# US 2017/0284498 A1 · Shock absorber and damping force generator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0284498 A1 - Document ID: US20170284498A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/434,729 - Filed: 2017-02-16 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-30 - Assignees: Showa Corporation - Applicants: Showa Corporation - Inventors: Koji TOKUNAGA; Tadashi UOTANI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170284498A1 ## CPC - F16F 9/348: Throttling passages in the form of annular discs {or other plate-like elements which may or may not have a spring action}, operating in opposite directions {or singly, e.g. annular discs positioned on top of the valve or piston body (F16F9/341, F16F9/3415 take precedence)} - F16F 9/18: with a closed cylinder and a piston separating two or more working spaces therein - F16F 9/3415: {characterised by comprising plastics, elastomeric or porous elements} - F16F 9/3481: {characterised by shape or construction of throttling passages in piston (F16F9/344 takes precedence)} - F16F 9/185: {Bitubular units (where compression of gas leads to a clear spring action F16F9/062)} - F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION ## Abstract One embodiment provides a damping force generator. The damping force generator includes: a valve body having a compression-side inlet port into which the oil pushed by the piston flows; and a compression-side damping valve provided so as to block a port outlet and elastically deformed according to pressure of the oil flowing into the compression-side inlet port to thereby exhibit damping force. An opening cross-sectional area of a port inlet opening is larger than a passage cross-sectional area of the compression-side inlet port. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A shock absorber comprising: a cylinder in which oil is sealed; a piston rod of which one end is inserted into the cylinder and the other end is extended outside the cylinder; a piston which is connected to the one end of the piston rod and is provided in the cylinder so as to be slidable along a central axis direction of the cylinder; and a damping force generating unit which controls flow of the oil occurring when the piston slides in the cylinder according to a displacement of the piston rod, to generate damping force, wherein the damping force generating unit includes: a valve body having a port into which the oil pushed by the piston flows; and a damping valve provided so as to block an outlet opening of the port and elastically deformed according to pressure of the oil flowing into the port to thereby exhibit damping force, and wherein an opening cross-sectional area of an inlet opening of the port is larger than a passage cross-sectional area of the port. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The shock absorber according to claim 1, wherein the inlet opening of the port is open on the outer circumferential surface of the valve body toward an outer side crossing an axial direction of the port. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The shock absorber according to claim 2, wherein the damping force generating unit is configured such that: the damping valve is provided on one end side of the valve body so as to block an outlet opening of the port; a check valve is provided on the other end side of the valve body so as to block the port; and the inlet opening of the port is formed to be open between the check valve and a recess which is formed in an outer circumferential surface of the valve body so as to be depressed from the other end side toward the one end side and communicates with the port. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The shock absorber according to claim 1, wherein the port is a compression-side port into which the oil pushed by the piston flows when the piston moves to a compression side, and wherein the damping valve is a compression-side damping valve that opens and closes the compression-side port by elastically deforming according to the pressure of the oil flowing into the compression-side port. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The shock absorber according to claim 4, further comprising: a reservoir that compensates for the oil according to a change in advancement volume of the piston rod into the cylinder, wherein the damping force generating unit includes: an extension-side port, having an extension-side damping valve, into which the oil flows when the piston slides to an extension side and which thus generates damping force; and a communication path which is provided on a downstream side of the compression-side damping valve of the compression-side port and the extension-side damping valve of the extension-side port so as to communicate with the reservoir. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The shock absorber according to claim 1, wherein the valve body includes six to ten of the ports and six to ten of the inlet openings of the ports. ### Claim 7 A damping force generator comprising: a valve body having a port into which oil flows when a piston slides inside a cylinder of a shock absorber; and a damping valve which is provided so as to block an end of the port and is elastically deformed according to pressure of the oil flowing into the port to thereby open and close the port, wherein an opening cross-sectional area of an inlet opening of the port through which the oil flows into the port is larger than a passage cross-sectional area of the port on a side on which the damping valve is disposed.