Hydraulic shock absorber

A hydraulic shock absorber adapted to extend through a coil spring when in use, said hydraulic shock absorber comprising:

• a cylinder having a hydraulic fluid sealably contained therein;
• an outer cylinder provided so as to cover an outer circumferential surface of said cylinder, said outer cylinder having opposite ends, with one of the opposite ends being closed;
• a piston slidably disposed within said cylinder so as to divide an interior of said cylinder into two cylinder chambers;
• a piston rod having one end connected to said piston and another end extending outside of said cylinder and outside of said outer cylinder through the other of the opposite ends of said outer cylinder;
• and
• a damping force generating mechanism for generating a damping force by controlling a flow of the hydraulic fluid that is generated due to a sliding motion of said piston within said cylinder,
• wherein said outer cylinder has an expanded portion that is located on an opposite side of said spring seat relative to the closed end of said outer cylinder so that the expanded portion is located in an area surrounded by the coil spring, and the expanded portion expands radially outwardly toward the coil spring, and
• wherein a first chamber is defined between the expanded portion of said outer cylinder and said cylinder, and the first chamber communicates with the cylinder chambers;
• and
• a cylindrical member having a generally cylindrical form and being attached to an outer circumferential surface of said outer cylinder such that said cylindrical member extends from the expanded portion of said outer cylinder to a portion of said outer cylinder other than the expanded portion,
• wherein a second chamber is defined between said cylindrical member and said outer cylinder, and the second chamber communicates with the cylinder chambers.

A hydraulic shock absorber adapted to extend through a coil spring when in use, said hydraulic shock absorber comprising:

• a cylinder having a hydraulic fluid sealably contained therein;
• an outer cylinder provided so as to cover an outer circumferential surface of said cylinder, said outer cylinder having opposite ends, with one of the opposite ends being closed;
• a piston slidably provided within said cylinder so as to divide an interior of said cylinder into two cylinder chambers;
• a piston rod having a first end connected to said piston and a second end extending outside of said cylinder and outside of said outer cylinder through the other of the opposite ends;
• and
• a damping force generating mechanism for generating a damping force by controlling a flow of the hydraulic fluid that is generated due to a sliding motion of said piston within said cylinder,
• wherein said outer cylinder has an expanded portion formed at a portion of said outer cylinder that is remote from said closed end of said outer cylinder so that the expanded portion is located in an area that would be covered by the coil spring, and the expanded portion expands outwardly toward the coil spring,
• wherein a first chamber is defined between the expanded portion of said outer cylinder and said cylinder, and the first chamber communicates with the cylinder chambers;
• and
• a flexible membrane disposed between said outer cylinder and said cylinder, said flexible member extending generally axially with respect to said cylinder so as to radially divide said first chamber into an oil chamber and a gas chamber.