The Design of a Shock Absorber to Improve Ride Comfort by Reducing Jerk

A shock absorber employing an internal valve which is controlled by the acceleration of the unsprung mass has been simulated and analyzed on the digital computer and built and tested in the laboratory. The results show that this type of design can greatly reduce the jerk felt at the frame of the automobile. Since there is strong evidence that jerk is an important factor in ride comfort, the reduction of jerk provided by this type shock absorber should improve ride comfort without sacrificing vehicle stability.