| 摘要 |
<p>A damper unit is provided for use in a vehicle suspension system connected between two relatively movable portions (10, 12) of the system. The unit comprises a piston and cylinder arrangement (2, 3, 5) containing a damping fluid and defining three chambers (14, 16, 18) of variable volume dependent upon the relative positions of the components of the arrangement (2, 3, 5). The internal pressure of one of the chambers (14, 16, 18) is communicated to a gas reservoir (22) which can expand or shrink in volume to compensate for the difference in the total volume of the piston and cylinder arrangement (2, 3, 5) as the components of the arrangement move relative to one another. Valve means (24, 26) are provided to regulate the flow of the damping fluid between the first and the second chambers (14, 16) and between the second and third chambers (16, 18). The valve means (24, 26) are controlled by control means (28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 40). In this way, in use of the unit on relative movement of the two movable portions (10, 12) of the suspension system and thereby of the components (2, 3, 5) of the piston and cylinder arrangement, the control means can operate the valve means (24, 26) to permit the damping fluid to flow in a controlled manner from the third chamber (18) to the second chamber (16) and thence to the first chamber (14) and vice versa until an optimum position of the components (2, 3, 5) of the arrangement relative to one another is reached. Thereafter, the control means causes the valve means (24, 26) to operate to prevent the flow of the damping fluid between at least the first chamber (14) and the second chamber (16) and to control the movement of fluid between the second chamber (16) and the third chamber (18) thereby damping the relative movement of the components (10, 12) of the suspension system.</p> |
