US 2026/0177128 A1Published application

Digitally controlled shock absorber and generator-embedded variable-damping valve assembly therefor

AssigneeIngage

InventorDO SIK SHIM

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Abstract

Disclosed are a digitally controlled shock absorber and a generator-embedded variable-damping valve assembly therefor. A generator-embedded variable-damping valve assembly according to an aspect of the present invention may comprise: a housing comprising a barrier for delimiting a valve space and a control space; a main valve body disposed in the valve space so as to delimit a booster chamber on the other side of the valve space, the main valve body having an inlet passage, an auxiliary passage, and an outflow passage formed therein; a main disk spring disposed to cover the inlet passage and configured to elastically deform according to the pressure difference between the inlet passage and the booster chamber, thereby opening the inlet passage; a booster chamber body having a bypass passage formed therein so as to communicate with the booster chamber; a control valve coupled to the booster chamber body so as to control the degree of opening of the bypass passage; a connector body having a part positioned in an opening of the housing so as to delimit the opening into an inlet and an outlet; an impeller disposed on one side of the main valve body and configured to be rotated by a fluid passing therethrough; a shaft connected to the impeller; a generator disposed in the control space and coupled to the other side of the shaft so as to generate electricity by means of rotation of the impeller; and a controller having an actuator for manipulating the control valve. The controller may be driven by power generated by the generator or by power from a battery configured to be charged by the generator.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A generator-integrated variable-damping valve assembly for mounting on a shock absorber, the valve assembly comprising:

a housing defining a valve chamber and a control chamber therein and including a partition wall for separating the valve chamber from the control chamber, the valve chamber having an opening on one side thereof;
a main valve body arranged within the valve chamber to partition a back-pressure chamber on an other side of the valve chamber, the main valve body having an inlet channel and an outlet channel formed therein, the inlet channel and the outlet channel communicating with the back-pressure chamber;
a main disk spring configured to be elastically deformable and arranged to cover the inlet channel, the main disk spring configured to open the inlet channel by being elastically deformed in accordance to a pressure difference between the inlet channel and the back-pressure chamber;
a back-pressure chamber body arranged between the main valve body and the partition wall, the back-pressure chamber body having a bypass channel formed therein, the bypass channel communicating with the back-pressure chamber;
a control valve coupled to the back-pressure chamber body to control a degree of opening of the bypass channel;
a connector body coupled to one side of the main valve body, the connector body having a portion thereof positioned at the opening to partition the opening into an inlet and an outlet, the inlet communicating with the inlet channel and the outlet communicating with the outlet channel;
an impeller arranged on one side of the main valve body and configured to be rotated by a flow of fluid;
a shaft having one side thereof connected to the impeller and arranged to pass through a central hole formed in the main valve body and a through-hole formed in the partition wall;
a generator arranged within the control chamber and coupled to an other side of the shaft, the generator configured to generate electricity by way of a rotation of the impeller;
and
a control unit including an actuator for manipulating the control valve,
wherein the control unit is driven by power generated by the generator or by power provided from a battery charged by the generator.

9 more elements

A generator-integrated variable-damping valve assembly for mounting on a shock absorber, the valve assembly comprising:

a housing defining a valve chamber and a control chamber therein and including a partition wall for separating the valve chamber from the control chamber, the valve chamber having an opening on one side;
a main valve body arranged within the valve chamber to partition a back-pressure chamber on an other side of the valve chamber, the main valve body having an inlet channel and an outlet channel formed therein, the inlet channel and the outlet channel communicating with the back-pressure chamber;
a main disk spring configured to be elastically deformable and arranged to cover the inlet channel, the main disk spring configured to open the inlet channel by being elastically deformed in accordance to a pressure difference between the inlet channel and the back-pressure chamber;
a back-pressure chamber body arranged between the main valve body and the partition wall, the back-pressure chamber body having a bypass channel formed therein, the bypass channel communicating with the back-pressure chamber;
a control valve coupled to the back-pressure chamber body to control a degree of opening of the bypass channel;
a connector body coupled to one side of the main valve body, the connector body having a portion thereof positioned at the opening to partition the opening into an inlet and an outlet, the inlet communicating with the inlet channel and the outlet communicating with the outlet channel, the connector body having a holding space defined on an inner side thereof, the holding space divided with respect to a curb into a first diameter portion and a second diameter portion, the first diameter portion having a first inner diameter and the second diameter portion having a second inner diameter greater than the first inner diameter;
a piston having an outer diameter smaller than the second inner diameter, the piston arranged adjacent to a first curb of the connector body and configured to be moved along a linear direction by a passing fluid;
a shaft having one side thereof connected to the impeller and arranged to pass through a central hole formed in the main valve body and a through-hole formed in the partition wall;
a piezoelectric stack arranged within the control chamber and arranged at an other side of the shaft, the piezoelectric stack configured to generate electricity when pressed by a linear movement of the piston;
and
a control unit including an actuator for manipulating the control valve,
wherein the control unit is driven by power generated by the piezoelectric stack or by power provided from a battery charged by the piezoelectric stack.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.