Shock absorber cartridge

• US 6,347,692 B1
• Filed: 07/07/2000
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gabriel Ride Control Products, Inc. (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gabriel Ride Control Products, Inc. (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bell, Stephen H., Hoyte, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARTZ, CLIFFORD T
• Application Number:
  US09/612,031
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 188/322-6-3, 188/322.12, 188/322.22, 188/312, 188/218, 267/34, 267/175, 267/177, 267/221, 277/503, 277/505, 277/582, 277/910, 277/916
• US Class Current: 188/322.19
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/54 Arrangements for attachment grommet-type rubber mounting springs per se F16F1/3732; construction of cylinder ends F16F9/3242; attachments to vehicles B60G13/001, B60G15/00

Abstract

A shock absorber cartridge for use in a shock absorber assembly. The shock absorber cartridge includes a cartridge containment member having an inner cavity, an opening, and a lip about the opening. The shock absorber cartridge also includes an inner shock assembly disposed substantially in the inner cavity of the cartridge containment member. The inner shock assembly includes an inner shock cylinder. The lip of the cartridge containment member engages-the outer surface of the inner shock assembly, preferably at the outer surface of the inner shock cylinder.

Claims

1. In a shock absorber assembly including an inner shock sub-assembly having an inner shock cylinder that has an upper cylinder end, a lower cylinder end, an inner cylinder cavity and an outer cylinder perimeter;

a base valve assembly coupled to the lower cylinder end;

an upper cylinder head coupled to the upper cylinder end;

a piston disposed in the inner cylinder cavity; and

a piston rod coupled to said piston and extending through the upper cylinder head, the improvement comprising a shock absorber cartridge including;

a cartridge containment member (CCM) having an inner CCM cavity, a CCM opening, and a CCM lip;

with the inner shock assembly being disposed substantially in the inner CCM cavity and protruding through the CCM opening and with the CCM lip engaging the outer cylinder perimeter near the upper cylinder end.

2. The shock absorber of claim 1, further comprising shock fluid disposed in at least one of the inner CCM cavity and the inner cylinder cavity.

3. The shock absorber of claim 1, further comprising shock fluid disposed in the inner CCM cavity and the inner cylinder cavity.

4. The shock absorber of claim 2, further comprising a seal member which couples said CCM to said inner shock cylinder.

5. The shock absorber of claim 4, wherein said seal member comprises an o-ring disposed about said CCM and the outer cylinder perimeter where the CCM lip engages the outer cylinder perimeter.

6. The shock absorber of claim 1, wherein said CCM further comprises a gas chamber containing a compressible medium.

7. The shock absorber of claim 4, wherein said CCM further comprises a gas chamber containing a compressible medium.

8. An improved shock absorber comprising:

an outer cylinder characterized by an outer cylinder cavity, a top outer cylinder end, and a bottom outer cylinder end; and

a shock absorber cartridge disposed substantially in the outer cylinder cavity and protruding through the top outer cylinder end, said shock absorber cartridge comprising;

a cartridge containment member (CCM) characterized by an inner CCM cavity, a CCM opening, and a CCM lip about the CCM opening; and

an inner shock assembly disposed substantially in the inner CCM cavity and protruding through the CCM opening, said inner shock assembly comprising an inner shock cylinder characterized by an inner cylinder cavity and an outer cylinder perimeter;

with a seal member which couples said CCM to said inner shock cylinder, with the CCM lip being disposed between said seal member and said inner shock cylinder, with said seal member disposed between the CCM lip and said outer cylinder, and with the CCM lip engaging the outer cylinder perimeter.

9. An improved shock absorber comprising:

an outer cylinder characterized by an outer cylinder cavity, a top outer cylinder end, and a bottom outer cylinder end; and

a shock absorber cartridge disposed substantially in the outer cylinder cavity and protruding through the top outer cylinder end, said shock absorber cartridge comprising;

a cartridge containment member (CCM) characterized by an inner CCM cavity, a CCM opening, and a CCM lip about the CCM opening; and

an inner shock assembly disposed substantially in the inner CCM cavity and protruding through the CCM opening, said inner shock assembly comprising an inner shock cylinder characterized by an inner cylinder cavity and an outer cylinder perimeter;

said inner shock cylinder is further characterized by an upper cylinder end and a lower cylinder end, the CCM lip engages the outer cylinder perimeter of said inner shock cylinder near the upper cylinder end, and said inner shock assembly further comprises;

a base valve assembly coupled to the lower cylinder end of said inner shock cylinder;

an upper cylinder head coupled to the upper cylinder end of said inner shock cylinder;

a piston disposed in the inner cylinder cavity of said inner shock cylinder; and

a piston rod coupled to said piston extending through said upper cylinder head and through the top outer cylinder end.

10. The shock absorber of claim 9, further comprising shock fluid disposed in the CCM cavity and the inner cylinder cavity.

11. The shock absorber of claim 9, further comprising a seal member which couples said CCM to said inner shock cylinder, the CCM lip disposed between said seal member and said inner shock cylinder, and said seal member disposed between the CCM lip and said outer cylinder.

12. The shock absorber of claim 11, wherein said seal member comprises an o-ring, and said inner cylinder comprises a seal member positioning feature.