Flow sensitive, acceleration sensitive shock absorber

An acceleration sensitive shock absorber comprising:

• a tube containing shock absorber fluid for connection to one portion of a vehicle;
• a piston in the tube dividing the interior of the tube into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, for connection to another portion of a vehicle;
• and
• inertia valve means for changing the stiffness of the shock absorber when the shock absorber is subjected to acceleration, the stiffness being greater upon lower acceleration and smaller upon higher acceleration comprising:
• a first fluid flow port adjacent one chamber;
• and
• a restricted flow path downstream from the port, the restricted flow path having a smaller flow area than the port for maintaining the inertia valve means open after acceleration has decreased, in response to fluid flow through the inertia valve means.

An acceleration sensitive shock absorber for a vehicle comprising:

• a shock absorber cylinder including means for connecting the cylinder to the body of a vehicle;
• a shock absorber piston in the cylinder dividing the cylinder into a lower chamber and an upper chamber, and including means for connecting the piston to a wheel of the vehicle;
• means for passing shock absorber fluid through the piston upon extension of the shock absorber;
• a first fluid flow port through the piston for passing fluid from the lower chamber to the upper chamber;
• a second fluid flow port through the piston for passing fluid from the upper chamber to the lower chamber;
• an inertia valve in the piston including a portion adjacent to the first port for closing the first port when the pressure in the upper chamber exceeds that in the lower chamber, and opening the first port when the acceleration of the vehicle wheel in the downward direction is greater than a selected magnitude;
• a first hydraulic means for biasing the inertia valve toward the open position when the first port is open;
• and
• a second hydraulic means for biasing the inertia valve toward the closed position upon compression of the shock absorber.

An acceleration sensitive shock absorber connected at one end to the chassis of a vehicle and at the other end to a wheel of the vehicle comprising:

• a tubular housing for connection to one portion of a vehicle;
• a piston assembly in the housing comprising a piston dividing the housing into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, and a piston rod for connection to another portion of the vehicle, one of said portions being the chassis of the vehicle and the other portion being a wheel of the vehicle;
• means for passing shock absorber fluid between the upper chamber and the lower chamber with a restricted flow rate during compression of the shock absorber;
• means for passing shock absorber fluid between the upper chamber and the lower chamber with a restricted flow rate during extension of the shock absorber;
• a first fluid flow port for flow between the upper and lower chambers;
• a restricted flow path downstream from the port for flow between the upper and lower chambers;
• and
• an inertial mass movable between a port-closed position and a port-open position when acceleration of the wheel is greater than a selected magnitude, the inertial mass being arranged so that the restricted flow path has a smaller fluid flow area than the port during at least a portion of the travel of the inertial mass from the port-closed position toward the port-open position for applying a hydraulic pressure against the inertial mass for biasing the inertial mass toward a port-open position in response to fluid flow sequentially through the port and restricted flow path.

An acceleration sensitive shock absorber connected at one end to the chassis of a vehicle and at the other end to a wheel of the vehicle comprising:

• a tubular housing for connection to one portion of a vehicle;
• a piston assembly in the housing comprising a piston dividing the housing into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, and a piston rod for connection to another portion of the vehicle, one of said portions being the chassis of the vehicle and the other portion being a wheel of the vehicle;
• means for passing shock absorber fluid between the upper chamber and the lower chamber with a restricted flow rate during compression of the shock absorber;
• means for passing shock absorber fluid between the upper chamber and the lower chamber with a restricted flow rate during extension of the shock absorber;
• a fluid flow port for flow between the upper and lower chambers;
• a restricted flow path downstream from the port for flow between the upper and lower chambers;
• and
• an inertial mass movable between a port-closed position and a port-open position when acceleration of the wheel is greater than a selected magnitude, the inertial mass being arranged so that the restricted flow path has a smaller fluid flow area than the port during at least a portion of the travel of the inertial mass from the port-closed position toward the port-open position for applying a hydraulic pressure against the inertial mass for biasing the inertial mass toward a port-open position in response to fluid flow sequentially through the port and restricted flow path, wherein
• the port comprises a generally radially extending passage,
• the inertial mass moves between a position obstructing the passage in the port-closed position and a position exposing the passage in the port-open position, and
• the restricted flow path comprises an annular clearance through which fluid from the port must flow between a lip on the inertial mass and an adjacent shoulder around the inertial mass, the smallest area restricted flow path being when the inertial mass is in its full port-open position.

An acceleration sensitive shock absorber for a vehicle comprising:

• a shock absorber cylinder including means for connecting the cylinder to the body of a vehicle;
• a shock absorber piston in the cylinder dividing the cylinder into a lower chamber and an upper chamber, and including means for connecting the piston to a wheel of the vehicle;
• means for passing shock absorber fluid through the piston upon extension of the shock absorber;
• a fluid flow port through the piston for passing fluid from the lower chamber to the upper chamber;
• an inertial mass in the piston including a portion adjacent to the port for closing the port when the wheel of the vehicle is not accelerating in an extension direction, and opening the port when the acceleration of the vehicle wheel in the extension direction is greater than a selected magnitude;
• and
• hydraulic pressure means for applying hydraulic pressure on the inertial mass in response to fluid flow through the port for maintaining the inertial mass in the open position when the port is open.

An acceleration sensitive shock absorber for a vehicle comprising:

• a shock absorber cylinder including means for connecting the cylinder to the body of a vehicle;
• a shock absorber piston in the cylinder dividing the cylinder into a lower chamber and an upper chamber, and including means for connecting the piston to a wheel of the vehicle;
• means for passing shock absorber fluid through the piston upon extension of the shock absorber;
• a fluid flow port through the piston for passing fluid from the lower chamber to the upper chamber;
• an inertial mass in the piston including a portion adjacent to the port for closing the port when the wheel of the vehicle is not accelerating in an extension direction, and opening the port when the acceleration of the vehicle wheel in the extension direction is greater than a selected magnitude;
• a restricted flow path downstream from the port;
• a pocket between the port and the restricted flow path adjacent to an end face of the inertial mass;
• and
• means for maintaining a higher hydraulic pressure in the pocket than the hydraulic pressure on the opposite end face of the inertial mass when the port is open, for applying hydraulic pressure on the inertial mass in response to fluid flow through the port for maintaining the inertial mass in the open position when the port is open.

An acceleration sensitive shock absorber connected between the chassis of a vehicle and a wheel of the vehicle comprising:

• a hollow cylinder;
• a piston assembly in the cylinder dividing the cylinder into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the cylinder being connected to the chassis of the vehicle, and the piston assembly being connected to the wheel of the vehicle;
• means for passing fluid between the upper and lower chambers upon compression and extension of the shock absorber with a restricted rate of flow;
• a fluid flow port between the lower chamber and the upper chamber;
• an inertial mass in the piston assembly movable axially between (a) a normally closed position for closing the port and (b) an open position for opening the port and increasing flow of fluid from the lower chamber to the upper chamber when downward acceleration of the wheel is at a rate greater than a predetermined magnitude;
• means for retaining the inertial mass in the port-open position when pressure in the lower chamber is greater than pressure in the upper chamber;
• and
• hydraulic means for moving the inertial mass toward the port-closed position when pressure in the upper chamber is greater than pressure in the lower chamber.

An acceleration sensitive shock absorber connected between the chassis of a vehicle and a wheel of the vehicle comprising:

• a hollow cylinder;
• a piston assembly in the cylinder dividing the cylinder into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the cylinder being connected to chassis of the vehicle, and the piston assembly being connected to the wheel of the vehicle;
• means for passing fluid between the upper and lower chambers upon compression and extension of the shock absorber with a restricted rate of flow;
• a fluid flow port between the lower chamber and the upper chamber;
• an inertial mass in the piston assembly movable axially between (a) a normally closed position for closing the port and (b) an open position for opening the port and increasing flow of fluid from the lower chamber to the upper chamber when downward acceleration of the wheel is at a rate greater than a predetermined magnitude;
• and
• means for applying sufficient hydraulic pressure to the inertial mass to retain the inertial mass at least partly in the port-open position when pressure in the lower chamber is greater than pressure in the upper chamber.

A shock absorber connected at one end to the chassis of a vehicle and at the other end to a wheel of the vehicle comprising:

• a tubular housing for connection to one portion of a vehicle;
• a piston assembly in the housing comprising a piston dividing the housing into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, and a piston rod for connection to another portion of the vehicle, one of said portions being the chassis of the vehicle and the other portion being a wheel of the vehicle;
• compression valve means for passing shock absorber fluid between the upper chamber and the lower chamber with a restricted flow rate during compression of the shock absorber;
• and
• rebound valve means for passing shock absorber fluid between the upper chamber and the lower chamber with a restricted flow rate during extension of the shock absorber, the rebound valve means and the compression valve means comprising coaxial valve members at least partly embedded one inside the other.