System Having Distinct Selections (e.g., Hard, Medium, Soft) Patents (Class 188/282.4)
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Patent number: 11713093Abstract: A system and method for utilizing an active valve customizable tune application is disclosed. The system includes a mobile device having a memory, an active valve tune application, and at least one processor. The processor initiates the active valve tune application, receives, from a database, an active valve suspension tune having a number of performance range adjustable settings, and receives user related input information. At least one of the performance range adjustable settings is modified based on the received input information to generate a modified active valve suspension tune. The system includes an active suspension of a vehicle, wherein the modified active valve suspension tune is implemented by the active suspension.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2020Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventors: Everet Owen Ericksen, Evan Peterson, Nobuhiko Negishi, James T. Pickett, Andrew Diao, Mike Fraguglia
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Patent number: 11498641Abstract: A human-powered vehicle control device is provided for suitably controlling a rotation state of a wheel of a human-powered vehicle. The human-powered vehicle control device includes a first detector and an electronic controller. The first detector is configured to detect information related to a driving force of the wheel of the human-powered vehicle on a road surface. The electronic controller is configured to change an operation state of a suspension device of the human-powered vehicle in response to a detection result of the first detector.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2019Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Yasuhiro Tsuchizawa, Nobukatsu Hara
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Patent number: 11299233Abstract: A vehicle suspension damper is described. The vehicle suspension damper includes: a pilot valve assembly; a primary valve; and an adjuster, wherein the pilot valve assembly meters fluid to the primary valve, and the adjuster moves the primary valve.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2020Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventors: Everet Ericksen, Robert C. Fox, David Batterbee, John Marking
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Patent number: 10309479Abstract: A cylinder device includes: an inner cylinder in which a functional fluid, a fluid property of which is changed due to an electric field or a magnetic field, is encapsulated; an outer cylinder provided outside the inner cylinder; an intermediate cylinder provided between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder to serve as an electrode or a magnetic pole; a rod guide provided to close the one end side end portions of the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder; a spacer having one end located at the rod guide side and the other end located at the one end side of the intermediate cylinder, and fitted to the inner cylinder; and an elastic seal member disposed in a portion of the other end of the spacer, and configured to seal the one end side end portion of the passage between the intermediate cylinder and the inner cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2016Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Umi Tanabe, Yusei Kimura
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Patent number: 10295008Abstract: A pressure damping device includes a cylinder, a partitioning section, a flow channel formation section, a valve section a bypass channel and a throttle section. The flow channel formation section forms a flow channel, through which the fluid flows, in conjunction with a movement of the partitioning section. The valve section controls a flow of the fluid in the flow channel of the flow channel formation section. The bypass channel forms a flow of the fluid that bypasses the flow of the fluid flowing through the flow channel while opening the valve section. The throttle section that throttles the flow of the fluid through the bypass channel further on an outer side than the valve section with respect to the flow channel formation section.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2016Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATIONInventor: Gota Nakano
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Patent number: 10065541Abstract: The invention relates to a horizontal vibration device for a vehicle seat, comprising a damper module which damps horizontal vibrations between a seat-side upper part and a body-side lower part in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and/or in the width direction of the vehicle, and comprising a regulating/control module for regulating and/or controlling the damper module, said damper module being arranged in an interspace between the seat-side upper part and the body-side lower part. The horizontal vibration device is further characterized in that the damper module comprises at least one hydraulic vibration damper, said at least one hydraulic vibration damper being fluidically connected to a volume equalizing module.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2016Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: GRAMMER AGInventor: Erwin Haller
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Patent number: 9840123Abstract: A shock absorber includes a suction passage permitting flow only from a reservoir toward a compression-side chamber, a rectification passage permitting flow only from the compression-side chamber toward an extension-side chamber, and a variable valve permitting flow only from the extension-side chamber toward the reservoir. A large chamber as a compression-side pressure chamber communicating with the compression-side chamber and an outer periphery chamber as an extension-side pressure chamber communicating with the extension-side chamber are partitioned in the shock absorber by a free piston that moves slidably within a bottom member serving as a housing. A compression-side pressure-receiving area of the free piston is larger than an extension-side pressure-receiving area.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2014Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: KYB CorporationInventors: Takashi Teraoka, Tatsuya Masamura
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Patent number: 9834054Abstract: A shock absorber includes; a free piston that partitions the compression chamber into an expansion-side compression chamber and a contraction-side compression chamber; an expansion-side flow passage that connects the expansion-side chamber with the expansion-side compression chamber; a contraction-side flow passage that connects the contraction-side chamber with the contraction-side compression chamber; an expansion-side bypass valve provided in the expansion-side flow passage to admit only a flow directed from the expansion-side chamber to the expansion-side compression chamber and generate resistance; a contraction-side bypass valve provided in parallel with the expansion-side bypass valve to admit only a flow directed from the expansion-side compression chamber to the expansion-side chamber and generate resistance; an expansion-side elastic stopper configured to stop the free piston at an expansion-side stroke end; and a contraction-side elastic stopper configured to stop the free piston at a contraction-sType: GrantFiled: September 18, 2014Date of Patent: December 5, 2017Assignee: KYB CorporationInventors: Takashi Teraoka, Kazutaka Inamitsu, Tatsuya Masamura
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Patent number: 9695898Abstract: A damping force generating apparatus of a shock absorber includes a main flow path through which a working fluid flows, a main valve which generates a damping force by controlling the flow of the working fluid by opening and closing the main flow path, a pilot chamber into which the working fluid branched from the main flow path flows and which applies an internal pressure in a valve closing direction to the main valve by a pressure of the working fluid, and a pilot flow path to which the working fluid flows out from the pilot chamber. In addition, a jet stream which is generated in a flow path narrowed by the main valve in the main flow path joins the flow of the working fluid which flows out from the pilot chamber via the pilot flow path.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2015Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATIONInventors: Yosuke Murakami, Kazuhiro Miwa
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Patent number: 9611912Abstract: The present invention relates to a body valve assembly for a shock absorber, which is capable of improving ride comfort by improving the degree of freedom of the adjustment in damping force and preventing the damping force from being rapidly changed.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2015Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: MANDO CORPORATIONInventors: Hark Joo Kim, Nam Ho Kim, Jun Hyuk Lim
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Patent number: 9422998Abstract: A damper includes a cylinder, a piston that is inserted into the cylinder, a rod that is connected to the piston, a rod-side chamber and a piston-side chamber that are divided within the cylinder, a tank, an extension-side passage that allows communication between the rod-side chamber and the tank, a compression-side passage that allows communication between the piston-side chamber and the tank, an extension-side damping valve that is provided in the extension-side passage, a first check valve that is provided in the extension-side passage in parallel with the extension-side damping valve, a compression-side damping valve that is provided in the compression-side passage, a second check valve that is provided in the compression-side passage in parallel with the compression-side damping valve, and a center passage that allows communication between the tank and the inside of the cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2013Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignee: KYB CorporationInventor: Takayuki Ogawa
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Patent number: 9410592Abstract: Apparatus for absorbing shock, particularly repetitive shocks, comprises a frame and a shock-absorbing component comprising a shape memory alloy (SMA). In one type of apparatus, one or more SMA rings (65) are mounted on brackets (64) on a frame (62, 63) so that shock received by the frame from one direction changes the shape of the rings into ellipses with major chords in a first direction, and shock received by the frame from the opposite direction changes the shape of the rings into ellipses with major chords in a second direction which is at right angles to the first direction. In other types of apparatus, SMA shock-absorbing components (16, 27, 37, 46, 89) are mounted in a frame (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17; 21, 22, 24, 25, 26; 31, 32, 34, 35; 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47) so that the way in which the shock-absorbing component is deformed is independent of the direction of the shock received by the frame.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2015Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: InventorInventor: Darel E. Hodgson
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Patent number: 9273747Abstract: Suspension control and method for controlling a damper device of a bicycle that includes a damper device having a controllable damping valve. The damper device serves to dampen a relative motion between a first and a second component. A control device and a memory device are provided. The control device and the memory device define a characteristic damper curve which is characteristic of a correlation between a damping force and a characteristic parameter of the relative motion between the first and second components. At least one electric operating device is provided by means of which the defined characteristic damper curve can be modified in at least two sections of the characteristic damper curve while riding.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2014Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: DT Swiss Inc.Inventors: Martin Walthert, Stefan Battlogg
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Patent number: 9175741Abstract: In a hydraulic shock absorber 10, at least one of a first base piston 50 and a second base piston 60 is provided with a communication path 44 communicating an intermediate portion between a compression side damping valve 51 and a compression side check valve 52 which are provided in respective compression side flow paths 50A, 60B of the first and second base pistons 50, 60 with an oil reservoir chamber 32, and communicating an intermediate portion between an extension side damping valve 61 and an extension side check valve 62 which are provided in respective extension side flow paths 60A, 50B of the first and second base pistons 50, 60 with the oil reservoir chamber 32.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2011Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATIONInventor: Yosuke Murakami
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Patent number: 9033122Abstract: A vehicle suspension damper is described. The vehicle suspension damper includes: a pilot valve assembly; a primary valve; and an adjuster, wherein the pilot valve assembly meters fluid to the primary valve, and the adjuster moves the primary valve.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventors: Everet Ericksen, Robert C. Fox, David Batterbee, John Marking
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Patent number: 9016447Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 4, 2011Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: Sistemi Sospensioni S.p.A.Inventors: Gianfranco De Lillo, Massimo Trinchera, Walter Bruno
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Patent number: 8997952Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2010Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Bilstein GmbHInventors: Ole Göetz, Wolfgang Hamers, Klaus Schmidt, Dmitrij Smeljanskij, Freddy Woenarta
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Patent number: 8978848Abstract: An apparatus for modularly adjusting a shock absorber includes a base, a plurality of pins, and a selecting mechanism. The pins are connected to the base. The selecting mechanism can select at least one of the pins to control at least one valve of the shock absorber.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2010Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Durashox Technology Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chin-Kun Teng, Yan-Ting Wu
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Patent number: 8755969Abstract: A bicycle suspension control apparatus includes a user operating device and a control device. The control device is operatively coupled to the user operating device to selectively control a front bicycle suspension between a plurality of operating states and a rear bicycle suspension between a plurality of operating states. The control device is configured to selectively change the operating states of both the front and rear bicycle suspensions to different ones of the operating states in response to a single operation of the user operating device. The control device controls the front and rear bicycle suspensions such that a first operating state change operation of one of the front and rear bicycle suspensions occurs later than a second operating state change operation of the other of the front and rear bicycle suspensions.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2012Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventors: Tadashi Ichida, Hideki Ikemoto, Toyoto Shirai
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Patent number: 8672306Abstract: A vehicle shock absorber includes a plurality of communication holes axially provided side by side in a peripheral wall of the cylinder of the damper, another communication hole provided in a peripheral wall of the cylinder and located below a position of piston of the damper, and a third oil chamber provided in an outer tube and an inner tube of a fork body and outside the cylinder and communicating with only a second oil chamber via the communication holes. This configuration enables the vehicle shock absorber to make a damping force generated by the damper positional dependent, and suppresses the entering of an air bubble into the cylinder, even when a cylinder of the damper is located above an oil level in an oil reservoir within the absorber body.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2011Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventor: Mikio Uchiyama
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Patent number: 8651251Abstract: A regulable dashpot with shock-absorption force controls, especially intended for motor vehicles, with at least one flow-regulating system including one or more shock-absorption components for the compression phase and/or for the decompression phase. The object is to allow the dashpot to shift continuously between the hard and soft phases, whereby the valve-adjustment intervals can be varied at intervals that are not unnecessarily short or even unattainable. At least one valve assembly is accordingly supplied with variable flow impedance by regulating valve.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2012Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Bilstein Suspension GmbHInventors: Alfred Preukschat, Jurgen Adamek
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Patent number: 8616351Abstract: A shock absorber has a compression valve assembly that provides a high damping load during a compression stroke and an extension valve assembly that provides a high damping load during an extension stroke. One or more digital valve assemblies is positioned to work in parallel with the compression valve assembly and the extension valve assembly to provide a lower damping load. The lowering of the damping load is based upon the cross sectional area of flow passages provided by the one or more digital valve assemblies.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2009Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.Inventors: Matthew L. Roessle, Karl C. Kazmirski, Jeroen K. Paenhuysen, Darrell G. Breese, Daniel T. Keil, Thomas P. Mallin, Jeffrey T. Gardner
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Patent number: 8596431Abstract: A self-adjusting end position damping arrangement includes a stroke space 9 which is delimited by a movable stroke element 7, 24 and a part of the pneumatic cylinder 1, with the stroke space 9 being connected via a connecting duct 14 to the working pressure P1 which acts on the cylinder piston 22 or to the ventilation pressure (P3) in the outlet duct 3 and the stroke element 7, 24 being acted on via a damping duct 16 by the damping pressure P2 in the damping volume 19, a non-return valve 12 is arranged in the connecting duct 14 upstream of the stroke space 9, which non-return valve 12 blocks in the direction of the working pressure P1 or the ventilation pressure (P3), respectively, and a ventilation duct 5 is provided, which ventilation duct 5 can be opened by means of the movable stroke element 7, 24 and which is connected to an outlet duct 3.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2008Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Parker Origa Holding AGInventor: Christian Bruder
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Patent number: 8561766Abstract: A piston-cylinder with a work cylinder filled with a fluid, a hollow piston rod displaceably arranged in the work cylinder along a longitudinal axis, a connection element at an end located outside the work cylinder and in the work cylinder, a piston that divides the work cylinder into first and second work spaces. A valve needle in the piston rod has a channel extending in axial direction arranged in the piston rod. The valve needle has a recess at one end. The valve needle is rotatable such that a flow of fluid is controllable. A lever extends in radial direction and is swivelably acted upon by an adjusting unit at the end of the valve needle outside the work cylinder. The adjusting unit is arranged at the connection element entirely outside the flow of force of the piston-cylinder unit.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2011Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: Stabilus GmbHInventor: Frank Born
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Patent number: 8430217Abstract: The invention relates to a damper having a damper cylinder, in which a piston plunger is guided via a piston rod. For the adjustment of characteristic damper values, the flow of a damper fluid can be controlled via control mechanism disposed inside the damper cylinder, which controls the flow of the damper fluid in a first flow direction using a first adjusting element and in a second flow direction using a second adjusting element. According to the invention, the first and second adjusting elements are provided with at least one spring element. The spring rate of at least one of the spring elements can be adjusted for defining a damping behavior using corresponding defining or predetermining elements.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2008Date of Patent: April 30, 2013Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Thomas Hennecke, Sigmund Braun
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Patent number: 8286982Abstract: The present invention relates to a suspension system for a bicycle of the type that comprises: a frame (1); a front fork (6) comprising a front damper (8); a swing arm (16) hinged to the frame (1) and a rear damper (25); and at least one shock sensor (30), said sensor (30) being connected to a monitoring unit (28) controlling the front damper (8) and/or rear damper (25) on the basis of the signal sent by said sensor (30); said system is noteworthy in that the front damper (8) and/or rear damper (25) is a variable-compression damper that has at least three positions, an open position in which compression is greatest, a closed position in which compression is zero, and a so-called medium position; and in that it has, as a minimum, means for detecting pedaling called pedaling sensors (29) connected to the monitoring unit (28) which, when pedaling is not detected by the pedaling sensor (29), sets the damper (8, 25) compression command to the open position and, when pedaling is detected by the pedaling sensor (29)Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2009Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Assignee: Cycles LapierreInventors: Pierre-Geoffroy Plantet, Emmanuel Antonot, Remy Gribaudo
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Patent number: 7946399Abstract: Provided is a hydraulic shock absorber enabling an increase in a variable range of both damping forces produced in an extension stroke and a compression stroke thereof. A cylinder (1) filled with hydraulic oil is divided into first and second oil chambers (101) and (102) by a piston (2), and a main valve (4) is disposed in a main passage (81) of the piston (2). An extension side pilot chamber (6) urging a spool (8) in a valve-closing direction at pilot pressure introduced thereinto through a first orifice (32) in the extension stroke and a compression-side pilot chamber (7) urging the spool (8) in the valve-closing direction at pilot pressure introduced thereinto through a second orifice (43) in the compression stroke are formed at a back face of the spool (8) of the main valve.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2005Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: Kayaba Industry Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tatsuya Masamura
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Patent number: 7886882Abstract: Disclosed is a gas spring/damper unit (1) having at least one movably mounted displacement piston (2) and two displacement chambers (3, 4) whose volume increases or diminishes according to the direction of travel of the displacement piston (2) and which are interconnected via overflow ducts (6, 7) in which throttle valves (16, 16?, 16?, 17, 17?, 17?, 17??) are disposed. Several throttle valves (16, 16?, 16?, 17, 17?, 17?, 17??) having different valve characteristics are positioned so as to be effective in one direction of flow. One throttle valve (17) is designed for damping eigenfrequencies ranging from 1 to 1.5 Hz while another throttle valve (17?) is designed for damping eigenfrequencies ranging from 10 to 40 Hz.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2005Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: Continental AktiengesellschafInventors: Christof Behmenburg, Heinz Job, Thomas Engelke, Jörg Kock, Hermann Hoinkhaus
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Publication number: 20100163356Abstract: The invention relates to a damper having a damper cylinder, in which a piston plunger is guided via a piston rod. For the adjustment of characteristic damper values, the flow of a damper fluid can be controlled via control mechanism disposed inside the damper cylinder, which controls the flow of the damper fluid in a first flow direction using a first adjusting element and in a second flow direction using a second adjusting element. According to the invention, the first and second adjusting elements are provided with at least one spring element. The spring rate of at least one of the spring elements can be adjusted for defining a damping behavior using corresponding defining or predetermining elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2008Publication date: July 1, 2010Inventors: Thomas Hennecke, Sigmund Braun
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Patent number: 7699147Abstract: A regulable dashpot with shock-absorption force controls, especially intended for motor vehicles, with at least one flow-regulating system including one or more shock-absorption components for the compression phase and/or for the decompression phase. The object is to allow the dashpot to shift continuously between the hard and soft phases, whereby the valve-adjustment intervals can be varied at intervals that are not unnecessarily short or even unattainable. At least one valve assembly is accordingly supplied with variable flow impedance by a regulating valve (5 or 6).Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2001Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Bilstein Suspension GmbHInventors: Alfred Preukschat, Jürgen Adamek
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Publication number: 20080078635Abstract: A damper assembly for a suspension system of a vehicle includes a housing adapted to be mounted to one end of a strut in the suspension system. The housing has a chamber with fluid therein. The damper assembly also includes at least one diaphragm extending across the chamber to react with the fluid, to be compliant at relatively small displacements, and to be rigid at relatively large displacements.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2006Publication date: April 3, 2008Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Kenneth L. Oblizajek, Shawn G. Quinn, William C. Gregory, Carl T. Wright, Gregory J. Fadler
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Patent number: 7159699Abstract: A shock absorber is provided and includes a first end adapted for connection to a vehicle, a second end adapted for connection to the vehicle, a case containing a piston rod and a piston valve and a compression adjustment device disposed exterior to the case, wherein the compression adjustment device includes a movable portion associated with an adjustment rod and wherein the adjustment rod is associated with the piston rod such that a flow of fluid within the shock absorber is affected in a manner responsive to a movement of the movable portion.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2004Date of Patent: January 9, 2007Inventor: Theodore J. Tine, Jr.
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Patent number: 7014179Abstract: A bicycle adjustable cushion device includes an outer tube with a connection cap connected to a first end thereof and an inner tube has a first end movably and rotatably inserted in a second end of the outer tube. A rod has a first end fixed to the connection cap and a second end of the rod movably inserted through a polygonal hole in an end plate threadedly connected to the first end of the inner tube. An elastic rubber is received in the outer tube and the rod extends through the elastic rubber. Two ends of the elastic rubber are in contact with an inside of the connection cap and the end plate which is movable to compress the elastic rubber by rotating the inner tube.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2004Date of Patent: March 21, 2006Inventor: Chao-Hu Chen
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Patent number: 6860369Abstract: A vibration damper with variable damping force, includes a cylinder filled with damping medium and in which a piston fastened to a piston rod axially moveably therein. The piston divides the working cylinder into two working spaces. The damping force for the directions of rebound and compression are influenced by nonreturn valves acting in the respective directions. A damping valve of variable damping action is additionally provided in series with each of the nonreturn valves so that the damping valve is active in both the rebound and compression directions.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 1999Date of Patent: March 1, 2005Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AGInventors: Raimund Weiffen, Wolfgang Hertz
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Patent number: 6729446Abstract: A damping force control type hydraulic shock absorber includes a plunger having a small-diameter main body portion slidably guided by a first fixed core made of a magnetic material. The plunger has a large-diameter attracted portion at an end thereof closer to a second fixed core. The diameter (D2) of the attracted portion is set larger than the diameter (D1) of the main body portion (D2>D1), thereby increasing the area of the mutually opposing surfaces of the attracted portion and the second fixed core. Accordingly, attraction force acting on the attracted portion can be increased without reducing the magnetic flux density at the main body portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2001Date of Patent: May 4, 2004Assignee: Tokico, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Sakai, Takashi Nezu
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Patent number: 6672436Abstract: A shock absorber includes a valve assembly with a low speed oil flow circuit and a mid/high speed oil flow circuit. Both circuits control fluid flow through the valve assembly in the same direction. The low speed oil flow circuit is tunable in order to provide low speed damping to improve both the vehicle control and handling. The tuning of the low speed oil flow circuit is accomplished by supporting a low speed valve disc at a position radially inward of its outer edge to control the rate at which the low speed oil flow circuit opens. The valve assembly of the present invention can be located within either a base valve assembly or a piston valve assembly.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2000Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.Inventors: Daniel Keil, Timothy Bombrys, Karl Kazmirski
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Patent number: 6619684Abstract: A computer controlled suspension system is provided for a bicycle, which can effectively absorb shock and provide stability on rough surfaces regardless of the speed of the vehicle. The suspension system has a control unit, a front suspension, a rear suspension, a front wheel terrain sensor, and a rear controller. The rear suspension is selectively adjustable by the control unit to change stiffness of the rear suspension. When the front suspension hits a bump or a depression in the surface of the ground, a signal is sent to the rear controller so that the rear suspension can react appropriately. In one embodiment, a pedaling torque sensor is operatively coupled to the control unit to input a signal that is indicative of pedaling force, and the rear controller adjusts stiffness of the rear suspension in response to the pedaling force via the control unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2002Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventor: Hiroyuki Miyoshi
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Patent number: 6612599Abstract: A computer controlled suspension system is provided for a bicycle, which can effectively absorb shock and provide stability on rough surfaces regardless of the speed of the vehicle. The suspension system has a control unit, a front suspension, a rear suspension, a front wheel terrain sensor, and a rear controller. The rear suspension is selectively adjustable by the control unit to change stiffness of the rear suspension. When the front suspension hits a bump or a depression in the surface of the ground, a signal is sent to the rear controller so that the rear suspension can react appropriately. In one embodiment, a pedaling torque sensor is operatively coupled to the control unit to input a signal that is indicative of pedaling force, and the rear controller adjusts stiffness of the rear suspension in response to the pedaling force via the control unit.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2003Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventor: Hiroyuki Miyoshi
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Patent number: 6595537Abstract: A computer controlled suspension system is provided for a bicycle, which can effectively absorb shock and provide stability on rough surfaces regardless of the speed of the vehicle. The suspension system has a control unit, a front suspension, a rear suspension, a front wheel terrain sensor, and a rear controller. The rear suspension is selectively adjustable by the control unit to change stiffness of the rear suspension. When the front suspension hits a bump or a depression in the surface of the ground, a signal is sent to the rear controller so that the rear suspension can react appropriately. In one embodiment, a pedaling torque sensor is operatively coupled to the control unit to input a signal that is indicative of pedaling force, and the rear controller adjusts stiffness of the rear suspension in response to the pedaling force via the control unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2002Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: Shimano Inc.Inventor: Hiroyuki Miyoshi
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Patent number: 6460663Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2001Date of Patent: October 8, 2002Assignee: Krupp Bilstein GmbHInventor: Zhen Huang
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Patent number: 6427986Abstract: An air chamber (53) of a damping force adjusting mechanism (49) disposed in a hydraulic shock absorber (3) of a damping force adjusting type communicates with an air chamber (7) of an air spring through a tubular path (57). A free piston (51) is transferred in accordance with the pressure of the air chamber and a spool (46) is transferred to shift a damping force. The damping force presents a soft characteristic both on the extending side and on the retracting side in a usual status, presents a hard characteristic on the extending side and a soft characteristic on the retracting side when the pressure of the air chamber is high, and presents a soft characteristic on the extending side and a hard characteristic on the retracting side when the pressure of the air chamber (7) is low. The damping force can be obtained, which approximates the damping force control on the basis of a so-called sky-hook theory.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2000Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Assignee: Tokico, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Sakai, Akinori Kurusu, Nobuyuki Ichimaru, Takao Kohara, Satoshi Ohsawa
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Patent number: 6374967Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2000Date of Patent: April 23, 2002Assignee: Tokico Ltd.Inventors: Takuya Matsumoto, Takashi Nezu
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Patent number: 6286642Abstract: A fluid regulating device includes a valve housing formed with a piston receiving chamber that has a piston member slidingly and sealingly disposed therein to divide the piston receiving chamber into a volume-variable gas compartment filled with pressurized gas and a volume-variable fluid compartment. A regulator receiving chamber has a large-diameter rod receiving section, and a small-diameter fluid channel with a rate control section that is aligned with and that extends from the rod receiving section. The fluid channel interconects fluidly the rod receiving section and the fluid compartment.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 1999Date of Patent: September 11, 2001Assignee: Giant Mfg. Co., LTDInventor: Chen-Hsing Yi