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US 5,435,421 AGranted
Hydraulic, adjustable vibration damper and a valve system for a hydraulic, adjustable vibration damper
AssigneeFichtel & Sachs AG
InventorHubert Beck
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Hydraulic, adjustable vibration damper with a piston fastened to a piston rod, which piston divides a work cylinder into two work chambers filled with damping fluid, whereby at least partly to control the damping force, there is a valve system with at least one electromagnetically activated valve, respectively consisting of a housing, a coil, an armature and a nonreturn body. There is a seal element to prevent the penetration of moisture between the coil, which is encased in a plastic material, and the nonreturn body.
Claims18
A vibration damper for motor vehicles, said damper comprising a cylinder assembly having an arrangement for varying damping of a piston assembly disposed therein, said piston assembly dividing said cylinder into at least two chambers, each for containing damping fluid, said vibration damper comprising:
- means for throttling said damping fluid when said damping fluid moves from one of said chambers into another;
- said piston assembly having a piston rod and piston;
- said piston rod having first means for attachment of said piston rod at one end thereof;
- said cylinder assembly having second means for attachment at a portion thereon other than said first means for attachment at said piston rod;
- means for bypassing damping fluid between said at least two chambers;
- valve means in said bypassing means;
- said valve means for regulating flow of said damping fluid in said bypassing means;
- and
- said valve means comprising:
- an electromagnetic valve having a valve seat and a displaceable component for opening and closing against said valve seat and for regulating flow of said damping fluid in said bypassing means;
- said displaceable component being displaceable between a closed position and an open position, said displaceable component being disposed against said valve seat in said closed position, said displaceable component being disposed away from said valve seat in said open position;
- coil means for displacing said displaceable component between said open and closed positions;
- housing means into which said coil means is at least partially disposed;
- a sealing element being disposed between said coil means and said housing means to substantially seal at least a portion of at least said coil means from the environment about said valve means;
- said coil means and said housing means together forming means for compressing said sealing element between said coil means and said housing means;
- said coil means comprising a plastic material;
- said plastic material comprising a surface;
- said surface of said plastic material forming at least a portion of said means for compressing;
- said housing means comprising a metal material;
- said metal material comprising a surface;
- said surface of said metal material forming at least a portion of said means for compressing;
- and
- said sealing element being in contact with and compressed between said surface of said plastic material and said surface of said metal material.
20 more elements
A valve for controlling a vibration damper in motor vehicles, said damper comprising a cylinder assembly having an arrangement for varying damping of a piston assembly disposed therein, said piston assembly dividing said cylinder into at least two chambers, each for containing damping fluid, said vibration damper comprising:
- means for throttling said damping fluid when said damping fluid moves from one of said chambers into another;
- said piston assembly having a piston rod and piston;
- said piston rod having first means for attachment of said piston rod at one end thereof;
- said cylinder assembly having second means for attachment at a portion thereon other than said first means for attachment at said piston rod;
- means for bypassing damping fluid between said at least two chambers;
- a valve being configured for being disposed in said bypassing means for regulating flow of said damping fluid in said bypassing means;
- and
- said valve comprising:
- an electromagnetic valve having a valve seat and a displaceable component for opening and closing against said valve seat and for regulating flow of said damping fluid in said bypassing means;
- said displaceable component being displaceable between a closed position and an open position, said displaceable component being disposed against said valve seat in said closed position, said displaceable component being disposed away from said valve seat in said open position;
- coil means for displacing said displaceable component between said open and closed positions;
- housing means into which said coil means is at least partially disposed;
- a sealing element being disposed between said coil means and said housing means to substantially seal at least a portion of at least said coil means from the environment about said valve;
- said coil means and said housing means together forming means for compressing said sealing element between said coil means and said housing means;
- said coil means comprising a plastic material;
- said plastic material comprising a surface;
- said surface of said plastic material forming at least a portion of said means for compressing;
- said housing means comprising a metal material;
- said metal material comprising a surface;
- said surface of said metal material forming at least a portion of said means for compressing;
- and
- said sealing element being compressed between said surface of said plastic material and said surface of said metal material.
19 more elements
A method of assembling a vibration damper for motor vehicles, said damper comprising a cylinder assembly having an arrangement for varying damping of a piston assembly disposed therein, said piston assembly dividing said cylinder into at least two chambers, each for containing damping fluid, said vibration damper comprising:
- means for throttling said damping fluid when said damping fluid moves from one of said chambers into another;
- said piston assembly having a piston rod and piston;
- said piston rod having first means for attachment of said piston rod at one end thereof;
- said cylinder assembly having second means for attachment at a portion thereon other than said first means for attachment at said piston rod;
- means for bypassing damping fluid between said at least two chambers;
- valve means in said bypassing means;
- said valve means being configured for being disposed in said bypassing means for regulating flow of said damping fluid in said bypassing means;
- and
- said valve means comprising:
- an electromagnetic valve having a valve seat and a displaceable component for opening and closing against said valve seat and for regulating flow of said damping fluid in said bypassing means;
- said displaceable component being displaceable between a closed position and an open position, said displaceable component being disposed against said valve seat in said closed position, said displaceable component being disposed away from said valve seat in said open position;
- coil means for displacing said displaceable component between said open and closed positions;
- housing means into which said coil means is at least partially disposed;
- a sealing element being disposed between said coil means and said housing means to substantially seal at least a portion of at least said coil means from the environment about said valve means;
- said coil means and said housing means together forming means for compressing said sealing element between said coil means and said housing means;
- said coil means comprising a plastic material;
- said plastic material comprising a surface;
- said surface of said plastic material forming at least a portion of said means for compressing;
- said housing means comprising a metal material;
- said metal material comprising a surface;
- said surface of said metal material forming at least a portion of said means for compressing;
- said sealing element being compressed between said surface of said plastic material and said surface of said metal material;
- said method comprising:
- providing said sealing element, said housing means and said coil means;
- disposing said sealing element at one of:
- said housing means and said coil means;
- initiating assembly of said housing means and said coil means;
- configuring said coil means and said housing means to together form means for compressing said sealing element between said coil means and said housing means;
- configuring said coil means to comprise a plastic material, said plastic material comprising a surface;
- configuring said surface of said plastic material to form at least a portion of said means for compressing;
- configuring said housing means to comprise a metal material, said metal material comprising a surface;
- configuring said surface of said metal material to form at least a portion of said means for compressing;
- and
- subsequently compressing said sealing means between said surface of said plastic material and said surface of said metal material to seal out from at least a portion of said coil means an environment about said valve means.
31 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.