Abstract: A hydraulic vibration damper for motor vehicles comprising a cylinder (1) containing damping fluid and a sealed, axially displaceable piston rod (2) that plunges into said cylinder. A damping piston (3) is secured to the lower end of the piston rod and divides the cylinder area into two working areas (4, 5). Said damping piston is provided with passages that can be modified and which are controlled by throttle valve bodies, in addition to a bypass for the pressure and traction stage, whereby the cross-section of the bypass is adjusted by an electrovalve that functions in three or more stages and the toroid coil more or less opens a valve slide (13), whereupon two or more bypass openings are released in a successive manner. The inventive damper is designed in such a way disruptive influences caused by constantly changing hydraulic forces arising from the flow of the damping agent are reduced when the flow from the bypass channels is shifted or controlled.

Abstract: A damper includes a piston that carries a relatively compact control valve for controlling fluid flow through the piston. The control valve provides a variable amount of damping by regulating damper fluid flow between the extension chamber and the compression chamber of the damper during extension and compression strokes. Pressure regulation across the piston is controlled through a flow path as determined by the control valve. The damping force of the damper varies depending upon the loading conditions of the vehicle. The control valve is air pressure actuated to adjust the damping force and control the flow of fluid in the flow path.

Abstract: Parallel paths for damping fluid are provided through the piston of a suspension damper, each of which are provided with separate damping valving sets to control damping. Communication through one of the paths is controlled by a movable control valve member, which is controlled by a magnetostrictive element which deforms in response to application of a magnetic field. The control valve member is moved between active and inactive positions in response to changes in a magnetic field applied by a coil mounted within the damper piston. In one position, all communication of damping fluid is through one of the damping valve sets, while in the other positon damping fluid communicates through both valve sets. Accordingly, damping levels may be varied by controlling the magnetic field.

Abstract: A suspension system (20) controls the amount of compressible fluid (42) within struts (28) to determine spring rate coefficients (Ks) and dampening coefficients (Bs) for the struts (28). The spring rate and dampening coefficients (Ks, Bs) are selected to provide forces (F) which are a sum of several components, which include a desired target static force (Fd) for balancing various forces acting upon a vehicle chassis, comparison of the target strut force (Fd) to the actual force (F) applied by the respective struts (28), comparison of velocity ({dot over (z)}5) of the chassis relative to a selected reference datum, and a ride height error (erh). Frequency dependant filtering decreases the spring rate coefficients (Ks) when changes in position (Zs) are detected at frequencies (&ohgr;) beneath a threshold level (&ohgr;K), and decreases the dampening coefficients (Bs) when changes in velocity ({dot over (z)}s) are detected at frequencies (&ohgr;) above a threshold level (&ohgr;B).

Abstract: A damping force control type hydraulic shock absorber capable of generating stable damping force even if the flow rate of hydraulic fluid changes sharply. Hydraulic fluid chambers at the respective ends of valve members are cut off from the downstream ports of extension and compression pressure control valves by flange portions of the valve members. When the flow rate of hydraulic fluid increases sharply, even if the pressure in the downstream ports changes sharply owing to the flow resistance in check valves on the downstream side of the downstream ports, the pressure is not transmitted to the hydraulic fluid chambers. Therefore, there is no possibility of the slider moving under the influence of such a pressure change.

Abstract: The flow of a hydraulic fluid, which occurs under a sliding movement of a piston in a cylinder, is directly controlled by virtue of an extension-stroke pressure control valve and a compression-stroke pressure control valve. At the same time, the pressure in a back pressure chamber is varied, to thereby adjust the valve opening pressure for a main disk valve. This enables control of a damping force over a wide range. In each of the extension-stroke and compression-stroke pressure control valves, a thrust is generated in a slider due to a difference in pressure-receiving areas between a stepped portion of the slider and a sub disk valve in a valve chamber. The valve opening pressure is controlled, according to the balance between the thrust of the slider and a thrust of a proportional solenoid. By reducing the difference in the pressure-receiving areas in the valve chamber, the load applied to the proportional solenoid can be reduced.

Abstract: A connection bearing with a line connection comprises an annular bearing body with a through-opening which receives a bearing pin. The connection bearing has a receiving channel for receiving a line penetrating the connection bearing. The receiving channel is constructed at least up to the annular bearing body. Therefore, one end of the line can be grasped to hold it in a coaxial arrangement relative to the longitudinal axis of the connection bearing. The receiving channel in the bearing body for the line has an extension which extends along a direction that passes outside of the through-opening for the bearing pin.

Abstract: A shock absorber mounted electromagnetically operated real time damper valve which is mounted upon a piston rod and provides a flow path for fluid which bypasses the piston which separates a cylinder of the shock absorber into a pair of fluid containing chambers. The damper valve includes a spool reciprocally mounted within the hollow interior of a housing. A treatably secured cap is used to retain all of the component parts of the valve assembled without the need for other securing devices such as adhesives or brazing of parts together.

Abstract: The pilot suspension apparatus of the present invention is capable of biasing a damping valve in a direction for closing the valve, due to application of a pilot pressure. The suspension apparatus comprises at least one pair of hydraulic shock absorbers which are capable of controlling a damping force and which are connected by a connecting pipe. The at least one pair of hydraulic shock absorbers are provided at front and rear wheels or left and right wheels on the same side of a vehicle or are provided in a diagonally shaped relationship. A control valve is provided so as to control the pilot pressure. The control valve is adapted to be controlled by application of a differential pressure which is generated between respective cylinders of the at least one pair of shock absorbers.

Abstract: An actuator disposed within a piston rod of a variable-damping force shock absorber has coils mounted at an inner peripheral face of the piston rod, permanent magnets disposed facing a stator, and a cylindrical body supported rotatably about the piston rod axis. The permanent magnets are fixed to a side face of an upper portion of the cylindrical rotating body and an insert hole into which an upper end portion of a shaft is inserted extends through a lower portion of the rotating body. A female thread is formed in the insert hole, and engaged with a male thread formed on an outer peripheral face of the upper end portion of the shaft. A spool is mounted on a lower end portion of the shaft so that, as the rotating body rotates, the spool moves in the direction of the piston rod axis and thereby changes the opening of a communication passage between upper and lower chambers of a cylinder. The piston rod of the variable-damping force shock absorber has a reduced diameter.

Abstract: A shock absorber mounted electromagnetically operated damper valve which is mounted upon a piston rod and provides a flow path for fluid which bypasses the piston which separates a cylinder of the shock absorber into a pair of fluid containing chambers. The damper valve includes a spool reciprocally mounted within the hollow interior of a housing. A retainer is also received within the hollow interior and includes a tube which defines a space between its outer surface and the inner surface of the hollow interior of the housing to receive a skirt extending from the spool.