Fluid amplified shock absorber with rebound stiffening construction

Claim 2

A shock absorber having a casing, compressible fluid in said casing, a piston rod, a piston head on said piston rod located in said casing for dividing said casing into a first chamber on one side of said piston head and a second chamber on the opposite side of said piston head, fluid amplification means on said piston head for producing fluid amplified flow around said piston head from said first chamber to said second chamber through a clearance between said piston head and said casing as said piston head moves toward said first chamber, an annular groove in said piston head dividing said piston head into a plurality of parts of substantially equal diameter, first opposite sides on said annular groove, first outer edge portions of said first opposite sides of said annular groove, turbulence inducing means in said annular groove, said turbulence inducing means comprising an annular member in said annular groove, second opposite sides on said annular member facing said first opposite sides, each of said second opposite sides terminating at a second outer edge portion on said annular member, and mounting means mounting said annular member in a passive position proximate the first side of said annular groove closest to said second chamber wherein it permits fluid amplified flow as said piston head moves toward said first chamber, said mounting means permitting said annular member to move to an active turbulence inducing position wherein it divides said annular groove into a plurality of annular grooves to retard flow from said second chamber to said first chamber as said piston head moves toward said second chamber by causing said first and second outer edge portions to create turbulence as said compressible fluid flows through said clearance space from said second chamber toward said first chamber, and means for retaining said annular member in said active turbulence inducing position as said piston head moves toward said second chamber.

Claim 3

A shock absorber as set forth in claim 1 including a plurality of annular bores in said piston head for conducting flow of fluid as said piston head moves toward said first chamber, and means for blocking said bores when said turbulence inducing means is in said active position.

Claim 4

In a shock absorber having a casing with an internal surface, a body of compressible fluid in said casing, a piston rod, and a piston head on said piston rod and located in said casing for dividing the casing into a first chamber on one side of said piston head and a second chamber on the opposite side of said piston head, a peripheral surface on said piston head in contiguous relationship to said internal surface, a groove in said peripheral surface dividing said peripheral surface into a first peripheral surface on the side of said piston head adjacent to said first chamber and a second peripheral surface on the side of said piston head adjacent said second chamber, said first and second peripheral surfaces being of substantially the same diameter, a bottom in said groove, a first side in said groove extending from said first peripheral surface to said bottom, a second side in said groove extending from said second peripheral surface to said bottom, first outer edge portions on said first and second sides, a first space between said first peripheral surface and said internal surface, fluid passage means in said piston head effecting communication between said first chamber and said groove, and a second space between said second peripheral surface and said internal surface, the improvement comprising turbulence inducing means comprising an annular member having first and second sides and second outer edge portions on said first and second sides, said annular member being located in said groove in a passive first position with its first side proximate said second side of said groove when fluid flow is through said first space and said fluid passage means when said piston head moves in a direction toward said first chamber, and mounting means for mounting said annular member in said groove for movement away from said second side to an active second position intermediate said first and second sides of said groove, and means for maintaining said annular member in said intermediate position when said piston head moves in a direction toward said second chamber to effectively maintain said groove divided into a plurality of grooves to effect turbulence of fluid moving through said second space toward said first chamber when said piston head moves in a direction toward said second chamber by causing said first and second outer edge portions to create turbulence as said compressible fluid flows through said first and second spaces as it flows from said second chamber to said first chamber.

Claim 5

In a shock absorber having a casing with an internal surface, a body of compressible fluid in said casing, a piston rod, and a piston head on said piston rod and located in said casing for dividing the casing into a first chamber on one side of said piston head and a second chamber on the opposite side of said piston head, a peripheral surface on said piston head in contiguous relationship to said internal surface, a groove in said peripheral surface dividing said peripheral surface into a first peripheral surface on the side of said piston head adjacent to said first chamber and a second peripheral surface on the side of said piston head adjacent said second chamber, said first and second peripheral surfaces being of substantially the same diameter, a bottom in said groove, a first side in said groove extending from said first peripheral surface to said bottom, a second side in said groove extending from said second peripheral surface to said bottom, first outer edge portions on said first and second sides, a first space between said first peripheral surface and said internal surface, fluid passage means in said piston head effecting communication between said first chamber and said groove, and a second space between said second peripheral surface and said internal surface, the improvement comprising turbulence inducing means comprising an annular member having first and second sides and second outer edge portions on said first and second sides, said annular member being located in said groove in a passive first position with its first side proximate said second side of said groove when fluid flow is through said first space and said fluid passage means when said piston head moves in a direction toward said first chamber, and mounting means for mounting said annular member in said groove for movement away from said second side to an active second position intermediate said first and second sides of said groove, and means for maintaining said annular member in said intermediate position when said piston head moves in a direction toward said second chamber to effectively maintain said groove divided into a plurality of grooves to effect turbulence of fluid moving through said second space toward said first chamber when said piston head moves in a direction toward said second chamber by causing said first and second outer edge portions to create turbulence as said compressible fluid flows through said first and second spaces as it flows from said second chamber to said first chamber.

Claim 6

In a shock absorber as set forth in claim 3 including obstructing means on said turbulence inducing means for obstructing said fluid passage means when said turbulence inducing means is in said second position.

Claim 7

In a shock absorber as set forth in claim 3 wherein said mounting means comprises a base on said turbulence inducing means, and a slidable connection between said base and said bottom of said groove.

Claim 8

In a shock absorber as set forth in claim 5 wherein said turbulence inducing means comprises an L-shaped member including an upstanding leg and wherein said base comprises a horizontal leg of said L-shaped member.