Valve seat for damper with externally mounted valve

A damper, comprising:

• a pressure tube extending longitudinally between a first pressure tube end and a second pressure tube end;
• a piston slidably disposed within said pressure tube defining a first working chamber between said piston and said first pressure tube end and a second working chamber within said pressure tube between said piston and said second pressure tube end;
• a reserve tube disposed annularly around said pressure tube, said reserve tube including an outside surface and an inside surface and extending longitudinally between a first reserve tube end and a second reserve tube end;
• an intermediate tube disposed annularly about said pressure tube and positioned radially between said pressure tube and said reserve tube, said intermediate tube extending longitudinally between a first intermediate tube end and a second intermediate tube end;
• a reservoir chamber disposed radially between said intermediate tube and said reserve tube;
• an intermediate chamber disposed radially between said intermediate tube and said pressure tube;
• a reserve tube opening that extends through said reserve tube;
• an intermediate tube opening that extends through said intermediate tube;
• an external control valve including a control valve inlet positioned in fluid communication with said intermediate chamber and a control valve outlet positioned in fluid communication with said reservoir chamber;
• a control valve seat including a valve seat body with a neck portion that is at least partially received within said reserve tube opening and a flange portion that extends out from said neck portion of said valve seat body;
• said control valve seat including a control valve inlet passage that extends through said valve seat body from said intermediate tube opening to said control valve inlet;
• said flange portion of said control valve seat including an outer surface with a land that is arranged in abutment with said external control valve and a curved inner surface that sits flush against said outside surface of said reserve tube;
• and
• said flange portion of said control valve seat including a pair of cut-outs that are circumferentially spaced from one another to define first and second windows that are open to and arranged in fluid communication with said reserve tube opening and first and second wings that extend circumferentially relative to said neck portion along a limited circumferential extent between said first and second windows.

A damper, comprising:

• a pressure tube extending longitudinally between a first pressure tube end and a second pressure tube end;
• a piston slidably disposed within said pressure tube defining a first working chamber and a second working chamber within said pressure tube;
• a reserve tube disposed annularly around said pressure tube;
• an intermediate tube disposed annularly about said pressure tube and positioned radially between said pressure tube and said reserve tube;
• a reservoir chamber disposed radially between said intermediate tube and said reserve tube;
• an intermediate chamber disposed radially between said intermediate tube and said pressure tube;
• a reserve tube opening that extends through said reserve tube;
• an intermediate tube opening that extends through said intermediate tube;
• a base valve assembly including a base valve body defining an end chamber arranged in fluid communication with said second working chamber via at least one base valve;
• at least one reservoir chamber passage positioned in fluid communication with and extending between said reservoir chamber and said end chamber;
• an external control valve including a control valve inlet positioned in fluid communication with said intermediate chamber and a control valve outlet positioned in fluid communication with said reservoir chamber;
• a control valve seat including a valve seat body with a neck portion that is at least partially received within said reserve tube opening and a flange portion that extends out from said neck portion of said valve seat body;
• said control valve seat including a control valve inlet passage that extends through said valve seat body from said intermediate tube opening to said control valve inlet;
• and
• said flange portion of said control valve seat including a pair of cut-outs that are circumferentially spaced from one another to define first and second windows that are open to and arranged in fluid communication with said reservoir chamber and first and second wings that extend out from said neck portion and sit against said reserve tube.