Importance

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Abstract

A damper unit and its employment as part of the suspension system for a vehicle are disclosed. A vehicle of the kind having wheels arranged in left-right pairs has a sprung mass and left and right unsprung masses associated with left and right wheels of a said left-right pair. Respective left and right damper units are mounted between the respective left and right unsprung masses and the sprung mass. Each damper unit has a damper housing defining first and second generally cylindrical chambers therewithin having a common axis. The first and second chambers are separated from each other in the axial direction by an intermediate wall. The first chamber has a first axial end wall at its end remote from the intermediate wall, and the second chamber has a second axial end wall at its end remote from the intermediate wall. A first piston is slidable in sealing engagement with the interior of the first chamber. A second piston is slidable in sealing engagement with the interior of the second chamber. A common damper rod is provided for the first and second pistons, the damper rod being sealingly received through a bore in the first axial end wall, passing axially through the first chamber, and being sealingly received through a bore in the intermediate wall. The respective damper rods of the left and right damper units are arranged for movement into and out of the damper housing as their respective unsprung masses move relative to the sprung mass, the chamber defined between the first piston and the first axial end wall of each damper unit being coupled to the chamber defined between the first piston and the intermediate wall of the other damper unit via at least one restriction, whereby the first chambers of the damper units provide stiffness in roll. Each damper unit is provided with connections between its second chamber and the exterior of the respective damper unit on either side of its second piston to provide coupling for fluid within its second chamber with apparatus external to the damper unit to provide stiffness in heave.

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First Claim