Brakes – Internal-resistance motion retarder – Valve structure or location
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-18
2001-09-18
Oberleitner, Robert J. (Department: 3613)
Brakes
Internal-resistance motion retarder
Valve structure or location
C188S282500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290035
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to automotive dampers or shock absorbers which receive mechanical shock. More particularly, the present invention relates to automotive dampers or shock absorbers which are sensitive to accelerations imposed upon the damper or shock absorber to switch between a firm and a soft damping characteristic.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Shock absorbers are used in conjunction with automotive suspension systems to absorb unwanted vibrations which occur during driving. To absorb unwanted vibrations, shock absorbers are generally connected between the sprung portion(body) and the unsprung portion (suspension) of the automobile. A piston is located within a pressure tube of the shock absorber and is connected to the sprung portion of the automobile through a piston rod. The piston divides the pressure tube into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. Because the piston is able, through valving, to limit the flow of damping fluid between the upper and lower working chambers when the shock absorber is compressed or extended, the shock absorber is able to produce a damping force which counteracts the vibration which would otherwise be transmitted from the unsprung portion to the sprung portion of the automobile. In a dual tube shock absorber, a fluid reservoir is defined between the pressure tube and the reservoir tube. A base valve is located between the lower working chamber and the reservoir to limit the flow of fluid between the lower working chamber and the reservoir to produce a damping force which also counteracts the vibration which would otherwise be transmitted from the unsprung portion to the sprung portion of the automobile. The greater the degree to which the flow of fluid within the shock absorber is restricted by the piston valving or the base valve, the greater the damping forces which are generated by the shock absorber. Thus, a highly restricted flow of fluid would produce a firm ride while a less restricted flow of fluid would produce a soft ride.
In selecting the amount of damping that a shock absorber is to provide, at least three vehicle performance characteristics are considered. These three characteristics are ride comfort, vehicle handling and road holding ability. Ride comfort is often a function of the spring constant of the main springs of the vehicle as well as the spring constant of the seat, tires and the damping coefficient of the shock absorber. For optimum ride comfort, a relatively low damping force or a soft ride is preferred. Vehicle handling is related to the variation in the vehicle's attitude (i.e. roll, pitch and yaw). For optimum vehicle handling, relatively large damping forces or a firm ride are required to avoid excessively rapid variations in the vehicle's attitude during cornering, acceleration and deceleration. Road holding ability is generally a function of the amount of contact between the tires and the ground. To optimize road handling ability, large damping forces are required when driving on irregular surfaces to prevent loss of contact between the wheel and the ground for excessive periods of time.
Various methods for selectively changing the damping characteristics of a shock absorber in response to the operational characteristics of the vehicle have been developed. Continued development of shock absorbers have been directed towards simplified and low cost systems which effectively control the damping characteristics of the shock absorber in response to the varied operational characteristics of the vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides the art with a dual or twin tube shock absorber which incorporates a compression valving system in the base valve of the shock absorber which is sensitive to accelerations imposed upon the shock absorber during movements of the unsprung mass. The compression valving system replaces the standard compression valving system in the base valve with a valving system sensitive to accelerations imposed upon the shock absorber.
Other advantages and objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the subsequent detailed description, appended claims and drawings.
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Bombrys Timothy E.
Hoppert Dale
Huger Rich
Johnson Wayne
Kazmirski Karl C.
Harness Dickey & Pierce PLC
Oberleitner Robert J.
Sy Mariano
Tenneco Automotive Inc.
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