shock absorber

Abstract

The present invention relates to a shock absorber. The shock absorber includes a working cylinder including a communication hole passing through in a radial direction, a piston rod movably disposed in the working cylinder in an axial direction, a piston connected to the piston rod and disposed to divide an inner space of the working cylinder into a rod chamber and a rodless chamber in the axial direction, a bottom valve assembly sealingly connected to an axial end of the working cylinder to define the rodless chamber between the bottom valve assembly and the piston in the axial direction, an intermediate cylinder sealingly disposed outside the working cylinder in the radial direction to define a communication chamber between a radial outer surface of the working cylinder and a radial inner surface of the intermediate cylinder, wherein the communication chamber is in fluid communication with the rod chamber via the communication hole, a cylinder tube disposed outside the intermediate cylinder and the working cylinder to constitute an oil reservoir chamber, a solenoid valve connected to the cylinder tube and including an inlet port and an outlet port, and a first check valve disposed between the rodless chamber and the inlet port of the solenoid valve and configured to allow oil to flow from the rodless chamber to the inlet port of the solenoid valve only.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle technology. More specifically, this invention relates to the field of vibration reduction technology for vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] Shock absorbers are crucial components of vehicle suspension systems, primarily functioning to absorb and cushion vibrations generated during vehicle operation, thereby improving ride smoothness and comfort. Currently, some shock absorbers on the market employ an external single-valve structure, using a solenoid valve to control oil flow and adjust the damping characteristics. However, this type of shock absorber suffers from a relatively low maximum compression force, limiting its application in certain high-compression-force scenarios. Specifically, in the compression stroke of shock absorbers with an external single-valve structure, due to limitations in the oil circuit design, the volume of oil flowing to the solenoid valve directly depends on the volume of the piston rod entering the cylinder (i.e., the product of the piston rod cross-sectional area and the compression stroke). Therefore, the amount of oil allocated to the solenoid valve is relatively small. This limited oil flow prevents the formation of sufficiently high pressure within the solenoid valve, directly affecting the maximum compression force the shock absorber can generate. This not only limits the upper performance limit of the shock absorber but also directly impacts its adaptability to diverse operating conditions and its market competitiveness.

[0003] Therefore, a vibration damper that can effectively solve the above problems is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One object of the present invention is to provide a vibration damper capable of improving the regulating capability of a solenoid valve. Another object of the present invention is to provide a vibration damper capable of optimizing hydraulic circuit design. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a vibration damper capable of improving applicability.

[0005] One aspect of the present invention provides a vibration damper comprising: a working cylinder including a radially through-hole; a piston rod axially movably disposed in the working cylinder; a piston connected to the piston rod and configured to axially divide an internal space of the working cylinder into a rod chamber and a rodless chamber; a bottom valve assembly hermetically connected to an axial end of the working cylinder to define a rodless chamber axially between the bottom valve assembly and the piston; an intermediate cylinder hermetically disposed radially outside the working cylinder to define a communicating cavity between a radially outer surface of the working cylinder and a radially inner surface of the intermediate cylinder, wherein the communicating cavity is in fluid communication with the rod chamber via the through-hole; a cylinder barrel disposed outside the intermediate cylinder and the working cylinder to form an oil reservoir; a solenoid valve connected to the cylinder barrel and including an inlet and an outlet; and a first check valve disposed between the rodless chamber and the inlet of the solenoid valve, and configured to allow oil to flow only from the rodless chamber to the inlet of the solenoid valve via the first check valve.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the shock absorber further includes a second check valve disposed between the communicating cavity and the inlet of the solenoid valve, and configured to allow oil to flow from the communicating cavity through the second check valve to the inlet of the solenoid valve only.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the shock absorber further includes a third check valve disposed between the oil reservoir and the connecting chamber, and configured to allow oil to flow from the oil reservoir to the connecting chamber only via the third check valve.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the invention, the damper further includes: a mounting base disposed in the cylinder and configured to be hermetically connected to the intermediate cylinder and the working cylinder, wherein a third check valve is disposed in the mounting base to be in fluid communication with the communicating cavity.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the mounting base is connected to the radial inner surface of the cylinder to divide the oil reservoir into a first oil reservoir and a second oil reservoir in the axial direction, and the mounting base is configured to form a flow passage between the outer peripheral surface of the mounting base and the radial inner surface of the cylinder, so that the first oil reservoir and the second oil reservoir are in fluid communication via the flow passage.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the damper includes a plurality of second check valves, and the plurality of second check valves are configured to be spaced apart around the inlet of the solenoid valve.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the shock absorber includes a plurality of third check valves, and the plurality of third check valves are configured to be spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the working cylinder of the shock absorber.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the bottom valve assembly is configured to allow oil to flow from the oil reservoir through the bottom valve assembly to the rodless chamber, and also to allow oil to flow from the rodless chamber through the bottom valve assembly to the oil reservoir.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the bottom valve assembly is configured such that the resistance applied by the bottom valve assembly when the oil flows from the oil reservoir to the rodless chamber is less than the resistance applied by the bottom valve assembly when the oil flows from the rodless chamber to the oil reservoir.

[0014] One aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle including a shock absorber according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the shock absorber allows oil in the rodless chamber to directly enter the solenoid valve via a first one-way valve. This significantly increases the volume of oil flowing to the solenoid valve during the compression stroke, thereby creating higher pressure within the solenoid valve and improving damping adjustment performance. Simultaneously, the synergistic effect of the second and third one-way valves achieves a reasonable oil distribution between the oil reservoir, the connecting chamber, and the solenoid valve. This optimized oil circuit design not only improves the adjustment capability of the solenoid valve but also enhances the adaptability of the shock absorber under different operating conditions, effectively solving the technical problem of insufficient compression force in traditional external single-valve shock absorbers. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the recovery stroke of a shock absorber.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the compression stroke of a vibration damper.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a vibration damper according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the recovery stroke of a shock absorber according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the compression stroke of a vibration damper according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional schematic diagram of a vibration damper according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting base of a vibration damper according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 8 This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the vibration damper at point A according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 9 This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the vibration damper at point B according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following detailed description and drawings are provided to exemplify the principles of the invention, which is not limited to the described preferred embodiments; the scope of the invention is defined by the claims. The invention is now described in detail with reference to exemplary embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings, and unless otherwise indicated, the same reference numerals in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all aspects of the invention. Rather, these embodiments are merely examples of systems and methods related to various aspects of the invention as covered in the appended claims.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the recovery stroke of a shock absorber. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the compression stroke of a vibration damper. (For example...) Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the shock absorber includes a working cylinder 11, an intermediate cylinder 12, a cylinder barrel 13, a piston 14, a piston rod 15, a bottom valve assembly 16, a guide seat 17, and a solenoid valve 18.

[0027] A piston 14 is disposed in a working cylinder 11, dividing the internal space of the working cylinder 11 into a rodless chamber 11A and a rod chamber 11B. A bottom valve assembly 16 and a guide seat 17 are respectively connected to the axial ends of the working cylinder 11. A piston rod 15 passes through the guide seat 17 and connects to the piston 14. An intermediate cylinder 12 is connected to the outside of the working cylinder 11, forming a connecting chamber 12A between the intermediate cylinder 12 and the working cylinder 11. The connecting chamber 12A and the rod chamber 11B are in fluid communication via a connecting hole 11' in the working cylinder 11. The intermediate cylinder 12 and the working cylinder 11 are disposed in a cylinder barrel 13, and the cylinder barrel 13 forms an oil reservoir 13A outside the intermediate cylinder 12 and the working cylinder 11. The rodless chamber 11A, the rod chamber 11B, the connecting chamber 12A, and the oil reservoir 13A of the shock absorber are all filled with oil. A solenoid valve 18 is connected to the cylinder barrel 13. The inlet 18A of the solenoid valve 18 is in fluid communication with the connecting chamber 12A, and the outlet 18B is in fluid communication with the oil storage chamber 13A.

[0028] The shock absorber has a compression stroke and a recovery stroke. During the recovery stroke, such as... Figure 1 As shown, piston 14 moves away from bottom valve assembly 16, increasing the volume of rodless chamber 11A and decreasing the volume of rod chamber 11B. Oil flows from rod chamber 11B through connecting hole 11' into connecting chamber 12B and then to inlet 18A of solenoid valve 18. The oil flowing from inlet 18A to solenoid valve 18 is processed by solenoid valve 18 and discharged from outlet 18B into oil reservoir 13A.

[0029] During the compression stroke, such as Figure 2As shown, piston 14 moves toward bottom valve assembly 16, decreasing the volume of rodless chamber 11A and increasing the volume of rod chamber 11B. Oil in rodless chamber 11A enters rod chamber 11B via a flow valve in piston 14. However, since piston rod 15 itself occupies part of the volume of rod chamber 11B, the volume of oil flowing from rodless chamber 11A to rod chamber 11B is greater than the increase in volume of rod chamber 11B during the compression stroke. Consequently, oil in rod chamber 11B also flows through connecting hole 11' to connecting chamber 12A and then to inlet port 18A of solenoid valve 18. Oil flowing from inlet port 18A to solenoid valve 18 is processed by solenoid valve 18 and discharged from outlet port 18B into oil reservoir 13A. Therefore, during the compression stroke, the volume V1 of oil supplied to solenoid valve 18 is approximately equal to the product of compression stroke length L1 and cross-sectional area S1 of piston rod 15.

[0030] It is evident that the amount of oil that can be distributed to the solenoid valve in this shock absorber is relatively small, resulting in insufficient pressure to be generated inside the solenoid valve, which directly affects the maximum compressive force that the shock absorber can generate.

[0031] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention proposes an innovative shock absorber. This invention provides a shock absorber. The shock absorber according to an embodiment of the invention can be installed in a vehicle. Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a vibration damper according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the recovery stroke of a shock absorber according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the compression stroke of a vibration damper according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional schematic diagram of a vibration damper according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting base of a vibration damper according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the vibration damper at point A according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the vibration damper at point B according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] According to embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 3 As shown, the shock absorber includes a working cylinder 110, an intermediate cylinder 120, a cylinder barrel 130, a piston 140, a piston rod 150, a bottom valve assembly 160, and a guide seat 170.

[0033] The working cylinder 110 has a generally barrel-shaped structure. In some embodiments, the working cylinder 110 has a barrel-shaped structure open at both ends. One axial end of the working cylinder 110 is connected to the bottom valve assembly 160, and the other axial end is connected to the guide seat 170. Thus, the working cylinder 110, the bottom valve assembly 160, and the guide seat 170 define the internal space of the working cylinder 110. The working cylinder 110 includes a radially through-hole 111. The through-hole 111 is located on the side of the piston 140 away from the bottom valve assembly 160.

[0034] Piston 140 is connected to one axial end of piston rod 150. A portion of piston rod 150 is disposed within working cylinder 110, and another portion is located outside working cylinder 110. In some embodiments, piston rod 150 extends into working cylinder 110 through guide seat 170.

[0035] A piston 140 and a piston rod 150 are axially movably disposed within a working cylinder 110. The outer circumferential surface of the piston 140 mates with the radially inner surface of the working cylinder 110. Thus, the piston 140 divides the internal space of the working cylinder 110 into a rodless chamber 110A and a rod chamber 110B. The rodless chamber 110A is located on the side of the piston 140 closer to the bottom valve assembly 160, and the rod chamber 110B is located on the side of the piston 140 furthest from the bottom valve assembly 160. It should be noted that a considerable portion of the volume of the rod chamber 110B is occupied by the piston rod 140. As the piston 140 moves axially within the working cylinder 110, the volumes of the rodless chamber 110A and the rod chamber 110B can be adjusted.

[0036] In some embodiments, piston 140 further includes flow valve 141, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown. Flow valve 141 is configured to allow bidirectional flow of oil through it; that is, oil can flow from the rodless chamber 110A to the rod chamber 110B via flow valve 141, and vice versa. In some embodiments, flow valve 141 may consist of two check valves, and the two check valves allow flow in opposite directions.

[0037] An intermediate cylinder 120 is hermetically disposed on the radial exterior of a working cylinder 110. The intermediate cylinder 120 and the working cylinder 110 are at least partially spaced apart radially to define a communication cavity 120A between the radially inner surface of the intermediate cylinder 120 and the radially outer surface of the working cylinder 110. The communication cavity 120A is in fluid communication with a rod-borne cavity 110B via a communication hole 111. In an exemplary embodiment, the intermediate cylinder 120 has a barrel-shaped structure open at both ends, and its two axial ends are hermetically connected to the radially outer surface of the working cylinder 110.

[0038] A cylinder barrel 130 is disposed outside the intermediate cylinder 120 and the working cylinder 110. The cylinder barrel 130 forms an oil reservoir 13A outside the intermediate cylinder 120 and the working cylinder 110. The oil reservoir 13A is configured to be separated from the rodless cavity 110A, the rod cavity 110B, and the communicating cavity 120A. In some embodiments, the cylinder barrel 130 has a barrel-shaped structure. One axial end of the cylinder barrel 130 is sealingly connected to a bottom cover 131, and the other axial end is sealingly connected to a guide seat 170.

[0039] A foot valve assembly 160 is hermetically connected to one axial end of a working cylinder 110. The rodless chamber 110A of the working cylinder 110 is a chamber located between the foot valve assembly 160 and the piston 140 within the working cylinder 110. The foot valve assembly 160 separates the rodless chamber 110A from the reservoir chamber 130A. The foot valve assembly 160 is configured to allow bidirectional flow of oil through it; that is, oil can flow from the reservoir chamber 130A to the rodless chamber 110A via the foot valve assembly 160, and vice versa. In some embodiments, the foot valve assembly 160 may consist of two check valves with opposite flow directions. In an exemplary embodiment, the bottom valve assembly 160 is configured such that the resistance applied by the bottom valve assembly 160 when oil flows from the reservoir 130A to the rodless chamber 110A is less than the resistance applied by the bottom valve assembly 160 when oil flows from the rodless chamber 110A to the reservoir 130A. In other words, the bottom valve assembly 160 facilitates the flow of oil from the reservoir 130A to the rodless chamber 110A, but makes it less convenient to facilitate the flow of oil from the rodless chamber 110A to the reservoir 130A.

[0040] In some embodiments, the guide seat 170 is hermetically connected to another axial end of the working cylinder 110. The rod chamber 110B of the working cylinder 110 is a chamber located between the piston 140 and the guide seat 170 in the working cylinder 110. In some embodiments, the guide seat 170 is also hermetically connected to one axial end of the cylinder barrel 130 to define an oil reservoir 130A together with the cylinder barrel 130.

[0041] The rodless chamber 110A, the rod chamber 110B, the connecting chamber 120A, and the oil reservoir 130A of the shock absorber are all filled with oil.

[0042] The shock absorber also includes a solenoid valve 180 for controlling the flow of oil in the shock absorber and thus controlling the damping of the shock absorber. The solenoid valve 180 is connected to the cylinder 130. The solenoid valve 180 includes an inlet 181 and an outlet 182 for oil inflow and outflow, respectively. The outlet 182 of the solenoid valve 180 is in fluid communication with the oil reservoir 130A. The inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180 is configured to be in fluid communication with the rodless chamber 110A and the connecting chamber 120A via a check valve described below.

[0043] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the shock absorber further includes a first check valve 210. The first check valve 210 is disposed between the rodless chamber 110A and the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180. The first check valve 210 is used to allow oil to flow unidirectionally from the rodless chamber 110A to the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180 only via the first check valve 210. In an exemplary embodiment, the working cylinder 110 includes a radially through mounting hole, and the first check valve 210 is connected to the mounting hole of the working cylinder 110.

[0044] In some embodiments, such as Figure 8 As shown, the first check valve 210 includes a valve body 211, a spring 212, and a valve plate 213. The valve body 211 is the support structure for the first check valve 210 and is mounted to the mounting hole of the working cylinder 110. The valve body 211 provides an oil flow passage that is in fluid communication with the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180. The valve body 211 includes a valve seat 214 for contacting the valve plate 213 to prevent reverse flow of oil. The spring 212 is located in the valve body 211, with one end connected to the valve body 211 and the other end connected to the valve plate 213. The spring 212 applies an elastic force to the valve plate 213 to ensure a sealing contact between the valve plate 213 and the valve seat 214. The valve plate 213 is located in the oil flow passage of the valve body 211 and is mounted between the spring 212 and the valve seat 214.

[0045] When the oil pressure in the rodless chamber 110A is greater than the elastic force of the spring 212 and the oil pressure in the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180, the oil in the rodless chamber 110A pushes the valve plate 213 away from the valve seat 214, allowing the oil to flow from the rodless chamber 110A through the first check valve 210 to the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180. When the oil pressure in the rodless chamber 110A is less than the elastic force of the spring 212 and the oil pressure in the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180, the valve plate 213 remains in sealed contact with the valve seat 214, thereby preventing the oil from flowing from the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180 through the first check valve 210 to the rodless chamber 110A.

[0046] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the vibration damper further includes a second check valve 220. The second check valve 220 is disposed between the communicating cavity 120A and the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180. The second check valve 220 is used to allow oil to flow from the communicating cavity 120A through the second check valve 220 to the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180 only. In an exemplary embodiment, the vibration damper includes a plurality of second check valves 220, for example, four. The plurality of second check valves 220 may be spaced apart around the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180.

[0047] In some embodiments, such as Figure 8As shown, the second check valve 220 includes a valve body 221, a spring 222, and a valve plate 223. The valve body 221 is the supporting structure for the second check valve 220. The valve body 221 provides an oil flow passage that is in fluid communication with the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180. The valve body 221 includes a valve seat 224 for contacting the valve plate 223 to prevent reverse flow of oil. The spring 222 is located in the valve body 221, with one end connected to the valve body 221 and the other end connected to the valve plate 223. The spring 222 applies an elastic force to the valve plate 223 to ensure a sealing contact between the valve plate 223 and the valve seat 224. The valve plate 223 is located in the oil flow passage of the valve body 221 and is mounted between the spring 222 and the valve seat 224.

[0048] When the oil pressure in the connecting cavity 120A is greater than the elastic force of the spring 222 and the oil pressure in the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180, the oil in the connecting cavity 120A will push the valve plate 223 away from the valve seat 224, allowing the oil to flow from the connecting cavity 120A to the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180 via the second check valve 220. When the oil pressure in the connecting cavity 120A is less than the elastic force of the spring 222 and the oil pressure in the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180, the valve plate 223 will remain in sealed contact with the valve seat 224, thereby preventing the oil from flowing from the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180 to the connecting cavity 120A via the second check valve 220.

[0049] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the shock absorber further includes a third check valve 230. The third check valve 230 is disposed between the oil reservoir 130A and the connecting chamber 120A. The third check valve 230 is used to allow oil to flow from the oil reservoir 130A to the connecting chamber 120A only via the third check valve 230. In an exemplary embodiment, the shock absorber includes a plurality of third check valves 230, for example, four. The plurality of third check valves 230 may be spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the working cylinder 110 of the shock absorber.

[0050] In some embodiments, such as Figure 9 As shown, the third check valve 230 includes a valve body 231, a spring 232, and a valve plate 233. The valve body 231 is the support structure for the third check valve 230. The valve body 231 provides an oil flow passage that is in fluid communication with the communicating cavity 120A. The valve body 231 includes a valve seat 234 for contacting the valve plate 233 to prevent reverse flow of oil. The spring 232 is located in the valve body 231, with one end connected to the valve body 231 and the other end connected to the valve plate 233. The spring 232 applies an elastic force to the valve plate 233 to ensure a sealing contact between the valve plate 233 and the valve seat 234. The valve plate 233 is located in the oil flow passage of the valve body 231 and is mounted between the spring 232 and the valve seat 234.

[0051] When the oil pressure in the oil reservoir 130A is greater than the elastic force of the spring 232 and the oil pressure in the connecting cavity 120A, the oil in the oil reservoir 130A will push the valve plate 233 away from the valve seat 234, allowing the oil to flow from the oil reservoir 130A to the connecting cavity 120A via the third check valve 230. When the oil pressure in the oil reservoir 130A is less than the elastic force of the spring 232 and the oil pressure in the connecting cavity 120A, the valve plate 233 will remain in sealed contact with the valve seat 234, thereby preventing the oil from flowing from the connecting cavity 120A to the oil reservoir 130A via the third check valve.

[0052] In an exemplary embodiment, the shock absorber further includes a mounting base 310 for mounting a third one-way valve 230, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown. In an exemplary embodiment, the mounting base 310 is configured as an annular structure. The mounting base 310 is disposed in the cylinder 130. The mounting base 310 includes a valve mounting hole 311, whereby the third one-way valve 230 can be mounted in the mounting hole 311 of the mounting base 310.

[0053] In some embodiments, the mounting base 310 is sealingly connected to the intermediate cylinder 120 and the working cylinder 130, respectively. More specifically, a third check valve 230 is installed in the mounting hole 311 of the mounting base 310, such that the mounting hole 311 is in fluid communication with the oil reservoir 130A at the end near the valve plate 233. Simultaneously, the mounting base 310 is sealingly connected to the intermediate cylinder 120 and the working cylinder 130 at the end of the mounting hole 311 away from the valve plate 233, thereby allowing the end of the mounting hole 311 away from the valve plate 233 to be in fluid communication with the communication cavity 120A.

[0054] In some embodiments, the mounting base 310 is connected to the radially inner surface of the cylinder 130. Thus, the mounting base 310 axially divides the oil reservoir 130A into a first oil reservoir and a second oil reservoir. The mounting base 310 also includes a flow passage 312, through which the first oil reservoir and the second oil reservoir are in fluid communication. In some embodiments, the flow passage 312 is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the mounting base 310 and the radially inner surface of the cylinder 130. For example, the flow passage 312 can be formed by cutting off a portion from the outer periphery of the mounting base 310.

[0055] When the shock absorber according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed on a vehicle, one of the cylinder 130 and the piston rod 150 can be connected to the vehicle body, and the other can be connected to the vehicle axle.

[0056] The operation of the vibration damper according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described.

[0057] During the compression stroke, such as Figure 5As shown, piston rod 150 and piston 140 move axially toward bottom valve assembly 160 in working cylinder 110, the volume of rodless chamber 110A decreases while the volume of rod chamber 110B increases.

[0058] As the volume of the rodless chamber 110A decreases, the oil pressure in the rodless chamber 110A increases, thereby opening the first check valve 210. Oil then flows from the rodless chamber 110A through the first check valve 210 to the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180, further increasing the oil pressure at the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180. Simultaneously, as the volume of the rod chamber 110B increases, the oil pressure in the rod chamber 110B decreases, causing oil to flow from the connecting chamber 120A through the connecting hole 111 to the rod chamber 110B.

[0059] Furthermore, the oil flows from the connecting chamber 120A to the rod chamber 110B, causing a decrease in the oil pressure in the connecting chamber 120A. On one hand, since the oil pressure at the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180 is greater than the oil pressure in the connecting chamber 120A, the second check valve 220 remains closed. On the other hand, the oil pressure in the oil reservoir 130A is greater than the oil pressure in the connecting chamber 120A, thereby causing the third check valve 230 to open, and oil flows from the oil reservoir 130A to the connecting chamber 120A via the third check valve 230.

[0060] Furthermore, the increased oil pressure in the rodless chamber 110A causes a portion of the oil in the rodless chamber 110A to flow into the reservoir chamber 130A via the bottom valve assembly 160, and also causes a portion of the oil in the rodless chamber 110A to flow into the rod chamber 110B via the flow valve 141 at the piston 140. However, it should be understood that the amount of oil flowing from the rodless chamber 110A to the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180 via the first check valve 210 is much greater than the amount of oil flowing from the rodless chamber 110A to the reservoir chamber 130A or the rod chamber 110B. Therefore, during the compression stroke, the volume V2 of oil supplied to the solenoid valve 180 is approximately equal to the product of the compression stroke length L2 and the cross-sectional area S2 of the piston 140.

[0061] Afterwards, the oil flowing into the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180 will be processed by the solenoid valve 180 and then flow into the oil storage chamber 130A through the outlet 182.

[0062] During the recovery process, such as Figure 4 As shown, piston rod 150 and piston 140 move axially away from bottom valve assembly 160 in working cylinder 110, increasing the volume of rodless chamber 110A and decreasing the volume of rod chamber 110B.

[0063] As the volume of the rodless chamber 110A increases, the oil pressure in the rodless chamber 110A decreases. Furthermore, since the oil pressure at the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180 is greater than the oil pressure in the rodless chamber 110A, the first check valve 210 remains closed.

[0064] As the volume of the rod chamber 110B decreases, the oil pressure in the rod chamber 110B increases, causing oil to flow from the rod chamber 110B to the connecting chamber 120A via the connecting hole 111. This flow of oil from the rod chamber 110B to the connecting chamber 120A causes an increase in the oil pressure in the connecting chamber 120A. Furthermore, on one hand, when the oil pressure in the connecting chamber 120A is greater than the oil pressure at the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180, the second check valve 220 opens, allowing oil to flow from the connecting chamber 120A to the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180 via the second check valve 220. On the other hand, because the oil pressure in the connecting chamber 120A is greater than the oil pressure in the oil reservoir 130A, the third check valve 230 remains closed.

[0065] Furthermore, due to the decrease in oil pressure in the rodless chamber 110A, the oil in the rodless chamber 110A needs to be replenished. On one hand, most of the oil used to replenish the rodless chamber 110A flows from the reservoir chamber 130A to the rodless chamber 110A via the bottom valve assembly 160. On the other hand, a small portion of the oil used to replenish the rodless chamber 110A flows from the rod chamber 110B to the rodless chamber 110A via the flow valve 141 at the piston 140. However, it should be understood that the oil pressure in the rodless chamber 110A will still be insufficient to open the first check valve 210.

[0066] Afterwards, the oil flowing to the inlet 181 of the solenoid valve 180 will be processed by the solenoid valve 180 and then flow into the oil storage chamber 130A through the outlet 182.

[0067] Although the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the constructions and methods of the above embodiments. Rather, the invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent configurations. Furthermore, while various elements and method steps of the disclosed invention have been shown in various exemplary combinations and constructions, other combinations including more or fewer elements or methods also fall within the scope of the invention.

[0068] List of reference numerals

[0069] 11 working cylinders;

[0070] 11' connecting hole;

[0071] 11A rodless cavity;

[0072] 11B has a rod-shaped cavity;

[0073] 12. Intermediate cylinder;

[0074] 12A Communicating cavity;

[0075] 13. Cylinder;

[0076] 13A Oil reservoir;

[0077] 14 Pistons;

[0078] 15. Piston rod;

[0079] 16. Bottom valve assembly;

[0080] 17. Guide seat;

[0081] 18. Solenoid valve;

[0082] 18A Liquid Inlet;

[0083] 18B Liquid outlet;

[0084] 110 Working cylinder;

[0085] 111 Connecting hole;

[0086] 110A rodless cavity;

[0087] 110B has a rod-shaped cavity;

[0088] 120 intermediate cylinder;

[0089] 120A connecting cavity;

[0090] 130 cylinder;

[0091] 130A Oil reservoir;

[0092] 131 Bottom cover;

[0093] 140 pistons;

[0094] 141 Flow valve;

[0095] 150 piston rod;

[0096] 160 Bottom Valve Assembly;

[0097] 170 Guide seat;

[0098] 180 Solenoid valve;

[0099] 181 Liquid Inlet;

[0100] 182 liquid outlet;

[0101] 210 First check valve;

[0102] 211 valve housing;

[0103] 212 Spring;

[0104] 213 Valve plate;

[0105] 214 Valve seat;

[0106] 220 Second check valve;

[0107] 221 valve housing;

[0108] 222 Spring;

[0109] 223 Valve plate;

[0110] 224 Valve seat;

[0111] 230 Third check valve;

[0112] 231 valve housing;

[0113] 232 Spring;

[0114] 233 Valve Plate;

[0115] 234 Valve seat;

[0116] 310 mounting base;

[0117] 311 mounting holes;

[0118] 312 Flow section.

Claims

1. A vibration damper, comprising: Working cylinder (110), which includes a radially penetrating through-hole (111); A piston rod (150) is axially movably disposed in the working cylinder (110); A piston (140) is connected to the piston rod (150) and is configured to divide the internal space of the working cylinder (110) axially into a rod chamber (110B) and a rodless chamber (110A); A bottom valve assembly (160) is hermetically connected to the axial end of the working cylinder (110) to define the rodless chamber (110A) axially between the bottom valve assembly (160) and the piston (140); An intermediate cylinder (120) is hermetically disposed on the radial exterior of the working cylinder (110) to define a communicating cavity (120A) between the radial outer surface of the working cylinder (120) and the radial inner surface of the intermediate cylinder (120), wherein the communicating cavity (120A) is in fluid communication with the rod cavity (110B) via the communicating hole (111). A cylinder (130) is disposed outside the intermediate cylinder (120) and the working cylinder (110) to form an oil reservoir (130A); A solenoid valve (180) is connected to the cylinder (130) and includes an inlet (181) and an outlet (182); and A first check valve (210) is disposed between the rodless chamber (110A) and the inlet (181) of the solenoid valve (180), and is configured to allow oil to flow from the rodless chamber (110A) through the first check valve (210) to the inlet (181) of the solenoid valve (180).

2. The vibration damper according to claim 1, further comprising: A second check valve (220) is disposed between the connecting chamber (120A) and the inlet (181) of the solenoid valve (180), and is configured to allow oil to flow from the connecting chamber (120A) through the second check valve (220) to the inlet (181) of the solenoid valve (180).

3. The vibration damper according to claim 2, further comprising: A third check valve (230) is disposed between the oil reservoir (130A) and the connecting chamber (120A) and is configured to allow oil to flow from the oil reservoir (130A) to the connecting chamber (120A) only via the third check valve (230).

4. The vibration damper according to claim 3 further includes: A mounting base (310) is disposed in the cylinder (130) and configured to be hermetically connected to the intermediate cylinder (120) and the working cylinder (110), wherein a third check valve (230) is disposed in the mounting base (310) to be in fluid communication with the communication chamber (120A).

5. The vibration damper according to claim 4, wherein, The mounting base (310) is connected to the radial inner surface of the cylinder (130) to divide the oil reservoir (130A) axially into a first oil reservoir and a second oil reservoir, and the mounting base (310) is configured to form a flow passage (312) between the outer peripheral surface of the mounting base (310) and the radial inner surface of the cylinder (130) so that the first oil reservoir and the second oil reservoir are in fluid communication via the flow passage (312).

6. The vibration damper according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The damper includes a plurality of second check valves (220), and the plurality of second check valves (220) are configured to be spaced apart around the inlet (181) of the solenoid valve (180).

7. The vibration damper according to claim 6, wherein, The damper includes a plurality of third check valves (230), and the plurality of third check valves (230) are configured to be spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the working cylinder (110) of the damper.

8. The vibration damper according to claim 7, wherein, The bottom valve assembly (160) is configured to allow oil to flow from the oil reservoir (130A) via the bottom valve assembly (160) to the rodless chamber (110A), and also allows oil to flow from the rodless chamber (110A) via the bottom valve assembly (160) to the oil reservoir (130A).

9. The vibration damper according to claim 8, wherein, The bottom valve assembly (160) is configured such that the resistance applied by the bottom valve assembly (160) when the oil flows from the oil reservoir (130A) to the rodless chamber (110A) is less than the resistance applied by the bottom valve assembly (160) when the oil flows from the rodless chamber (110A) to the oil reservoir (130A).

10. A vehicle comprising a shock absorber according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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