Shock absorber with hydraulic rebound system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9835220-B2
Application number	US-201615151516-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2016
Priority date	Oct 5, 2015
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

The ring guide of the hydraulic stop mechanism defines at least one channel spaced from the passage, extending axially from the lower surface toward the upper surface, and terminating adjacent to the catcher. The catcher defines at least one window extending from the upper surface toward the lower surface establishing fluid communication with the channel. The retainer includes a second protrusion disposed at the coupling end of the retainer extending outwardly engaging the piston rod. The piston rod defines a pair of slots. A first slot is spaced from the rod support and the piston and extends about the piston rod for receiving the ring guide. A second slot is spaced from the piston and the first slot, and extends about the piston rod for receiving the second protrusion of the retainer. The ring guide includes a plurality of passages and channels alternating with one another about the ring guide.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shock absorber assembly comprising;
a housing presenting a wall disposed along a center axis and extending between a first end and a second end and defining an inner surface extending about said center axis enclosing a main chamber between said ends and said inner surface,
a piston disposed in said main chamber and slidably engaging said inner surface,
a piston rod attached to said piston and axially movable along said center axis,
a hydraulic stop mechanism including a force reducing device disposed in said main chamber between one of said ends and said piston and attached to said piston rod and defining a first rebound chamber between said one of said ends and said force reducing device and a second rebound chamber between said force reducing device and said piston for providing additional damping force in response to the axial movement of said piston,
said force reducing device including a ring guide attached to said piston rod and extending about said piston rod between a lower surface adjacent to said piston and an upper surface spaced from said lower surface,
said ring guide defining at least one passage extending axially from said upper surface toward said lower surface and radially through said ring guide and terminating before said lower surface for allowing hydraulic fluid to flow radially through said passage,
a ring slidably disposed about said ring guide between said upper surface and said lower surface and in sealing engagement with said inner surface of said wall and movable along said center axis between an unblocked position and a blocked position with said ring disposed in said unblocked position adjacent to said upper surface to establish fluid communication between said first rebound chamber and said passage and said second rebound chamber and with said ring disposed in said blocked position abutting said lower surface of said ring guide to close the fluid communication between said first rebound chamber and said passage and said second rebound chamber to provide additional damping force,
said ring guide further including a catcher disposed adjacent to said upper surface of said ring guide extending radially outwardly from said ring guide toward said inner surface in a perpendicular relationship with said center axis to limit axial movement of said ring and engage said ring in said unblocked position to establish fluid communication between said first rebound chamber and said passage and said second rebound chamber, and
said ring guide defining at least one channel spaced circumferentially from and generally parallel to said passage and extending axially from said lower surface toward said upper surface and radially through said ring guide and said catcher and terminating adjacent said catcher and before said upper surface for allowing additional hydraulic fluid to flow radially through said ring guide with said ring in said unblocked position to reduce hydraulic fluid pressure exerted on said ring guide whereby said ring disposed in said blocked position closes the fluid communication between said first rebound chamber and said passage and said at least one channel and said second rebound chamber to provide the additional damping force and said ring disposed in said unblocked position abuts said catcher to establish fluid communication between said first rebound chamber and said passage and said at least one channel and said second rebound chamber.

2. A shock absorber assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said passage and said channel are spaced from one another annularly about said ring guide to allow the hydraulic fluid to flow through said ring guide.

3. A shock absorber assembly as set forth in claim 2 further includes a plurality of said passages and a plurality of said channels with said passages and said channels alternating with one another annularly about said ring guide.

4. A shock absorber assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said catcher defines at least one window disposed on said catcher and which said window extends from said upper surface toward said lower surface to establish a fluid communication with said channel of said ring guide to allow additional hydraulic fluid flow through said channel and said window.

5. A shock absorber assembly as set forth in claim 4 further includes a plurality of windows disposed annularly around said catcher and spaced from one another.

6. A shock absorber assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ring guide includes first protrusion disposed at said upper surface of said ring guide extending radially outwardly from said upper surface of said ring guide and toward said center axis for engaging said piston rod.

7. A shock absorber assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said piston rod defines a first slot disposed on said piston rod adjacent to and spaced from said piston and extending about said piston rod and receiving said first protrusion of said ring guide and securing said ring guide to said piston rod.

8. A shock absorber assembly as set forth in claim 7 further including a retainer disposed in said main chamber spaced from said piston and attached to said piston rod and extending annularly about said piston rod for receiving said ring guide, and said retainer extends between a proximal end adjacent to said ring guide and a coupling end adjacent to and spaced from said piston.

9. A shock absorber assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said retainer includes a second protrusion disposed at said coupling end of said retainer extending outwardly from said coupling end of said retainer and toward said center axis for engaging said piston rod, and said piston rod defines a second slot disposed on said piston rod adjacent to and spaced from said piston rod and said first slot and extending about said piston rod to receive said second protrusion of said retainer to secure said retainer to said piston rod.

Assignees

• Beijingwest Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kontny Marek Karol
• Szostek Tomasz Roman

Classifications

• F16F9/3207

  Constructional features (F16F9/34 - F16F9/50 take precedence; assembly or repair F16F9/3271) · CPC title

• F16F9/58

  Stroke limiting stops, e.g. arranged on the piston rod outside the cylinder (F16F9/49 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16F9/366 Primary

  functioning as guide only, e.g. bushings · CPC title

• F16F9/19 Primary

  with a single cylinder {and of single-tube type} · CPC title

• F16F9/3405 Primary

  Throttling passages in or on piston body, e.g. slots (F16F9/344, F16F9/3481 take precedence) · CPC title