Solenoid, damping force adjustment mechanism, and damping force adjustable shock absorber

A damping force adjustment mechanism comprising:

• a coil wound annularly and configured to generate a magnetic force in reaction to power supply;
• a housing member on an inner periphery of the coil, the housing member extending in a direction of a winding axis of the coil, and including a housing portion open on an end side thereof and being made from a magnetic body;
• a movable element in the housing portion, the movable element being movable in the direction of the winding axis of the coil, and made from a magnetic body;
• a control valve configured to be controlled according to a movement of the movable element;
• a stator at a position facing an opening of the housing portion, the stator including a reduced diameter portion and a side surface portion integrally made from a magnetic body, the reduced diameter portion having an outer diameter reducing toward the opening of the housing portion, the side surface portion extending from an outer periphery of the reduced diameter portion in a direction away from the opening of the housing portion;
• and
• a yoke including a fixation hole having an inner peripheral surface to which a part of the side surface portion of the stator is fixed, the yoke being configured such that a non-contact portion is defined between the yoke and the side surface portion of the stator on a housing member side of the fixation hole,
• wherein:
• the non-contact portion is an annular space defined in an assembled state;
• and
• at the non-contact portion, the yoke and the side surface portion of the stator are out of contact with each other.

A damping force adjustable shock absorber comprising:

• a cylinder sealingly containing hydraulic fluid therein;
• a piston which is slidable in the cylinder;
• a piston rod coupled with the piston and extending out of the cylinder;
• and
• a damping force adjustment mechanism configured to generate a damping force by controlling a flow of the hydraulic fluid that is generated according to a sliding movement of the piston in the cylinder,
• wherein the damping force adjustment mechanism includes:
• a coil wound annularly and configured to generate a magnetic force in reaction to power supply;
• a housing member on an inner periphery of the coil, the housing member extending in a direction of a winding axis of the coil, and including a housing portion open on an end side thereof and being made from a magnetic body;
• a movable element in the housing portion, the movable element being movable in the direction of the winding axis of the coil, and made from a magnetic body;
• a control valve configured to be controlled according to a movement of the movable element;
• a stator at a position facing an opening of the housing portion, the stator including a reduced diameter portion and a side surface portion integrally made from a magnetic body, the reduced diameter portion having an outer diameter reducing toward the opening of the housing portion, the side surface portion extending from an outer periphery of the reduced diameter portion in a direction away from the opening of the housing portion;
• and
• a yoke including a fixation hole having an inner peripheral surface to which a part of the side surface portion of the stator is fixed, the yoke being configured such that a non-contact portion is defined between the yoke and the side surface portion of the stator on a housing member side of the fixation hole,
• wherein:
• the non-contact portion is an annular space defined in an assembled state;
• and
• at the non-contact portion, the yoke and the side surface portion of the stator are out of contact with each other.