Shock Absorber Flange With Metallic Cage And Plastic Ducts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shock absorbers face challenges in achieving a mechanically strong and lightweight connection between the module tube and the shock absorber tube, while also ensuring a pressure-tight fluid connection, particularly when the distance between the tubes needs to be increased, and in maintaining sealing without adding weight or compromising mechanical strength.
Innovation Solution
A flange design featuring a metallic support cage for mechanical retention and a plastics body with fluid ducts for fluidic coupling, where the metallic support cage is produced from sheet-metal components and encapsulated within the plastics body, allowing for increased mechanical durability and reduced weight, with optional sealing elements and metallic tube elements for enhanced pressure resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a metallic flange is used to connect the module tube to the shock absorber tube, then the mechanical strength is improved, but the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is divided into two functional parts: a metallic support cage for mechanical retention and a plastics body for fluid duct formation. This segmentation allows each material to be used where it provides the most benefit, reducing overall weight while maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange combines metallic and plastics materials in a composite structure. The metallic support cage provides mechanical strength while the plastics body provides fluid sealing and duct formation, creating a lightweight yet strong connection component.
2Length of moving object
If the distance between the module tube and shock absorber tube is increased, then structural requirements are met, but the mechanical load-bearing capacity of the flange connection decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The support cage is designed with a dynamic geometry that optimizes load distribution. The cage structure can adapt to different distances between tubes while maintaining load-bearing capacity through its geometric configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The support cage extends in multiple dimensions to provide structural support over increased distances. By adding spatial complexity in the form of a three-dimensional cage structure, the flange maintains mechanical strength even when the distance between tubes is increased.
3Strength
If a metallic solid material flange is used, then mechanical strength is improved, but sealing of fluid ducts becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The plastics body is integrated with the metallic support cage to form a composite flange. The plastics material provides inherent sealing properties for the fluid ducts while the metallic cage provides structural strength, combining the advantages of both materials.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the flange have different material properties optimized for their specific functions: the metallic support cage provides local strength where mechanical loads are applied, while the plastics body provides local sealing quality where fluid ducts are formed.
4Quantity of substance
If transfer rings are used to form the flange, then fluidic connection is achieved, but the maximum distance between tubes is structurally limited
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is segmented into a support cage structure that can span greater distances compared to solid transfer rings. The cage structure divides the space between tubes into multiple compartments, allowing for extended distance while maintaining structural integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
A shock absorber having a shock absorber tube (10) is disclosed and has an external module tube (11) which is connected to the shock absorber tube (10) via a flange (12), wherein the flange (12) has one or more fluid ducts (13, 14) which fluidly couple the module tube (11) to the shock absorber tube (10). The flange (12) has at least one metallic support cage (15) which forms a retentive connection between the shock absorber tube (10) and the module tube (11), and the flange (12) has a plastics body (16) in which the fluid duct (13, 14) for the fluidic coupling of the module tube (11) to the shock absorber tube (10) is formed.