Abstract: A method for operating a controllable shock absorber may involve damping movement of a valve body by loading the valve body with a back pressure on an outflow side. Further, the controllable shock absorber may include a cylinder tube, a piston within the cylinder tube that divides the cylinder tube into two working spaces and includes a couple fluid leadthroughs connecting the working spaces, and first and second valve assemblies for damping piston movement in first and second actuating directions that are disposed on the leadthroughs. Each valve assembly may have a pilot control chamber and a valve plate that is either seated on or spaced apart from a valve seat in closed and open valve positions. Each valve plate can be prestressed closed by pressure loading the pilot control chamber. The pressures of the pilot control chambers can be set by a pilot control valve that comprises a movable valve body. As a result, an outflow cross section between the pilot control chambers and the working spaces can be set.

Abstract: A closure package for closing a damper tube of a vibration damper includes a main body configured to be sealingly disposed the damper tube and through which a piston rod of the vibration damper can be sealingly guided. The main body has an opening into which a guide bushing for guiding the piston rod is inserted. At least one sealing unit is disposed in the main body and configured to seal against the piston rod. The guide bushing has a circumferential collar extending radially outwards at one end face that abuts against the sealing unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a suspension strut for a motor vehicle with a vibration damper, with a supporting spring and with a height-adjustment device, with which the height of the vehicle body of the motor vehicle can be changed, and wherein the suspension strut has an auxiliary spring having a lower spring characteristic than the supporting spring, by means of which auxiliary spring a residual prestress can be produced in the supporting spring when the vibration damper is extended, and wherein the auxiliary spring is integrated in the height-adjustment device.

Abstract: A flange for connecting a vibration damper tube to a module tube of a vibration damper may include one or more fluid ducts, by which the module tube is fluidically coupled to the vibration damper tube. The flange may further include a plastic body in which the fluid duct for the fluidic coupling is formed and wherein connection elements are provided that extend between the vibration damper tube and the module tube. The connection elements may form a retaining connection between the vibration damper tube and the module tube. The plastic body may comprise two opposite side walls, and the connection elements may be formed by metal plates arranged on the side walls. The plastic body may also comprise retaining means for the retaining of the plates.

Abstract: A suspension strut for a vehicle has an air spring unit and a damper unit. The damper unit has a damper tube, which extends into a rolling tube of the air spring unit. The damper tube has supporting geometries distributed over its circumference, against which supporting geometries a radially expanded end of the rolling tube is supported. In order to support the rolling tube on the supporting geometries of the damper tube, a torsion element is provided. The torsion element is arranged between the radially expanded end of the rolling tube and the supporting geometries of the damper tube. The torsion element forms a form fit with the supporting geometries for the purpose of torque transmission.

Abstract: An arrangement for mounting a suspension spring of a spring strut for a motor vehicle may include a spring plate that is arranged on a damper tube of a vibration damper of the spring strut such that an end side of the suspension spring is supported on the spring plate. A protective element for protecting a piston rod of the vibration damper may also be attached to the spring plate. The spring plate may include features that help minimize or even eliminate contact between the protective element and the damper tube. For example, the spring plate may include tongues that extend from a ring-shaped main structure of the spring plate, wherein inner sides of the tongues may lie against the damper tube and outer sides of the tongues may guide the protective element.

Abstract: Disclosed is a valve device for an air spring strut of an air suspension system of a motor vehicle, having a valve unit and a housing which receives the valve unit and has a bearing face for mounting a head bearing of the air spring strut on the valve device. The housing has a surface section for supporting the valve device in the air spring strut in a positively locking manner, with the result that a force which is exerted by the head bearing on the valve device can be introduced via the housing into the air spring strut. A supporting section is configured on the surface section of the housing, onto which supporting section an exchange element which can be disconnected from the housing can be arranged from the direction of a center longitudinal axis of the valve device for supporting on the housing in a positively locking manner.

Abstract: A controllable vibration damper may include a cylinder tube with hydraulic fluid, a piston movable axially within the cylinder tube along an axis and that divides the cylinder tube into two working spaces, a piston rod parallel to the cylinder tube axis and connected at one end to the piston, fluid passages from one working space into another working space, a first valve subassembly on a first fluid passage for damping piston movement in a first direction, and a second valve subassembly on a second fluid passage for damping piston movement in a second direction. Each valve subassembly may include a valve disk seated on a valve seat in a closed position and spaced apart from the valve seat in an open position, as well as a pilot chamber containing an adjustable pressure that pushes the valve disk into the closed position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a head bearing arrangement (1) for connecting a spring strut (10) to a vehicle body (11), having a head bearing housing (12) and having a spring plate (13) on which a load-bearing spring (14) of the spring strut (10) is supported, wherein the spring plate (13) is arranged on the head bearing housing (12). According to the invention, the spring plate (13) is arranged on the head bearing housing (12) by way of a conical seat (15), wherein a toothing (16) is inserted in the conical seat (15) between the spring plate (13) and the head bearing housing (12).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a closure package (1) for closing a damper tube (10) for a vibration damper, with a main body (11) which is designed for sealing arrangement in the damper tube (10) and through which a piston rod (12) of the vibration damper can be sealingly guided, and wherein the main body (11) has an opening in which a guide bush (13) for guiding the piston rod (12) is inserted and wherein at least one sealing unit (14, 15) is provided for sealing contact with the piston rod (12). According to the invention, the guide bush (13) has a circumferential collar (16) pointing radially outwards at one end face and adjoined by the sealing unit (14).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a damping valve for a shock absorber, comprising a base body with a first support body and with a second support body and comprising one or more valve spring discs which separate a first damping fluid space from a second damping fluid space, wherein the valve spring discs are supported against the first support body via an inner edge support, and against the second support body via an outer edge support, and which control a passage of damping fluid in both directions by virtue of the fact that the valve spring discs lift-off either from the inner edge support or from the outer edge support, by elastic deflection. According to the invention, a stroke movable control body is provided which is prestressed against the valve spring discs, so that the control behaviour of the valve spring discs can be adjusted via the edge supports by the prestress of the control body.

Abstract: A motor-vehicle shock absorber has a tube at least partially filled with damping liquid and extending, a piston rod axially shiftable inside the damper tube, and a piston connected to the piston rod and subdividing the damper tube into a piston rod-side working chamber and an opposite working chamber. An on-off control valve is axially movable inside the piston between a closed and an open position. A first soft-characteristic damping valve inside the piston through which the damping liquid may flow in both flow directions is connectable to a flow path of the damping liquid from one into the other working chamber through the control valve. A second hard-characteristic damping valve through which the damping liquid may flow in both flow directions is also provided in the piston.

Abstract: A shock absorber for a vehicle contains a shock absorber tube in which at least one shock absorber piston is guided in a sliding manner. The shock absorber tube is made of a carbon fiber composite material and has a coating made of an epoxide on the inside of the shock absorber tube, which coating forms the sliding partner for the shock absorber piston guided in the shock absorber tube. A method is explained for producing the shock absorber tube for the shock absorber and to the use of a tube made of a carbon fiber composite material having an epoxide coating to form a shock absorber tube for a shock absorber.

Abstract: For a device for the amplitude-dependent absorption of shocks, especially of the wheel of a vehicle, with at least one working piston (3), which is disposed within an absorbing housing (1) and connected with a piston rod (2) and divides the absorbing housing (1) into two absorbing spaces (4, 5) and interacts with a hydraulic element, which is disposed in parallel for affecting small amplitudes and has a space (15) with a dividing element, the space (15) being tied in with hydraulic tie-ins with the absorbing spaces (4, 5), the greatest possible absence of wear and a soft response of the working piston are to be achieved. For this purpose, it is proposed that the dividing element consists of a foamed, elastic material.

Abstract: To make a sealing and guiding packet available to shock dampers in order to minimize or even entirely prevent the negative effects of the so-called stick-slip effect and thus permit greater riding comfort, a sealing and guiding packet is proposed which comprises the following features: a) A cylindrical gasket (6) surrounding an oscillating piston rod (10) and in contact with the latter, which has a first and a second end face (6a, 6b) and a cylindrical mantle surface (6c), b) a cylindrical elastomer element (7) surrounding the ring (6), which has two radially extending flanges (7a, 7b), which thrust the ring (6) resiliently against the end faces, and which [elastomer element] has a radially extending third flange (7c) which biases the ring against the piston rod surface; as well as c) tightening elements (1; 1.1, 1.2, 1.3; 4) which in the working state keep the elastomer element (7) under bias both in the axial and in the radial direction.

Abstract: A subassembly for the amplitude-dependent absorption of shock, especially in a dashpot for a motor vehicle with a piston and an oscillating piston rod. The piston (3) is accommodated in a housing (2), partitioning the housing into two compartments (4 & 5), and travels up and down inside the housing, radially aligned and axially subject to motion-limiting tension, on the end of the piston rod (1). The object is a simple and reliable subassembly that takes up little additional space. The piston is accordingly axially tensioned between two springs (17 & 18).

Abstract: An assembly for a hydraulic dashpot. The dashpot is accommodated in an overall housing (1) and provided with a shock-absorbing piston (3) traveling back and forth inside the housing on one end of a piston rod (2) and partitioning the housing into two compartments (19 & 23), and a vibration-compensating piston (11) hydraulically paralleling the first piston and accommodated inside a subsidiary housing (10). The object of is to ensure a solid and reliable connection between the shock-absorbing piston and the piston rod while allowing as much of the piston rod as possible to find support inside the housing. The vibration-compensating piston is accordingly an annular piston and travels back and forth with its inner surface resting against a section (9) of the piston rod adjacent to the fastening for the shock-absorbing piston, and with its outer surface against the inner surface of the subsidiary housing.

Abstract: A hydraulic dashpot for motor vehicles, with a cylinder and a primary piston. The cylinder (1) is charged with shock-absorption fluid. The primary piston (2) is mounted on the lower end of a piston rod (8) and partitions the cylinder into two chambers (3 & 4). The piston rod travels axially into and out of the cylinder. The primary piston is provided with breaches, with shock absorption valves (5) that can vary the cross-section of the breaches, and with a bypass system comprising at least two mutually dependently controlled bypasses between the two compartments. The object of the present invention is to improve a hydraulic dashpot of the aforesaid genus to the extent that the at least two bypass channels, although they can be opened and closed mutually dependently, need not be opened and closed sequentially.

Abstract: A hydraulic dashpot with a cylinder (1), a piston (4), and a bypass. The cylinder is charged with fluid. The piston partitions the cylinder into two compartments (7 & 8), travels back and forth therein on the end of a piston rod (2), and is provided with breaches and valves. The open cross-section of the bypass can be expanded and contracted and fixed in accordance with the direction the piston is traveling in, depending on whether the dashpot is in the compression or in the suction phase. The bypass is provided with an axially displaceable control component. One end of the control component comes to rest against a valve, its displacement being limited by stops. The bypass is accommodated in an axial bore through the piston rod. The bypass operates in conjunction with various outlets that open into the compartments. The control component is provided with at least one lateral flange and travels back and forth in at least one tube. The object is a smooth performance curve and low wear.

Abstract: A shock-absorbing piston for hydraulic fixtures, especially hydraulic dashpots for motor vehicles, and separating two hydraulics chambers. The body of the piston is breached by one or more ports. The end of each is blocked by a resilient or resiliently loaded cap. The object is to improve the flow of hydraulic fluid. The ports (13 & 14) are sickle-shaped and the cap rests eccentric against the face of the piston's body (16).