Patent ID: 8256586

Claim:
A shock absorber comprising: a pressure tube forming a fluid chamber; a piston assembly slidably disposed within said pressure tube, said piston assembly dividing said fluid 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 fluid flow from said first valve assembly always flows through said second valve assembly; said first valve assembly includes a valve body, an intake disc engaging said valve body and a first biasing member urging said intake disc into engagement with said valve body; said second valve assembly includes a valve seat, a plunger and a second biasing member urging said plunger into engagement with said valve seat; and fluid pressure in said intermediate chamber urges said plunger in a direction away from said valve seat to separate said plunger from said valve seat to open said second valve assembly; wherein said second biasing member is a solenoid valve assembly.