Disclosed is a variable damping force shock absorber including a tube cylinder having an inner tube filled with a fluid and an outer tube, a valve housing coupled to a piston rod in the inner tube and having a connection flow path formed therein, a first piston valve coupled to the outside of the valve housing to partition the inner tube into a compression chamber and a rebound chamber, and a second piston valve provided inside the valve housing, wherein the valve housing includes a magnet provided at an upper portion thereof and connected to the piston rod, and a plunger disposed between the magnet and the second piston valve at a lower portion thereof to selectively open and close the connection flow path by a magnetic field of the magnet, and wherein the fluid passes only through the first piston valve when the plunger closes the connection flow path, and the fluid passes through the first piston valve and the second piston valve when the plunger opens the connection flow path.

Solar tracker systems include a torque tube, a column supporting the torque tube, a solar panel connected to the torque tube, and a damper assembly. The damper assembly includes a first end pivotably connected to the torque tube and a second end pivotably connected to the column. The damper assembly further includes an outer shell, a piston within and moveable relative to the outer shell, a first chamber wall and a second chamber wall within the outer shell at least partially defining a chamber, and a valve within the chamber. The valve includes a first axial end defining a slot and is biased to a first position within the chamber in which the first axial end is spaced from the first chamber wall. The valve is moveable within the chamber from the first position to a second position to passively change a flow resistance of the damper assembly.

A fluid-damped valve comprises a body defining an internal cavity having an inlet for ingress of a fluid and an outlet for egress of the fluid, and a closure member having a narrowed end portion. The closure member is movably disposed within the internal cavity intermediate the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The valve includes a seat configured to sealingly receive the closure member. The seat defines a constricted portion of the internal cavity configured to non-sealingly receive the narrowed end portion and damp the flow of the fluid through the fluid-damped valve.

A sealing ring includes: a lip ring, with at least one sealing lip; and a supporting ring. The lip ring and the supporting ring are connected to one another. The lip ring and the supporting ring each are formed from an elastomeric material. A modulus of elasticity of the lip ring is smaller than a modulus of elasticity of the supporting ring.

Solar tracker systems include a torque tube, a solar panel attached to the torque tube, and a damper assembly. The damper assembly includes a housing defining first and second chambers, a first fluid passageway extending between the first and second chambers, and a second fluid passageway extending from the second chamber. A piston is moveable relative to the housing and a valve is positioned within the first chamber and moveable to passively control fluid flow. An active lock includes a shaft extending into the second chamber with a seal attached to the shaft. The shaft is selectively moveable between an unsealed position in which the seal is spaced from a chamber wall and a flow path is defined between the first fluid passageway and the second fluid passageway, and a sealed position in which the seal contacts and seals against the chamber wall to obstruct the flow path.

A valve arrangement for a vibration damper, as may be used on a vehicle. The vibration damper can be a telescopic suspension fork leg of a motorbike, or a shock absorber for a vehicle with more than one track, for example an automobile. The valve arrangement is for a vibration damper that has a valve housing with an annular valve seat, and is configured to receive damping fluid, and further having a valve piston arranged in an axially displaceable manner relative to the valve seat in an inner space of the valve housing. The valve piston has a main valve which has a flexible circular valve disc which can be removed from contact with a contact surface side on the valve seat. The valve disc is arranged on the valve piston by a guide pin, such that it can be moved axially relative to the latter and is guided radially.

A valve suitable for an air spring includes a housing body with a central longitudinal axis and channel. The housing body has a first valve opening fluidically connectable to an air spring volume, a second valve opening fluidically connectable to an air supply, which is fluidically connectable to an air spring volume, and a second valve opening which is fluidically connectable to an air supply. Each valve opening is fluidically connected or selectively connectable to the channel. A pressure limiter is provided to limit the pressure flowing out of the second valve opening, the pressure limiter including a third sealing agent and a second sealing agent associated with the second valve opening and selectively closing an opening, wherein pressurization of at least the third sealing agent displaces the second sealing agent due to the forced coupling such that it closes the corresponding opening or reduces the effective opening cross-section.

A shock absorber includes an outer tube, an inner tube fitted to the outer tube so as to be able to move forward and backward, a cylinder provided inside the outer tube and extending inside the inner tube, a rod extending from an end portion of the inner tube exposed from the outer tube to an inside of the cylinder, and a piston which is provided on the rod and divides the inside of the cylinder to form a gas chamber. On an outer peripheral surface of the piston, a first lubricating member, a first seal member, and a second seal member are provided in this order from a side closest to the gas chamber to a side away from the gas chamber. The members are in sliding contact with an inner peripheral surface of the cylinder.

A damping valve device for a vibration damper is disclosed, the damping valve device comprising a valve body of variable diameter, which is guided by a valve support and, starting from a passage position, adopts a restricting position as a function of a speed of flow of a damping medium within the restriction by a radial closing movement in the direction of a flow guiding surface. The closing movement of the valve body is controlled by at least one damping device.

The present application discloses a bidirectional self-locking damper that comprises a cylinder and a piston assembly housed in the cylinder and displaceable along the axial direction of the cylinder. The piston assembly includes a piston rod, a piston and a bidirectional self-locking valve. The bidirectional self-locking valve includes a valve body and a locking assembly. The valve body is provided with a passage chamber, and a first passage channel and a second passage channel that are communicated with the passage chamber, the first passage channel communicating with a recovery pressure chamber, the second passage channel communicating with a compression pressure chamber; the locking assembly is directed to displace in the passage chamber driven by the work medium for establishing/interrupting the communication between the first or second passage channel and the passage chamber.