Patent ID: 6382370
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: B62K,F16F

Abstract:
A damper for a shock absorber, comprising:a chamber containing a substantially non-compressible fluid; a piston in the chamber dividing the chamber into first and second portions, the piston being movable relative to the chamber and sealably engaging the chamber, the piston having a channel therethrough sized to allow the non-compressible fluid to move through the piston between the and second portions of the first chamber when the piston moves relative to the chamber; a shaft connected to the piston, the shaft having a radial passageway therein in fluid communication with the first portion of the chamber and with the piston's channel, the shaft having an axial passageway therein in communication with the piston's channel and the second portion of the chamber; a first valve connected to the shaft adjacent to the chamber's first portion and being movable between closed and open positions to adjust damping characteristics of the damper, in the closed position the first valve blocks the passageway in the shaft and substantially prevents the non-compressible fluid from moving through the piston's channel to provide a stiffened damping characteristic, and in the open position the first valve allows the non-compressible fluid to move from the first portion of the chamber, through the piston's channel to the second portion of the chamber to provide a softened damping characteristic; and a second valve in the axial passageway of the shaft adjacent to the chamber's second portion, the second valve being adjustable to selectively allow the non-compressible fluid to flow between the axial passageway and the second portion of the chamber.