Baffle for damper with electromechanical valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10704641-B2
Application number	US-201715843340-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2017
Priority date	Dec 15, 2017
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

A shock absorber includes a pressure tube forming a working chamber. A reserve tube is concentric with and radially outward from the pressure tube. A baffle is positioned radially outward from the pressure tube. A reservoir chamber is formed between the reserve tube and the baffle. A piston is attached to a piston rod and slidably disposed within the pressure tube. A rod guide is attached to the pressure tube and supports the piston rod. An electromechanical valve is positioned within the rod guide. A plurality of non-linear passageways are disposed between the baffle and at least one of the pressure tube and the reserve tube for transporting fluid between the electromechanical valve and the reservoir chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shock absorber comprising:
a pressure tube having an inner surface that defines a working chamber and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the pressure tube;
a piston assembly attached to a piston rod and slidably disposed within the pressure tube, the piston assembly dividing the working chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber;
a reserve tube disposed around the pressure tube, the reserve tube having an inner surface that faces the pressure tube and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the reserve tube;
a baffle positioned radially between the pressure tube and the reserve tube to define a baffle channel and a reservoir chamber between the pressure tube and the reserve tube; and
at least one valve positioned in fluid communication with the upper working chamber and the baffle channel for controlling fluid flow between the upper working chambers and the baffle channel,
wherein the baffle channel includes a plurality of passageways that are defined by grooves in the baffle together with at least one of the outer surface of the pressure tube and the inner surface of the reserve tube, at least one of the plurality of passageways disposed in fluid communication with the at least one valve and the reservoir chamber, wherein when fluid flows through the at least one of the plurality of passageways in a first direction, fluid flows through another one of the plurality of passageways in a second opposite direction.

2. The shock absorber of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of passageways are non-linear and provide a tortuous fluid flow path along the baffle.

3. The shock absorber of claim 2 , wherein the grooves and the plurality of passageways extend from an upper end of the baffle to a lower end of the baffle.

4. The shock absorber of claim 2 , wherein the grooves extend helically along an inner surface of the baffle such that the grooves and the outer surface of the pressure tube cooperate to define the plurality of passageways.

5. The shock absorber of claim 2 , wherein the grooves extend helically along an outer surface of the baffle such that the grooves and the inner surface of the reserve tube cooperate to define the plurality of passageways.

6. The shock absorber of claim 2 , wherein the grooves include inner grooves and outer grooves and the plurality of passageways include inner passageways and outer passageways, the inner grooves extending helically along an inner surface of the baffle such that the inner grooves and the outer surface of the pressure tube cooperate to define the inner passageways, and the outer grooves extending helically along an outer surface of the baffle such that the outer grooves and the inner surface of the reserve tube cooperate to define the outer passageways.

7. The shock absorber of claim 6 , wherein the inner passageways are disposed in fluid communication with the at least one valve and the reservoir chamber and the outer passageways are disposed in fluid communication with only the reservoir chamber.

8. The shock absorber of claim 2 , wherein the grooves extend in a serpentine path along an outer surface of the baffle such that the grooves and the inner surface of the reserve tube cooperate to define the plurality of passageways.

9. A shock absorber comprising:
a pressure tube having an inner surface that defines a working chamber and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the pressure tube;
a piston assembly attached to a piston rod and slidably disposed within the pressure tube, the piston assembly dividing the working chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber;
a reserve tube disposed around the pressure tube, the reserve tube having an inner surface that faces the pressure tube and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the reserve tube;
a baffle positioned radially between the pressure tube and the reserve tube to define a baffle channel and a reservoir chamber between the pressure tube and the reserve tube; and
at least one valve positioned in fluid communication with the upper working chamber and the baffle channel for controlling fluid flow between the upper working chambers and the baffle channel,
wherein the baffle channel includes a plurality of passageways that are defined by grooves in the baffle together with at least one of the outer surface of the pressure tube and the inner surface of the reserve tube, the plurality of passageways having a non-linear shape, at least one of the plurality of passageways disposed in fluid communication with the at least one valve and the reservoir chamber,
wherein the at least one valve includes a first valve that is disposed in fluid communication with multiple passageways of the plurality of passageways.

10. The shock absorber of claim 9 , wherein the baffle channel and the plurality of passageways are positioned radially between the pressure tube and the baffle.

11. The shock absorber of claim 9 , wherein the baffle channel and the plurality of passageways are positioned radially between the reserve tube and the baffle.

12. The shock absorber of claim 9 , wherein the baffle is disposed in contact with and is supported by the pressure tube.

13. The shock absorber of claim 9 , wherein the baffle is disposed in contact with and is supported by the reserve tube.

14. The shock absorber of claim 9 , wherein the at least one valve is positioned between the piston rod and the reserve tube.

15. The shock absorber of claim 9 , wherein the at least one valve is positioned external to the reserve tube.

16. A shock absorber comprising:
a pressure tube having an inner surface that defines a working chamber and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the pressure tube;
a piston assembly attached to a piston rod and slidably disposed within the pressure tube, the piston assembly dividing the working chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber;
a reserve tube disposed around the pressure tube, the reserve tube having an inner surface that faces the pressure tube and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the reserve tube;
a baffle positioned radially between the pressure tube and the reserve tube to define a baffle channel and a reservoir chamber between the pressure tube and the reserve tube; and
at least one valve positioned in fluid communication with the upper working chamber and the baffle channel for controlling fluid flow between the upper working chambers and the baffle channel,
wherein the baffle channel includes a plurality of passageways that are defined by grooves in the baffle together with at least one of the outer surface of the pressure tube and the inner surface of the reserve tube, at least one of the plurality of passageways disposed in fluid communication with the at least one valve and the reservoir chamber, wherein the plurality of passageways includes a first passageway that is disposed in fluid communication with the at least one valve and the reservoir chamber and a second passageway that is disposed in fluid communication with only the reservoir chamber.

17. A shock absorber comprising:
a pressure tube having an inner surface that defines a working chamber and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the pressure tube;
a piston assembly attached to a piston rod and slidably disposed within the pressure tube, the piston assembly dividing the working chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber;
a reserve tube disposed around the pressure tube, the reserve tube having an inner surface that faces the pr

Assignees

• Tenneco Automotive Operating Co Inc

Inventors

• Roessle Matthew L
• Golin Michael

Classifications

• F16F7/1034

  of movement of a liquid · CPC title

• F16F9/185

  Bitubular units (where compression of gas leads to a clear spring action F16F9/062) · CPC title

• F16F9/46 Primary

  allowing control from a distance {, i.e. location of means for control input being remote from site of valves, e.g. on damper external wall (attachment of valve units to cylinders F16F9/325)} · CPC title

• F16F9/50

  Special means providing automatic damping adjustment, {i.e. self-adjustment of damping by particular sliding movements of a valve element, other than flexions or displacement of valve discs}(F16F9/53 takes precedence); {Special means providing self-adjustment of spring characteristics} · CPC title

• F16F9/066 Primary

  Units characterised by the partition, baffle or like element (F16F9/068, F16F9/08 take precedence) · CPC title