Damper with vehicle height adjustment function

Details Damper with vehicle height adjustment function Damper with vehicle height adjustment function

1999-07-30

2001-06-19

Oberleitner, Robert J. (Department: 3613)

Spring devices

Vehicle

Comprising compressible fluid

Reexamination Certificate

active

06247683

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a damper with a vehicle height adjustment function for incorporation in a suspension of vehicles such as automobiles.
2. Description of the Related Art
A damper for vehicles includes a damper main body and a damper rod inserted into the damper main body in such a manner as to freely move therein in vertical directions. One of the damper main body and the damper rod is connected to a spring lower member, while the other is connected to a vehicle body, whereby a damping effect is obtained for vibrations of the vehicle body.
Conventionally, known as a damper with a vehicle height adjustment function is a self-pumping type damper in which a pumping unit is interposed between a vehicle body and the damper for sending oil from a low pressure chamber to a high pressure chamber through pumping actions resulting from vibrations of the vehicle body to thereby raise the vehicle body higher by virtue of the pressure in the high pressure chamber.
The self-pumping type damper has a drawback that the construction of the pumping unit becomes complicated, resulting in high costs. In addition, it has also a drawback that although it is desirable to lower the height of the vehicle when running at high speed for the sake of vehicle running stability, the self-pumping type damper is designed to react only to vibrations and is not adapted to react to the vehicle speed, and therefore with the self-pumping type damper, it is not possible to lower the vehicle height while running at high speed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was made in view of the above situation, and an object thereof is to provide a damper with a vehicle height adjustment function, which is simple in construction and low in cost, and can raise the vehicle height when running on a rough road and lower the same when running at high speed.
With a view to solving the problems, the present invention provides a damper with a vehicle height adjustment function for vehicles including a damper main body and a damper rod inserted into the damper main body in such a manner as to freely move therein in vertical directions, a cylindrical case provided on an outside of the damper main body in such a manner as to freely move in vertical directions and connected to the damper rod, and a pressure chamber formed between the damper main body and the case and having sealed therein a pressure medium which changes its phase between vapor and liquid phases, wherein the pressure medium is heated and vaporized by heat generated by virtue of a damping effect of the damper.
When running on a rough road, the magnitude of vibrations of the vehicle body becomes large, and the heating value of the damper is increased by virtue of the damping effect thereof, whereby the heating and vaporization of the pressure medium inside the pressure chamber is promoted. As a result of this, the internal pressure of the pressure chamber is increased, and the case, in other words, the damper rod is pushed toward an extension side relative to the damper main body by virtue of the internal pressure of the pressure chamber, thereby raising the vehicle height.
When running at high speed, the magnitude of vibrations of the vehicle body is small (because a high-speed running is performed on a road such as a motor way whose road surface is free from irregularities), and the heating value of the damper is decreased. On the other hand, the running wind becomes stronger and this increases the heat radiating value from the case, the condensation of the pressure medium inside the pressure chamber being thereby promoted. As a result of this, the internal pressure inside the pressure chamber is decreased, and the damper rod is displaced to a contraction side relative to the damper main body, thereby lowering the vehicle height.
In addition, a change in vehicle height associated with a change in outside temperature can be prevented with a heating means for heating the pressure medium and a control means for controlling the heating means in response to the outside temperature so as to compensate for reduction in internal pressure of the pressure chamber when the outside temperature is low.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3836132 (1974-09-01), McNally et al.
patent: 4226408 (1980-10-01), Tomita et al.
patent: 4484732 (1984-11-01), Gould
patent: 4513953 (1985-04-01), Moulders et al.
patent: 4597565 (1986-07-01), Smith
patent: 4651979 (1987-03-01), Freitag et al.

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