Patent ID: 9739330
Date: 2017-08-22
CPC Classifications: B60G,F16F

Claim:
1. A twin tube shock absorber comprising: a pressure tube defining a fluid chamber; a piston assembly fixed to a piston rod and disposed within the fluid chamber, the piston assembly dividing the fluid chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber; a lower mount; a rod guide assembly; the pressure tube extending between the lower mount and the rod guide assembly and being in load bearing contact with both the lower mount and the rod guide assembly, so as to be fixed against movement relative to the lower mount and the rod guide assembly, and to act as a principal load bearing component for the shock absorber; a reserve tube surrounding the pressure tube and being in contact with the lower mount, a reservoir chamber being defined between the reserve tube and the pressure tube; a bumper cap attached directly to an outer surface of the reserve tube and including an aperture in receipt of the piston rod; and a flexible sealing component positioned between the pressure tube and the reserve tube preventing a transfer of the load therebetween such that the bumper cap and reserve tube are isolated from the loads passing through the pressure tube, the flexible sealing component sealing the reservoir chamber; wherein a structural integrity of the pressure tube is greater than a structural integrity of the reserve tube, and the reserve tube operating to provide substantially no load bearing operation for the shock absorber.