VIBRATION DAMPER COMPRISING A LEAKAGE INDICATOR, LEAKAGE INDICATOR, METHOD FOR INDICATING A LEAK IN A VIBRATION DAMPER AND COLOUR CHANGE INDICATOR FOR USE AS LEAKAGE INDICATOR

Abstract

A vibration damper for vehicles includes a damper tube which is at least partially filled with damper medium and which has a longitudinal axis along which a piston rod is movable back and forth. A working piston is movable jointly with the piston rod, by means of which working piston the interior space of the damper tube is divided into a piston-rod-side working space and a piston-rod-remote working space. The vibration damper has a leakage indicator for the damper medium.

Claims

1.-11. (canceled)

12. A vibration damper for vehicles, comprising: a damper tube comprising an interior space which is at least partially filled with damper medium and which has a longitudinal axis and an outer wall, a piston rod movably disposed in the damper tube, a working piston movable jointly with the piston rod, the working piston configured to divide the interior space of the damper tube into a piston-rod-side working space and a piston-rod-remote working space, and a leakage indicator configured to detect leakage of damper medium from the damper, wherein the leakage indicator comprises at least one indicator reaction composition for reaction with the damper medium upon contact therewith, and wherein the leakage indicator is at least partially covered by at least one protective element.

13. The vibration damper of claim 12 wherein the leakage indicator is arranged in an at least partially radially encircling manner on the damper tube.

14. The vibration damper of claim 12 wherein the leakage indicator has at least one distributing element configured to at least partially distribute the damper medium at least partially in a circumferential direction of the damper tube upon contact of the damper medium with the leakage indicator.

15. The vibration damper of claim 12 wherein the leakage indicator comprises at least one color change composition.

16. A method for indicating a leakage of a vibration damper, the damper comprising a damper tube comprising an interior space which is at least partially filled with damper medium, a piston rod movably disposed in the damper tube, a working piston configured to divide the interior space of the damper tube into a piston-rod-side working space and a piston-rod-remote working space, and a leakage indicator configured to detect leakage of damper medium from the damper, wherein the leakage indicator comprises at least one indicator reaction composition for reaction with the damper medium upon contact therewith, and wherein the leakage indicator is at least partially covered by at least one protective element, the method comprising: permitting contact of the damper medium, which has at least partially escaped from the damper, with the leakage indicator, and indicating contact of the damper medium with the leakage indicator.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the vibration damper further comprises at least one distributing element configured to distribute the escaped damper medium in a circumferential direction of the damper tube.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said indicating comprises a color change reaction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The vibration damper according to the invention and the leakage indicator according to the invention will be discussed on the basis of the drawing.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a vibration damper according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0032] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the invention as per FIG. 1 with a distributing element,

[0033] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention as per FIG. 2 with an additional protective element.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a vibration damper 1 with a damper tube 2, with a piston rod 3 and with a leakage indicator 4 according to an embodiment of the invention. The vibration damper 1 has a longitudinal axis L illustrated by means of a dashed line. The leakage indicator 4 is arranged in an encircling manner, in a circumferential direction of the damper tube, on the damper tube 1.

[0035] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the invention as per FIG. 1 with a distributing element 5. The distributing element 5 is arranged at an edge side at the leakage indicator 4 in an encircling manner, in a circumferential direction of the damper tube, on the side facing toward the piston rod 3.

[0036] FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the invention as per FIG. 2 with an additional protective element 6. The protective element 6 is arranged so as to at least partially cover the leakage indicator 4.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0037] Vibration dampers and leakage indicators of the above-described type are used in the production of vehicles, in particular of chassis of motor vehicles.

LIST OF REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS

[0038] 1 Vibration damper

[0039] 2 Damper tube

[0040] 3 Piston rod

[0041] 4 Leakage indicator

[0042] 5 Distributing element

[0043] 6 Protective element

[0044] L Longitudinal axis