The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 15, 2000
Filed:
May. 07, 1998
Simon Anne de Molina, Merchtem, BE;
Stefan Deferme, Heusden-Zolder, BE;
Tenneco Automotive Inc., Lake Forest, IL (US);
Abstract
A passive damping system for a shock absorber is disclosed. The shock absorber includes a working chamber, and a piston disposed in the working chamber. The piston includes a primary bypass valve for defining an upper fluid portion and a lower fluid portion. A piston rod is connected to the piston and extends through the top portion of the working chamber. A variable bypass assembly is disposed between a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber. The variable bypass assembly includes at least one bypass aperture for providing communication of damping fluid between the first and second fluid chambers. The variable bypass assembly also includes a passive control member for varying the size of the bypass aperture, and biasing structure for normally retaining the passive control member in a position which maximizes the size of the bypass aperture. The passive control member is such that an accelerating force placed upon the shock absorber causes motion of the passive control member for restricting the size of the bypass aperture and increasing a damping force provided by the shock absorber.