Digitally controlled shock absorber and variable damping force valve assembly with built-in generator for same

Abstract

A digitally controlled shock absorber and a variable damping force valve assembly with built-in generator therefor are disclosed. a main disc spring disposed in the valve space so as to define a booster chamber on the other side of the valve space, the main valve body having an inlet passage, an auxiliary passage, and an outlet passage formed therein; a main disc spring disposed in the valve space so as to define a booster chamber on the other side of the valve space, the main disc spring being configured to cover the inlet passage and to be elastically deformed by a pressure difference between the inlet passage and the booster chamber to open the inlet passage; a booster chamber body having a bypass passage communicating with the booster chamber formed therein; a control valve coupled to the booster chamber body and controlling the opening of the bypass passage; a connector body having a portion located in an opening of the housing and configured to divide the opening into an inlet and an outlet; an impeller disposed on one side of the main valve body and configured to be rotated by a fluid passing therethrough; a shaft coupled to the impeller; a generator disposed in the control space and coupled to the other side of the shaft, the generator configured to generate electricity by rotation of the impeller; and a controller having an actuator for operating the control valve, wherein the controller can be powered by power generated by the generator or by power from a battery configured to be charged by the generator.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a shock absorber, and more particularly to a variable damping force valve assembly with a built-in generator that generates its own power to control the valve assembly, and a digitally controlled shock absorber using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] A shock absorber is a part of a vehicle's suspension system, generally installed between the body and axle, that attenuates the impact of vehicle movement. Shock absorbers not only improve the ride comfort of a vehicle, but also maintain safe contact between the tires and the road while the vehicle is moving, improving braking force and steering force, and reducing tire wear.

[0003] Shock absorbers have greater significance in the context of autonomous vehicles. In recent years, with the development of vehicles with various levels of autonomous driving, the vehicle's passenger space has gradually transformed from a space for operating the vehicle to a space for resting while the vehicle is driving autonomously. In an autonomous vehicle, the passenger does not directly operate the vehicle and is likely unaware of the road conditions while driving, so even a slight impact to the vehicle can cause significant inconvenience to the passenger.

[0004] On the other hand, care must be taken when designing the damping force provided by shock absorbers, because generally, to ensure driving safety and shorten braking distances, shock absorbers are required to provide high damping force, whereas to ensure good ride comfort, shock absorbers are required to provide low damping force.

[0005] To solve this problem, a variable damping force valve was developed, which is a valve configured to change the damping force provided by a shock absorber. Figure 1 shows a conventional shock absorber. The conventional variable damping force shock absorber includes a base shell 12, an inner tube 14, and a separator tube 16. A piston rod 24 is installed in the inner tube 14 so that it can move longitudinally. A body valve 27 is installed at the lower end of the inner tube 14 and the base shell 12, and a piston valve 25 is installed in the piston rod 24. The space within the inner tube 14 is divided into an upper rebound chamber 20 and a lower compression chamber 22 based on the piston valve 25. A low-pressure chamber PL, which serves as a reservoir chamber 30, is formed inside the base shell 12, and a high-pressure chamber PH is formed inside the separator tube 16.

[0006] When a force is applied to the piston rod 24, the piston rod 24 descends within the inner tube 14. At this time, the fluid in the compression chamber 22 flows through the piston valve 25 to the rebound chamber 20, then flows from the rebound chamber 20 to the high-pressure chamber PH through the internal hole 14a formed in the inner tube 14, and then flows into the damping force variable valve assembly 40 attached to one side of the base shell 12. When the piston rod 24 ascends again, the fluid in the low-pressure chamber PL replenishes the compression chamber 22 through the lower flow passage 32 formed in the body valve 27, and the fluid in the rebound chamber 20 flows through the internal hole 14a to the high-pressure chamber PH, and then flows into the damping force variable valve assembly 40.

[0007] The variable damping force valve assembly 40 is provided with a spool 44 that moves when driven by an actuator 42, and the movement of the spool 44 changes the flow path between the high-pressure chamber PH and the low-pressure chamber PL, making it possible to adjust the damping force of the shock absorber. When the variable damping force shock absorber shown in Figure 1 operates in a specific mode, the actuator 42 continuously applies force to keep the spool 44 in a specific position, and when that mode is released, the actuator 42 stops applying pressure and the spool 44 returns to its original position by a spring or the like.

[0008] As described above, conventional shock absorbers have a complex configuration, and the additional cables for supplying power to the variable damping force valve assembly 40, circuits for supplying sensor signals or control signals, and electrical wires make the configuration even more complex after installation. Even if the variable damping force valve assembly 40 is battery-powered without being connected to an external power source, the actuator 42 continues to consume power when it operates, and therefore, a battery with a corresponding capacity is required, which increases the system's size and requires frequent maintenance, such as for charging. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] Therefore, the present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a variable damping force valve assembly with a built-in generator and a digitally controlled shock absorber in which the control unit can communicate with the vehicle control unit wirelessly and can generate its own power to operate the control unit.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a variable damping force valve assembly with a built-in generator and a digitally controlled shop absorber that can minimize the power consumed to adjust the damping force of a shock absorber, thereby minimizing the size of the generator and battery, thereby maintaining a small overall size of the valve assembly, and that is easy to assemble and install.

[0011] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a variable damping force valve assembly with a built-in generator and a digitally controlled shock absorber that are excellent in damping force control performance and durability.

[0012] Other objects of the present invention will become clearer on the basis of the following examples. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention provides a variable damping force valve assembly with an integrated generator, which is a valve assembly for mounting on a shock absorber, and includes: a housing that defines a valve space and a control space therein and includes a partition wall that separates the valve space from the control space, the valve space being open to one side by an opening; a main valve body that is disposed within the valve space so as to define a booster chamber on the other side of the valve space and that has an inlet passage communicating with the booster chamber, an auxiliary passage and an outlet passage formed therein; a main disc spring that is elastically deformable, disposed to cover the inlet passage, and configured to be elastically deformed by a pressure difference between the inlet passage and the booster chamber to open the inlet passage; a booster chamber body that is disposed between the main valve body and the partition wall and that has a bypass passage communicating with the booster chamber formed therein; a control valve for controlling the opening of the bypass passage; a connector body coupled to one side of the main valve body, a portion of which is located in the opening to divide the opening into an inlet and an outlet, the inlet passage communicating with the inlet and the outlet passage communicating with the outlet; an impeller disposed on one side of the main valve body and configured to rotate by a passing fluid; a shaft having one side connected to the impeller and disposed to pass through a central hole formed in the main valve body and a through-hole formed in the partition wall; a generator disposed in the control space and coupled to the other side of the shaft, configured to generate electricity by the rotation of the impeller; and a controller having an actuator for operating the control valve, wherein the controller can be powered by power generated by the generator or power from a battery configured to be charged by the generator. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the means for solving the problems of the present invention as described above, various effects can be expected, including the following: However, the present invention is not established unless all of the following effects are achieved.

[0015] The variable damping force valve assembly with built-in generator according to one embodiment of the present invention communicates with the outside world using wireless communication, does not continuously consume power for its operation, and can charge the battery using the fluid movement obtained when the shock absorber is used. In other words, the valve assembly and the shock absorber equipped with the same occupy a very small volume and are very easy to install because they do not need to be connected to a vehicle control unit or sensors at various positions on the vehicle.

[0016] Furthermore, in the prior art, after a portion of the valve assembly 40 has been welded to the side of the shock absorber, the remaining components must be assembled and installed, but in one embodiment of the present invention, due to the small size of the valve assembly, the valve assembly can be assembled first and then connected to the shock absorber in a predetermined position. This means that the manufacturing and assembly of shock absorbers can be more easily automated, increasing production yields and reducing reject rates.

[0017] Meanwhile, the variable damping force valve assembly with built-in generator according to an embodiment of the present invention can prevent excessive force from being applied to the generator or the piezoelectric element stack, increase the durability of the main valve body, and improve the sealing performance of the booster chamber, thereby extending the life of the valve assembly and the shock absorber equipped with the same and reducing maintenance costs. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a shock absorber according to a conventional technique. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing a digitally controlled shock absorber according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 3 is a diagram showing a load guide and an oil seal of the digitally controlled shock absorber shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view showing the other side of the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the flow path of a fluid when the control valve in FIG. 5 is closed and when it is open. [Figure 7] 6 is a diagram showing a control valve of the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 8] 8 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the control valve shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] 6 is a diagram showing a guide of the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 10] 6 is a diagram showing an impeller of the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 11] 6 is a diagram showing a protective disc and a main disc spring of the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 12] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 13 is a diagram showing a connector body of the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly shown in FIG. 12. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 15A and 15B are diagrams illustrating the operation of the control valve of the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly shown in FIG. 14. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Since the present invention can be modified in various ways and can have multiple embodiments, specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to the specific embodiments, and it should be understood that the present invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. In describing the present invention, if a detailed description of related publicly known technology is considered to obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted.

[0020] The terms used in this application are merely used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expressions include the plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this application, the terms "comprise" or "have" are intended to specify only the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should not be understood to preclude the presence or possible addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0021] Terms such as "first" and "second" may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description with reference to the accompanying drawings, the same or corresponding components will be given the same reference numerals regardless of the drawing symbols, and duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0023] Figure 2 shows a digitally controlled shock absorber 1000 according to one embodiment of the present invention, where (a) of Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the shock absorber 1000 seen from the front, and (b) of Figure 2 is an elevational view of the shock absorber 1000 seen from the side. Figure 3 shows the load guide 100 and oil seal 136 of the digitally controlled shock absorber 1000 shown in Figure 2.

[0024] 2, the digitally controlled shock absorber 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include an inner tube 114, an intermediate tube 116, a base tube 118, an absorber rod 134, a piston valve 135, and a body valve 137. The piston valve 135 may be attached to the absorber rod 134. In addition, the load guide 100 and an oil seal 136 may be attached to the upper parts of the inner tube 114, the intermediate tube 116, and the base tube 118, and the body valve 137 and a lower cap 139 may be attached to the lower parts.

[0025] The absorber rod 134 and the piston valve 135 may be disposed inside the inner tube 114, the inner tube 114 may be disposed inside the intermediate tube 116, and the intermediate tube 116 may be disposed inside the base tube 118. The space inside the inner tube 114 is divided into an upper rebound chamber 20 and a lower compression chamber 50 based on the piston valve 135. A low-pressure chamber 30 may be formed in the space between the base tube 118 and the intermediate tube 116, and a high-pressure chamber 10 may be formed in the space between the intermediate tube 116 and the inner tube 114.

[0026] A variable damping force valve assembly with a built-in generator according to one embodiment of the present invention may be attached to the side of the base tube 118. For this purpose, unlike the remaining part of the base tube 118 which has an overall cylindrical shape, at least a portion of the base tube 118 may have a flat shape and may be coupled to a coupling flange 138 of an inner cover 518 of the valve assembly.

[0027] 2 shows shock absorber 1000 equipped with valve assembly 500 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, it goes without saying that valve assemblies 500, 800, 900 according to other embodiments of the present invention may also be equipped, and a valve assembly according to yet another embodiment of the present invention may include compatible features of valve assemblies 500, 800, 900 according to the first to third embodiments. Although valve assembly 500 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below as an example, valve assemblies 800, 900 according to other embodiments may also be applied.

[0028] Fluid in the shock absorber 1000 can enter and exit through an inlet 110 and an outlet 130 formed on one side of the valve assembly 500. The valve assembly 500 may be installed such that the inlet 110 is in communication with the high-pressure chamber 10 and the outlet 130 is in communication with the low-pressure chamber 30. The valve assembly 500 can adjust the damping force of the shock absorber 1000 by adjusting the resistance to the flow of fluid flowing therethrough. That is, when the shaft 132 at the top of the absorber rod 134 and the engaging portion 150 at the bottom of the lower cap 139 are coupled to the vehicle body and axle, the shock of the vehicle body against the axle is absorbed by the movement of the absorber rod 134, which moves up and down due to the resistance of the fluid. The valve assembly 500 adjusts the damping force by adjusting the resistance applied to the movement of the absorber rod 134 by adjusting the resistance of the fluid.

[0029] The shock absorber 1000 according to one embodiment of the present invention has a structure that facilitates the manufacture and assembly of the inner tube 114, the intermediate tube 116, and the base tube 118. For example, the lower cap 139 may be formed with a protruding portion that protrudes to surround the body valve 137, and the protruding portion may be formed with one or more stepped portions. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the lower cap 139 has two stepped portions, with the inner tube 114 positioned on one stepped portion and the intermediate tube 116 positioned on the other stepped portion. Meanwhile, the base tube 118 is coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the lower cap 139.

[0030] The protrusions with stepped jaws formed on the lower cap 139 can be configured to seal the lower part of the inner tube 114 and the lower part of the intermediate tube 116, allowing fluid to flow only through the body valve 137 as needed. This structure not only provides the necessary sealing for the high-pressure chamber 10 and the compression chamber 50, but also has the effect of facilitating the manufacture and assembly of the inner tube 114 and the intermediate tube 116, because the lower ends of the inner tube 114 and the intermediate tube 116 can maintain a very simple shape, and the inner tube 114 and the intermediate tube 116 can be aligned in position simply by placing them on the stepped jaws of the lower cap 139.

[0031] Figure 3 shows the load guide 100 and oil seal 136 of the digitally controlled shock absorber 1000 shown in Figure 2, where (a) of Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the load guide 100, (b) of Figure 3 is a bottom view of the load guide 100, and (c) of Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the oil seal 136 is joined to the load guide 100.

[0032] The load guide 100 may include an upper support portion 128 having an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the base tube 118, a lower support portion 123 extending downward from a lower portion thereof, having an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the inner tube 114, and having a hollow cylindrical shape with a central hole 121 formed in the center, and a stepped jaw portion 126 formed between the upper support portion 128 and the lower support portion 123. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the stepped jaw portion 126 also forms two stepped jaws in the load guide 100. As shown in FIG. 3(b), one or more flow grooves 124 may be formed in the lower support portion 123 and the stepped jaw portion 126.

[0033] As with the lower cap 139, in the load guide 100, the inner tube 114 can be connected to one step jaw and the intermediate tube 116 can be connected to the other step jaw, and the base tube 118 can be connected to the upper support part 128 that forms the outer periphery of the load guide 100. Because the high-pressure chamber 10 must be isolated from the compression chamber 50 formed in the lower part of the inner tube 114, the lower cap 139 seals the lower end of the intermediate tube 116 while the high-pressure chamber 10 must communicate with the rebound chamber 20 formed in the upper part of the inner tube 114. For this reason, in the prior art, an inner hole 14a was formed in the separator tube 16 as in FIG. 1.

[0034] By using the load guide 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to omit the process of separately providing and installing a guide ring 15 for fixing the upper portion of the separator tube 16 to the inner tube 14 and an O-ring 17 for sealing the portion, as in the conventional technology, and also to omit the process of drilling an internal hole 14a in the separator tube 16. According to the present invention, the required structure is completed simply by closely connecting the upper end of the intermediate tube 116 to the outer periphery of the stepped jaw 126 and closely connecting the upper end of the internal tube 114 to the outer periphery of the lower support portion 123. The flow groove 124 formed between the lower support portion 123 and the stepped jaw 126 naturally forms a flow path between the high-pressure chamber 10 and the rebound chamber 20, eliminating the need to drill an internal hole 14a as in the conventional technology and preventing defects that often occur during the material drilling process.

[0035] Annular protrusions 127 and 129 may be formed on the upper portion of the upper support portion 128. The protrusions 127 and 129 may be in close contact with an oil seal 136 coupled to the upper portion of the load guide 100, thereby enhancing watertightness of necessary portions.

[0036] 2(a) and 3(c), an oil seal 136 may be coupled to the upper part of the load guide 100. The oil seal 136 may include a ring core 140 made of a relatively high-strength material, and the remaining portion may be made of a relatively soft material to provide high sealing force. Protrusions 147 and 149 may protrude downward from the lower part of the oil seal 136, and these may be in close contact with the protrusions 127 and 129 of the load guide 100 to block the passage of fluid.

[0037] Sealing sleeves 141, 142 may protrude from the top and bottom of the oil seal 136. The sealing sleeves 141, 142 fit tightly against the absorber rod 134 passing through the central hole 121 of the load guide 100, allowing the absorber rod 134 to move but preventing leakage of fluid inside the internal piston 114. Annular sealing rings 143, 144 may be added to the sealing sleeves 141, 142 to more firmly fit the outer circumferential surface of the absorber rod 134.

[0038] Therefore, the shock absorber 1000 according to one embodiment of the present invention can be easily assembled by simply connecting the inner tube 114, the intermediate tube 116, and the base tube 118 to the body valve 137, the lower cap 139, the load guide 100, and the oil seal 136. The guide ring 15 and O-ring 17 required in the prior art can be omitted, and there is no need to machine the inner hole 14a in the intermediate tube 116, so the shock absorber 1000 can be manufactured and assembled in a simpler process.

[0039] The variable damping force valve assembly with built-in generator according to some embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below.

[0040] 4 is a side view showing the other side of the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly 500 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, with the outer cover 512 of the housing 510 separated. For ease of explanation, the side of the valve assembly on which the inlet 110 is formed will be referred to as "one side," and the opposite side will be referred to as "the other side." Of course, the terms "one side" and "the other side" may refer to different things depending on the object and context of the explanation.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 4, the control space 250 (see FIG. 5) of the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly 500 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may accommodate a control unit 400 and a generator 480.

[0042] The control unit 400 is a part that controls the overall operation of the valve assembly 500 and may include a battery 410 , a communication unit 420 , a circuit unit 430 and an actuator 450 .

[0043] The battery 410 can be configured to store the power required for the operation of the control unit 400 and can be charged by a generator 480, which will be described later. Other components of the control unit 400 can be driven by the power stored in the battery 410.

[0044] The communication unit 420 may correspond to a part that enables the control unit 400 to communicate with other entities outside the valve assembly 500. The communication unit 420 may communicate with external entities via a wireless method such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi (registered trademark). Through the communication unit 420, the control unit 400 may communicate with, for example, a central processing unit of a vehicle in which the shock absorber 1000 is installed, a navigation device, sensors installed at various positions in the vehicle, a user's smartphone, an external device installed at a predetermined position on the road (e.g., a traffic light accessory device), etc.

[0045] The circuit unit 430 corresponds to a main part of the control unit 400 and can perform calculations related to the operation of the valve assembly 500. For example, after receiving information via the communication unit 420, the circuit unit 430 can determine the damping force required from the shock absorber 1000 based on the received information and control the actuator 450 to provide the required damping force.

[0046] The actuator 450 controls the control valve 570, which will be described later. As will be described later, the valve assembly 500 can adjust the resistance of the fluid applied to the absorber rod 134 of the shock absorber 1000 by adjusting the pressure in the booster chamber 300, and the control valve 570 can adjust the pressure in the booster chamber 300. The actuator 450 can operate the control valve 570, thereby changing the damping force of the shock absorber 1000. The operation of the actuator 450 and the control valve 570 will be described in more detail later.

[0047] The generator 480 can supply power to the control unit 400, and more specifically, can charge the battery 410 of the control unit 400. The other end of a shaft 680 coupled to the impeller 600, which will be described later, may be coupled to the generator 480. When fluid movement within the valve assembly 500 rotates the impeller 600, the shaft 680 coupled to the impeller 600 rotates, operating the generator 480 to generate electricity. Those skilled in the art will understand that the coupling of the shaft 680 to the generator 480 means that the shaft 680 is coupled to a rotor portion of the generator, and as the shaft 680 rotates, the rotor of the generator 480 rotates and generates electricity through interaction with the stator of the generator 480. While FIG. 4 illustrates the generator 480 generating electricity through a rotational mechanism, in some embodiments, the generator 480 may be embodied in the form of a piezoelectric element stack 485 that generates electricity through pressure.

[0048] 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly 500 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 5, the valve assembly 500 according to this embodiment may further include a housing 510, a main valve body 530, a protective disc 540, a main disc spring 550, a booster chamber body 560, a control valve 570, a connector body 580, a guide 590, an impeller 600, a flow path member 610, and a shaft 680, in addition to the components described in relation to Fig. 4.

[0049] The housing 510 forms the outer shape of the valve assembly 500 and may provide a space in which other components are installed. The housing 510 may be provided with a partition 520 having a through-hole 252 formed therein. A valve space may be formed on one side of the partition 520 and a control space 250 may be formed on the other side of the partition 520. To avoid unnecessary confusion, the valve space is not indicated by a separate reference number in the drawings. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the space between the inner cover 518 and the partition 520 may correspond to the valve space. An opening may be formed on one side of the housing 510, and the valve space may be opened to one side through the opening. The opening of the housing 510 may be used to form the inlet 110 and the outlet 130 of the valve assembly 500.

[0050] 5, an inner cover 518 is coupled to the opening of the housing 510, and a connector tube 585, which is part of the connector body 580, is inserted through a central hole 380 of the inner cover 518. Here, the connector passage 212 inside the connector tube 585 forms the inlet 110, and the gap between the outer circumferential surface of the connector tube 585 and the inner circumferential surface of the central hole 380 of the inner cover 518 forms the outlet 130. Of course, in other embodiments, the inlet 110 and the outlet 130 may be configured to have different shapes, positions, and sizes.

[0051] The main valve body 530 is disposed within the valve space and spaced apart from the partition wall 520 of the housing 510, and may define a booster chamber 300 on the other side of the main valve body 530. The main valve body 530 may be formed with an inlet passage 260, an auxiliary passage, and an outlet passage 360 ​​that communicate one side of the valve space with the other side.

[0052] A central hole may be formed in the center of the main valve body 530 to allow the shaft 680 to pass through. If the central hole of the main valve body 530 has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the shaft 680, the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the central hole and the outer circumferential surface of the shaft 680 may serve as an auxiliary passage. In the example shown in FIG. 5 , a flow path member 610 is attached to the central hole of the main valve body 530, and the central hole 284 of the flow path member 610 has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the shaft 680, so that the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the central hole 284 of the flow path member 610 and the outer circumferential surface of the shaft 680 serves as an auxiliary passage.

[0053] 5, the inlet passage 260 is implemented as penetrating the main valve body 530, and the outlet passage 360 ​​is implemented as being defined together with the inner circumferential surface of the housing 510 by a groove formed on the outer circumferential surface of the main valve body 530. Of course, the shapes, positions, and sizes of the inlet passage 260, the auxiliary passage, and the outlet passage 360 ​​may be different depending on the embodiment.

[0054] The protective disk 540 may be coupled to the other side of the main valve body 530 to reinforce the main valve body 530. To this end, the protective disk 540 may be made of a material having a higher strength than the main valve body 530. In some embodiments, the protective disk 540 may be omitted.

[0055] The main disc spring 550 may be configured so that at least a portion thereof is elastically deformable. The main disc spring 550 may be disposed on the other side of the protective disc 540 so as to cover the inlet passage 260 of the main valve body 530, or may be disposed on the other side of the main valve body 530 if the protective disc 540 is omitted. When the shock absorber 1000 absorbs an impact, the fluid flowing into the valve assembly 500 can pass through the main disc spring 550 by opening it. Since the main disc spring 550 is located on the other side of the main valve body 530 and faces the booster chamber 300, the force required for the fluid to open the main disc spring 550, which closes the inlet passage 260, varies depending on the internal pressure of the booster chamber 300. The valve assembly 500 can adjust the damping force of the shock absorber 1000 by adjusting the pressure in the booster chamber 300.

[0056] The booster chamber body 560 may be disposed between the main valve body 530 and the partition wall 520, and the booster chamber body 560 may have a bypass passage 350 formed therein, which is in communication with the booster chamber 300. A control valve 570 may be installed in the bypass passage 350, and the control valve 570 may control the opening degree of the bypass passage 350. The operation of the control valve 570 will be described in more detail later.

[0057] The connector body 580 may be coupled to one side of the main valve body 530. The connector body 530 may form an accommodating space 220 therein, which may be open to one side. Consequently, isolated passages may be formed inside and outside the connector body 530, which may be used as the inlet 110 and the outlet 130 for the valve assembly 500. In the example shown in FIG. 5 , the connector body 580 includes a connector tube 585 having a relatively small outer diameter. The connector tube 585 is inserted through the central hole 380 of the inner cover 518, and the connector passage 212 inside the connector tube 585 forms the inlet 110, and the gap between the outer circumferential surface of the connector tube 585 and the inner circumferential surface of the central hole 380 of the inner cover 518 forms the outlet 130.

[0058] The guide 590 may be disposed on one side of the main valve body 530 in the receiving space 220 inside the connector body 580, and may be coupled to at least one of the housing 510, the main valve body 530, and the connector body 580. The guide 590 may help the fluid entering through the inlet 110 to form a spiral flow before passing through the impeller 600. In some embodiments, the guide 590 may be omitted.

[0059] The impeller 600 may be disposed on one side of the main valve body 530 and configured to be rotated by the fluid passing therethrough. The impeller 600 may be coupled to a shaft 680 such that as the impeller 600 rotates, the shaft 680 rotates as well. As previously mentioned, the rotation of the shaft 680 may drive the generator 480 disposed in the control space 250 to produce electricity.

[0060] The flow passage member 610 may be mounted in the central hole of the main valve body 530 and may have a hollow shape with a central hole 284. The flow passage member 610 may be mounted in the central hole of the main valve body 530 and may centrally connect the main valve body 530, the protective disc 540, and the main disc spring 550. The central hole 284 of the flow passage member 610 may have an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the shaft 680, and may serve as an auxiliary passage for the main valve body 530. More specifically, a plurality of flow grooves 282 may be formed at one end of the flow passage member 610, allowing the accommodating space 220 to communicate with the auxiliary passage 284. This structure prevents the auxiliary passage 284 from being blocked even when the protrusion 606 (see FIG. 10 ) of the impeller 600 comes into contact with the flow passage member 610. In some embodiments, a separate flow path member 610 may not be used, and in some embodiments, the flow path member 610 may be embodied in a form integrated with at least one of the main valve body 530, the protective disc 540, and the main disc spring 550.

[0061] The shaft 680 is coupled to the impeller 600 and can rotate together with the impeller 600 when the impeller 600 rotates, transmitting rotational force to the generator 480 to help the generator 480 generate electricity. Thus, the shaft 680 should be coupled to the impeller 600 in the valve space and to the generator 480 in the control space 250. In the example shown in FIG. 5 , the shaft 680 passes through the central hole 284 of the flow path member 610, the through-hole of the booster chamber body 560, and the through-hole 252 of the partition wall 520. The central hole 284 of the flow path member 610 does not need to be sealed because it is used as the auxiliary passage 6, but the through-hole of the booster chamber body 560 and the through-hole 252 of the partition wall 520 may require sealing. For this purpose, a sealing member such as an O-ring may be added to the portion where the shaft 680 passes through the booster chamber body 560 and to the contact portion between the partition wall 520 and the booster chamber body 560, and a portion of the booster chamber body 560 may be inserted into the through-hole 252 of the partition wall 520.

[0062] A bearing 562 for rotatably supporting the shaft 680 may be installed in the through hole of the booster chamber body 560, and a sealing member such as an O-ring may be installed on the other side of the bearing 562. A bearing 522 for rotatably supporting the shaft 680 may also be installed in the through hole 252 of the partition wall 520 of the housing 510. At one end of the shaft 680, a bearing 592 is provided in a guide 590 to rotatably support the shaft 680. If the guide 590 is omitted, the shaft 680 may be supported on the connector body 580 by a bearing, or may be configured to rotate freely without being supported by another component.

[0063] The method of operating the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly 500 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail below. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the fluid flow path when the control valve 570 in Fig. 5 is closed and when it is open. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the control valve 570 of the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly 500 shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the control valve shown in Fig. 7.

[0064] FIG. 6(a) shows the fluid flow path when the control valve 570 in the valve assembly 500 is closed, and FIG. 6(b) shows the fluid flow path when the control valve 570 in the valve assembly 500 is open.

[0065] Referring to FIG. 6(a), in which the control valve 570 completely closes the bypass passage 350, when the shock absorber 1000 is activated, fluid in the high-pressure chamber 10 enters the valve assembly 500 through the inlet 110. The fluid passes through the guide 590 and the impeller 600 disposed in the accommodation space 220, causing the shaft 680 to rotate, which in turn drives the generator 480 and charges the battery 410. After passing through the impeller 600, the fluid must pass through the inlet passage 260 formed in the main valve body 530, and therefore must have a pressure sufficient to open the main valve body 530.

[0066] That is, because the main disc spring 550 closes the inlet passage 260 and the booster chamber 300 is located on the other side of the main disc spring 550, fluid cannot pass unless the pressure in the booster chamber 300 is greater than the pressure in the booster chamber 300, which presses the main disc spring 550 toward the main valve body 530. Meanwhile, although the auxiliary passage 284 of the main valve body 530 also communicates with the accommodating space 220, fluid cannot enter the auxiliary passage 284 because the control valve 570 completely closes the bypass passage 350, creating a closed space with no outlet. Thus, when the control valve 570 is completely closed, high pressure builds up within the booster chamber 300, and the valve assembly 500 provides strong fluid resistance. This ultimately makes it difficult for the absorber rod 134 in the shock absorber 1000 to descend, providing a high damping force.

[0067] The fluid that flows into the booster chamber 300 after releasing the main disc spring 550 can be immediately discharged again through the outflow passage 360. The fluid that passes through the outflow passage 360 ​​can flow to the outflow port 130 through the gap 370 between the outer circumferential surface of the connector body 580 and the inner circumferential surface of the housing 510, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, and the fluid that flows out of the outflow port 130 can return to the low-pressure chamber of the shock absorber 100.

[0068] Referring to FIG. 6(b), in which the control valve 570 opens the bypass passage 350, fluid entering the valve assembly 500 through the inlet 110 passes through the guide 590 and the impeller 600 disposed in the accommodation space 220, causing the shaft 680 to rotate. The fluid passing through the impeller 600 can pass not only through the inlet passage 260 formed in the main valve body 530, but also through the auxiliary passage 284. That is, unlike FIG. 6(a), the control valve 570 at least partially opens the bypass passage 350, allowing the fluid in the booster chamber 300 to be discharged through the bypass passage 350, thereby forming a flow path and preventing stagnation of the fluid inside the booster chamber 300. The fluid flowing in through the auxiliary passage 284 can flow through the booster chamber 300 and the bypass passage 350, and then through the outlet passage 360 ​​to the outlet 130.

[0069] Meanwhile, because fluid does not stagnate within booster chamber 300, the pressure within booster chamber 300 can decrease according to the opening of control valve 570, and fluid flowing through inlet passage 260 of main valve body 530 can more easily release main disc spring 550 than when control valve 570 is closed. As a result, when control valve 570 is open, the pressure within booster chamber 300 can decrease according to its opening, and valve assembly 500 can provide relatively weak fluid resistance. Therefore, in shock absorber 1000, absorber rod 134 can descend relatively more easily, and shock absorber 1000 can provide relatively low damping force.

[0070] 7 shows the control valve 570 of the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly 500 shown in FIG. 5, with FIG. 7(a) showing the front of the control valve 570 and FIG. 7(b) showing the other side of the control valve 570.

[0071] 7, a control valve 570 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a valve rod 571, a lever 575, and a rotating plate 577. The control valve 570 may adjust the degree to which the bypass passage 350 is opened as the lever 575 is operated by the actuator 450.

[0072] The valve rod 571 can be attached to the booster chamber body 560 at a position facing the bypass passage 350. For example, in the example shown in Fig. 5, the booster chamber body 560 is formed with the bypass passage 350 and an insertion passage 340 that communicates with the bypass passage 350, and the valve rod 571 is inserted into the insertion passage 340. The valve rod 571 can completely close the bypass passage 350 or adjust the opening degree of the bypass passage 350 according to the operation of a lever 575.

[0073] According to this embodiment, the valve rod 571 may have a cylindrical shape extending in a direction parallel to the extension direction of the shaft 680. The valve rod 571 may be provided with a flange 573, which may be inserted into a groove formed in the housing 510 via an O-ring or the like. The flange 573 can fix the control valve 570 in a fixed position and allow rotation, which may help prevent fluid from leaking in undesirable positions.

[0074] The valve rod 571 may be formed with a valve passage 310 and a valve opening 320. The valve passage 310 may be formed along the longitudinal direction of the valve rod 571 and may communicate with the boost chamber 300 on one side, and the valve opening 320 may be formed such that the valve passage 310 opens to the outer circumferential surface of the valve rod 571 at a predetermined position.

[0075] A rotating plate 577 of a predetermined diameter may be provided on the other side of the valve rod 571, and a lever 575 may be formed on the rotating plate 577. A magnet 465 may be coupled to the lever 575 for interaction with the actuator 450. The rotating plate 577 allows the lever 575 to be positioned at a distance from the rotation axis of the valve rod 571. The size of the rotating plate 577 and the position of the lever 575 may be set differently depending on the degree to which the actuator 450 moves the lever 575 and the diameter of the valve rod 571.

[0076] FIG. 8 illustrates how the actuator 450 controls the control valve 570 shown in FIG. 7. In (a), (b), and (c) of FIG. 8, the upper diagram shows both the actuator 450 and the lever 575, and the lower diagram shows the relative position of the valve load 571 with respect to the bypass passage 350.

[0077] According to this embodiment, the actuator 450 may include a first coil 451, a second coil 452, a slide member 460, and a magnet 465. The slide member 460 may be a long, elongated member disposed to pass through the centers of the first coil 451 and the second coil 452, and may be configured to move along the longitudinal direction while being electrically insulated from the first coil 451 and the second coil 452 by insulators 453 and 454.

[0078] The first coil 451 may be a coil made of a conductive material wound around one side of the slide member 460. The first coil 451 is configured so that a current is applied to it, and the current applied to the first coil 451 is referred to as a first current. On the other hand, the second coil 452 may be a coil made of a conductive material wound around the other side of the slide member 460. The second coil 452 is also configured so that a current is applied to it, and the current applied to the second coil 452 is referred to as a second current.

[0079] Magnet 465 may be coupled to slide member 460 at a position between first coil 451 and second coil 452. Magnet 465 may be coupled to slide member 460 such that its north pole faces either first coil 451 or second coil 452 and its south pole faces the other of first coil 451 and second coil 452. Lever 575 of control valve 570 may be coupled to magnet 465 in a manner that allows slight movement in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of slide member 460, such that linear movement of slide member 460 can be transmitted to rotational movement of lever 575 and rotating plate 577.

[0080] 8, the magnet 465 coupled to the lever 575 of the control valve 570 may be disposed between the first coil 451 and the second coil 452, and may operate the lever 575 by moving between the first and second coils in response to a first current and a second current applied to the first coil 451 and the second coil 452. That is, when the actuator 450 applies a first current and a second current to the first coil 451 and the second coil 452 under the control of the control unit 400, the magnet 465 may move to a desired position due to the magnetic field formed in the first coil 451 and the second coil 452, and the direction of the valve opening 320 formed in the valve rod 571 may change depending on the position of the magnet 465 and the lever 575 coupled thereto, thereby changing the degree to which the control valve 570 is opened.

[0081] FIG. 8 shows an example in which the actuator 450 operates the lever 575 by applying a current between 0 and 2 amperes to each of the first coil 451 and the second coil 452. In the state shown in FIG. 8(a), the actuator 450 applies a current of 2 amperes to the first coil 451 and no current to the second coil 452 (i.e., a first current of 2 amperes and a second current of 0 amperes). As a result, the magnet 465 moves the lever 575 to the first position closest to the second coil 452, and the valve rod 571 rotates by a corresponding angle along the rotation axis within the insertion passage 340. The valve opening 320 formed in the valve rod 571 at this angle is not aligned with the bypass passage 350 and is blocked by the inner circumferential surface of the insertion passage 340 without overlapping at all. This state corresponds to a state in which the control valve 570 is completely closed, and the valve passage 310 does not communicate with the bypass passage 350, allowing the booster chamber 300 to maintain a high pressure.

[0082] In the state shown in FIG. 8(b), the actuator 450 applies a current of 2 amperes to both the first coil 451 and the second coil 452 (i.e., a first current of 2 amperes and a second current of 2 amperes). As a result, the lever 575 coupled to the magnet 465 moves to a position intermediate between the first coil 451 and the second coil 452, and the valve rod 571 rotates by a corresponding angle along the rotation axis within the insertion passage 340. At this angle, the valve opening 320 formed in the valve rod 571 partially overlaps with the bypass passage 350, so that approximately half of the area of ​​the valve opening 320 communicates with the bypass passage 350. This state corresponds to a partially open state of the control valve 570, allowing fluid to pass through the valve passage 310 and the bypass passage 350, and maintaining a relatively low pressure in the booster chamber 300. In the state shown in FIG. 8(b), the actuator 450 can apply currents of 1 ampere or different values ​​equally to the first and second coils 451 and 452, respectively, to achieve the same effect.

[0083] In the state shown in FIG. 8(c), the actuator 450 applies no current to the first coil 451 and applies a current of 2 amperes to the second coil 452 (i.e., applies a first current of 0 amperes and a second current of 2 amperes). As a result, the magnet 465 moves the lever 575 to the second position closest to the first coil 451, and the valve rod 571 rotates by a corresponding angle along the rotation axis within the insertion passage 340. At this angle, the valve opening 320 formed in the valve rod 571 is perfectly aligned with the bypass passage 350, and the overlapping area between the valve opening 320 and the bypass passage 350 is maximized. This state corresponds to a state in which the control valve 570 is fully open, allowing the booster chamber 300 to maintain the lowest possible pressure in the shock absorber 1000.

[0084] The actuator 450 does not need to simply apply a current of 0 or 2 amperes to the first and second coils 451, 452, but can apply any current value between 0 and 2 amperes, causing the first coil 451 and the second coil 452 to move the magnet 465 and the sliding member 460 accordingly. The opening of the control valve 570 is adjusted according to the applied first and second currents, thereby providing a kind of stepless variable valve.

[0085] Once the actuator 450 has moved the control valve 570 to a specific position as needed, there is no need to continue applying current to the first and second coils 451, 452. Once the control valve 570 is positioned in one of the positions shown in Figures 8(a), 8(b), and 8(c), or any of the countless positions between the first and second positions, the control valve 570 can maintain that position without the application of additional force. Of course, when the control valve 570 is partially open, some fluid pressure may be applied to the load valve 571, but the force applied is not sufficient to rotate the load valve 571.

[0086] Therefore, the actuator 450 uses power temporarily only when operating the control valve 570, and does not normally consume power. This means that the size of the generator 480 for generating electricity to drive the control unit 400 including the actuator 450 and the battery 410 for storing the generated electricity can be kept small, and the size of the entire valve assembly 500 can be kept small.

[0087] Figure 9 shows the guide 590 of the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly 500 shown in Figure 5, with Figure 9(a) being a cross-sectional view of the guide 590 seen from the front, and Figure 9(b) being an elevation view of the guide 590 seen from one side. As described above, the guide 590 can be disposed in the accommodating space 220 inside the connector body 580, and can cause the fluid that enters through the inlet 110 to form a spiral flow before passing through the impeller 600.

[0088] Referring to FIG. 9, the guide 590 may include a large disc portion 595 , a boss 596 , and an outer rim 597 .

[0089] The disc portion 595 may be formed in a disc shape having a size corresponding to the inner diameter of the connector body 580, and may have a plurality of circularly arranged guide holes 230. The guide holes 230 may have, for example, a semi-elliptical shape, and each guide hole 230 may be provided with a guide vane 598 that is open in one direction along the circumferential direction.

[0090] As shown in the figure, the guide vane 598 protrudes from the straight portion of the semi-elliptical guide hole 230 to open, and as the degree of protrusion decreases at the arc portion, the fluid passing through the guide 590 enters the straight portion of the guide hole 230 and flows in the direction of the arc portion. That is, in FIG. 9(b), the fluid entering the guide 590 forms a spiral flow rotating counterclockwise due to the configuration of the guide hole 230 and the guide vane 598. As in the example shown in FIG. 5, the guide hole 230 and the guide vane 598 may be formed at a position corresponding to the impeller hole 240 (see FIG. 11) of the impeller 600, and the impeller hole 240 may be formed at a position corresponding to the inlet passage 260 of the main valve body 530.

[0091] The boss 596 may be embodied as a cylindrical tube protruding from the center of one side of the disc portion 595. A bearing 592 supporting one end of the shaft 680 may be attached to the through hole 232 inside the disc portion 595. Unlike the impeller 600, the guide 590 is not a rotating member, and therefore can stably support the shaft 680 at its end.

[0092] The outer rim 597 may be embodied in the form of a rim protruding from the outer periphery of the other side of the disc portion 595. When the guide 590 is coupled to the main valve body 530, the outer rim 597 protrudes to a length greater than the thickness of the impeller 600, thereby securing a space for the impeller 600 between the disc portion 595 and the main valve body 530. In a preferred embodiment, the outer periphery of the outer rim 597 is in close contact with the inner periphery of the connector body 580, so that fluid passing through the guide 590 flows mainly through the guide hole 230 of the disc portion 595. A sealing member such as an O-ring may be provided at a contact portion between the outer rim 597 and the main valve body 530 and / or the connector body 580, as shown in FIG. 5 .

[0093] Figure 10 is a diagram showing the impeller 600 of the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly 500 shown in Figure 5, where (a) of Figure 10 is an elevation view of the impeller 600 seen from one side, (b) of Figure 10 is an elevation view of the impeller 600 seen from below, and (c) of Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the impeller 600 seen from the front. As described above, the impeller 600 is rotated by the fluid passing through it, and can serve to rotate the shaft 680 and drive the generator 480.

[0094] Referring to FIG. 10, the impeller 600 can include a large disk portion 605 and a plurality of impeller vanes 608 formed on the outer periphery thereof.

[0095] The disc portion 605 of the impeller 600 may serve to fix the impeller vanes 608 in a required position. A protrusion 606 may protrude from the center of the other side of the disc portion 605. The protrusion 606 may contact the flow path member 610 and / or the main valve body 530 to prevent the impeller 600 from moving out of position. The protrusion 606 may maintain a small gap between the disc portion 605 and the flow path member 610 and / or the main valve body 530, allowing some fluid to enter the auxiliary passage 284 as needed through this gap. A through-hole 242 may be formed in the center of the disc portion 605 for coupling a shaft 680. The shaft 680 inserted into the through-hole 242 may be firmly fixed so as to fully transmit the rotational force of the impeller 600. It goes without saying that the impeller 600 may be firmly fixed to the shaft 680 by a method other than using the through-hole 242.

[0096] The plurality of impeller vanes 608 may be formed at an inclination on the outer periphery of the disc portion 605, and an impeller hole 240 may be formed between each adjacent impeller vane 608. As the fluid passes through the impeller holes 240, it pressurizes the impeller vanes 608, causing the impeller 600 and the shaft 680 to rotate.

[0097] The impeller vanes 608 and the impeller holes 240 may be formed at positions corresponding to the positions of the guide holes 230 of the guide 590. As a result, the fluid that passes through the guide holes 230 can immediately pass through the impeller holes 240. The inclination direction and angle of the impeller vanes 608 may be designed in consideration of the shapes of the guide holes 230 and the guide vanes 598. Meanwhile, the impeller vanes 608 and the impeller holes 240 may also be formed at positions corresponding to the inlet passages 260 of the main valve body 530. As a result, most of the fluid that passes through the impeller holes 240 can pass through the inlet passages 260.

[0098] As described above, the length by which the outer rim 597 of the guide 590 protrudes to the other side may be greater than the overall thickness of the protruding portion 606 and the impeller vanes 608 of the impeller 600, so that the impeller 600 can be positioned between the disk portion 595 of the guide 590 and the main valve body 530. In particular, by preventing portions of the impeller 600 other than the protruding portion 606 from contacting the main valve body 530, frictional forces that inhibit the rotation of the impeller 600 can be minimized, and the flow path between the impeller hole 240 and the auxiliary passage 284 can be prevented from being blocked.

[0099] Figure 11 shows the protective disc 540 and main disc spring 550 of the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly 500 shown in Figure 5, with Figure 11(a) being an elevation view of the protective disc 540 seen from one side, and Figure 11(b) being a cross-sectional view of the protective disc 540 seen from the front. Figure 11(c) is a cross-sectional view showing the protective disc 540 and the main disc spring 550 together, and Figure 11(d) being a cross-sectional view showing the main disc spring 550 being released.

[0100] As described above, when the shock absorber 1000 is used, fluid can open the main disc spring 550 and pass through the inlet passage 260 of the main valve body 530. However, because the main valve body 530 is made of a material such as plastic for ease of manufacturing and assembly, the main disc spring 550 may repeatedly open and close with a large force, causing the other side (seat surface) of the main valve body 530 to become entangled. This prevents the main disc spring 550 from sealing the inlet passage 260 watertight, potentially degrading the performance of the valve assembly 500 as well as the shock absorber 1000.

[0101] To solve this problem, the valve assembly 500 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a protective disc 540 between the main valve body 530 and the main disc spring 550. The protective disc 540 may be made of a material having a higher strength than the main valve body 530 and may be attached to the other side (seat surface) of the main valve body 530. Even though the protective disc 540 is made of a material with high strength, its thickness is not large, so the difficulty of attaching the flow path member 610, etc. does not increase significantly.

[0102] 11(a) and 11(b), the protective disk 540 has a small disk shape, and may have a central hole 292 formed in the center and a plurality of windows 290 formed around the periphery. The central hole 292 of the protective disk 540 may be formed at a position corresponding to the same size as the central hole of the main valve body 530, and the windows 290 may be formed at a position communicating with the inlet passage 260 of the main valve body 530.

[0103] 11(c) and 11(d), the main disc spring 550 may be coupled to the other side of the protective disc 540, and the central hole 302 of the main disc spring 550 may be aligned with the central hole 292 of the protective disc 540. The main disc spring 550 may cover the inlet passage 260 by covering the window 290 of the protective disc 540.

[0104] The protective disc 540 and the main disc spring 550 can be engaged with each other by the flow passage member 610 inserted into their central holes 292, 302. Therefore, when the main disc spring 550 is released by fluid, the central portion of the main disc spring 550 can be released by lifting up the outer periphery while remaining fixed. At this time, the protective disc 540 can maintain a state of being coupled to the main valve body 530 and protect the other surface of the main valve body 530 from wear.

[0105] Meanwhile, the main disc spring 550 may be provided with a sealing rim 552 on the other side. The sealing rim 552 protrudes toward the booster chamber body 560 and has an outer diameter that increases toward the other side, so that it can be configured to always be in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the booster chamber body 560. Therefore, even if the main disc spring 550, which has been closing the inlet passage 260, is lifted by the flowing fluid, the sealing rim 552 of the main disc spring 550 can prevent the back pressure chamber 300 from communicating with the inlet passage 260 and / or the outlet passage 360, thereby preventing the loss of fluid in the booster chamber 300 and an unintended decrease in pressure in the booster chamber 300.

[0106] The sealing rim 552 of the main disc spring 550 or the entire main disc spring 550 can be formed of a ductile material to provide a high sealing force. For example, in one preferred embodiment, the entire main disc spring 550 can be formed by molding using a material such as rubber.

[0107] In the example shown in FIGS. 2 to 11 , an auxiliary passage is formed in the center of the main valve body 530, an outlet passage 360 ​​is formed around the periphery, an inlet passage 260 is formed therebetween, and the main disc spring 550 is shown covering the inlet passage 260 of the main valve body 530. Here, fluid passing through the inlet 110 rotates the impeller 600 before entering the inlet passage 260. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the positions of the inlet passage 260, the auxiliary passage, and the outlet passage 360 ​​may be variously set depending on the embodiment. Furthermore, the impeller 600 does not necessarily have to rotate before the fluid enters the booster chamber 300; in some embodiments, the impeller 600 can be rotated before the fluid exits the outlet 130 (for example, the space outside the connector tube 585 can serve as the inlet, and the connector passage 212 inside the connector tube 585 can serve as the outlet). Of course, the configurations of the main valve body 530, the protective disc 540, and the main disc spring 550 can be modified for this purpose.

[0108] The following describes in more detail a valve assembly 800 with a built-in generator and variable damping force according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The valve assembly 800 with a built-in generator and variable damping force according to the second embodiment of the present invention has many features in common with the valve assembly 500 according to the first embodiment described above, and the following description will focus on the differences between the valve assembly 800 according to the second embodiment. Features described in relation to the first embodiment can be applied to the second embodiment, and similarly, features described in relation to the second embodiment can be applied to the first embodiment. Some reference numbers used in describing the second embodiment refer to components corresponding to those in the first embodiment to which those reference numbers are applied.

[0109] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly 800 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13 is a view showing a connector body 780 of the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly 800 shown in FIG.

[0110] 12 and 13, the valve assembly 800 according to this embodiment may broadly include a control unit 400, a piezoelectric element stack 485, a housing 510, a main valve body 530, a protective disc 540, a main disc spring 550, a booster chamber body 560, a control valve 570, a flow path member 610, a shaft 680, a piston 700, and a connector body 780.

[0111] Whereas the valve assembly 500 according to the first embodiment described above uses a combination of an impeller 600 and a generator 480, the valve assembly 800 according to the second embodiment of the present invention can use a combination of a piston 700 and a piezoelectric element stack 485.

[0112] Like the generator 480 of the first embodiment described above, the piezoelectric element stack 485 can provide power to the control unit 400, and specifically, can charge the battery 410 of the control unit 400. The piezoelectric element stack 485 can include one or more piezoelectric elements and can generate electricity from the biasing force of the shaft 680 using the property of the piezoelectric element that generates electricity when physical deformation is applied. The piezoelectric element stack 485 can be attached to a pressure applying unit 710, and the pressure applying unit 710 can be configured to apply pressure to the piezoelectric element stack 485 when the shaft 680 moves to the other side. When the shaft 680 applies pressure to the pressure applying unit 710, the piezoelectric element stack 485 generates a current, which can be provided to the battery 410 through the electric wire 487.

[0113] Because a biasing force, rather than a rotational force, is required to drive the piezoelectric element stack 485, in this embodiment, a piston 700 may be used instead of the impeller 600 of the previous embodiment, and there may be some differences between the shaft 680 and the connector body 780. In addition, because the piston 700 does not require the fluid flowing therein to form a spiral flow, the guide 590 may be omitted.

[0114] 13, connector body 780 is coupled to one side of main valve body 530, and connector pipe 585 is positioned at the opening of housing 510 to divide the opening into inlet 110 and outlet 130. Accommodating space 220 defined inside connector body 780 may be divided into a first inner diameter portion 581 having a first inner diameter based on first step jaw 583, and a second inner diameter portion 582 having a second inner diameter larger than the first inner diameter. Connector body 780 may also have a second step jaw 584 formed between connector passage 212 positioned inside connector pipe 585 and accommodating space 220.

[0115] In this embodiment, the guide 590 is omitted, and the bearing 592 for supporting one end of the shaft 680 cannot be supported by the guide 590. Instead, the bearing 592 may be supported in the connector passage 212 of the connector body 780. To prevent the bearing 592 from blocking the flow of fluid through the connector passage 212, one or more flow grooves 214 may be formed in the connector tube 585 and the second step jaw 584 of the connector body 780. The flow grooves 214 may be deeper toward the receiving space and may be deeper on one side than the other side. In some embodiments, the bearing 592 may be omitted, and one end of the shaft 680 may be unsupported or supported in another manner. In this case, the inner diameter of the connector passage 212 itself may be embodied in a manner that increases toward the other side.

[0116] An annular groove 587 may be formed on one side of the connector tube 585, into which a sealing member such as an O-ring may be inserted to seal the contact between the connector body 780 and the intermediate tube 116 of the shock absorber 1000. Similarly, an annular groove 589 may be formed on the other side of the connector body 780, into which a sealing member such as an O-ring may be inserted to seal the contact between the connector body 780 and the main valve body 530.

[0117] 12 , the piston 700 can be positioned within the receiving space 220 while being coupled to the shaft 680. The piston 700 can have an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter (i.e., second inner diameter) of the second inner diameter portion 582 of the connector body 780, and can be positioned adjacent to the first step jaw 583. In the example shown in FIG. 12 , the piston 700 has an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter (i.e., first inner diameter) of the first inner diameter portion 581 of the connector body 780, and is positioned inside the first inner diameter portion 581. The piston 700 can be configured to be pushed by the flow and move toward the other side when a fluid enters.

[0118] The shaft 680 may include a resilient member 730 disposed on one side of the piston 700. The resilient member 730 may support the piston 700 so that the piston 700 does not contact the second step jaw 584.

[0119] When fluid flows in through the inlet 110, the fluid pressurizes the piston 700, causing the piston 700 and the shaft 680 coupled thereto to move to the other side, and the shaft 680 pressurizes the pressure member 710, causing the piezoelectric element stack 485 to generate electricity. Because the flow groove 214 of the connector body 780 increases in depth on the receiving space 220 side, the inner diameter of the connector passage 212 increases, and the elastic member 730 supports the piston 700 at a position spaced apart from the second step jaw 584, the fluid can come into contact with the piston 700 over a wide area, and the pressure of the fluid can be effectively transmitted to the piston 700 and the shaft 680.

[0120] When fluid pressurizes piston 700, piston 700 is pushed to the other side, disengaging from first inner diameter 581 of connector body 780 and repositioning inside second inner diameter 582. Because the outer diameter of piston 700 is smaller than the inner diameter (i.e., second inner diameter) of second inner diameter 582, fluid can flow into the gap between piston 700 and second inner diameter 582 and can flow through a path similar to that shown in FIG.

[0121] A return disc spring 720 may be provided at the other end of shaft 680. A portion of return disc spring 720 may be coupled to shaft 680 and / or pressure member 710, and another portion may be coupled to housing 510 or another component coupled to housing 510. When fluid pressurizes piston 700 and pushes piston 700 to the other side, return disc spring 720 undergoes slight elastic deformation and can absorb a small amount of the applied force. Thereafter, when the fluid no longer enters pressurizing piston 700, pressure is no longer applied to piston 700, and return disc spring 720 can again push shaft 680 to one side, causing piston 700 to return to its original position inside first inner diameter portion 581.

[0122] Meanwhile, a stopper member 790 may be further provided on the other side of the pressure applying portion 710. If fluid flows at an extremely high flow rate and applies a large pressure to the piston 700, the pressure may act as a force that may damage the piston 700 and / or the piezoelectric element stack 485. Therefore, when the flow pressure of the fluid flowing into the inlet 110 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the return disc spring 720 deforms, causing the pressure applying portion 710 and / or the shaft 680 to come into contact with the stopper member 790. As a result, the stopper member 790 can apply a resistance force to the shaft 680 that offsets the fluid pressure. The stopper member 790 may be formed of a material that is elastically deformable or has high strength. The stopper member 790 does not necessarily need to be located within the control space 250. For example, the stopper member 790 may be disposed between the piston 700 and the main valve body 530 and apply a resistance force to the piston 700.

[0123] In the above, a case has been described in which the accommodating space 220 of the connector body 780 in which the piston 700 is located is connected to the inlet 110 through which the fluid enters the valve assembly 800, and the piston 700 is operated by the inflowing fluid, but as mentioned above, the accommodating space 220 may be connected to the outlet, and the piston 700 may be operated by the outflowing fluid. In this case, the positions of the first inner diameter portion 581 and the second inner diameter portion 582 that define the accommodating space 220 may be changed.

[0124] The following describes in more detail a valve assembly 900 with a built-in generator and variable damping force according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The valve assembly 900 with a built-in generator and variable damping force according to the third embodiment of the present invention has many features in common with the valve assemblies 500 and 800 according to the first and second embodiments described above. The following description will focus on the differences between the valve assembly 900 according to the third embodiment. Features described with respect to the first and second embodiments can also be applied to the third embodiment, and similarly, features described with respect to the third embodiment can also be applied to the first and second embodiments. Some reference numbers used in describing the third embodiment refer to components corresponding to those in the first and / or second embodiments to which those reference numbers are applied.

[0125] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly 900 according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0126] Referring to FIG. 14, the valve assembly 900 according to this embodiment may broadly include a control unit 400, a generator 480, a housing 510, a main valve body 530, a protective disc 540, a main disc spring 550, a booster chamber body 560, an impeller 600, a flow path member 610, a shaft 680, a control valve 870, and a connector body 880.

[0127] The connector body 880 of this embodiment is connected to one side of the main valve body 530, and the connector tube 585 is located at the opening of the housing 510, dividing the opening into an inlet 110 and an outlet 130. The accommodating space 220 defined inside the connector body 880 can be divided into a first inner diameter portion 581 having a first inner diameter based on the step jaw 583, and a second inner diameter portion 582 having a second inner diameter larger than the first inner diameter.

[0128] The impeller 600 may be positioned within the accommodating space 220 while coupled to the shaft 680. The impeller 600 may have an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter (i.e., the first inner diameter) of the first inner diameter portion 581 of the connector body 880 and may be positioned adjacent to the stepped jaw 583. When the fluid does not exceed a predetermined threshold, the impeller 600 may be positioned adjacent to the stepped jaw 583, and the fluid that reaches the impeller 600 can flow only through the impeller holes 240 of the impeller 600. A plurality of flow grooves 216 may be formed in the stepped jaw 583 of the connector body 880 so that the fluid that reaches the accommodating space 220 can easily reach the impeller holes 240.

[0129] Valve assembly 900 may further include an elastic member 740 that elastically supports shaft 680 so that shaft 680 is movable along the extension direction thereof relative to housing 510. Elastic member 740 may be provided in the form of, for example, a disk spring or other elastically deformable form, and may be coupled to shaft 680 by bearing 750.

[0130] If the fluid enters the impeller 600 at an extremely high flow rate, the pressure may act as a force that could damage the impeller 600 and cause the generator 480 to rotate at an excessively high speed. Because the generator 480 can stably generate electricity and maintain a long lifespan when driven at speeds within its design range, it is undesirable for the impeller 600 and the shaft 680 coupled thereto to rotate at an excessively high speed.

[0131] Therefore, when the flow pressure of the fluid flowing into the inlet 110 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the elastic member 740 may be deformed to move the impeller 600, the shaft 680, and the generator 480 a predetermined distance toward the other side. In another embodiment (not shown), the impeller 600 and the shaft 680 may move toward the other side, and the generator 480 may maintain that position.

[0132] When pressure exceeding a threshold is applied to the impeller 600, the impeller 600 can move to the other side due to the fluid pressure, and the impeller 600 can be separated from the step jaw 583 of the connector body 880. Consequently, the fluid reaching the impeller 600 can flow through the impeller hole 240, and in addition, a portion of the total flow rate can flow through the gap between the outer circumferential surface of the impeller 600 and the step jaw 583. As a portion of the fluid flows around the impeller 600, the fluid does not cause the impeller 600 to rotate at an excessively high speed. Then, when the fluid pressure decreases again, the elastic member 740 can return the impeller 600, the shaft 680, and the generator 480 (or the impeller 600 and the shaft 680) to their original positions.

[0133] When the guide 590 is omitted as in this embodiment, the bearing 592 supported by the guide 590 cannot be used, and therefore a bearing 612 for supporting the shaft 680 can be attached to the central hole 284 of the flow path member 610. To prevent the central hole 284 of the flow path member 610, which functions as an auxiliary passage of the main valve body 530, from being blocked by the bearing 612, one or more flow grooves 286 can be formed in the flow path member 610. The flow grooves 286 connect the accommodating space 220 and the central hole 284 of the flow path member 610, allowing the central hole 284 to function as an auxiliary passage.

[0134] The valve assembly 900 according to this embodiment may include a modified control valve 870. The operation of the control valve 870 will be described in more detail below with reference to Figures 14 and 15. Figure 15 is a diagram illustrating how the actuator 450 controls the control valve 870 shown in Figure 14.

[0135] Similar to the previous embodiment, the actuator 450 of this embodiment can include a first coil 451, a second coil 452, a sliding member, and a magnet 465, and the sliding member is integrated with the valve rod 572 of the control valve 870. That is, the valve rod 572 also serves as the sliding member. This can also be considered as being part sliding member and part valve rod 572, all in the same member.

[0136] The magnet 465 may be disposed between the first coil 451 and the second coil 452. In response to the control of the control unit 400, the actuator 450 applies a first current and a second current to the first coil 451 and the second coil 452, thereby controlling the position of the magnet 465 and manipulating the position of the valve rod 572.

[0137] The control valve 870 of the valve assembly 900 according to this embodiment may include a valve rod 572, and the degree to which the bypass passage 350 is opened can be adjusted as the position of the magnet 465 coupled to the valve rod 572 is manipulated by the actuator 450.

[0138] The valve rod 572 can be attached to the booster chamber body 560 at a position facing the bypass passage 350. For example, in the example shown in Fig. 14, the booster chamber body 560 is formed with an insertion passage 340 that communicates with and extends in a direction intersecting the bypass passage 350, and the valve rod 572 can move longitudinally within the insertion passage 340 by operating a lever 575. According to this embodiment, the valve rod 572 can have a cylindrical shape extending in a direction parallel to the extension direction of the shaft 680, and can have an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the insertion passage 340. The valve rod 572 can be inserted into the insertion passage 340 and coupled to be movable along the extension direction of the insertion passage 340.

[0139] An air passage 332 may be formed inside the valve rod 572 so that the valve rod 572 can easily move within the insertion passage 340. The air passage 332 may pass through the valve rod 572 along the longitudinal direction. Even when the valve rod 572 is inserted into the narrow insertion passage 340, the air passage 332 can create the same pressure on one side and the other side of the valve rod 572, allowing the valve rod 572 to easily move along the extension direction of the insertion passage 340 without any significant air resistance.

[0140] A valve opening passage 330 may be formed at a predetermined position of the valve rod 572. The valve opening passage 330 may be formed to allow air to flow along the extension direction of the bypass passage 350. The valve opening passage 330 may be embodied as an annular groove formed on the outer circumferential surface of the valve rod 572, so that the valve opening passage 330 is separated from the air passage 332 formed at the center of the valve rod 572. Of course, if the air passage 332 is not formed at the center of the valve rod 572 or if the air passage 332 is omitted, the valve opening passage 330 may be formed to pass through the center of the valve rod 572. As with FIG. 15 , the valve opening passage 330 may be embodied as a plurality of annular grooves.

[0141] FIG. 15 shows an example in which the actuator 450 operates the lever 575 by applying a current between 0 and 2 amperes to each of the first coil 451 and the second coil 452. In the state shown in FIG. 15(a), the actuator 450 applies a current of 2 amperes to the first coil 451 and no current to the second coil 452 (i.e., a first current of 2 amperes is applied and a second current of 0 amperes is applied). As a result, the magnet 465 moves to a first position closest to the second coil 452, and the valve rod 572 moves to a corresponding position within the insertion passage 340. At this position, the valve opening passage 330 formed in the valve rod 572 may not be aligned with the bypass passage 350 and may be blocked by the inner circumferential surface of the insertion passage 340 without overlapping at all. This state corresponds to a state in which the control valve 870 is completely closed, and the valve opening passage 330 does not communicate with the bypass passage 350, allowing the booster chamber 300 to maintain a high pressure.

[0142] 15(b), the actuator 450 applies a current of 2 amperes to both the first coil 451 and the second coil 452 (i.e., a first current of 2 amperes and a second current of 2 amperes). As a result, the magnet 465 moves to an intermediate position between the first coil 451 and the second coil 452, and the valve rod 572 moves to a corresponding position within the insertion passage 340. In this position, a portion of the valve opening passage 330 formed in the valve rod 572 is positioned adjacent to the bypass passage 350, and approximately half of the valve opening passage 330 communicates with the bypass passage 350. This state corresponds to a partially open state of the control valve 570, allowing fluid to pass through the valve opening passage 330 and the bypass passage 350, and maintaining a relatively low pressure in the booster chamber 300. In the state shown in FIG. 15(b), the actuator 450 can achieve the same effect by equally applying currents of 1 ampere or different values ​​to the first and second coils 451 and 452, respectively.

[0143] In the state shown in FIG. 15(c), the actuator 450 applies no current to the first coil 451 and applies a current of 2 amperes to the second coil 452 (i.e., applies a first current of 0 amperes and a second current of 2 amperes). As a result, the magnet 465 moves to the second position closest to the first coil 451, and the valve rod 572 moves to a corresponding position within the insertion passage 340. In this position, all of the valve opening passages 330 formed in the valve rod 572 are perfectly aligned with the bypass passages 350, and the overlapping area between the valve opening passages 330 and the bypass passages 350 is maximized. This state corresponds to a state in which the control valve 570 is fully open, allowing the booster chamber 300 to maintain the lowest possible pressure in the shock absorber 1000.

[0144] As in the first embodiment described above, the actuator 450 does not need to simply apply a current of 0 or 2 amperes to the first and second coils 451, 452, but can apply any current value between 0 and 2 amperes, and the first coil 451 and the second coil 452 can move the magnet 465 and the sliding member (valve rod 572) accordingly. The opening degree of the control valve 870 can be adjusted according to the applied current, and the number of stages can be adjusted more finely according to the number of valve opening passages 330 formed in the valve rod 572.

[0145] After the actuator 450 has moved the control valve 570 to a specific position, there is no need to continue applying current to the first and second coils 451, 452. Even when the control valve 870 is partially open, the direction of fluid flow intersects the extension direction of the valve rod 572, so no force is applied in a direction that could move the valve rod 572.

[0146] The variable damping force valve assembly 500, 800, 900 with built-in generator according to an embodiment of the present invention communicates with the outside through wireless communication, does not continuously consume power for its operation, and can charge the battery 410 using the fluid movement itself obtained when the shock absorber 1000 is used. As a result, the valve assembly 500, 800, 900 and the shock absorber 1000 equipped with the same occupy a very small volume and do not need to be connected to a vehicle control unit or sensors at various positions on the vehicle, making installation very easy.

[0147] Furthermore, in the prior art, after a portion of the valve assembly 40 has been welded to the side of the shock absorber, the remaining parts must be assembled and installed, but in one embodiment of the present invention, due to the small size of the valve assemblies 500, 800, 900, the assembly of the valve assemblies 500, 800, 900 can be performed first, and then the assembled valve assemblies 500, 800, 900 can be connected to a predetermined position on the shock absorber 1000. This means that the manufacturing and assembly of the shock absorber 1000 can be more easily automated, which improves production yield and reduces the defect rate.

[0148] Meanwhile, the variable damping force valve assembly 500, 800, 900 with built-in generator according to an embodiment of the present invention can prevent excessive force from being applied to the generator 480 or the piezoelectric element stack 485, increase the durability of the main valve body 530, and improve the sealing performance of the booster chamber 300. As a result, the lifespan of the valve assembly 500, 800, 900 and the shock absorber 1000 equipped with the same can be extended, and maintenance costs can be reduced.

[0149] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to one embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations of the present invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. 1. A valve assembly for mounting on a shock absorber, comprising: a housing that defines a valve space and a control space therein, includes a partition wall that separates the valve space from the control space, and is configured so that the valve space is open to one side through an opening; a main valve body disposed in the valve space so as to define a booster chamber on the other side of the valve space, the main valve body having an inlet passage communicating with the booster chamber and an outlet passage formed therein; a main disc spring configured to be elastically deformable, arranged to cover the inlet passage, and configured to be elastically deformed by a pressure difference between the inlet passage and the booster chamber to open the inlet passage; a booster chamber body disposed between the main valve body and the partition wall, the booster chamber body having a bypass passage communicating with the booster chamber; a control valve coupled to the booster chamber body and controlling the opening degree of the bypass passage; a connector body coupled to one side of the main valve body, a portion of which is positioned in the opening to divide the opening into an inlet and an outlet, the inlet passage communicating with the inlet, and the outlet passage communicating with the outlet; an impeller disposed on one side of the main valve body and configured to be rotated by fluid passing therethrough; a shaft connected at one end to the impeller and disposed to pass through a central hole formed in the main valve body and a through-hole formed in the partition wall; a generator disposed within the control volume and coupled to the other side of the shaft, the generator configured to generate electricity through rotation of the impeller; a control unit including an actuator for operating the control valve; The control unit is a variable damping force valve assembly with a built-in generator, which is driven by power generated by the generator or power from a battery configured to be charged by the generator.

2. a guide disposed on one side of the impeller, coupled to at least one of the housing, the main valve body, and the connector body, and configured to cause a spiral flow of fluid flowing through the inlet; 2. The generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the impeller is disposed inside the connector body, and the fluid flowing in through the inlet passes through the guide and then the impeller, causing the impeller to rotate.

3. 3. The generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to claim 2, wherein one end of the shaft is supported by a bearing attached to the guide.

4. a protective disk coupled to the other side of the main valve body between the main valve body and the main disc spring, the protective disk having a window formed therein and communicating with the inlet passage; 2. The generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the main disc spring is configured to cover the inlet passage by covering the window.

5. A sealing rim is formed on the other side of the main disc spring, protruding toward the booster chamber body.

2. The generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sealing rim maintains contact with the booster chamber body even when the main disc spring opens the inlet passage.

6. 2. The generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of the center hole of the main valve body is larger than the outer diameter of the shaft.

7. The actuator is an elongated slide member; a first coil wound around the slide member on one side of the slide member and configured to have a first current applied thereto; a second coil wound around the slide member on the other side thereof, the second coil configured to have a second current applied thereto; a magnet coupled to the slide member at a position between the first coil and the second coil, the magnet being coupled such that its north pole faces one of the first coil and the second coil and its south pole faces the other of the first coil and the second coil; the control valve is configured to completely close the bypass passage when the magnet is in a first position, to completely open the bypass passage when the magnet is in a second position, and to partially open the bypass passage when the magnet is between the first position and the second position; 2. The generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein the control unit operates the control valve by controlling the first current and the second current applied to the first coil and the second coil, respectively.

8. The control valve is a lever coupled to the magnet; a control valve passage communicating with the booster chamber is formed, and the valve rod has a hollow cylindrical shape; 8. The generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly of claim 7, wherein a valve opening communicating with the control valve passage is formed at a predetermined position on an outer peripheral surface of the valve rod, the valve rod is rotatably connected to at least one of the housing and the booster chamber body about a rotation axis, the lever is formed at a position spaced apart from the rotation axis, the valve rod rotates about the rotation axis as the magnet moves, and an overlapping area between the valve opening and the bypass passage is largest when the magnet is at the second position.

9. The booster chamber body has an insertion passage formed therein, the insertion passage extending in a direction intersecting the bypass passage, the control valve further includes a valve rod having an outer diameter corresponding to an inner diameter of the insertion passage, inserted into the insertion passage, coupled to the slide member and movable along an extension direction of the insertion passage, and integrated with the slide member; 8. The generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to claim 7, wherein a valve opening passage is formed at a predetermined position of the valve rod, and as the magnet moves, the valve rod moves together within the insertion passage, and when the magnet is at the second position, the overlapping area between the insertion passage and the bypass passage is largest.

10. 10. The generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to claim 9, wherein the valve opening passage is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the valve rod, and an air passage is formed inside the valve rod and passes through the valve rod along the longitudinal direction of the valve rod, and the air passage does not communicate with the valve opening passage.

11. The shaft further includes an elastic member that elastically supports the shaft so that the shaft is movable relative to the housing along an extension direction of the shaft, 2. The generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein when the flow pressure of the fluid flowing into the inlet exceeds a predetermined threshold, the elastic member elastically deforms, causing the shaft to move to the other side.

12. The inside of the connector body is divided into a first inner diameter portion having a first inner diameter based on the step jaw and a second inner diameter portion having a second inner diameter larger than the first inner diameter, the impeller has an outer diameter smaller than the second inner diameter; 12. The generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein the impeller is positioned adjacent to the step jaw when the degree of elastic deformation of the elastic member does not exceed a predetermined threshold, and the impeller is positioned away from the step jaw when the degree of elastic deformation of the elastic member exceeds a predetermined threshold.

13. 1. A valve assembly for mounting on a shock absorber, comprising: a housing that defines a valve space and a control space therein, includes a partition wall that separates the valve space from the control space, and is configured so that the valve space is open to one side through an opening; a main valve body disposed in the valve space so as to define a booster chamber on the other side of the valve space, the main valve body having an inlet passage communicating with the booster chamber and an outlet passage formed therein; a main disc spring configured to be elastically deformable, arranged to cover the inlet passage, and configured to be elastically deformed by a pressure difference between the inlet passage and the booster chamber to open the inlet passage; a booster chamber body disposed between the main valve body and the partition wall, the booster chamber body having a bypass passage communicating with the booster chamber; a control valve coupled to the booster chamber body and controlling the opening degree of the bypass passage; a connector body coupled to one side of the main valve body, a portion of which is located in the opening to divide the opening into an inlet and an outlet, the inlet passage communicating with the inlet and the outlet passage communicating with the outlet, and an accommodating space defined therein being divided into a first inner diameter portion having a first inner diameter based on a first step jaw and a second inner diameter portion having a second inner diameter larger than the first inner diameter; a piston having an outer diameter smaller than the second inner diameter, disposed adjacent to the first step jaw of the connector body, and configured to be moved along a straight line by fluid passing therethrough; a shaft connected at one end to the piston and disposed to pass through a central hole formed in the main valve body and a through-hole formed in the partition wall; a piezoelectric element stack disposed within the control volume, disposed on the other side of the shaft, and configured to generate electricity when pressurized by linear movement of the piston; a control unit including an actuator for operating the control valve, The control unit is a variable damping force valve assembly with a built-in generator, driven by power generated by the piezoelectric element stack or power from a battery configured to be charged by the piezoelectric element stack.

14. the connector body includes a connector tube defining a connector passage therein, the connector tube being inserted into an opening in the housing; 14. The generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to claim 13, wherein one of the inlet and the outlet is formed by the connector passage, and the other of the inlet and the outlet is formed by the distance between the outer peripheral surface of the connector pipe and the opening.

15. The inside of the connector body is divided into the receiving space and the connector passage based on the second step jaw, the piston has an outer diameter corresponding to the first inner diameter; 15. The generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to claim 14, wherein the shaft includes an elastic member that supports the piston so that the piston does not come into contact with the second step jaw.

16. 15. The generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to claim 14, wherein an inner diameter of the connector passage at the other side of the connector passage increases toward the other side.

17. 15. The generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to claim 14, wherein a bearing configured to support one end of the shaft is mounted in the connector passage.

18. Further comprising a stopper member for limiting movement of the shaft.

14. The generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to claim 13, wherein the stopper member applies a resistive force to at least one of the piston and the shaft when the flow pressure of the fluid flowing into the inlet exceeds a predetermined threshold.

19. A digitally controlled shock absorber including the generator-integrated variable damping force valve assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

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