Shock absorber

• US 9,371,882 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2014
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grammer AG (Ningbo Jifeng Auto Parts Co.,Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Grammer AG (Ningbo Jifeng Auto Parts Co.,Ltd.)
• Inventors: Haller, Erwin
• Primary Examiner(s): SAHNI, VISHAL R
• Application Number:
  US14/468,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20150090549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 13/00 Resilient suspensions characterised by arrangement, location or type of vibration dampers adjusting damping effect B60G17/06; vibration dampers per se F16F
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/24 Fluid damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/413 Hydraulic actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/416 using a pump, e.g. in the line connecting the lower chamber to the upper chamber of the actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/10 Damping action or damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/11 Damping valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/30 Height or ground clearance
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 99/002 Suspension details of the suspension of the vehicle body on the vehicle chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/501 actively controlled suspension, e.g. electronic control
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/502 attached to the base of the seat B60N2/504 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/505 Adjustable suspension including height adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/508 Scissors-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/522 characterised by dampening means
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/527 using liquids
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/185 Bitubular units where compression of gas leads to a clear spring action F16F9/062
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/34 Special valve constructions F16F9/44, F16F9/50 take precedence; filtering details F16F9/3285 ; valves in general F16K; Shape or construction of throttling passages
• 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

Abstract

A shock absorber is provided having a housing, an inner tube, a piston rod, a piston which divides the interior of the inner tube into a lower chamber and an upper chamber, a first valve arrangement on the piston, a second valve arrangement at the upper end of the inner tube, and a third valve arrangement at the lower end of the inner tube. The shock absorber includes a first connection element on the lower chamber of the inner tube and a second connection element on the upper chamber of the inner tube, to connect a means for controlling the flow resistance of the working medium in the first valve arrangement and an ascending pipe which projects into the working medium received in the housing and by which working medium can be transferred from the housing acting as a tank into the upper chamber of the inner tube.

Claims

1. A shock absorber comprising:

a) a housing;

b) an inner tube arranged in the housing;

c) a piston rod immersing into the inner tube;

d) a piston which is arranged at the end of the piston rod immersing into the inner tube and which divides the interior of the inner tube into a lower chamber and an upper chamber;

e) a first valve arrangement, which is arranged on the piston and by which a working medium received in the inner tube can flow out of the lower chamber into the upper chamber and vice versa, as the piston travels in the inner tube;

f) a second valve arrangement, which is arranged at an upper end of the inner tube and by which the working medium received in the inner tube can only flow out of the upper chamber of the inner tube and directly into the interior of the housing acting as a tank for the working medium via an ascending pipe, as the piston travels in the inner tube;

g) a third valve arrangement, which is arranged at a lower end of the inner tube and by which the working medium received in the interior of the housing acting as a tank can only flow directly into the lower chamber of the inner tube and out of the interior of the housing acting as a tank, as the piston travels in the inner tube;

h) a first connection element, wherein the first connection element is in fluid communication with the lower chamber of the inner tube;

i) a second connection element, wherein the second connection element is in fluid communication with the upper chamber of the inner tube;

j) a means for controlling a flow resistance of the working medium in the first valve arrangement, wherein the first and second connection elements are separately connected to the means for controlling a flow resistance, wherein provided as the means for controlling the flow resistance of the working medium in the first valve arrangement is a hydraulic pump drive that is arranged between a lower pressure line connected to the first connection element and an upper pressure line connected to the second connection element; and

k) the ascending pipe projects into the working medium received in the housing and by which the working medium can be transferred from the housing acting as a tank into the upper chamber of the inner tube, wherein the ascending pipe forms a closed circuit for the working fluid between the lower chamber and the upper chamber to prevent cavitation.

2. The shock absorber according to claim 1, wherein a magnetic valve is arranged between the lower pressure line connected to the first connection element and the upper pressure line connected to the second connection element.

3. The shock absorber according to claim 1, wherein a proportional flow regulation valve is arranged between the lower pressure line connected to the first connection element and the upper pressure line connected to the second connection element.

4. The shock absorber according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic pump drive is combined with a valve system, in particular, one of a magnetic valve and a proportional flow regulation valve.

5. The shock absorber according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic pump drive has a controllable pump and a motor for the pump.

6. The shock absorber according to claim 1, wherein a leakage line for the working medium is provided between the housing acting as a tank for the working medium and the hydraulic pump drive.

7. The shock absorber according to claim 1, wherein a re-suctioning line for the working medium is provided between the housing acting as a tank for the working medium and the lower pressure line and/or the upper pressure line.

8. The shock absorber according to claim 7, wherein a non-return valve is arranged between the re-suctioning line and the lower pressure line and/or the upper pressure line.

9. A shock absorber comprising:

a) a housing;

b) an inner tube arranged in the housing;

c) a piston rod immersing into the inner tube;

d) a piston which is arranged at the end of the piston rod immersing into the inner tube and which divides the interior of the inner tube into a lower chamber and an upper chamber,

e) a first valve arrangement, which is arranged on the piston and by which a working medium received in the inner tube can flow out of the lower chamber into the upper chamber and vice versa, as the piston travels in the inner tube;

f) a second valve arrangement, which is arranged at an upper end of the inner tube and by which the working medium received in the inner tube can only flow out of the upper chamber of the inner tube and directly into the interior of the housing acting as a tank for the working medium via an ascending pipe, as the piston travels in the inner tube;

g) a third valve arrangement, which is arranged at a lower end of the inner tube and by which the working medium received in the interior of the housing acting as a tank can only flow directly into the lower chamber of the inner tube and out of the interior of the housing acting as a tank, as the piston travels in the inner tube;

h) a first connection element, wherein the first connection element is connected to the lower chamber of the inner tube;

i) a second connection element, wherein the second connection element is connected to the upper chamber of the inner tube;

j) a means for controlling a flow resistance of the working medium in the first valve arrangement, wherein the first and second connection elements are separately connected to the means for controlling a flow resistance, wherein provided as the means for controlling the flow resistance of the working medium in the first valve arrangement is a hydraulic pump drive that is arranged between a lower pressure line connected to the first connection element and a upper pressure line connected to the second connection element, wherein a re-suctioning line for the working medium is provided between the housing acting as a tank for the working medium and the lower pressure line and/or the upper pressure line; and

k) the ascending pipe which projects into the working medium received in the housing and by which working medium can be transferred from the housing acting as a tank into the upper chamber of the inner tube, wherein the ascending pipe forms a closed circuit for the working fluid between the lower chamber and the upper chamber to prevent cavitation.