Electrorheological fluid is loaded in a shock absorber 1 as hydraulic fluid 2. The shock absorber 1 controls a generated damping force by producing a potential difference in an electrode passage 19 to thus change viscosity of electrorheological fluid flowing in the electrode passage 19. A plurality of partition walls 20 is provided in the electrode passage 19 formed between an inner tube 3 and an electrode tube 18. Due to this configuration, a plurality of helical flow passages 24 is formed in the electrode passage 19. In this case, the flow passages 24 are each provided with a flow passage cross-sectional area change portion that allows the flow passage 24 to have a larger cross-sectional area on one side spaced apart from an entrance 24A1 side (an intermediate region F) at least compared to the entrance 24A1 side of the extension-side flow passage 24 (an inflow region E).

A suspension control device including an electrorheological damper, a high voltage output circuit, a connection portion, and a control unit. The electrorheological damper includes a cylinder sealingly containing electrorheological fluid, a piston, a piston rod, and a positive electrode provided in a portion through which a flow of the electrorheological fluid is generated by a slide of the piston in the cylinder, and configured to apply a voltage to the electrorheological fluid. The connection portion includes an electrode connection portion configured to connect the high voltage output circuit and the positive electrode to each other, and a ground connection portion configured to connect the cylinder and a ground to each other. A resistor member, which has a resistance value set to a load resistance value of the electrorheological fluid in a regular-use temperature range of the electrorheological damper, is provided between the electrode connection portion and the ground connection portion.

The invention relates to a method for producing a viscoelastic damping body (1, 20, 30), comprising at least one spring element (4) and at least one damping element coupled thereto, wherein the method is characterized in that the damping element and optionally also the spring element (4) are produced by means of a 3-D printing method. The invention further relates to a viscoelastic damping body (1, 20, 30) that is or can be produced according to such a method and to a volume body comprising or consisting of a plurality of such damping bodies (1, 20, 30).

Electrorheological fluid is loaded in a shock absorber (1) as hydraulic fluid (2). The shock absorber (1) controls a generated damping force by causing a potential difference to be generated in an electrode passage (19) and controlling a viscosity of the electrorheological fluid passing through this electrode passage (19). A plurality of partition walls (20) is provided between an inner cylinder (3) and an electrode cylinder (18). By being configured in this manner, the shock absorber (1) forms a plurality of helical flow passages (21) between the inner cylinder (3) and the electrode cylinder (18). In this case, an inclination angle of each of the partition walls (20) is not constant, and each of the partition walls (20) includes a sharply inclined portion (20A) inclined at a large angle on at least an entrance side of an extension-side flow passage (21).

A directional vibration control apparatus, which includes a tunable vibration absorber (TVA) for a vibratory compactor machine is provided. The TVA includes a frame mounting structure that is configured to mechanically interface with a frame of the vibratory compactor to provide a fixed attachment of the TVA to the frame of the vibratory compactor, a TVA carrier that extends from the frame mounting structure into an interior portion of a drum of the vibratory compactor machine, a resilient element that includes a first portion that is fixedly attached relative to the TVA carrier and a second portion that includes a degree of freedom of movement relative to the TVA carrier, and a mass that is attached to the second portion of the resilient element and that includes the degree of freedom of movement relative to the TVA carrier.

A bicycle with a suspension system for a wheel of the bicycle, the suspension system including a smart fluid damper for dampening a movement of the wheel relative to the frame. The smart fluid damper includes a flow control element disposed within a cavity of the damper and configured to apply a field to a smart fluid within a fluid passage extending through the flow control element. The flow control element includes field barriers proximate the fluid passage to locally block and/or divert the field such that the field cannot pass therethrough. The field barriers are arranged to cause the field to criss-cross the fluid passage at multiple axial intervals along the fluid passage, thereby focusing the field within the fluid passage.

The disclosure concerns a spring assembly with a leaf spring. The leaf spring extends in a vehicle longitudinal axis, supports a vehicle axle and is connected at least indirectly to a vehicle superstructure at a front end and at a rear end. In order to provide a wheel suspension with advantageous springing and damping behavior that is optimized with regard to weight and complexity, according to the disclosure it is provided that at least one damping region, which is at least partially fluid-filled, is integrated in the leaf spring.

A vehicle powertrain proactive damping system includes a plurality of proactive damping structures mounted on a powertrain structure with each proactive damping structure includes a magneto rheological elastomer (MRE). An electromagnet is associated with each proactive damping structure. A control unit includes a processor circuit. A sensor obtains vibration data regarding the powertrain structure. A LIDAR sensor is mounted on the vehicle and is electrically connected with the control unit. The LIDAR sensor provides data to the control unit indicative of upcoming road surface conditions to be experienced by the vehicle. Based on data from at the sensor and the LIDAR sensor, the processor circuit is constructed and arranged to control voltage to the electromagnets to selectively adjust a rigidity of the associated proactive damping structure so as to control vibrational effects on the powertrain structure.

A damper device that suppresses arc discharge between electrodes generated by bubbles in an electro-rheological fluid, includes an inner tube housed in an outer tube forming an outer shell of a damper device. An electrode tube is arranged between the outer tube and the inner tube. An electro-rheological fluid is sealed in the outer tube. The inner tube and the electrode tube constitute a cathode and an anode, respectively, and apply a voltage to the electro-rheological fluid located between the inner tube and the electrode tube. An insulating layer is provided on a surface of the electrode tube on a side facing the inner tube or on a surface of the inner tube on a side facing the electrode tube. When a maximum voltage applied to the electro-rheological fluid is Vmax (V), a thickness t (m) of the insulating layer is set to satisfy Formula (1).

Provided are a reliable high-voltage system and a failure diagnosis method thereof, in which a vibration damping mechanism using an electrorheological fluid as a working fluid is a load, and can prevent electric shock due to leakage current and the influence on surrounding electronic devices. There are provided a first circuit that includes a power source and a ground, a second circuit that is magnetically coupled to the first circuit via a transformer and includes a load connected to the ground, a controller that is connected to the ground, a third circuit that is connected to the second circuit and the ground, a first resistor that is provided between a connection point at a high potential end of the second circuit and the ground, and a second resistor that is provided between a connection point at a low potential end of the second circuit and the ground, and has a resistance value different from a resistance value of the first resistor.