Rod guide system and method with multiple solenoid valve cartridges and multiple pressure regulated valve assemblies
First Claim
1. A shock absorber comprising:
- a pressure tube forming a pressure chamber;
a piston rod disposed within the pressure chamber;
a reserve tube defining a reserve chamber adjacent the pressure tube;
a rod guide assembly concentrically disposed about the piston rod and the pressure chamber;
a plurality of digital valves disposed in the rod guide assembly, each one of said digital valves including a component which is moveable between an open state and a closed state, and operating to control a fluid flow between the pressure chamber and the reserve chamber;
an electronic control system disposed on a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) for controlling actuation of the digital valves; and
at least one additional valve associated with one of the digital valves for further controlling a flow of fluid between the pressure chamber and the reserve chamber, wherein the at least one additional valve is positioned in series with one of said plurality of digital valves and all of the fluid flowing through the one of said plurality of digital valves flows through said at least one additional valve.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a shock absorber having a pressure tube forming a pressure chamber. A piston rod is disposed within the pressure chamber. A reserve tube defines a reserve chamber adjacent the pressure tube. A rod guide assembly is concentrically disposed about the piston rod and the pressure chamber and houses a plurality of digital valves. Each one of the digital valves includes a component which is moveable between an open state and a closed state, and thus helps to control a fluid flow between the pressure chamber and the reserve chamber. An electronic control system is disposed on a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) and controls actuation of the digital valves. At least one additional valve is associated with one of the digital valves for further controlling a flow of fluid between the pressure chamber and the reserve chamber.
299 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A shock absorber comprising:
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a pressure tube forming a pressure chamber; a piston rod disposed within the pressure chamber; a reserve tube defining a reserve chamber adjacent the pressure tube; a rod guide assembly concentrically disposed about the piston rod and the pressure chamber; a plurality of digital valves disposed in the rod guide assembly, each one of said digital valves including a component which is moveable between an open state and a closed state, and operating to control a fluid flow between the pressure chamber and the reserve chamber; an electronic control system disposed on a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) for controlling actuation of the digital valves; and at least one additional valve associated with one of the digital valves for further controlling a flow of fluid between the pressure chamber and the reserve chamber, wherein the at least one additional valve is positioned in series with one of said plurality of digital valves and all of the fluid flowing through the one of said plurality of digital valves flows through said at least one additional valve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A shock absorber comprising:
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a pressure tube forming a pressure chamber; a piston rod disposed within the pressure chamber; a reserve tube defining a reserve chamber circumscribing the pressure tube; a rod guide assembly concentrically disposed about the piston rod and the pressure chamber, the rod guide assembly including a plurality of recesses formed therein, each of the recesses being in communication with an associated one of a plurality of radially extending inlet ports; a flow area control component having a plurality of holes, the flow area control component being arranged concentrically with the rod guide assembly such that the plurality of holes registers with an associated one of the radially extending inlet ports; a plurality of digital valves disposed in the recesses of the rod guide assembly, each one of said digital valves including a component which is moveable between an open state and a closed state, and operating to either block fluid flow through its associated one of the radially extending inlet ports, or to permit fluid flow through its associated one of the radially extending inlet ports to an associated outlet port, to thus control a fluid flow between the pressure chamber and the reserve chamber; an electronic control system disposed on a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) for controlling actuation of the digital valves; and a plurality of additional valves each being associated with a respective one of the digital valves and disposed within the rod guide assembly, for further controlling a flow of fluid through its associated said digital valve. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of forming a shock absorber comprising:
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using a pressure tube to form a pressure chamber; disposing a piston rod within the pressure chamber; using a reserve tube to define a reserve chamber adjacent the pressure tube; disposing a rod guide assembly concentrically about the piston rod and the pressure chamber; using a plurality of digital valves disposed in the rod guide assembly to control fluid flow between the pressure chamber and reserve chamber; using an electronic control system disposed on a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) to control actuation of the digital valves; and positioning at least one additional valve in the rod guide assembly and in series with an associated one of the digital valves for further controlling a flow of fluid between the pressure chamber and the reserve chamber.
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22. A shock absorber comprising:
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a pressure tube forming a pressure chamber; a piston rod disposed within the pressure chamber; a reserve tube defining a reserve chamber adjacent the pressure tube; a rod guide assembly concentrically disposed about the piston rod and the pressure chamber; a plurality of digital valves disposed in the rod guide assembly, each one of said digital valves including a component which is moveable between an open state and a closed state, and operating to control a fluid flow between the pressure chamber and the reserve chamber; an electronic control system disposed on a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) for controlling actuation of the digital valves; and at least one additional valve disposed in the rod guide assembly and associated with one of the digital valves for further controlling a flow of fluid between the pressure chamber and the reserve chamber, wherein the at least one additional valve is positioned in series with one of said plurality of digital valves.
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Specification