Damper with two-piece shell
A shock absorber pressure tube defining a working chamber is provided. A piston assembly coupled to a piston rod is slidably disposed in the pressure tube and divides the working chamber into upper and lower working chambers. A reserve tube surrounds the pressure tube to define a reserve chamber. A base valve assembly, position at one end of the pressure tube, controls fluid flow between the lower working chamber and the reserve chamber. The reserve tube comprises first and second open shells that are joined together at longitudinal seams to create a substantially cylindrical shape. The first and second open shells may be made from patchwork blanks, tailor welded blanks, tailor rolled blanks, or tailor heat treated blanks to give different portions of the first and second open shells different thicknesses, strengths, properties, or characteristics.
1. A method of manufacturing a damper for a vehicle, the method comprising:
obtaining a pressure tube;
slidably positioning a piston assembly within the pressure tube;
deforming a first metal sheet to define a first open shell with longitudinally spaced apart edges;
deforming a second metal sheet to define a second open shell with longitudinally spaced apart edges;
positioning the first open shell and the second open shell around the pressure tube;
aligning the first open shell with the second open shell;
welding the first open shell to the second open shell to sealingly join the first open shell to the second open shell and define a reserve tube, wherein the reserve tube includes a substantially cylindrically-shaped portion and a protrusion, wherein the protrusion is at least partially defined by one of the first metal sheet and the second metal sheet;
positioning a valve between the first open shell and the second open shell prior to welding the first open shell to the second open shell, wherein the protrusion at least partially retains the vavle; and
coupling the reserve tube to the pressure tube.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the positioning of the first open shell and the second open shell occurs before the welding.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reserve tube includes a longitudinal axis, the first open shell being welded to the second open shell along the longitudinal axis.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first metal sheet is a mirror image of the second metal sheet.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first metal sheet includes a peripheral shape that is not rectangular.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first metal sheet comprises a tailored blank including a first portion having a first set of mechanical properties and a second portion having a second set of mechanical properties different than the first set of mechanical properties.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first portion is manufactured individually and separately from the second portion and subsequently joined to the second portion.
8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising manipulating the first portion to obtain a first thickness different than a second thickness of the second portion.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion directly engages the valve within the reserve tube.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion radially inwardly extends into the reserve tube.
11. The method of claim 1 , further including fixing a tubular sleeve to a first end of the reserve tube.
12. The method of claim 11 , further including mechanically deforming a portion of the tubular sleeve to define an annular lip at the first end of the reserve tube.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the tubular sleeve overlays the first end of the reserve tube such that the tubular sleeve is positioned radially outward of the first end of the reserve tube in an abutting relationship.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming the first open shell includes forming a first flange and the step of forming the second open shell includes forming a second flange, the first and second flanges being fixed to one another to define an end wall at a second end of the reserve tube.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of forming the first open shell includes forming a third flange and the step of forming the second open shell includes forming a fourth flange, the third and fourth flanges being fixed to one another to define an annular lip at a first end of the reserve tube.
16. The method of claim 1 , further including mechanically deforming the first and second open shells to define an annular lip at a first end of the reserve tube.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first open shell and the second open shell each include a semi-cylindrically shaped portion and wherein the protrusion forms a planar portion of the first open shell and a planar portion of the second open shell, the semi-cylindrically shaped portions being fixed to one another to define a tube, the planar portions cooperating to define a mounting bracket.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion forms a tubular extension that extends radially outwardly from the reserve tube, the tubular extension receiving a control valve.
19. The method of claim 1 , where the protrusion forms a tire dent positioned in at least one of the first and second open shells.