Electro-rheological or magneto-rheological controlled hydraulic restriction
AssigneeTenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
InventorsRudi Schurmans, Mario Maes, David Holiviers
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Abstract
A hydraulic fluid flow passage has a controlled restriction disposed within the passage. The restriction includes a first filter, a second filter and a plurality of particles disposed between the two filters. The particles are either dielectric particles or they are magnetizable particles. The dielectric particles create an electro-rheological fluid between the filters and the magnetizable particles create a magneto-rheological fluid between the filters. The arrangement for the dielectric particles is controlled by an electric field and the arrangement for the magnetizable particles is controlled by a magnetic field.
Claims22
A shock absorber having controllable restriction comprising:
- a first chamber;
- a second chamber;
- a flow passage disposed between said first and second chambers;
- a first filter disposed within said passage;
- a second filter disposed within said passage;
- and
- a plurality of particles disposed between said first and second filters, said plurality of particles being selectively arranged to control the rate of fluid flow through said passage.
A shock absorber comprising:
- a pressure tube defining a working chamber;
- a piston slidably disposed within said working chamber, said piston dividing said working chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber;
- a first flow passage disposed between said upper and lower working chambers, said first flow passage allowing fluid flow between said upper and lower working chambers;
- a first controllable restriction disposed within said first flow passage, said first controllable restriction including a first filter disposed within said first flow passage, a second filter disposed within said first flow passage and a first plurality of particles disposed between said first and second filters, said first plurality of particles being selectively arranged to control the rate of fluid flow through said first flow passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.