INTRODUCTION TO MAGNETIC

SHOCK ABSORBERS
On 11:26 By MechGuru's

INTRODUCTION TO MAGNETIC SHOCK ABSORBERS

THE IDEA FOR A MAGNETIC SHOCK ABSORBER (FOR AUTOMOBILES AND TWOWHEELERS), MAKES USE OF THE MAGNETIC REPULSION BETWEEN DIPOLES TO ACHIEVE
SHOCK ABSORPTION. OFTEN WHEN RIDING ON HER TWO-WHEELER WE USED TO FACE
SOME PROBLEMS WHILE MOVING ON THE BUMPY ROAD DUE TO ITS UNEVENNESS.
IT OBSERVED THAT THE LIKE POLES OF TWO MAGNETS OF THE SAME PROPERTIES AND
STRENGTH REPULSE EACH OTHER AND THEY KEEP A CONSTANT DISTANCE BETWEEN
EACH OTHER BECAUSE OF THEIR MAGNETIC FIELDS. THIS MADE HER THINK THAT IF THE
SHOCK ABSORBERS ARE MADE OF MAGNETS WITH SIMILAR POLES FACING EACH OTHER,
IT MAY GIVE BETTER PERFORMANCE AND NO MAINTENANCE WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR
THE SAME.
THE UNIT COMPRISES OF TWO CIRCULAR MAGNETS AND A ROD (STRAIGHT CYLINDRICAL
ROD WHICH CAN BE USED AS AXLE). ONE MAGNET IS ATTACHED AT THE BOTTOM OF
THE ROD AND IS THE BASE MAGNET. THE OTHER MAGNET IS FREE, WITH A FLOAT AND
HAS THE SIMILAR POLE PLACED TOWARDS THE BASE MAGNET. THE SIMILARITY OF
POLES CREATES REPULSION AND A CERTAIN DISTANCE IS MAINTAINED. AS PER LOAD
CONDITION, THE FLOATING MAGNET MOVES AND CLOSES THE GAP UNTIL THE
MAGNETIC REPULSION IS STRONG ENOUGH TO CREATE THE DAMPING ACTION. IN THIS
MANNER A SHOCK ABSORBER WITHOUT SPRINGS WORKING ON THE BASIC LAW OF
MAGNETS -OPPOSITE POLES ATTRACT AND SIMILAR POLES REPEL- IS PREPARED.
ADVANTAGES
THIS SHOCK ABSORBER WILL ERADICATE THE PROBLEMS FACED IN THE SPRING
SHOCK ABSORBERS DUE TO FRICTION AND OTHER FACTORS. THIS WILL ALSO REDUCE
THE MAINTENANCE COSTS AS IT DOES NOT NEED REPAIRING, CHANGING OF SPRINGS
OR DEALING WITH LEAKAGE PROBLEMS AS IN SPRING OR OIL SHOCKABSORBERS. THIS
MAGNETIC SHOCK ABSORBER CAN BE USED IN VEHICLES CARRYING HEAVY OR LESS

LOAD. IMPROVING ON HER CONCEPT SHE SAYS THAT TO MAKE THESE MAGNETIC
SHOCK ABSORBERS EVEN BETTER, A CHAIN OF MORE THAN TWO MAGNETS CAN BE
USED TO TOLERATE THE SHOCKS OR WEIGHT AND MAKE THE VEHICLE MORE
COMFORTABLE.

SHOCK ABSORBERS
A SHOCK ABSORBER IN COMMON PARLANCE (OR DAMPER IN TECHNICAL USE) IS A
MECHANICAL DEVICE DESIGNED TO SMOOTH OUT OR DAMP SUDDEN SHOCK IMPULSE
AND DISSIPATE KINETIC ENERGY. IT IS ANALOGOUS TO A RESISTOR IN AN ELECTRIC RLC
CIRCUIT.
SHOCK ABSORBERS MUST

ABSORB

OR

DISSIPATE

ENERGY.

ONE

DESIGN

CONSIDERATION, WHEN DESIGNING OR CHOOSING A SHOCK ABSORBER IS WHERE THAT

ENERGY WILL GO. IN MOST DASHPOTS, ENERGY IS CONVERTED TO HEAT INSIDE THE
VISCOUS FLUID. IN HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS, THE HYDRAULIC FLUID WILL HEAT UP. IN AIR
CYLINDERS, THE HOT AIR IS USUALLY EXHAUSTED TO THE ATMOSPHERE. IN OTHER
TYPES OF DASHPOTS, SUCH AS ELECTROMAGNETIC ONES, THE DISSIPATED ENERGY CAN
BE STORED AND USED LATER.
SHOCK ABSORBERS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF AUTOMOBILE AND MOTORCYCLE
SUSPENSIONS, AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR, AND THE SUPPORTS FOR MANY INDUSTRIAL
MACHINES. LARGE SHOCK ABSORBERS HAVE ALSO BEEN USED IN STRUCTURAL
ENGINEERING TO REDUCE THE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF STRUCTURES TO EARTHQUAKE
DAMAGE AND RESONANCE.
SHOCK ABSORBERS, LINEAR DAMPERS, AND DASHPOTS ARE DEVICES DESIGNED TO
PROVIDE ABSORPTION OF SHOCK AND SMOOTH DECELERATION IN LINEAR MOTION
APPLICATIONS. THEY MAY BE MECHANICAL (E.G., ELASTOMERIC OR COIL SPRING) OR
RELY ON A FLUID (GAS, AIR, HYDRAULIC), WHICH ABSORBS SHOCK BY ALLOWING
CONTROLLED FLOW FROM OUTER TO INNER CHAMBER OF A CYLINDER DURING PISTON
ACTUATION. IN CONVENTIONAL SHOCKABSORBERS THE PISTON ROD IS TYPICALLY
RETURNED TO THE UNLOADED POSITION WITH A SPRING. SHOCKABSORBERS TYPICALLY
CONTAIN EITHER A FLUID OR MECHANICAL DAMPENING SYSTEM AND A RETURN
MECHANISM TO THE UNENGAGED POSITION. THEY VARY FROM SMALL DEVICE
APPLICATION TO LARGE INDUSTRIAL AND CIVIL ENGINEERING USES. LINEAR DAMPERS IS
AN INCLUSIVE TERM THAT CAN BE APPLIED TO MANY FORMS OF DASHPOTS AND
SHOCK ABSORBERS;

TYPICALLY

USED

FOR

DEVICES

DESIGNED

PRIMARILY

FOR

RECIPROCATING MOTION ATTENUATION RATHER THAN ABSORPTION OF LARGE SHOCK

LOADS. DASHPOTS ARE TYPICALLY DISTINCT IN THAT WHILE THEY USE CONTROLLED
FLUID FLOW TO DAMPEN AND DECELERATE MOTION, THEY DO NOT NECESSARILY
INCORPORATE AN INTEGRAL RETURN MECHANISM SUCH AS A SPRING. DASHPOTS ARE
OFTEN RELATIVELY SMALL, PRECISE DEVICES USED FOR APPLICATIONS SUCH AS
INSTRUMENTATION

AND

PRECISION

MANUFACTURING.

SHOCK ABSORBERS OR DAMPER TYPES FOR SHOCK ABSORBERS, LINEAR DAMPERS AND
DASHPOTS CAN BE HYDRAULIC, AIR, GAS SPRING, OR ELASTOMERIC. THE ABSORPTION

OR DAMPING ACTION CAN BE COMPRESSION OR EXTENSION. IMPORTANT PARAMETERS

TO CONSIDER WHEN SEARCHING FOR SHOCK ABSORBERS, LINEAR DAMPERS AND
DASHPOTS INCLUDE ABSORBER STROKE, COMPRESSED LENGTH, EXTENDED LENGTH,
MAXIMUM FORCE (P1), AND MAXIMUM CYCLES PER MINUTE. ABSORBER OR SPRING
STROKE IS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FULLY EXTENDED AND FULLY COMPRESSED POSITION.
COMPRESSED LENGTH IS THE MINIMUM LENGTH OF SHOCK (COMPRESSED POSITION).
EXTENDED LENGTH IS THE MAXIMUM LENGTH OF SHOCK (EXTENDED POSITION). THE
MAXIMUM RATED FORCE FOR SHOCK ABSORBER OR DAMPER, REFERRED TO AS THE P1
FORCE. THE MAXIMUM CYCLES PER MINUTE ARE THE RATED FREQUENCY OF
COMPRESSION/EXTENSION
IMPORTANT

PHYSICAL

CYCLES.
SPECIFICATIONS

TO

CONSIDER

WHEN

SEARCHING

SHOCK ABSORBERS, LINEAR DAMPERS AND DASHPOTS INCLUDE THE CYLINDER

DIAMETER OR MAXIMUM WIDTH, THE ROD DIAMETER, MOUNTING, AND BODY MATERIAL.
THE CYLINDER DIAMETER OR MAXIMUM WIDTH REFERS TO THE DESIRED DIAMETER OF
HOUSING CYLINDER. THE ROD DIAMETER REFERS TO THE DESIRED DIAMETER OF
EXTENDING ROD. MOUNTING CHOICES INCLUDE BALL AND SOCKET, ROD END, CLEVIS,
EYELET, TAPERED END, THREADED, AND BUMPER OR ROD END UNATTACHED. CHOICES
FOR

BODY

MATERIALS

INCLUDE

ALUMINUM,

STEEL,

STAINLESS

STEEL,

AND

THERMOPLASTIC. COMMON FEATURES FOR SHOCK ABSORBERS, LINEAR DAMPERS AND

DASHPOTS INCLUDE ADJUSTABLE CONFIGURATION, REDUCIBLE, LOCKING, AND VALVE.
AN ADJUSTABLE CONFIGURATION ALLOWS THE USER TO FINE TUNE DESIRED DAMPING,
EITHER CONTINUOUSLY OR AT DISCRETE SETTINGS. A REDUCIBLE SHOCK ABSORBER,
LINEAR DAMPER OR DASHPOT HAS AN ADJUSTMENT STYLE FOR GAS SHOCKS IN WHICH
GAS IS LET OUT TO PERMANENTLY REDUCE FORCE CAPACITY. IN A LOCKING
CONFIGURATION THE POSITION CAN BE LOCKED AT ENDS OR IN THE MIDDLE OF
STROKE. VALVES CAN BE INCLUDED FOR FLUID ABSORBERS, A VALVE OR PORT, WHICH
CAN BE USED TO INCREASE OR DECREASE FLUID VOLUME OR PRESSURE.

USES OF SHOCK ABSORBERS

VEHICLES SUSPENSION
IN A VEHICLE, IT REDUCES THE EFFECT OF TRAVELING OVER ROUGH GROUND, LEADING
TO IMPROVED RIDE QUALITY. WITHOUT SHOCK ABSORBERS, THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE
A BOUNCING RIDE, AS ENERGY IS STORED IN THE SPRING AND THEN RELEASED TO THE
VEHICLE, POSSIBLY EXCEEDING THE ALLOWED RANGE OF SUSPENSION MOVEMENT.
CONTROL OF EXCESSIVE SUSPENSION MOVEMENT WITHOUT SHOCK ABSORPTION
REQUIRES STIFFER (HIGHER RATE) SPRINGS, WHICH WOULD IN TURN GIVE A HARSH
RIDE. SHOCK ABSORBERS ALLOW THE USE OF SOFT (LOWER RATE) SPRINGS WHILE
CONTROLLING THE RATE OF SUSPENSION MOVEMENT IN RESPONSE TO BUMPS. THEY
ALSO, ALONG WITH HYSTERESIS IN THE TIRE ITSELF, DAMP THE MOTION OF THE
UNSPRUNG WEIGHT UP AND DOWN ON THE SPRINGINESS OF THE TIRE. SINCE THE TIRE
IS NOT AS SOFT AS THE SPRINGS, EFFECTIVE WHEEL BOUNCE DAMPING MAY REQUIRE
STIFFER SHOCKS THAN WOULD BE IDEAL FOR THE VEHICLE MOTION ALONE.
SPRING-BASED SHOCK ABSORBERS COMMONLY USE COIL SPRINGS ORLEAF SPRINGS,
THOUGH TORSION BARS CAN BE USED IN TORSIONAL SHOCKS AS WELL. IDEAL SPRINGS
ALONE, HOWEVER, ARE NOT SHOCK ABSORBERS AS SPRINGS ONLY STORE AND DO NOT
DISSIPATE OR ABSORB ENERGY. VEHICLES TYPICALLY EMPLOY BOTH SPRINGS OR
TORSIONBARS AS WELL AS HYDRAULIC SHOCK ABSORBERS. IN THIS COMBINATION,
"SHOCK ABSORBER" IS RESERVED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE HYDRAULIC PISTON THAT
ABSORBS AND DISSIPATES VIBRATION.
STRUCTURES
APPLIED TO A STRUCTURE SUCH AS A BUILDING OR BRIDGEIT MAY BE PART OF A
SEISMIC RETROFIT OR AS PART OF NEW EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION. IN
THIS APPLICATION IT ALLOWS YET RESTRAINS MOTION AND ABSORBSRESONANT
ENERGY, WHICH CAN CAUSE EXCESSIVE MOTION AND EVENTUALSTRUCTURAL FAILURE.

DIFFERENT SHOCK ABSORBERS IN USE

THERE ARE SEVERAL COMMONLY-USED APPROACHES TO SHOCK ABSORPTION:

HYSTERSIS OF STRUCTURAL MATERIAL, FOR EXAMPLE THE COMPRESSION OF

RUBBER DISKS, STRETCHING OF RUBBER BANDS AND CORDS, BENDING OFSTEEL
SPRINGS, OR TWISTING OF TORSION BARS. HYSTERESIS IS THE TENDENCY FOR
OTHERWISE ELASTIC MATERIALS TO REBOUND WITH LESS FORCE THAN WAS
REQUIRED

TO

DEFORM

THEM.

SIMPLE

VEHICLES

WITH

NO

SEPARATE

SHOCK ABSORBERS ARE DAMPED, TO SOME EXTENT, BY THE HYSTERESIS OF THEIR

SPRINGS AND FRAMES.

DRY FRICTION AS USED IN WHEEL BRAKES, BY USING DISKS (CLASSICALLY MADE
OF LEATHER) AT THE PIVOT OF A LEVER, WITH FRICTION FORCED BY SPRINGS.
USED IN EARLY AUTOMOBILES. ALTHOUGH NOW CONSIDERED OBSOLETE, AN
ADVANTAGE OF THIS SYSTEM IS ITS MECHANICAL SIMPLICITY; THE DEGREE OF
DAMPING CAN BE EASILY ADJUSTED BY TIGHTENING OR LOOSENING THE SCREW
CLAMPING THE DISKS, AND IT CAN BE EASILY REBUILT WITH SIMPLE HAND TOOLS. A
DISADVANTAGE IS THAT THE DAMPING FORCE TENDS NOT TO INCREASE WITH THE

SPEED OF THE VERTICAL MOTION.

SOLID STATE, TAPERED CHAIN SHOCK ABSORBERS, USING ONE OR MORE
TAPERED, AXIAL ALIGNMENT(S) OF GRANULAR SPHERES, TYPICALLY MADE OF

METALS SUCH AS NITINOL, IN A CASING.

FLUID FRICTION, FOR EXAMPLE THE FLOW OF FLUID THROUGH A NARROW
ORIFICE (HYDRAULICS), CONSTITUTE THE VAST MAJORITY OF AUTOMOTIVE SHOCK
ABSORBERS. AN ADVANTAGE OF THIS TYPE IS THAT USING SPECIAL INTERNAL
VALVING THE ABSORBER MAY BE MADE RELATIVELY SOFT TO COMPRESSION
(ALLOWING A SOFT RESPONSE TO A BUMP) AND RELATIVELY STIFF TO EXTENSION,
CONTROLLING JOUNCE, WHICH IS THE VEHICLE RESPONSE TO ENERGY STORED
IN THE SPRINGS; SIMILARLY, A SERIES OF VALVES CONTROLLED BY SPRINGS CAN
CHANGE THE DEGREE OF STIFFNESS ACCORDING TO THE VELOCITY OF THE IMPACT
OR REBOUND. SOME SHOCK ABSORBERS ALLOW TUNING OF THE RIDE VIA
CONTROL OF THE VALVE BY A MANUAL ADJUSTMENT PROVIDED AT THE SHOCK
ABSORBER. IN MORE EXPENSIVE VEHICLES THE VALVES MAY BE REMOTELY
ADJUSTABLE, OFFERING THE DRIVER CONTROL OF THE RIDE AT WILL WHILE THE
VEHICLE IS OPERATED. THE ULTIMATE CONTROL IS PROVIDED BY DYNAMIC VALVE
CONTROL VIA COMPUTER IN RESPONSE TO SENSORS, GIVING BOTH A SMOOTH
RIDE AND A FIRM SUSPENSION WHEN NEEDED. MANY SHOCK ABSORBERS CONTAIN
COMPRESSED NITROGEN, TO REDUCE THE TENDENCY FOR THE OIL TO FOAM
UNDER HEAVY USE. FOAMING TEMPORARILY REDUCES THE DAMPING ABILITY OF
THE UNIT. ANOTHER VARIATION IS THE MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL DAMPER WHICH
CHANGES ITS FLUID CHARACTERISTICS THROUGH AN ELECTROMAGNET.

COMPRESSION OF A GAS, FOR EXAMPLE PNEUMATIC SHOCK ABSORBERS, WHICH

CAN ACT LIKE SPRINGS AS THE AIR PRESSURE IS BUILDING TO RESIST THE FORCE
ON IT. ONCE THE AIR PRESSURE REACHES THE NECESSARY MAXIMUM, AIR
DASHPOTS WILL ACT LIKE HYDRAULIC DASHPOTS. IN AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR AIR
DASHPOTS MAY BE COMBINED WITH HYDRAULIC DAMPING TO REDUCE BOUNCE.

SUCH STRUTS ARE CALLED OLEO STRUTS(COMBINING OIL AND AIR).

MAGNETIC EFFECTS. EDDY CURRENT DAMPERS ARE DASHPOTS THAT ARE
CONSTRUCTED

OUT

OF

LARGE

MAGNET

INSIDE

OF

NON-MAGNETIC,

ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE TUBE.

INERTIAL RESISTANCE TO ACCELERATION, FOR EXAMPLE PRIOR TO 1966 THE
CITROEN 2CV HAD SHOCK ABSORBERS THAT DAMP WHEEL BOUNCE WITH NO
EXTERNAL MOVING PARTS. THESE CONSISTED OF A SPRING-MOUNTED 3.5 KG (7.75
LB) IRON WEIGHT INSIDE A VERTICAL CYLINDER AND ARE SIMILAR TO, YET MUCH
SMALLER THAN VERSIONS OF THE TUNED MASS DAMPERS USED ON TALL

BUILDINGS
COMPOSITE HYDROPNEUMATIC DEVICES WHICH COMBINE IN A SINGLE DEVICE
SPRING ACTION, SHOCK ABSORPTION, AND OFTEN ALSO RIDE-HEIGHT CONTROL,

AS IN SOME MODELS OF THE CITROEN AUTOMOBILE.

CONVENTIONAL SHOCK ABSORBERS COMBINED WITH COMPOSITE PNEUMATIC
SPRINGS WITH WHICH ALLOW RIDE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT OR EVEN RIDE HEIGHT
CONTROL, SEEN IN SOME LARGE TRUCKS AND LUXURY SEDANS SUCH AS CERTAIN
LINCOLN AND MOST LAND ROVER AUTOMOBILES. RIDE HEIGHT CONTROL IS
ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE IN HIGHWAY VEHICLES INTENDED FOR OCCASIONAL ROUGH
ROAD USE, AS A MEANS OF IMPROVING HANDLING AND REDUCING AERODYNAMIC
DRAG BY LOWERING THE VEHICLE WHEN OPERATING ON IMPROVED HIGH SPEED

ROADS.
THE EFFECT OF A SHOCK ABSORBER AT HIGH (SOUND) FREQUENCIES IS USUALLY
LIMITED BY USING A COMPRESSIBLE GAS AS THE WORKING FLUID AND/OR
MOUNTING IT WITH RUBBER BUSHINGS.
A BRIEF HISTORY

IN THE EARLY 1900S, CARS STILL RODE ON CARRIAGE SPRINGS. AFTER ALL, EARLY
DRIVERS HAD BIGGER THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT THAN THE QUALITY OF THEIR RIDE
LIKE KEEPING THEIR CARS ROLLING OVER THE ROCKS AND RUTS THAT OFTEN PASSED
FOR ROADS.
PIONEERING VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS WERE FACED EARLY ON WITH THE CHALLENGES
OF

ENHANCING

DRIVER

CONTROL

AND

PASSENGER

COMFORT.

THESE

EARLY

SUSPENSION DESIGNS FOUND THE FRONT WHEELS ATTACHED TO THE AXLE USING
STEERING SPINDLES AND KINGPINS. THIS ALLOWED THE WHEELS TO PIVOT WHILE THE

AXLE REMAINED STATIONARY. ADDITIONALLY, THE UP AND DOWN OSCILLATION OF THE

LEAF SPRING WAS DAMPED BY DEVICE CALLED A SHOCK ABSORBER.
THESE FIRST SHOCK ABSORBERS WERE SIMPLY TWO ARMS CONNECTED BY A BOLT WITH
A FRICTION DISK BETWEEN THEM. RESISTANCE WAS ADJUSTED BY TIGHTENING OR
LOOSENING

THE

BOLT.

AS MIGHT BE EXPECTED, THE SHOCKS WERE NOT VERY DURABLE, AND THE
PERFORMANCE LEFT MUCH TO BE DESIRED. OVER THE YEARS, SHOCK ABSORBERS
HAVE EVOLVED INTO MORE SOPHISTICATED DESIGNS.
.

WHAT SHOCKS DO ?
LETS START OUR DISCUSSION OF SHOCK ABSORBERS WITH ONE OF VERY IMPORTANT
POINT: DESPITE WHAT MANY PEOPLE THINK, CONVENTIONAL SHOCK ABSORBERS DO
NOT SUPPORT VEHICLE WEIGHT. INSTEAD, THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE SHOCK
ABSORBER

IS

TO

CONTROL

SPRING

AND

SUSPENSION

MOVEMENT.

THIS

IS

ACCOMPLISHED BY TURNING THE KINETIC ENERGY OF SUSPENSION MOVEMENT INTO

THERMAL ENERGY, OR HEAT ENERGY, TO BE DISSIPATED THROUGH THE HYDRAULIC
FLUID.
SHOCK ABSORBERS ARE BASICALLY OIL PUMPS. A PISTON IS ATTACHED TO THE END OF
THE PISTON ROD AND WORKS AGAINST HYDRAULIC FLUID IN THE PRESSURE TUBE. AS
THE SUSPENSION TRAVELS UP AND DOWN, THE HYDRAULIC FLUID IS FORCED THROUGH
TINY HOLES, CALLED ORIFICES, INSIDE THE PISTON. HOWEVER, THESE ORIFICES LET
ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF FLUID THROUGH THE PISTON. THIS SLOWS DOWN THE
PISTON, WHICH IN TURN SLOWS DOWN SPRING AND SUSPENSION MOVEMENT.
THE AMOUNT OF RESISTANCE A SHOCK ABSORBER DEVELOPS DEPENDS ON THE SPEED
OF THE SUSPENSION AND THE NUMBER AND SIZE OF THE ORIFICES IN THE PISTON. ALL
MODERN SHOCK ABSORBERS ARE VELOCITY SENSITIVE HYDRAULIC DAMPING DEVICES
MEANING THE FASTER THE SUSPENSION MOVES, THE MORE RESISTANCE THE
SHOCK ABSORBER PROVIDES. BECAUSE OF THIS FEATURE, SHOCK ABSORBERS ADJUST
TO ROAD CONDITIONS. AS A RESULT, SHOCK ABSORBERS REDUCE THE RATE OF:

BOUNCE

ROLL OR SWAY

BRAKE DIVE AND ACCELERATION SQUAT

SHOCK ABSORBERS WORK ON THE PRINCIPLE OF FLUID DISPLACEMENT ON

BOTH THE COMPRESSION AND EXTENSION CYCLE. A TYPICAL CAR OR LIGHT
TRUCK WILL HAVE MORE RESISTANCE DURING ITS EXTENSION CYCLE THEN
ITS COMPRESSION CYCLE. THE COMPRESSION CYCLE CONTROLS THE MOTION
OF A VEHICLES UNSPRUNG WEIGHT, WHILE EXTENSION CONTROLS THE HEAVIER
SPRUNG WEIGHT.

WORKING OF SHOCK ABSORBERS

SHOCK ABSORBERS WORK IN TWO CYCLES -- THE COMPRESSION CYCLE AND
THE EXTENSION CYCLE. THE COMPRESSION CYCLE OCCURS AS THE PISTON MOVES

DOWNWARD, COMPRESSING THE HYDRAULIC FLUID IN THE CHAMBER BELOW THE

PISTON. THE EXTENSION CYCLE OCCURS AS THE PISTON MOVES TOWARD THE TOP OF
THE PRESSURE TUBE, COMPRESSING THE FLUID IN THE CHAMBER ABOVE THE PISTON. A
TYPICAL CAR OR LIGHT TRUCK WILL HAVE MORE RESISTANCE DURING ITS EXTENSION
CYCLE THAN ITS COMPRESSION CYCLE. WITH THAT IN MIND, THE COMPRESSION CYCLE
CONTROLS THE MOTION OF THE VEHICLE'S UNSPRUNG WEIGHT, WHILE EXTENSION
CONTROLS THE HEAVIER, SPRUNG WEIGHT.
COMPRESSION CYCLE

DURING THE COMPRESSION STROKE OR DOWNWARD MOVEMENT, SOME

FLUID FLOWS THROUGH THE PISTON FROM CHAMBER B TO CHAMBER A AND
SOME THROUGH THE COMPRESSION VALVE INTO THE RESERVE TUBE. TO
CONTROL THE FLOW, THERE ARE THREE VALVING STAGES EACH IN THE
PISTON AND IN THE COMPRESSION VALVE.
AT THE PISTON, OIL FLOWS THROUGH THE OIL PORTS, AND AT SLOW PISTON
SPEEDS, THE FIRST STAGE BLEEDS COME INTO PLAY AND RESTRICT THE
AMOUNT OF OIL FLOW. THIS ALLOWS A CONTROLLED FLOW OF FLUID FROM
CHAMBER B TO CHAMBER A.
AT FASTER PISTON SPEEDS, THE INCREASE IN FLUID PRESSURE BELOW THE
PISTON IN CHAMBER B CAUSES THE DISCS TO OPEN UP AWAY FROM THE
VALVE SEAT.
AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE LIMIT OF THE SECOND STAGE DISCS PHASES INTO THE
THIRD STAGE ORIFICERESTRICTIONS. COMPRESSION CONTROL, THEN, IS
THE FORCE THAT RESULTS FROM A HIGHER PRESSURE PRESENT IN CHAMBER B,
WHICH ACTS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PISTON AND THE PISTON ROD AREA.

EXTENSION CYCLE
AS THE PISTON AND ROD MOVE UPWARD TOWARD THE TOP OF THE PRESSURE TUBE,
THE VOLUME OF CHAMBER A IS REDUCED AND THUS IS AT A HIGHER PRESSURE THAN
CHAMBER B. BECAUSE OF THIS HIGHER PRESSURE, FLUID FLOWS DOWN THROUGH THE
PISTONS

3-STAGE

EXTENSION

VALVE

INTO

CHAMBER

B.

HOWEVER, THE PISTON ROD VOLUME HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN FROM CHAMBER B

GREATLY INCREASING ITS VOLUME. THUS THE VOLUME OF FLUID FROM CHAMBER A IS
INSUFFICIENT TO FILL CHAMBER B. THE PRESSURE IN THE RESERVE TUBE IS NOW
GREATER THAN THAT IN CHAMBER B, FORCING THE COMPRESSION INTAKE VALVE TO
UNSEAT. FLUID THEN FLOWS FROM THE RESERVE TUBE INTO CHAMBER B, KEEPING THE
PRESSURE

TUBE

FULL.

EXTENSION CONTROL IS A FORCE PRESENT AS A RESULT OF THE HIGHER PRESSURE IN

CHAMBER A, ACTING ON THE TOPSIDE OF THE PISTON AREA.
DIFFERENT SHOCK ABSORBER DESIGN
THERE ARE SEVERAL SHOCK ABSORBER DESIGNS IN USE TODAY:

TWIN TUBE DESIGNS

1. GAS CHARGED
2. ASD
3. PSD

MONO TUBE DESIGN

BASIC TWIN TUBE DESIGN
THE TWIN TUBE DESIGN HAS AN INNER TUBE KNOWN AS THE WORKING OR PRESSURE
TUBE AND AN OUTER TUBE KNOWN AS THE RESERVE TUBE. THE OUTER TUBE IS USED
TO STORE EXCESS HYDRAULIC FLUID.
THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF SHOCK ABSORBER MOUNTS USED TODAY. MOST OF THESE
USE RUBBER BUSHINGS BETWEEN THE SHOCK ABSORBER AND THE FRAME OR
SUSPENSION TO REDUCE TRANSMITTED ROAD NOISE AND SUSPENSION VIBRATION. THE
RUBBER BUSHINGS ARE FLEXIBLE TO ALLOW MOVEMENT DURING SUSPENSION TRAVEL.
THE UPPER MOUNT OF THE SHOCK ABSORBER CONNECTS TO THE VEHICLE FRAME.

NOTICE THAT THE PISTON ROD PASSES THROUGH A ROD GUIDE AND A SEAL AT THE
UPPER END OF THE PRESSURE TUBE. THE ROD GUIDE KEEPS THE ROD IN LINE WITH
THE

PRESSURE

TUBE

THE SEAL KEEPS

THE

AND

ALLOWS

HYDRAULIC

THE
OIL

PISTON
INSIDE

TO
AND

MOVE

FREELY

INSIDE.

CONTAMINATION

OUT.

THE BASE VALVE LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PRESSURE TUBE IS CALLED
A COMPRESSION VALVE. IT CONTROLS FLUID MOVEMENT DURING THE COMPRESSION
CYCLE.

BORE SIZE IS THE DIAMETER OF THE PISTON AND THE INSIDE OF THE PRESSURE TUBE.
GENERALLY, THE LARGER THE UNIT, THE HIGHER THE POTENTIAL CONTROL LEVELS
BECAUSE OF THE LARGER PISTON DISPLACEMENT AND PRESSURE AREAS. THE LARGER
THE

PISTON

AREA,

TEMPERATURES.

THE

THIS

LOWER

THE

PROVIDES

INTERNAL
HIGHER

OPERATING
DAMPING

PRESSURE

AND

CAPABILITIES.

RIDE ENGINEERS SELECT VALVING VALUES FOR A PARTICULAR VEHICLE TO ACHIEVE

OPTIMAL RIDE CHARACTERISTICS OF BALANCE AND STABILITY UNDER A WIDE VARIETY
OF DRIVING CONDITIONS. THEIR SELECTION OF VALVE SPRINGS AND ORIFICES

CONTROL FLUID FLOW WITHIN THE UNIT, WHICH DETERMINES THE FEEL AND HANDLING
OF THE VEHICLE.

TWIN TUBE GAS CHARGED DESIGN

THE DEVELOPMENT OF GAS CHARGED SHOCK ABSORBERS WAS A MAJOR ADVANCE IN
RIDE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY. THIS ADVANCE SOLVED MANY RIDE CONTROL PROBLEMS
WHICH OCCURRED DUE TO AN INCREASING NUMBER OF VEHICLES USING UNI-BODY
CONSTRUCTION, SHORTER WHEELBASES AND INCREASED USE OF HIGHER TIRE
PRESSURES.

THE DESIGN OF TWIN TUBE GAS CHARGED SHOCK ABSORBERS SOLVES

MANY OF TODAYS RIDE CONTROL PROBLEMS BY ADDING A LOW PRESSURE
CHARGE OF NITROGEN GAS IN THE RESERVE TUBE. THE PRESSURE OF THE
NITROGEN IN THE RESERVE TUBE VARIES FROM 100 TO 150 PSI, DEPENDING
ON THE AMOUNT OF FLUID IN THE RESERVE TUBE. THE GAS SERVES
SEVERAL IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS TO IMPROVE THE RIDE CONTROL
CHARACTERISTICS OF A SHOCK.
THE PRIME FUNCTION OF GAS CHARGING IS TO MINIMIZE AERATION OF THE HYDRAULIC
FLUID. THE PRESSURE OF THE NITROGEN GAS COMPRESSES AIR BUBBLES IN THE
HYDRAULIC FLUID. THIS PREVENTS THE OIL AND AIR FROM MIXING AND CREATING
FOAM. FOAM AFFECTS PERFORMANCE BECAUSE IT CAN BE COMPRESSED FLUID CAN
NOT. WITH AERATION REDUCED, THE SHOCK IS ABLE TO REACT FASTER AND MORE
PREDICTABLY, ALLOWING FOR QUICKER RESPONSE TIME AND HELPING KEEP THE TIRE
FIRMLY PLANTED ON THE ROAD SURFACE.

AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT OF GAS CHARGING IS THAT IT CREATES A MILD

BOOST IN SPRING RATE TO THE VEHICLE. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT A GAS
CHARGED SHOCK WOULD RAISE THE VEHICLE UP TO CORRECT RIDE HEIGHT
IF THE SPRINGS WERE SAGGING. IT DOES HELP REDUCE BODY ROLL, SWAY,
BRAKE DIVE, AND ACCELERATION SQUAT.
THIS MILD BOOST IN SPRING RATE IS ALSO CAUSED BY THE DIFFERENCE IN
THE SURFACE AREA ABOVE AND BELOW THE PISTON. WITH GREATER
SURFACE AREA BELOW THE PISTON THAN ABOVE, MORE PRESSURIZED FLUID

IS IN CONTACT WITH THIS SURFACE. THIS IS WHY A GAS CHARGED SHOCK

ABSORBER WILL EXTEND ON ITS OWN.
THE FINAL IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF THE GAS CHARGE IS TO ALLOW
ENGINEERS GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN VALVING DESIGN. IN THE PAST SUCH
FACTORS AS DAMPING AND AERATION FORCED COMPROMISES IN DESIGN.

ADVANTAGES:
IMPROVES HANDLING BY REDUCING ROLL, SWAY AND DIVE .
REDUCES AERATION OFFERING A GREATER RANGE OF CONTROL OVER A WIDER VARIETY
OF ROAD CONDITIONS AS COMPARED TO NON-GAS UNITS.
REDUCED FADE SHOCKS CAN LOSE DAMPING CAPABILITY AS THEY HEAT UP DURING
USE. GAS CHARGED SHOCKS COULD CUT THIS LOSS OF PERFORMANCE, CALLED FADE.
DISADVANTAGES:
CAN ONLY BE MOUNTED IN ONE DIRECTION.
CURRENT USES:
ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON MANY DOMESTIC PASSENGER CAR, SUV AND LIGHT TRUCK
APPLICATIONS.
TWIN TUBE PSD DESIGN
IN OUR EARLIER DISCUSSION OF HYDRAULIC SHOCK ABSORBERS WE DISCUSSED THAT
IN THE PAST, RIDE ENGINEERS HAD TO COMPROMISE BETWEEN SOFT VALVING AND
FIRM VALVING. WITH SOFT VALVING, THE FLUID FLOWS MORE EASILY. THE RESULT IS A
SMOOTHER RIDE, BUT WITH POOR HANDLING AND A LOT OF ROLL/SWAY. WHEN VALVING
IS FIRM, FLUID FLOWS LESS EASILY. HANDLING IS IMPROVED, BUT THE RIDE CAN
BECOME

HARSH.

WITH THE ADVENT OF GAS CHARGING, RIDE ENGINEERS WERE ABLE TO OPEN UP THE
ORIFICE CONTROLS OF THESE VALVES AND IMPROVE THE BALANCE BETWEEN COMFORT
AND CONTROL CAPABILITIES AVAILABLE IN TRADITIONAL VELOCITY SENSITIVE DAMPERS.
A LEAP BEYOND FLUID VELOCITY CONTROL IS AN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY THAT TAKES
INTO ACCOUNT THE POSITION OF THE VALVE WITHIN THE PRESSURE TUBE. THIS IS
CALLED POSITION SENSITIVE DAMPING (PSD).

THE KEY TO THIS INNOVATION IS PRECISION TAPERED GROOVES IN THE PRESSURE

TUBE. EVERY APPLICATION IS INDIVIDUALLY TUNED, TAILORING THE LENGTH, DEPTH,
AND TAPER OF THESE GROOVES TO ENSURE OPTIMAL RIDE COMFORT AND ADDED
CONTROL. THIS IN ESSENCE CREATES TWO ZONES WITHIN THE PRESSURE TUBE.
THE FIRST ZONE, THE COMFORT ZONE, IS WHERE NORMAL DRIVING TAKES PLACE. IN
THIS ZONE THE PISTON TRAVEL REMAINS WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE PRESSURE TUBES
MID RANGE. THE TAPERED GROOVES ALLOW HYDRAULIC FLUID TO PASS FREELY
AROUND AND THROUGH THE PISTON DURING ITS MIDRANGE TRAVEL. THIS ACTION
REDUCES RESISTANCE ON THE PISTON, ASSURING A SMOOTH, COMFORTABLE RIDE.
THE SECOND ZONE, THE CONTROL ZONE, IS UTILIZED DURING DEMANDING DRIVING
SITUATIONS. IN THIS ZONE THE PISTON TRAVELS OUT OF THE MID RANGE AREA OF THE
PRESSURE TUBE AND BEYOND THE GROOVES. THE ENTIRE FLUID FLOW IS DIRECTED
THROUGH THE PISTON VALVING FOR MORE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLES SUSPENSION.
THE RESULT IS IMPROVED VEHICLE HANDLING AND BETTER CONTROL WITHOUT
SACRIFICING RIDE COMFORT.
ADVANTAGES:

ALLOWS RIDE ENGINEERS TO MOVE BEYOND SIMPLE VELOCITY SENSITIVE

VALVING AND USE THE POSITION OF THE PISTON TO FINE TUNE THE RIDE

CHARACTERISTIC.
ADJUSTS MORE RAPIDLY TO CHANGING ROAD AND WEIGHT CONDITIONS THAN

STANDARD SHOCK ABSORBERS

TWO SHOCKS INTO ONE COMFORT AND CONTROL

DISADVANTAGES:
IF VEHICLE RIDE HEIGHT IS NOT WITHIN MANUFACTURERS SPECIFIED RANGE, PISTON
TRAVEL MAY BE LIMITED TO THE CONTROL ZONE.
CURRENT USES:
PRIMARILY AFTERMARKET UNDER THE SENSA-TRAC BRAND NAME.

TWIN TUBE ASD DESIGN

WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE COMPROMISES MADE BY RIDE ENGINEERS TO BRING
COMFORT AND CONTROL TOGETHER INTO ONE SHOCK ABSORBER. THIS COMPROMISE
HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED BY THE ADVENT OF GAS CHARGING AND POSITION
SENSITIVE DAMPING TECHNOLOGY.
A NEW TWIST ON THE COMFORT/ CONTROL COMPROMISE IS AN INNOVATIVE
TECHNOLOGY WHICH PROVIDES GREATER CONTROL FOR HANDLING WHILE IMPROVING
RIDE

COMFORT

CALLED ACCELERATION

SENSITIVE

DAMPING

(ASD).

THIS TECHNOLOGY MOVES BEYOND TRADITIONAL VELOCITY SENSITIVE DAMPING TO

FOCUS AND ADDRESS IMPACT. THIS FOCUS ON IMPACT IS ACHIEVED BY UTILIZING A
NEW COMPRESSION VALVE DESIGN. THIS COMPRESSION VALVE IS A MECHANICAL
CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM, WHICH OPENS A BYPASS TO FLUID FLOW AROUND THE
COMPRESSION VALVE.

THIS NEW APPLICATION SPECIFIC DESIGN ALLOWS MINUTE CHANGES INSIDE THE
PRESSURE TUBE BASED ON INPUTS RECEIVED FROM THE ROAD. THE COMPRESSION
VALVE WILL SENSE A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST THE SHOCK TO
ABSORB THE IMPACT, LEAVING THE SHOCK WITH GREATER CONTROL WHEN IT IS
NEEDED.
ADVANTAGES:
CONTROL IS ENHANCED WITHOUT SACRIFICING DRIVER COMFORT.
VALVE AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTS TO CHANGES IN THE ROAD CONDITION.
REDUCES RIDE HARSHNESS.
DISADVANTAGES:
LIMITED AVAILABILITY
CURRENT USES:
PRIMARILY AFTERMARKET APPLICATIONS UNDER THE REFLEX BRAND NAME.
MONO-TUBE DESIGN
THESE ARE HIGH-PRESSURE GAS SHOCKS WITH ONLY ONE TUBE, THE PRESSURE

TUBE.

INSIDE

THE

PRESSURE

TUBE

THERE

ARE

TWO

PISTONS:

A DIVIDING

PISTON AND A WORKING PISTON. THE WORKING PISTON AND ROD ARE VERY
SIMILAR TO THE TWIN TUBE SHOCK DESIGN. THE DIFFERENCE IN ACTUAL APPLICATION
IS THAT A MONO-TUBE SHOCK ABSORBER CAN BE MOUNTED UPSIDE DOWN OR RIGHT
SIDE UP AND WILL WORK EITHER WAY. IN ADDITION TO ITS MOUNTING FLEXIBILITY,
MONO-TUBE SHOCKS ARE A SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT, ALONG WITH THE SPRING, IN
SUPPORTING VEHICLE WEIGHT.
ANOTHER DIFFERENCE YOU MAY NOTICE IS THAT THE MONO-TUBE SHOCK ABSORBER
DOES NOT HAVE A BASE VALVE. INSTEAD, ALL OF THE CONTROL DURING COMPRESSION
AND EXTENSION TAKES PLACE AT THE PISTON.

THE PRESSURE TUBE OF THE MONO-TUBE DESIGN IS LARGER THAN A TWIN TUBE
DESIGN TO ACCOMMODATE FOR DEAD LENGTH. THIS HOWEVER MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO
APPLY THIS DESIGN TO PASSENGER CARS DESIGNED OE WITH A TWIN TUBE DESIGN. A
FREE-FLOATING DIVIDING PISTON TRAVELS IN THE LOWER END OF THE PRESSURE TUBE,
SEPARATING

THE

GAS

CHARGE

AND

THE

OIL.

THE AREA BELOW THE DIVIDING PISTON IS PRESSURIZED TO ABOUT 360 PSI WITH
NITROGEN GAS. THIS HIGH GAS PRESSURE HELPS SUPPORT SOME OF THE VEHICLES
WEIGHT.

THE

OIL

IS

LOCATED

IN

THE

AREA

ABOVE

THE

DIVIDING

PISTON.

DURING OPERATION, THE DIVIDING PISTON MOVES UP AND DOWN AS THE PISTON ROD
MOVES IN AND OUT OF THE SHOCK ABSORBER, KEEPING THE PRESSURE TUBE FULL ALL
TIMES.

ADVANTAGES:

CAN BE MOUNTED UPSIDE DOWN, REDUCING THE UNSPRUNG WEIGHT

MAY RUN COOLER SINCE THE WORKING TUBE IS EXPOSED TO THE AIR

DISADVANTAGES:

DIFFICULT TO APPLY TO PASSENGER CARS DESIGNED OE WITH TWIN TUBE

DESIGNS.
A DENT IN THE PRESSURE TUBE WILL DESTROY THE UNIT

CURRENT USES:

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANY IMPORT AND PERFORMANCE DOMESTIC PASSENGER

CARS, SUV AND LIGHT TRUCK APPLICATIONS

AVAILABLE FOR MANY AFTERMARKET APPLICATIONS

THE MAGNETIC SHOCK ABSORBER

SHOCK ABSORBERS ARE A KEY COMPONENT OF ALL AUTOMOBILES. THEY CONTROL THE
VEHICLES SUSPENSION MOVEMENT TO PROVIDE A STABLE, COMFORTABLE RIDE. SINCE
THEY WERE INSTALLED ON THE FIRST AUTOMOBILES, THE PRINCIPLE OF SHOCK
ABSORBER OPERATION HAS REMAINED ESSENTIALLY THE SAME. NOW A NEW TYPE OF
SHOCK ABSORBER IS ENTERING THE MARKET, AND IT MAY CHANGE THE WAY
SUSPENSIONS ARE CONTROLLED. THEY ARE CALLED THE MAGNETIC SHOCK ABSORBERS
OR THE NEW MAGNERIDE SHOCK SYSTEM.
MAGNETIC SHOCK ABSORBER IS A CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE SHOCK ABSORBER THAT
USES SIMPLE MAGNETIC PRINCIPLES BUT VERY HIGH TECHNOLOGY TO CONTROL
SUSPENSIONS.
CONVENTIONAL SHOCK ABSORBERS (OR STRUTS ON MANY CARS) USE OIL PASSING
THROUGH ORIFICES TO DAMPEN SUSPENSION MOVEMENT. WHEN A TIRE HITS A BUMP,
THE SUSPENSION MOVES UP, MOVING THE BODY OF THE SHOCK ABSORBER UP TOO. A
ROD, CONNECTED TO THE TOP OF THE SHOCK AND MOUNTED TO THE BODY OR FRAME,
PASSES THROUGH A SEAL IN THE TOP OF THE SHOCK AND HAS A PISTON MOUNTED ON
THE BOTTOM END. THIS PISTON HAS SMALL PORTS IN IT THAT ALLOW OIL CONTAINED IN
THE SHOCK BODY TO FLOW FROM ONE SIDE OF THE PISTON TO THE OTHER. DIFFERENT
SIZE PORTS ALLOW DIFFERENT FLOW RATES, SO LARGER PORTS ALLOW THE
SUSPENSION TO MOVE EASIER AND SMALLER PORTS SLOW THE MOVEMENT.
CONVENTIONAL SHOCK ABSORBERS USE CHECK VALVES ON THE PORTS SO THAT FLUID
CAN PASS EASIER ONE WAY THAN THE OTHER. TYPICALLY, THE WHEEL IS ALLOWED TO
MOVE UP QUICKLY, BUT LET BACK DOWN SLOWER. THIS PREVENTS THE SUSPENSION
FROM BOUNCING; THE EFFECT YOU GET WHEN THE SHOCKS ARE BADLY WORN.
GAS-FILLED SHOCKS USE PRESSURE INSIDE THE SHOCK TO REDUCE OIL FOAMING AS IT
PASSES THROUGH THE PORTS. SUSPENSION CONTROL BECOMES VERY ERRATIC WITH
FOAMY OIL INSIDE THE SHOCK. VEHICLES WITH SELECTABLE SHOCK DAMPENING VARY
THE SIZE OF PORTS BY TURNING A SHAFT INSIDE THE PISTON ROD THAT CHANGES PORT
SIZE

TO

CHANGE

VEHICLE

HANDLING.

MAGNETIC

SHOCK

ABSORBER

MAKES

MECHANICALLY VARIED SYSTEMS OBSOLETE.

THE HEART OF A MAGNETIC SHOCK ABSORBER OR MAGNERIDE IS THE MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL (MR) FLUID. IT IS A SUSPENSION OF MAGNETICALLY SOFT PARTICLES
SUCH AS IRON MICROSPHERES IN A SYNTHETIC HYDROCARBON BASE FLUID. PLACE A
MAGNET NEAR THE FLUID AND THE PARTICLES FORM A FIBROUS STRUCTURE,
INCREASING ITS SHEAR FACTOR. IN SIMPLE TERMS, THE FLUID GETS THICKER SO IT
DOESNT FLOW THROUGH THE SHOCKS PISTON PORTS AS EASY.
BY USING AN MAGNET PLACED IN THE SHOCK PISTON, THE MR FLUID ONLY CHANGES
VISCOSITY WHERE IT PASSES THROUGH THE PORTS. WIRES RUN DOWN THE HOLLOW
PISTON ROD SO A COMPUTER MODULE CAN VARY THE STRENGTH OF THE MAGNET AND

THE DAMPENING OF THE SHOCK CONTINUOUSLY. THE SYSTEM IS FIVE TIMES FASTER
THAN MECHANICAL RIDE CONTROL SYSTEMS.
IN FACT, THE SYSTEM IS SO QUICK, IT PERFORMS 1000 CALCULATIONS PER SECOND.
THIS IS EQUAL TO ONE CALCULATION FOR EVERY INCH OF VEHICLE TRAVEL AT 60 MILES
PER HOUR. ELECTRO-MAGNETIC SHOCK ABSORBERS CAN REACT TO EVERY LITTLE BUMP
IN THE ROAD.
SEVERAL SENSORS PROVIDE INPUT TO THE MAGNERIDE COMPUTER. WHEEL TO BODY
SENSORS ARE USED AT EACH WHEEL TO DETERMINE WHEEL TRAVEL AND VERTICAL
ACCELERATION. VEHICLE SPEED

AND

OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE COME VIA

DATA

COMMUNICATION FROM OTHER VEHICLE COMPUTERS. THE TEMPERATURE DATA IS USED

SO THE COMPUTER CAN COMPENSATE FOR FLUID VISCOSITY VARIATIONS DUE TO
TEMPERATURE. MAGNERIDE ALSO IMPROVES VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEMS
AND USES A STEERING WHEEL ANGLE SENSOR, YAW RATE SENSOR AND LATERAL
ACCELERATION SENSOR FOR ACCURATE VEHICLE CONTROL.
FOR

THE

AUTO

ENGINEERS,

MAGNERIDE

ALLOWS

QUICKER

CALIBRATION

AND

SUSPENSION TUNING FOR NEW VEHICLES. FOR DRIVERS, MAGNERIDE OFFERS A

FLATTER, SMOOTHER RIDE, ENHANCED LATERAL AND LONGITUDINAL CONTROL OF
BODY

MOVEMENT,

AND

BETTER

ROAD

ISOLATION

FROM

THE

PASSENGER

COMPARTMENT. WHILE MAGNERIDE HAS LIMITED AVAILABILITY NOW, I PREDICT WE WILL

SEE THIS FEATURE ON A WIDE RANGE OF AUTOMOBILES IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

THE NEW WAVE IN SHOCK ABSORBERS

OVER THE PAST TWO MODEL YEARS, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) HAS INTRODUCED ONE OF
THE MOST INTERESTING AND POTENTIALLY FAR-REACHING NEW TECHNOLOGIES EVER
DEVELOPED FOR AUTOMOBILES. THE CHEVROLET CORVETTE AND THE CADILLAC SRX,
STS AND XLR MODELS ARE ALL AVAILABLE WITH MAGNETIC RIDE CONTROL. CALLED
MAGNERIDE BY ITS SUPPLIER DELPHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, IT USES A COMPUTER TO
ADJUST THE SHOCK ABSORBERS DAMPING RATE. WHILE ELECTRONIC DAMPING
ADJUSTMENT IS NOTHING NEW, THE SHOCK ABSORBERS THEMSELVES ARE DIFFERENT
FROM ANYTHING YOUVE SEEN BEFORE. INSTEAD OF ADJUSTABLE VALVES, THESE
SHOCKS HAVE ADJUSTABLE OIL.
A HYDRAULIC SHOCK ABSORBER DAMPENS SUSPENSION MOVEMENT BY FORCING A
PISTON TO MOVE THROUGH OIL. HOLES IN THE PISTON ARE COVERED BY SPRINGLOADED VALVES. THESE VALVES SLOW THE FLOW OF OIL THROUGH THE HOLES TO
CONTROL DAMPING RATE: THE SMALLER THE VALVE OPENING, THE SLOWER THE OIL
FLOW AND THE GREATER THE DAMPING. ADJUSTABLE SHOCK ABSORBERS VARY THE
SHOCKS DAMPING RATE BY VARYING THE SIZE OF THE VALVE OPENING, EITHER BY
ADJUSTING THE SPRING PRELOAD OR BY SELECTING A DIFFERENT SIZE OIL FLOW

ORIFICE. BY USING A SMALL MOTOR OR A SOLENOID TO OPERATE THE VALVE, DAMPING

RATE CAN BE ADJUSTED ON-THE-FLY BY THE DRIVER AND/OR BY THE COMPUTER.
EXACTLY THE SAME RESULTS CAN BE ACHIEVED BY VARYING THE VISCOSITY OF THE OIL
INSTEAD OF THE SIZE OF THE VALVE OPENING. THE TECHNOLOGY THAT ALLOWS
CHANGING OIL VISCOSITY ON-THE-FLY PRESENTS SOME EXCITING POSSIBILITIES THAT
GO FAR BEYOND ADJUSTABLE SHOCK ABSORBERS.

MAGNETO-RHEOLOGICAL FLUID
RHEOLOGY IS A SCIENCE THAT STUDIES THE DEFORMATION AND FLOW OF MATERIALS.
RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS HAVE FLOW CHARACTERISTICS THAT CAN BE CHANGED IN A
CONTROLLABLE WAY USING ELECTRICAL CURRENT OR A MAGNETIC FIELD. DEPENDING
ON THE BASE FLUID AND THE STRENGTH OF THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT OR MAGNET,
THE FLUIDS VISCOSITY CAN BE VARIED FROM THINNER-THAN-WATER TO ALMOST-SOLID
AND ANY STAGE IN BETWEEN. THE FLUIDS RESPONSE IS INSTANTANEOUS, COMPLETELY
REVERSIBLE AND EXTREMELY CONTROLLABLE, BUT THERE ARE SOME LIMITS.
ELECTRO-RHEOLOGICAL (ER) FLUID CHANGES VISCOSITY WHEN AN ELECTRIC CURRENT
IS APPLIED DIRECTLY TO THE FLUID ITSELF. ER FLUID WAS FIRST INVENTED AND
PATENTED IN THE 1940S, AND TO VARYING DEGREES, DEVELOPMENT HAS CONTINUED
EVER SINCE. IT HAS BEEN TESTED IN A WIDE RANGE OF APPLICATIONS, FROM TORQUE
CONVERTERS, CLUTCHES AND DAMPERS TO SYNTHETIC MUSCLES AND DAMPERS IN
POWERED PROSTHETIC ARMS AND LEGS. IT WORKS, BUT ITS SHEAR STRENGTH THAT
IS,

ITS

RESISTANCE

TO

SHEARING

MOVEMENT

IS

LIMITED.

DESPITE

HUGE

INVESTMENTS IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, ER FLUID IS STILL FAR FROM READY

FOR ANY PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS.
MAGNETO-RHEOLOGICAL (MR) FLUID HAS A SHEAR STRENGTH ABOUT 10 TIMES
STRONGER THAN ER FLUID. INVENTED AT THE SAME TIME AS ER FLUID, THE TWO HAVE
MANY SIMILARITIES. BOTH CAN USE OIL, SILICONE, WATER OR GLYCOL AS THE BASE
FLUID, AND BOTH CONTAIN POLARIZABLE PARTICLES SUSPENDED IN THE FLUID.
POLARIZABLE MEANS THE PARTICLES CAN BE FORCED TO ALIGN IN A SPECIFIC WAY.
THESE SUSPENDED POLARIZABLE PARTICLES ARE THE BASIC DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ER
AND MR FLUIDS. ER FLUID USES PARTICLES THAT POLARIZE WHEN DIRECTLY EXPOSED
TO AN ELECTRIC CURRENT. MR FLUID USES SOMEWHAT LARGER PARTICLES OF IRON
THAT POLARIZE WHEN SURROUNDED BY A MAGNETIC FIELD.
THE TYPICAL MR FLUID PARTICLES ARE SOFT IRON SPHERES MEASURING 3 TO 5
MICRONS (3 TO 5 THOUSANDTHS OF A MILLIMETER) IN DIAMETER. DEPENDING ON THE
APPLICATION, THE FLUID WILL BE 20 TO 40 PERCENT SATURATED WITH THE IRON
PARTICLES, AND OTHER ADDITIVES WILL BE USED TO CONTROL PARTICLE SETTLING
AND MIXING, FLUID FRICTION AND FLUID VISCOSITY. SPECIFIC GRAVITY IS GENERALLY

BETWEEN 3 AND 4; FOR REFERENCE, WATERS SPECIFIC GRAVITY IS 1. THUS, A 55GALLON DRUM OF MR FLUID CAN WEIGH ALMOST A FULL TON. MR FLUIDS ARE
DEVELOPED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE APPLICATION. FOR INSTANCE, IN ADDITION TO
AUTOMOTIVE USES, MR FLUIDS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED FOR USE IN DAMPERS THAT
PROTECT BUILDINGS AND OTHER STRUCTURES FROM EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE. THESE
DAMPERS SIT STILL FOR LONG PERIODS, SO DIFFERENT ADDITIVES ARE NEEDED TO
KEEP THE PARTICLES IN SUSPENSION.
SHOCK ABSORBER VALVES
IT WASNT HARD TO DEVELOP A SYNTHETIC OIL-MR FLUID WITH VISCOSITY AND
LUBRICATION QUALITIES SIMILAR TO NORMAL HYDRAULIC SHOCK ABSORBER OIL. THE
CHALLENGE WAS TO DEVELOP SEALS, O-RINGS AND OTHER COMPONENTS THAT CAN
WITHSTAND THE FLUIDS PARTICLE CONTAMINATION, WHICH IS PART OF THE REASON
ITS TAKEN SO LONG FOR MR FLUID TO ESCAPE THE LABORATORY. ACCORDING TO
DAVID CALDWELL, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER FOR PERFORMANCE CARS AT GM,
THESE SHOCKS HAVE BEEN IN DEVELOPMENT FOR 20 YEARS. HE SAID THEY WERE FIRST
USED ON OPEN-WHEELED RACECARS, WHERE COST AND DURABILITY ARE NOT QUITE
AS CRITICAL AS IN PRODUCTION CARS. WORKING WITH LORD CORP., WHICH
MANUFACTURES THE MR FLUID, DELPHI HAS

FINALLY DEVELOPED MR SHOCK

ABSORBERS THAT ARE SUITABLE FOR REAL-WORLD APPLICATIONS.

THE VALVE IN THE CENTER OF THE TUBE IS A BLOCK WITH OIL PASSAGES
SURROUNDED BY AN ELECTROMAGNET COIL.

THE MAGNETIC PARTICLES IN THE FLUID ALIGN WITH THE MAGNETIC FIELD WHEN THE
MAGNET IS TURNED ON. THE FLUID RESISTS FLOW PERPENDICULAR TO THE FIELD LINES
JUST AS IF AN ORIFICE PLUG WERE SUDDENLY INSERTED INTO THE PASSAGE.
WITH THE FLUID AND OTHER MATERIALS PROPERLY MATCHED, DEVELOPING THE VALVE
ITSELF WAS THE SIMPLEST PART OF THE SYSTEM. THERE ARE NO MOVING PARTS, JUST
PASSAGES IN THE PISTON THAT THE FLUID MOVES THROUGH. THE OIL PASSAGES ARE
SURROUNDED BY AN ELECTRO-MAGNET; IT IS BASICALLY A SOLENOID COIL WITHOUT
THE VALVE CORE THAT GENERATES A MAGNETIC FIELD WHEN CURRENT IS PASSED
THROUGH IT. WHEN THE MAGNET IS TURNED ON, THE IRON PARTICLES IN THE OIL
PASSAGES ALIGN TO FORM FIBERS IN THE OIL, MAKING THE FLUID THICKER AND,
THEREFORE, RESISTANT TO FLOW. THE THICKNESS OR VISCOSITY OF THE FLUID CAN BE
INFINITELY ADJUSTED FROM THAT OF THE BASE OIL TO ALMOST PLASTIC IN LESS THAN
TWO MILLISECONDS SIMPLY BY ADJUSTING CURRENT FLOW THROUGH THE COIL. WHEN
THE CURRENT IS TURNED OFF, THE FLUID REVERTS TO ITS BASE VISCOSITY JUST AS
QUICKLY. ONLY THE FLUID IN THE OIL PASSAGE IS INVOLVED, SO THE MAGNETS COIL
CAN BE SMALL ENOUGH TO RIDE ON THE PISTON ITSELF. THE WIRES FROM THE COIL
ARE ROUTED THROUGH THE PISTON ROD TO A CONNECTOR ON THE END OF THE
SHOCK HOUSING. THIS BASIC DESIGN IS CURRENTLY BEING USED IN LONG-HAUL TRUCK
SEATS, SHOCKS, STRUTS AND AIR-INFLATED LOAD-LEVELING SHOCKS.

CONTROL SYSTEM
BECAUSE ADJUSTABLE DAMPING HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE, ALL OF THE OTHER
BITS AND PIECES NEEDED FOR THE MAGNERIDE SYSTEM ARE ALREADY IN PLACE. THE
CONTROL MODULE USES SUSPENSION HEIGHT DATA SUPPLIED BY POSITION SENSORS
AT EACH CORNER. WITH THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR (TPS), TRANSMISSION AND
WHEEL SPEED DATA SUPPLIED BY THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM), THE
SUSPENSION CONTROLLER CAN PREDICT LIFT AND DIVE AT EACH END OF THE CAR AND
OPERATE THE SHOCKS VALVES TO COUNTERACT IT. WITH DATA FROM A STEERING
WHEEL POSITION SENSOR, A TWO-PLANE ACCELERATION SENSOR AND A YAW RATE
SENSOR, THE SHOCKS CAN BE OPERATED AS NEEDED TO CONTROL BODY ROLL DURING
ANY MANEUVER. THE SYSTEM ALSO CHECKS BODY MOVEMENT DURING ANTILOCK
BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) OPERATION USING VEHICLE SPEED, WHEEL SPEED AND OTHER
DATA SUPPLIED BY THE ABS CONTROL UNIT.
THE MAGNERIDE CONTROLLER ITSELF IS A STAND-ALONE UNIT EQUIPPED WITH TWO
PARALLEL PROCESSORS: ONE FOR INPUT SIGNALS AND ONE FOR OUTPUT. IT OPERATES
THE SHOCKS ON 5 VOLTS DC THAT IS PULSE-WIDTH MODULATED TO ADJUST CURRENT
TO THE MAGNETS. CURRENT DRAW CAN SPIKE MOMENTARILY AT ABOUT 5 AMPS PER
SHOCK, BUT NORMAL CURRENT DRAW IS ABOUT HALF THAT MUCH, AND THERE IS
ALWAYS SOME CURRENT FLOWING WHENEVER THE KEY IS ON.
LIKE EARLIER VERSIONS, THIS IS A SEMI-ACTIVE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. IN ADDITION TO
ITS MAIN FUNCTION OF KEEPING THE WHEELS IN CONTACT WITH THE ROAD, IT CAN
CHECK BODY MOTIONS AND, WITHIN CERTAIN LIMITS, ADJUST WEIGHT BIAS AT EACH
CORNER BY PREVENTING SUSPENSION COMPRESSION. BUT IT IS A REACTIVE SYSTEM,
NOT PROACTIVE, AND IT CANNOT EXTEND THE SUSPENSION TO MAKE THE CAR LEAN
INTO A TURN. STILL, IT PROVIDES A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INCREASED CONTROL
WITH BASE SETTINGS THAT ARE TUNED FOR A MORE COMFORTABLE RIDE.

A PERMANENT MAGNET SYSTEM SHOCK ABSORBER

A PERMANENT MAGNETIC SUSPENSION APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING A SPACED
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A FIRST MOVABLE MEMBER AND A SECOND FIXED MEMBER,
WHEREIN THE MOTION OF THE MOVABLE MEMBER REQUIRES DAMPENING, CUSHIONING,
STABILIZING, HARMONIC BALANCING, AND/ OR REFLEXIVE RE-CENTERING.

THE SUSPENSION APPARATUS INCLUDES A PLURALITY OF SETS OF

PERMANENT MAGNETS LOCATED WITHIN A CASE, WHICH IS COUPLED TO
ONE OF THE MEMBERS. THE SETS OF PERMANENT MAGNETS ARE COUPLED
TO AN ELONGATED SUPPORT MEMBER, WHICH IS COUPLE TO THE SECOND
MEMBER. THE SUPPORT MEMBER EXTENDS WITHIN THE CASE, WITH THE
SUPPORT MEMBER AND THE CASE BEING ADAPTED FOR RELATIVE AXIAL
MOVEMENT.

THE SETS OF PERMANENT MAGNETS ARE ARRANGED IN BIDIRECTIONAL REPULSION

CONFIGURATION WITH ADDITIONAL MAGNET FIXED WITHIN THE CASE. THE SETS OF
PERMANENT MAGNETS ARE BEING MOVED RELATIVE TO THE FIXED PERMANENT
MAGNETS, SUCH THAT THE MAGNETIC FORCES OF REPULSION PRODUCED BY THE
PERMANENT MAGNETS ARE INCREASED IN RESPONSE TO RELATIVE MOVEMENT
BETWEEN THE SUPPORT MEMBER AND THE CASE, CREATING DAMPENING, CUSHIONING,
STABILIZING, HARMONIC BALANCING, AND/OR RE-CENTERING FORCES.
IN ONE EMBODIMENT, THE CONTROL MECHANISM IS COUPLED BETWEEN THE FRAME OF
A VEHICLE AND A WHEEL SUPPORT ASSEMBLY. THE PERMANENT MAGNETIC SUSPENSION

APPARATUS, HOWEVER, IS FOR USE WITH ANY TYPE OF EQUIPMENT OR MACHINERY

HAVING A MOVABLE AND NON-MOVABLE, OR FIXED, MEMBER. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS
NOT LIMITED TO, CARS, TRUCKS, MOTORCYCLES, SCOOTERS, ALL TERRAIN VEHICLES,
SEMI-TRACTORS, SEMI-TRAILERS, AND THE LIKE, AS WELL AS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY, HOSPITAL AND OFFICE MACHINERY AND
EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS BEING COUPLED BETWEEN THE FRAME OF AN OFFICE CHAIR AND
THE CHAIR SEAT.

REGENERATIVE ELECTROMAGNETIC SHOCK ABSORBER

A REGENERATIVE ELECTROMAGNETIC SHOCK ABSORBER COMPRISING: A LINEAR
ELECTROMAGNETIC GENERATOR COMPRISED OF A CENTRAL MAGNET ARRAY ASSEMBLY
COMPRISING A CENTRAL MAGNET ARRAY COMPRISED OF A PLURALITY OF AXIALLYALIGNED, STACKED CYLINDRICAL MAGNETS HAVING LIKE MAGNETIC POLES FACING ONE
ANOTHER, A PLURALITY OF HIGH MAGNETIC PERMEABILITY, HIGH SATURATION
MAGNETIZATION, CENTRAI CYLINDRICAL SPACERS POSITIONED AT EACH END OF SAID
STACKED CENTRAL MAGNET ARRAY AND BETWEEN ADJACENT STACKED CENTRAL
MAGNETS, AND A MAGNET ARRAY SUPPORT FOR MOUNTING SAID MAGNETS AND SAID
SPACERS;

AN

INNER

COIL

ARRAY

COMPRISING

PLURALITY

OF

CONCENTRIC

CYLINDRICAL COIL WINDINGS POSITIONED ADJACENT TO SAID CENTRAL SPACERS AND

SAID MAGNETIC POLES OF SAID CENTRAL MAGNETS, SAID INNER COIL WINDINGS
SURROUNDING AN OUTSIDE PERIMETER OF SAID CENTRAL SPACERS, SAID INNER COIL
ARRAY MOUNTED ON A MOVABLE COIL SUPPORT, SAID MOVABLE COIL SUPPORT
PROVIDING FOR RECIPROCATING LINEAR MOTION OF SAID COIL ARRAY RELATIVE TO
SAID MAGNET ARRAY; AND AN OUTER MAGNET ARRAY ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AN
OUTER MAGNET ARRAY COMPRISED OF A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY-ALIGNED, STACKED
CONCENTRIC TOROIDAL MAGNETS HAVING LIKE MAGNETIC POLES FACING EACH OTHER,
SAID OUTER MAGNET ARRAY SURROUNDING SAID INNER COIL ARRAY, SAID STACKED
OUTER

CONCENTRIC

MAGNETS

BEING

ALIGNED

AND

POSITIONED

ESSENTIALLY

COPLANAR WITH SAID STACKED CENTRAL CYLINDRICAL MAGNETS WITH THE MAGNETIC
POLES OF SAID OUTER MAGNETS ALIGNED WITH AND FACING OPPOSING MAGNETIC
POLES OF SAID CENTRAL CYLINDRICAL MAGNETS, AND A PLURALITY OF HIGH
PERMEABILITY, HIGH SATURATION MAGNETIZATION, OUTER CONCENTRIC TOROIDAL
SPACERS POSITIONED AT EACH END OF SAID STACKED OUTER MAGNET ARRAY AND
BETWEEN ADJACENT STACKED OUTER MAGNETS, SAID OUTER MAGNET ARRAY
ASSEMBLY ATTACHED TO SAID MAGNET ARRAY SUPPORT; WHEREIN A PREDETERMINED
LOCATION, CONFIGURATION AND ORIENTATION OF SAID CENTRAL MAGNET MAGNETIC
POLES, SAID CENTRAL SPACERS, SAID INNER COIL WINDINGS, SAID OUTER MAGNET

MAGNETIC POLES AND SAID OUTER SPACERS PROVIDE FOR SUPERPOSITION OF A

RADIAL COMPONENT OF A MAGNETIC FLUX DENSITY FROM A PLURALITY OF CENTRAL
AND OUTER MAGNETS TO PRODUCE A MAXIMUM AVERAGE RADIAL MAGNETIC FLUX
DENSITY IN THE INNER COIL WINDINGS; AND A VOLTAGE CONDITIONING CIRCUIT
ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO SAID COIL WINDINGS, SAID VOLTAGE CONDITIONING
CIRCUIT PROVIDING AN OUTPUT VOLTAGE AND OUTPUT CURRENT TO AN ELECTRICAL
LOAD.

AN ELECTROMAGNETIC LINEAR GENERATOR AND REGENERATIVE ELECTROMAGNETIC

SHOCK ABSORBER IS DISCLOSED WHICH CONVERTS VARIABLE FREQUENCY, REPETITIVE
INTERMITTENT LINEAR DISPLACEMENT MOTION TO USEFUL ELECTRICAL POWER. THE
INNOVATIVE DEVICE PROVIDES FOR SUPERPOSITION OF RADIAL COMPONENTS OF THE
MAGNETIC FLUX DENSITY FROM A PLURALITY OF ADJACENT MAGNETS TO PRODUCE A
MAXIMUM AVERAGE RADIAL MAGNETIC FLUX DENSITY WITHIN A COIL WINDING ARRAY.
DUE TO THE VECTOR SUPERPOSITION OF THE MAGNETIC FIELDS AND MAGNETIC FLUX
FROM A PLURALITY OF MAGNETS, A NEARLY FOUR-FOLD INCREASE IN MAGNETIC FLUX
DENSITY IS ACHIEVED OVER CONVENTIONAL ELECTROMAGNETIC GENERATOR DESIGNS
WITH A POTENTIAL SIXTEEN-FOLD INCREASE IN POWER GENERATING CAPACITY. AS A
REGENERATIVE

SHOCK

ABSORBER,

THE

DISCLOSED

DEVICE

IS

CAPABLE

OF

CONVERTING PARASITIC DISPLACEMENT MOTION AND VIBRATIONS ENCOUNTERED

UNDER NORMAL URBAN DRIVING CONDITIONS TO A USEFUL ELECTRICAL ENERGY FOR

POWERING VEHICLES AND ACCESSORIES OR CHARGING BATTERIES IN ELECTRIC AND

FOSSIL FUEL POWERED VEHICLES. THE DISCLOSED DEVICE IS CAPABLE OF HIGH POWER
GENERATION CAPACITY AND ENERGY CONVERSION EFFICIENCY WITH MINIMAL WEIGHT
PENALTY FOR IMPROVED FUEL EFFICIENCY.

HOW IT WORKS
A CONVENTIONAL AUTOMOTIVE SHOCK ABSORBER DAMPENS SUSPENSION MOVEMENT
TO PRODUCE A CONTROLLED ACTION THAT KEEPS THE TIRE FIRMLY ON THE ROAD. THIS
IS DONE BY CONVERTING THE KINETIC ENERGY INTO HEAT ENERGY, WHICH IS THEN
ABSORBED BY THE SHOCKS OIL.
THE POWER-GENERATING SHOCK ABSORBER (PGSA) CONVERTS THIS KINETIC ENERGY
INTO ELECTRICITY INSTEAD OF HEAT THROUGH THE USE OF A LINEAR MOTION
ELECTROMAGNETIC SYSTEM (LMES). THE LMES USES A DENSE PERMANENT MAGNET
STACK EMBEDDED IN THE MAIN PISTON, A SWITCHABLE SERIES OF STATOR COIL
WINDINGS, A RECTIFIER, AND AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL SYSTEM TO MANAGE THE
VARYING ELECTRICAL OUTPUT AND DAMPENING LOAD.
THE BOTTOM SHAFT OF THE PGSA MOUNTS TO THE MOVING SUSPENSION MEMBER AND
FORCES THE MAGNET STACK TO RECIPROCATE WITHIN THE ANNULAR ARRAY OF STATOR
WINDINGS, PRODUCING ALTERNATING CURRENT ELECTRICITY. THAT ELECTRICITY IS
THEN CONVERTED INTO DIRECT CURRENT THROUGH A FULL-WAVE RECTIFIER AND
STORED IN THE VEHICLES BATTERIES.
THE ELECTRICITY GENERATED BY EACH PGSA CAN THEN BE COMBINED WITH
ELECTRICITY FROM

OTHER

POWER

GENERATION

SYSTEMS

(E.G.

REGENERATIVE

BRAKING) AND STORED IN THE VEHICLES BATTERIES.

MANUFACTURING CONSIDERATIONS
MANUFACTURE OF THE POWER-GENERATING SHOCK ABSORBER WILL REQUIRE A
MACHINED MAIN SHAFT WITH EMBEDDED PERMANENT MAGNET STACK, A STRONG AIRGAP CYLINDER HOUSING, HIGH QUALITY STATOR WINDINGS, AND ROBUST SLIDE
BEARINGS. OTHER SYSTEMS, SUCH AS MICROPROCESSOR-CONTROLLED VOLTAGE,
CURRENT, AND DAMPENING REGULATION, EXTERNAL CASING, PROTECTIVE BELLOWS,
ETC. WILL ALSO NEED TO BE DESIGNED AND TESTED.

REFERENCES
WWW.HOWSTUFFWORKS.COM
WWW.MRFLUIDS.COM
WWW.POPULARMECHANICS.COM
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG
WWW.RESEARCHANDMARKETS.COM/REPORTS
WWW.SHOCKABSORBER.CO.UK
WWW.MINDBRANCH.COM
WWW.AUTOMOTIVE-ONLINE.COM/SUSPENSION-STEERING/SHOCK-ABSORBERS.HTM
WWW.CAR-STUFF.COM/MONROESHOCKS.HTM