Variable damping means

Claim 2

A variable damping device for use in hydraulically cushionIng a vehicle occupant comprising: a. a vehicle frame, b. an occupant support vertically movable with respect to said vehicle frame, c. a first hydraulic cylinder interposed between said vehicle frame and said occupant support, d. a closable valve connected by a fluid transfer line to said first hydraulic cylinder, e. a pressurized hydraulic fluid reservoir connected to said closable valve, thereby providing a passageway closable by said closable valve between said first hydraulic cylinder and said hydraulic fluid reservoir, f. a flow regulating link operably connected to said closable valve and operable by movements of sad occupant support, whereby said link moves and operates said closable valve when said occupant support moves in at least one direction, g. a second hydraulic cylinder interposed between said flow regulating link and said vehicle frame, h. a hydraulic fluid line leading from said second hydraulic cylinder, i. a constrictive valve connected to said hydraulic fluid line, j. a check valve connected to said hydraulic fluid line in parallel with said constrictive valve, whereby said check valve allows hydraulic fluid to flow in one direction with respect to said hydraulic cylinder, and k. a pressurized hydraulic fluid reservoir connected to said constrictive valve and to said check valve.

Claim 3

The variable damping device of claim 1 further characterized in that said constrictive valve is an adjustable valve.

Claim 4

The variable damping device of claim 1 further characterized in that an actuating arm is attached to said occupant support and is engageable with said flow regulating link, whereby said arm engages said link and causes said link to move when said occupant support moves in at least one direction.

Claim 5

The variable damping device of claim 3 further characterized in that said actuating arm causes said flow regulating link to rotate when said occupant support moves downward.

Claim 6

The variable damping device of claim 4 further characterized in that said closable valve is comprised of a cylinder member having an interior radial port, a second port, and a passageway therebetween, and a sleeve member having a radial port alignable with said interior radial port of said cylinder member, and one of the aforesaid members is rigidly attached to said flow regulating link.

Claim 7

The variable damping device of claim 3 further characterized in that said closable valve is a needle valve comprised of a needle member and an orifice member, and one of said members is operably connected to said flow regulating link and the other of said members is fixed relative to said vehicle frame.

Claim 8

The variable damping device of claim 3 further characterized in that said actuating arm engages said flow regulating link when said occupant support is in the lower portion of an oscillatory cycle with respect to said vehicle frame.

Claim 9

A variable damping device for use in hydraulically cushioning a vehicle occupant comprising: a. a vehicle frame, b. an occupant support vertically movable with respect to said vehicle frame, c. a first hydraulic cylinder interposed between said vehicle frame and said occupant support, d. a closable valve connected by a fluid transfer line to said first hydraulic cylinder, e. a pressurized hydraulic fluid reservoir connected to said closable valve, thereby providing a passageway closable by said closable valve between said first hydraulic cylinder and said hydraulic fluid reservoir, f. a flow regulating link operably connected to said closable valve and operable by movements of said occupant support, whereby said link moves and operates said closable valve when said occupant support moves in at least one direction, g. a second hydraulic cylinder interposed between said flow regulating link and said occupant support, h. a hydraulic fluid line leading from said second hydraulic cylinder, i. a constrictive valve connected to said hydraulic fluid liNe, j. a check valve connected to said hydraulic fluid line in parallel with said constrictive valve, whereby said check valve allows hydraulic fluid to flow in one direction with respect to said hydraulic cylinder, and k. a pressurized hydraulic fluid reservoir connected to said constrictive valve and to said check valve.

Claim 10

A variable damping device for use in hydraulically cushioning a vehicle occupant comprising: a. a vehicle frame, b. an occupant support vertically movable with respect to said vehicle frame, c. a first hydraulic cylinder interposed between said vehicle frame and said occupant support, d. a closable valve connected by a fluid transfer line to said first hydraulic cylinder, e. a pressurized hydraulic fluid reservoir connected to said closable valve, thereby providing a passageway closable by said closable valve between said first hydraulic cylinder and said hydraulic fluid reservoir, f. a flow regulating link operably connected to said closable valve and operable by movements of said occupant support, whereby said link moves and operates said closable valve when said occupant support moves in at least one direction, g. a second hydraulic cylinder interposed between said flow regulating link and said occupant support, h. a hydraulic fluid line leading from said second hydraulic cylinder, i. a constrictive valve connected to said hydraulic fluid liNe, j. a check valve connected to said hydraulic fluid line in parallel with said constrictive valve, whereby said check valve allows hydraulic fluid to flow in one direction with respect to said hydraulic cylinder, and k. a pressurized hydraulic fluid reservoir connected to said constrictive valve and to said check valve.

Claim 11

A variable damping device for use in hydraulically cushioning a vehicle occupant comprising: a. a vehicle frame, b. an occupant support vertically movable with respect to said vehicle frame, c. a hydraulic cylinder interposed between said vehicle frame and said occupant support, d. a valve housing containing a passageway therethrough and a blocking valve located in said passageway and connected to said hydraulic cylinder by a fluid transfer line, e. a pressurized hydraulic fluid reservoir in communication with said passageway, f. a barrier panel with respect to which said valve housing is relatively movable, and said barrier panel is located in said hydraulic fluid reservoir transverse to the direction of relative motion of said valve housing, whereby relative movement of said valve housing causes movement of said hydraulic fluid in said hydraulic fluid reservoir and said barrier panel restricts the movement of said hydraulic fluid, g. a check valve that spans said barrier panel and allows easy passage of hydraulic fluid in one direction while opposing passage of hydraulic fluid in the opposite direction, and h. flow regulating linkage connected to said occupant support and operably connected with a relatively large minimum clearance to said valve housing, whereby movement of said occupant support operates said blocking valve only after said linkage moves beyond the limit of said minimum clearance.

Claim 12

A variable damping device for use in hydraulically cushioning a vehicle occupant comprising: a. a vehicle frame, b. an occupant support vertically movable with respect to said vehicle frame, c. a hydraulic cylinder interposed between said vehicle frame and said occupant support, d. a valve housing containing a passageway therethrough and a blocking valve located in said passageway and connected to said hydraulic cylinder by a fluid transfer line, e. a pressurized hydraulic fluid reservoir in communication with said passageway, f. a barrier panel with respect to which said valve housing is relatively movable, and said barrier panel is located in said hydraulic fluid reservoir transverse to the direction of relative motion of said valve housing, whereby relative movement of said valve housing causes movement of said hydraulic fluid in said hydraulic fluid reservoir and said barrier panel restricts the movement of said hydraulic fluid, g. a check valve that spans said barrier panel and allows easy passage of hydraulic fluid in one direction while opposing passage of hydraulic fluid in the opposite direction, and h. flow regulating linkage connected to said occupant support and operably connected with a relatively large minimum clearance to said valve housing, whereby movement of said occupant support operates said blocking valve only after said linkage moves beyond the limit of said minimum clearance.

Claim 13

The variable damping device of claim 9 further characterized in that there is an opening extending transversely through said barrier panel and said check valve is located in said opening.

Claim 14

The variable damping device of claim 10 further characterized in that said valve housing and said hydraulic fluid reservoir are confined within a cylindrical sleeve member, and said valve housing has a cylindrical central portion and at least one end portion of segmental cross section only slightly smaller than a semicircle having the same radius, and a transverse separation panel with a passageway therethrough is located adjacent a first segmental end portion of said valve housing in said hydraulic fluid reservoir, and said barrier panel is a planar rectangle radially extending from the axis of said sleeve member to the inner surface of said sleeve member coextensive with and positioned generally opposite said first segmental end portion of said valve housing and intersecting said transverse separation panel within said sleeve member.

Claim 15

The variable damping device of claim 11 further characterized in that a second end portion of said valve housing is of segmental cross section only slightly smaller than a semicircle having the same radius, and an adjacent end of said flow regulating linkage is of segmental cross section only slightly smaller than a semicircle having the same radius and is located in said sleeve member generally opposite said second end portion of said valve housing, thereby creating the aforesaid minimum clearance between said valve housing and said flow regulating linkage.

Claim 16

The variable damping device of claim 11 further characterized in that a second end of said valve housing has a circular surface and an adjacent end of said flow regulating linkage is coaxial with said valve housing and has a circular surface, and a first of the aforesaid circular surfaces has at least one track extending in an arc about the axis of said valve housing abruptly terminated by an obstacle at one end and smoothly blending into said first circular surface at the other end, and at least one guide follower protrudes from a second of the aforesaid circular surfaces and is spring biased toward said firsT of the aforesaid circular surfaces and engages said track, whereby relative rotation of said adjacent end of said flow regulating linkage with respect to said valve housing creates an operable connection between said flow regulating linkage and said blocking valve only when rotation of said guide follower is resisted by said obstruction.

Claim 17

The variable damping device of claim 11 further characterized in that a second end of said valve housing and an adjacent end of said flow regulating linkage are axially aligned and are connected by an axially extending torsion bar.

Claim 18

The variable damping device of claim 11 further characterized in that a second end of said valve housing and an adjacent end of said flow regulating linkage are axially aligned within said sleeve member and terminate in parallel elliptical faces slightly separated from each other, thereby creating said minimum clearance.