# US 7,607,522 B2 · Shock absorber for vehicles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,607,522 B2 - Document ID: US7607522B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/261,777 - Filed: 2005-10-31 - Published: 2006-05-18 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2004-11-18 - Assignees: Ohlins Racing AB - Inventors: Nils-Göran Nygren; Christer Lööw - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7607522B2 ## CPC - F16F 9/096: comprising a hydropneumatic accumulator of the membrane type provided on the upper or the lower end of a damper or separately from or laterally on the damper {(F16F9/088 takes precedence)} - B25B 13/48: for special purposes - B25B 13/50: for operating on work of special profile, e.g. pipes - B25B 27/0035: {for motor-vehicles (wrenches for mounting or dismounting wheels B60B29/003)} - F16F 9/064: {Units characterised by the location or shape of the expansion chamber (F16F9/068, F16F9/08 take precedence)} - F16F 9/20: with the piston-rod extending through both ends of the cylinder {, e.g. constant-volume dampers} - F16F 9/3264: {Arrangements for indicating, e.g. fluid level; Arrangements for checking dampers (F16F9/3292 takes precedence; testing of vehicle damping G01M17/04)} - F16F 9/46: allowing control from a distance {, i.e. location of means for control input being remote from site of valves, e.g. on damper external wall (attachment of valve units to cylinders F16F9/325)} - F16F 2222/025: Cooling - F16F 2230/08: Sensor arrangement - F16F 2230/32: Modular design - F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION - B25B: TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING, OR HOLDING ## Abstract A damper for vehicles is arranged with selectable or adjustable damping force characteristics that are essentially independent of other internal or external function factors in the damper. For this, fixing devices and a surrounding arrangement, piston arrangement and piston rod arrangement are utilized. In the event of a damping force arising on the arrangement's piston in a certain direction of the piston, an operating device with valves and pipes is arranged to ensure that there is an increase in pressure on the side of the piston facing towards the direction, while the pressure is essentially maintained on the side of the piston facing away from the direction. In addition, pressure-maintaining devices are included that ensure that the pressure in the arrangement is maintained in the event of the occurrence of pressure-affecting parameters. The damper is preferably arranged with adjusting devices that determine the damping force characteristics according to their setting. By means of the invention, a compact damper can be achieved, while at the same time the selected or adjusted damping force characteristics do not affect other factors in the damper. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A shock absorber aranged to damp relative movement between moving parts of vehicles, wherein ends of the shock absorber are connected to fixing devices attached to the moving parts and further comprise: a main piston; and a piston rod arrangement arranged in a hydraulic damping medium filled internal volume separated by the main piston in a compression volume and an expansion volume, and surrounded by an arrangement comprising two concentric inner and outer tubes separated by a space, wherein the damped movement between the moving parts is settled by a valve arrangement comprising: first adjustment devices connected to the compression volume; and a second adjustment connected to the expansion volume, wherein a first pressurized volume is created in a volume in a pressure maintaining accumulator by a pressure-generating piston separating the fluid damping medium from a compressible medium, wherein the first pressurized volume is arranged in a part forming a damper head attached to the inner and outer tubes, and wherein the second adjustment further comprises: a first damping force generating valve and first non-return valve placed in a pipe between the compression volume and the first pressurized volume; and a second damping force generating valve and first non-return valve placed in a pipe between the expansion volume and the first pressurized volume. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The shock absorber according to claim 1, wherein the first pressurized volume is arranged in the damper head is comprised in a pipe system for movement of the medium between the compression volume and the expansion volume through the pipe system so that no additional ducts need to be arranged to set up the pipe system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The shock absorber according to claim 2, characterized in that the pipes/system and ducts of the medium between the compression volume and the expansion volume are located in the damper head at least one of ends and starts in the space between the inner and outer tube and in the compression volume. ### Claim 4 The shock absorber according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the piston rod arrangement extends from both sides of the piston respectively and has a path of movement passing through the central part of the first volume arranged in the damper head. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The shock absorber according to claim 4, wherein the pressure-generating piston in the pressure-maintaining accumulator is sealed internally with seals against a component connected with the damper head and placed outside the path of movement of the piston rod arrangement. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The shock absorber according to claim 5, wherein the component placed outside the path of movement of the piston rod arrangement is one of the fixing devices. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) he shock absorber according to claim 6, wherein the one of the fixing devices has the form of a top eye with a fixing part and a cylindrical part with an internal opening on the outside of which the seals are arranged. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The shock absorber according to claim 7, wherein the fixing device in the form of a top eye is separated from the piston rod arrangement. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The shock absorber according to claim 8, wherein a part of the piston rod arrangement is able to move inside the opening in the cylindrical part when the main piston moves.