Intake device for a damper having a side collector

A damper comprising:

• an inner tube extending longitudinally between a first inner tube end and a second inner tube end;
• a piston slidably disposed within the inner tube defining a first working chamber and a second working chamber;
• an outer tube disposed around the inner tube, the outer tube extending longitudinally between a first outer tube end and a second outer tube end, the first working chamber arranged in fluid communication with a fluid transport chamber disposed between the inner tube and the outer tube;
• a cover member mounted to the outer tube to define a collector chamber that is positioned outside of the outer tube;
• an intake valve assembly positioned within the outer tube and including at least one intermediate chamber disposed in fluid communication with the collector chamber via one or more open ports in the outer tube and at least one intake valve that controls fluid flow between the at least one intermediate chamber and the fluid transport chamber;
• a first control valve externally mounted to the cover member on the outer tube, the first control valve having a first control valve inlet that is arranged in fluid communication with the fluid transport chamber via a first control valve port in the outer tube and a first control valve outlet that is arranged in fluid communication with the collector chamber;
• and
• a second control valve externally mounted to the cover member on the outer tube, the second control valve having a second control valve inlet that is arranged in fluid communication with the at least one intermediate chamber via a second control valve port in the outer tube and a second control valve outlet that is arranged in fluid communication with the collector chamber.

A method of manufacturing a damper, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming an outer tube with a first outer tube end that is open and a second outer tube end that has a closed portion, the outer tube including a port extending therethrough;
• forming an inner tube with a first inner tube end and a second inner tube end;
• inserting an accumulator insert into the first outer tube end;
• inserting an intake valve assembly into the first outer tube end, the intake valve assembly being inserted in a sequentially ordered stack comprised of a toothed ring, a second spring-disc stack, a second intake valve body, a first intake valve body, a first spring-disc stack, and an adapter ring where the toothed ring is the first component of the intake valve assembly to be inserted into the first outer tube end and the adapter ring is the last component of the intake valve assembly to be inserted into the first outer tube end;
• defining an intermediate chamber between the first intake valve body and the second intake valve body within the outer tube and positioning the intermediate chamber in fluid communication with the port;
• and
• inserting the inner tube into the first outer tube end and pressing the second inner tube end into contact with the adapter ring of the intake valve assembly such that the intake valve assembly is clamped between the accumulator insert and the second inner tube end.

A damper comprising:

• an inner tube extending longitudinally between a first inner tube end and a second inner tube end;
• a piston slidably disposed within the inner tube defining a first working chamber and a second working chamber;
• an outer tube disposed around the inner tube, the outer tube extending longitudinally between a first outer tube end and a second outer tube end, the first working chamber arranged in fluid communication with a fluid transport chamber disposed between the inner tube and the outer tube;
• a collector chamber positioned outside of the outer tube;
• and
• an intake valve assembly positioned within the outer tube to define an accumulation chamber arranged in fluid communication with the collector chamber, the intake valve assembly including a first intermediate chamber disposed in uninterrupted fluid communication with the collector chamber and the accumulation chamber, and a second intermediate chamber disposed in fluid communication with the second working chamber,
• wherein the intake valve assembly includes a central passage that extends longitudinally through the intake valve assembly and that is arranged in fluid communication with the second intermediate chamber and the second working chamber,
• wherein the intake valve assembly includes at least one intake valve that controls fluid flow through the intake valve assembly, wherein the intake valve assembly includes a first intake valve that controls fluid flow between the first intermediate chamber and the fluid transport chamber and a second intake valve that controls fluid flow between the first and second intermediate chambers, wherein the intake valve assembly includes a first intake valve body adjacent the second inner tube end, a divider body that is longitudinally spaced from the first intake valve body, and a second intake valve body that is positioned longitudinally between the first intake valve body and the divider body, wherein the first intake valve is mounted to the first intake valve body and is configured to open and close a first intake orifice in the first intake valve body, wherein the second intake valve is mounted to the second intake valve body and is configured to open and close a second intake orifice in the second intake valve body, and wherein the first and second intake valve bodies and the divider body abut an inside cylindrical surface of the outer tube.