Patents by Inventor Mark Nowaczyk
Mark Nowaczyk 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: 9638280Abstract: A shock absorber has a pressure tube with a piston assembly slidably disposed within the pressure tube and attached to a piston rod. The pressure tube is disposed within a reserve tube and a working fluid reservoir is formed between the pressure tube and the reserve tube. The piston assembly divides the pressure tube into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. A base valve assembly controls a flow of working fluid between the working fluid reservoir and the lower working chamber. The base valve assembly includes a frequency dependent valve system that provides an increased level of damping for each compression stroke of the piston assembly during low frequency movements of the shock absorber. A lesser level of damping is provided for each compression stroke during high frequency movements of the shock absorber.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2015Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.Inventors: Mark Nowaczyk, Jelle Van de Plas, Jan Vochten
-
Patent number: 9500255Abstract: A shock absorber has a pressure tube with a piston assembly slidably disposed within the pressure tube and attached to a piston rod. The piston assembly divides the pressure tube into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. The piston assembly includes a frequency dependent valve assembly attached to the piston rod which defines a housing attached to the piston rod and a spool valve assembly. The spool valve assembly includes a spool valve and first and second bypass valve assemblies that control fluid flow through bypass passage that bypasses the piston assembly.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2014Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.Inventors: Mark Nowaczyk, Gunther Bismans
-
Patent number: 9441700Abstract: A shock absorber has a pressure tube with a piston assembly slidably disposed within the pressure tube and attached to a piston rod. The piston assembly divides the pressure tube into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. The piston assembly includes a frequency dependent valve assembly attached to the piston rod which defines a housing attached to the piston rod and a spool valve assembly. The spool valve assembly includes a spool valve and a bypass valve assembly that controls fluid flow through bypass passage that bypasses the piston assembly.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2014Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.Inventors: Mark Nowaczyk, Jan Vochten
-
Publication number: 20160047432Abstract: A shock absorber has a pressure tube with a piston assembly slidably disposed within the pressure tube and attached to a piston rod. The piston assembly divides the pressure tube into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. The piston assembly includes a frequency dependent valve assembly attached to the piston rod which defines a housing attached to the piston rod and a spool valve assembly. The spool valve assembly includes a spool valve and a bypass valve assembly that controls fluid flow through bypass passage that bypasses the piston assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2014Publication date: February 18, 2016Inventors: Mark Nowaczyk, Jan Vochten
-
Publication number: 20160025181Abstract: A shock absorber has a pressure tube with a piston assembly slidably disposed within the pressure tube and attached to a piston rod. The pressure tube is disposed within a reserve tube and a working fluid reservoir is formed between the pressure tube and the reserve tube. The piston assembly divides the pressure tube into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. A base valve assembly controls a flow of working fluid between the working fluid reservoir and the lower working chamber. The base valve assembly includes a frequency dependent valve system that provides an increased level of damping for each compression stroke of the piston assembly during low frequency movements of the shock absorber. A lesser level of damping is provided for each compression stroke during high frequency movements of the shock absorber.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2015Publication date: January 28, 2016Inventors: Mark NOWACZYK, Jelle Van de PLAS, Jan VOCHTEN
-
Patent number: 9239092Abstract: A shock absorber has a pressure tube with a piston assembly slidably disposed within the pressure tube and attached to a piston rod. The piston assembly divides the pressure tube into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. The piston assembly includes a frequency dependent valve assembly attached to the piston rod which defines a housing attached to the piston rod and a spool valve assembly. The spool valve assembly includes a spool valve and a bypass valve assembly that controls fluid flow through bypass passage that bypasses the piston assembly.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2013Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.Inventors: Mark Nowaczyk, Gunther Bismans
-
Patent number: 9222539Abstract: A shock absorber has a pressure tube with a piston assembly slidably disposed within the pressure tube and attached to a piston rod. The piston assembly divides the pressure tube into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. The piston assembly includes a frequency dependent valve assembly attached to the piston rod which defines a housing attached to the piston rod and a spool valve assembly. The spool valve assembly includes a pair of spool valves and a pair of bypass valve assemblies that control fluid flow through a bypass passage that bypasses the piston assembly.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2014Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.Inventors: Mark Nowaczyk, Jan Vochten
-
Publication number: 20150247546Abstract: A shock absorber has a pressure tube with a piston assembly slidably disposed within the pressure tube and attached to a piston rod. The piston assembly divides the pressure tube into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. The piston assembly includes a frequency dependent valve assembly attached to the piston rod which defines a housing attached to the piston rod and a spool valve assembly. The spool valve assembly includes a spool valve and first and second bypass valve assemblies that control fluid flow through bypass passage that bypasses the piston assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2014Publication date: September 3, 2015Applicant: TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING COMPANY INC.Inventors: Mark NOWACZYK, Gunther BISMANS
-
Patent number: 9080634Abstract: A shock absorber has a pressure tube with a piston assembly slidably disposed within the pressure tube and attached to a piston rod. The piston assembly divides the pressure tube into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. The piston assembly includes a frequency dependent valve assembly attached to the piston rod which defines a housing attached to the piston rod and a piston disposed within the housing. The piston moves within the housing to control the fluid flow through a bypass fluid passage that bypasses the piston assembly.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2013Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.Inventors: Mark Nowaczyk, Gunther Bismans
-
Patent number: 9074651Abstract: A shock absorber includes a piston assembly which includes separate flow paths. Each flow path is controlled by a valve assembly and each flow path is in parallel with the other two flow paths. One flow path will generate firm damping characteristics. A second flow path opens depending on either the frequency of the shock absorber movement or the amount of movement or stroke of the shock absorber. The third flow path includes an on/off control valve and generates a soft damping characteristic when the control valve is activated. The soft damping characteristic can be generated by a tunable bleed restriction or by a passive valve assembly.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2013Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.Inventors: Gunther Bismans, Mark Nowaczyk
-
Publication number: 20150053518Abstract: A shock absorber has a pressure tube with a piston assembly slidably disposed within the pressure tube and attached to a piston rod. The piston assembly divides the pressure tube into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. The piston assembly includes a frequency dependent valve assembly attached to the piston rod which defines a housing attached to the piston rod and a spool valve assembly. The spool valve assembly includes a spool valve and a bypass valve assembly that controls fluid flow through bypass passage that bypasses the piston assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2013Publication date: February 26, 2015Applicant: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.Inventors: Mark NOWACZYK, Gunther BISMANS
-
Publication number: 20150027829Abstract: A shock absorber has a pressure tube with a piston assembly slidably disposed within the pressure tube and attached to a piston rod. The piston assembly divides the pressure tube into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. The piston assembly includes a frequency dependent valve assembly attached to the piston rod which defines a housing attached to the piston rod and a piston disposed within the housing. The piston moves within the housing to control the fluid flow through a bypass fluid passage that bypasses the piston assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2013Publication date: January 29, 2015Applicant: TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING COMPANY INC.Inventors: Mark NOWACZYK, Gunther BISMANS
-
Publication number: 20140000998Abstract: A shock absorber includes a piston assembly which includes separate flow paths. Each flow path is controlled by a valve assembly and each flow path is in parallel with the other two flow paths. One flow path will generate firm damping characteristics. A second flow path opens depending on either the frequency of the shock absorber movement or the amount of movement or stroke of the shock absorber. The third flow path includes an on/off control valve and generates a soft damping characteristic when the control valve is activated. The soft damping characteristic can be generated by a tunable bleed restriction or by a passive valve assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2013Publication date: January 2, 2014Applicant: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.Inventors: Gunther Bismans, Mark Nowaczyk
-
Patent number: 8511447Abstract: A triple tube shock absorber includes a pressure tube, a reserve tube and an intermediate tube. The intermediate tube is disposed between the pressure tube and the intermediate tube. A tube ring is disposed between the pressure tube and the intermediate tube to isolate an intermediate chamber from a reserve chamber. The intermediate tube ends at a position spaced from a base valve assembly to allow for the reduction of diameter of the reserve tube without adversely affecting fluid flow.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2009Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.Inventors: Mark Nowaczyk, Johan Paesmans
-
Publication number: 20130081913Abstract: A triple tube shock absorber includes a pressure tube, a reserve tube and an intermediate tube. The intermediate tube is disposed between the pressure tube and the reserve tube. A control valve is in communication with the intermediate chamber. The control valve engages a transfer ring which has a saddle shaped surface that mates with the outside surface of the intermediate tube. A triangular shaped weld bead also has a saddle shape to engage the outer surface of the intermediate tube. The weld bead has a triangular shape to facilitate capacitance discharge welding of the transfer ring to the intermediate tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2011Publication date: April 4, 2013Applicant: TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING COMPANY INC.Inventors: Mark Nowaczyk, Stefan Peerenbooms
-
Patent number: 7950506Abstract: A shock absorber has an external valve that controls the damping loads for the shock absorber. The external valve extends generally parallel with the axis of the shock absorber and is attached to the reserve tube of the shock absorber. The inlet to the external valve is in communication with an intermediate chamber which is in communication with the working chamber of the shock absorber. The outlet of the valve is in communication with the reserve chamber of the shock absorber. The external valve controls the damping loads in both a compression and an extension stroke of the shock absorber.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2007Date of Patent: May 31, 2011Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.Inventor: Mark Nowaczyk
-
Publication number: 20100193308Abstract: A triple tube shock absorber includes a pressure tube, a reserve tube and an intermediate tube. The intermediate tube is disposed between the pressure tube and the intermediate tube. A tube ring is disposed between the pressure tube and the intermediate tube to isolate an intermediate chamber from a reserve chamber. The intermediate tube ends at a position spaced from a base valve assembly to allow for the reduction of diameter of the reserve tube without adversely affecting fluid flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2009Publication date: August 5, 2010Applicant: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.Inventors: Mark Nowaczyk, Johan Paesmans
-
Publication number: 20090032346Abstract: A shock absorber has an external valve that controls the damping loads for the shock absorber. The external valve extends generally parallel with the axis of the shock absorber and is attached to the reserve tube of the shock absorber. The inlet to the external valve is in communication with an intermediate chamber which is in communication with the working chamber of the shock absorber. The outlet of the valve is in communication with the reserve chamber of the shock absorber. The external valve controls the damping loads in both a compression and an extension stroke of the shock absorber.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2007Publication date: February 5, 2009Applicant: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company, Inc.Inventor: Mark Nowaczyk