Patent ID: 6360857
Filing Date: 2002-03-26
Classification: F16F

Abstract:
A shock absorber comprising:a damping fluid cylinder; a damping piston assembly comprising: a damping piston slidably mounted within the cylinder, the piston dividing the interior of the cylinder into a first chamber on the first side of the piston and a second chamber on the second side of the piston; and a shaft having an inner end connected to the damping piston for movement of the piston within the cylinder in first and second directions; the damping piston assembly comprising a flow path therethrough; the damping piston assembly comprising a variable restriction flow restrictor along the flow path; a damping adjuster having an axis extending along the shaft; a damping adjuster rotator operably coupled to the damping adjuster for rotating the damping adjuster about said axis and relative to the piston; a damping adjuster driver operably coupled to the damping adjuster for longitudinally moving the damping adjuster along said axis for axial displacement of the damping adjuster relative to the damping piston; and the damping adjuster operably coupled to the flow restrictor so rotational and longitudinal movement of the damping adjuster separately operates the flow restrictor thereby separately changing the damping of the shock absorber during movement of the piston; the piston assembly defining a peripheral seat formation through which a port along said flow path is defined; the flow restrictor comprising a restriction component seated against the seat formation to cover the port, the restriction component being arranged resiliently to yield in response to increased pressure in said first chamber, when the piston displaces in one direction in the cylinder as it reciprocates, so as to permit passage of fluid through the port while resiliently resisting said passage of fluid through the port; the damping adjuster abutting against the restriction component thereby urging the restriction component against the seat formation with a force which varies according to the longitudinal position of the damping adjuster.