Patent ID: 7140601

Claim:
A motor vehicle suspension system, comprising: a frame; a control arm pivotally connected to said frame, said control arm pivoting including a maximum jounce; and a compact air-bump stop connected to said frame, said compact air-bump stop comprising: a substantially cup-shaped primary shell; a substantially cup-shaped secondary shell reversibly movable into and out of said primary shell, wherein a stop provides a predetermined maximum movement of said secondary shell out of said primary shell; a seal at a moving interface between said primary and secondary shells; a valved piston mounted to said secondary shell, said valved piston defining a primary chamber in said primary shell and a secondary chamber in said secondary shell; a pressurized gas filling said primary secondary chambers, said gas being mixed with oil; a first one-way valve mounted on said valved piston allowing the mixture to flow unidirectionally from said primary chamber to said secondary chamber; and a second one-way valve mounted on said valved piston allowing the mixture to flow unidirectionally from said secondary chamber to said primary chamber; wherein said compact air-bump stop contacts said control arm as said maximum jounce is approached; wherein as said jounce continues toward said maximum jounce, said secondary shell moves into said primary shell resulting in oil flow through said first one-way valve from said primary chamber to said secondary chamber such that said pressurized gas mixed with oil substantially exponentially pressurizes as the jounce continues; and wherein during rebound of said control arm, oil rate of reflow through said second one-way valve from said secondary chamber to said primary chamber is such that a lag in a rate of movement of said secondary shell out of said primary shell is uncoupled with respect to a rebound rate of said control arm.