Patent ID: 6382372
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: F16F

Abstract:
A damper comprising:a pressure tube forming a working chamber; a reservoir tube disposed around said pressure tube, said reservoir tube forming a reservoir chamber between said pressure tube and said reservoir tube; a base valve assembly disposed between said working chamber and said reservoir chamber for regulating flow of damping fluid between said reservoir chamber and said working chamber, said base valve assembly comprising: a low speed valve movable between a closed position and an open position in response to a first fluid pressure differential between fluid pressure within said working chamber and fluid pressure within said reservoir chamber; a mid/high speed valve movable between a closed position and an open position in response to a second fluid pressure differential between said fluid pressure within said working chamber and said fluid pressure within said reservoir chamber, said second fluid pressure differential being greater than said first fluid pressure differential, each of said low speed valve and said mid/high speed valve allowing and regulating said flow of said damping fluid in a first direction through said base valve assembly; a valve body defining a low speed oil passage and a mid/high speed oil passage; a mid/high speed disc abutting said valve body, said mid/high speed disc closing said mid/high speed oil passage; a ported restriction disc abutting said mid/high speed disc, said ported restriction disc having a restricted passage in communication with said low speed oil passage; a variable orifice bleed disc abutting said ported restriction disc, said variable orifice bleed disc closing said restricted passage; and a pressure valve movable between a closed position and an open position, said pressure valve regulating said flow of said damping fluid in a second direction through said base valve assembly, said second direction being opposite to said first direction.