated outside said magnetic circuit such that said magnetorheological fluid passing through said passive passageway is not exposed to any substantial amount of said magnetic flux and wherein said passive passageway passes either (i) through said valve body, or (ii) about said valve body.
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23. A controllable magnetorheological fluid mounting having a housing, an inner member, a flexible member interconnecting between said inner member and said housing, an internal cavity within said mounting, a partition subdividing said internal cavity into a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber, a controllable passageway capable of controllable flow between said first fluid chamber and said second fluid chamber, a magnetorheological fluid contained in said controllable passageway, said first chamber, and said second chamber, a magnetic circuit contained in said partition which is capable of carrying a magnetic flux, a magnetic flux generator adjacent said partition for generating said magnetic flux which is carried by said magnetic circuit and which is directed to act upon said magnetorheological fluid in said controllable passageway to provide said controllable flow in said controllable passageway, the improvement comprising:
means for providing asymmetric damping where a pressure differential between said first chamber and said second chamber in a first flow direction is higher than a pressure differential in a second flow direction without rapidly controlling said flux in said magnetic circuit.
Specification