Fluid damped shock absorber and method

A fluid damped shock absorber, comprising:

• an outer tube having a closed end and an open end;
• a damper tube disposed within the outer tube;
• an inner tube axially slidable within the outer tube, the inner tube having a closed end and an open end;
• a sealing piston attached to the inner tube to provide a seal between the inside of the outer tube and the outside of the damper tube;
• a sealing device attached near the open end of the outer tube to provide a seal between the outside of the inner tube and the outer tube;
• a regulation valve fixed to the damper tube in a sealed arrangement with the outer tube, wherein the regulation valve is located between the closed end of the outer tube and the sealing piston, the regulation valve being configured to regulate fluid flow of a damping fluid from the damper tube and into the outer tube upon axial movement of the inner tube away from the outer tube;
• wherein the outer tube includes a first orifice that is located between the regulation valve and the sealing piston and a second orifice that is located between the regulation valve and the closed end of the outer tube;
• a cover disposed over the first and second orifices, the cover being configured to permit the flow of the damping fluid between the first and second orifices;
• and
• a valve shim disposed over the first orifice, wherein the valve shim is configured to regulate the flow of the damping fluid around the regulation valve and into the damper tube upon axial movement of the inner tube into the outer tube.

A fluid damped shock absorber, comprising:

• a shock absorber housing that is adapted to hold a fluid, wherein the housing includes a first orifice and a second orifice that extend through the housing;
• a cover disposed over the first and second orifices to permit the flow of the fluid between the first and the second orifices;
• a valve system to regulate the flow of the fluid through the orifices, the valve system comprising a flexible valve member that is disposed over and completely covers the first orifice and a rigid member that is slidable over the valve member to adjust the spring rate of the valve member, wherein the flexible valve member is configured to flex away from the first orifice to regulate the flow of fluid through the first orifice;
• wherein the rigid member includes a rack gear, and further comprising a pinion gear to move the rigid member and thereby adjust the spring rate of the valve member.

A fluid damped shock absorber, comprising:

• an outer tube having a closed end and an open end;
• a damper tube disposed within the outer tube, wherein the outer tube and the damper tube are configured to hold a damping fluid;
• an inner tube axially slidable within the outer tube, the inner tube having a closed end and an open end, wherein the inner tube is configured to hold a gas, with the pressure of the gas within the inner tube providing a biasing force to resist translation of the inner tube into the outer tube;
• a floating piston disposed within the inner tube, the floating piston separating the gas from the damping fluid;
• a biasing member disposed within the inner tube to resist movement of the floating piston toward the closed end of the inner tube;
• a sealing piston attached to the inner tube to provide a seal between the inside of the outer tube and the outside of the damper tube;
• a sealing device attached near the open end of the outer tube to provide a seal between the outside of the inner tube and the inside of the outer tube;
• a regulation valve fixed to the damper tube in a sealed arrangement with the outer tube, wherein the regulation valve is located between the closed end of the outer tube and the sealing piston, the regulation valve being configured to regulate fluid flow of the damping fluid between the outer tube and the damper tube upon axial movement of the inner tube within the outer tube;
• wherein the damper tube extends between the regulation valve and the closed end of the outer tube and includes an orifice extending through a wall of the damper tube at a location between the regulation valve and the closed end of the outer tube.

A fluid damped shock absorber, comprising:

• an outer tube having a closed end and an open end;
• a damper tube disposed within the outer tube, wherein the damper tube includes a stop and an orifice extending through a wall of the damper tube, and further comprising an inertia valve slidably mounted about the damper tube so as to be movable between a closed position where the inertia valve covers the orifice and an open position where the orifice is uncovered, and a biasing mechanism to bias the inertia valve against the stop to hold the inertia valve in the closed position;
• an inner tube axially slidable within the outer tube, the inner tube having a closed end and an open end;
• a sealing piston attached to the inner tube to provide a seal between the inside of the outer tube and the outside of the damper tube;
• a sealing device attached near the open end of the outer tube to provide a seal between the outside of the inner tube and the outer tube;
• a regulation valve fixed to the damper tube in a sealed arrangement with the outer tube, wherein the regulation valve is located between the closed end of the outer tube and the sealing piston, the regulation valve being configured to regulate fluid flow of a damping fluid between the outer tube and the damper tube upon axial movement of the inner tube within the inside of the outer tube;
• wherein when the shock absorber is abruptly compressed, the inertia valve moves to the open position.

A fluid damped shock absorber, comprising:

• an outer tube having a closed end and an open end, wherein the outer tube is generally straight from the open end to the closed end;
• a damper tube disposed within the outer tube;
• an inner tube axially slidable within the outer tube, the inner tube having a closed end and an open end;
• a sealing piston attached to the inner tube to provide a seal between the inside of the outer tube and the outside of the damper tube;
• a sealing device attached near the open end of the outer tube to provide a seal between the outside of the inner tube and the inside of the outer tube;
• a regulation valve fixed to the damper tube in a sealed arrangement with the outer tube, wherein the regulation valve is located between the closed end of the outer tube and the sealing piston, the regulation valve being configured to regulate fluid flow of a damping fluid between the outer tube and the damper tube in both directions upon axial movement of the inner tube within the outer tube;
• wherein the damper tube extends between the regulation valve and the closed end of the outer tube, and includes an orifice extending through a wall of the damper tube at a location between the regulation valve and the closed end of the outer tube.

A fluid damped shock absorber, comprising:

• an outer tube having a closed end and an open end, wherein the outer tube is generally straight from the open end to the closed end;
• a damper tube disposed within the outer tube;
• an inner tube axially slidable within the outer tube, the inner tube having a closed end and an open end;
• a sealing piston attached to the inner tube to provide a seal between the inside of the outer tube and the outside of the damper tube;
• a sealing device attached near the open end of the outer tube to provide a seal between the outside of the inner tube and the inside of the outer tube;
• a regulation valve fixed to the damper tube in a sealed arrangement with the outer tube, wherein the regulation valve is located between the closed end of the outer tube and the sealing piston, the regulation valve being configured to regulate fluid flow of a damping fluid between the outer tube and the damper tube in both directions upon axial movement of the inner tube within the outer tube;
• wherein the damper tube includes a stop and an orifice extending through a wall of the damper tube, and further comprising an inertia valve slidably mounted about the damper tube so as to be moveable between a closed position where the inertia valve covers the orifice and an open position where the orifice is uncovered, and a biasing mechanism to bias the inertia valve against the stop to hold the inertia valve in the closed position.

A fluid damped shock absorber, comprising:

• an outer tube having a closed end and an open end, wherein the outer tube is generally straight from the open end to the closed end;
• a damper tube disposed within the outer tube;
• an inner tube axially slidable within the outer tube, the inner tube having a closed end and an open end;
• a sealing piston attached to the inner tube to provide a seal between the inside of the outer tube and the outside of the damper tube;
• a sealing device attached near the open end of the outer tube to provide a seal between the outside of the inner tube and the inside of the outer tube;
• a regulation valve fixed to the damper tube in a sealed arrangement with the outer tube, wherein the regulation valve is located between the closed end of the outer tube and the sealing piston, the regulation valve being configured to regulate fluid flow of a damping fluid between the outer tube and the damper tube in both directions upon axial movement of the inner tube within the outer tube;
• wherein the outer tube and the damper tube are configured to hold the damper fluid, and wherein the inner tube is configured to hold a gas, with the pressure of the gas within the inner tube providing a biasing force to resist translation of the inner tube into the outer tube;
• and
• further comprising a floating piston disposed within the inner tube, the floating piston separating the gas from the damper fluid, and a biasing member disposed within the inner tube to resist movement of the floating piston toward the closed end of the inner tube;
• wherein the damper tube includes a stop and an orifice extending through a wall of the damper tube, and further comprising an inertia valve slidably mounted about the damper tube so as to be moveable between a closed position where the inertial valve covers the orifice and an open position where the orifice is uncovered, and a biasing mechanism to bias the inertia valve against the stop to hold the inertia valve in the closed position.

A fluid damped shock absorber, comprising:

• an outer tube having a closed end and an open end;
• a damper tube disposed within the outer tube, wherein the outer tube and the damper tube are configured to hold a damping fluid;
• an inner tube axially slidable within the outer tube, the inner tube having a closed end and an open end, wherein the inner tube is configured to hold a gas, with the pressure of the gas within the inner tube providing a biasing force to resist translation of the inner tube into the outer tube;
• a floating piston disposed within the inner tube, the floating piston separating the gas from the damping fluid;
• a biasing member disposed within the inner tube to resist movement of the floating piston toward the closed end of the inner tube;
• a sealing piston attached to the inner tube to provide a seal between the inside of the outer tube and the outside of the damper tube;
• a sealing device attached near the open end of the outer tube to provide a seal between the outside of the inner tube and the inside of the outer tube;
• a regulation valve fixed to the damper tube in a sealed arrangement with the outer tube, wherein the regulation valve is located between the closed end of the outer tube and the sealing piston, the regulation valve being configured to regulate fluid flow of the damping fluid between the outer tube and the damper tube upon axial movement of the inner tube within the outer tube;
• wherein the damper tube includes a stop and an orifice extending through a wall of the damper tube, and further comprising an inertia valve slidably mounted about the damper tube so as to be movable between a closed position where the inertia valve covers the orifice and an open position where the orifice is uncovered, and a biasing mechanism to bias the inertia valve against the stop to hold the inertia valve in the closed position.