# US 7,407,044 B2 · Variable damping valve of shock absorber

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- Number: US 7,407,044 B2
- Document ID: US7407044B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/268,719
- Filed: 2005-11-08
- Published: 2008-01-10
- Granted: 2008-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2004-11-09
- Assignees: Mando Corporation
- Inventors: Young Whan Jee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7407044B2

## CPC

- F16F 9/348: Throttling passages in the form of annular discs {or other plate-like elements which may or may not have a spring action}, operating in opposite directions {or singly, e.g. annular discs positioned on top of the valve or piston body (F16F9/341, F16F9/3415 take precedence)}
- F16F 9/465: {using servo control, the servo pressure being created by the flow of damping fluid, e.g. controlling pressure in a chamber downstream of a pilot passage (self-adjustment of damping F16F9/50)}
- F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION

## Abstract

A variable damping valve of a shock absorber is capable of properly adjusting a damping force according to read conditions, travel conditions and the like while a vehicle is traveling, thereby improving ride comfort and control stability. A flow of oil is controlled to generate a damping force and the damping force is simultaneously adjusted according to pressure in a pilot chamber. The damping valve comprises an upper retainer communicating with a high-pressure side and a main valve installed below the upper retainer. The main valve comprises a valve body defining a pilot chamber, a disk ring installed on a top surface of the valve body, and a housing for containing the valve body and the disk ring and integrally confining the valve body and the disk ring by being curled at upper and lower ends of the housing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A variable damping valve of a shock absorber,
wherein a flow of oil is controlled to generate a damping force and the damping force is simultaneously adjusted according to pressure in a pilot chamber in a state where dispersion of the damping force is reduced in the pilot chamber, the shock absorber comprising:
an upper retainer communicating with a high-pressure side, and
a main valve installed below the upper retainer,
wherein the main valve comprises a valve body defining the pilot chamber therein, a disk ring installed on a top surface of the valve body, and a housing that contains the valve body and the disk ring therein and integrally confines the valve body and the disk ring by an upper end of the housing being curled directly above the disk ring and a lower end of the housing being curled directly below the valve body.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The variable damping valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve body has vertical flow passages.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The variable damping valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein multi-disks are further installed on the top surface of the disk ring.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The variable damping valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein the multi-disks are formed with a plurality of slits for guiding the flow of the oil.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The variable damping valve as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an upper retainer guide installed to partially contain an outer portion of the upper retainer, the upper retainer guide communicating with a lower-pressure side.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The variable damping valve as claimed in claim 5, wherein the upper retainer guide has a plurality of flow passage grooves formed circumferentially in an outer peripheral surface thereof.