Abstract: A hydraulic damper including a tube defining a chamber. The tube has a main section and a narrowed section. A main piston assembly is disposed in the main section and connected to a piston rod. A resisting mechanism is fixed to the piston rod. A secondary piston is moveable into the narrowed section. An inner surface of the secondary piston defines at least one radially internal channel. The piston rod defines an annular recess. The secondary piston includes a locking mechanism axially slideable within the annular recess. The secondary piston is axially moveable between a hydraulic stop engagement stroke wherein the secondary piston engages the resisting mechanism and restricts the flow of fluid through the radially internal channel, and a hydraulic stop disengagement stroke wherein the secondary piston is spaced from the resisting mechanism and allows the flow of fluid through radially internal channel.

Abstract: A hydraulic damper including a tube. A piston assembly is disposed slidably inside the tube and divides the tube into a rebound chamber and a compression chamber. A fluid compensation chamber is located outside of the tube. A base valve assembly controls the flow of the fluid between the compression and compensation chambers. A hydro-mechanical compression stop assembly includes a covering member that overlies the base valve assembly and defines a main flow channel and an auxiliary flow channel that each fluidly connect the compression chamber and the base valve assembly. A closing member selectively closes the main flow channel. A first telescoping sleeve is coupled with the piston assembly and a second telescoping sleeve has a base connected to the closing member. A first spring is compressed between the piston assembly and the base to bias the closing member in an extended position.

Abstract: A control system for an active powertrain mount includes a control signal which is based on the input velocity of the chassis at the active powertrain mount. The control signal may be proportional to the input velocity or to the mount velocity, which is the difference between the input velocity of the chassis at the active powertrain mount and the output velocity of the powertrain component at the active powertrain mount. The input velocity of the chassis at the active powertrain mount may be determined by a controller based on the CG heave and the roll and pitch velocities of the chassis. The output velocity of the powertrain component at the active powertrain mount is determined by the controller by integrating an acceleration signal from a component accelerometer disposed on the powertrain component proximate to the active powertrain mount. Corresponding methods for controlling an active powertrain mount are also provided.

Abstract: A hydraulic damper for a motor vehicle including a tube having a main section and a narrowed section. A main piston assembly is disposed inside the main section. A main piston rod is attached to the main piston assembly. A secondary rod is coupled with the main piston rod. A spring seat is disposed about the secondary rod. A spring engages the spring seat and preloads the spring seat. A secondary piston is disposed about and coupled with the secondary rod. The secondary piston has an axial projection and an annular projection that abuts the spring seat. The annular projection defines a plurality of axial slots. A retaining member is fixed to the secondary rod and has an outer face defining a plurality of radial slots. A sealing ring is slidably disposed about the axial projection. An annular channel is defined radially between the sealing ring and the axial projection.

Abstract: A hydraulic suspension damper includes a tube having an opened end and a closed end defining a compartment. A main piston is disposed in the compartment dividing the compartment into a compression chamber and a rebound chamber. A piston rod is attached to the main piston. A rod guide is disposed at said opened end. A stroke stop arrangement includes an insert and an additional piston attached to the piston rod. The insert has a narrowed section including an inner surface defining at least one recess between the distal end and the rod guide and extends axially along the insert in fluid communication with the compression chamber for allowing working liquid flow from the rebound chamber to the compression chamber during the rebound stroke. The at least one recess includes three recesses disposed equidistantly and spaced from one another.

Abstract: A closing assembly for a magneto-rheological damper includes a housing defining a through bore with a first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth counter-bores having varied diameters. A wiper seal is disposed in the first counter-bore and an upper seal is disposed in the second counter-bore. A guide is disposed in the fourth counter-bore. The guide and the upper seal and the third counter-bore define a first chamber. A plate defining a passage is disposed axially below the guide in the fifth counter-bore with a flange extending into the sixth counter-bore. A lower seal is disposed in the passage. The guide and the plate and the fifth counter-bore define a second chamber. The first and second chambers separate and contain a lubricating oil adjacent to the upper seal and lower seal.

Abstract: A method and mount assembly comprising a screw mechanism including a sleeve rotatable relative to the first housing and defining an internal screw-thread for adjusting the stiffness in the mount assembly in a vehicle. A collar non-rotatably secured to the plate and extends axially into the sleeve and defines an external screw-thread engaging the internal screw-thread of the sleeve. The internal screw-thread and the external screw-thread are self-locking in a static condition and prevent relative rotation between the sleeve and the collar below a predetermined force therebetween. A fluid pressure in the first housing overcomes the predetermined force and causes the sleeve to rotate from the static condition for moving the collar and the plate axially to change the stiffness of the pad.

Abstract: A fluid damper assembly for use in a vehicle includes a piston subassembly which includes a plurality of inflow passages and at least one rebound disk for restricting flow of hydraulic fluid through the inflow passages. A rod extends through the piston subassembly to actuate the piston subassembly between a rebound stroke and a compression stroke. An actuator supported by and within the rod includes a piezoelectric device and an amplifier for adjusting the damping force during the rebound stroke, thereby adjusting the suspension of the vehicle. A shaft within the rod is connected to a retainer to transmit motion from the amplifier to compress a spring and disengage the retainer from the rebound disk to allow the rebound disk to flex solely in response to hydraulic fluid pressure from the rebound stroke to open the inflow passages and reduce the damping force during the rebound stroke.

Abstract: A top mount assembly including a housing for being connected to the frame of the vehicle. A rod connection assembly is disposed in the housing for being attached to a piston rod of the damper assembly. A chamber is defined between the rod connection assembly and the housing for receiving a fluid. A resilient member is disposed between the rod connection assembly and the housing. A partition assembly is positioned between the resilient member and the housing and axially divides the chamber into an upper chamber region and a lower chamber region. The partition assembly defines at least one passage that extends between the upper chamber region and the lower chamber region. At least one electromagnetic coil is disposed adjacent to the passage for selectively modifying the characteristics of the fluid passing through the passage to modify the damping characteristics of the top mount assembly.

Abstract: A damper assembly (20) is disclosed, and it comprises: a first rube (22) defining an inner surface (24) extending along an axis (A) to define a fluid chamber (30) containing a damping fluid (32); a rod (34) extending axially in the first rube (22); a guide (40) annularly disposed about the rod (34) and engaging the first tube (22); a piston (42) and a retainer (46) which are attached to the rod (34) and are slidably disposed in the first tube (22); a first spring (50) engaging and extending axially away from the retainer (46); a valve body (52) which is disposed adjacent to the first spring (50) and has a periphery (54) spaced from the inner surface (24) of the first tube (22) to define an annular channel (60); a second spring (66) extending axially away from the valve body (52); a bumper (68) engaging the second spring (66). The valve body (52) moves into sealing engagement with the retainer (46) in response to the bumper (68) engaging the guide (40).

Abstract: A brake booster assembly is provided. The assembly includes a rack including a plurality of rack teeth extending therefrom and moveable and extending along a first axis. A sensor is coupled with the rack for sensing force and axial displacement of the rack and outputting a signal proportional to the sensed force and the sensed displacement. A planetary gear subassembly is disposed about a second axis transverse to the first axis and is coupled with the rack for moving the rack along the first axis in response to rotation of the planetary gear subassembly about the second axis. A pair of motors are coupled to the planetary gear subassembly for rotating the planetary gear subassembly and moving the rack along the first axis. A controller is electrically connected to the sensor and to the motors for controlling rotation of the planetary gear subassembly in response to the signal from the sensor.

Abstract: A hydraulic suspension damper includes a tube having an opened end and a closed end defining a compartment. A main piston is disposed in the compartment dividing the compartment into a compression chamber and a rebound chamber. A piston rod is attached to the main piston. A rod guide is disposed at said opened end. A stroke stop arrangement includes an insert and an additional piston attached to the piston rod. The insert has a narrowed section including an inner surface defining at least one recess between the distal end and the rod guide and extends axially along the insert in fluid communication with the compression chamber for allowing working liquid flow from the rebound chamber to the compression chamber during the rebound stroke. The at least one recess includes three recesses disposed equidistantly and spaced from one another.

Abstract: A brake booster assembly is provided. The assembly includes a rack including a plurality of rack teeth extending therefrom and moveable and extending along a first axis. A sensor is coupled with the rack for sensing force and axial displacement of the rack and outputting a signal proportional to the sensed force and the sensed displacement. A planetary gear subassembly is disposed about a second axis transverse to the first axis and is coupled with the rack for moving the rack along the first axis in response to rotation of the planetary gear subassembly about the second axis. A pair of motors are coupled to the planetary gear subassembly for rotating the planetary gear subassembly and moving the rack along the first axis. A controller is electrically connected to the sensor and to the motors for controlling rotation of the planetary gear subassembly in response to the signal from the sensor.

Abstract: A hydraulic damper (3) includes a tube (4), a piston assembly (5) disposed slidably inside the tube (4), and an additional valve assembly (13). A compression chamber (9) is defined between the piston assembly (5) and the additional valve assembly (13). An additional compensation chamber (14) is defined between the additional valve assembly (13) and one side of a slideable partition (10). A gas chamber (11) is defined at the other side of the slidable partition (10). The damper includes an additional chamber assembly (15) to retain all the advantages of a twin-tube damper while providing the single construction offered by a mono-tube damper. One end of the additional chamber assembly (15) is attached to the slidable piston chamber (5) or to said piston rod (6) at the compression side thereof and the other end of said additional chamber assembly (15) is terminated with the additional valve assembly (13).

Abstract: The ring guide of the hydraulic stop mechanism defines at least one channel spaced from the passage, extending axially from the lower surface toward the upper surface, and terminating adjacent to the catcher. The catcher defines at least one window extending from the upper surface toward the lower surface establishing fluid communication with the channel. The retainer includes a second protrusion disposed at the coupling end of the retainer extending outwardly engaging the piston rod. The piston rod defines a pair of slots. A first slot is spaced from the rod support and the piston and extends about the piston rod for receiving the ring guide. A second slot is spaced from the piston and the first slot, and extends about the piston rod for receiving the second protrusion of the retainer. The ring guide includes a plurality of passages and channels alternating with one another about the ring guide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magneto rheological fluid composition for use in a vehicle mount having a flexible body and a diaphragm. The magneto rheological fluid composition consists of a carrier fluid, a plurality of magnetic responsive particles dispersed in the carrier fluid and an anti-settling agent of fumed silica dispersed in the carrier fluid forming a thixotropic network with the carrier fluid suspending the magnetic responsive particles in the thixotropic network for preventing the magnetic responsive particles from settling. The magneto rheological fluid composition of the present invention contains no additional additives providing stability to the thixotropic network and to the magneto rheological fluid and preventing the flexible body and the diaphragm from reacting with the composition to prolong the life of the composition.

Abstract: A hydraulic damper (2) includes a first piston body member (233), a second piston body member (234), a third piston body member (235), and a compression stroke disc assembly (231) compressed at a radially inner side thereof between the first (233) and said second (234) piston body members. The hydraulic damper includes a rebound stroke disc assembly (232) compressed at the radially inner side thereof between the second (234) and third (235) piston body members, and the compression stroke disc assembly (231) additionally includes an annular supporting member (2319) positioning discs (2311-2318) of the compression stroke disc assembly (231) at radially inner side thereof, while a radially inner axial passage (23191) is defined at the radially inner side of the supporting member (2319).

Abstract: A hydraulic damper (1) includes a tube (3) filled with working liquid, wherein at least one end of the tube (3) is provided with a narrower section (31) of a smaller diameter provided with at least one axial groove (12). The damper (1) includes at least one additional piston assembly (13) having diameter (D3) smaller than diameter (D1) of the main section of the tube (3), displaceable along with the main piston assembly (4) and apt to be introduced in the narrower section of the tube (3) to generate additional damping force. The narrower section (31) extends through a conical section (32) into the main section (33) of the tube (3) and the conical section (32) of the tube (3) is internally shaped to form axial bridges (15) defining said axial grooves (12) extending along the length of said conical section (32), each comprising a cylindrical section (151).

Abstract: The invention provides for a brake pad apparatus for connecting to a brake assembly of a motor vehicle. The brake pad apparatus includes a backing plate that extends along a first plane and has an inside surface and an outside surface. A liner is connected to the inside surface of the backing plate for contacting the rotor for creating a frictional force against the rotor to slow the motor vehicle. An insulating layer is connected to the outside surface of the backing plate for providing heat and noise insulation during contact of the liner against the rotor. At least one projection extends from the outside surface of the backing plate through the insulating layer, and past the insulating layer for being engaged by a pressing member of the brake assembly for compressing the liner against the rotor of the brake assembly.

Abstract: A hydraulic damper (2) includes at least one spring valve assembly (28b, 28c) having a body (231, 261) provided with through flow channels (282), at least one deflectable disc (281) covering these through flow channels (282), and a supporting member (285, 285c) fixed to an axial member for clamping the at least one disc (281) at the inner circumferential part thereof. A spring seat (283b, 283c) is disposed around the supporting member (285, 285c) and abuts the at least one deflectable disc (281) in at least one radial position (2831, 2832) at the outer circumferential part thereof. A spring (284) is preloaded between the spring seat (283b, 283c) and the supporting member (285, 2851c). The spring seat (283b, 283c) includes at least one axial projection (2833b, 2833c) perimetrically engaging the at least one disc (281), and a circular gap (286) is provided between the spring seat (283b, 283c) and the supporting member (285, 2851c).