Patent ID: 8794407

Claim:
A shock absorber comprising: a pressure tube forming a fluid chamber; a first valve body disposed within said fluid chamber formed by said pressure tube, said first valve body dividing said fluid chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber, said first valve body defining a passage extending between said upper working chamber and said lower working chamber; a piston rod attached to said first valve body, said piston rod extending through one end of said pressure tube; a first valve assembly engaging said first valve body, said first valve assembly comprising: a first main valve disc engaging said first valve body, said first main valve disc defining a first flow path and a second flow path, said second flow path being different than said first flow path; a first pilot valve disc engaging said first valve body to define a chamber between said first pilot valve disc and said first valve body, said first pilot valve disc defining a third flow path extending from said chamber to one of said upper and lower working chambers between said first pilot valve disc and said first valve body, said first pilot disc being movable between a first position where said first and second flow paths are open and a second position where said first flow path is open and said second flow path is closed; wherein said first flow path extends from said passage defined by said first valve body to said chamber between said first pilot valve disc and said first valve body; said second flow path extends from said passage defined by said first valve body to said chamber between said first main valve disc and said first pilot valve disc.