Shock Absorber Parallel Valve Layout for High-Speed Damping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shock absorbers experience excessive damping force in the high speed range due to the sub valve being deflected by a valve stopper, leading to a bottleneck in flow passage area and impaired ride quality.
Innovation Solution
A shock absorber design with parallel main and sub passages, utilizing a main damping force generation element with a main valve and a sub damping force generation element with a sub valve having a lower opening pressure, allowing independent adjustment of damping force characteristics and facilitating easy assembly and installation of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sub valve is pressed by a valve stopper to regulate deflection amount, then the sub valve is protected from excessive load, but the flow passage area becomes a bottleneck and damping force becomes excessive in the high speed range
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the damping force generation function into two independent parts: a main damping force generation element (main valve) and a sub damping force generation element (sub valve). This segmentation allows each element to operate independently without interfering with the other, so the sub valve's deflection regulation does not bottleneck the overall flow passage area. The main valve provides the primary damping force while the sub valve provides supplementary damping, resolving the contradiction between protecting the sub valve and maintaining adequate damping force.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the sub valve and leaf valves are disposed in series, then the damping force characteristic is speed-dependent, but the sub valve deflection regulation causes excessive damping force in the high speed range
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the damping force generation system into parallel main and sub elements rather than series arrangement. The main damping force generation element (main valve) and sub damping force generation element (sub valve) operate in parallel, allowing the main valve to dominate the damping force in the high speed range while the sub valve provides supplementary damping. This parallel segmentation maintains speed-dependent characteristics without the sub valve's deflection regulation creating a bottleneck that would cause excessive damping force.
3Device complexity
If the sub valve is provided in series with the main valve, then the entire flow rate passes through the sub valve, but the sub valve becomes a bottleneck when deflection is regulated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the flow paths into parallel main and sub passages with各自的 valves. The main damping force generation element handles the primary flow rate while the sub damping force generation element handles a portion of the flow independently. This parallel segmentation eliminates the series bottleneck where all flow must pass through the sub valve, allowing high flow rates to be maintained without being constrained by the sub valve's deflection regulation.
4Ease of operation
If the damping coefficient is lowered in the high speed range, then ride quality is improved, but the sub valve deflection regulation causes excessive damping force
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the damping force generation into main and sub elements operating in parallel. The main damping force generation element (main valve) is designed to provide the primary damping force with appropriate speed-dependent characteristics, while the sub damping force generation element (sub valve) provides supplementary damping. This segmentation allows the main valve to dominate the high-speed damping characteristics, ensuring ride quality is maintained without excessive damping force caused by sub valve deflection regulation.
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
Improves ride quality by preventing excessive damping force override and enabling adjustable damping force characteristics without being affected by the sub valve, enhancing vehicle performance across varying speed ranges.
Implementation Method 1
a main valve that opens and closes the main passage; and a sub valve that opens and closes the sub passage
Implementation Method 2
generating damping force with resistance given to the flow of a liquid generated when the shock absorber extends and contracts
Implementation Method 3
an orifice that is provided in series with the sub passage
Data Source
AI summary
A shock absorber includes: a shock absorber main body that has an outer tube and a rod movably inserted into the outer tube and can extend and contract; a main passage and a sub passage that communicate in parallel two working chambers provided in the shock absorber main body; a main damping force generation element provided in the main passage; and a sub damping force generation element provided in the sub passage. The main damping force generation element has only a main valve that opens and closes the main passage. The sub damping force generation element has an orifice provided in series with the sub passage, and a sub valve that opens and closes the sub passage and has a valve opening pressure lower than that of the main valve.