1. A valve for a suspension damping system, the valve comprising:
a valve body separating a first fluid chamber from a second fluid chamber, the valve body having at least one fluid port therethrough between the first and second fluid chambers; and
a shim valve assembly coupled to the valve body and configured to control fluid flow across the valve body, the shim valve assembly including:
a first shim having at least one fluid port; and
a second shim configured to seal the first shim fluid port,
the first and second shims configured to flex in a first direction under fluid pressure to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers, providing a first resistance to fluid flow, the second shim sealing fluid flow through the first shim fluid port during flow in the first direction,
the second shim configured to flex in a second direction under fluid pressure to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers, providing a second resistance to fluid flow, the second shim permitting fluid flow through the first shim fluid port during flow in the second direction.
2. The valve of claim 1, wherein the first resistance is greater than the second resistance.
3. The valve of claim 2, wherein the first shim adjoins the second shim.
4. The valve of claim 3, wherein the second shim includes at least one tab, the tab configured to seal the first shim fluid port during flow in the first direction and to permit fluid flow through the first shim fluid port during flow in the second direction.
5. The valve of claim 4, wherein the first shim is preloaded to be inflexible in the first direction below a cutoff fluid pressure to seal fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers, and flexible in the first direction above the cutoff fluid pressure to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers.
6. The valve of claim 4, further comprising a fluid passageway thereacross to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers.
7. The valve of claim 4, wherein the first shim is configured to seal the valve body at a periphery of the first shim to seal fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers across the first shim periphery when the first shim is unflexed.
8. The valve of claim 1, wherein the valve body is slidably mounted within a tube of the suspension damping system.
9. The valve of claim 8, wherein the first resistance is greater than the second resistance.
10. The valve of claim 9, wherein the first shim adjoins the second shim.
11. The valve of claim 10, wherein the second shim includes at least one tab, the tab configured to seal the first shim fluid port during flow in the first direction and to permit fluid flow through the first shim fluid port during flow in the second direction.
12. The valve of claim 11, wherein the first shim is preloaded to be inflexible in the first direction below a cutoff fluid pressure to seal fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers, and flexible in the first direction above the cutoff fluid pressure to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers.
13. The valve of claim 11, further comprising a fluid passageway thereacross to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers.
14. The valve of claim 11 wherein the first shim is configured to seal the valve body at a periphery of the first shim to seal fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers across the first shim periphery when the first shim is unflexed.
15. The valve of claim 1, wherein the first shim adjoins the second shim.
16. The valve of claim 1, wherein the second shim includes at least one tab, the tab configured to seal the first shim fluid port during flow in the first direction and to permit fluid flow through the first shim fluid port during flow in the second direction.
17. The valve of claim 1, wherein the first shim is preloaded to be inflexible in the first direction below a cutoff fluid pressure to seal fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers, and flexible in the first direction above the cutoff fluid pressure to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers.
18. The valve of claim 1, further comprising a fluid passageway thereacross to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers.
19. The valve of claim 1, wherein the first shim is configured to seal the valve body at a periphery of the first shim to seal fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers across the first shim periphery when the first shim is unflexed.
20. A suspension damping system comprising:
a valve body separating a first fluid chamber from a second fluid chamber, the valve body having at least one fluid port therethrough between the first and second fluid chambers;
a shim valve assembly coupled to the valve body and configured to control fluid flow across the valve body, the shim valve assembly including:
a first shim having at least one fluid port; and
a second shim configured to sealing the first shim fluid port,
the first and second shims configured to flex in a first direction under fluid pressure to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers, providing a first resistance to fluid flow, the second shim sealing fluid flow through the first shim fluid port during flow in the first direction,
the second shim configured to flex in a second direction under fluid pressure to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers, providing a second resistance to fluid flow, the second shim permitting fluid flow through the first shim fluid port during flow in the second direction; and
a fluid-displacing assembly reciprocally displaceable relative to the valve body.
21. The damping suspension system of claim 20, wherein the first resistance is greater than the second resistance.
22. The damping suspension system of claim 21, wherein the first shim adjoins the second shim.
23. The damping suspension system of claim 22, wherein the second shim includes at least one tab, the tab configured to seal the first shim fluid port during flow in the first direction and to permit fluid flow through the first shim fluid port during flow in the second direction.
24. The damping suspension system of claim 23, wherein the first shim is preloaded to be inflexible in the first direction below a cutoff fluid pressure to seal fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers, and flexible in the first direction above the cutoff fluid pressure to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers.
25. The damping suspension system of claim 23, further comprising a fluid passageway across the valve body and shim valve assembly to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers.
26. The damping suspension system of claim 23, wherein the first shim is configured to seal the valve body at a periphery of the first shim to seal fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers across the first shim periphery when the first shim is unflexed.
27. The damping suspension system of claim 20, wherein the first shim adjoins the second shim.
28. The damping suspension system of claim 20, wherein the second shim includes at least one tab, the tab configured to seal the first shim fluid port during flow in the first direction and to permit fluid flow through the first shim fluid port during flow in the second direction.
29. The damping suspension system of claim 20, wherein the first shim is preloaded to be inflexible in the first direction below a cutoff fluid pressure to seal fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers, and flexible in the first direction above the cutoff fluid pressure to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers.
30. The damping suspension system of claim 20, further comprising a fluid passageway across the valve body and shim valve assembly to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers.
31. The damping suspension system of claim 20, wherein the first shim is configured to seal the valve body at a periphery of the first shim to seal fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers across the first shim periphery when the first shim is unflexed.
32. A valve for a suspension damping system, the valve comprising:
valve body means separating a first fluid chamber from a second fluid chamber, the valve body means having at least one fluid port therethrough between the first and second fluid chambers; and
shim valve assembly means coupled to the valve body means and configured to control fluid flow across the valve body means, the shim valve assembly means including:
first shim means having at least one fluid port; and
second shim means configured to seal the first shim fluid port,
the first and second shim means configured to flex in a first direction under fluid pressure to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers, providing a first resistance to fluid flow, the second shim means sealing fluid flow through the first shim fluid port during flow in the first direction,
the second shim means configured to flex in a second direction under fluid pressure to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers, providing a second resistance to fluid flow, the second shim means permitting fluid flow through the first shim fluid port during flow in the second direction.
33. The valve of claim 32, wherein the first resistance is greater than the second resistance.
34. The valve of claim 33, wherein the first shim means adjoins the second shim means.
35. The valve of claim 34, wherein the second shim means includes at least one tab, the tab configured to seal the first shim fluid port during flow in the first direction and to permit fluid flow through the first shim fluid pod during flow in the second direction.
36. The valve of claim 35, wherein the first shim means is preloaded to be inflexible in the first direction below a cutoff fluid pressure to seal fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers, and flexible in the first direction above the cutoff fluid pressure to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers.
37. The valve of claim 35, further comprising a fluid passageway thereacross to permit fluid flow in the first and second directions.
38. The valve of claim 35, wherein the first shim means is configured to seal the valve body means at a periphery of the first shim means to seal fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers across the first shim means periphery when the first shim means is unflexed.
39. The valve of claim 32, wherein the valve body means is slidably mounted within a tube of the suspension damping system.
40. The valve of claim 39, wherein the first resistance is greater than the second resistance.
41. The valve of claim 40, wherein the first shim means adjoins the second shim means.
42. The valve of claim 41, wherein the second shim means includes at least one tab, the tab configured to seal the first shim fluid port during flow in the first direction and to permit fluid flow through the first shim fluid port during flow in the second direction.
43. The valve of claim 42, wherein the first shim means is preloaded to be inflexible in the first direction below a cutoff fluid pressure to seal fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers, and flexible in the first direction above the cutoff fluid pressure to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers.
44. The valve of claim 42, further comprising a fluid passageway thereacross to permit fluid flow in the first and second directions.
45. The valve of claim 42, wherein the first shim means is configured to seal the valve body means at a periphery of the first shim means to seal fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers across the first shim means periphery when the first shim means is unflexed.
46. The valve of claim 32, wherein the first shim adjoins the second shim.
47. The valve of claim 32, wherein the second shim includes at least one tab, the tab configured to seal the first shim fluid port during flow in the first direction and to permit fluid flow through the first shim fluid port during flow in the second direction.
48. The valve of claim 32, wherein the first shim means is preloaded to be inflexible in the first direction below a cutoff fluid pressure to seal fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers, and flexible in the first direction above the cutoff fluid pressure to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers.
49. The valve of claim 32, further comprising a fluid passageway thereacross to permit fluid flow in the first and second directions.
50. The valve of claim 32, wherein the first shim means is configured to seal the valve body means at a periphery of the first shim means to seal fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers across the first shim means periphery when the first shim means is unflexed.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. An antenna for simultaneous UHF and VHF broadcast, said antenna comprising:
a coaxial antenna having an inner conductor and an outer conductor;
a plurality of dipole antennas mounted to the outer conductor of said coaxial antenna; and
a feed line for feeding said dipole antennas separate from said coaxial antenna feed.
2. The antenna of claim 1 wherein said plurality of dipole antennas are equally spaced concentrically around the outer conductor.
3. The antenna of claim 2 wherein said plurality of dipole antennas is three antennas.
4. The antenna of claim 3 wherein said antenna further comprises four additional groups of three dipole antennas arranged concentrically around and mounted to said outer conductor.
5. The antenna of claim 4 wherein said coaxial antenna transmits a UHF signal and said dipole antennas transmit a VHF signal.
6. The antenna of claim 5 wherein said five groups of three dipole antennas are equally spaced axially along said coaxial outer conductor.
7. The antenna of claim 4 wherein said inner conductor comprises a first transmission line inner and a first transmission line outer.
8. The antenna of claim 7 wherein said inner conductor is center fed to reduce phase taper.
9. The antenna of claim 8 wherein said center feed is substantially intermediate a top short and bottom short.
10. An antenna for simultaneous UHF and VHF broadcast, said antenna comprising:
UHF antenna means for transmitting a UHF signal;
VHF antenna means mounted to said UHF antenna means for transmitting a VHF signal; and
feed means for feeding said VHF antenna means separate from said UHF antenna feed.
11. The antenna of claim 10 wherein said VHF antenna means includes a plurality of VHF antennas.
12. The antenna of claim 11 wherein said feed means includes a branch feed means to feed said plurality of VHF antennas to improve vertical pattern stability.
13. The antenna of claim 12 wherein said UHF antenna means includes an inner conductor means for feeding said UHF antenna.
14. The antenna of claim 13 wherein said inner conductor means includes a transmission line inner means and a transmission line outer means for reducing phase taper and beam sway.
15. A method of constructing a UHF and VHF broadcast antenna, comprising the steps of:
forming a coaxial antenna having an inner and outer conductor;
mounting a plurality of dipole antennas to said outer conductor of said coaxial antenna;
connecting a feed line to said plurality of dipole antennas.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein said mounting step includes the step of spacing a group of said plurality of said dipole antennas equidistant concentrically around said outer conductor.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein said mounting step further includes the step of spacing a plurality of groups of said plurality of said dipole antennas equidistant axially along said outer conductor.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of forming a coaxial antenna includes the steps of constructing said inner conductor to have a transmission inner and transmission outer.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein said step of constructing said inner conductor further includes the step of providing a feed point at the approximate center point of between a top short and a bottom short of said coaxial antenna.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of connecting a feed line to said dipole antennas includes the step of branching said feed line and feeding a first set of said plurality of said dipole antennas off one branch and a second set of said plurality of said dipole antennas off a second branch.