Provided is a shock reducing tape spring hinge including fixing members fixed to at least two objects, respectively, a thin shell type tape spring having both end portions that are fastened to the fixing members, respectively, and a shell-shaped damping plate aligned with the tape spring, the damping plate having both end portions that are fastened to the fixing members, respectively. The damping plate and the tape spring may be configured to connect the at least two objects being spaced through the fixing members, and the damping plate may be configured to reduce a deployment shock occurring when the tape spring is deployed.

Provided is a shock reducing tape spring hinge including fixing members fixed to at least two objects, respectively, a thin shell type tape spring having both end portions that are fastened to the fixing members, respectively, and a shell-shaped damping plate aligned with the tape spring, the damping plate having both end portions that are fastened to the fixing members, respectively. The damping plate and the tape spring may be configured to connect the at least two objects being spaced through the fixing members, and the damping plate may be configured to reduce a deployment shock occurring when the tape spring is deployed.

A suspension system includes a body comprising a cylindrical cavity in which a piston is slidably mounted that divides the cylindrical cavity into two working chambers: a lower chamber and an upper chamber, each of which receives a gas. The piston is connected to a piston rod protruding from the cylindrical cavity through a sealing ring. The body slides within an external tube of the suspension system. The external tube is engaged around the piston rod and a lower plug is at its free end to which the end of the piston rod is secured. The space between the lower plug and the sealing ring determines within the external tube a third chamber filled with gas by a preload valve. A single filling valve fills the lower and upper chambers, and a transfer element transfers gas from one of the two working chambers to the other, according to predetermined conditions.

A shock absorber has a valve controlling the flow rate of fluid between a first chamber and a second chamber. The shock absorber may include a blocker that has a variable profile. The blocker may be rotatable using an external adjuster to position the blocker to variably occlude an aperture and vary the damping of the suspension. A bias may also be positioned adjacent the blocker to allow force from the fluid to move the blocker and expose the aperture, thereby allowing fluid to flow through the entirety of the aperture.

A positive displacement, shock dampening, plunger pump having a plunger chamber with a pressure chamber and a shock chamber, the plunger chamber having a plunger chamber longitudinal wall and the shock chamber having a shock chamber end wall. The plunger pump has a shock bearing slidably positioned in the plunger chamber and a shock spring positioned in the shock chamber between the shock bearing and the shock chamber end wall. The plunger pump has a pump plunger reciprocally positioned in the plunger chamber and extending from the shock chamber to the pressure chamber through a plunger port in the shock bearing. The shock bearing is in slidable contact with the plunger chamber longitudinal wall and the plunger longitudinal surface. The plunger pump has a reciprocating drive connection mechanism for interconnecting the pump plunger with a plunger drive mechanism.

An air suspension in an embodiment includes: a cylinder; a piston rod; a rod-side member disposed on the lower end side of the piston rod; a diaphragm; an axle-side attachment member having an upper end side of which is fixed to an opening at a lower end of the rod-side member, the axle-side attachment member including a fixing section for fixing the piston rod and an attachment hole joined to an axle; a gas passage formed in the axle-side attachment member, one end of the gas passage being opened to an upper end face of the axle-side attachment member and the other end of the gas passage being opened to a side section of the axle-side attachment member; and a valve section provided at the opening of the other end of the gas passage.

A damper assembly (20) is disclosed, and it comprises: a first rube (22) defining an inner surface (24) extending along an axis (A) to define a fluid chamber (30) containing a damping fluid (32); a rod (34) extending axially in the first rube (22); a guide (40) annularly disposed about the rod (34) and engaging the first tube (22); a piston (42) and a retainer (46) which are attached to the rod (34) and are slidably disposed in the first tube (22); a first spring (50) engaging and extending axially away from the retainer (46); a valve body (52) which is disposed adjacent to the first spring (50) and has a periphery (54) spaced from the inner surface (24) of the first tube (22) to define an annular channel (60); a second spring (66) extending axially away from the valve body (52); a bumper (68) engaging the second spring (66). The valve body (52) moves into sealing engagement with the retainer (46) in response to the bumper (68) engaging the guide (40). This causes the damping fluid (32) to move exclusively through the valve body (52) providing additional damping force.

Spring seat vibration damper apparatus for use with fluid pressure regulators are disclosed. A disclosed apparatus includes a first spring seat of a fluid pressure regulator defining a first protrusion and a second spring seat of the fluid pressure regulator defining a second protrusion. The second protrusion is configured to receive at least a portion of the first protrusion. The first spring seat moves relative to the second spring seat to provide a damping effect between the protrusions.

A front fork includes a fork main body, a damper cartridge, and a closing member. The damper cartridge includes a cylinder, a piston mounted on a piston rod, and a rod guide which guides the piston rod and to which a fluid filling port that allows the outside of the cylinder to communicate with the fluid chamber is provided. The closing member is provided on the rod guide and closes the fluid filling port.

Disclosed herein is a hydraulic damper comprising a damper body comprising a chamber, a shaft telescopically engaged with the damper body, and a piston slidably disposed with the damper body and coupled to a first end of the shaft, the piston comprising an orifice for fluidly connecting the chamber to an interior of the shaft, wherein the orifice comprises a first flow inlet having a first edge profile and a second flow inlet having a second edge profile such that fluid flowing through the orifice from the first flow inlet toward the second flow inlet exhibits a different pressure drop than fluid flowing through the orifice from the second flow inlet to the first flow inlet.