A shock absorber for a vehicle having a damper and a first and second springs mounted coaxially around the damper and a preload adjuster for partially compressing at least one of the springs independently of the compression stroke. In one embodiment the preload adjuster is remotely controllable. In another embodiment the shock absorber includes an additional mechanism for preloading at least one of the springs.

A shock assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes a damper chamber having an outer wall with a first inner diameter (ID). A secondary chamber within the damper chamber, the secondary chamber comprising an exterior wall with an external diameter (ED) less than the ID of the outer wall to form an annular region therebetween. A damping piston coupled to a piston rod, the damping piston disposed in the secondary chamber and axially movable relative to the secondary chamber, the damping piston to bifurcate the secondary chamber into a compression side and a rebound side. A valve to control a flow of a working fluid between the annular region and the secondary chamber.

A compressed air supply installation for operating an air suspension installation of a vehicle includes an air supply unit configured to supply air, an air compression unit configured to compress air, a bleeding line, and a compressed air supply line. The bleeding line includes a bleeding valve arrangement in the form of a controllable solenoid valve arrangement comprising a magnetic part and a pneumatic part actuatable directly via the magnetic part, and a bleeding port for bleeding air. The compressed air supply line includes an air dryer, and a compressed air port for supplying the pneumatic installation with compressed air. The pneumatic part is open in an unactivated state of the magnetic part of the solenoid valve arrangement. The pneumatic part is open in a branch line of the compressed air supply line between a pressure-side valve port and a control-side valve port of the branch line.

A shock absorber for a vehicle having a damper and a first and second springs mounted coaxially around the damper and a preload adjuster for partially compressing at least one of the springs independently of the compression stroke. In one embodiment the preload adjuster is remotely controllable. In another embodiment the shock absorber includes an additional mechanism for preloading at least one of the springs.

A compressed air supply device for operating a pneumatic installation comprises an air supply unit configured to supply air, an air compression unit configured to compress air, a bleeding line comprising a controllable solenoid valve arrangement, the solenoid valve arrangement having a magnetic part and a pneumatic part, and a bleeding port configured to bleed air. The device also comprises a compressed air supply line having an air drier and a compressed air port, the compressed air supply line being configured to supply the pneumatic installation with compressed air, wherein the pneumatic part is open when the magnetic part is not activated.

The subject invention reveals a distance measuring device comprising: a sensing module, a target module, and an evaluating module, wherein the sensing module and the target module are mountable so as to execute a movement with respect to each other along a movement trajectory, wherein the target module comprises a magnetic field generating element having a magnetic pole axis, wherein the sensing module comprises a first magnetic field sensing array being arranged distant to the movement trajectory. The sensing module and the target module can advantageously be situated within the pressurizable chamber of an air spring which is defined by (contained within) a first mounting plate, a second mounting plate, and a flexible member of the air spring.

A shock assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes a damper chamber having an outer wall with a first inner diameter (ID). A secondary chamber within the damper chamber, the secondary chamber comprising an exterior wall with an external diameter (ED) less than the ID of the outer wall to form an annular region therebetween. A damping piston coupled to a piston rod, the damping piston disposed in the secondary chamber and axially movable relative to the secondary chamber, the damping piston to bifurcate the secondary chamber into a compression side and a rebound side. A valve to control a flow of a working fluid between the annular region and the secondary chamber.

A piston of a magnetic rheological fluid shock absorber comprises a piston core that is formed from a magnetic material and is provided with a coil on the outer periphery thereof, and a ring body that is formed from a magnetic material, surrounds the outer periphery of the piston core. A flow path of the magnetic rheological fluid is formed between the ring body and the piston core. The flow path of the magnetic rheological fluid comprises a first flow path part having a predetermined cross-sectional flow area, and a second flow path part having a larger cross-sectional flow area than the predetermined cross-sectional flow area and a longer axial length than the coil to cover the outer periphery of the coil.

A spring for a suspension is described. The spring includes: a spring chamber divided into at least a primary portion and a secondary portion, and a fluid flow path coupled with and between the primary portion and the secondary portion. The fluid flow path includes a bypass mechanism, wherein the bypass mechanism is configured for automatically providing resistance within the fluid flow path in response to a compressed condition of the suspension.

A shock absorber for a vehicle having a damper and a first and second springs mounted coaxially around the damper and a preload adjuster for partially compressing at least one of the springs independently of the compression stroke. In one embodiment the preload adjuster is remotely controllable. In another embodiment the shock absorber includes an additional mechanism for preloading at least one of the springs.