A suspension system for a vehicle includes a shock absorber unit operably coupled between a vehicle body and a wheel carrier. The shock absorber unit includes a first damper unit having a first cylinder chamber, a second damper unit having a second cylinder chamber, a first piston connected to a first piston rod, a second piston connected to a second piston rod, and an adjusting unit. The first and second cylinder chambers may each be filled with a fluid. The first and second cylinder chambers may be formed in a common cylinder unit and sealed off from one another. The first and second piston rods may be arranged axially displaceable in the first and second cylinder chambers, respectively. The first piston rod is operably coupled to the vehicle body and the second piston rod is operably coupled to the wheel carrier. Damping actions of the first and second damper units are changed independently of one another by the adjusting unit.

A shock absorber assembly including a first sheath slidingly housing inside it a first piston which is filled with hydraulic fluid, the first piston having a first stem extending from the first sheath and a first head contained inside the first sheath, a second sheath slidingly housing inside it a second piston which is filled with hydraulic fluid, the second piston having a second stem extending from the second sheath and a second head contained inside the second sheath. The first and second sheaths are fluidly connected to each other by means of at least one upper duct and a first interconnection duct passing through a control body. The control body houses at least one damping valve comprising including a damping plate having holes suitable to allow a calibrated passage of the hydraulic fluid channelled by the first and second sheaths towards the control body; the control body houses a control valve connected to actuator means to be movable, in a regulation stroke, from an unlocked position, in which it does not interfere with the upper duct to a locked position, wherein the upper duct is occluded.

A shock absorber that includes a damping force generation mechanism including a damping valve provided in a first passage through which a working fluid flows out due to a movement of a piston and a back-pressure chamber applying an internal pressure to the damping valve in a valve closing direction; and a back-pressure chamber inflow passage introducing the working fluid from the first passage into the back-pressure chamber is provided. The damping valve has: a first valve that opens and closes an opening of the first passage of the piston and comes into contact with the piston; a second valve provided on a valve opening side of the first valve and having a diameter smaller than the first valve, and defines the back-pressure chamber such that a pilot valve that slidably and tightly fits a seal member having an outer circumferential portion into a cylindrical part of a pilot case.

A shock absorber includes a cylinder sealed with a working oil liquid, a piston slidably fitted in the cylinder, a piston rod connected to the piston and extended to the outside of the cylinder, and a plurality of passages through which the working oil liquid flows due to the sliding of pistons therein, and a damping force generating mechanism that is provided in a part of the passages and suppresses the flow of the working oil liquid to generate a damping force. The damping force generating mechanism includes a valve body through which the passage penetrates, an annular seat that projects from the valve body and surrounds the passage, and a disc that can be seated on the seat. A contact width at which the disc and the seat come into contact with each other is different depending on a position in the circumferential direction. As a result, it is possible to obtain a shock absorber capable of suppressing a sudden change in damping force before and after the opening of the disc valve without having a complicated structure.

An air control valve (100) adapted to control an air flow (FA) for an air cushioning receptacle (802) in a motor vehicle (1000) includes a valve seat (120), a valve body (110), and a valve passage element (105) with a passage inlet (140) on an inlet side (141) and a passage outlet (150) on an outlet side (151). A coil spring (160) in contact with the valve body (110) and with a valve stop (152) on the outlet side (151) is adapted to exert a closing force (FC) to press the valve body (110) to the valve seat (120). A damping body (200) is arranged in an inner spring space (161) of the coil spring (160) such that the damping body (200) radially extends in a winding space (162) between a first coil winding (163) and a second coil winding (164) of the coil spring (160).

A mechanism and method for externally adjusting the mid-valve stiffness is described and enables adjustment of a mid-valve functionality without disassembly of a suspension system incorporating the invention. The effect of this adjustment on the damping curve is far greater than either low-speed compression adjusters or conventional high-speed compression adjusters. The apparatus combines the valve-stiffening system of a high speed compression adjuster with the sensitivity of the mid-valve. Externally accessible adjustment members are operatively coupled to the mid-valve components located internally in a fork so that manipulation of the adjustment members causes adjustment of the mid-valve and the damping force created by the mid-valve. The apparatus may be utilized in closed cartridge suspension forks (CCSF) and open cartridge suspension forks (OCSF) and other shocks or suspension dampers.

A magnetorheological damper, wherein the damper comprises a housing that is at least partially filed with a magnetorheological fluid, and a magnetorheological valve disposed within the housing. The valve includes a magnetically permeable core having at least one coil reservoir formed therein, and at least one conductor coil, wherein each conductor coil is disposed around a portion of the core within a respective one of the coil reservoir(s). The valve additionally includes a fluid flow path adjacent the conductor coil(s). The fluid flow path is structured and operable to allow the magnetorheological fluid to flow adjacent the conductor coil(s). The valve further includes at least one coil cover, wherein each coil cover is disposed over a respective one of the coil(s) such that the respective coil is protected from exposure to magnetorheological fluid flowing through the fluid flow path.

An anti-roll bar link for a vehicle suspension may be positioned between an anti-roll bar and an articulating arm. The link selectively transfers movement of the arm. to the bar, depending on a locked or unlocked state. The link includes a body interfacing a slidable shaft. A valve selectively controls flow of a damping fluid between an inner chamber of the body and a remote chamber. In the locked state, flow of the damping fluid is restricted at least in a direction from the inner chamber to the remote chamber, and movement of the arm is transferred through the link to the bar. In the unlocked state, flow of the damping fluid is permitted in this direction, and movement of the arm causes the shaft to translate with respect to the body such that at least a portion of the movement is not transferred to the bar.

This invention pertains to hydraulic cylinders or shock absorbers, and a method of controlling the operation and flow of fluid within them. Specifically, this invention relates to use of a coil and valve mounted onto a shock shaft and mounting eyelet absorber or vehicle body) within a shaft and mounting eyelet of a damping assembly that utilizes electronically controlled inputs to regulate operational forces, essentially turning the shaft assembly into a solenoid.

An extension assembly for a damper includes an extension post having an upper end and a lower end opposite to the upper end. The extension post includes a coupling portion, a narrow portion defining a deformed section, and a wide portion disposed between the coupling portion and the narrow portion. A diameter of the wide portion is greater than a diameter of the narrow portion. The extension assembly includes a retaining member having a sleeve portion received on the narrow portion of the extension post and a plurality of support portions extending from the sleeve portion. Further, the deformed section of the narrow portion secures the retaining member to the narrow portion. The extension assembly further includes a sealing ring disposed around the retaining member. The sealing ring is disposed between the wide portion of the extension post and the plurality of support portions of the retaining member.