Method and apparatus for an adjustable damper

An adjustment system for adjusting a flow of fluid through a vehicle suspension damper, said adjustment system comprising:

• a shaft having an opening formed therethrough;
• a flow distributor disposed within a piston;
• a rotatable valve disposed within said opening of said shaft, said rotatable valve comprising:
• a cylinder, said cylinder having an aperture formed through a surface of said cylinder, said cylinder defining a path for flow of said fluid therethrough;
• a control rod having a first end and a second end, said second end of said control rod coupled to said cylinder;
• a motive source coupled with said rotatable valve, said motive source configured for providing input, wherein in response to said input, said rotatable valve rotates from said first position to said second position;
• and
• a damping adjustment lever coupled with said first end of said control rod, said damping adjustment lever configured to move said cylinder from a first position to a second position, said first position orienting said aperture with said flow distributor such that a fluid flow path is created wherein said flow path, said second position orienting said aperture with said flow distributor such that said fluid flow path is more restrictive when in said second position;
• a rebound port disposed within said piston, said rebound port configured to allow fluid to bypass said rotatable valve during a rebound stroke of said piston;
• a needle extending inwardly of said vehicle suspension damper and having an end thereof positioned for receipt within a bore during at least a portion of movement of said piston during said compression stroke of said piston, said bore disposed within said shaft;
• and
• a valve disposed at an opening of said bore, said valve comprising:
• a seat;
• a retainer clip;
• and
• a check valve disposed between said seat and said retainer clip, said check valve having an inner diameter for receiving said needle therethrough, said inner diameter of said check valve having a size such that an annular clearance exists between said inner diameter of said check valve and an outer diameter of said needle, an amount of said annular clearance determining a damping rate of said valve;
• and
• a fluid reservoir fluidically coupled to said cylinder, said fluid reservoir enclosing:
• a fluid chamber configured to receive said fluid from said cylinder;
• a volume of compressible fluid;
• and
• a floating piston disposed between said fluid chamber and said volume of compressible fluid, said floating piston movably separating said fluid chamber and said volume of compressible fluid.

A vehicle suspension damper comprising:

• a cylinder coupled to an eyelet assembly;
• a piston assembly disposed within said cylinder;
• an adjuster coupled with said piston assembly, wherein said piston assembly compresses fluid as it moves within said cylinder and said adjuster obstructs a fluid flow from an opening on a first side of a piston of said piston assembly to an opposite opening on a second side of said piston, wherein said adjuster comprises:
• a shaft having an opening formed therethrough;
• a flow distributor disposed within said piston;
• a rotatable valve disposed within said opening of said shaft, said rotatable valve comprising:
• a second cylinder, said second cylinder having an aperture formed through a surface of said second cylinder, said second cylinder defining a path for flow of said fluid therethrough;
• a control rod having a first end and a second end, said second end of said control rod coupled to said second cylinder;
• and
• a damping adjustment lever coupled with said first end of said control rod, said damping adjustment lever configured to move said second cylinder from a first position to a second position, said first position orienting said aperture with said flow distributor such that a fluid flow path is created, said second position orienting said aperture with said flow distributor such that said fluid flow path is more restrictive when in said second position;
• a rebound port disposed within said piston assembly, said rebound port configured to allow fluid to bypass said rotatable valve during a rebound stroke of said piston assembly;
• a needle extending inwardly of said vehicle suspension damper and having an end thereof positioned for receipt within a bore during at least a portion of movement of said piston during said compression stroke of said piston, said bore disposed within said shaft;
• and
• a valve disposed at an opening of said bore, said valve comprising:
• a seat;
• a retainer clip;
• and
• a check valve disposed between said seat and said retainer clip, said check valve having an inner diameter for receiving said needle therethrough, said inner diameter of said check valve having a size such that an annular clearance exists between said inner diameter of said check valve and an outer diameter of said needle, an amount of said annular clearance determining a damping rate of said valve;
• and
• a fluid reservoir fluidically coupled to said cylinder, said fluid reservoir enclosing:
• a fluid chamber configured to receive said fluid from said cylinder;
• a volume of compressible fluid;
• and
• a floating piston disposed between said fluid chamber and said volume of compressible fluid, said floating piston movably separating said fluid chamber and said volume of compressible fluid.