Ford Motor Company Limited

Fichtel & Sachs Ag

Sachs Automotive of America

Matthias Raulf

Ray A Sackett

Rolf Wengenroth

William H Clarke

Thomas Achard

Toivo Raabis

Edward W Silye

Gu/ Nther Handke

A hydraulic shock absorber having discrete damping levels in the rebound direction includes a piston that reciprocates within a pressure tube and divides the pressure tube into rebound and pressure chambers. A passage extends through the piston for establishing fluid communication between the rebound and pressure chambers. A one-way, pressure responsive valve normally closing the passage opens in response to fluid pressure of a predetermined magnitude in the rebound chamber when the piston moves in the rebound direction. The side wall of the pressure tube has bleed holes that lead to a bypass channel that is controlled by an electronically controlled or actuated solenoid valve that opens and closes the outlet of the bypass channel to change the damping characteristics in the rebound and jounce directions in response to suspension conditions. The piston carries a slide valve that closes the bleed holes to the bypass channel mechanically in the rebound direction in response to rapid changes in suspension conditions that the solenoid valve cannot react to quick enough.

Hydraulic shock absorber

A motor vehicle vibration damper having a piston disposed on a piston rod within a cylinder of the damper unit, is provided with a mechanical limit-stop for resisting and limiting movement of the piston rod out of the cylinder. The limit stop can preferably comprise a spring disposed about the piston rod, which spring can have a stop member connected to each end thereof in a reclosable manner. The stop members can comprise a guide surface for guiding movement of the piston rod within the limit stop, and the limit stop, comprising the spring and stop members, can be disposed within the cylinder, about the piston rod, in a free-floating manner.

Motor vehicle vibration damper

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Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Matthias Raulf