Patent ID: 9150077
Filing Date: 2015-10-06
Classification: B60G,F16F

Abstract:
1. A shock absorber comprising: a pressure tube forming a working chamber; a piston assembly slidably disposed within said pressure tube, said piston assembly dividing said working chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber, said piston assembly including a piston body defining a first fluid passage extending through said piston body and a first valve assembly controlling fluid flow through said first fluid passage; a piston rod assembly attached to said piston assembly; a second fluid passage separate from said first fluid passage, said second fluid passage extending from one of said upper and lower working chambers to a fluid chamber; and a digital valve assembly controlling fluid flow through said second fluid passage; wherein fluid flow through said first valve assembly generates a high damping load for said shock absorber; fluid flow through said first and digital valve assemblies generates a low damping load, lower than said high damping load, for said shock absorber; said second fluid passage is defined by said piston rod assembly; said digital valve assembly is disposed within said piston rod assembly; said second fluid passage extends between said upper and lower working chambers; the other of said upper and lower working chambers defines said fluid chamber; said digital valve assembly includes a first member, a second member disposed within said first member to move in an axial direction within said first member and a third member configured to move said second member in the axial direction; said digital valve assembly includes a single inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet separate from the first outlet; and fluid flow from said single inlet to said first outlet is in a first direction parallel to said axial direction and fluid flow from said single inlet to said second outlet is in a second direction parallel to said axial direction, said second direction being opposite to said first direction.