Shock absorber

A shock absorber configured to be mounted between two relatively movable members, the shock absorber comprising:

• a cylinder sealingly containing hydraulic fluid;
• a piston inserted in the cylinder;
• a piston rod coupled to the piston and extending to the outside of the cylinder;
• an outer cylinder disposed around the cylinder;
• a separator tube disposed around the cylinder, and including a cylindrical sidewall defining an annular passage between the cylinder and the separator tube, the annular passage being in communication with the interior of the cylinder;
• a reservoir formed outside the separator tube within a space between the cylinder and the outer tube, the reservoir sealingly containing the hydraulic fluid and gas;
• a branch tube integrally formed on the cylindrical sidewall of the separator tube, the branch tube substantially cylindrically protruding toward the radially outer side to define a passage in communication with the annular passage;
• a damping force generation mechanism disposed outside the outer cylinder;
• and
• a connection tube extending from the damping force generation mechanism to be fitted in the branch tube with an annular seal disposed around the connection tube,
• wherein the branch tube is formed on the cylindrical sidewall of the separator tube by drawing processing,
• wherein the branch tube includes a curved portion and a cylindrical portion, the curved portion being formed on a proximal end of the branch tube so as to have curved inner and outer circumferences, the cylindrical portion being formed continuously from the curved portion toward a distal end of the branch tube so as to have a constant inner diameter, and
• wherein the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion is gradually reduced from the proximal end side toward the distal end side.