Patent ID: 6389341
Filing Date: 2002-05-14
Classification: B60G,F16F

Abstract:
A strut of a suspension system for supporting a suspended body from a support member which is subject to vibratory motion, comprising:a cylinder having an interior bore, said bore defining a cylinder chamber; an aperture extending into said cylinder; a fluid displacement member moveably extending through said aperture and into said cylinder; a seal extending between said fluid displacement member and said aperture into said cylinder, and sealingly engaging therebetween; a compressible fluid disposed within said cylinder chamber, said compressible fluid having a fluid pressure; wherein movement of said fluid displacement member in a first direction through said aperture and into said cylinder chamber increases said fluid pressure in said chamber, such that said compressible fluid pressure exerts a resultant force which pushes against said fluid displacement member in a second direction; said cylinder being secured to one of said suspended body and said support member, and said fluid displacement member being secured to the other of said support member and said suspended body; a damper element moveably secured to said fluid displacement member, interiorly within said cylinder chamber, and being moveable with said fluid displacement member relative to said compressible fluid to restrict movement of said fluid displacement member relative to said compressible fluid, said damper element being moveable relative to said fluid displacement member from a first position to a second position to change the amount by which said damper element restricts movement of said fluid displacement member and said damper element relative to said compressible fluid; and a bias member for preventing said damper element from moving from said first position to said second position until a predetermined pressure differential is disposed across said damper element.