Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.

Koenraad Reybrouck

Prashant Patel

Justin Hendrix

Thomas Mallin

Luc Lemmens

Piotr Grzanka

Jacek Cylok

Frederik Balcaen

A damper system for a vehicle is provided that includes including a pressure tube, a piston rod, and a piston assembly that is mounted to the piston rod and separates the pressure tube into first and second working chambers. A valve assembly, mounted to the piston assembly, controls fluid flow between the first and second working chambers. A frequency dependent damper assembly, coupled to the piston rod at a position below the piston assembly, includes a plunger sleeve that is longitudinally moveable to transmit an adaptive force to a valve assembly. A plunger travel limiter, positioned longitudinally between the frequency dependent damper assembly and the valve assembly, contacts the plunger sleeve and prevents the plunger sleeve from moving further towards the piston assembly to limit the magnitude of the adaptive force applied to the valve assembly.

Damper with valve preload limiter

A damper system for a vehicle is provided that includes a pressure tube and a piston assembly separating the pressure tube into first and second working chambers. A frequency dependent damper assembly, coupled to a piston rod at a position below the piston assembly, includes a plunger sleeve that is longitudinally moveable to transmit an adaptive force to a first valve assembly mounted to the piston assembly. The frequency dependent damper assembly includes first and second accumulation chambers that are separated by a floating piston. A second valve assembly, carried on the floating piston, controls fluid flow between the second accumulation chamber and the second working chamber. A bleed channel in the floating piston allows fluid flow between the first and second accumulation chambers, which reduces the adaptive force the plunger sleeve applies to the first valve assembly during high frequency, low velocity rebound inputs.

Damper with floating piston bleed channel

The present disclosure relates to a shock absorber having a pressure tube which defines a fluid chamber, and a piston assembly. The piston assembly is disposed within the fluid chamber and divides the fluid chamber into upper and lower working chambers. A reserve tube surrounds the pressure tube to define a reservoir chamber between the reserve tube and the pressure tube. The pressure tube is disposed between a rod guide assembly and a lower mount. A structural integrity of the pressure tube is greater than a structural integrity of the reserve tube, and the pressure tube further operates as a principal load bearing component for the shock absorber.

Double tube damper with structural pressure tube

A hydraulic actuator includes a shock absorber and a control system that is separate from the shock absorber and which generates damping loads for the hydraulic actuator. The control system generates the damping load by using a pair of variable valves, a pair of check valves, an accumulator, a pump/motor and a flow controller. The forces are generated in all four quadrants of compression/rebound and active/passive. A device which recuperates the energy generated by the hydraulic actuator can be incorporated into the hydraulic actuator to generate energy in the form of electrical energy.

Passive and active suspension with optimization of energy usage

A gas shock absorber has a pressure tube which defines a working chamber. A piston divides the working chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber. A flow path extends through the piston to provide fluid communication between the upper and lower working chambers. A valve body is attached to the pressure tube. The valve body defines a flow path between the working chamber and a fluid chamber. The fluid chamber is in communication with either the upper working chamber or the lower working chamber. The fluid chamber can be defined within the pressure tube, between the pressure tube and a chamber tube or it can be defined by an air spring assembly.

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Etterbeck, Belgium

Koenraad Reybrouck