US 12,460,736 B2
Smart damping control valve
Garrett Holmes, Water Valley, MS (US); Chandreshwar Rao, Water Valley, MS (US); and Brett Peglowski, Water Valley, MS (US)
Assigned to Solero Technologies, LLC, Water Valley, MS (US)
Filed by Solero Technologies, LLC, Water Valley, MS (US)
Filed on Jan. 2, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/402,127.
Prior Publication US 2025/0215994 A1, Jul. 3, 2025
Int. Cl. F16K 31/06 (2006.01); F16K 47/00 (2006.01); F16K 17/08 (2006.01); F16K 27/02 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 31/0675 (2013.01) [F16K 31/0651 (2013.01); F16K 47/0111 (2021.08); F16K 17/08 (2013.01); F16K 27/029 (2013.01); F16K 2200/204 (2021.08); F16K 2200/302 (2021.08)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A control valve for a shock absorber or a suspension system, the control valve comprising:
a valve housing defining a valve inlet and a valve outlet, wherein the valve inlet and the valve outlet are connected by a fluid passage;
a valve assembly within the fluid passage, the valve assembly comprising a shuttle valve concentrically positioned with respect to a spool valve, the shuttle valve being axially movable relative to the spool valve to obstruct either of a fail-safe port or an operating port of the spool valve, the spool valve being axially movable relative to the valve housing to selectively obstruct the valve outlet;
a solenoid including a magnetic armature that engages the shuttle valve via a plunger to drive axial movement of the shuttle valve and ultimately the spool valve, the magnetic armature being axially displaceable at a plurality of positions and being adapted to vary an opening pressure of the valve assembly;
wherein, in response to a first electrical current to the solenoid, the shuttle valve is displaced relative to the spool valve, such that the valve assembly defines a first opening pressure;
wherein, in response to a second electrical current to the solenoid, the spool valve is displaced relative to the valve housing, such that the valve assembly defines a second opening pressure greater than the first opening pressure; and
wherein, in the absence of an electrical current to the solenoid, the valve assembly defines a fail-safe opening pressure between the first opening pressure and the second opening pressure.