Patents by Inventor Gianfranco De Lillo

Gianfranco De Lillo has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9016447
    Abstract: A piston (10) comprises a first pair of passive flow-control valves (18, 20) [namely, a first compensation valve (18) and a first rebound valve (20)], a second pair of passive flow-control valves (22, 24) [namely, a second compensation valve (22) and a second rebound valve (24)], and a flow-dividing solenoid valve (14) shiftable between a first operating position [in which it allows flow of a damping fluid between an upper chamber and a lower chamber of a shock absorber through the first pair of passive flow-control valves (18, 20) and second pair of passive flow-control valves (22, 24)] and a second operating position [in which it allows the flow of the damping fluid between the upper chamber and lower chamber through only the second pair of passive flow-control valves (22, 24)]. The solenoid valve (14) is normally open (i.e., it is normally kept in the first operating position).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Sistemi Sospensioni S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gianfranco De Lillo, Massimo Trinchera, Walter Bruno
  • Patent number: 8875852
    Abstract: A flow-control passive valve controls flow of fluid between an upstream space at high pressure and downstream space at low pressure. The valve comprises a valve body in fluid communication with the upstream and downstream spaces and within which are defined first and second spaces. A movable member is slidably received in a body chamber, and a force is applied to the member tending to keep it in a given “non-working” position. Metering discs meter the flow from the upstream to downstream space through the body and comprise first, second, and third fixed restrictors and first and second variable restrictors. Pressure in the first space is lower than that in the upstream space via a pressure drop through the first fixed restrictor while pressure in the second space is variable between the pressure in the first space and that in the downstream space depending on the position of the member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Sistemi Sospensioni S.p.A.
    Inventors: Walter Bruno, Gianfranco De Lillo
  • Publication number: 20130126282
    Abstract: A piston (10) comprises a first pair of passive flow-control valves (18, 20) [namely, a first compensation valve (18) and a first rebound valve (20)], a second pair of passive flow-control valves (22, 24) [namely, a second compensation valve (22) and a second rebound valve (24)], and a flow-dividing solenoid valve (14) shiftable between a first operating position [in which it allows flow of a damping fluid between an upper chamber and a lower chamber of a shock absorber through the first pair of passive flow-control valves (18, 20) and second pair of passive flow-control valves (22, 24)] and a second operating position [in which it allows the flow of the damping fluid between the upper chamber and lower chamber through only the second pair of passive flow-control valves (22, 24)]. The solenoid valve (14) is normally open (i.e., it is normally kept in the first operating position).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: Sistemi Sospensioni S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gianfranco De Lillo, Massimo Trinchera, Walter Bruno
  • Publication number: 20120168268
    Abstract: A flow-control passive valve controls flow of fluid between an upstream space at high pressure and downstream space at low pressure. The valve comprises a valve body in fluid communication with the upstream and downstream spaces and within which are defined first and second spaces. A movable member is slidably received in a body chamber, and a force is applied to the member tending to keep it in a given “non-working” position. Metering discs meter the flow from the upstream to downstream space through the body and comprise first, second, and third fixed restrictors and first and second variable restrictors. Pressure in the first space is lower than that in the upstream space via a pressure drop through the first fixed restrictor while pressure in the second space is variable between the pressure in the first space and that in the downstream space depending on the position of the member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Walter Bruno, Gianfranco De Lillo