Abstract: A suspension device includes a damper. The damper includes: an outer cylinder; a ball screw housed in the outer cylinder; a fastening member that supports the ball screw inserted therethrough and is attached to an end part of the outer cylinder; and a fixing member that is attached to an end part of the ball screw and fixes the ball screw to the fastening member. An insertion portion, where the ball screw is inserted into the fastening member, is provided with a fitting portion where the ball screw fits the fastening member, and the fitting portion has a spline fitting structure.

Abstract: A shock absorber for a bicycle is mounted between a front stem and a front fork of the bicycle, provides a damping effect and has a leading assembly and a sliding assembly. The leading assembly has a leading rod. The leading rod is mounted slidably in the tubular front stem, is attached securely to and protrudes up from the front fork and has a keyed segment. The sliding assembly is mounted securely on the front stem, is mounted slidably around the leading rod and has a bearing. The bearing is mounted rotatably in the front stem, corresponds to, engages and is mounted slidably around the keyed segment of the leading rod. Consequently, having the keyed segment and the bearing corresponding to and engaging each other allows the shock absorber to reduce vibration and react promptly while the bicycle is ridden.

Abstract: A draw spring linkage includes a hollow rod formed with a shoulder structure at the first end of the rod and with a slot that extends longitudinally of the rod and is located between the shoulder structure and the second end of the hollow rod. A tongue member includes an attachment portion and a stem that projects from the attachment portion. The stem fits slidingly in the interior space of the hollow rod and is formed with a slot that is aligned with the slot in the hollow rod. A key extends through the slot in the tongue member and the slot in the hollow rod and projects laterally from the hollow rod. A hollow cylindrical spring is threaded by the hollow rod. The first end of the spring engages the shoulder structure, the second end of the spring engages the key, and the spring is held under compression between the shoulder structure and the key.

Abstract: In a valve gear mechanism of an internal combustion engine, there is provided a valve opening and closing a combustion chamber, a spring device which generates a force pressing the valve toward a valve seat, a drive mechanism driving the valve in an opening direction via an operating section capable of being in contact with and separated from the valve, and a separation inhibiting device which inhibits a separation between the operating section and the valve.

Abstract: A damping device for movable furniture parts, such as doors or drawers, includes a cylinder filled with a free-flowing medium which is compressed by a piston which has a spring applied to it in its extended position. In order to provide a damping device of this type of smaller length, the cylinder includes a telescopic cylinder having at least two stages. A pressure spring is clamped between the bottom of the outer cylinder of the last stage and the piston of the first stage.

Abstract: The invention comprises a vehicle strut assembly. A strut has a first seat mounted to the strut and a second seat mounted to a vehicle body. A spring is mounted between the first seat and the second seat and is disposed around the strut. The spring has a compressed state and an uncompressed state. In the compressed state, the spring has a middle portion that defines a spring centerline. In the uncompressed state, the spring has ends portions extending towards opposite sides of the spring centerline.

Abstract: A vehicle system component is provided with an electrical charge to resist corrosion. Preferably, the electrical charge is generated by movement of components adjacent to the suspension component. Friction surfaces may be placed in contact with each other such that and heat is generated upon movement of the vehicle system components. The heat is transferred into electrical energy. In another embodiment, an electrical coil receives a magnetic member which moves within the coil to generate the current. The charge may be stored in a capacitor and periodically dispatched onto said component. The invention thus provides a low cost and simplistic way of resisting corrosion to vehicle components, and in particular to vehicle suspension components.

Abstract: A shock absorber includes a housing, a piston slidable in the housing, a piston rod extending outwardly from the piston, a cup-shaped stop cap secured to the free end of the piston rod, and an adjusting ring which protrudes from the end of the housing and can be rotated to adjust the damping coefficient by adjusting the open cross-section of throttle openings through which a hydraulic fluid is displaced by the piston. When a load pushes against the stop cap, the maximum travel is limited by the stop cap bearing directly against a rigid end ring of the housing. The load forces are introduced directly from the stop cap into the housing, without applying any loads onto the adjusting ring or other components. The adjusting ring and a return spring coaxially on the piston rod are accommodated within the stop cap in the fully retracted position.

Abstract: A friction damper includes: a hollow cylindrical member with a bottom; a movable member disposed in said hollow cylindrical member in such a manner as to be movable in an axial direction of said hollow cylindrical member but immovable about an axis of said hollow cylindrical member; a coil spring disposed between said movable member and the bottom of said hollow cylindrical member, one end of said coil spring abutting against the bottom of said hollow cylindrical member and another end thereof abutting against said movable member; a rotating member disposed in said hollow cylindrical member in such a manner as to oppose said movable member and to be relatively rotatable about the axis of said hollow cylindrical member; and a frictionally-resisting-force generating mechanism for generating a frictionally resisting force to the relative rotation of said rotating member with respect to said hollow cylindrical member, and for causing said movable member to move away from said rotating member in the axial directio

Abstract: A shock absorbing post assembly includes an outer tube, inner shaft, guide elements, and spring member. The outer tube has an exterior surface with circumferential portions along an outer cylinder encompassing the outer tube and outer races formed longitudinally between opposite ends of and spaced apart circumferentially about the outer tube. The outer races are within the outer cylinder between and inwardly of the circumferential portions of exterior surface. The inner shaft is received in and partially extends above the outer tube and has an exterior surface with circumferential portions along an inner cylinder encompassing the inner shaft and inner races formed longitudinally between opposite ends of and spaced apart circumferentially about the inner shaft in alignment with outer races of the outer tube so as to provide pairs of aligned outer and inner races. The inner races are within the inner cylinder between and inwardly of the circumferential portions of the exterior surface of the inner shaft.

Abstract: A spring and strut mount assembly for an automotive vehicle includes a strut provided with a shock absorber having a piston reciprocable in a cylinder and a piston rod extending axially outwardly from one end of the cylinder. A strut mount is adapted to be secured to a rigid frame of the vehicle. The outer end of the piston rod is secured to the strut mount. A spring unit resists retraction of the piston rod. The spring unit has upper and lower spring seats. The upper spring seat is mounted to the strut mount. The upper spring seat assembly is parallel and diverging to the strut mount and tower, perpendicular to the coil spring center line, perpendicular to the strut center line and parallel to the upper plane of the coil spring's end, all at the same time. The lower spring seat is mounted on the cylinder. A coil spring encircles the shock absorber and is held between the seats. The central axis of the spring extends at an acute angle to the central axis of the strut.

Abstract: A variable hysteresis module for use with an accelerator pedal with an electronic throttle control system for vehicles and the like includes a follower moveable along a back plate and urged by return springs against a cam actuator. The actuator acts against an angled side of the follower that resolves the pedal force on the actuator into a parallel component opposing the spring force and a normal component urging the follower against the back plate to develop friction that produces hysteresis. The hysteresis varies with the force of the return springs and so generally increases as the engine throttle is opened and decreases as the engine throttle is returned closed. If the spring force is reduced, the friction force is proportionally reduced. Other variations are also disclosed.

Abstract: A frictional damper, in particular for spinner-type washing machines, comprises a tubular housing and a tappet guided displaceably in the housing, articulation elements being mounted on the free end of the housing and the tappet. A damping element is formed on the end of the housing on the tappet exit side, in which a damping element carrying a friction lining is disposed displaceably in the direction of the central longitudinal axis. The damping element bears against prestressed helical compression springs.

Abstract: A liquid filled vibration isolating mount has upper and lower metal fittings for fixing the vibration isolating mount to a supporting body and a supported body. A rubber vibration isolating body has a tubular shape defining a central cavity and has upper and lower ends defining an upper face and a bottom face which are respectively fixed to the upper and lower metal fittings. The upper metal fitting defines an aperture communicating with the central cavity and a partition member is connected to the upper metal fitting occluding the aperture. A diaphragm is attached to the upper metal fitting covering at least a portion of the partition member. The central cavity of the vibration isolating base body and the partition member define a first liquid chamber wherein the vibration isolating base body constitutes a portion of a chamber wall. The diaphragm and the partition member define a second liquid chamber.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a suspension fork assembly particularly for use with bicycles. The assembly comprises an outer steer tube which is adapted to be mounted in and extend through the head tube of the bicycle frame, and an inner steer tube telescopes within the outer steer tube. A shock absorbing system is provided within the tubes. The inner surface of the outer steer tube and the outer surface of the inner steer tube each have a plurality of axially arranged opposing longitudinal flat sections, such as four on each tube. A plurality of needle bearings are disposed between the tubes on these flat sections. This arrangement, with the needle bearings arranged on the flat sections between the inner and outer tubes, allows the two tubes to freely telescope in and out with respect to one another without any significant static friction, and also serves to transmit the torsional steering force from the outer tube to the inner tube.

Abstract: An articulated railroad car, which includes an articulated connector, rail truck and car body units, has at least one standard short-travel railroad car side bearing which is designed to permit down travel of the car body unit of at least 5/8 inch. In a preferred embodiment, one rail truck portion includes a long-travel railroad car side bearing. The long-travel side bearing includes a top cap member and a bottom member with a resilient member interposed therebetween. The long-travel side bearing permits roll axis movement of one car body unit relative to another car body unit to reduce forces on the rail truck which would tend to prevent its successful negotiation of curves.

Abstract: An articulated railroad car, which includes an articulated connector, rail truck and car body units, has at least one standard short-travel railroad car side bearing which is designed to permit down travel of the car body unit of at least 5/8 inch. In a preferred embodiment, one rail truck portion includes a long-travel railroad car side bearing. The long-travel side bearing includes a top cap member and a bottom member with a resilient member interposed therebetween. The long-travel side bearing permits roll axis movement of one car body unit relative to another car body unit to reduce forces on the rail truck which would tend to prevent its successful negotiation of curves.

Abstract: A fluid shock absorber of either the pneumatic or liquid type having a frustoconical threaded bleed plug for varying the shock absorbing capacity of the shock absorber. A shock absorber construction utilizing air or liquid having a piston which is expandable whereby expansion to the associated cylinder wall exerts a frictional resistance proportional to the variation in back pressure resulting from the variable restricted flow past the frustoconical bleed plug. A liquid-type shock absorber having a self-contained chamber and a frustoconical bleed plug arrangement wherein liquid from the cylinder is forced into the chamber through the frustoconical bleed plug arrangement. In certain embodiments the bleed arrangement is located in the cylinder wall, and in another embodiment it is located in the piston head.

Abstract: A shock absorbing caster wheel in which the wheel support bracket is pivotally mounted on a caster bracket and a spring engages the wheel support bracket and caster bracket to absorb shocks on the caster wheel. Vibration dampening pads on the caster bracket slidably engage wall surfaces on the wheel support bracket to dampen oscillation of the wheel support bracket.