Damping cylinder with annular bladder
View Patent ↗An improvement to damping cylinders in which the damping fluid needs to be separated from a gas is disclosed. In particular, an annular bladder is used. An annular bladder allows for a control shaft to extend at least a portion of the length of the damping cylinder. This configuration effectively and simply reduces most issues that result from when an IFP is used for the same purpose.
1. A fluid damper, comprising:
a cylinder having a wall partially defining a damping fluid chamber;
a base attached to a first end of the cylinder;
a shaft extending through the base and into the damping fluid chamber and longitudinally movable relative to the cylinder;
a piston partially defining the damping fluid chamber and connected to the shaft; and
an annular bladder having inner and outer walls made from an elastomeric material and substantially enclosing a sealed gas chamber, the shaft movable independent of the bladder,
wherein:
the damping fluid chamber has a pressure,
the bladder walls are operable to transmit the pressure to the gas chamber during compression and rebound of the fluid damper,
a first end of the outer wall is pressed between the cylinder wall and the base, and
a first end of the inner wall is pressed between the shaft and the base.
2. The damper of claim 1 , wherein:
a portion of the outer wall is radially spaced from the cylinder wall, and
a portion of the inner wall is radially spaced from the shaft.
3. The damper of claim 2 , wherein:
the bladder walls are operable between an expanded position and a contracted position in response to the pressure in the damping fluid chamber, and
the bladder walls are radially spaced in the contracted position.
4. The damper of claim 1 , wherein the shaft extends through the damping fluid chamber.
5. The damper of claim 1 , wherein the bladder walls are made from rubber.
6. The damper of claim 1 , wherein a second end of the bladder is free.
7. The damper of claim 1 , wherein the first ends of the bladder walls have mounting beads formed thereon.
8. The damper of claim 7 , wherein the first ends of the bladder walls further have sealing beads formed thereon.
9. The damper of claim 1 , further comprising a valve:
disposed in the base, and
operable to vary pressure of the gas chamber.
10. The damper of claim 1 , wherein the damping fluid chamber is filled with oil.
11. The damper of claim 1 , wherein the bladder walls extend at least partially around the shaft.
12. The damper of claim 1 , wherein the bladder walls extend entirely around the shaft.
13. The damper of claim 1 , wherein:
the bladder walls are parallel to the shaft, and
first ends of the inner and outer bladder walls are mounted to the base.
14. A fluid damper, comprising:
a cylinder having a wall partially defining a damping fluid chamber;
a base attached to a first end of the cylinder;
a shaft extending through the base and into the damping fluid chamber and longitudinally movable relative to the cylinder;
a piston partially defining the damping fluid chamber and connected to the shaft; and
an annular bladder having inner and outer walls made from an elastomeric material and at least partially defining a sealed gas chamber,
wherein:
the damping fluid chamber has a pressure,
the bladder walls are operable to transmit the pressure to the gas chamber during compression and rebound of the fluid damper; and
wherein the first end of the outer wall is pressed between the cylinder wall and the base, and the first end of the inner wall is pressed between the shaft and the base.