Cylinder device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10309479-B2
Application number	US-201615562310-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2016
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

A cylinder device includes: an inner cylinder in which a functional fluid, a fluid property of which is changed due to an electric field or a magnetic field, is encapsulated; an outer cylinder provided outside the inner cylinder; an intermediate cylinder provided between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder to serve as an electrode or a magnetic pole; a rod guide provided to close the one end side end portions of the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder; a spacer having one end located at the rod guide side and the other end located at the one end side of the intermediate cylinder, and fitted to the inner cylinder; and an elastic seal member disposed in a portion of the other end of the spacer, and configured to seal the one end side end portion of the passage between the intermediate cylinder and the inner cylinder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cylinder device comprising:
an inner cylinder in which a functional fluid, a fluid property of which is changed due to an electric field or a magnetic field, is encapsulated, and into which a rod is inserted;
an outer cylinder provided outside the inner cylinder;
an intermediate cylinder provided between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder such that a passage in which the functional fluid flows from one end of the cylinder device toward the other end in an axial direction due to advancing and retracting movements of the rod is formed between the inner cylinder and the intermediate cylinder, and configured to serve as an electrode or a magnetic pole;
a rod guide provided to close end portions of the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, and configured to support the rod;
a spacer having one end located at the rod guide and the other end located at one end of the intermediate cylinder and fitted to the inner cylinder; and
an elastic seal member disposed on the other end of the spacer, and the elastic seal member configured to seal one end portion of the passage between the intermediate cylinder and the inner cylinder,
wherein the spacer is provided to be relatively movable with respect to the intermediate cylinder in an axial direction.

2. The cylinder device of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate cylinder includes a diameter-enlarged cylinder portion a diameter of which is enlarged radially outward via an annular stepped portion, at one end of the intermediate cylinder, and
the diameter-enlarged cylinder portion is fitted to an outer periphery of the other end of the spacer.

3. The cylinder device of claim 2 , wherein the other end of the spacer extends to a location between the intermediate cylinder and the inner cylinder, and
the seal member includes a first seal portion between the inner cylinder and the spacer, and a second seal portion between the intermediate cylinder and the spacer.

4. The cylinder device of claim 3 , wherein the first seal portion and the second seal portion are integrated with each other.

5. The cylinder device of claim 1 , wherein the other end of the spacer extends to a location between the intermediate cylinder and the inner cylinder, and
the seal member includes a first seal portion between the inner cylinder and the spacer, and a second seal portion between the intermediate cylinder and the spacer.

6. The cylinder device of claim 5 , wherein the first seal portion and the second seal portion are integrated with each other.

7. The cylinder device of claim 1 , wherein the spacer includes a flange portion at a position where the flange portion does not abut the one end of the intermediate cylinder, the flange portion being located on an outer periphery of the spacer.

Assignees

• Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Tanabe Umi
• Kimura Yusei

Classifications

• F16F9/53 Primary

  Means for adjusting damping characteristics by varying fluid viscosity, e.g. electromagnetically {(F16F13/30 takes precedence; brakes comprising a medium with electrically or magnetically controlled friction F16D57/002; electrorheological fluids per se C10M171/001; magnetorheological fluids per se H01F1/447)} · CPC title

• F16F9/3242

  of cylinder ends, e.g. caps · CPC title

• F16F9/532

  Electrorheological [ER] fluid dampers · CPC title

• F16F2230/30

  Sealing arrangements · CPC title

• F16F9/3235

  of cylinders (F16F9/483 takes precedence) · CPC title