Magnetorheological strut piston with compression bypass
AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorsMichael L. Oliver, William C. Kruckemeyer, Todd A. Bishop, Eric L. Jensen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable vehicle suspension strut configured to be arranged between a wheel assembly and a body of a vehicle, the adjustable strut including a tube. A piston is slidably carried in the tube on a piston rod. A coil is carried on the piston adjacent a first flow passageway in the piston to produce a magnetic field thereacross and a control valve is carried on the piston controlling fluid flow through a second flow passageway in the piston. The control valve is positioned at the distal end of the rod upstream of the first flow passageway.
Claims23
An adjustable strut comprising:
- a tube including a magnetorheological fluid;
- a piston rod positioned in the tube;
- and
- a piston assembly attached to an internal end of the rod, the piston assembly including a magnetorheological passageway and a valve assembly, the valve assembly being positioned at a point upstream of the internal end of the piston rod, wherein the valve assembly provides a second passageway for allowing flow of magnetorheological fluid therethrough during a compression stroke of the strut,
- wherein the piston assembly includes a core positioned on the piston rod and a flux ring positioned about the core and defining the magnetorheological passageway therebetween,
- wherein the flux ring is spaced apart from the tube to define a third passageway, the third passageway being in fluid communication with the second passageway to allow fluid flow therethrough, and
- wherein the flux ring and valve assembly are attached by a cap member.
A method of controlling an adjustable damper comprising:
- enclosing a piston in a magnetorheological fluid, the piston including a flux ring and a valve assembly;
- providing a cap assembly positioned between the flux ring and the valve assembly;
- providing a first passageway in the piston;
- generating a magnetic field in the first passageway of the piston to produce an apparent viscosity change in the magnetorheological fluid responsive to the magnetic field;
- providing a second passageway in the piston at a portion of the piston upstream of the first passageway;
- controlling the fluid flow through a second passageway of the piston;
- and
- providing a third passageway in fluid communication with the second passageway to allow fluid flow therethrough.
An adjustable strut comprising:
- means for enclosing a piston in a magnetorheological fluid;
- means for providing a first passageway in the piston;
- means for generating a magnetic field in the first passageway of the piston to produce an apparent viscosity change in the magnetorheological fluid responsive to the magnetic field;
- means for providing a second passageway in the piston at a portion of the piston upstream of the first passageway;
- means for controlling the fluid flow through a second passageway of the piston,
- means for providing a third passageway in fluid communication with the second passageway to allow fluid flow therethrough;
- and
- means for attaching the means for providing a second passageway to the means for providing a third passageway.
An adjustable strut comprising:
- a tube including a magnetorheological fluid;
- a piston rod positioned in the tube;
- and
- a piston assembly attached to an internal end of the rod, the piston assembly including a magnetorheological passageway and a valve assembly, the valve assembly being positioned at a point upstream of the internal end of the piston rod, wherein the valve assembly provides a second passageway for allowing flow of magnetorheological fluid therethrough during a compression stroke of the strut,
- wherein the piston assembly includes a core positioned on the piston rod and a flux ring positioned about the core and defining the magnetorheological passageway therebetween, and
- wherein the flux ring and valve assembly are attached by a cap member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.