Shock absorber for damping courses of motion of a vehicle

Claim 2

A shock absorber for damping courses of motion of two masses moving relative to one another at variable speeds, having a cylinder, a damper piston displaceable in said cylinder, said damper piston divides said cylinder into a first and a second work chamber, said cylinder and said damper piston are each connected to a respective one of said masses, at least one valve assembly (24), said at least one valve assembly including a first single valve (27) and a second single valve (28), said first single valve (27) is triggerable by control signals to influence a flow of a pressure fluid out of at least one of said first and second work chambers into the other of said first and second work chambers, wherein the flow of pressure fluid flowing through said first single valve (27) and said second single valve (28) is divided into a first partial flow path (31) and a second partial flow path (32), each of which connects the first and second work chambers to each other, said first single valve (27) is located in and controls fluid flow through said first partial flow path, and the second single valve (28) is located in and controls fluid flow through said second partial flow path (32), said first partial flow path (31) includes at least one one-way check valve (81, 82, 83, 84, 109, 110) disposed in a conduit (71, 72, 73, 74, 106, 107) through which fluid flows via said first single valve (27) such that fluid always flows through said first single valve (27) in only one direction from either of said two work chambers to the other of said two work chambers, said second single valve (28) via said second partial flow path (32) controls fluid flow in reversible directions between said two work chambers, and wherein the control signals control said first single valve (27) and the damping force directly as a function of control signals.

Claim 3

A shock absorber as defined by claim 1, in which said second single valve is provided with a pressure space (54), wherein fluid flow in said first partial flow path (31) and a pressure in said pressure space (54) is influenced by said first single valve (27), and fluid flow in said second partial flow path (32) is influenced by the pressure in the pressure space (54) of the second single valve (28).

Claim 4

A shock absorber as defined by claim 2, in which said second single valve (28) includes at least one pressure piston (46, 49, 100) defining said pressure space (54), and that the pressure in the pressure space (54) applies a pressure on said at least one pressure piston (46, 49, 100) counter to the direction of a possible pressure piston stroke, and fluid flow through said second partial flow path is influenced by an applicable position of said at least one pressure piston.

Claim 5

A shock absorber as defined by claim 3, in which said valve assembly (24) includes at least one fluid flow restriction (34, 102, 103).

Claim 6

A shock absorber as defined by claim 3, in which said first single valve (27) includes a control piston (38) actuatable by a magnet coil (36), and said control piston (38) controls fluid flow through the first partial flow path.

Claim 7

A shock absorber as defined by claim 2, in which said first single valve (27) includes a control piston (38) actuatable by a magnet coil (36), and said control piston (38) controls fluid flow through the first partial flow path.

Claim 8

A shock absorber as defined by claim 6, in which said valve assembly (24) includes at least one fluid flow restriction (34, 102, 103).

Claim 9

A shock absorber as defined by claim 6, in which said control piston (38) is influenced in a direction such that said control piston (38) is displaced by a pressure in the pressure space (54) juxtaposed thereto.

Claim 10

A shock absorber as defined by claim 2, in which said valve assembly (24) includes at least one fluid flow restriction (34, 102, 103).

Claim 11

A shock absorber as defined by claim 1, in which said first partial flow path is smaller than said second partial flow path.

Claim 12

A shock absorber as defined by claim 1, in which said valve assembly (24) includes at least one fluid flow restriction (34, 102, 103).

Claim 13

A shock absorber as defined by claim 1, in which at least two one-way check valves (81, 82, 83, 84, 109, 110) determine a flow direction of fluid flow in the first partial flow path, said at least two one-way check valves are disposed in a conduit (71, 72, 73, 74, 106, 107) through which the fluid flow through said first partial flow path flows.

Claim 14

A shock absorber as defined by claim 1, in which a throttle cross section is determined as a function of the damping force and the magnitude of the pressure fluid flow.

Claim 15

A shock absorber as defined by claim 1, in which said valve assembly (24) is provided on an outside face of said cylinder (5).

Claim 16

A shock absorber as defined in claim 1 in which the first single valve (27) includes a control means (38) and a valve seat (92), wherein a direct adjustment of a damping force is effected by an adjusting force which actuates the control means (38) in a closing direction toward the valve seat (92), and a pressure, on an inlet side of the control means (38), of the pressure fluid flowing through the first partial flow path (31) acts upon the control means (38) counter to the adjusting force in the opening direction.

Claim 17

A shock absorber as defined in claim 15 in which the second single valve (28) includes at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100), wherein an oncoming-side pressure of the pressure fluid flowing through the second partial flow path (32) acts upon the at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100) in an opening direction, and the oncoming flow-side pressure in a pressure chamber (54) at the control means (38) in the first partial flow path (31) actuates the at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100) in a closing direction.

Claim 18

A shock absorber as defined by claim 3, in which one pressure piston of said at least one pressure piston (46, 49, 100) is subjected in a stroke direction to the force of a spring (56, 57, 101).

Claim 19

A shock absorber as defined by claim 17, in which said first single valve (27) includes a control piston (38) actuatable by a magnet coil (36), and said control piston (38) controls fluid flow through the first partial flow path.

Claim 20

A shock absorber for damping courses of motion of two masses moving relative to one another at variable speeds, having a cylinder, a damper piston displaceable in said cylinder and dividing said cylinder into a first and a second work chamber, wherein the cylinder and the damper piston are each connected to one of the masses, at least one valve arrangement (24), said at least one valve arrangement including a first single valve (27) and a second single valve (28), said first single valve (27) includes a control means (38) and a valve seat (92), said control means (38) is triggerable with control signals and influences a flow of a pressure fluid from one of the two work chambers into the respective other work chamber, wherein the flow of pressure fluid flowing through said first single valve (27) and said second single valve (28) is divided into a first partial flow path (31) and a second partial flow path (32), each of which connects the first and second work chambers to each other, said first single valve (27) is located in and controls fluid flow through said first partial flow path, and the second single valve (28) is located in and controls fluid flow through said second partial flow path (32), said first partial flow path (31) includes at least one one-way check valve (81, 82, 83, 84, 109, 110) disposed in a conduit (71, 72, 73, 74, 106, 107) through which fluid flows via said first single valve (27) such that fluid always flows through said first single valve (27) in only one direction from either of said two work chambers to the other of said two work chambers, said second single valve (28) via said second partial flow path (32) controls fluid flow in reversible directions between said two work chambers, and wherein the control signals control the damping force directly, in that the control means (38) is actuated toward the valve seat (92) as a function of the control signals.

Claim 21

A shock absorber for damping courses of motion of two masses moving relative to one another at variable speeds, having a cylinder, a damper piston displaceable in said cylinder and dividing said cylinder into a first and a second work chamber, wherein the cylinder and the damper piston are each connected to one of the masses, at least one valve arrangement (24), said at least one valve arrangement including a first single valve (27) and a second single valve (28), said first single valve (27) includes a control means (38) and a valve seat (92), said control means (38) is triggerable with control signals and influences a flow of a pressure fluid from one of the two work chambers into the respective other work chamber, wherein the flow of pressure fluid flowing through said first single valve (27) and said second single valve (28) is divided into a first partial flow path (31) and a second partial flow path (32), each of which connects the first and second work chambers to each other, said first single valve (27) is located in and controls fluid flow through said first partial flow path, and the second single valve (28) is located in and controls fluid flow through said second partial flow path (32), said first partial flow path (31) includes at least one one-way check valve (81, 82, 83, 84, 109, 110) disposed in a conduit (71, 72, 73, 74, 106, 107) through which fluid flows via said first single valve (27) such that fluid always flows through said first single valve (27) in only one direction from either of said two work chambers to the other of said two work chambers, said second single valve (28) via said second partial flow path (32) controls fluid flow in reversible directions between said two work chambers, and wherein the control signals control the damping force directly, in that the control means (38) is actuated toward the valve seat (92) as a function of the control signals.

Claim 22

A shock absorber as defined in claim 19 wherein a direct adjustment of a damping force is effected by an adjusting force which actuates the control means (38) in a closing direction toward the valve seat (92), and a pressure, on an inlet side of the control means (38), of the pressure fluid flowing through the first partial flow path (31) acts upon the control means (38) counter to the adjusting force in the opening direction.

Claim 23

A shock absorber as defined in claim 20 in which the second single valve (28) includes at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100), wherein an oncoming-side pressure of the pressure fluid flowing through the second partial flow path (32) acts upon the at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100) in an opening direction, and the oncoming flow-side pressure in a pressure chamber (54) at the control means (38) in the first partial flow path (31) actuates the at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100) in a closing direction.

Claim 24

A shock absorber for damping courses of motion of two masses moving relative to one another at variable speeds, having a cylinder, a damper piston displaceable in said cylinder and dividing said cylinder into a first and a second work chamber, wherein the cylinder and the damper piston are each connected to one of the masses, at least one valve arrangement, said at least one valve arrangement including a first single valve (27) and a second single valve (28), said first single valve (27) is triggerable with control signals and influences a flow of a pressure fluid from one of the two work chambers into the respective other work chamber, wherein the flow of pressure fluid flowing through said first single valve (27) and said second single valve (28) is divided into a first partial flow path (31) and a second partial flow path (32), each of which connects the first and second work chambers to each other, said first single valve (27) is located in and controls fluid flow through said first partial flow path, and the second single valve (28) is located in and controls fluid flow through said second partial flow path (32), said first partial flow path (31) includes at least one one-way check valve (81, 82, 83, 84, 109, 110) disposed in a conduit (71, 72, 73, 74, 106, 107) through which fluid flows via said first single valve (27) such that fluid always flows through said first single valve (27) in only one direction from either of said two work chambers to the other of said two work chambers, said second single valve (28) via said second partial flow path (32) controls fluid flow in reversible directions between said two work chambers, and wherein the control signals control the damping force directly and wherein an infinitely graduated variation of the control signals means an infinitely graduated variation of the damping force.

Claim 25

A shock absorber for damping courses of motion of two masses moving relative to one another at variable speeds, having a cylinder, a damper piston displaceable in said cylinder and dividing said cylinder into a first and a second work chamber, wherein the cylinder and the damper piston are each connected to one of the masses, at least one valve arrangement, said at least one valve arrangement including a first single valve (27) and a second single valve (28), said first single valve (27) is triggerable with control signals and influences a flow of a pressure fluid from one of the two work chambers into the respective other work chamber, wherein the flow of pressure fluid flowing through said first single valve (27) and said second single valve (28) is divided into a first partial flow path (31) and a second partial flow path (32), each of which connects the first and second work chambers to each other, said first single valve (27) is located in and controls fluid flow through said first partial flow path, and the second single valve (28) is located in and controls fluid flow through said second partial flow path (32), said first partial flow path (31) includes at least one one-way check valve (81, 82, 83, 84, 109, 110) disposed in a conduit (71, 72, 73, 74, 106, 107) through which fluid flows via said first single valve (27) such that fluid always flows through said first single valve (27) in only one direction from either of said two work chambers to the other of said two work chambers, said second single valve (28) via said second partial flow path (32) controls fluid flow in reversible directions between said two work chambers, and wherein the control signals control the damping force directly and wherein an infinitely graduated variation of the control signals means an infinitely graduated variation of the damping force.

Claim 26

A shock absorber as defined in claim 22 in which the first single valve (27) includes a control means (38) and a valve seat (92), wherein a direct adjustment of a damping force is effected by an adjusting force which actuates the control means (38) in a closing direction toward the valve seat (92), and a pressure, on an inlet side of the control means (38), of the pressure fluid flowing through the first partial flow path (31) acts upon the control means (38) counter to the adjusting force in the opening direction.

Claim 27

A shock absorber as defined in claim 23 in which the second single valve (28) includes at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100), wherein an oncoming-side pressure of the pressure fluid flowing through the second partial flow path (32) acts upon the at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100) in an opening direction, and the oncoming flow-side pressure in a pressure chamber (54) at the control means (38) in the first partial flow path (31) actuates the at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100) in a closing direction.

Claim 28

A shock absorber for damping courses of motion of two masses moving relative to one another at variable speeds, having a cylinder, a damper piston displaceable in said cylinder and dividing said cylinder into a first and a second work chamber, wherein the cylinder and the damper piston are each connected to one of the masses, at least one valve arrangement, said at least one valve arrangement including a first single valve (27) and a second single valve (28), said first single valve (27) is triggerable with control signals and influences a flow of a pressure fluid from one of the two work chambers into the respective other work chamber, wherein the flow of pressure fluid flowing through said first single valve (27) and said second single valve (28) is divided into a first partial flow path (31) and a second partial flow path (32), each of which connects the first and second work chambers to each other, said first single valve (27) is located in and controls fluid flow through said first partial flow path, and the second single valve (28) is located in and controls fluid flow through said second partial flow path (32), said first partial flow path (31) includes at least one one-way check valve (81, 82, 83, 84, 109, 110) disposed in a conduit (71, 72, 73, 74, 106, 107) through which fluid flows via said first single valve (27) such that fluid always flows through said first single valve (27) in only one direction from either of said two work chambers to the other of said two work chambers, said second single valve (28) via said second partial flow path (32) controls fluid flow in reversible directions between said two work chambers, and wherein said first single control valve includes a control means (38) actuatable toward a valve seat (92) with the aid of the control signals provided in the course of the first partial flow path.

Claim 29

A shock absorber for damping courses of motion of two masses moving relative to one another at variable speeds, having a cylinder, a damper piston displaceable in said cylinder and dividing said cylinder into a first and a second work chamber, wherein the cylinder and the damper piston are each connected to one of the masses, at least one valve arrangement, said at least one valve arrangement including a first single valve (27) and a second single valve (28), said first single valve (27) is triggerable with control signals and influences a flow of a pressure fluid from one of the two work chambers into the respective other work chamber, wherein the flow of pressure fluid flowing through said first single valve (27) and said second single valve (28) is divided into a first partial flow path (31) and a second partial flow path (32), each of which connects the first and second work chambers to each other, said first single valve (27) is located in and controls fluid flow through said first partial flow path, and the second single valve (28) is located in and controls fluid flow through said second partial flow path (32), said first partial flow path (31) includes at least one one-way check valve (81, 82, 83, 84, 109, 110) disposed in a conduit (71, 72, 73, 74, 106, 107) through which fluid flows via said first single valve (27) such that fluid always flows through said first single valve (27) in only one direction from either of said two work chambers to the other of said two work chambers, said second single valve (28) via said second partial flow path (32) controls fluid flow in reversible directions between said two work chambers, and wherein said first single control valve includes a control means (38) actuatable toward a valve seat (92) with the aid of the control signals provided in the course of the first partial flow path.

Claim 30

A shock absorber as defined by claim 25, in which the control signals control a damper force directly, and a throttle cross section is determined as a function of the damper force and the magnitude of the pressure fluid flow.

Claim 31

A shock absorber as defined by claim 26, in which a pressure in a pressure connection (41) provides upstream of the control means (38) is controllable as a function of the actuation of the control means (38) toward the valve seat (92).

Claim 32

A shock absorber as defined by claim 25, in which a pressure in a pressure connection (41) provided upstream of the control means (38) is controllable as a function of the actuation of the control means (38) toward the valve seat (92).

Claim 33

A shock absorber as defined in claim 25 wherein a direct adjustment of a damping force is effected by an adjusting force which actuates the control means (38) in a closing direction toward the valve seat (92), and a pressure, on an inlet side of the control means (38), of the pressure fluid flowing through the first partial flow path (31) acts upon the control means (38) counter to the adjusting force in the opening direction.

Claim 34

A shock absorber as defined in claim 29 in which the second single valve (28) includes at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100), wherein an oncoming-side pressure of the pressure fluid flowing through the second partial flow path (32) acts upon the at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100) in an opening direction, and the oncoming flow-side pressure in a pressure chamber (54) at the control means (38) in the first partial flow path (31) actuates the at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100) in a closing direction.

Claim 35

A shock absorber for damping courses of motion of two masses movable relative to one another at variable speeds, having a damper piston that is displaceable in a cylinder and which divides the cylinder into a first and a second work chamber, wherein the cylinder and the damper piston are each connected to one of the masses; at least one valve device which varies a flow of a pressure fluid out of one of the two work chambers into the other work chamber, the valve device being triggerable with control signals and including a first single valve (27) and a second single valve (28), wherein a flow of pressure fluid being exchanged between the two work chambers (21, 22) is divided into a first partial flow flowing through a first partial flow path (31) and variable by means of the first single valve (27) and a second partial flow flowing through a second partial flow path (32) and variable by means of the second single valve (28), wherein the first and second partial flow paths (31, 32) extend at least partly separately, and the first single valve (27) includes a control means (38) that is actuatable as a function of the control signals toward a valve seat (92) and throttles the first partial flow; at least two check valves (81, 82, 83, 84, 109, 110) serving to rectify the flow of the pressure fluid in a region of the first single valve and permitting the flow of the first partial flow from a direction of a first pressure connection (41) located upstream of the valve means (38) in a direction of a second pressure connection (42) located downstream of the control means (38), wherein the second single valve (28) includes at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100) and a pressure chamber (54) that communicates with the first pressure connection (41), wherein the pressure prevailing in the pressure chamber (54) controls the second single valve (28) by action upon the at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100), the pressure in the pressure chamber (54) drives at least one of said at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100) in the closing direction against a valve seat (47); and the second single valve (28) has a flow through it in two opposed flow directions in alternation and in both opposed flow directions the oncoming higher pressure acts in the opening direction upon the at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100).

Claim 36

A shock absorber for damping courses of motion of two masses movable relative to one another at variable speeds, having a damper piston that is displaceable in a cylinder and which divides the cylinder into a first and a second work chamber, wherein the cylinder and the damper piston are each connected to one of the masses; at least one valve device which varies a flow of a pressure fluid out of one of the two work chambers into the other work chamber, the valve device being triggerable with control signals and including a first single valve (27) and a second single valve (28), wherein a flow of pressure fluid being exchanged between the two work chambers (21, 22) is divided into a first partial flow flowing through a first partial flow path (31) and variable by means of the first single valve (27) and a second partial flow flowing through a second partial flow path (32) and variable by means of the second single valve (28), wherein the first and second partial flow paths (31, 32) extend at least partly separately, and the first single valve (27) includes a control means (38) that is actuatable as a function of the control signals toward a valve seat (92) and throttles the first partial flow; at least two check valves (81, 82, 83, 84, 109, 110) serving to rectify the flow of the pressure fluid in a region of the first single valve and permitting the flow of the first partial flow from a direction of a first pressure connection (41) located upstream of the valve means (38) in a direction of a second pressure connection (42) located downstream of the control means (38), wherein the second single valve (28) includes at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100) and a pressure chamber (54) that communicates with the first pressure connection (41), wherein the pressure prevailing in the pressure chamber (54) controls the second single valve (28) by action upon the at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100), the pressure in the pressure chamber (54) drives at least one of said at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100) in the closing direction against a valve seat (47); and the second single valve (28) has a flow through it in two opposed flow directions in alternation and in both opposed flow directions the oncoming higher pressure acts in the opening direction upon the at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100).

Claim 37

A shock absorber as defined by claim 31 in which said at least one valve piston (46, 49, 100) is subjected in the reciprocating direction to the force of a spring (56, 57, 101).

Claim 38

A shock absorber as defined by claims 32 in which the valve means (38) is actuatable by means of a magnet coil (36).

Claim 39

A shock absorber as defined by claim 31 in which the valve means (38) is actuatable by means of a magnet coil (36).

Claim 40

A shock absorber as defined by claim 2, in which said valve assembly (24) is provided in the damper piston (10).