Vehicular Shock Absorber Pump Integration and Tube Elimination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional active shock absorbers are bulky, causing interference with other vehicle components, have reduced durability due to flexible tube bending and stretching, and experience delayed compression response and foreign matter contamination, which affects responsiveness.
Innovation Solution
A vehicular active shock absorber design featuring a damper with a piston rod flow path connecting the pump to the extension chamber, eliminating tube bending and using a solenoid to control two variable valves, reducing internal compression chamber space and incorporating a high-pressure steel tube to improve durability and responsiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two flexible tubes are used to connect the damping force-variable valve and the pump, then the shock absorber can function properly, but the flexible tubes are repeatedly bent and stretched, shortening their life span and degrading durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the flexible tubes from the system by redesigning the connection method. Instead of using flexible tubes to connect the pump and damping force-variable valve, the invention integrates the pump into the valve assembly, eliminating the need for flexible tubes and thereby solving the durability problem caused by repeated bending and stretching.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the pump and the damping force-variable valve into a single integrated assembly. This combination eliminates the need for separate flexible tube connections, thereby preventing the bending and stretching issues that reduced the life span of the flexible tubes while maintaining the required functionality.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the pump is mounted fixed with respect to the vehicle body while the cylinder moves vertically, then the pump remains stable, but the flexible tubes connecting the pump and cylinder are repeatedly bent and stretched
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the pump with the damping force-variable valve assembly, creating an integrated unit that moves together with the cylinder. This eliminates the relative motion between the pump and cylinder that caused flexible tube bending, while the pump remains stable within the integrated assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the flexible tube connection between the pump and cylinder by integrating the pump into the valve assembly. This extraction of the flexible tubes eliminates the problem of repeated bending and stretching while maintaining stable pump operation through the integrated design.
3Volume of stationary object
If the internal space of the compression chamber is increased, then the damper can accommodate more working fluid, but compression response is delayed when air is present therein
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a check valve as an intermediary component in the compression chamber. This check valve prevents air from entering the compression chamber while allowing working fluid to flow freely, thereby maintaining the required volume without the negative effect of air pockets that would delay compression response.
4Productivity
If foreign matter is not fully removed during manufacturing, then production can proceed efficiently, but foreign matter mixes with the working fluid to prevent smooth flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a check valve and streamlined chamber design as intermediary features that prevent foreign matter from disrupting working fluid flow. These design elements guide the fluid flow in a manner that minimizes the impact of any remaining foreign matter, ensuring smooth operation without requiring exhaustive filtration that would slow manufacturing.
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 enhances compactness, durability, and responsiveness by eliminating tube bending and foreign matter issues, allowing for precise damping force control and improved vehicle stability.
Implementation Method 1
a pump fixed to the vehicle body; and a high-pressure tube configured to make the pump and a piston road flow path provided in the piston rod communicate with each other
Implementation Method 2
two variable valves provided in the damping force-variable valve assembly, and wherein the two variable valves are activated by one solenoid
Implementation Method 3
a damper including a cylinder, a piston valve disposed inside the cylinder, and a piston rod
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments disclosed herein provide a vehicular active shock absorber in which two variable valves is able to be operated by one solenoid, a tube connecting a damping force-variable valve and the pump is not subjected to a bending force and is not expanded, and a space of a compression chamber is small. According to the embodiments, there is provided a vehicular shock absorber including: a damper including a cylinder, a piston valve disposed inside the cylinder, and a piston rod, of which one end is connected to the piston valve and a remaining end is connected to a vehicle body; a damping force-variable valve assembly attached to an outer portion of the damper and configured to regulate a flow of the working fluid of the damper; a pump fixed to the vehicle body; and a tube configured to make the pump and a piston road flow path provided in the piston rod communicate with each other. The piston rod flow path makes the tube and an extension chamber of the damper communicate with each other.