Patent ID: 7591353

Claim:
A decoupled mono tube damper assembly for a vehicle having an unsprung mass and a sprung mass, the damper assembly comprising: an outer tube adapted to be attached to the unsprung mass and having a base and a sleeve end, the base having an aperture therethrough; an inner tube having an outer tube sleeve engaging end slidingly engaged with the sleeve end, the inner tube having an end distal to the sleeve engaging end, the inner tube adapted to be attached to the sprung mass at the distal end; a damper rod having two opposed end regions, one of the two opposed end regions extending axially into the base aperture, and the other of the two opposed end regions connected to the inner tube, the damper rod adapted to move axially relative to the outer tube; a low amplitude energy-managing member configured to manage energy resulting from displacements ranging from about 0.05 mm to about 2 mm of the decoupled mono tube damper, wherein the low amplitude energy-managing member is operatively disposed at least partially within the outer tube, the energy-managing member having a throughbore which receives the damper rod; and at least one travel-limiting member attached to the damper rod and engageable with the energy-managing member, the travel-limiting member adapted to constrain axial movement of the rod through the outer tube base to a predetermined limit.