Patent ID: 7926632
Filing Date: 2011-04-19
Classification: 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; a reserve tube disposed around said pressure tube; an intermediate tube disposed between said pressure tube and said reserve tube, an intermediate chamber being defined between said intermediate tube and said pressure tube, a reservoir chamber being defined between said intermediate tube and said reserve tube; and a control assembly mounted to said reserve tube, said control assembly having an inlet in communication with said intermediate chamber and an outlet in communication with said reservoir chamber, said control assembly comprising: a first valve assembly disposed between said inlet and said outlet; and a second valve assembly disposed between said first valve assembly and said outlet; wherein said first and second valve assemblies are in series between said inlet and said outlet such that during all fluid flow through said control assembly, all flow from said first valve assembly always flows through said second valve assembly; fluid pressure in said control assembly urges said second valve assembly into only an open position; and fluid flows from said inlet through said first valve assembly, from said first valve assembly through said second valve assembly and from said second valve assembly around an outer periphery of said first valve assembly to said outlet.