Patent ID: 7124865

Claim:
A damper comprising: a housing bounding a chamber, the chamber comprising a pressure compartment and a control compartment each having a volume; a barrier movably disposed within the chamber so as to separate the pressure compartment from the control compartment, the volume of the pressure compartment and the control compartment each being adjustable based on movement of the barrier; a first compressible gas disposed within the pressure compartment; a first hydraulic fluid disposed within the control compartment under a pressure, the first hydraulic fluid having a temperature; a piston shaft having a first end slidably disposed within the control compartment; and means for automatically adjusting the combined volume of the pressure compartment and the control compartment based on the temperature of the first hydraulic fluid within the control compartment so as to regulate the pressure within the control compartment, the means for automatically adjusting comprising a temperature compensator movably disposed within the chamber so as to communicate with the control compartment, the temperature compensator at least partially bounding a regulating compartment having an adjustable volume, a second hydraulic fluid being disposed within the regulating compartment, the temperature compensator being adapted to move under a force produced by expansion of the second hydraulic fluid when the second hydraulic fluid is heated within the regulating compartment.