Method and apparatus for absorbing mechanical shock

A suspension system for a sprung portion and an unsprung portion of an automobile having a body, said suspension system comprising:

• a plurality of shock absorbers, each of said shock absorbers having damping characteristics and each including:
• (a) a first end fitting securing said shock absorber to said sprung portion of said automobile,
• (b) a second end fitting securing said shock absorber to said unsprung portion of said automobile,
• (c) a pressure cylinder forming a working chamber having first and second portions operable to store damping fluid,
• (d) first valve means for controlling the flow of damping fluid between said first and second portions of said working chamber during compression of said shock absorber,
• (e) a pressure chamber operable to receive damping fluid from said pressure cylinder, the pressure of the damping fluid in said pressure chamber operable to bias said first valve means in a first direction,
• (f) a first flow passage between said first portion of said working chamber and said pressure chamber,
• (g) a second flow passage between said second portion of said working chamber and said pressure chamber,
• (h) electrical controllable flow means for regulating the flow of damping fluid through said second flow passage,
• (i) second valve means for controlling the flow of damping fluid between said first and second portions of said working chamber during rebound of said shock absorber, and
• a computer for controlling the damping characteristics of said plurality of shock absorbers simultaneously.

A method for controlling the operation of a suspension system for an automobile having a sprung portion band and an unsprung portion, said suspension system comprising a computer and a plurality of shock absorbers, each of said shock absorbers having a working chamber with first and second portions having damping characteristics, said method comprising the steps of:

• securing each of said shock absorbers to said sprung portion and said unsprung portion of said automobile;
• allowing damping fluid in said first portion of said working chamber of each of said shock absorbers to enter a pressure chamber operable to receive damping fluid, the flow of damping fluid from said first portion of said working chamber to said second portion of said working chamber being responsive to the pressure of the damping fluid in said pressure chamber;
• permitting selective fluid communication between said pressure chamber and said second portion of said working chamber of each of said shock absorbers so as to regulate the flow of damping fluid from said first portion of said working chamber to said second portion of said working chamber during compression of each of said shock absorbers;
• and
• regulating the flow of damping fluid from said second portion of said working chamber to said first portion of said working chamber during rebound of each of said shock absorbers by said computer so as to allow said computer to simultaneously control the damping characteristics of each of said shock absorbers.