Patent ID: 7232016

Claim:
An apparatus operable to provide damping between a sprung mass and an unsprung mass, comprising: a translatable member having a first attachment point, and adapted for generally linear translation in a forward and a reverse direction; a rotatable member comprising a rotatable shaft that is rotatably coupled to the translatable member; wherein translation of the translatable member in one of the forward or the reverse directions produces a forward or a reverse rotation of the rotatable member and shaft, respectively; a damping mechanism comprising a housing having a second attachment point, a first end with a bore that is adapted to rotatably receive the shaft therethrough, a sidewall having an inner surface and a second end, a hub having an outer surface that is fixed to the shaft and located within the inner surface of the sidewall such that the hub and sidewall form a channel therebetween, a means for generating a single electromagnetic field within the channel, and a fluid located within the channel having a viscosity that can be varied by the application of the electromagnetic field; wherein the fluid is a magnetorheological fluid; wherein the means for applying the single electromagnetic field within the channel is a coil that is located proximate the channel; wherein the hub comprises a cylindrical base having an outer rim and that is fixed to the shaft and a cylindrical wall extending from the outer rim and located adjacent to the inner surface of the sidewall of the housing, wherein a first portion between the sidewall of the housing and the cylindrical wall of the hub comprises the channel; and, a cylindrical core attached to the second end of the housing and extending along and adjacent to the cylindrical wall of the hub, wherein a second portion between the cylindrical wall of the hub and the cylindrical core further comprises the channel; wherein the core has a recess in an outer surface and the coil is located within the recess.