Rotary shock absorber with a controlled damping rate

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention is directed to a rotary shock absorber with a controlled damping rate.
The rotary shock absorber has a housing defining at least one chamber with a field-responsive fluid in the chamber and in which an angularly movable member is disposed.
When the movable member moves in the chamber, the resistance to shear of the fluid in the chamber damps movement of the movable member relative to the housing.
When an energy field is applied to the fluid, the shear resistance of the fluid varies.
When the shear resistance of the fluid varies, the resistance to movement of the movable member varies.
Thus, the resistance to movement of the movable member, and hence the damping rate of the rotary shock absorber, varies as a function of the energy field acting on the fluid.
In accordance with one feature of the present invention, a rotary shock absorber is provided for use in a vehicle.
The rotary shock absorber includes a housing connectable with the vehicle frame and defining at least one chamber for a field-responsive fluid.
The rotary shock absorber further includes means for applying an energy field to the fluid in the chamber to vary the resistance to shear of the fluid as a function of the energy field acting thereon.
A shaft is supported for rotation about its longitudinal central axis relative to the housing and extends in the direction of movement of the vehicle.
A rotor blade is disposed in the chamber and is connected with the shaft and extends radially of the shaft.
The movement of the rotor blade in the chamber is resisted by the fluid.
At least one arm has one end connectable to the shaft and extends radially of the shaft.
The other end of the arm is connectable with a vehicle wheel for vertical movement with the vehicle wheel.
The shaft rotates about its longitudinal central axis relative to the housing and the rotor blade moves in the chamber as the vehicle wheel moves relative to the vehicle frame.
The resistance to movement of the arm varies as a function of the resistance to movement of the rotor blade in the chamber