Gas controlled orifice in hydraulic shock absorber

Claim 2

In a shock absorber assembly for resisting motion between two relatively movable bodies, first and second cylinders in substantially concentric relation, means closing the opposite ends of said cylinders to provide a pair of working spaces separated by the wall of the innermost one of said cylinders, a system of orifices formed in said separating wall, a first orifice control means in one of said working spaces adjacent said orifice system, a valveless piston in the other of said working spaces, a force transmitting rod connected to said valveless piston and extending outwardly of one of said end closing means, a fluid charge in said other working space on both sides of said valveless piston and flowable through said orifice system upon displacement of said valveless piston, and a second orifice control means under pressure in said one working space normally pressing said first orifice control means in a direction to resist the flow of the fluid charge from one side to the other of said valveless piston through said orifice system; said first and second orifice control means being operative to resist displacement of said valveless piston in said fluid charge.

Claim 3

In an hydraulic shock absorber assembly, a housing, closure means on the opposite ends of said housing, a working cylinder positioned in said housing between said closure means, a said working cylinder having an orifice system therein, a first control means for said orifice system adjacent and surrounding said working cylinder and isolating said working cylinder from the interior space of said housing, a valveless piston slidably mounted in said working cylinder, a piston rod connected to said piston and extending outwardly of said housing through an end closure means, a charge of hydraulic fluid filling said working cylinder on each side of said piston, a second control means for said orifice system pressing said first control means into engagement with said cylinder, said orifice system in said working cylinder extending in axially spaced array over the length of said cylinder within said first control means, said first control means progressively yielding outwardly from said cylinder during transfer of the hydraulic fluid around said valveless piston through said orifice system upon piston motion, and the yielding of said first control means being resisted by the pressure of said second control means in inverse proportion to the flowability of said hydraulic fluid charge.

Claim 4

In an hydraulic shock absorber assembly, a housing, closure means on the opposite ends of said housing, a working cylinder positioned in said housing between said closure means, a said working cylinder having an orifice system therein, a first control means for said orifice system adjacent and surrounding said working cylinder and isolating said working cylinder from the interior space of said housing, a valveless piston slidably mounted in said working cylinder, a piston rod connected to said piston and extending outwardly of said housing through an end closure means, a charge of hydraulic fluid filling said working cylinder on each side of said piston, a second control means for said orifice system pressing said first control means into engagement with said cylinder, said orifice system in said working cylinder extending in axially spaced array over the length of said cylinder within said first control means, said first control means progressively yielding outwardly from said cylinder during transfer of the hydraulic fluid around said valveless piston through said orifice system upon piston motion, and the yielding of said first control means being resisted by the pressure of said second control means in inverse proportion to the flowability of said hydraulic fluid charge.

Claim 5

The shock absorber set forth in claim 2 wherein said orifice system includes means presenting a variable open area on each side of said piston, which area decreases ahead of the direction of piston displacement and increases its area behind the direction of piston displacement.

Claim 6

In an hydraulic shock absorber assembly, having a gas controlled valve system, a cylinder having an orifice system formed in its side wall and extending lengthwise thereof, a first control means surrounding said cylinder and adjacent the exterior thereof over said orifice system, a rigid housing encLosing said cylinder and first control means and sealing the opposite ends of said cylinder, a piston rod slidably mounted in said housing and extending into said cylinder, a valveless piston carried on said rod within said cylinder and movable therewithin in response to load forces imposed on said housing and rod, a charge of hydraulic fluid filling the space within said cylinder, and a second control means within said housing outside of said first control means, said second control means exerting a resistance to the transfer of hydraulic fluid from one side to the other of said valveless piston through said orifice system upon piston movement in response to changes in the load forces.

Claim 7

In an hydraulic shock absorber assembly, having a gas controlled valve system, a cylinder having an orifice system formed in its side wall and extending lengthwise thereof, a first control means surrounding said cylinder and adjacent the exterior thereof over said orifice system, a rigid housing encLosing said cylinder and first control means and sealing the opposite ends of said cylinder, a piston rod slidably mounted in said housing and extending into said cylinder, a valveless piston carried on said rod within said cylinder and movable therewithin in response to load forces imposed on said housing and rod, a charge of hydraulic fluid filling the space within said cylinder, and a second control means within said housing outside of said first control means, said second control means exerting a resistance to the transfer of hydraulic fluid from one side to the other of said valveless piston through said orifice system upon piston movement in response to changes in the load forces.

Claim 8

In the shock absorber assembly of claim 4 said orifice system comprising a series of spaced orifices of substantially uniform size through which said hydraulic fluid flows upon piston movement.

Claim 9

In the shock absorber assembly of claim 4 said orifice system comprising a series of spaced orifices varying in size from large near the midposition of said piston in said cylinder to small near the opposite ends of said cylinder.

Claim 10

In the shock absorber assembly of claim 4 said orifice system comprising a series of spaced orifices varying in size from small near the midposition of said piston in said cylinder to large near the opposite ends of said cylinder.

Claim 11

In the shock absorber assembly of claim 4 said orifice system comprising a random array of orifices in said cylinder extending throughout the effective maximum travel of said piston in said cylinder.

Claim 12

In the shock absorber assembly of claim 4 a source of gas under pressure connected to said housing, and control means in said connection selectively increasing and decreasing the gas charge to vary the static load position of said piston in said cylinder.

Claim 13

In the shock absorber assembly of claim 4 said first control means consists of a flexible and imperforated sheath.

Claim 14

In the shock absorber assembly of claim 4 said second control means consists of a gas charge under pressure.

Claim 15

In the shock absorber assembly of claim 11 valve means mounted in said housing admitting said gas charge, said valve means permitting changes in the pressure of said gas charge.