Suspension device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10076943-B2
Application number	US-201515523691-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2015
Priority date	Nov 7, 2014
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

A suspension device includes: a damper that has an extension-side chamber and a contraction-side chamber; an extension-side passage connected to the extension-side chamber; a contraction-side passage connected to the contraction-side chamber; a switching device that connects one of the extension-side passage and the contraction-side passage to the supply passage and connecting the other of the extension-side passage and the contraction-side passage to the discharge passage selectively; an extension-side damping element provided in the extension-side passage; a contraction-side damping element provided in the contraction-side passage; a control valve capable of adjusting a pressure in the supply passage; an intake check valve provided midway in the intake passage; and a supply-side check valve provided in the supply passage between the control valve and the pump.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A suspension device comprising:
a damper that has a cylinder and a piston, the piston being inserted into the cylinder to be free to move and defines an extension-side chamber and a contraction-side chamber within the cylinder;
a pump;
a reservoir connected to an intake side of the pump;
a supply passage connected to a discharge side of the pump;
a discharge passage connected to the reservoir;
an extension-side passage connected to the extension-side chamber;
a contraction-side passage connected to the contraction-side chamber;
a switching device that connects one of the extension-side passage and the contraction-side passage to the supply passage and connecting the other of the extension-side passage and the contraction-side passage to the discharge passage selectively;
an extension-side damping element provided in the extension-side passage to apply resistance to a flow traveling from the extension-side chamber toward the switching device and permit a flow traveling in an opposite direction;
a contraction-side damping element provided in the contraction-side passage to apply resistance to a flow traveling from the contraction-side chamber toward the switching device and permit a flow traveling in an opposite direction;
a control valve capable of adjusting a pressure in the supply passage in accordance with a supplied current;
an intake passage that connects the supply passage to the discharge passage;
an intake check valve provided midway in the intake passage in order to permit only a flow of fluid traveling from the discharge passage toward the supply passage; and
a supply-side check valve provided in the supply passage between the control valve and the pump in order to permit only a flow traveling from the pump side toward the control valve side.

2. A suspension device comprising:
a plurality of dampers, each having a cylinder and a piston, the piston being inserted into the cylinder to be free to move and defines an extension-side chamber and a contraction-side chamber within the cylinder;
a pump;
a reservoir connected to an intake side of the pump;
a plurality of fluid pressure circuits provided respectively for the dampers; and
a flow dividing valve that distributes fluid discharged from the pump to the respective fluid pressure circuits,
each fluid pressure circuit comprising:
a supply passage connected to a discharge side of the pump via the flow dividing valve;
a discharge passage connected to the reservoir;
an extension-side passage connected to the extension-side chamber;
a contraction-side passage connected to the contraction-side chamber;
a switching device that connects one of the extension-side passage and the contraction-side passage to the supply passage and connecting the other of the extension-side passage and the contraction-side passage to the discharge passage selectively;
an extension-side damping element provided in the extension-side passage to apply resistance to a flow traveling from the extension-side chamber toward the switching device and permit a flow traveling in an opposite direction;
a contraction-side damping element provided in the contraction-side passage to apply resistance to a flow traveling from the contraction-side chamber toward the switching device and permit a flow traveling in an opposite direction;
a control valve capable of adjusting a pressure in the supply passage in accordance with a supplied current;
an intake passage that connects the supply passage to the discharge passage;
an intake check valve provided midway in the intake passage in order to permit only a flow of fluid traveling from the discharge passage toward the supply passage; and
a supply-side check valve provided in the supply passage between the control valve and the pump in order to permit only a flow traveling from the pump side toward the control valve side.

3. The suspension device as defined in claim 1 , wherein
the control valve has a pressure non override property for a flow amount.

4. The suspension device as defined in claim 1 , wherein
the extension-side damping element comprises:
an extension-side damping valve that applies resistance to a flow traveling from the extension-side chamber toward the switching device; and
an extension-side check valve provided parallel to the extension-side damping valve in order to permit only a flow traveling from the switching device toward the extension-side chamber, and
the contraction-side damping element comprises:
a contraction-side damping valve that applies resistance to a flow traveling from the contraction-side chamber toward the switching device; and
a contraction-side check valve provided parallel to the contraction-side damping valve in order to permit only a flow traveling from the switching device toward the contraction-side chamber.

5. The suspension device as defined in claim 4 , wherein the extension-side damping element comprises:
an extension-side bypass passage provided parallel to the extension-side damping valve; and
a second extension-side damping valve and an extension-side open/close valve provided in the extension-side bypass passage, and
the extension-side open/close valve closes the extension-side bypass passage when a pressure in the supply passage is lower than a predetermined value, and opens the extension-side bypass passage when the pressure in the supply passage equals or exceeds the predetermined value.

6. The suspension device as defined in claim 4 , wherein the contraction-side damping element comprises:
a contraction-side bypass passage provided parallel to the contraction-side damping valve; and
a second contraction-side damping valve and a contraction-side open/close valve provided in the contraction-side bypass passage, and
the contraction-side open/close valve closes the contraction-side bypass passage when a pressure in the supply passage is lower than a predetermined value, and opens the contraction-side bypass passage when the pressure in the supply passage equals or exceeds the predetermined value.

7. The suspension device defined in claim 1 , wherein the switching device is a direction switching valve,
the direction switching valve includes:
an extension-side supply position in which the supply passage is connected to the extension-side passage and the discharge passage is connected to the contraction-side passage;
a contraction-side supply position in which the supply passage is connected to the contraction-side passage and the discharge passage is connected to the extension-side passage; and
a communication position in which the supply passage, the discharge passage, the extension-side passage, and the contraction-side passage all communicate with each other.

8. The suspension device defined in claim 1 , wherein
the control valve is a solenoid throttle valve controlled on the basis of a pressure in the supply passage, which is detected by a pressure sensor.

9. The suspension device defined in claim 1 , wherein
the damper includes a rod that is inserted into the cylinder to be free to move and coupled to the piston.

10. The suspension device as defined in claim 2 , wherein
the control valve has a pressure non override property for a flow amount.

11. The suspension device as defined in claim 2 , wherein
the extension-side damping element comprises:
an extension-side damping valve that applies resistance to a flow traveling from the extension-side chamber toward the switching device; and
an extension-side check valve provided parallel to the extension-side damping valve in order to permit only a flow traveling from the switching device toward the extension-side chamber, and
the co

Assignees

• Kyb Corp

Inventors

• Masamura Tatsuya

Classifications

• B60G2600/26

  Electromagnets; Solenoids · CPC title

• B60G2500/114

  pressure regulating valves · CPC title

• B60G17/056 Primary

  Regulating distributors or valves {for hydropneumatic systems}(B60G17/044 - B60G17/048, {B60G17/0416} take precedence; {Fluid interconnection systems to control vehicle inclination B60G21/06, B60G21/10}; valves per se F16K) · CPC title

• B60G2400/5182

  Fluid damper · CPC title

• B60G13/08

  hydraulic · CPC title