Baffle for damper with electromechanical valve

A shock absorber comprising:

• a pressure tube having an inner surface that defines a working chamber and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the pressure tube;
• a piston assembly attached to a piston rod and slidably disposed within the pressure tube, the piston assembly dividing the working chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber;
• a reserve tube disposed around the pressure tube, the reserve tube having an inner surface that faces the pressure tube and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the reserve tube;
• a baffle positioned radially between the pressure tube and the reserve tube to define a baffle channel and a reservoir chamber between the pressure tube and the reserve tube;
• and
• at least one valve positioned in fluid communication with the upper working chamber and the baffle channel for controlling fluid flow between the upper working chambers and the baffle channel,
• wherein the baffle channel includes a plurality of passageways that are defined by grooves in the baffle together with at least one of the outer surface of the pressure tube and the inner surface of the reserve tube, the plurality of passageways having a non-linear shape, at least one of the plurality of passageways disposed in fluid communication with the at least one valve and the reservoir chamber,
• wherein the at least one valve includes a first valve that is disposed in fluid communication with multiple passageways of the plurality of passageways.

A shock absorber comprising:

• a pressure tube having an inner surface that defines a working chamber and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the pressure tube;
• a piston assembly attached to a piston rod and slidably disposed within the pressure tube, the piston assembly dividing the working chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber;
• a reserve tube disposed around the pressure tube, the reserve tube having an inner surface that faces the pressure tube and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the reserve tube;
• a baffle positioned radially between the pressure tube and the reserve tube to define a baffle channel and a reservoir chamber between the pressure tube and the reserve tube;
• and
• at least one valve positioned in fluid communication with the upper working chamber and the baffle channel for controlling fluid flow between the upper working chambers and the baffle channel,
• wherein the baffle channel includes a plurality of passageways that are defined by grooves in the baffle together with at least one of the outer surface of the pressure tube and the inner surface of the reserve tube, at least one of the plurality of passageways disposed in fluid communication with the at least one valve and the reservoir chamber, wherein the plurality of passageways includes a first passageway that is disposed in fluid communication with the at least one valve and the reservoir chamber and a second passageway that is disposed in fluid communication with only the reservoir chamber.

A shock absorber comprising:

• a pressure tube having an inner surface that defines a working chamber and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the pressure tube;
• a piston assembly attached to a piston rod and slidably disposed within the pressure tube, the piston assembly dividing the working chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber;
• a reserve tube disposed around the pressure tube, the reserve tube having an inner surface that faces the pressure tube and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the reserve tube;
• a baffle positioned radially between the pressure tube and the reserve tube to define a baffle channel and a reservoir chamber between the pressure tube and the reserve tube;
• and
• at least one valve positioned in fluid communication with the upper working chamber and the baffle channel for controlling fluid flow between the upper working chambers and the baffle channel,
• wherein the baffle channel includes a plurality of passageways that are defined by grooves in the baffle together with at least one of the outer surface of the pressure tube and the inner surface of the reserve tube, at least one of the plurality of passageways disposed in fluid communication with the at least one valve and the reservoir chamber, wherein the plurality of passageways includes a first passageway that is disposed in fluid communication with the at least one valve and the reservoir chamber and a second passageway that is disposed in fluid communication with the reservoir chamber and that is closed off from the at least one valve.

A shock absorber comprising:

• a pressure tube having an inner surface that defines a working chamber and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the pressure tube;
• a piston assembly attached to a piston rod and slidably disposed within the pressure tube, the piston assembly dividing the working chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber;
• a reserve tube disposed around the pressure tube, the reserve tube having an inner surface that faces the pressure tube and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the reserve tube;
• a baffle positioned radially between the pressure tube and the reserve tube to define a baffle channel and a reservoir chamber between the pressure tube and the reserve tube;
• and
• at least one valve positioned in fluid communication with the upper working chamber and the baffle channel for controlling fluid flow between the upper working chambers and the baffle channel,
• wherein the baffle channel includes a plurality of passageways that are defined by grooves in the baffle together with at least one of the outer surface of the pressure tube and the inner surface of the reserve tube, the plurality of passageways having a non-linear shape, at least one of the plurality of passageways disposed in fluid communication with the at least one valve and the reservoir chamber, wherein the at least one valve includes multiple valves where there is one valve for each passageway in the plurality of passageways such that each passageway receives fluid from only one valve.

A shock absorber comprising:

• a pressure tube having an inner surface that defines a working chamber and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the pressure tube;
• a piston assembly attached to a piston rod and slidably disposed within the pressure tube, the piston assembly dividing the working chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber;
• a reserve tube disposed around the pressure tube, the reserve tube having an inner surface that faces the pressure tube and an outer surface opposite the inner surface of the reserve tube;
• a rod guide assembly attached to at least one of the reserve tube and the pressure tube, the piston rod extending through the rod guide assembly such that the rod guide assembly supports the piston rod;
• a baffle positioned radially between the pressure tube and the reserve tube to define a baffle channel and a reservoir chamber between the pressure tube and the reserve tube;
• and
• at least one valve positioned within the rod guide assembly and disposed in fluid communication with the upper working chamber and the baffle channel for controlling fluid flow between the upper working chambers and the baffle channel,
• wherein the baffle channel includes a plurality of passageways that are defined by grooves in the baffle together with at least one of the outer surface of the pressure tube and the inner surface of the reserve tube, the plurality of passageways having a non-linear shape to provide a tortuous fluid flow path along the baffle, at least one of the plurality of passageways disposed in fluid communication with the at least one valve and the reservoir chamber.