Shock Absorber Guide Member Structure for Low-Speed Compression Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shock absorbers face challenges in applying adequate damping force during an extremely low-speed compression stroke, leading to increased length and volume, which affects ride comfort and steering stability.
Innovation Solution
A shock absorber design featuring a piston valve with a guide member, bumper member, and support member that includes a connection flow path and communication holes, allowing for adjustable damping force based on stroke length through the interaction of a lower washer and guide member, enabling additional damping force application during compression strokes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional piston valve with a single flow path is used to maintain constant damping characteristic at high, medium and low speeds, then the damping characteristic is constant across speeds, but it becomes difficult to apply damping force during extremely low-speed compression stroke
Solution Approach 1:
The compression chamber is divided into a first compression chamber and a second compression chamber separated by the guide member. The first connection flow path communicates the rebound chamber with the first compression chamber, while the second connection flow path communicates the first compression chamber with the second compression chamber. This segmentation allows different flow paths to operate at different speeds, enabling effective damping force application during extremely low-speed compression strokes while maintaining constant damping characteristics at higher speeds.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the cylinder is secured by a certain length or more to accommodate a piston rod performing compression stroke over a certain stroke, then the shock absorber can accommodate longer strokes, but the length and volume of the shock absorber are excessively increased
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is disposed inside the cylinder and is movable within it, with the first and second compression chambers nested within each other through the guide member's positioning. The bumper member is received within the second compression chamber, creating a compact nested arrangement. This allows the shock absorber to accommodate longer compression strokes without excessively increasing the overall length and volume of the shock absorber.
3Force
If a guide member with connection flow path and bumper member is added to apply additional damping force during compression stroke, then damping force is improved during longer strokes, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member serves multiple functions: it partitions the compression chamber into first and second compression chambers, provides the first connection flow path for fluid communication, supports the bumper member for additional damping, and includes the second connection flow path for extended communication. This multi-functionality allows the shock absorber to achieve improved damping force during longer strokes while minimizing the increase in device complexity by having one component perform multiple roles.
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
This design enhances ride comfort and steering stability by providing a step-by-step damping force adjustment, preventing excessive length and volume increase, and improving damping force application during longer strokes, thus improving vehicle performance on poor road surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
a bumper member provided to be compressible in the pressing chamber to elastically support the guide member
Implementation Method 2
a damping force generated by the shock absorber varies depending on an operating speed of the shock absorber
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a shock absorber. The shock absorber includes a cylinder filled with a fluid, and a piston valve coupled to an end of a piston rod to partition the inside of the cylinder into a rebound chamber and a compression chamber and to which a lower washer is fastened at a lower end thereof, and further includes a guide member disposed to be spaced apart from the lower side of the piston valve so as to be movable forward and backward within the cylinder and having a connection flow path communicating a pressing chamber formed at a lower side and the compression chamber, a bumper member provided to be compressible in the pressing chamber to elastically support the guide member, and a support member coupled to an end of the cylinder to support a lower end of the bumper member and having a communication hole communicating with the pressing chamber, wherein the bumper member partitions the pressing chamber into a first pressing chamber and a second pressing chamber and has a plurality of side holes communicating the first pressing chamber and the second pressing chamber.