Adaptive shock absorber

A product comprising:

• an adaptive shock absorber comprising a rod having a guide groove formed in an outer surface thereof, wherein the guide groove has a central portion and a first slanted or spiral portion at a first end of the central portion;
• a first valve disc having a central through hole defined in part by a first valve disc first inner surface having an arcuate shape and a first valve disc second inner surface having an arcuate shape and a first valve disc first projection extending from at least one of the first valve disc first inner surface or the first valve disc second inner surface, the first valve disc having first valve disc set of a plurality of orifices formed therethrough, wherein the first valve disc first projection is received in the guide groove;
• a thrust bearing having a central through hole defined in part by a thrust bearing first inner surface having an arcuate shape and a thrust bearing second inner surface having an arcuate shape and a thrust bearing first projection extending from at least one of thrust bearing first inner surface or the thrust bearing second inner surface, the thrust bearing having thrust bearing set of a plurality of orifices formed therethrough, wherein a portion of the guide rod is received in the central through hole formed in the thrust bearing;
• a second valve disc having a central through hole defined in part by a second valve disc first inner surface having an arcuate shape and a second valve disc second inner surface having an arcuate shape and a second valve disc first projection extending from at least one of the second valve disc first inner surface or the second valve disc second inner surface, the second valve disc having a second valve disc set of a plurality of orifices formed therethrough, wherein a portion of the guide rod is received in the central through hole formed in the thrust bearing;
• a piston rod having an inner surface and the first valve disc and the second valve disc being secured to the piston rod, and wherein the piston rod includes a first slot and a second slot formed therein at a first end of the piston rod, wherein the first slot has a width and height sufficient to firmly receive the second valve disc first projection and prevent the second valve disc from rotating, and wherein the second slot has a width and height sufficient to receive a portion of the first valve disc first projection and allow the first valve disc to rotate in at least one of a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, and wherein a portion of the first valve disc first projection is received in the guide groove formed in an outer surface of the guide rod;
• and
• wherein a portion of the guide rod is slidably received in the piston rod.

A method comprising:

• providing a piston rod having an outer surface and an inner surface, the piston rod having a first slot and a second slot formed therein at a first end of the piston rod,
• a first valve disc having a central through hole defined in part by a first valve disc first inner surface having an arcuate shape and a first valve disc second inner surface having an arcuate shape and a first valve disc first projection extending from at least one of the first valve disc first inner surface or the first valve disc second inner surface, the first valve disc having first valve disc set of a plurality of orifices formed therethrough;
• and
• placing the first valve disc over the outer surface of the piston rod so that a portion of the first valve disc first projection is received in the second slot formed in the piston rod.