Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.

Driv Automotive Inc.

Jan Vochten

Mark Nowaczyk

Tom Daniels

Kenny Berwaerts

Gunter Vandenborne

Stefan Peerenbooms

Frederik Baldoni

Jelle Van De Plas

Christof Kleynen

An accumulator for a vehicle suspension damper, which includes an outer shell with an open end that connects to an accumulator port on the damper and a distal end, opposite the open end, which includes an end wall that extends radially inward to a gas charging port. A bellows assembly, which includes an annular bellows wall extending between proximal and distal plates, is positioned inside the outer shell to define a pressurized gas chamber inside the accumulator that is arranged in fluid communication with the gas charging port. The gas charging port includes a stem that extends inwardly from the end wall of the outer shell and the distal plate of the bellows assembly has an inner diameter that is received on the stem. The inner diameter of the distal plate is coupled to the stem of the gas charging port by a fixation component.

Bellows accumulator fixation apparatus for suspension dampers

A method of assembling an accumulator for a suspension damper where the method includes the steps of forming an outer shell of an accumulator, assembling a bellows assembly by connecting distal and proximal plates to opposite ends of an annular bellows wall, and inserting the bellows assembly into the outer shell. The outer shell is formed such that it includes a distal end with an end wall and an open end opposite the distal end. The bellows assembly is inserted into the open end of the outer shell with the distal plate facing the end wall of the outer shell. The method proceeds with coupling the distal plate of the bellows assembly to a stem of a gas charging port on the end wall of the outer shell at a fixed axial position using a fixation component that engages the stem of the gas charging port.

Method of assembling a bellows accumulator for suspension dampers

A valve assembly for a damper is provided. The valve assembly includes a housing defining a fluid cavity. The valve assembly includes a spool valve movably disposed within the housing. Further, the valve assembly includes a bumper disposed between the housing and the spool valve. At least the bumper, the spool valve and the housing together define an enclosed volume. The valve assembly further includes one or more bleed paths defined on at least one of the bumper, the spool valve and the housing, the one or more bleed paths fluidly communicating the fluid cavity with the enclosed volume.

Valve assembly for a damper

A shock absorber has a pressure tube with a piston assembly slidably disposed within the pressure tube and attached to a piston rod. The pressure tube is disposed within a reserve tube and a working fluid reservoir is formed between the pressure tube and the reserve tube. The piston assembly divides the pressure tube into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. A base valve assembly controls a flow of working fluid between the working fluid reservoir and the lower working chamber. The base valve assembly includes a frequency dependent valve system that provides an increased level of damping for each compression stroke of the piston assembly during low frequency movements of the shock absorber. A lesser level of damping is provided for each compression stroke during high frequency movements of the shock absorber.

Shock absorber with frequency dependent passive valve

A shock absorber has a pressure tube with a piston assembly slidably disposed within the pressure tube and attached to a piston rod. The piston assembly divides the pressure tube into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. The piston assembly includes a frequency dependent valve assembly attached to the piston rod which defines a housing attached to the piston rod and a spool valve assembly. The spool valve assembly includes a spool valve and a bypass valve assembly that controls fluid flow through bypass passage that bypasses the piston assembly.

A shock absorber has a pressure tube with a piston assembly slidably disposed within the pressure tube and attached to a piston rod. The piston assembly divides the pressure tube into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. The piston assembly includes a frequency dependent valve assembly attached to the piston rod which defines a housing attached to the piston rod and a spool valve assembly. The spool valve assembly includes a pair of spool valves and a pair of bypass valve assemblies that control fluid flow through a bypass passage that bypasses the piston assembly.

Growing community of inventors

Sint-Truiden, Belgium

Jan Vochten