Adjustable damping valve device with emergency operating valve

Abstract

The invention relates to an adjustable damping valve device comprising a pilot valve for actuating a primary valve, which pilot valve is actuated by means of an actuator, in which an emergency operating valve is arranged hydraulically in series with the pilot valve, said emergency operating valve being switched from a normal operating position to an emergency operating position when the power supply of the actuator is interrupted, the invention relates to a pilot valve having a main stage valve, which has an axially displaceable main stage valve body, which has a pilot valve seat surface for a pilot valve body of the pilot valve, said main stage valve body having, in addition to a pilot valve seat surface, a separate emergency valve seat surface for an emergency valve body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an adjustable damping valve device with an emergency operation valve as described in the preamble of claim 1. Background Technology

[0002] For adjustable damping valve devices, an emergency operating valve is typically used when the damping force characteristic curve exhibited under power interruption conditions does not possess the desired damping force characteristics. In the event of a power interruption, the adjustable damping valve device functions as a passive damping element.

[0003] An adjustable damping valve device is known, for example, from document DE 10 2009 002 582 A1, which includes a main stage valve and a pilot valve for hydraulically controlling the main stage valve. Furthermore, this adjustable damping valve device includes an emergency operating valve with an emergency operating valve body, which remains in the normal operating position even when the current applied to the excitation coil for actuating the pilot valve is very low. If the power supply to the excitation coil fails, a spring element ensures that the annular emergency operating valve body rests against the housing section that guides the main stage valve body, defining an outflow cross-section hydraulically connected in series with the pilot valve. Therefore, the emergency operating valve provides passive control of the main stage valve.

[0004] An overpressure valve can also be connected hydraulically in parallel with the emergency operating valve as an additional valve element. This is intended to protect the damping valve assembly and the damper with the damping valve assembly as a whole from overload. In document DE 10 2009 002 582A1, the overpressure valve is arranged in the housing section of the valve body of the damping valve assembly. Alternatively, the overpressure valve can also be constructed in the valve body of the emergency operating valve, as shown in document DE 10 2010 063 386 A1.

[0005] In document DE 10 2015 200 348 A1, the emergency operating valve body directly acts on the pilot valve body of the pilot valve. Therefore, the pilot valve body also performs the function of the emergency operating valve body, and the rear side of the main valve body is used as the seat surface of the emergency operating valve, since the seat surface of the pilot valve is constructed on the main valve body.

[0006] Document DE 197 22 216A1 discloses an adjustable damping valve device in which an electromagnetic actuator has an excitation coil acting on a valve armature. The valve armature has a central, tubular guide element, which is radially held by the return fluid of the excitation coil and the intermediate wall of the valve housing. The return fluid has an axially outwardly shaped flare (Ausstülpung), which provides a centering surface for the tubular guide element. This flare results in a loss of installation space for the damping valve device. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to simplify the structure of the adjustable damping valve device.

[0008] The means to achieve this is that, in addition to having a pilot valve seat face, the main valve body also has a separate emergency operation valve seat face for the emergency operation valve body.

[0009] The pilot valve body can be designed to be significantly simpler in structure than is typically found in the prior art. Preferably, the pilot valve body is formed from a simple ball.

[0010] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the emergency operating valve body has a flux ring and a cylindrical valve section. This functional division of the emergency operating valve body allows for functional optimization, because, for example, the valve section does not need to have prominent flux characteristics.

[0011] Preferably, the main stage valve body has a guide sleeve for radial guidance within the valve housing, wherein the cylindrical valve section of the emergency operation valve body extends axially into the guide sleeve of the main stage valve body. The combination of the guide sleeve of the main stage valve body and the cylindrical valve section forms an axially compact valve structure within the damping valve device.

[0012] Optionally, the overpressure valve is hydraulically connected in parallel with the emergency operation valve.

[0013] Alternatively, the overpressure valve is hydraulically connected in series with the emergency operation valve.

[0014] In order to avoid making the valve housing more complex than existing technologies, the overpressure valve is constructed on the main valve body or the emergency operation valve body.

[0015] The second solution is to have a pilot valve for controlling the master valve, which is operated by an electromagnetic actuator, wherein the valve armature of the actuator is guided at least indirectly radially by a component of a damping valve device that is fixed in position relative to the valve housing, wherein the fixed component is a guide pin that is inserted into a guide opening of the valve armature.

[0016] Compared with existing technologies, it can achieve significant advantages in installation space.

[0017] Furthermore, the guide pin can be a pressing element, and the guide opening can be a pressing cavity, so as to apply damping to the axial movement of the valve armature.

[0018] In another advantageous design, a stop element is arranged in the extrusion chamber to limit the stroke of the valve armature. This stop element can be optimized for specific applications, allowing the use of standardized valve armatures. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the following description of the accompanying drawings.

[0020] The attached diagram shows:

[0021] Figure 1 This shows a portion of the damper within the adjustable damping valve assembly;

[0022] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 Detailed diagram. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The attached figure shows a portion of a shock absorber 1 of any structural form. This portion only shows the adjustable damping valve device 3 within the working cylinder 5 of the shock absorber 1. In principle, the adjustable damping valve device 3 can also be used outside the working cylinder 5, for example, on the side of the outer container tube of the shock absorber 1, or in a split valve housing connected to the shock absorber 1 via piping.

[0024] In this embodiment, the damping valve device 3 is connected to the axially movable piston rod 9 of the damper 1 via its valve housing 7. A first functional section 11 of the valve housing 7 forms a piston and carries a piston ring 13, which divides the working cylinder 5 into a working chamber 15 on the piston rod side and a working chamber 17 away from the piston rod. Optionally, the first functional section 11 may have passive damping valves 19 and 21 for one flow direction, respectively. For this purpose, through channels 23 and 25 are formed in the first functional section 11 on partial circles with different partial circle diameters. When the piston 11 moves into the working cylinder 5, the first passive damping valve 19, having at least one first through channel 23 and at least one first valve disc 27, activates, thereby compressing the working chamber 17 away from the piston rod. When the working chamber 15 on the piston rod side is compressed, the second passive damping valve 21, having at least one second through channel 25 and at least one second valve disc 29, activates.

[0025] The second functional section 31 of the valve housing 7 houses the main stage valve 33 and the pilot valve 35 of the damping valve assembly 3. The main stage valve 33 includes a main stage valve body 37, which is radially guided within the second functional section 31 by its guide sleeve 39. The main stage valve body 37 interacts with a main stage valve seat surface 41, which is formed, for example, by a valve seat ring 43 within the second functional section 31.

[0026] The main stage valve 33 is controlled by a pilot valve 35, which is also located within the second functional section 31. The pilot valve 35 has a pilot valve body 45 with a preferred spherical structure, which interacts with a pilot valve seat surface 47 formed by the rear side surface 49 of the main stage valve body 41. The rear side surface 49 is located within the surface area of ​​the main stage valve body 37 enclosed by the guide sleeve 39.

[0027] Actuator 51 is used to operate pilot valve 35. This actuator has an excitation coil 53 acting on valve armature 55. Valve armature 55 is held in an initial position defined relative to pilot valve 35 by a spring assembly of disc springs 57 on both sides of valve armature 55 in this embodiment. Actuator 51 is arranged in the third functional section 59 of valve housing 7. Valve armature 55 has a pin-shaped extension 61 connected to a guide element 63 serving as a ball for pilot valve body 45. A compensating spring of any structural form can be arranged between guide element 63 and pilot valve body 45, i.e., the ball. Extension 61 passes through and is radially guided within a wall portion fixed relative to valve housing 7 in the form of a pole plate 65.

[0028] Depending on the direction of movement of the piston rod 9 within the working cylinder 5, the main stage valve 33 is subjected to flow impacts through different channels. A connecting channel 67 within the valve housing 7 dampens movement toward the working chamber 15 on the piston rod side. This connecting channel connects the working chamber 15 on the piston rod side to the annular cavity 69 within the valve housing 7, causing the main stage valve body 37 to be subjected to flow impacts via this annular cavity 69 in the direction of lifting from the main stage valve seat 41. The pilot valve 35 is hydraulically subjected to flow impacts in parallel via a second connecting channel 71 within the valve housing 7. Here, a second annular cavity 73 exists between the main stage valve body 37 and the valve housing 7. This second annular cavity 73 is connected via an angle channel 75 within the main stage valve body 37. The outflow opening 77 of the angle channel 75 is surrounded by the pilot valve seat 47. Depending on the operating force of actuator 51, a pressure drop is generated at pilot valve 35, causing the pressure in the second annular chamber 73 and the pressure in the rear chamber 79 to exert a closing force on the main stage valve body 37 (see [link]). Figure 2 ).

[0029] The pressure acting on the valve plate 80, which is part of the main valve body 37, in the first annular cavity 69 is responsible for generating the lifting force acting on the main valve body 37.

[0030] When the adjustable damping valve assembly 3 is subjected to flow impact from the working chamber 17 away from the piston rod, the main stage valve 37 is also loaded in the lifting direction. The damping medium flows from the front chamber 81 between the first valve housing section 11 and the main stage valve body 37 through at least one axial passage 83 toward the rear chamber 79 and through the main stage valve body 37. The pilot valve 35 applies a mechanical closing force to the main stage valve body 37 by means of the actuator 51. In addition, the second annular chamber 73 can also be subjected to flow impact by the open check valve 85, generating an additional closing force component. When the second annular chamber 73 is subjected to flow impact from the working chamber 15 on the piston rod side, the check valve 85 closes.

[0031] Furthermore, the emergency operation valve 87 is hydraulically connected in series with the pilot valve 35. In the event of a power outage to the actuator 51, the emergency operation valve switches from the normal operating position to the emergency operating position. The emergency operation valve 87 implements the freely defined passive damping force characteristic curve of the damping valve device 3, which deviates from the hardest or softest damping force characteristic curve without this emergency operation valve 87.

[0032] The main valve body 37, in addition to the pilot valve seat 47, has a separate emergency operating valve seat 89 for the emergency operating valve body 91 on the rear chamber side. This emergency operating valve body 91 is a valve element independent of the pilot valve body 45. The emergency operating valve body 91 includes a flux ring 93 and a cylindrical valve section 95. The flux ring 93 is connected to the flux of the excitation coil 53. Even with a small amount of power applied to the excitation coil 53, the emergency operating valve body 91 will move towards the pole plate 65 against the force of the trigger spring 97. This position is the normal operating position of the emergency operating valve 87.

[0033] As described above, the main stage valve body 37 has a guide sleeve 39 for radial guidance within the valve housing 7, wherein the cylindrical valve section 95 of the emergency operation valve body 91 extends axially into the guide sleeve 39 of the main stage valve body 37. If the power supply to the excitation coil 53 is interrupted, the trigger spring 97 moves the emergency operation valve body 91 onto the emergency operation valve seat 89. An emergency operation occurs when the emergency operation valve body 91 contacts the emergency operation valve seat 89. The operating range of the excitation coil 53 is selected such that even the weakest electrical intensity is sufficient to set the weakest damping force characteristic curve for the adjustable damping valve device 3, enabling it to hold the emergency operation valve body 91 in the normal operating position.

[0034] A throttling opening 99 is designed within an exemplary angled region of valve section 95, with a cross-section smaller than that of the axial passage 83 in the main stage valve body 37. In emergency operation, when the pilot valve 35 is subjected to flow impact from the working chamber 15 on the piston rod side, the pilot valve body 45 will lift from the pilot valve seat 47 even at very low operating pressures due to the low closing force of the actuator 51, and the pressure drop to the rear chamber 79 will be minimal. The throttling opening 99 generates a targeted pressure differential in the outflow direction from the rear chamber 79 through the axial passage 83 towards the front chamber 81, resulting in a sufficiently high pressure level—more precisely, a sufficiently high hydraulic closing force—on the main stage valve 33 in the rear chamber 79 and in the second annular chamber 73, to achieve the required emergency operation damping force characteristic curve.

[0035] When the emergency operating valve 87 is subjected to flow impact from the front chamber 81, the valve body 91 of the emergency operating valve is lifted off the main valve body 37 against the force of the trigger spring 97, starting from the defined pressure load.

[0036] The adjustable damping valve device 3 has at least one overpressure valve 101, 103 as an additional optional valve. The figure shows a basic embodiment of the overpressure valves 101, 103, which can be used selectively or in combination.

[0037] The overpressure valve 101 is hydraulically connected in parallel with the emergency operation valve 87. In this configuration, the angle channel 75 exemplarily has an outflow channel 105 leading to the front chamber 81. The outlet opening of the outflow channel is closed by the check valve body 107, for example, at least one tiltable valve disc, and only lifts in the event of an extreme excitation event in the damper 1. In this case, the main stage valve body 37 forms a valve seat surface 109 for the check valve body 107.

[0038] Alternatively, the overpressure valve 103 can be arranged hydraulically in series with the emergency operating valve 87. In this configuration, the throttle opening 99 exemplarily has an elastomeric ring 111 that restricts the flow cross-section of the throttle opening 99. When overpressure occurs in the rear chamber 79, the cross-section of the elastomeric ring 111 is compressed, thereby releasing a larger flow cross-section of the throttle opening 99.

[0039] Therefore, overpressure valves 101 and 103 can be mounted on the main valve body 37 or the emergency operation valve body 91. If the specific application of the adjustable damping valve device 3 does not require the emergency operation function, the emergency operation valve body 91 can be omitted, and if necessary, a simple sealing body, such as a pressed-in ball, can be used to seal the outflow passage 105 in the main valve body 37. Thus, standardized components can be used for both application areas.

[0040] Another improvement to the adjustable damping valve device 3 in terms of structure is the improved guidance of the armature 55 in the region of the electromagnetic actuator 51. The armature 55 of the actuator is guided at least indirectly radially by a component in the damping valve device 3 that is fixed in position relative to the valve housing 7. Here, the fixed component is the guide pin 113, which is inserted into the guide opening 115 of the armature 55. The magnetic flux between the return fluid 117 of the actuator 51 and the armature 55 is not negatively affected by this guiding connection. The guide pin 113 is a pressing element and the guide opening 115 is a pressing chamber. When the armature 55 is moved, the damping medium located in the first functional section 11, the second functional section 31, and the third functional section 59 flows out from the pressing chamber, during which the throttling channel 119 dampens the movement of the armature.

[0041] Optionally, a stop element 121 can be arranged in the extrusion chamber to limit the stroke of the valve armature 55. This stop element can be, for example, an elastomeric ring and can be replaced.

[0042] List of reference numerals in the attached diagram:

[0043] 1. Vibration damper

[0044] 3 Adjustable damping valve device

[0045] 5 working cylinders

[0046] 7 valve housing

[0047] 9 Piston rod

[0048] 11 Piston, First Functional Section

[0049] 13 Piston rings

[0050] 15 Working chamber on the piston rod side

[0051] 17. Working chamber away from the piston rod

[0052] 19. Passive damping valve

[0053] 21 Passive Damping Valve

[0054] 23 Through-passage

[0055] 25 Through-passage

[0056] 27 First Valve Disc

[0057] 29 Second Valve Disc

[0058] 31 Second Functional Section

[0059] 33 Main stage valve

[0060] 35 Pilot valve

[0061] 37. Main stage valve body

[0062] 39 Guide sleeve

[0063] 41 Main stage valve seat surface

[0064] 43 Valve seat ring

[0065] 45 Pilot valve body

[0066] 47 Pilot valve seat face

[0067] 49. Rear side of the main stage valve body

[0068] 51 Actuator

[0069] 53 Excitation Coil

[0070] 55 Valve armature

[0071] 57 Disc Spring

[0072] 59 Third Functional Section

[0073] 61 Pin-shaped extension of valve armature

[0074] 63 Guiding elements

[0075] 65 Extreme Disk

[0076] 67 Connection Channel

[0077] 69 Annular cavity

[0078] 71 Second Connection Channel

[0079] 73 Second annular cavity

[0080] 75-degree angle channel

[0081] 77 Outflow opening

[0082] 79 Postcavitary space

[0083] 80 Valve Plate

[0084] 81 Anterior cavity

[0085] 83 Axial Channel

[0086] 85 Check Valve

[0087] 87 Emergency Operation Valve

[0088] 89 Emergency operation valve seat face

[0089] 91 Emergency Operation Valve Body

[0090] 93 Magnetic Flux Loop

[0091] 95 Valve Section

[0092] 97 Trigger Spring

[0093] 99 Throttling opening

[0094] 101 Overpressure Valve

[0095] 103 Overpressure valve

[0096] 105 Outflow Channel

[0097] 107 Check valve body

[0098] 109 Valve seat face

[0099] 111 Elastomer Ring

[0100] 113 Guide pin

[0101] 115 Guide opening

[0102] 117 Return fluid

[0103] 119 Throttling Channel.

Claims

1. An adjustable damping valve device (3), comprising a pilot valve (35) operated by means of an actuator (51) for controlling a main stage valve (33), wherein, The emergency operation valve (87) is hydraulically connected in series with the pilot valve (35). When the power supply to the actuator (51) is interrupted, the emergency operation valve switches from the normal operation position to the emergency operation position. The main stage valve (33) has an axially movable main stage valve body (37) with a pilot valve seat (47) for the pilot valve body (45) of the pilot valve (35). The main stage valve body (37) has a separate emergency operation valve seat (89) for the emergency operation valve body (91) in addition to the pilot valve seat (47).

2. The adjustable damping valve device (3) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The emergency operation valve body (91) has a flux ring (93) and a cylindrical valve section (95).

3. The adjustable damping valve device (3) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The main valve body (37) has a guide sleeve (39) for radial guidance within the valve housing (7), wherein a cylindrical valve section (95) of the emergency operation valve body (91) extends axially into the guide sleeve (39) of the main valve body (37).

4. The adjustable damping valve device (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The overpressure valve (101) is hydraulically connected in parallel with the emergency operation valve (87).

5. The adjustable damping valve device (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The overpressure valve (103) and the emergency operation valve (87) are arranged in hydraulic series.

6. The adjustable damping valve device (3) according to claim 4, characterized in that, The overpressure valve is mounted on the main valve body.

7. The adjustable damping valve device (3) according to claim 5, characterized in that, The overpressure valve (103) is constructed on the valve body (87) of the emergency operation valve.

8. An adjustable damping valve device (3), comprising a pilot valve (35) operated by means of an electromagnetic actuator (51) for controlling the main stage valve (33), wherein, The armature (55) of the actuator (51) is guided at least indirectly radially by a component of the damping valve device (3) that is fixed in position relative to the valve housing (7), characterized in that the fixed component is a guide pin (113) that is inserted into a guide opening (115) of the armature (55).

9. The adjustable damping valve device (3) according to claim 8, characterized in that, The guide pin (113) is an extrusion member, and the guide opening (115) is an extrusion cavity.

10. The adjustable damping valve device (3) according to claim 9, characterized in that, A stop element (111) for limiting the stroke of the valve armature (55) is arranged in the extrusion chamber (115).

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