Adjustable damping valve device for shock absorber

Abstract

The invention relates to an adjustable damping valve device for a shock absorber, comprising: a valve housing having a sleeve section and a base, the base and the sleeve section being designed in one piece; the invention relates to a solenoid valve comprising a valve housing, a solenoid coil which is located on a coil holder having a transverse connection for guiding a wire end of the solenoid coil, a magnetically conductive back connection body being operatively connected to the coil holder at the end and having a transverse recess for receiving the transverse connection of the coil holder, the bottom of the valve housing having a local thickening, the local thickened portion forms a back connection body for the electromagnetic coil and defines a transverse groove.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an adjustable damping valve arrangement for a shock absorber according to the preamble of patent claim 1 . Background Art

[0002] DE 10 2016 205 651 A1 describes an adjustable damping valve arrangement for a shock absorber. The damping valve arrangement comprises an external valve housing, in which a solenoid coil is arranged on a coil support. The coil support has a transverse connection, on which the lead start and lead end of the solenoid coil are guided toward the power supply line.

[0003] Back connector separated from valve housing ( That is, back iron) is positioned on the coil support, and this back connector contacts the bottom of valve housing at end side. On the direction towards electromagnetic coil, back connector has transverse groove, to accommodate the transverse connection part of coil support.

[0004] In order to vent the valve chamber in the valve housing, the back connector has a vent hole, which in turn results in the back connector having a large number of seals and very demanding manufacturing requirements. The diameter of the vent hole is much smaller than one millimeter.

[0005] In order to prevent the back connecting body from generating noise, a clearance-free fit is adopted between the back connecting body and the valve housing in the radial direction. This solution to the noise problem at the back connecting body increases the manufacturing cost for the clearance-free fit.

[0006] In addition, due to the complexity of valve chamber exhaust, DE 10 2021 201 890 B3 proposes a similarly separate back connector made of sintered material. In addition to the exhaust function, the back connector also has the advantage of simple manufacturing.

[0007] In contrast to DE 10 2016 205 651 A1, the coil support in DE 10 2021 201 890 B3 is designed with a transverse connection that is limited to half the diameter starting from the outer edge. In DE 10 2016 205 651 A1, the transverse connection extends over the entire end diameter of the coil support. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is to improve an adjustable damping valve arrangement in such a way that a simple structural design of the damping valve arrangement and thus simplified assembly are achieved.

[0009] This object is achieved in that the bottom of the valve housing has a local thickening which forms a back connection for the solenoid coil and delimits a transverse groove.

[0010] Functionally, this allows for a single-piece design between the previously separate back connector and valve housing. By eliminating the air gap between the back connector and the base, this single-piece design improves the magnetic flux of the solenoid coil used for the control function and increases the mechanical load capacity of the valve housing. Furthermore, the manufacturing step of mounting the back connector is eliminated.

[0011] In another advantageous embodiment, the transverse groove has a rectangular basic shape, with an aspect ratio in the longitudinal direction greater than 1, and is spaced at the end from the inner surface of the sleeve segment. Consequently, the transverse groove does not extend over the entire base diameter but is optimized for the length of the bridge at the coil support. This provides a larger end-side contact area for transmitting the magnetic flux to the guide body within the electromagnetic coil.

[0012] According to the advantageous dependent claims, the valve housing is manufactured with its back connector in the area of ​​the base by a forming process, and in the area of ​​the sleeve section by a forming process. This provides a seamless base body with optimal mechanical and conductive properties. Compared to a separate back connector, this solution avoids rattling noises.

[0013] In addition, the inner surface of the sleeve segment has a machined surface to achieve optimal installation conditions for the electromagnetic coil. The transverse groove in the base does not require subsequent machining. Due to the axial length of the sleeve segment, a particularly long milling finger would be required to machine the transverse groove, which would, in principle, have only a limited service life.

[0014] The coil support has an annular flange on the end side, facing the bottom of the valve housing, for delimiting the coil area. The annular flange advantageously has a radial recess that overlaps the transverse recess in the bottom. The recess in the coil support simplifies the production of the valve housing, as the transverse recess in the bottom can be designed to be shorter.

[0015] As a further measure to improve functionality, the guide sleeve for the valve armature in the solenoid coil has a transverse groove at the end, into which the transverse connection of the coil support engages in the direction of the solenoid coil. This allows the component that conducts the magnetic flux to rest directly against the bottom-side back connection area.

[0016] In addition, it can be provided that a guide sleeve for the valve armature extends axially beyond the annular flange of the coil support, wherein the bottom of the valve housing has a stepped contour with a first contact surface for the coil support and a recessed second contact surface for the guide sleeve. The axial projection of the guide sleeve relative to the coil support simplifies the exhaust flow path of the damping valve arrangement.

[0017] In order to simplify the exhaust design, the guide sleeve has an exhaust groove on the outside, which is connected to the exhaust port on the valve housing.

[0018] In another structural design, the guide sleeve has a connecting channel, which connects the interior of the guide sleeve to the outer exhaust groove. The size of the exhaust hole, which previously had a very small diameter, can now be designed significantly larger.

[0019] Another measure for simplifying the exhaust of the damping valve device is that a part of the connecting channel is formed by a guide portion for the valve armature in the guide sleeve. By using the guide portion as the connecting channel, a separate connecting channel can be omitted. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following drawings, wherein:

[0021] Figure 1 and Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an adjustable damping valve arrangement is shown;

[0022] Figures 3 to 5 An external view of a coil support with an electromagnetic coil is shown;

[0023] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the valve housing;

[0024] Figure 7 Shown according to Figure 1 and Figure 2 A perspective view of a guide sleeve;

[0025] Figure 8 and Figure 9 shows a top view of a coil support with a transverse connection;

[0026] Figure 10 and Figure 11 Shown Figure 1 and Figure 2 in the region of the transverse connection; and

[0027] Figure 12 Shown Figure 10 and Figure 11 Detailed view of the . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Figure 1 and Figure 2Each section shows a cross-section of an adjustable damping valve assembly 1 for a shock absorber 3 . The adjustable damping valve assembly 1 comprises a valve housing 5 , which in this exemplary embodiment is arranged on an axially displaceable piston rod 5 within a working cylinder 9 of the shock absorber 1 . In principle, the damping valve assembly 1 can also be used outside the working cylinder 9 , or even be physically separated from the working cylinder 9 , for example, by being connected via a hose or pipe. The present invention is not limited to a specific configuration of the shock absorber 1 .

[0029] The valve housing 5 has a piston section 11 that separates a working chamber 13 on the piston rod side of the working cylinder 9 from a working chamber 15 remote from the piston rod. Furthermore, the valve housing 5 comprises a sleeve section 17 and a bottom 19, wherein the bottom 19 and the sleeve section 17 are designed as a single piece. The actuator 21 of the damping valve arrangement 1 is formed by a solenoid coil 23 on a coil carrier 25 and controls, for example, a forestage valve (not shown). The design of a forestage valve and a mainstage valve connected thereto is known, for example, from DE 10 2021 201 890 B3, although the present invention is not necessarily limited to the combination of a forestage valve and a mainstage valve.

[0030] The actuator 21 includes a guide sleeve 27 in the valve housing 5 for fixing the position of a valve armature 29, which performs an axial adjustment movement. An annular insulator or flux resistor 31 is provided axially below the coil carrier 25, which in turn supports a pole disk 33. The coil carrier 25 and the guide sleeve 27 are fixed axially in the valve housing 5 above an annular partition 35.

[0031] The coil support 25 has a transverse connection 37 for guiding and connecting the strands 43, 45 and the end turns 39, 41 of the supply line 47 of the electromagnetic coil 23. In this embodiment, the transverse connection 37 extends over the entire inner diameter of the tubular coil support 25, e.g. Figures 3 to 5 This is particularly clear in the combination of . To achieve the greatest possible actuator force, the magnetic flux 49 of the solenoid coil 23 is optimized. To this end, a magnetically conductive back connector 51 is operatively connected to the coil support 25 at the end and has a transverse groove 53 for receiving the transverse connection 37 of the coil support. The bottom 19 of the valve housing 5 has a local thickening that forms the back connector 51 for the solenoid coil 23 and delimits the transverse groove 53. Figure 2 The thickening, more precisely the back connecting body 51 , is shown in dash-dot outline in FIG.

[0032] Figure 6The valve housing 5 is shown as a separate component in a perspective view looking toward the bottom 19 of the valve housing 5, without the piston section 11, so that half of the transverse groove 53 in the bottom 19 can be seen. The transverse groove 53 has a substantially rectangular basic shape with an aspect ratio in the longitudinal direction of >1, wherein the transverse groove 53 is at a distance 57 from the inner side surface 55 of the sleeve section in the longitudinal direction at the end side.

[0033] The valve housing 5 is preferably formed into its back connector 51 in the region of the bottom 19 by a forming process, and is also preferably formed in the region of the sleeve section 17 by a forming process. Despite the use of forming processes, the bottom 19, which functions as the back connector, can have a significantly greater wall thickness than the sleeve section 17, whose inner surface 55 has a machined surface. This machined surface ensures a high radial fit accuracy, particularly for the solenoid coil 23.

[0034] There is no subsequent cutting process for the transverse groove 53. The dimensional and shape accuracy that can be achieved using a forming process, such as die forging, meets the requirements.

[0035] Figure 7 and Figure 8 The coil support 25 with the wound electromagnetic coil 23 is shown in a view towards its transverse connection 37, to which at least a two-core power supply line 47 is connected, which extends inside the hollow piston rod 7 ( Figure 1 and Figure 2 The two twisted wires 43 , 45 of the power supply line 47 extend radially outwards into the clamping portion within the groove 59 of the transverse connecting portion 37 .

[0036] Coil support 25 has an annular flange 61 on its end side, at least in the direction toward bottom 19 of valve housing 5, for axially restraining electromagnetic coil 23. In this embodiment, coil support 25 has annular flanges 61, 63 on both ends. Annular flange 61, connected to transverse connection 37, has radial recesses 65, 66 extending from its outer diameter. These recesses overlap transverse groove 53 in bottom 19 of valve housing 5. Radial recess 65 for outer end turns 39 has a triangular shape and enables the outer end turns 39 of electromagnetic coil 25 to be tangentially inserted into groove 59 of transverse connection 37. From the radially deepest point of recess 65, a ramp 67 on flange 61 extends in the winding direction of electromagnetic coil 25 at least to an inlet 69 for the outer end turns 39 to enter groove 59 of transverse connection 37. Inlet 69 has a deflection region 71 that receives the wires of outer end turns 39 and prevents them from migrating radially outward. At least one deflection contour 73 is provided in the groove 59 so that the outer end turn 39 can be introduced preloaded into the groove 59 via the recess 65 and the deflection area 71. Due to the direct overlap with the transverse groove 53, the recess 66 can be designed to be geometrically simpler.

[0037] Figure 9 The guide sleeve 27 for the valve armature 29 is shown as a separate component. The guide sleeve 27 in the solenoid coil 23 has a transverse groove 75 at the end, into which the transverse connection 37 of the coil carrier 25 engages in the direction of the solenoid coil 23 .

[0038] Combine Figure 10 and Figure 11 It can be clearly seen that the guide sleeve 27 for the valve armature 29 extends axially beyond the annular flange 61 of the coil support 25. The bottom 17 of the valve housing 5 has a stepped contour with a first contact surface 77 for the annular flange 61 of the coil support 25 and a recessed second contact surface 79 for the end face 81 of the guide sleeve 27. Therefore, both components are in contact with the bottom 19 of the valve housing 5, more precisely with the back connecting body 51. Figures 3 to 5 , the elastic supports on the lower collar 63 can be seen, which ensure tolerance compensation so that there is no double fit of the guide sleeve 27 and the coil carrier 25 with the bottom 19 of the valve housing 5 .

[0039] When assembling the damping valve device 1, a small amount of air may still accumulate in the guide sleeve 27 despite the careful flushing of the damping valve device 1 with the damping medium. In order to discharge these amounts of air from the damping valve device 1, the guide sleeve 27 has an outer exhaust groove 83, which is connected to the exhaust port 85 in the valve housing 5. The exhaust groove 83 enables the guide sleeve 27 to be matched arbitrarily with the exhaust port 85 in the circumferential direction. In addition, the guide sleeve 27 has a connecting channel 87, which connects the interior space 89 of the guide sleeve 27 to the outer exhaust groove 83. A part of the connecting channel 87 is formed by a guide portion 91 for the valve armature 29 in the guide sleeve 27. Therefore, there is a connection between the interior space 89 of the guide sleeve 27 and the working space 13 on the piston rod side. Combination Figure 10 and Figure 11 , shows an enlarged view of a section of the damping valve arrangement 1 in the region of the transverse connection 37 of the coil carrier 25. The guide for the valve armature 29 is formed by an axial opening 93 in the base 95 of the guide sleeve 27 and has a guide section 97 separated by an axial channel 87. The axial opening 93 opens into the transverse groove 75 at the end of the guide sleeve 27.

[0040] like Figure 10 As shown, there is a gap 99 between the transverse groove 75 of the guide sleeve 27 and the transverse connecting portion 37 of the coil support 25, so that a second gap 101 is also present between the back connecting body 51 at the bottom 19 of the valve housing 5 and the transverse connecting portion 37. This second gap extends to the exhaust groove 83 on the guide sleeve 27. Below the back connecting body 51, there is an interface between the exhaust groove 83 and the exhaust port 85 on the valve housing 5 in the axial direction. The effective cross section of the exhaust channel is formed by the exhaust groove 83. Since the exhaust groove is arranged on the outside of the guide sleeve 27, it can be manufactured very easily even with a small cross section.

[0041] During the manufacturing process of the adjustable damping valve device 1, the valve housing 5 is formed from a blank. At the end of the forming process, a one-piece valve housing 5 is obtained, which has a bottom 19 and a transverse groove 53 formed therein for the transverse connection 37 of the coil support 25. The transverse groove 53 extends longitudinally over nearly the entire bottom 19 of the valve housing 5. As shown in the figure, the wall thickness of the bottom is significantly greater than that of the sleeve section 17, resulting in a lower magnetic flux resistance of the bottom 19.

[0042] The sleeve section 17 is then rotary cut to the nominal diameter. The material loss caused by the cutting process increases the radial distance 57 between the end of the transverse groove 53 in the bottom 19 and the sleeve section 17. The cutting removal creates a first abutment surface 77 for the annular flange 61 of the coil support 25.

[0043] The inner and outer end turns 41 , 39 of the electromagnetic coil 25 are inserted into the recesses 65 , 66 of the coil support 25 under preload and are connected to the litz wires 43 , 45 of the power supply line 47 via contact points at the transverse connection 37 of the coil support 25 .

[0044] In a further step, the coil support 25 together with the supply line 47 and the annular seal 103 is introduced into the valve housing 5 and the hollow piston rod 7. At the end of this step, the circumferential flange 61 abuts against the first stop surface 77. Figure 12 In the enlarged view of FIG, it can be seen that the outer end turn 39 follows the V-shaped receiving portion 65 on the flange 61 and another path on the ramp 67. Therefore, the outer end turn 39 occupies a smaller axial free path, so that the circumferential flange 61 abuts against the first stop surface 77 over a large area. Figure 3 and Figure 4 It can also be seen that the outer end turn 39 begins to extend axially above the circumferential flange 61 as soon as it enters the transverse connection 37 , otherwise extends in the housing 65 , and rises via a ramp 67 into the cross-sectional area of ​​the transverse groove 53 of the bottom 19 .

[0045] Subsequently, the guide sleeve 27 for the valve armature 29 is introduced into the coil support 25 until the guide sleeve 27 rests against the bottom 19 of the valve housing 5, more precisely the back connection 51. The other valve components are then introduced through the open end of the valve housing 5.

[0046] The flushing process allows air to be discharged from the interior of the damping valve arrangement 1 through the interior space 89 of the guide sleeve 27, the guide portion 91 for the valve armature 29, the gaps 99, 101 in the spatial area between the transverse groove 75 of the guide sleeve 27, the transverse connection portion 37 of the coil support 25 and the transverse groove 53 in the bottom 19 of the valve housing 5, and through the exhaust groove 83 at the exhaust port 85.

[0047] Reference Signs List

[0048] 1 Adjustable damping valve device

[0049] 3 shock absorbers

[0050] 5 valve housing

[0051] 7 Piston rod

[0052] 9 working cylinders

[0053] 11 Piston section at the valve housing

[0054] 13 Working space on the piston rod side

[0055] 15 Working space away from piston rod

[0056] 17 Sleeve section

[0057] 19 Bottom of valve housing

[0058] 21 Actuator

[0059] 23 electromagnetic coil

[0060] 25 Coil bracket

[0061] 27 Guide sleeve

[0062] 29 Valve armature

[0063] 31 Insulation

[0064] 33 Pole Plate

[0065] 35 Next Door

[0066] 37 Transverse connection of coil support

[0067] 39 outer end turns of electromagnetic coil

[0068] 41 Inner end turns of electromagnetic coil

[0069] 43 stranded wire

[0070] 45 stranded wire

[0071] 47 Power supply line

[0072] 49 Magnetic Flux

[0073] 51 Back connector

[0074] 53 lateral grooves

[0075] 55 Inner surface of valve housing

[0076] 57 Distance from the transverse groove to the inner surface of the valve housing

[0077] 59 Grooves in transverse connection

[0078] 61 annular flange

[0079] 63 annular flange

[0080] 65 radial notch (outer end turn)

[0081] 66 radial notches (inner end turns)

[0082] 67 Slope

[0083] 69 Entrance

[0084] 71 Deflection Area

[0085] 73 Deflection Profile

[0086] 75 transverse groove

[0087] 77 First contact surface

[0088] 79 Second contact surface

[0089] 81 End face of guide sleeve

[0090] 83 exhaust groove

[0091] 85 exhaust port

[0092] 87 Connection Channel

[0093] 89 Inner space of guide sleeve

[0094] 91 Guide

[0095] 93 Axial opening

[0096] 95 Bottom of the guide sleeve

[0097] 97 Guide

[0098] 99 Gap

[0099] 101 Second Gap

[0100] 103 Ring seal.

Claims

1. An adjustable damping valve device (1) for a shock absorber (3), comprising: A valve housing (5) having a sleeve section (17) and a bottom (19), wherein the bottom (19) and the sleeve section (17) are designed as a single piece; an electromagnetic coil (23) located on a coil support (25), the coil support (25) having a transverse connection (37) for guiding the end turns (39, 41) of the electromagnetic coil (23), wherein a magnetically conductive back connector (51) is effectively connected to the coil support (25) at the end side and has a transverse groove (53) for receiving the transverse connection (37) of the coil support (25), characterized in that the bottom (19) of the valve housing (5) has a local thickening, which forms a back connector (51) for the electromagnetic coil (23) and defines the transverse groove (53).

2. The adjustable damping valve device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transverse groove (53) has a rectangular basic shape, wherein the length-to-width ratio in the longitudinal direction is >1, and is spaced apart (57) from the inner side surface (55) of the sleeve section at the end side.

3. The adjustable damping valve device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The valve housing (5) is produced in the region of the base (19) with its back connection (51) and the sleeve section (17) by a forming process.

4. The adjustable damping valve device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that: The inner surface (55) of the sleeve section (17) has a machined surface.

5. The adjustable damping valve arrangement (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The coil support (25) has an annular flange (61) on the end side in the direction of the bottom (19) of the valve housing (5) for axially limiting the electromagnetic coil (23), wherein the annular flange (61) has radial recesses (65, 66) that radially overlap with the transverse groove (53) in the bottom (19).

6. The adjustable damping valve arrangement (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that A guide sleeve (27) for a valve armature (29) in the solenoid coil (23) has an end-side transverse groove (75), into which a transverse connection (37) of the coil support (25) engages in the direction toward the solenoid coil (23).

7. The adjustable damping valve arrangement (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that A guide sleeve (27) for the valve armature (29) extends axially beyond an annular flange (61) of the coil support (25), wherein the bottom (19) of the valve housing (5) has a stepped profile with a first abutment surface (77) for the coil support and a recessed second abutment surface (79) for the guide sleeve (27).

8. The adjustable damping valve arrangement (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The guide sleeve (27) has an outer exhaust groove (83) which is connected to an exhaust port (85) on the valve housing (5).

9. The adjustable damping valve device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that: The guide sleeve (27) has a connecting channel (87) that connects the inner space (89) of the guide sleeve (27) to the outer exhaust groove (83).

10. The adjustable damping valve device (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that: A portion of the connecting channel (87) is formed by a guide (91) for the valve armature (29) in the guide sleeve (27).

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