Patent ID: 8511444

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 variable 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 second variable valve assembly controlling fluid flow to generate a variable damping characteristic for said shock absorber; and said second variable valve assembly includes a valve seat, a plunger and a solenoid valve assembly generating a variable load which urges said plunger into engagement with said valve seat.