Shock Absorber Valve Block Assembly for Stable Damping Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shock absorbers for railway trains using poppet valve mechanisms face challenges in maintaining a constant damping force due to the inability to visually confirm and adjust the compression amount of the valve spring, leading to variations in damping force.
Innovation Solution
The shock absorber design includes an annular valve seat member with a through-hole and a valve pin having large and small-diameter portions, along with a nut and an elastic member, allowing for the adjustment of the valve-opening load and stabilization of the damping force by assembling the valve mechanism as a block and adjusting the installation length dimension of the elastic member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the valve body, valve spring, spring bearing, and other components are sequentially attached in a valve body chamber, then the valve mechanism can be assembled, but the valve spring compression amount cannot be visually confirmed, leading to variation in damping force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assembling the valve mechanism as a complete block unit before installation. The valve body, valve spring, and other components are assembled in advance with the compression amount being set during this preliminary assembly stage, allowing for proper adjustment before the entire assembly is installed in the shock absorber.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the valve mechanism into a separable block assembly that can be assembled and adjusted independently. This block can be removed and reassembled without disassembling the entire shock absorber, enabling easy adjustment of the valve spring compression amount while maintaining the integrity of the overall system.
2Reliability
If the valve mechanism is assembled as a block with adjustable elastic member, then the compression amount can be correctly adjusted and damping force stabilized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining multiple valve components (valve body, valve spring, spring bearing, and related parts) into a single integrated block assembly. This unified structure simplifies the overall system by reducing the number of separate assembly operations needed while maintaining the ability to adjust the elastic member compression amount through the nut and washer mechanism.
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
This configuration enables correct adjustment of the elastic member's compression amount during assembly, stabilizing the damping force and allowing for easy measurement and adjustment, thereby ensuring consistent performance.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member disposed between the other end side of the valve seat member and the nut
Implementation Method 2
a cylinder sealingly containing hydraulic fluid therein, a piston inserted in the cylinder and dividing an inside of the cylinder into a rod-side fluid chamber and an opposite rod-side fluid chamber
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An object of the present invention is to allow a compression amount of an elastic member to be correctly adjusted when a valve mechanism is assembled, thereby allowing the valve mechanism to stabilize a damping force. A compression-side valve mechanism 21 is configured as a valve block including an annular valve seat member 22 fixably provided by being inserted at an intermediate position of a compression-side flow passage 11. The valve seat member 22 has one end side serving as a valve seat 22C. The valve seat member 22 includes a through-hole 22B at a central portion thereof. The valve block further includes a valve pin 23 including a large-diameter portion 23A and a small-diameter portion 23B. The large-diameter portion 23A forms a valve body by abutting against the valve seat 22C. The small-diameter portion 23B has one side connected to the large-diameter portion 23A and the other side inserted on an inner peripheral side of the valve seat member 22. The valve block further includes each of passages 24 formed between the through-hole 22B of the valve seat member 22 and an outer periphery of the valve pin 23 and configured to be opened/closed according to a movement of the valve pin 23, nuts 25 threadably engaged with an outer periphery of the other side of the small-diameter portion 23B of the valve pin 23, and a spring member 26 disposed between the other end side of the valve seat member 22 and the nuts 25. Further, an extension-side valve mechanism 31 is also configured as a valve block similarly to the compression-side valve mechanism 21.