A hydraulic damper, comprising:
- a damper cylinder containing a fluid;
- a piston slidably retained within the damper cylinder, the piston dividing the damper cylinder into a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber;
- a piston rod for driving the piston within the damper cylinder, the piston rod comprising
- a fluid passageway having a first opening in fluid communication with the first fluid chamber, and a second opening in fluid communication with the second fluid chamber;
- wherein the piston is slidably moveable along the direction of elongation of the damper cylinder in compression and rebound, where compression results in a flow of fluid through the fluid passageway from the first fluid chamber to the second fluid chamber, and rebound results in a flow of fluid through the fluid passageway from the second fluid chamber to the first fluid chamber;
- and
- an adjustment mechanism located within the fluid passageway between the first opening, second opening and comprising:
- a float assembly, slidably retained within the fluid passageway and configured to allow fluid to flow through the fluid passageway, while also being driven by the flow of fluid through the fluid passageway, such that when the piston moves in compression, at least a portion of the float assembly will be driven toward the second opening, and when the piston moves in rebound, at least a portion of the float assembly will be driven toward the first opening, the float assembly being retained within the fluid passageway by a compression barrier for restricting movement of the float assembly when the piston moves in compression, and a rebound barrier for restricting movement of the float assembly when the piston moves in rebound, such that when the piston moves in compression, at least a portion of the float assembly bears against the compression barrier, and when the piston moves in rebound, at least a portion of the float assembly bears against the rebound barrier;
- a compression valve located between the float assembly and the second opening and adjacent to the compression barrier, such that when the piston moves in compression, the compression valve interacts with the float assembly to restrict the flow of fluid through the fluid passageway, the compression valve being adjustably movable with respect to the compression barrier in order to adjust the restriction of fluid flow through the fluid passageway when the piston is in compression;
- and
- a rebound valve located between the float assembly and the first opening and adjacent to the rebound barrier, such that when the piston moves in rebound, the rebound valve interacts with the float assembly to restrict the flow of fluid through the fluid passageway, the rebound valve being adjustably moveable with respect to the rebound barrier in order to adjust the restriction of fluid flow through the fluid passageway when the piston is in rebound.