Valve for a vehicle suspension system
AssigneeOshkosh Defense, LLC
InventorErik S. Ellifson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A valve assembly for a suspension system includes a housing including a first port, a second port, and a third port, the housing defining a first flow path extending between the third port and the first port and a second flow path extending between the third port and the second port. The valve assembly further includes a first check valve having a first crack pressure positioned within the housing along the first flow path and a second check valve having a second crack pressure positioned within the housing along the second flow path. A difference between the first crack pressure and the second crack pressure provides a corresponding difference in pressures at the first port and the second port.
Claims20
A valve assembly for a suspension system, comprising:
- a housing including a first port, a second port, and a third port, the housing defining a first flow path extending between the third port and the first port and a second flow path extending between the third port and the second port;
- a first check valve having a first crack pressure positioned within the housing along the first flow path;
- and
- a second check valve having a second crack pressure positioned within the housing along the second flow path,
- wherein a difference between the first crack pressure and the second crack pressure provides a corresponding difference in pressures at the first port and the second port.
A suspension assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
- a gas spring, comprising:
- a tubular housing;
- a plunger positioned within the tubular housing, the plunger and an inner surface of the tubular housing defining a spring volume;
- a reservoir including a housing that defines an inner volume and a flexible member coupled to the housing, the flexible member separating the inner volume into a working volume and a control volume;
- and
- a conduit coupling the tubular housing to the reservoir such that the spring volume is in fluid communication with the working volume;
- and
- a valve assembly, comprising:
- a first check valve having a first crack pressure positioned along a first flow path between the spring volume and a flow device port;
- and
- a second check valve having a second crack pressure positioned along a second flow path between the control volume and the flow device port,
- wherein the valve assembly provides an offset pressure between the spring volume and the control volume to maintain a response curve of the gas spring for different ride heights of the vehicle.
A method for changing a ride height of a vehicle, comprising:
- providing a gas spring including a housing that defines a spring volume and an accumulator that defines a control volume;
- providing a valve assembly including a port and a plurality of check valves having different crack pressures;
- exposing the port to a pressurized fluid associated with a flow device;
- and
- maintaining a pressure differential between the spring volume and the control volume, the pressure differential corresponding to a difference in the crack pressures of the plurality of check valves.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.