Springless Shock Absorber with Floating Piston Gas Spring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shock absorbers for vehicles require external springs to support the vehicle's load and provide biasing effect, which limits their operational range and adaptability.
Innovation Solution
A springless combination shock absorber and suspension apparatus utilizing a floating piston to regulate gas pressure between fluid and air chambers, with a two-way valve allowing fluid flow to compensate for volume changes, and adjustable shim plates to control fluid flow, eliminating the need for external springs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If external springs are used to support vehicle load, then load-bearing capability is improved, but device complexity and adaptability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the external spring component from the suspension system. The gas-charged shock absorber independently provides both the damping function and the spring-like load-bearing function, removing the need for separate external springs and thereby improving adaptability while maintaining load-bearing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the spring function and damper function into a single integrated gas-charged shock absorber unit. The gas chamber provides the spring-like biasing force while the fluid damping system provides shock absorption, combining previously separate functions into one adaptable device
2Force
If external springs are used to provide biasing effect, then vehicle weight support is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the external spring component entirely, extracting the biasing function from a separate mechanical element and integrating it into the gas-charged damping system, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining weight support capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a gas-charged system where compressed gas provides the biasing force to support vehicle weight. The gas chamber acts as both the spring element and the damping medium, using pneumatic principles to eliminate the need for separate mechanical springs
3Ease of manufacture
If fixed damping characteristics are used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but adaptability to different vehicles is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention incorporates adjustable damping characteristics through replaceable shim plates of varying thicknesses. This allows the damping rate to be dynamically adjusted by changing the shim configuration, enabling the same basic unit to adapt to different vehicle types and applications without redesigning the entire manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables parameter adjustment by changing the thickness and configuration of internal shim plates, which modifies the damping characteristics. This allows a single manufactured unit to be adapted to different vehicles by simply changing internal parameters rather than redesigning the entire shock absorber
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 solution effectively supports vehicle weight, provides damping, and allows for adjustable ride height and shock absorption characteristics without external springs, enhancing the operational range and adaptability of the shock absorber.
Implementation Method 1
a floating piston to regulate gas pressure between fluid and air chambers
Implementation Method 2
a two-way valve allowing fluid flow to compensate for volume changes
Implementation Method 3
adjustable shim plates to control fluid flow
Implementation Method 4
designed to smooth out or damp shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A springless combination shock absorber and suspension apparatus comprising three tubes: An outer tube, a piston tube (inner tube) and a stationary (damping) tube, with a floating piston disposed in the inner piston tube, wherein the floating piston forms two chambers therein, a lower liquid chamber and an upper gas chamber. Fluid dampens shocks by passing through a two-way valve in the outer tube and may be controlled internally by a shim plate positioned over apertures or valve passageways, or, in a separate embodiment, by external adjustment of flow by rotating adjusting plates to open and close the valve passageways. The amount by which the gas chamber is reduced in compression is large enough to generate the high pressures required to produce spring-like forces. This design allows the gas pressure chamber to operate effectively as a spring.