A rear suspension member (RSM) transfer assembly for transferring an RSM from a sub-assembly line to a main assembly line includes a first RSM lifter, an RSM buffer, and a second RSM lifter. The first RSM lifter is configured to travel laterally between the sub-assembly line and the main assembly line. The first RSM lifter includes a lifting body and a rotatable arm configured to retrieve the RSM from the sub-assembly line and transport the RSM to the main assembly line. The RSM buffer is configured to receive the RSM from the first RSM lifter and transport the RSM through a plurality of resting positions. The second RSM lifter is configured to receive the RSM from the RSM buffer and raise the RSM into position for installation on a vehicle.

Provided is a shock absorber in which trivalent chromium is used to achieve both high hardness and low frictional force at a high level without using hexavalent chromium which is suspected of causing damage to the human body and the environment, and a method for manufacturing the shock absorber.

A shock absorber (100) of the present invention includes: a cylinder (1) which is filled with hydraulic oil (3); a piston rod (2) which is movable in the cylinder (1); and an oil seal (8) which is fixed to the cylinder (1) and slides on the piston rod (2), in which a hard layer mainly containing chromium obtained from a trivalent chromium plating bath is provided on a surface of the piston rod (2), and the hard layer contains both a crystalline material and an amorphous material, and also contains an additive other than chromium.

An air spring height sensor has a PCR (Pulsed-Coherent-Radar) sensor encased in a housing attached to an air spring. The housing also provides an integral channel for adding air to an air spring or releasing air. The PCR sensor is aligned with a connector to orient the sensor with respect to the air spring to accurately determine the height of the air spring.

A method of manufacturing a forged product includes a heating step, a first and a second forging steps, wherein the forging temperature in the heating step is 450° C. or higher and 550° C. or lower, and surface temperatures of the upper molding part of the first upper die in the first forging step and the upper molding part of the second upper die in the second forging step are 150° C. or higher and 190° C. or lower, surface temperatures of the lower molding parts of the first and the second lower dies are 190° C. or higher and 230° C. or lower, and the surface temperatures of the lower molding parts of the first and the second lower dies are higher by 5° C. or more than the surface temperatures of the upper molding parts of the first and the second upper dies.

A pneumatic control system includes a manifold that defines: a channel for conveying a fluid, a discharge port, a drain port, and an expansion chamber defining a chamber axis. The discharge port defines a flow axis extending between a first end and second end and a receiving region at the second end. The pneumatic control system also includes a filter assembly with a filter member disposed in the expansion chamber, and an actuator configured to selectively control fluid communication between the channel and the discharge port. The chamber axis is substantially coplanar with the flow axis. A filter cap assembly includes a filter cap body enclosing an end of the expansion chamber and selectively removable from the manifold to provide access to the filter assembly. A purge valve body is configured to selectively control fluid flow between the expansion chamber and the drain port.

A shock absorber includes: a first passage through which a working fluid flows from a chamber inside a cylinder; a second passage which communicates with the chamber; a damping force generation mechanism which is provided in the first passage, a communication hole which is provided with at least a part of a passage of the second passage and is formed in a piston rod communicating with at least the chamber; a housing which has a passage of least a part of the second passage; a free piston which is movably provided inside the housing and defines the second passage into an upstream side and a downstream side of a flow of the working fluid when the piston moves in one direction, and an elastic body which is provided between the free piston and the housing. The free piston is formed of a resin material.

An electronically controller external damper reservoir assembly (eRESI) can be connected to a passive damper and/or substituted for an existing external reservoir to provide semi-active damping control. The eRESI includes a reservoir and a variable base valve assembly actuated by an actuator. A controller is in communication with the actuator and a sensor providing input signal indicative of vehicle movement and is programmed to generate a damping control signal to the actuator based on the input signal, to dynamically control the damping force outputted by a passive damper hydraulically connected to the eRESI. A P/T sensor can be installed to a gas chamber of a vehicle damper to generate a P/T signal indicative of the pressure and temperature of the gas. The controller is programmed to determine a damper position of the damper based on the P/T signal.

A suspension device has an upper shell having a stepped section around an inner circumferential surface; a lower shell; a ball screw shaft rotatably supported by the upper shell; a bearing unit arranged between a part of the ball screw shaft and the upper shell, and having an outer side part in a radial direction including a side surface that comes in contact with a side surface on the other side in the axial direction of the stepped section; a ball nut screwed on the ball screw shaft; an inner tube joined to the lower shell and the ball nut; an electric motor; and a coil spring, and a circumscribed circle diameter of the ball nut and the inner tube is less than an inner diameter dimension of the stepped section.

An accumulator for a damper is provided. The accumulator includes a housing defining a longitudinal axis, a fluid connector and a bag. The bag includes a plurality of annular discs disposed adjacent to each other. Each annular disc includes an inner diameter defining a through aperture and an outer diameter. The plurality of annular discs includes a first end disc, a second end disc and one or more intermediate discs. Each intermediate disc is disposed between two adjacent annular discs. The inner diameter of the first end disc is connected to the fluid connector. The inner diameter of each intermediate disc is connected to the inner diameter of one adjacent annular disc. The outer diameter of each intermediate disc is connected to the outer diameter of the other adjacent annular disc. A solid cover disc is connected to the outer diameter of the second end disc.

A terminal sealed portion is formed on an end portion of a hollow rod made of steel. An enclosed space is formed on an inner side of the hollow rod. At an end of the enclosed space, a terminal gap is formed. A volatile powdered rust inhibitor is supplied in the enclosed space. As the volatile powdered rust inhibitor is vaporized, the enclosed space is turned into a rust-inhibiting atmosphere. As the vaporized component of the volatile powdered rust inhibitor is adsorbed to an inner surface of the enclosed space, an inner surface rust-inhibiting film is formed. The vaporized component also enters inside the terminal gap, and forms a terminal rust-inhibiting film.