Shock Absorber Spring Seat Slider for Tool-Free Height Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shock absorbers require dedicated tools for vehicle height adjustment, leading to unintended shifts in vehicle height when tools like screwdrivers and hammers are used, especially in emergencies.
Innovation Solution
A shock absorber design that includes a slider and a tube-side spring seat connected via a snap-fit mechanism, allowing tool-free adjustment and rotation regulation, enabling precise vehicle height adjustment without torque application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a locknut and dedicated tools are used to adjust vehicle height, then the tube-side spring seat can be rotated and positioned, but the adjustment process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the rotation regulation function from the tube-side spring seat by introducing a separate slider component. The slider includes a regulation portion that engages with the screw portion on the outer tube, while the tube-side spring seat simply screws onto the outer tube without rotation regulation features. This separation allows the tube-side spring seat to be easily adjusted without complex locking mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism is segmented into two independent functional components: the tube-side spring seat for positioning and the slider for rotation regulation. The slider can be detached and reattached, providing modular functionality. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex integrated locknut mechanisms while maintaining adjustment precision.
2Productivity
If a screw driver and hammer are used to quickly adjust vehicle height, then adjustment speed increases, but the tube-side spring seat rotates unintentionally causing inaccurate positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The slider acts as an intermediary component between the tube-side spring seat and the outer tube. When the slider is attached to the tube-side spring seat, its regulation portion engages with the screw portion on the outer tube to prevent rotation. This intermediary mechanism allows quick adjustment with simple tools while maintaining precise positioning, as the slider mediates between the adjustment action and the positioning requirement.
3Device complexity
If the tube-side spring seat is screwed directly to the outer tube without a slider, then the structure is simpler, but rotation cannot be regulated during adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The slider is designed to be self-regulating through its regulation portion that automatically engages with the screw portion on the outer tube. When the slider is attached to the tube-side spring seat, it self-regulates rotation without requiring additional locking mechanisms or complex operations. The slider essentially serves itself to prevent rotation while maintaining structural simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A shock absorber according to the present invention is configured to include: a shock absorber main body in which an outer tube and a rod axially movably inserted into the outer tube are included; a suspension spring formed of a coil spring disposed on the outer periphery of the shock absorber main body; a rod-side spring seat attached to the rod and supporting one end of the suspension spring; an annular tube-side spring seat screwed to a screw portion provided on the outer periphery of the outer tube and supporting the other end of the suspension spring; a slider to be placed on the outer periphery of the outer tube with only an axial movement is permitted; a connecting portion that detachably connects the tube-side spring seat to the slider; and a rotation regulating portion that regulates a rotation of the tube-side spring seat and the slider relative to each other about the axis of the outer tube in a state where the tube-side spring seat and the slider are connected to each other.