IP Library Granted Patent US 12710085
Granted Patent B2
US 12710085 · App. 18/228,119 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Valve device and shock absorber including the same

Inventors: Yonghyun Kwon (Gwangmyeong-si, KR); Insu Park (Seongnam-si, KR); Inyoung Oh (Yongin-si, KR); Chunsung Yu (Yongin-si, KR)
Assignee: HL MANDO CORPORATION
F16F9/516F16F9/19F16F9/348B60G13/08B60G17/08B60G2202/24B60G2204/62B60G2206/41B60G2500/11B60G2600/21B60G2800/162B60G2800/916F16F2222/12F16F2228/066F16F2230/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12710085
App. No.
18/228,119
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a valve device and a shock absorber including same. The valve device for controlling a damping force, which is disposed, on one side of a piston having a passage through which fluid moves, inside a shock absorber, includes: a rebound retainer disposed on the one side of the piston and including a first rebound retainer chamber concavely formed in an annular shape to allow a portion of fluid passing through the passage to be stored, and a retainer hole formed in the first rebound retainer chamber; and a first disk for guiding fluid passing through the retainer hole to move through a slit formed in an outer circumferential surface thereof.

Claims (55)

1 . A shock absorber comprising:

a body in which fluid is stored;

a piston disposed inside the body to form a compression chamber on one side and a rebound chamber on the other side, and having a rebound passage and a compression passage through which the compression chamber and the rebound chamber communicate with each other;

a damping force adjusting unit, disposed on one side of the piston, for adjusting a damping force of the fluid passing through the rebound passage;

a rebound valve that contacts at least a portion of the damping force adjusting unit, the rebound valve being opened and closed by a pressure of the fluid passing through the rebound passage to form a damping force; and

a compression valve disposed on the other side of the piston, the compression valve being opened and closed by a pressure of the fluid passing through the compression passage to form a damping force,

wherein the piston includes:

a first piston chamber formed to store the fluid passing through the compression passage in a region facing the compression valve on the other side of the piston; and

a second piston chamber formed to store the fluid passing through the rebound passage in a region facing the damping force adjusting unit on one side of the piston, the second piston chamber having a larger volume than that of the first piston chamber.

2 . The shock absorber of claim 1 , wherein the damping force adjusting unit includes:

a rebound retainer including a first rebound retainer chamber disposed on one side of the piston and formed concavely in an annular shape to store a part of the fluid passing through the second piston chamber, and a retainer hole formed in the first rebound retainer chamber.

3 . The shock absorber of claim 2 , wherein the damping force adjusting unit further includes:

a first disk for guiding the fluid passing through the retainer hole to move to a slit formed in an outer circumferential surface of the first disk.

4 . The shock absorber of claim 3 , wherein the rebound retainer further includes:

a first protrusion that contacts a portion of the first disk adjacent to a central portion of the first disk;

a second protrusion that contacts a portion of an outer peripheral portion of the first disk;

a second rebound retainer chamber concavely formed between the first protrusion and the second protrusion and communicating with the retainer hole;

a third rebound retainer chamber in which fluid passing through the slit is stored; and

a third protrusion that protrudes to contact a portion of the rebound valve on one side of the third rebound retainer chamber.

5 . The shock absorber of claim 4 , wherein the damping force adjusting unit further includes:

a second disk for guiding the fluid passing through the slit to move to the third rebound retainer chamber; and

a retainer disposed between the second disk and the rebound valve.

6 . The shock absorber of claim 5 , wherein the first disk, the second disk, and the retainer are disposed between the first protrusion and the third protrusion.

7 . The shock absorber of claim 3 , wherein the first disk and the rebound retainer adjust damping forces in different speed ranges depending on a moving speed of the piston.

8 . The shock absorber of claim 2 , wherein the rebound passage of the piston includes a plurality of rebound passages, and

wherein the piston further includes a rebound bridge that is formed between the plurality of rebound passages, is inclined toward a center of the piston, at least partially faces the first rebound retainer chamber, and forms a part of the second piston chamber.

9 . The shock absorber of claim 2 , wherein a region of the second piston chamber communicating with the rebound passage is inclined so that the fluid passing through the rebound passage flows into the second piston chamber.

10 . A valve device for controlling a damping force, which is disposed, on one side of a piston having a passage through which fluid moves, inside a shock absorber, the valve device comprising:

a rebound retainer disposed on the one side of the piston and including a first rebound retainer chamber concavely formed in an annular shape to allow a portion of fluid passing through the passage to be stored, and a retainer hole formed in the first rebound retainer chamber; and

a first disk for guiding fluid passing through the retainer hole to move through a slit formed in an outer circumferential surface thereof,

wherein the rebound retainer further includes:

a first protrusion that contacts a portion of the first disk adjacent to a central portion of the first disk;

a second protrusion that contacts a portion of an outer peripheral portion of the first disk;

a second rebound retainer chamber concavely formed between the first protrusion and the second protrusion and communicating with the retainer hole; and

a third rebound retainer chamber, for storing fluid passing through the slit, spaced apart from the second rebound retainer chamber around the second protrusion.

11 . The valve device of claim 10 , further comprising:

a second disk for guiding fluid stored in the second rebound retainer chamber to move to the third rebound retainer chamber.

12 . The valve device of claim 11 , further comprising:

a rebound valve that is opened and closed by a pressure of the fluid passing through the passage to form a damping force.

13 . The valve device of claim 10 , wherein the second protrusion is formed to have a larger length in a direction away from the piston than the first protrusion.

14 . The valve device of claim 10 , further comprising a rebound valve, wherein the rebound retainer further includes a third protrusion that protrudes to contact a portion of the rebound valve on one side of the third rebound retainer chamber.

15 . The valve device of claim 10 , wherein during a rebound stroke of the piston, the fluid passing through the retainer hole forms a damping force while passing between the rebound retainer and the first disk.

16 . The valve device of claim 10 , wherein during a rebound stroke of the piston, the fluid passing through the retainer hole forms a damping force while passing through the slit.

17 . A valve device for controlling a damping force, which is disposed, on one side of a piston having a passage through which fluid moves, inside a shock absorber, the valve device comprising:

a rebound retainer disposed on the one side of the piston and including a first rebound retainer chamber concavely formed in an annular shape to allow a portion of fluid passing through the passage to be stored, and a retainer hole formed in the first rebound retainer chamber; and

a first disk for guiding fluid passing through the retainer hole to move through a slit formed in an outer circumferential surface thereof,

wherein the rebound retainer further includes:

a first protrusion that contacts a portion of the first disk adjacent to a central portion of the first disk; and

a second protrusion that contacts a portion of an outer peripheral portion of the first disk, wherein the second protrusion is formed to have a larger length in a direction away from the piston than the first protrusion.

18 . The valve device of claim 17 , wherein the rebound retainer further includes:

a second rebound retainer chamber concavely formed between the first protrusion and the second protrusion and communicating with the retainer hole.

19 . The valve device of claim 18 , further comprising a rebound valve, wherein the rebound retainer further includes

a third rebound retainer chamber, for storing fluid passing through the slit, spaced apart from the second rebound retainer chamber around the second protrusion; and

a third protrusion that protrudes to contact a portion of the rebound valve on one side of the third rebound retainer chamber.

20 . The valve device of claim 19 , further comprising a second disk for guiding fluid stored in the second rebound retainer chamber to move to the third rebound retainer chamber, wherein the rebound valve is opened and closed by a pressure of the fluid passing through the passage to form a damping force.