Patent ID: 8083039
Filing Date: 2011-12-27
Classification: F16F

Abstract:
1. A shock absorber comprising: a pressure tube forming a working chamber; a piston body disposed within said working chamber formed by said pressure tube, said piston body dividing said pressure tube into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber, said piston body defining a first plurality of compression passages, a first plurality of rebound passages, a first outer land encircling both said first plurality of compression passages and said first plurality of rebound passages, and a first inner land encircling said first plurality of rebound passages and not said first plurality of compression passages; a piston rod attached to said piston body, said piston body defining a central axis extending through one end of said pressure tube; a compression valve assembly engaging said piston body, said compression valve assembly comprising: a first valve disc disposed around said piston rod, said first valve disc engaging said first inner and first outer lands of said piston body to close said first plurality of compression passages; a first interface disposed around said piston rod, said first interface defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced planar surfaces engaging said first valve disc, a fluid flow path being defined between adjacent planar surfaces; and a first biasing member disposed between said first interface and said piston rod, said first biasing member generating a load to urge said first interface and said first valve disc toward said piston body; wherein said first valve disc and said first interface move parallel to the central axis to open said first plurality of compression passages; an open gap is defined between said first interface and said piston rod, said open gap allowing said first interface to react to asymmetric loading by said first biasing member.