Patent ID: 8196723

Claim:
A pneumatic damper comprising: a pneumatic actuator comprising: an actuator body having an actuator rod end and an actuator base end; a piston disposed with said actuator body between said actuator rod end and said actuator base end; a rod, coupled to an end of the piston which is proximal to said actuator rod end; said rod extending out of said actuator body through an opening in said actuator rod end; a first port into said actuator body which is proximal to said actuator rod end; a second port into said actuator body which is distal to said actuator rod end; a bidirectional valve assembly with bidirectional pressure relief capabilities, the valve assembly comprising: a valve body which is substantially cylindrical with a first end and a second end and having a plurality of sections arranged in series along an axial direction between said first end and said second end, with each of said plurality of sections having a wall thickness which is different from at least one other of said plurality of sections; a pair of flow sealing members; a first pair of opposing valve seats, where each of said first pair comprises a flow seal device seat and an opposing displacement resistance mating end, and is disposed around a first of said pair of flow sealing members, so that said flow seal device seat is disposed proximal to said first of said pair of flow sealing members; and said first pair are arranged serially inside said valve body along said axial dimension, and one of said first pair of opposing valve seats is movable within the valve body; a second pair of opposing valve seats, where each of said second pair comprises a flow seal device seat and an opposing displacement resistance mating end, and is disposed around a second of said pair of flow sealing members, so that said flow seal device seat is disposed proximal to said second of said pair of flow sealing members; and said second pair are arrange serially inside said valve body along said axial dimension, and one of said second pair of opposing valve seats is movable within the valve body; where each piston of said first pair of opposing valve seats and said second pair of opposing valve seats comprises an orifice disposed between said flow seal device seat and said displacement resistance mating end which is closer to said flow seal device seat; an internal pressure regulating spring disposed in an axial configuration with and mating with a displacement resistance mating end of each of said first pair of opposing valve seats and said second pair of opposing valve seats; and where said first end of said valve body is in fluid communication with said first port and said second end of said valve body is in fluid communication with said second port.