Telescopic passive damper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12331806-B2
Application number	US-202217849715-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2022
Priority date	Jul 13, 2021
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A damper assembly comprises a monotube damper and a twintube damper in a telescopic configuration. A first piston is connected to a rod and is slidably disposed within a first tube. A second tube and a third tube are each disposed coaxially around the monotube damper, with the third tube disposed within the second tube and defining an annular chamber therebetween. A second piston is connected to an axial end of the first tube dividing an interior of the third tube into an upper chamber and a lower chamber. The second piston defines a twintube passage providing fluid communication therethrough. A base member defines a base passage providing fluid communication between the lower chamber and the annular chamber. A seal selectively blocks fluid flow through the twintube passage or the base passage and based on an axial position of the first tube relative to the second tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A damper assembly comprising:
a monotube damper and a twintube damper in a telescopic configuration;
the monotube damper including a first tube, a rod disposed at least partially within the first tube and coaxially therewith, and a first piston connected to the rod and slidably disposed within the first tube;
the twintube damper including a second tube and a third tube each disposed coaxially around the monotube damper, the second tube having an upper end and a closed lower end opposite from the upper end, and the third tube disposed within the second tube and defining an annular chamber therebetween;
the twintube damper including a second piston connected to an axial end of the first tube dividing an interior of the third tube into an upper twintube chamber and a lower twintube chamber, the second piston defining a twintube passage providing fluid communication between the upper twintube chamber and the lower twintube chamber;
the twintube damper including a base valve having a base member disposed adjacent to the closed lower end of the second tube and defining at least one base passage therethrough and providing fluid communication between the lower twintube chamber and the annular chamber; and
a seal configured to selectively block fluid flow through one of the twintube passage or the base passage based on an axial position of the first tube relative to the second tube.

2. The damper assembly of claim 1 , wherein the seal has an annular shape.

3. The damper assembly of claim 1 , wherein the seal is disposed within and adjacent to an interior surface of the third tube.

4. The damper assembly of claim 1 , wherein the seal is configured to selectively block fluid flow through the base passage of the base member based on the axial position of the first tube relative to the second tube.

5. The damper assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a compressive member located in the lower twintube chamber and extending between the second piston and the seal.

6. The damper assembly of claim 5 , wherein the compressive member includes a coil spring.

7. The damper assembly of claim 4 , wherein the base member further defines a position-independent base passage that is not blocked by the seal and provides fluid communication between the lower twintube chamber and the annular chamber independent of the axial position of the first tube relative to the second tube.

8. The damper assembly of claim 1 , wherein the seal is configured to selectively block fluid flow through the twintube passage of the second piston based the axial position of the first tube relative to the second tube.

9. The damper assembly of claim 8 , wherein the seal is disposed in the upper twintube chamber and configured to selectively engage a top face of the second piston to selectively block fluid flow through the twintube passage of the second piston based the axial position of the first tube relative to the second tube.

10. The damper assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
a cap at least partially enclosing an end of the second tube, with the first tube of the monotube damper passing through the cap; and
a compressive member located in the upper twintube chamber and extending between the cap and the seal to bias the seal toward the top face of the second piston.

11. The damper assembly of claim 8 , wherein the seal is disposed in the lower twintube chamber and configured to selectively engage a bottom face of the second piston to selectively block fluid flow through the twintube passage of the second piston based the axial position of the first tube relative to the second tube.

12. The damper assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a compressive member located in the lower twintube chamber and extending between the base member and the seal.

13. The damper assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second piston further defines an invariable twintube passage providing fluid communication between the upper twintube chamber and the lower twintube chamber, and
wherein the invariable twintube passage is not blocked by the seal and provides fluid communication between the upper twintube chamber and the lower twintube chamber independent of the axial position of the first tube relative to the second tube.

14. The damper assembly of claim 1 , further comprising: a cap at least partially enclosing an end of the first tube, with the rod passing through the cap; and
a first ring disposed around the rod and adjacent to the first piston and configured to engage the cap to increase a rebound damping force adjacent to an end of travel position of the rod in a direction outwardly from the first tube.

15. The damper assembly of claim 14 , further comprising: a second ring disposed on the rod and adjacent to the first piston opposite the first ring to increase a compression damping force adjacent to an end of travel position of the rod in a direction into the first tube.

16. The damper assembly of claim 1 , further comprising: a cap at least partially enclosing an end of the first tube, with the rod passing through the cap; and
a gas cup disposed within the first tube, with the first piston located between the cap and the gas cup, the gas cup forming a fluid-tight seal with an interior surface of the first tube,
wherein the first piston divides an interior of the first tube into a first chamber and a second chamber, each filled with a liquid, and
wherein the gas cup divides the second chamber from a third chamber containing a gas.

17. The damper assembly of claim 16 , wherein the gas cup encloses the third chamber of the first tube to prevent gas from escaping therefrom.

18. A damper assembly comprising:
a monotube damper and a twintube damper in a telescopic configuration;
the monotube damper including a first tube, a rod disposed at least partially within the first tube and coaxially therewith, and a first piston connected to the rod and slidably disposed within the first tube;
the twintube damper including a second tube and a third tube each disposed coaxially around the monotube damper, the second tube having an upper end and a closed lower end opposite from the upper end, and the third tube disposed within the second tube and defining an annular chamber therebetween;
the twintube damper including a second piston connected to an axial end of the first tube dividing an interior of the third tube into an upper twintube chamber and a lower twintube chamber, the second piston defining a twintube passage providing fluid communication between the upper twintube chamber and the lower twintube chamber;
the twintube damper including a base valve having a base member disposed adjacent to the closed lower end of the second tube and defining at least one base passage therethrough and providing fluid communication between the lower twintube chamber and the annular chamber; and
a seal configured to selectively block fluid flow through the twintube passage of the second piston based on an axial position of the first tube relative to the second tube.

19. The damper assembly of claim 18 , wherein the seal includes a first seal configured to selectively engage a top surface of the second piston to block fluid flow through the twintube passage, and
wherein the seal includes a second seal configured to selectively engage a bottom surface of the second piston opposite the top surface to block fluid flow through the twintube passage.

20. A damper assembly comprising:
a monotube damper and a twintube damper in a telescopic configuration;
the monotube damp

Assignees

• Beijingwest Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jarzabek Piotr Krzysztof
• Sarapata Mateusz Szymon

Classifications

• F16F9/062 Primary

  Bi-tubular units · CPC title

• F16F9/48

  Arrangements for providing different damping effects at different parts of the stroke ({F16F9/346, F16F9/516} , F16F9/53 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16F9/3214

  of pistons (F16F9/0227 and F16F9/36 take precedence; throttling passages in or on piston body F16F9/3405) · CPC title

• F16F9/165

  with two or more cylinders in line, i.e. in series connection (F16F9/26 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16F9/5126 Primary

  Piston, or piston-like valve elements (F16F9/504 takes precedence) · CPC title