# US 2017/0284496 A1 · Valve mechanism, damping force generating device, and shock absorber > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0284496 A1 - Document ID: US20170284496A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/259,699 - Filed: 2016-09-08 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-29 - Assignees: Showa Corporation - Applicants: Showa Corporation - Inventors: Kazuhiro MIWA; Yosuke MURAKAMI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170284496A1 ## CPC - F16F 9/34: Special valve constructions ({F16F9/44, F16F9/50 take precedence; filtering details F16F9/3285} ; valves in general F16K); Shape or construction of throttling passages - F16F 9/062: {Bi-tubular units} - F16F 9/19: with a single cylinder {and of single-tube type} - F16F 9/3487: {with spacers or spacing rings} - F16F 9/466: {Throttling control, i.e. regulation of flow passage geometry (F16F9/464, F16F9/465 take precedence)} - B62K 25/283: {for cycles without a pedal crank, e.g. motorcycles} - F16F 9/08: {where gas is} in a chamber with a flexible wall {(pressurised fluid system accumulators per se F15B1/04)} - F16F 9/185: {Bitubular units (where compression of gas leads to a clear spring action F16F9/062)} - F16F 13/007: {the damper being a fluid damper} - F16K 27/003: {Housing formed from a plurality of the same valve elements} - F16K 31/0655: {Lift valves} - F16K 31/0675: {Electromagnet aspects, e.g. electric supply therefor} - F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION - B62K: CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDECARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} ## Abstract A valve mechanism includes a housing, a plate-shaped valve body, a valve positioning member, and a drive valve moving mechanism. The valve positioning member causes the valve body to face the valve seat via a predetermined gap with respect to the valve seat. The drive valve moving mechanism causes the gap between an inner circumference of the valve body and the valve seat to be variable by moving the drive valve in a direction of approaching the valve seat and elastically deforming the valve body in a direction that the inner circumference of the valve body approaches the valve seat. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A valve mechanism, comprising: a housing including a valve seat that is formed at the outer side, in the radial direction, of an opening at one end of a fluid channel; a drive valve arranged to be movable in a direction of being contacted to and apart from the valve seat; a plate-shaped valve body made of an elastic material having an opening through which fluid passes as being arranged between the valve seat and the drive valve; a valve positioning member that causes the valve body to face the valve seat via a predetermined gap with respect to the valve seat; and a drive valve moving mechanism that causes the gap between an inner circumference of the valve body and the valve seat to be variable by moving the drive valve in a direction of approaching the valve seat and elastically deforming the valve body in a direction that the inner circumference of the valve body approaches the valve seat. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The valve mechanism according to claim 1, comprising: a plurality of the valve bodies; and a spacer sandwiched between the plurality of valve bodies. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The valve mechanism according to claim 2, wherein each valve body includes a ring-shaped outer frame, a ring-shaped inner frame arranged at the inner side in the radial direction of the outer frame, and a spoke connecting the outer frame and the inner frame as being arranged to face the outer frame. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The valve mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the valve positioning member is a cylinder-shaped sleeve arranged as being capable of moving in the housing in a direction that the valve body is contacted to and apart from the valve seat. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The valve mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the valve body is provided with a through-hole at the center thereof, and the through-hole is closed owing to that a diameter at a distal end of the drive valve is lessened toward the valve seat side and the distal end is contacted to an outer circumference of the through-hole as entering the through-hole. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The valve mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising: an actuator that presses the drive valve toward the valve seat; and a pressing force adjusting portion that adjusts pressing force to press the drive valve to the valve body with the actuator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A damping force generating device, comprising; the valve mechanism according to claim 1; and a damping force generating mechanism that generates damping force due to fluid circulation as being arranged independently from the valve mechanism. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A shock absorber comprising: the valve mechanism according to claim 1; a cylinder in which fluid is encapsulated; a piston slidably fitted into the cylinder; a piston rod extending outside the cylinder as being connected to the piston; and an oil reserving chamber that compensates an oil amount equivalent to advancing volume of the piston rod when the piston rod advances in the cylinder, wherein damping force is generated owing to that fluid is caused to flow through the valve mechanism by sliding of the piston in the cylinder, and the fluid flowing through the valve mechanism is capable of being circulated to the oil reserving chamber. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The shock absorber according to claim 8, further comprising a damping force generating mechanism that generates damping force due to fluid circulation as being arranged independently from the valve mechanism, wherein the fluid flowing through the damping force generating mechanism is capable of being circulated to the oil reserving chamber.