JPS61153034A - Buffer mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A. Field of Industrial Application The present invention generally relates to a valve device for controlling the flow of fluid, and in particular to such a device used in a shock absorbing mechanism. This relates to devices that control the flow of working fluid.

In conventional shock absorbing mechanisms such as automobile shock absorbers,
The force transmitting piston is assembled within an internal pressure chamber filled with working fluid. The chamber has a valve element formed with a restrictor georifice that communicates with an outer chamber filled with compressed nitrogen.

When the impulse is transmitted to the fluid by the gusset, a portion of the fluid is forced into the outer chamber through the opening. The dimensions of the opening as well as the viscosity of the fluid determine the damping effectiveness of the damping mechanism.

As the shock subsides, the compressed nitrogen forces the fluid against the valve element, thereby disengaging the valve element from the valve seat and allowing fluid to return to the internal pressure chamber.

Although this mechanism has proven to be effective and reliable, when used in cold weather
A problem arises. As the working fluid increases its viscosity as the temperature decreases, the fluid flow through the orifice decreases accordingly, resulting in a reduction in damping effectiveness. In other words, shocks are less easily absorbed in low temperature climates than in high temperature climates.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a valve element for a damping mechanism, which provides a more uniform damping effect regardless of temperature changes in the environment in which the mechanism is used. It is about providing what you can do.

Another object of the present invention is an improved valve element that is dimensioned to be placed in conventional mechanisms, economical, reliable, and capable of withstanding comparatively high pressure flows on opposite sides thereof. It's about giving what you get.

Other objects and features of the invention will be readily understood from a study of the following detailed description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, the valve body includes a movably assembled valve element compressed against the valve seat.

A pivotally mounted pin is placed in an aligned hole formed in the valve element and a bracket is attached to the valve element. Adjacent to the bore, the valve element is bored with an orifice, the orifice being shaped to form a pair of identically shaped slots, the edges of one of the slots having an imaginary extension in the longitudinal direction of the pin. A line is defined that passes through the axis and coincides with one end edge of the other slot. The other edge of said one slot defines a line whose imaginary extension passes through the longitudinal axis of the pin and coincides with the other edge of the other slot. A thermostat strip in the form of a helical coil of a plurality of turns is provided, a first end of which is coupled to the pin and a second end of which fits into the slot of the bracket. .

According to one feature of the invention, a flag member having a generally bow tie shape with two wings extending from opposite sides of the central hub portion is fixedly coupled to the pin, and the orifice or pair of flag members extends from opposite sides of the central hub portion. a position in which the slot is exposed, and a position in which at least a portion of the orifice is closed with one wing extending over one slot and the other wing extending over the other slot; and adapted to slide across the surface of the valve element from the position.

In one embodiment, the plurality of turns or turns of the coiled strip are all aligned with each other along the longitudinal axis of the pin; The pin is positioned extending along the longitudinal axis of the pin to produce dynamic movement.

OPERATION AND EXAMPLE Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 10 designates a conventional hydraulic damping mechanism formed by a generally cylindrical wall 14 with a first end connected to a valve. It is shown with an internal pressure chamber 12 closed by a part body 16 and a shock transmitting piston 18 adapted to slide towards or away from the first end.

As can most clearly be seen in FIG. 3, the valve body 16 is a generally cylindrical, cup-shaped housing 20 with an upright wall 120 which closely conforms to the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 14 of the pressure chamber 120. Including those having a side wall 22.

The housing 20 has an outwardly projecting flange 24 formed at a lower end thereof in contact with a lower far end of the wall 14 to open the pressure chamber 1 .
It is in the first end of 2. A plurality of inwardly projecting lips 26 are formed on the side wall 22 to tighten the housing 2.
0 along a portion of its entire length. The inner surface of these ribs 26 is connected to the valve element 2 which will be described later.
form a land that serves as a guide surface for 8. The upper end of the housing 20, as seen in the drawings,
A centrally located aperture 30 is provided in the end wall 32 and an aperture 34 is provided between and adjacent each rib 26. A passageway 36 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is formed between adjacent lips and extends through the opening 34 into the interior of the housing 20 and between the pressure chamber 12.

The valve element 28 is a circular disc having a hole 40 extending therethrough from its top to its bottom and has a raised area 42 which serves as a spring seat. Valve element 28 has a coil spring 4 between end wall 32 and valve element 28 to provide a downward biasing force thereto.
4, and is slidably fitted into the housing 16 along the land portion formed by the inner surface of the lip 26.

A base 46 disposed at the bottom end of the housing 20 engages the valve element 28 within the housing 20 and
An annular valve seat 48 is formed which is aligned with the outer peripheral edge of the bottom surface of the valve 8. Base 46 is a generally cylindrical sleeve having a plurality of depending legs 50.

The hydraulic shock absorbing mechanism 10 includes an inner wall 1 so as to form an outer chamber 54.
4, the outer chamber 54 has a generally cylindrical outer wall 52 spaced apart from the outer chamber 54 at a selected pressure, e.g. l
/ cm" (40 psi) of gas, preferably nitrogen, in a known manner. An end cap 56 closes the outer chamber 54 and locks the valve body 16, as shown in FIGS. A suitable mounting bracket 58 is provided to mount the hydraulic shock absorber 10 in its desired location.

When the valve element 2B is in its FIG. 1 position, the pressure chamber 1
2 and the outer chamber 54 is defined a fluid passage extending through the opening 30 of the housing 20, the hole 40 of the valve element 28, the center of the base 46 and the space between the legs 50.

When the valve element 28 is in its FIG. 2 position, the outer chamber 54
and the pressure chamber 12, a fluid passage is formed which extends through the space between the legs 50, the center of the base 46, the outer periphery of the valve element 28, the passage 36, the opening 34, and the hole 40 of the valve element 28. be done.

In the rest position shown in FIG. 1, a selected amount of fluid medium, such as a suitable working fluid, is placed in pressure chamber 12. The valve element 28 is pressed into contact with the valve seat 48, so that the only passage between the pressure chamber and the outer chamber is through the bore 40, and the diameter of the chain bore 40 is larger than the fluid. It is selected to provide the desired damping effect based on the viscosity of the medium. For example, when an impulse is received from a vehicle wheel via piston 18, fluid is forced through hole 40 into outer chamber 54 as shown by arrow 60 and further compresses the nitrogen.

At the same time that the shock is absorbed and dissipated, the fluid medium that has passed through the hole 40 is now forced into the valve element 2 by compressed nitrogen.
8 away from the valve seat, thereby causing fluid to pass through passage 36 and hole 40 into pressure chamber 12, as shown by arrow 62. allowing it to flow in and return to its rest position.

To provide more uniform damping in variable temperature environments, an improved valve element 128 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 4-3. Valve element 1
28 has a generally circular base or control wall 130 whose outer periphery, like the valve element 28 described above, is removable from the valve seat 48 . The control wall 130 is provided with a hole 131 extending therethrough, and
A bracket 132 is welded into the bottom opposite the hole 1310. The bracket 132 is generally U-shaped;
Thus, the intermediate section extending across hole 131 is spaced therefrom to form a sensor cavity between the bracket and the control wall. A hole 134 is formed in the bracket 132 in alignment with the hole 131 in the control wall 130 and a shaft or pin 13
6 is rotatably inserted into these two holes.

Orifices, preferably in the form of a pair of identical slots (138, 140), are formed in the control wall 130, which slots are located adjacent to the hole 131 on opposite sides. A first edge of slot 138 forms a straight line whose imaginary extension crosses the longitudinal axis of pin 136 and coincides with one edge of slot 140, as shown by the centerline in FIG. The second edge of slot 138 forms a straight line whose imaginary extension intersects the longitudinal axis of pin 136 and coincides with the other edge of slot 140, as shown by centerline 144 in FIG.

The generally bowtie-shaped flag element 146 has a central hub portion 14B and diametrically opposed wings 150, 152 extending therefrom in any suitable manner, e.g. It is fixedly connected to the pin 136 by welding or brazing. flag element 1
The wings 46 are adapted to slide on the surface of the control wall 1300 as the pin 136 rotates.

As shown in FIG. 4, the wings 150 and 152 rotate as the pin 136 rotates counterclockwise, respectively.
slots) 138 and 140. As can be seen in the drawing, the slight clockwise movement causes most of the outer peripheral edge of the slot to become attached to the wing 15.
0.152 to minimize orifice size.

Also attached to pin 136 is a thermostatic element 154 that is used to control the angular position of the pin and associated flag element 146. The thermostatic element 154 is in the form of a helical coil having a plurality of turns aligned with each other along the longitudinal axis of the pin 136 to use a minimal amount of space along the tenth inner end 156. , the inner end 156 is secured to the bracket 132 in a preferred manner, such as by welding, and the second outer end 158 is fixedly attached to the bracket 132, such as by inserting it into the bracket 132. The second outer end 158 is inserted through and locked into the slot 160 of the bracket 132.

Therefore, at a selected level, e.g.
"F), the thermostat metal rotates the pin and flag such that the wings 150, 152 close the hole 400 of the valve element 28.
each aligned with the slot to provide a desired minimum orifice of comparable dimensions. i.e. wing 15
0,152 project from the pin 136 by a distance shorter than the distance between the outer edges of the slots 138,140. The wings 150, 152 are designed to maintain the temperature range that the valve arrangement will be subjected to, e.g., from about 32.2°0 (90'F) to about 96.0°F.
Slots N38 and 140 are made much wider than slots N38 and 140 to accommodate the degree of rotation of pin 136 caused by exposing the thermostat metal to temperatures as high as 6°C (200”F), but approximately 32.2°. °C (90'l?)
At a temperature below the total dimension of the orifice, the thermostatic metal moves to cause wings 150, 152 to move out of alignment with slots 138, 140, respectively, and finally at a selected lower temperature, e.g. ,6℃(2
0'l? ), the orifice is of maximum size and kept fully open until the expected temperature that the valve device will be able to receive is reached, e.g. dripping In one example shown in FIG. 4, the orifice of a valve device made in accordance with the present invention is that for approximately 24°0 (75ff).

Thus, as the temperature decreases below a level selected based on the viscosity of the fluid used and its variation with temperature, the size of the orifice increases, so that when the piston 18 is subjected to a shock. Roughly the same degree of damping is achieved by passing fluid through the orifice.

One type of orifice regulated by a thermostat is disclosed in patent application Ser. No. 518,493, filed July 29, 1983.
In that type, a flag member adapted to slide over an orifice is attached to the end of a cantilevered strip of thermostatic metal.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4-3, space usage along the longitudinal axis is minimized by aligning all turns of the helical coil on the longitudinal axis. 7th
In the alternative embodiment of the sensor shown in FIGS. A length of metal that provides a certain degree of rotation can be placed within a relatively small cylindrical housing. The space requirements of a particular application will determine which embodiment is employed. Referring to Figures 7 and 8,
Valve element 22B has a generally cylindrical control wall 230 with a central bore 231 therethrough. Brackets 232 are welded to the surface of front wall 230 on opposite sides of hole 2310.

As in FIGS. 4-3, the bracket 232 is generally U-shaped to define a sensor cavity between it and the control wall 230, but its legs are selectively The recessed bottom is long enough to space the recessed bottom sufficiently from the control wall to accommodate the thermostatic metal coil. A hole 234 is formed in bracket 232 in alignment with hole 231, and an elongated shaft or pin 236 is rotatably fitted in the two holes.

An orifice is formed in the control wall 230, preferably in the form of a pair of similarly shaped slots 238, 240 located adjacent to and on opposite sides of the bore 231. The first edge of slot 238 has an imaginary extension thereof as indicated by centerline 242 in FIG.
A straight line is formed across the longitudinal axis of pin 236 that coincides with the edge of slot 240 . The second slot 238
forms a straight line whose imaginary extension coincides with the other edge of slot 240 across the longitudinal extension of pin 236, as shown by centerline 244.

Flag element 246 is similar to flag element 14 in FIGS.
6, it has a central hub portion 248 provided with an aperture fixedly connected to the tongue 236, and a pair of wings 250, 252 extending in diametrically opposed directions therefrom.

These wings 250° 252 are adapted to slide on the surface of the control wall 230 as the pitch 2300 rotates.

The thermostat metal strip 254 has a first end 255 secured, for example by welding, to the can 236 near the recessed bottom of the bracket 232 and a first end 255 secured in a slot in one of the legs of the bracket 232. 2 end portions 256. The particular length of the legs of U-shaped bracket 232 is selected to accommodate the selected length of thermostatic metal strip 254. thermostat metal strip 25
4 is a plurality of convolutions having generally the same outer diameter and extending along the longitudinal axis of pin 236 to form a spiral.

9 and 10, a modification of the invention is shown in which the flag element 346 is used to adjust the size of the orifice in the control wall 230 from fully open to fully closed. That is, the wings 350, 352 are
Extending radially from pin 336 a distance greater than the outer edges 337 of slots 338, 340. Valve element 328 is shown mounted as a fixed member, the valving of which is performed entirely by flag element 346. As in the previously described embodiments, said slots:
Centerlines 342, 34 transverse to the longitudinal axis of pin 336
4 and the edges coincident with each other.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific preferred embodiments thereof, many changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is intended that the appended claims be interpreted broadly to include all such changes and modifications as are possible in light of the prior art.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a conventional damping mechanism illustrated in the compression stroke during shock absorption; FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial longitudinal sectional view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the shock absorbing mechanism; FIG. 4 is a top view of an improved valve element that may be used in the valve mechanism shown in FIGS. 1-3; FIG. 5 is a side view of the valve element of FIG. 4; FIG. FIG. 7 is a top view of an alternative type of valve element that may be used in other pressure chambers having a larger space along the longitudinal axis; FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the valve element of FIG. , a side view of the valve element of FIG. 7; and FIG. 9 is a top view similar to FIG. 7 of another alternative embodiment of the valve element; FIG. 10 is a side view of the valve element of FIG. It is a diagram. In the drawing, 10 is a buffer mechanism; 12 is a pressure chamber; 14 is a cylindrical wall; 16 is a valve body; 18 is a shock transmission piston; 20 is a housing; 30, 34 are openings; 36 is a passage; 128, 2
28 is the valve element; 130° 230 is the control wall; 136,2
36 is pin; 138° 142 is slot; 238, 24
2 is a slot; 146.246 is a flag element; 150,
152 is wing; 250, 252 is wing; 154
゜254 is the thermostat element

Claims (12)

[Claims] (1) a generally cylindrical pressure chamber having a first end, the force transmitting piston being slidably received within the pressure chamber and proximate the first end; In a buffer mechanism, the buffer mechanism is adapted to slide away from each other, is filled with a fluid, and has a second chamber communicating with the first end thereof: located at the first end and connecting the pressure chamber to the second end.
a valve housing isolated from a chamber of the valve having a generally circular valve seat and having a passageway extending from the valve seat into the pressure chamber; a fluid control wall assembled within the housing; a valve element configured to move toward and away from the valve seat; means for pressing the valve element against the valve seat; a hole drilled in the control wall; a bracket coupled to the valve element so as to extend spaced apart therefrom; a hole drilled in the bracket in alignment with the hole in the control wall; and a pivoted pin extending through the hole; a first end coupled to the pin and a second
a coil-shaped thermostat strip coupled to the bracket at an outer end thereof to cause rotation of the pin with changes in temperature, the coil being connected to the longitudinal axis of the pin; a plurality of convolutions aligned with each other, the control wall defining an orifice adjacent the aperture, and the control wall being attached to the pin for rotation therewith. a flag adapted to slide on the control wall from a position in which it is aligned with at least a portion of said orifice to a position in which it is completely out of alignment with said orifice; The impact force received by the piston is capable of forcing fluid through the orifice, the effective dimension of which varies with temperature; pressure means in the second chamber cause the valve element to close to the valve after transmission of the impact. The damping mechanism is moved away from the seat to allow the fluid to pass through the passageway past the valve seat and back into the pressure chamber. (2) In the buffer mechanism according to claim 1:
The damping mechanism wherein the orifice adjacent the hole in the control wall is defined by a pair of slots on opposite sides of the hole in the control wall. (3) In the buffer mechanism according to claim 2:
One end edge of one slot extends in a line such that its imaginary extension passes through the longitudinal axis of the pin and coincides with one end edge of the other slot, and the other end edge of said one slot The buffer mechanism is configured such that the extension line passes through the longitudinal axis of the pin and extends as another line such that it coincides with the other end edge of the other slot. (4) In the buffer mechanism according to claim 3:
The damping mechanism comprises a hub portion with the flag attached to the pin and a pair of wings extending radially from the hub on opposite sides of the pin. (5) In the buffer mechanism according to claim 4:
A dampening mechanism wherein the slot extends radially a first distance and the wing extends radially a second distance less than the first distance. (6) In the buffer mechanism according to claim 1:
The buffer mechanism wherein the bracket is formed with a slot, and the second end of the bracket extends through and is locked in the slot. (7) a valve element having a control wall; a hole drilled in the control wall; a bracket coupled to the valve element so as to extend above and away from the hole; holes drilled in the bracket in alignment with the holes, a pivotally mounted pin extending through the holes, and a first end such that a change in temperature causes rotation of the pin. a thermostat strip in the form of a coil coupled to the pin and having a second end coupled to the bracket, the coil having a plurality of turns aligned with each other with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pin; a flag having a bottom wall adjacent to the hole forming an orifice, and a flag attached to the pin and adapted to rotate with the pin, the flag comprising at least a portion of the orifice; from a position in which it is aligned with the orifice to a position in which it is completely out of alignment with the orifice, whereby the effective dimensions of the orifice are selected. A damping mechanism including a valve body that is variable according to temperature between a maximum and a minimum temperature. (8) In the buffer mechanism according to claim 7:
The damping mechanism wherein the orifice adjacent the hole in the control wall is defined by a pair of slots on opposite sides of the hole. (9) In the buffer mechanism according to claim 8:
one end edge of one slot extends in line such that its imaginary extension passes through the longitudinal axis of the pin and coincides with one end edge of the other slot; The buffer mechanism is configured such that its imaginary extension line passes through the longitudinal axis of the pin and extends as another line such that it coincides with the other end edge of the other slot. (10) The shock absorbing mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the flag includes a hub portion attached to the pin and a pair of wings extending radially from the hub on opposite sides of the pin. The buffer mechanism. (11) The shock absorbing mechanism of claim 10, wherein the slot extends radially a first distance, and the wing extends a second distance shorter than the first distance. The buffer mechanism extends in a radial direction. (12) The shock absorbing mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the bracket is formed with a slot, and the second end of the bracket extends through and is locked in the slot. The buffer mechanism consists of: