Hydraulic Damper X-Flow Piston Assembly Independent Tuning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydraulic dampers lack the capability to independently tune damper force-velocity characteristics for both compression and rebound strokes across various piston velocity ranges, affecting safety, vehicle handling, and passenger comfort.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic damper design featuring a piston assembly with cross-flow channels and supplementary channels that allow for fluid communication between chambers, utilizing notched discs that deflect at specific velocity thresholds to create additional flow pathways, enabling independent tuning of damping forces for each stroke and velocity range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional piston assemblies with basic X-flow arrangements are used, then the structure is simple, but the capability to independently tune damper force-velocity characteristics for compression and rebound strokes across various velocity ranges is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The piston body is segmented into multiple functional zones with different channel configurations. First channels are arranged for compression stroke flow paths while second channels are arranged for rebound stroke flow paths, allowing independent tuning of compression and rebound characteristics across different velocity ranges without increasing overall structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the piston body are given different local qualities through varied channel slopes, diameters, and arrangements. The first channels have specific slope angles optimized for compression, while second channels have different slopes optimized for rebound, enabling localized optimization of damping characteristics for each stroke direction and velocity range
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple channels and discs are added to enable independent tuning of compression and rebound strokes, then the tuning capability improves, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functional channels (first channels for compression, second channels for rebound) are merged into a single integrated piston body structure. The discs are designed to cover multiple channel openings simultaneously, combining several functions into unified components that can be manufactured as single pieces, reducing assembly steps and manufacturing complexity while maintaining independent tuning capability
Solution Approach 2:
The piston assembly design creates universal components that serve multiple functions. The same piston body structure handles both compression and rebound strokes, and the discs serve both as flow restrictors and as structural support elements, reducing the total number of unique parts and simplifying manufacturing processes
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 design provides cost-effective, simple manufacturing with excellent tuning capabilities for compression and rebound strokes across all piston velocity ranges, enhancing safety and comfort by allowing precise control of damping forces.
Implementation Method 1
a piston assembly slidably disposed inside the tube and dividing the tube into a rebound chamber and a compression chamber
Implementation Method 2
During a rebound stroke, a pressure differential is generated across a moveable valve disc which operates to regulate fluid flow
Implementation Method 3
a pressure-operated valving arrangement for a shock absorber piston assembly provided with bidirectional primary and secondary flow paths for regulating the damping forces generated during both rebound and compression strokes
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2d
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
According to the present invention there is provided a hydraulic damper (1) comprising: a tube (3) extending along an axis and filled with working liquid; a piston assembly (4) disposed slidably inside said tube (3) and dividing said tube (3) into a rebound chamber (11) and a compression chamber (12), and attached to a piston rod (5) extending outside of said tube (3); said piston assembly (4) including: a piston body (41) including at least two first channels (414) sloped with respect to said axis and extending between a compression side (4141) and a rebound side (4142), and at least two second channels (415) sloped with respect to said axis and extending between a rebound side (4152) and a compression side (4151); said compression side (4141) of each of said first channels (414) is positioned radially outward relative to said rebound side (4142) of each of said first channels (414), and said rebound side (4152) of each of said second channels (415) is positioned radially outward relative to said compression side (4142) of each of said second channels (415), thus forming a cross-flow arrangement through said piston body (41); at least one main rebound side disc (424) at least partially covering said rebound side (4142) of each of said first channels (414), and at least one main compression side disc (434) at least partially covering said compression side (4151) of each of said second channels (415); said piston body (41) further defining at least one supplementary channel (416) provided with a compression side (4161) and a rebound side (4162), said supplementary channel (416) being positioned radially inward with respect to said first channels (414) and said second channels (415); and at least one supplementary disc (421, 432) at least partially covering at least one of said rebound side (4162) and said compression side (4161) of said at least one supplementary channel (416), and wherein said at least one supplementary channel (416) is apt to be fluidly connected with said rebound chamber (11) and said compression chamber (12) during compression and/or rebound strokes of said damper (1), and said at least one supplementary disc (421, 432) comprises at least one supplementary rebound side disc (421), and at least one supplementary compression side disc (432).