Coil assembly for damping valve

Abstract

The present application relates to a coil assembly (1) for a vehicle active control damper valve assembly, the coil assembly (1) comprising an end cap (3) and a mating portion (2) arrangeable to engage with a cavity of a valve housing of the damper valve assembly. The mating portion (2) comprises a fixing member (4) comprising a press-fit interference portion (5) arranged to engage with an inner surface of the cavity so as to lock the coil assembly (1) when it is mounted to a valve housing. The end cap (3) further comprises a recess (7) having a circumferential extension and an axial extension, the recess (7) being arrangeable to at least partially receive an upper edge portion of the valve housing when the coil assembly (1) is mounted on the valve housing to form a damping valve assembly; and a sealing member (10) disposed in the recess (7) and arrangeable to abut against the upper surface of the upper edge portion of the valve housing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to a coil assembly for an active control damper valve assembly of a vehicle, and more particularly to a coil assembly including an axial seal and a press-fit interface. The present application also relates to an active control damper valve assembly and a method of mounting the coil assembly into a cavity of a valve housing for an active control damper. Background Art

[0002] When a coil assembly is mounted on a valve housing of an active control valve used in a vehicle, proper sealing must be maintained between the coil assembly and the valve housing, because improper sealing may cause premature wear or failure of the valve, for example, due to corrosion or entry of particles or liquids in the surrounding environment, resulting in premature wear or failure of the valve. To prevent corrosion of the outer shell of the valve housing, the outer surface of the valve housing can be painted.

[0003] Generally, a radial seal is provided on the outer surface of the upper edge portion of the valve housing that engages with the coil assembly to form a damper valve, so as to provide a seal between the coil assembly and the valve housing. However, the thickness of the paint varies from component to component, and the thickness within the same painted surface may also be different. In addition, the paint may also contain pores or impurities. These parameters may all affect the sealing ability of the radial seal, causing a risk of leakage. The pre-assembly of the radial seal is also complex.

[0004] It is also known that a radial seal can be used facing the inner surface of the valve housing, so as to arrange it between the inner surface of the valve housing and the portion where the coil assembly engages with the cavity of the valve housing. The problem with this solution is that no sealing is provided for non-painted surfaces, such as the top surface of the upper edge of the valve housing.

[0005] In view of this, it would be highly advantageous to improve the sealing between the coil assembly and the valve housing of an active control damper valve assembly. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The object of the present application is to provide an improved solution to alleviate the above disadvantages of the existing solutions. A particular object is to provide a coil assembly with good sealing efficiency. These objects are solved at least by the disclosure defined in the independent claims and further solved by the disclosure defined in the dependent claims.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present application, a coil assembly for a vehicle active control damping valve assembly is provided. The coil assembly includes an end cover and a mating portion that can engage with the cavity of the valve housing of the damping valve assembly. The mating portion includes a fixing component, which includes a press-fit interference portion and can be arranged to engage with the inner surface of the cavity, so that the coil assembly is locked on the valve housing when installed at the valve housing. The end cover also includes: a recess having a circumferential extension and an axial extension, when the coil assembly is installed at the valve housing to form a damping valve assembly, the recess can at least partially accommodate the upper edge portion of the valve housing; and a sealing component, which is arranged in the recess, and when the coil assembly is installed on the valve housing, the sealing component can abut against the top surface of the upper edge portion of the valve housing.

[0008] The present application also provides a coil assembly, which includes a fixing component, the fixing component having a press-fit interference portion that can be arranged to engage with the cavity of the valve housing, and the coil assembly also includes a sealing component that can be arranged to abut against the top surface of the upper edge portion of the valve housing, and when the coil assembly is installed on the valve housing to form a damping valve assembly, the damping valve assembly can be effectively sealed. The press-fit interference of the coil assembly is combined with the arrangement of the sealing component in the recess and the arrangement that can be arranged to abut against the top surface of the upper edge portion of the valve housing, allowing the control of the compression of the sealing component in the axial direction of the coil assembly to be strengthened when the coil assembly is installed at the valve housing. Unlike using a circlip to fix the coil assembly to the valve housing, when the circlip is used to fix the coil assembly, the axial seal needs to be compressed and then rebound when the coil assembly is connected, which will cause changes in the compression amount and the coverage of the sealing surface, thereby potentially exposing the unpainted surface to the risk of corrosion, and the inventor surprisingly found that by arranging the seal to abut against the top surface of the upper edge of the valve housing and combining the press-fit interference fit of the coil assembly, the seal will not rebound. This is advantageous as it does not require over-tightening of the seal, which would result in a change in the seal pressure and therefore in a change in the seal coverage, with the risk of exposing any unpainted surfaces of the valve housing. This also has the benefit of providing a compact coil assembly.

[0009] The sealing member is adapted in the recess, and the recess may be arranged to at least partially accommodate the upper edge portion of the valve housing, and when the coil assembly is mounted on the valve housing, the sealing member abuts against the top surface of the upper edge portion of the valve housing, thereby providing an axial seal. When the upper edge of the valve housing is further introduced into the recess, the sealing member in the recess is compressed, thereby sealing the top surface of the upper edge portion of the valve housing.

[0010] The fixed part of the coil assembly is adapted in shape and size so that when the coil assembly is mounted on the valve housing, the inner surface portion of the valve housing cavity engaging with the press-fit interference portion is deformed under the pressure of the press-fit interference portion. Therefore, the coil assembly can be rotationally, axially and radially locked at the valve housing.

[0011] As described herein, an "active control damping valve assembly" generally refers to a damping valve assembly with a device for automatically adjusting the damping force. The device for adjusting the damping force is preferably the coil assembly disclosed herein. By adjusting the current in the coil of the coil assembly, the magnetic field strength and direction inside the coil can be adjusted, so that the plunger placed in the coil moves in a controllable manner. The position of the plunger can adjust the damping fluid in the damping valve assembly, thereby achieving specific damping force characteristics. The position of the plunger can adjust the pilot pressure related to the pilot valve.

[0012] As described herein, the term "vehicle" can refer to a four-wheel vehicle or a two-wheel vehicle. In addition, it can also refer to any one of an automobile, a bicycle, or a motorcycle (such as an off-road motorcycle).

[0013] The mating portion of the coil assembly can be arranged to engage with the cavity of the valve housing of the damping valve assembly. That is, the shape and size of the mating portion are adapted to the cavity of the valve housing of the damping valve assembly, and the coil assembly can be arranged in this cavity. According to some embodiments, the mating portion can be arranged to directly engage with the entire cavity of the valve housing, or according to some embodiments, the mating portion engages with the cavity partially, so that a gap is formed between at least a part of the mating portion and the cavity wall. Therefore, the mating portion is adapted to cooperate with the cavity wall of the valve housing (also referred to as the inner surface of the cavity, the inner surface of the valve housing wall, or the inner wall of the valve housing), so that they are at least partially in contact, or at least partially a gap is formed between the mating portion of the coil assembly and the cavity wall of the valve housing.

[0014] The mating portion can be generally cylindrical. The mating portion can surround the coil part of the coil assembly. Therefore, the mating portion can be tubular, thereby defining a space extending along the axis of the mating portion, in which the plunger can move under the influence of the magnetic field generated by the current flowing through the coil part.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the sealing member abuts at least partially against the top surface of the recess and the first side surface of the recess, wherein the sealing member can be axially compressed within the recess. In this way, when the coil assembly is installed in the valve housing to form a damping valve assembly, controllable axial compression of the seal can be achieved. When the coil assembly with the sealing member is installed at the valve housing, this can also well protect the valve cavity from the surrounding environment. Another advantage of doing this is that the seal is easy to install at the recess, thus facilitating the installation of the coil assembly.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the first side surface of the recess corresponds to the outer surface of the main cylindrical portion of the end cap. The recess is further defined by a second side surface opposite the first side surface, and the second side surface corresponds to one of the side surface of a skirt extending from the main cylindrical portion of the end cap of the coil assembly and the inner side surface of a sleeve that can be arranged around at least a part of the coil assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the sealing member is conveniently arranged in the gap between the outer surface of the main cylindrical portion of the end cap and the side surface of the skirt of the coil assembly and can be axially compressed therein. The advantage of this is that it facilitates the pre-assembly of the sealing member with the coil assembly. The skirt can be integrally formed with the end cap or arranged on the end cap to provide the second side surface of the recess. In an alternative embodiment, the seal can be conveniently arranged in the gap between the outer surface of the main cylindrical portion of the end cap and the inner side surface of a sleeve arranged around at least a part of the coil assembly.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the second side surface is releasably arranged at the coil assembly. According to one embodiment, the skirt is releasably arranged at the coil assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the skirt includes a protrusion that can be arranged to press-fit with the end cap of the coil assembly. Thus, the skirt can be releasably arranged at the coil assembly by press-fit engagement. However, according to the concept of the present invention, the skirt that can be releasably arranged on the end cap can also be provided by other means, such as screw engagement, snap lock, etc.

[0018] In an embodiment including a sleeve that can be arranged around at least a part of the coil assembly, the sleeve is releasably arranged at the coil assembly.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the seal is made of a flexible material. In this way, when the coil assembly is installed at the valve housing, it allows the compression of the sealing member, thereby achieving the sealing of the top surface of the upper edge portion of the valve housing.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the seal is one of a planar seal, a gasket, and an O-ring. According to the disclosure of the present application, those skilled in the art can understand that any sealing member suitable for being arranged in the recess of the coil assembly and can be arranged to abut against the top surface of the upper end of the valve housing and can be axially compressed in the recess can be used for this purpose.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the seal is detachably arranged in the recess. The advantage of this is that the seal can be conveniently replaced when necessary without replacing the entire coil assembly.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the outer surface of the fixing member has a generally circular geometry and includes two or more circumferentially spaced protrusions, wherein the two or more protrusions define an interference fit portion. In this way, when the coil assembly is installed at the valve housing, it can be radially, rotationally, and axially locked to the valve housing. In addition, the advantage of this is that the coil assembly is not limited to being fixed by the interference fit portion in a specific axial rotation direction, thus providing a certain degree of freedom for the axial rotation direction when the coil assembly is arranged on the valve housing.

[0023] According to one embodiment, at least one protrusion includes a curved outer surface that defines an interference fit surface that can engage with the inner surface of the valve housing cavity. The advantage of this is that the force exerted by the interference fit between the coil assembly and the valve housing is distributed over the curved surface, thus providing a lasting engagement.

[0024] According to one embodiment, at least two protrusions include curved outer surfaces that define interference fit surfaces that can engage with the inner surface of the cavity, and the at least two curved outer surfaces have the same radius of curvature. This can well distribute the engagement force, thus achieving a lasting engagement.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the fixing member includes three protrusions. The three protrusions are preferably equidistantly spaced. In this way, when the coil assembly is installed on the valve housing, it can provide particular rotational and axial stability. In addition, this can also prevent the coil assembly from tilting axially when installed on the valve housing.

[0026] According to a second aspect of the present application, the present application also provides an active control damping valve assembly for a vehicle. The damping valve assembly includes a valve housing that defines a cavity; an active control damping valve disposed in the valve housing; and a coil assembly disclosed herein, wherein the mating portion of the coil assembly engages with the cavity of the valve housing, and the top surface of the upper edge portion of the valve housing is received in the recess of the coil assembly and contacts the seal.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the valve housing includes a valve housing wall, the inner surface of which defines a cavity, and the inner surface of the valve housing wall includes a step to provide a stop portion for the fixing member of the coil assembly. By providing a stop portion for the fixing member, when the coil assembly is fully installed on the valve housing, the fixing member is supported, thereby improving the fatigue strength of the interference fit joint. In some embodiments, the step can be horizontal. According to the concept of the present application, an inclined step can also be provided to provide a stop portion for the fixing member of the coil assembly.

[0028] According to a third aspect of the present application, the present application further provides a method for installing a coil assembly into a valve housing cavity of an active control damping valve. The method includes the following steps: providing a coil as disclosed herein, wherein a seal is disposed in a recess of the coil assembly such that it contacts at least the top surface and the first side surface of the recess; inserting a mating portion of the coil assembly into the cavity such that an interference fit portion of the mating portion engages with the inner surface of the valve housing wall, and the seal abuts against the top surface of the upper edge portion of the valve housing; by further pressing the coil assembly into the cavity, deforming the valve housing wall with an interference fit portion of a fixing member to lock the coil assembly to the valve housing, wherein the sealing member is axially compressed within the recess of the coil assembly during the insertion and deformation steps.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the mating portion of the coil assembly can be inserted into the cavity of the valve housing regardless of the axial rotation direction of the coil assembly. The advantage of this is that when installing the coil assembly onto the valve housing, a specific axial rotation direction of the coil assembly is not required, which is beneficial for installation.

[0030] The effects and features of the second and third aspects are substantially similar to those of the first aspect described above. The embodiments related to the first aspect are substantially compatible with the second and third aspects. It should be further noted that unless otherwise clearly stated, the concepts of the present invention cover all possible combinations of features.

[0031] The content of the present application is defined by the appended independent claims, and the specific embodiments are elaborated by the appended dependent claims, the following description, and the drawings. Description of the Drawings

[0032] The content of the present application will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings, which include Figure 1 showing a coil assembly according to an embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 showing the situation when inserting the coil assembly into the valve housing cavity of the active control damping valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present application; Figure 3A -B showing a cross-sectional view when inserting the coil assembly into the valve housing cavity of the active control damping valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present application; Figure 4A and 5A respectively showing perspective views of the coil assembly installed on the valve housing of the active control damping valve assembly according to further embodiments of the present application; Figure 4B and 5B respectively showing Figure 4A and 5A cross-sectional views of the coil assembly installed on the valve housing of the active control damping valve assembly; Figure 6 andFigure 7 Shows a fixing part of a coil assembly according to an embodiment of the present application; Figure 8 Shows the method steps of installing a coil assembly into the valve housing cavity of an active control damping valve assembly according to an embodiment of the present application. Detailed implementation mode

[0033] The present application will be described more comprehensively below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiments of the present application are shown. However, the present application can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; on the contrary, these embodiments are provided to make the present application complete and fully convey the scope of the present application to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, like numerals refer to like elements.

[0034] Refer to Figure 1 , according to an embodiment of the present application, a coil assembly 1 is provided. The coil assembly 1 includes a mating part 2 and an end cap 3. The mating part 2 includes a fixing part 4, which is composed of an interference fit part 5 by press fitting. For more details, see Figure 6 And Figure 7 . The mating part 2 is generally cylindrical or tubular and includes an outer cylindrical surface 6.

[0035] The end cap 3 includes a recess 7 with circumferential and axial extensions, and a sealing member 10 mounted in the recess 7. The sealing member 10 is generally annular and extends around the circumferential extension part of the recess 7 and at least part of the axial extension part of the recess 7. In the present exemplary embodiment, the end cap 3 includes a main tubular part 8, which is adjacent to the mating part 2 and integrally formed therewith. The end cap 3 further includes a skirt 9, which extends from the main tubular part 8 of the end cap 3, forming a recess 7 between the main tubular part 8 and the skirt 9 of the end cap 3, in which the sealing member 10 can be installed. Therefore, the recess has circumferential and axial extensions.

[0036] The sealing member 10 is located in the recess 7 of the coil assembly 1. The outer surface part of the sealing member 10 contacts the top surface 11 of the recess 7 (which may correspond to the bottom of the recess in the present exemplary embodiment) and the first side surface 12 of the recess 7 (which corresponds to the outer surface part of the main tubular part 8). The sealing member 10 also contacts the second side surface 13, which corresponds to the inner surface part of the skirt 9.

[0037] Figure 2 Shows a perspective view of the coil assembly 1 according to an embodiment of the present application when inserted into the cavity of the valve housing 20 of the active control damping valve assembly 100. It can be seen from the figure that the valve housing 20 can be generally cylindrical. The end cap 3 protrudes beyond the upper edge of the valve housing 20. In addition, in the present exemplary embodiment, the skirt 9 overlaps with the upper edge of the valve housing 20. Figure 3A AndFigure 3B This is described in detail, and sectional views of the coil assembly 1 when installed and when installed onto the valve housing 20 are shown respectively. As Figure 3A and 3B shown, the coil assembly 1 generally extends along the axis A. The mating portion 2 is tubular and is adapted to be disposed in the cavity 21 of the valve housing 20. Generally, the shapes and dimensions of the mating portion 2 and the cavity 21 are such that when the coil assembly 1 is installed on the valve housing 20, the cavity 21 of the valve housing 20 will lock the mating portion 2 radially within the valve housing 20. Generally, the mating portion 2 and the cavity 21 are tubular. However, in accordance with the concepts of the present application, the mating portion 2 and the cavity 21 can also be provided in other shapes as long as they can cooperate with each other such that the mating portion 2 can be disposed in the cavity 21. In the present exemplary embodiment, a gap 25 is formed between the outer surface 6 of the mating portion 2 and the inner surface 22 of the valve housing 20, and the inner surface 22 defines the cavity 21. Generally, the mating portion 2 can be adjusted such that a predetermined gap exists between the outer surface 6 and the inner surface 22 of the mating portion 2, or there is substantially no gap therebetween.

[0038] The mating portion 2 has a tubular shape defining a central hole, and the plunger can move axially along the axis A under the magnetic force generated by the coil member of the coil assembly 1.

[0039] The fixing member 4 is generally coaxially disposed at the upper ends of the coil assembly 1 and the mating portion 2. The fixing member 4 can be integrally formed with the mating portion 2. According to some embodiments, the fixing member 4 can also be detachably disposed on the coil assembly 1.

[0040] As Figure 3B shown, when the coil assembly 1 is installed at the valve housing 20, the recess 7 of the coil assembly 1 can be arranged to receive the upper edge portion 23 of the valve housing 20. At this installation stage, the sealing member 10 further abuts against the top surface 24 of the upper edge portion 23 of the valve housing 20, thereby providing a seal between the coil assembly 1 and the valve housing 20. When the coil assembly 1 is installed on the valve housing 20 and the upper edge portion 23 of the valve housing 20 is received in the recess 7, the seal 10 is axially compressed within the recess 7.

[0041] When the coil assembly 1 is installed at the valve housing 20, the fixing member 4 begins to engage with the inner surface 22 of the valve housing 20. More specifically, the press-fit interference portion 5 of the fixing member 4 engages with the inner surface 22 of the valve housing 20 by being pressed into the inner surface 22 of the valve housing 20. This will cause local deformation of the valve housing wall, preferably elastic deformation. By the local pressing of the valve housing wall against the press-fit interference portion 5 of the fixing member 4, the coil assembly 1 is thus held in place. A radial force F R and an axial force F A are applied. The axial force F A and the radial force FR The force ratio R F is generally 0.4 - 0.8. This enables the coil assembly 1 to be firmly fixed at the valve housing 20. By way of reference and example, the rated axial force F A is approximately 600 - 2100 N, and the rated radial force F R is approximately 1500 - 5250 N.

[0042] Further referring to Figure 3A and 3B, the valve housing 20 of the damping valve assembly 100 disclosed in the present application includes a step 26 located at the inner surface 22 of the valve housing wall to provide a stop portion for the fixing member 4 of the coil assembly 1. Thus, the mating portion 2 of the coil assembly 1 can be inserted into the cavity 21 of the valve housing 20 and pressed downward therein parallel to the shaft A until the fixing member 4 abuts against the step 26, thereby preventing the mating portion 2 from being further inserted into the cavity 21. The step 26 is generally located at the upper part of the valve housing 20 and can further serve as a support for the fixing member 4. In the Figure 3A and Figure 3B exemplary embodiment shown, the step 6 extends inward from the valve housing 20 in a direction perpendicular to the axis A into the cavity 21. However, within the concept of the present invention, it is also feasible to provide a step 26 that is inclined with respect to the axis A.

[0043] Now referring to Figure 4A and 4B , a coil assembly according to an embodiment of the present application is provided, which is mounted on the valve housing 20 of the damping valve assembly 100. In this exemplary embodiment, the sealing assembly 1 includes a skirt portion 91 that can be arranged at the end cap 3 and overlaps with the upper edge portion 23 of the valve housing 20 when the coil assembly 1 is mounted on the valve housing 20. The skirt portion 91 can be fixedly arranged at the end cap 3 or, as shown in the exemplary embodiment, can be releasably arranged at the end cap 3. The skirt portion 91 includes a press-fit engagement portion 92 arranged to engage with the end cap 3 in a press-fit engagement manner. Generally, the skirt portion 91 includes three or four press-fit engagement portions 92. However, within the concept of the present invention, more than four press-fit engagement portions 92 or as few as two press-fit engagement portions 92 can also be provided. In addition, the skirt portion 91 with a releasable arrangement can also be provided by other means than press-fit interference, such as screw engagement or snap engagement. The skirt portion 91 can be made of any material suitable for use as the skirt portion of the coil assembly. For example, the skirt portion 91 can be made of a plastic material or a metal.

[0044] As shown in Figure 4BAs shown, the sealing member 10 is located in the recess 7 of the end cap 3 and is in contact with the top surface 11 and the first side surface 12 of the end cap 3. The sealing member 10 further contacts the inner surface 93 of the skirt portion 91 here, thereby providing a second side surface 93 for the recess 7. When the coil assembly 1 is installed in the recess 7, the seal 10 can be axially compressed in the recess 7 by the upper edge portion 23 of the valve housing 20.

[0045] Figure 5A and 5B Another embodiment of the coil assembly 1 is shown, which is installed at the valve housing 20 and arranged in the sleeve 30 to form a damping valve assembly 200. In addition, in this exemplary embodiment, the recess 7 includes a top surface 11 extending perpendicular to the axis A and a first side surface 12 extending parallel to the axis A downward and recessed inward from the top surface 11. Here, the sealing member 10 of the coil assembly 1 abuts against the top surface 11 and the first side surface 12 of the main cylindrical portion 8 of the end cap 3. In Figure 5B it shows the coil assembly 1 installed at the valve housing 20 of the damping valve assembly 100. The upper edge portion 23 of the valve housing 20 is received in the recess 7, and the sealing member 10 abuts against the top surface 24 of the upper edge portion 23 of the valve housing 20. In addition, in this exemplary embodiment, a sleeve 30 is also provided around the coil assembly 1 and the valve housing 20. This exemplary embodiment includes a sleeve 30 arranged around a part of the valve housing 20 and the coil assembly 1, which is particularly useful for further protecting the valve housing 20. The sleeve 30 is preferably made of a light material with strong corrosion resistance such as aluminum. The sleeve 30 is also arranged around the valve housing 20 so as to provide a second side surface 33. When the coil assembly 1 is installed at the valve housing 20 by inserting the mating portion 2 into the cavity 21 of the valve housing, the sealing member 10 can abut against the second side surface. In some cases, the valve housing 20 can be made of steel or other magnetic materials. The advantage of this is that in the case where the sleeve 30 is made of materials such as aluminum, the magnetic circuit is also closed.

[0046] According to this exemplary embodiment, the damping valve assembly 200 can be installed by pre-assembling the valve housing 20 at the active control damping valve 28 to form a damping valve sub-assembly. Then, the damping valve sub-assembly can be installed in the cavity 31 of the sleeve 30. Finally, the coil assembly 1 including the sealing member 10 is installed on the valve housing 20 by inserting the mating portion 2 of the coil assembly 1 into the cavity 21 of the valve housing 20, so that the press-fit interference portion 5 of the fixing member 4 engages with the inner surface 22 of the valve housing wall, the sealing member 10 engages with the top surface 24 of the upper edge portion 23 of the valve housing 20, and the valve housing wall 22 is deformed by the press-fit interference portion 5 to further press the coil assembly 1 into the cavity 21, thereby locking the coil assembly 1 to the valve housing 20 and axially compressing the sealing member 10 in the recess 7. Figure 6Shows the fixing member 4 of the coil assembly 1 according to an embodiment of the present application. The fixing member 4 is in the shape of a disc and has a generally circular geometry. According to this exemplary embodiment, the fixing member 4 includes three press-fit interference portions 5 corresponding to the outer surface portions of the protrusions 18 circumferentially spaced apart on the disc-shaped fixing member 4. The fixing member 4 also includes a through hole 16 disposed in the center. The fixing member 4 includes a cutout area 19 between the three protrusions. Thus, as Figure 1 shown, the cross-sectional view of the coil assembly 1 is taken through such a cutout area 19, so that it can be seen that the fixing member 4 extends beyond the outer surface 6 of the mating portion 2 of the coil assembly 1 only on one side.

[0047] The fixing member 4 is generally made of a metal material, preferably a magnetically conductive metal. The advantage of this is that when there is an electric current passing through, the magnetic circuit generated by the coil member can be closed. This can further prevent excessive leakage of the magnetic field. It can also reduce magnetic scattering. Non-limiting examples of such metals include iron, aluminum, nickel, and cobalt. The fixing member 4 can be made of a material including any one of the above metals or a combination thereof. In addition, the shape, size, and material of the fixing member 4 can also be adapted to the magnetic circuit closing of the coil assembly 1.

[0048] Figure 7 Shows the fixing member 40 of the coil assembly 1 according to another embodiment of the present application. In this exemplary embodiment, the fixing member 40 includes three press-fit interference portions 5 formed by the outer surface portions of the three protrusions 18, and each protrusion 18 includes a curved surface with a radius of curvature the same as that of the other two press-fit interference portions 5. The curved surface of the protrusion 18 extends circumferentially by about 40 - 50 degrees. However, the curved surface of the protrusion 18 can extend circumferentially by 10 - 20 degrees, 20 - 30 degrees, 30 - 40 degrees, 40 - 50 degrees, or more. The fixing member 40 also includes a cutout area 42 between the two protrusions, and the cutout area 42 is substantially rectangular. According to the content of the present application, those skilled in the art can understand that within the concept scope of the present invention disclosure, different numbers of press-fit interference portions, such as two or more than three, can also be provided.

[0049] Figure 2 、 Figure 3A -B、 Figure 4A -B and Figure 5AEach of -B shows a part of the active control damper valve assembly 100 for a vehicle, more specifically, a part of the valve housing 20 of the active control damper valve assembly 100. The damper valve assembly 100 includes a valve housing 20 defining a cavity 21, an active control damper valve 28 disposed in the valve housing 20, and a coil assembly 1 disclosed herein. The valve housing 20 is configured to be deformed (preferably elastically deformed) by two or more press-fit interference portions 5 of the fixing member 4 of the coil assembly 1, so that the coil assembly 1 is locked to the valve housing 20 in the rotational direction, axial direction, and radial direction.

[0050] Finally, referring to Figure 8 , a method S0 of installing the coil assembly 1 into the cavity 21 of the valve housing 20 of the active control damper valve assembly 100 is provided. The method includes the following steps: S1 providing the coil assembly 1 disclosed herein, wherein the sealing member 10 is disposed in the recess 7 of the coil assembly 1 so as to contact at least the top surface 11 and the first side surface 12 of the recess 7. The method further includes the following steps: S2 inserting the mating portion 2 of the coil assembly 1 into the cavity 21 such that the press-fit interference portion 5 of the mating portion 2 engages with the inner surface 22 of the valve housing wall, and the sealing member 7 abuts against the top surface 24 of the upper edge portion 23 of the valve housing 20; S3 locking the coil assembly 1 to the valve housing 20 by deforming the valve housing wall by the press-fit interference portion 5 of the fixing member 12 by further pressing the coil assembly 1 into the cavity 21, wherein, in the steps of insertion S2 and deformation S3, the sealing member 10 is axially compressed within the recess 7 of the coil assembly 1.

[0051] In the drawings and the specification, preferred embodiments and examples of the present application have been disclosed. Although specific terms are used, they are only for general and descriptive purposes and not for limiting purposes. The scope of the present application is set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A coil assembly (1) for an active control damping valve assembly (100, 200) of a vehicle, the coil assembly (1) comprising: An end cap (3); And A mating portion (2) capable of being arranged to engage with a cavity (21) of a valve housing (20) of the damping valve assembly (100, 200), Wherein the mating portion (2) includes a fixing member (4), the fixing member (4) includes a press - fit interference portion (5), and the press - fit interference portion (5) can be arranged to engage with the inner surface (22) of the cavity (21) such that the coil assembly (1) is locked to the valve housing (20) when installed on the valve housing (20); and Wherein the end cap (3) further includes: A recess (7) having a circumferential extension and an axial extension, which can be arranged to at least partially receive an upper edge portion (23) of the valve housing (20) when the coil assembly (1) is installed on the valve housing (20) to form the damping valve assembly (100, 200); and A sealing member (10) arranged in the recess (7), which can be arranged to abut against the top surface (24) of the upper edge portion (23) of the valve housing (20) when the coil assembly (1) is installed on the valve housing (20).

2. The coil assembly (1) according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member (10) at least partially abuts against the top surface (11) of the recess (7) and the first side surface (12) of the recess (7), and the sealing member (10) can be axially compressed within the recess (7).

3. The coil assembly (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first side surface (12) of the recess (7) corresponds to the outer surface of the main cylindrical portion (8) of the end cap (3), and the recess (7) is further defined by a second side surface (13, 33, 93) opposite to the first side surface (12), and the second side surface (13, 33, 93) corresponds to one of the side surface (93) of a skirt portion (9, 91) extending from the main cylindrical portion (8) of the end cap (3) of the coil assembly (1) and the inner surface (33) of a sleeve (30) capable of surrounding at least a part of the coil assembly (1).

4. The coil assembly (1) according to claim 3, wherein the second side surface (33, 93) can be releasably arranged on the coil assembly (1).

5. The coil assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sealing member (10) is made of a flexible material.

6. The coil assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sealing member (10) is one of a planar sealing member, a washer, and an O - ring.

7. The coil assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The sealing member (1) is detachably arranged in the recess (7).

8. The coil assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fixing member (4) has an outer surface with a substantially circular geometry, including two or more circumferentially spaced protrusions (18), and the two or more protrusions (18) define the press - fit interference portion (5).

9. The coil assembly (1) according to claim 8, wherein at least one protrusion (18) includes a curved outer surface that defines an interference fit surface capable of engaging with the inner surface (22) of the cavity (21) of the valve housing (20).

10. The coil assembly (1) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein at least two protrusions (18) include curved outer surfaces that define interference fit surfaces capable of engaging with the inner surface (22) of the cavity (21), and wherein at least two of the curved outer surfaces have the same radius of curvature.

11. The coil assembly according to any one of claims 8 - 10, wherein the fixing member (4) includes three protrusions (18).

12. An active control damping valve assembly (100, 200) for a vehicle, comprising: a valve housing (20) defining a cavity (21); an active control damping valve (28) disposed in the valve housing (20); and a coil assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mating portion (2) of the coil assembly (3) engages with the cavity (21) of the valve housing (20), and the top surface (24) of the upper edge portion (23) of the valve housing (20) is received in the recess (7) of the coil assembly (1) and contacts the sealing member (10).

13. The active control damping valve assembly (100, 200) according to claim 12, wherein the valve housing (20) includes a valve housing wall, the inner surface (22) of the valve housing wall defines the cavity (21), and the inner surface (22) of the valve housing wall includes a step (26) to provide a stop portion for the fixing member (4) of the coil assembly (1).

14. The active control damping valve assembly (100, 200) according to any one of claims 12 and 13, wherein the valve housing (20) is made of a magnetic material.

15. The active control damping valve assembly (100, 200) according to claim 14, wherein the valve housing (20) is made of steel.

16. The active control damping valve assembly (100, 200) according to any one of claims 12 - 15, further comprising a sleeve (30) disposed around the coil assembly (1) and the valve housing (20), wherein the sleeve (30) is made of a substantially non - magnetic material.

17. The active control damping valve assembly (100, 200) according to claim 16, wherein the housing (30) is made of aluminum.

18. A method (S0) of installing a coil assembly into a cavity of a valve housing for an active control damping valve assembly, the method comprising the steps of: providing a coil assembly (S1) according to any one of claims 1 - 11, wherein a sealing member is disposed in the recess of the coil assembly such that the sealing member contacts at least the top surface and the first side surface of the recess; inserting the mating portion of the coil assembly into the cavity (S2) such that the interference fit portion of the mating portion engages with the inner surface of the valve housing wall, and the sealing member abuts against the top surface of the upper edge portion of the valve housing; and By further pressing the coil assembly into the cavity, the valve housing wall is deformed by the press-fit interference portion of the fixing member (S3), thereby locking the coil assembly to the valve housing, wherein the sealing member is axially compressed within the recess of the coil assembly during the insertion (S2) and deformation (S3) steps.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the mating portion of the coil assembly can be inserted into the cavity of the valve housing regardless of the axial rotation direction of the coil assembly.

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