| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080282786 | OIL SENSING SYSTEM FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE - A system for detecting a characteristic of oil in a reservoir includes a sensor at least partially located in the reservoir. The sensor has a chamber for receiving oil from the reservoir, a detector member in the chamber, and an electromagnetic coil. Application of voltage across the electromagnetic coil moves the detector member and the presence and viscosity of oil in the chamber affects the rate of that movement. The electric current through the electromagnetic coil is measured and analyzed to determine an amount of time that the detector member took to move between two positions in the chamber. That amount of time is used to determine whether there is at least a predefined amount of oil in the reservoir and, if so, the viscosity of the oil. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20090020382 | Piston With An Integral Electrically Operated Adjustment Valve For A Hydraulic Vibration Damper - A vibration damper includes a cylinder within which a piston is slidably received thereby defining compression and rebound chambers. The piston has a bore with a valve seat through which fluid flows between those chambers. A poppet selectively engages the valve seat and forms a pilot chamber an opposite side of the poppet from the valve seat. The greater pressure within the compression or rebound chambers is applied by a first logic arrangement to the pilot chamber and a pilot spool control a fluid flow between the pilot chamber and a pressure cavity in the piston body. A second logic arrangement connects the pressure cavity to either the compression and rebound chamber which has the lesser pressure. A solenoid that moves the pilot valve element to control pressure in the pilot chamber and thus the amount that the poppet moves to allow fluid flow through the piston. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090288924 | HYDRAULIC VIBRATION DAMPER PISTON WITH AN INTEGRAL ELECTRICALLY OPERATED ADJUSTMENT VALVE - A vibration damper piston includes a piston body with a bore from which first and second apertures respectively provide paths to first and second chambers of the vibration damper. A valve spool in the bore defines a pilot chamber and controls fluid flow between the first and second apertures. First and second springs bias the valve spool in opposing directions. A control orifice provides a continuous fluid path between the first chamber and the pilot chamber, and a variable orifice provides another fluid path between the second chamber and the pilot chamber. An actuator is operably connected to adjust the variable orifice in response to a control signal. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20100243085 | HYDRAULIC VALVE WITH A FILTER AND CHECK VALVE BAND - An hydraulic valve has a body with an exterior surface, a longitudinal bore, and first and second fluid ports in communication with the bore wherein the first fluid port opens through the exterior surface. A band is wrapped in first and second layers around the exterior surface which layers extend over the opening of the first fluid port. The first layer has a plurality of apertures there through and overlaying the opening to provide a filter. The second layer has a flap that flexes in response to pressure to open and close the plurality of apertures thereby acting as a check valve. An actuator slides a spool within the bore thereby selectively connecting and disconnecting the first and second fluid ports. | 09-30-2010 |
