Abstract: Hydraulic fluid in a cylinder's lower chamber is introduced into a back pressure chamber through the outer periphery of an extension-side main valve during a compression stroke of a piston rod. This eliminates the necessity of forming paths by arranging a plurality of discs and a check valve, the paths for introducing into the back pressure chamber the hydraulic fluid in the cylinder's lower chamber that becomes an upstream chamber during the compression stroke. This makes it possible to decrease the axial length of a shaft portion of the piston rod and therefore the entire length of a cylinder, and also downsize a shock absorber.

Abstract: A shock absorber includes a cylinder-side member having an inner cylinder, a piston-side member having a piston and a piston rod that move relative to the inner cylinder, and a phase correction communication passage. The phase correction communication passage is provided between a bottom-side oil chamber, which is one side chamber, and a rod-side oil chamber, which is the other side chamber. That is, the phase correction communication passage is provided in the inner cylinder which is the cylinder-side member and communicates the bottom-side oil chamber and rod-side chamber with each other. By having a spiral conduit that advances in the axial direction while spiraling (orbiting) multiple times at the same diameter, the phase correction communication passage is configured as a second damping mechanism which generates a force (an axial force) that advances the phase of the damping force.

Abstract: A shock absorber includes: a cylinder; a piston slidably inserted into the cylinder; a piston rod connected to the piston and extending outside the cylinder; a main valve that generates a damping force; a pilot chamber that applies pressure to the main valve; an introduction passage that introduces the fluid into the pilot chamber; a pilot passage that communicates the pilot chamber and a downstream side of the main valve with each other; and a control valve provided in the pilot passage. In an upstream side of the pilot passage from the control valve, the pilot passage is provided with a first orifice, a first passage provided in parallel with the first orifice, a first check valve that is opened at a predetermined differential pressure and allows a flow toward the control valve through the first passage, and a second orifice.

Abstract: Hydraulic fluid in a cylinder's lower chamber is introduced into a back pressure chamber through the outer periphery of an extension-side main valve during a compression stroke of a piston rod. This eliminates the necessity of forming paths by arranging a plurality of discs and a check valve, the paths for introducing into the back pressure chamber the hydraulic fluid in the cylinder's lower chamber that becomes an upstream chamber during the compression stroke. This makes it possible to decrease the axial length of a shaft portion of the piston rod and therefore the entire length of a cylinder, and also downsize a shock absorber.

Abstract: The invention is so configured that a main valve is disposed under a piston valve, that a sub valve for varying the set load of the main valve is provided in a piston case located above the piston valve, and that a first valve element of the sub valve is slidably sealed onto a case member with a metallic seal only at a single place.

Abstract: Provided is a shock absorber capable of smoothly changing a damping force in a low speed range of piston speed and of opening a main valve with a smaller differential pressure. An auxiliary valve (111) is provided on an upstream side of a main valve (27) in series with the main valve (27). Thus, the damping force in the low speed range of the piston speed can be smoothly changed. Further, the main valve (27) has a simply-supported structure in which an inner peripheral side thereof is prevented from being clamped and is supported in a cantilever state. Thus, the main valve (27) can be opened with a smaller differential pressure.

Abstract: Provided are a damper configured such that the axial play between a coil case and a case member can be eliminated without increasing a size of a solenoid, and a method of assembling the damper. An O-ring (seal member) is elastically supported by a tapered hole formed in an inner peripheral surface of a case member and a tapered shaft formed in an outer peripheral surface of a coil case, and a retaining ring is configured to receive an axial force generated by the O-ring. The configuration enables the play between the coil case and the case member of the solenoid to be eliminated. A damping force regulation mechanism, and in turn the damper, may be made more compact in comparison with a case in which the O-ring is received by the opening side end face of the case member.

Abstract: A suspension system, which is used together with a vehicle including a vehicle body, a front wheel, and a rear wheel, includes a mechanical damping force variable shock absorber disposed between the vehicle body and the front wheel and configured to mechanically change a damping force, and a damping force adjustable shock absorber disposed between the vehicle body and the rear wheel and configured to adjust a damping force by an actuator.

Abstract: Provided is a shock absorber capable of smoothly changing a damping force in a low speed range of piston speed and of opening a main valve with a smaller differential pressure. An auxiliary valve (111) is provided on an upstream side of a main valve (27) in series with the main valve (27). Thus, the damping force in the low speed range of the piston speed can be smoothly changed. Further, the main valve (27) has a simply-supported structure in which an inner peripheral side thereof is prevented from being clamped and is supported in a cantilever state. Thus, the main valve (27) can be opened with a smaller differential pressure.

Abstract: Provided are a damper configured such that the axial play between a coil case and a case member can be eliminated without increasing a size of a solenoid, and a method of assembling the damper. An O-ring (seal member) is elastically supported by a tapered hole formed in an inner peripheral surface of a case member and a tapered shah formed in an outer peripheral surface of a coil case, and a retaining ring is configured to receive an axial force generated by the O-ring. The configuration enables the play between the coil case and the case member of the solenoid to be eliminated. A damping force regulation mechanism, and in turn the damper, may be made more compact in comparison with a case in which the O-ring is received by the opening side end face of the case member.

Abstract: PROBLEM Provided is a damping force control type shock absorber capable of obtaining an appropriate damping force even in the event of a failure independently of the stoke of a valving element of a solenoid valve. MEANS FOR SOLVING A piston 5 having a piston rod 6 connected thereto is fitted in a cylinder 2 having hydraulic oil sealed therein, and a flow of hydraulic oil induced by movement of the piston 5 is controlled by a damping force generating mechanism 26 to generate a damping force. In the damping force generating mechanism 26, damping force is generated by a pilot-type main valve 27 and a normally-open pilot valve 28 which is a solenoid valve, and the damping force is adjusted by energization of a coil 37. A fail-safe valve 100 is provided downstream of the pilot valve 28. During normal operations, the fail-safe valve 100 opens the flow path through excitation of the coil 37 of the pilot valve 28.

Abstract: This suspension device is provided with a shock absorber (5) that is capable of altering damping force using the position of a piston rod (18) such that at least any one of the following characteristics are achieved, namely, first characteristics in which, within a range where the piston rod (18) is extending out from a cylinder (11) beyond a first predetermined position, the extension-side damping force is in a soft state and the compression-side damping force is in a hard state, and second characteristics in which, within a range where the piston rod (18) is retracted inside the cylinder (11) beyond a second predetermined position, the extension-side damping force is in a hard state and the compression-side damping force is in a soft state; and an operating force adjustment mechanism that is capable of adjusting at least one of the operating force in the roll direction of a vehicle, and the operating force in a pitch direction of the vehicle.

Abstract: PROBLEM Provided is a damping force control type shock absorber capable of obtaining an appropriate damping force even in the event of a failure independently of the stoke of a valving element of a solenoid valve. MEANS FOR SOLVING A piston 5 having a piston rod 6 connected thereto is fitted in a cylinder 2 having hydraulic oil sealed therein, and a flow of hydraulic oil induced by movement of the piston 5 is controlled by a damping force generating mechanism 26 to generate a damping force. In the damping force generating mechanism 26, damping force is generated by a pilot-type main valve 27 and a normally-open pilot valve 28 which is a solenoid valve, and the damping force is adjusted by energization of a coil 37. A fail-safe valve 100 is provided downstream of the pilot valve 28. During normal operations, the fail-safe valve 100 opens the flow path through excitation of the coil 37 of the pilot valve 28.

Abstract: A shock absorber has an inclined surface that is inclined to a moving direction of the free piston in at least one of a free piston contact surface of a free piston with which an elastic body is in contact and a housing contact surface of a housing with which the elastic body is in contact. A shortest distance between the free piston contact surface and the housing contact surface is changed by movement of the free piston.

Abstract: A suspension system, which is used together with a vehicle including a vehicle body, a front wheel, and a rear wheel, includes a mechanical damping force variable shock absorber disposed between the vehicle body and the front wheel and configured to mechanically change a damping force, and a damping force adjustable shock absorber disposed between the vehicle body and the rear wheel and configured to adjust a damping force by an actuator.

Abstract: A joined body includes a first member having a female portion, and a second member having a male portion inserted in the female portion at one end, and an annular groove along an outer circumference of the male portion. The first member and the second member are fitted to each other. A plurality of joint portions is formed on a side wall of the female portion. The joint portions are joined to the male portion by being pushed in the annular groove. A pressing portion is formed at the female portion so as to face a position of the male portion axially different from the annular groove of the male portion. The pressing portion pressed against the male portion.

Abstract: A shock absorber includes a first passage (111) or (112) and a second passage (32), (99) or (235) in communication with each other and configured to allow a working fluid to flow between two chambers (16) and (17) based on movement of a piston (15), and a passage area adjustment mechanism (101) or (236) configured to adjust a passage area of the second passage (99) or (235) depending on a position of a piston rod (18) is installed to have at least one of a maximum length-side property in which an extension-side damping force becomes soft and a compression-side damping force becomes hard in a range in which the piston rod (18) extends to an outside of a cylinder (11) farther than a maximum length-side predetermined position, and a minimum length-side property in which the extension-side damping force becomes hard and the compression-side damping force becomes soft in a range in which the piston rod (18) enters an inside of the cylinder (11) further than a minimum length side predetermined position.

Abstract: This suspension device is provided with a shock absorber (5) that is capable of altering damping force using the position of a piston rod (18) such that at least any one of the following characteristics are achieved, namely, first characteristics in which, within a range where the piston rod (18) is extending out from a cylinder (11) beyond a first predetermined position, the extension-side damping force is in a soft state and the compression-side damping force is in a hard state, and second characteristics in which, within a range where the piston rod (18) is retracted inside the cylinder (11) beyond a second predetermined position, the extension-side damping force is in a hard state and the compression-side damping force is in a soft state; and an operating force adjustment mechanism that is capable of adjusting at least one of the operating force in the roll direction of a vehicle, and the operating force in a pitch direction of the vehicle.

Abstract: A shock absorber includes a first passage (111) or (112) and a second passage (32), (99) or (235) in communication with each other and configured to allow a working fluid to flow between two chambers (16) and (17) based on movement of a piston (15), and a passage area adjustment mechanism (101) or (236) configured to adjust a passage area of the second passage (99) or (235) depending on a position of a piston rod (18) is installed to have at least one of a maximum length-side property in which an extension-side damping force becomes soft and a compression-side damping force becomes hard in a range in which the piston rod (18) extends to an outside of a cylinder (11) farther than a maximum length-side predetermined position, and a minimum length-side property in which the extension-side damping force becomes hard and the compression-side damping force becomes soft in a range in which the piston rod (18) enters an inside of the cylinder (11) further than a minimum length side predetermined position.

Abstract: An electromagnetic suspension apparatus includes a stator disposed on a vehicle body side and including a core and coils, a movable element disposed on a wheel side and including an outer rube and permanent magnets, and a cylinder apparatus located inside the stator and the movable element and disposed between the vehicle body side and the wheel side. A rod of the cylinder apparatus and the outer tube are nonrigidly coupled to each other via a coupling member formed as an elastically deformable elastic body. When a lateral force is applied, the coupling member is elastically deformed, by which the outer tube moves or swings relative to the rod so that the coils and the permanent magnets can be prevented from contacting each other.