| 摘要 |
A shock absorber has a stucture defining a gas compartment within the shock absorber reservoir compartment. The gas compartment is pressurized with gas to a pressure beyond atmospheric pressure. The structure may include a bladder which separates the fluid and gas in the shock from one another, thereby preventing the fluid from becoming aerated during operation of the shock. The bladder also functions to retain the gas within the reservoir. As a result, the shock can be mounted in any orientation. Because the shock absorber is pressurized beyond atmospheric pressure, the shock absorber provides a "spring assist" to the main suspension spring, thereby improving vehicle cornering and the "patch contact" of the vehicle's tire with the road. The bladder is constructed of an elastomeric material with excellent expansion characteristics and which is capable of withstanding rupture at pressures greatly in excess of atmospheric pressure. The high pressure in the elastomeric bladder, causes the bladder to always in contact with the fluid. Hence, the bladder acts as diaphragm and pressure in the bladder (diaphragm) is directly transmitted to the fluid. Even as the main chamber of the shock absorber is replenished with fluid from the reservoir chamber, the gap in the reservoir chamber is taken up by the ever-expanding bladder (diaphragm), and no cavitation occurs. In another embodiment, the bladder is replaced by a member mounted for reciprocal sealing movement within the reservoir compartment. The member divides the reservoir compartment into a gas compartment and a fluid compartment, the volumes of which vary in accordance with the position of the member within the reservoir compartment. |
