Suspension damper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016160955-A1
Application number	US-201514957416-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 2, 2015
Priority date	Dec 3, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A suspension damper including an actuator and a static fluid damper is provided. The actuator includes a first housing and a second housing positioned within the first housing and coaxially aligned with the first housing along an axis of the actuator. The second housing defines a passage. A piston is slidably positioned within the passage of the second housing to define a first chamber and a second chamber. A divider is positioned between an inner surface of the first housing and an outer surface of the second housing to define a third chamber and a fourth chamber. The static fluid damper includes a first damping chamber, a second damping chamber, and a third damping chamber. A separating member is positioned within the third damping chamber to define a gas chamber. First and second flow passages provide fluid communication between the actuator and the static fluid damper.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A suspension damper, comprising:
an actuator including:
a first housing having a first end and an opposing second end;
a second housing positioned within the first housing and coaxially aligned with the first housing along an axis of the actuator, the second housing having a first end and an opposing second end and defining a passage between the first end and the second end;
a piston slidably positioned within the passage of the second housing to define a first chamber and a second chamber;
a first end cap coupled to the first end of the first housing and the first end of the second housing;
a second end cap coupled to the second end of the first housing and the second end of the second housing;
a piston rod coupled to the piston and extending through an opening defined through the first end cap; and
a divider positioned between an inner surface of the first housing and an outer surface of the second housing to define a third chamber and a fourth chamber, wherein the first chamber is in fluid communication with the third chamber and the second chamber is in fluid communication with the fourth chamber; and
a static fluid damper including:
a first damping chamber;
a second damping chamber in fluid communication with the first damping chamber;
a third damping chamber in fluid communication with the second damping chamber, and
a separating member positioned within the third damping chamber to define a gas chamber,
wherein a first flow passage provides fluid communication between the first damping chamber and the third chamber of the actuator and a second flow passage provides fluid communication between the second damping chamber and the fourth chamber of the actuator, and the first chamber, the second chamber, the third chamber, the fourth chamber, the first damping chamber, the second damping chamber, and the third damping chamber are filled with fluid.

2 . The suspension damper of claim 1 , wherein the second housing defines at least one aperture between the first chamber and the third chamber.

3 . The suspension damper of claim 1 , wherein the second housing defines at least one aperture between the second chamber and the fourth chamber.

4 . The suspension damper of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first valve positioned between the first damping chamber and the second damping chamber and configured to allow fluid to flow from the first damping chamber into the second damping chamber and prevent fluid from flowing from the second damping chamber into the first damping chamber; and a second valve positioned between the first damping chamber and the second damping chamber and configured allow fluid to flow from the second damping chamber into the first damping chamber and prevent fluid flowing from the first damping chamber into the second damping chamber.

5 . The suspension damper of claim 4 , further comprising:
a third valve positioned between the second damping chamber and the third damping chamber and configured to allow fluid to flow from the third damping chamber into the second damping chamber and prevent fluid from flowing from the second damping chamber into the third damping chamber; and a fourth valve positioned between the second damping chamber and the third damping chamber and configured to allow fluid to flow from the second damping chamber into the third damping chamber and prevent fluid flowing from the third damping chamber into the second damping chamber.

6 . The suspension damper of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the piston rod and the second end cap is coupled to a moving part of a suspension system and the static fluid damper is coupled to a non-moving portion of one of a frame and a sub-frame.

7 . The suspension damper of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the piston rod and the second end cap is coupled to a moving part of a suspension system and the static fluid damper is coupled to the first housing.

8 . The suspension damper of claim 1 , wherein the static fluid damper further includes a port in communication with the gas chamber, the port configured to allow a change in gas pressure within the gas chamber.

9 . A suspension damper, comprising:
an actuator including:
a first housing having a first end and an opposing second end;
a second housing positioned within the first housing and coaxially aligned with the first housing along an axis of the actuator, the second housing having a first end and an opposing second end and defining a passage between the first end and the second end;
a piston slidably positioned within the passage of the second housing to define a first chamber and a second chamber;
a first end cap coupled to the first end of the first housing and the first end of the second housing;
a second end cap coupled to the second end of the first housing and the second end of the second housing;
a piston rod coupled to the piston and extending through an opening defined through the first end cap; and
a third chamber is defined by the volume between the first housing and the second housing, wherein the first chamber is in fluid communication with the third chamber; and
a static fluid damper including:
a first damping chamber;
a second damping chamber in fluid communication with the first damping chamber;
a third damping chamber in fluid communication with the second damping chamber, and
a separating member positioned within the third damping chamber to define a gas chamber,
wherein a first flow passage provides fluid communication between the first damping chamber and the third chamber of the actuator and a second flow passage provides fluid communication between the second damping chamber and the second chamber of the actuator through an opening in the second end cap, and the first chamber, the second chamber, the third chamber, the first damping chamber, the second damping chamber, and the third damping chamber are filled with fluid.

10 . The suspension damper of claim 9 , wherein the second housing defines at least one aperture between the first chamber and the third chamber.

11 . The suspension damper of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first valve positioned between the first damping chamber and the second damping chamber and configured to allow fluid to flow from the first damping chamber into the second damping chamber and prevent fluid from flowing from the second damping chamber into the first damping chamber; and a second valve positioned between the first damping chamber and the second damping chamber and configured allow fluid to flow from the second damping chamber into the first damping chamber and prevent fluid flowing from the first damping chamber into the second damping chamber.

12 . The suspension damper of claim 11 , further comprising:
a third valve positioned between the second damping chamber and the third damping chamber and configured to allow fluid to flow from the third damping chamber into the second damping chamber and prevent fluid from flowing from the second damping chamber into the third damping chamber; and a fourth valve positioned between the second damping chamber and the third damping chamber and configured to allow fluid to flow from the second damping chamber into the third damping chamber and prevent fluid flowing from the third damping chamber into the second damping chamber.

13 . The suspension damper of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the piston rod and the second end cap is coupled to a moving part of a suspension system and the static fluid damper is coupled to a non-moving portion of one of a frame and a sub-frame.

14 . The suspension damper of claim 9 , wh

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yu Jinghong
• Rhoades Kirk
• Otsu Kazutaka

Classifications

• F16F9/065

  Expansion chamber provided on the upper or lower end of a damper, separately there from or laterally on the damper · CPC title

• F16F9/062 Primary

  Bi-tubular units · CPC title

• F16F9/3257

  in twin-tube type devices · CPC title