Remotely Operated Bypass for a Suspension Damper

Abstract

A damper assembly with a bypass for a vehicle comprises a pressure cylinder with a piston and piston rod for limiting the flow rate of damping fluid as it passes from a first to a second side of said piston. A bypass provides fluid pathway between the first and second sides of the piston separately from the flow rate limitation. In one aspect, the bypass is remotely controllable from a passenger compartment of the vehicle. In another aspect, the bypass is remotely controllable based upon one or more variable parameters associated with the vehicle.

1 . A vehicle suspension damper comprising:
 a cylinder and a piston assembly comprising a piston and piston rod;   working fluid within said cylinder;   a passageway through said piston allowing and limiting a flow rate of the working fluid through the piston in at least one direction;   a bypass having a fluid pathway between the first and second sides of the piston; and   a remotely controllable valve for limiting the flow of fluid through the bypass.   
     
     
         2 . The damper of  claim 1 , further including a control system for moving the valve between an open and closed position form a remote location, the control system comprising:
 a switch for operating the valve; and   a conduit providing communication between the switch and valve.   
     
     
         3 . The damper of  claim 2 , wherein the switch is a manually operable switch having at least two positions. 
     
     
         4 . The damper of  claim 2 , wherein the switch is located in a passenger compartment of the vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The damper of  claim 2 , wherein the conduit is a fluid conduit for carrying control fluid and the system includes a source of control fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The damper of  claim 2 , wherein the conduit is an electrical conduit for carrying a control signal. 
     
     
         7 . The damper of  claim 2 , wherein the valve is solenoid actuated, the solenoid electrically connected to the conduit. 
     
     
         8 . The damper of  claim 2 , wherein the conduit is a waveform for carrying an RF signal. 
     
     
         9 . The damper of  claim 2 , wherein the control system further includes a power source. 
     
     
         10 . The damper of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is disposed adjacent the bypass and includes valve member having a first position obstructing a flow path between the cylinder and bypass and a second position allowing flow through the flow path. 
     
     
         11 . The damper of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one direction comprises two directions. 
     
     
         12 . The damper of  claim 2 , wherein the signaling apparatus is a transducer for measuring rod position within a damper cylinder. 
     
     
         13 . The damper of  claim 1 , further comprising a second valve for limiting flow through the bypass. 
     
     
         14 . The damper of  claim 2 , wherein the switch comprises a load transducer for sensing piston rod force. 
     
     
         15 . The damper of  claim 2 , wherein the switch comprises a transducer arranged to measure an angle associated with the steering wheel of the vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The damper of  claim 1 , further comprising a one way valve arranged to control flow through the piston. 
     
     
         17 . A remotely controllable shock absorber system for a vehicle comprising:
 at least two dampers associated with at least two wheels of the vehicle, each damper comprising:   a cylinder with a piston for movement therein, the piston metering fluid in at least one direction there though;   a bypass for bypassing fluid around the piston to decrease a dampening effect in the damper,   a remotely actuatable valve for opening and closing the bypass to the flow of fluid; and the shock absorber system further including a switch associated with each damper, the switch arranged to cause at least one valve to operate based upon at least one characteristic of the vehicle.   
     
     
         18 . The remotely controllable shock absorber system of  claim 17 , wherein the dynamic characteristic is at least two of vehicle speed, vehicle trajectory angular acceleration, damper rod velocity, and rod location in a damper cylinder. 
     
     
         19 . The remotely controllable shock absorber system of  claim 17 , further comprising a second valve for limiting fluid flow through the damper. 
     
     
         20 . The remotely controllable shock absorber system of  claim 19 , wherein the second valve is remotely controllable. 
     
     
         21 . The remotely controllable shock absorber system of  claim 20  wherein the second valve controls fluid flow through the bypass.