Patent ID: 8869959
Filing Date: 2014-10-28
Classification: B60G,B62K,F16F

Abstract:
1. A vehicle suspension damper for providing a variable damping rate, said vehicle suspension damper comprising: a first damping mechanism having a variable first threshold pressure, wherein said first damping mechanism comprises: a second damping mechanism having a second threshold pressure and configured for, when said second threshold pressure is overcome, opening and allowing a second portion of said damping fluid to flow, along a second flow path, between said first fluid chamber and said second fluid chamber, wherein said first flow path is in parallel with said second flow path; a compressible chamber in pressure communication with said first fluid chamber, wherein said second damping mechanism is responsive to a compression of said compressible chamber, wherein said second damping mechanism comprises: a shaft configured for, upon compression of said vehicle suspension damper, moving toward said compressible chamber, and wherein as said shaft moves further into said first fluid chamber during a compression stroke of said vehicle suspension damper, a differential pressure between said damping fluid and said fillable chamber drives said movable valve outer and said valve inner more tightly together axially, thereby causing said gap to become partially closed, wherein as said gap becomes said partially closed, said movable valve outer increases a closure force against said second flow path, such that as said shaft moves further into said first fluid chamber, said increasing closure force applied against said second flow path by said movable valve outer creates an increasing difficulty for said vehicle suspension damper to compress.