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US 4,846,317 AGranted
Strut with controlled variable damping rate
AssigneeTRW Inc.
InventorBernard C. Hudgens
Life of this patent
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AssigneeTRW Inc.
InventorBernard C. Hudgens
Estimating the term…
An apparatus for damping relative movement of parts. The apparatus includes a cylinder defining a fluid chamber. A piston is located in the fluid chamber and divides the fluid chamber into first and second fluid chamber portions. The piston is connected to one of the parts and the cylinder is connected to the other of the parts. The piston and cylinder move relatively in compression and expansion strokes to damp relative movement of the parts. A fluid reservoir is in fluid communication with the first fluid chamber portion. A first valve controls fluid flow from the first fluid chamber portion into the fluid reservoir upon movement of the piston and cylinder during a compression stroke. A damping control provides a variable damping force resisting movement of the piston and cylinder during an expansion stroke. The damping control includes a second valve movable with the piston for controlling the fluid flow from the second fluid chamber portion to the first fluid chamber portion. The second valve opens by fluid pressure in the fluid second chamber portion. A variable force is applied to the second valve to resist opening of the second valve.
An apparatus for damping relative movement of parts, said apparatus comprising a cylinder defining a fluid chamber, a piston located in said fluid chamber and dividing said fluid chamber into first and second fluid chamber portions, said piston being connected to one of the parts and said cylinder being connected to the other of the parts, said piston and cylinder moving relatively in compression and expansion strokes to damp relative movement of the parts, means defining a fluid reservoir having fluid communication with said first fluid chamber portion, a first valve for controlling flow from said first fluid chamber portion into said fluid reservoir upon movement of said piston and cylinder during a compression stroke, a first passage through which fluid flows from said first fluid chamber portion to said second fluid chamber portion, a second passage through which fluid flows from said second fluid chamber portion to said first fluid chamber portion, damping control means for providing a variable damping force for resisting movement of said piston and cylinder during an expansion stroke and including a second valve movable with said piston, said second valve being movable relative to said piston between a closed position in which fluid does not flow through said second passage, and an open position in which fluid flows from said second fluid chamber portion to said first fluid chamber portion through said second passage, in response to fluid pressure in said second fluid chamber portion for controlling the fluid flow from said second fluid chamber portion to said first fluid chamber portion through said second passage, means for applying a variable force resisting opening of said second valve, and a check valve movable with said piston for controlling the fluid flow from said first fluid chamber portion to said second fluid chamber portion through said first passage and which opens in response to fluid pressure in said first fluid chamber portion, said check valve enabling fluid flow from said first fluid chamber portion to said second fluid chamber portion through said first passage when said second valve is in its closed position.
An apparatus for damping movement of parts, said apparatus comprising a cylinder defining a fluid chamber, a piston located in said fluid chamber and dividing said fluid chamber into first and second fluid chamber portions, a piston rod connected to said piston and extending through said second fluid chamber portion, said piston rod being connected to one of the parts and said cylinder being connected to the other one of the parts, said piston and cylinder moving relatively in compression and expansion strokes to damp movement of the parts, means defining a fluid reservoir having fluid communication with said first fluid chamber portion, means defining a gas chamber containing a fixed gas charge acting on the fluid in said fluid reservoir, a first valve for controlling fluid flow from said first fluid chamber portion into said fluid reservoir upon movement of said piston and cylinder during said compression stroke, a solenoid controlled second valve movable between closed and open positions for controlling fluid flow from said second fluid chamber portion to said first fluid chamber portion during an expansion strokeand which opens in response to fluid pressure in said second fluid chamber portion, a third valve for controlling fluid flow from said fluid reservoir into said first fluid chamber portion during an expansion stroke, and a check valve for controlling fluid flow from said first fluid chamber portion to said second fluid chamber portion, said check valve enabling fluid flow from said first fluid chamber portion to said second fluid chamber portion in the closed position of said second valve.
An apparatus for damping movement of parts, said apparatus comprising a cylinder defining a fluid chamber, a piston located in said fluid chamber and dividing said fluid chamber into first and second fluid chamber portions, a piston rod connected to said piston and extending through said second fluid chamber portion, said piston and cylinder moving relatively in compression and expansion strokes to damp movement of the parts, said piston rod defining a pair of concentric fluid chambers, one of said pair of concentric fluid chambers communicating freely with said first fluid chamber portion, the other of said pair of concentric fluid chambers communicating with said second fluid chamber portion, a check valve interposed between said other of said pair of concentric fluid chambers and said first fluid chamber portion, and a solenoid controlled valve for controlling fluid flow interposed between said pair of concentric fluid chambers.
An apparatus for damping relative movement of parts, said apparatus comprising a cylinder defining a fluid chamber, a piston located in said fluid chamber and dividing said fluid chamber into first and second fluid chamber portions, said piston being connected to one of the parts and said cylinder being connected to the other of the parts, said piston and cylinder moving relatively in compression and expansion strokes to damp relative movement of the parts, means defining a fluid reservoir having fluid communication with said first fluid chamber portion, a first valve for controlling flow from said first fluid chamber portion into said fluid reservoir upon movement of said piston and cylinder during a compression stroke, and damping control means for providing a variable damping force for resisting movement of said piston and cylinder during an expansion stroke including a second valve movable with said piston and relative thereto for controlling the fluid flow from said second fluid chamber portion to said first fluid chamber portion and which opens in response to fluid pressure in said second fluid chamber portion, and means for applying a variale force resisting opening of said second valve and comprising solenoid means comprising a solenoid and a member located within said solenoid and for engaging said second valve, said solenoid being actuatable to apply a variable force to said member to force said member into engagement with said second valve to resist opening of said second valve in response to fluid pressure in said second fluid chamber portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.