Pressure balanced valve with integral pressure relief function

An assembly comprising:

• a piston separating a chamber into a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber;
• and
• a pressure relief valve at least partially disposed within said piston, said pressure relief valve comprising:
• a cap with an opening therein;
• a plunger configured to fill said opening in said cap;
• and
• a spring configured to hold said plunger against said cap, said pressure relief valve providing a fluid pathway through said piston, wherein said fluid pathway extends between said first fluid chamber and said second fluid chamber and provides a bypass for fluid to flow from said second fluid chamber to said first fluid chamber when a pressure of a fluid in said second fluid chamber is above a blow-off pressure of said pressure relief valve.

A dropper seatpost comprising:

• an upper post;
• a lower post, said upper post telescopically engaging said lower post;
• a piston coupled to said lower post, said piston comprising:
• a first fluid pathway having first fluid port and a second fluid port;
• a fluid chamber enclosed within telescopically engaged said upper post and said lower post, said piston separating said fluid chamber into a first portion and a second portion;
• and
• a pressure relief valve disposed at least partially within said piston, said pressure relief valve comprising:
• a cap with an opening therein;
• a plunger configured to fill said opening in said cap;
• and
• a spring configured to hold said plunger against said cap, said pressure relief valve providing a fluid pathway through said piston when a pressure of a fluid in said second portion of said fluid chamber is above a blow-off pressure of said pressure relief valve.