Position-Relative Damper Assembly With Adjustable Jounce-Rebound Curves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional position-sensitive dampers lack the ability to adjust externally and remotely for weight variations, resulting in minimal deviation between jounce and rebound damping control, and are inefficient due to complex designs like concentric tubes, leading to undesirable dynamic behavior and increased manufacturing and maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A position-relative damper assist system with top and bottom mounting components, a piston assembly, an adjustment assembly to vary fluid passage cross-sectional profiles, and a biasing assembly to adjust damping based on piston displacement, allowing for distinct jounce and rebound damping curves without the need for double-wall or external bypass tube assemblies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional position-sensitive dampers use complex designs like concentric tubes or double-wall assemblies, then damping control capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the damping control function from complex concentric tube or double-wall assemblies and implements it using a simple single-wall cylinder with an internal piston assembly. The piston assembly includes a piston head with adjustable orifices that provide position-sensitive damping control without requiring complex structural arrangements, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining damping control capability
Solution Approach 2:
The piston assembly serves multiple functions: it provides position-sensitive damping control through adjustable orifices, enables external and remote adjustment of damping characteristics via the adjustment assembly, and eliminates the need for separate concentric tubes or bypass assemblies. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity while maintaining comprehensive damping control
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional dampers lack external adjustment capability, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to weight variations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an adjustment assembly that acts as an intermediary mechanism between the external environment and the piston assembly. This assembly includes an adjustment member that can be operated externally and remotely to modify the positioning of the piston or the configuration of the orifices, thereby enabling adaptability to weight variations without requiring complex integrated adjustment systems
Solution Approach 2:
The damping system is segmented into distinct functional components: the piston assembly for damping control, the adjustment assembly for modifying damping characteristics, and the single-wall cylinder for fluid containment. This segmentation allows the adjustment assembly to be independently designed and optimized for external adjustability without complicating the overall structure, as each component has a specific function
3Reliability
If conventional dampers use concentric tubes or external bypass assemblies, then fluid flow control is improved, but manufacturing and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fluid containment function and the damping control function into a single integrated piston assembly within a single-wall cylinder. The piston head with its orifices performs both fluid flow control and damping regulation, eliminating the need for separate concentric tubes or external bypass assemblies. This integration simplifies manufacturing by reducing the number of parts and assembly steps while maintaining effective fluid flow control
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 system provides improved damping control with distinct jounce and rebound curves, simplifies manufacturing and maintenance, and enhances ride quality and handling by integrating the design within the piston and rod assembly, reducing complexity and costs.
Implementation Method 1
the piston assembly having a piston head being displaceable within a chamber defined about a portion of one of the top and bottom mounting components, the piston head being provided with at least one fluid passage for allowing fluid of the chamber to travel from one side of the chamber to another side of the chamber
Implementation Method 2
a biasing assembly cooperating with the adjustment assembly for selectively varying a configuration of the adjustment assembly in response to a given input indicative of the positioning of the piston assembly within the stroke distance
Implementation Method 3
an adjustment assembly cooperating with the piston head of the piston assembly for adjustably varying an effective cross-sectional profile of the at least one fluid passage in order to vary a corresponding flow rate of fluid passing through said at least one fluid passage
Data Source
AI summary
A position-relative damper assist system (1) for use with a vehicle, the position-relative damper assist system (1) comprising top and bottom mounting components (5,3), a piston assembly (9), an adjustment assembly (19), and a biasing assembly (21). The piston assembly (9) is operatively disposed between the top and bottom mounting components (5,3), and has a piston head (11) being displaceable within a chamber (13), and being provided with at least one fluid passage (15) for allowing fluid (17) of the chamber (13) to travel therethrough, in order to provide a corresponding damping effect. The adjustment assembly (19) cooperates with the piston head (11) of the piston assembly (9) for adjustably varying an effective cross-sectional profile of the at least one fluid passage (15) in order to in turn vary a corresponding flow rate of fluid (17) passing through said at least one fluid passage (15), and in turn vary the resulting damping effect. The biasing assembly (21) cooperates with the adjustment assembly (19) for selectively varying a configuration of the adjustment assembly (19) in response to a given input indicative of the positioning of the piston assembly (9) within a stroke distance (7), in order in vary the resulting damping effect in response to a corresponding displacement-profile (23) provided by the biasing assembly (21).