Hydraulic Compression Stop With Progressive Window Closure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hydraulic compression stop arrangements in damper assemblies limit piston stroke length by occupying valuable space and do not efficiently manage damping forces across the operating range, leading to reduced vehicle suspension effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A damper assembly with a hydraulic compression stop (HCS) assembly that includes a spring guide and a closure member to progressively cover an HCS window, allowing adjustable fluid flow restriction based on piston position, thereby optimizing damping forces without reducing piston stroke length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional hydraulic compression stop arrangements are used, then damping force is generated in the compression stroke, but piston stroke length is limited due to space occupation
Solution Approach 1:
The HCS assembly is disposed at least partially within the compression chamber, nesting the damping mechanism inside the existing damper structure. The closure member is movable within the compression chamber to progressively cover the HCS window, allowing the damping function to be integrated without occupying additional external space that would reduce piston stroke length.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure member is configured to selectively and progressively cover a portion of the HCS window in response to the piston moving toward the HCS base. This dynamic adjustment of fluid flow restriction allows the damping force to vary with piston position and velocity, providing enhanced damping control while maintaining full piston stroke length.
2Force
If hydraulic compression stop arrangements are used, then additional damping force is generated, but space within the damper is occupied that would otherwise be available for piston stroke
Solution Approach 1:
The HCS assembly including the HCS base, closure member, and spring guide is nested within the compression chamber of the damper. This integration allows the damping mechanism to utilize existing internal space rather than occupying additional volume that would reduce the piston stroke space.
Solution Approach 2:
The HCS window is defined in the HCS base and the closure member moves to cover this window, creating a two-dimensional flow restriction mechanism within the three-dimensional compression chamber. This approach generates damping force through fluid flow control in a different dimensional space rather than requiring additional linear space.
3Force
If conventional hydraulic compression stop arrangements are used, then damping force is generated, but the arrangement does not efficiently manage damping forces across the operating range
Solution Approach 1:
The closure member progressively covers the HCS window as the piston moves toward the HCS base, creating a dynamic damping force that varies with piston position and velocity. This allows efficient management of damping forces across the entire operating range, providing low damping during normal operation and high damping during compression events.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping force is controlled by changing the degree of coverage of the HCS window by the closure member. As the piston approaches the HCS base, the closure member covers more of the window, restricting fluid flow and increasing damping force. This parameter change approach allows efficient damping force management across different operating conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides enhanced damping control by varying fluid flow through the HCS assembly, allowing for increased damping forces in compression while maintaining a longer piston stroke, thus improving vehicle suspension performance and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a closure member configured to selectively and progressively cover a portion of the HCS window to restrict fluid flow therethrough
Implementation Method 2
a spring guide movable relative to the HCS base by action of a piston
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A hydraulic compression stop (HCS) assembly includes an HCS base defining an HCS window providing fluid communication between a compression chamber of a damper and an exterior space; a spring guide movable relative to the HCS base by action of a piston; and a closure member attached to the spring guide and configured to selectively and progressively cover a portion of the HCS window to restrict fluid flow therethrough, with the portion of the HCS window covered varying with a position of the spring guide relative to the HCS base. A damper assembly includes a tube defining an interior chamber; a piston slidably disposed in the tube and dividing the interior chamber into a rebound chamber and a compression chamber; and the HCS assembly disposed at least partially within the compression chamber to restrict fluid flow therethrough, the restriction varying in response to the piston moving toward the HCS base.