Patent ID: 6230858
Filing Date: 2001-05-15
Classification: F16F

Abstract:
A valve assembly for a fluid vehicle damper comprising:a cylinder having an interior wall;a valve body having an outer surface and first and second opposing surfaces, said valve body disposed at least partially within said cylinder with at least a portion of said outer surface adjacent to said interior wall, and said valve body defining first and second fluid chambers adjacent to said first and second surfaces respectively;inner and outer annular seats extending from said first surface defining an annular channel therebetween;at least one fluid passageway connecting said annular channel and said second surface for providing fluid communication therebetween;a high speed bypass value assembly attached to said valve body and movable between an open position and a closed position adjacent to said annular seats; andan orifice disc interposed between said annular seats and said high speed bypass valve assembly for providing low speed bypass of fluid from said second chamber to said first chamber with said high speed bypass valve assembly in said closed position, said orifice disc having at least one opening therethrough defined by a contiguous perimeter, said outer annular seat segmenting said at least one opening into inner and outer passageways, wherein fluid flows from said second chamber through said at least one fluid passageway into said annular channel through said inner passageway around, said outer annular seat and out said outer passageway to said first chamber.