Shock absorber

A shock absorber comprising a tube substantially closed at both ends and containing fluid;

• a piston slidably mounted in the tube and making a sealing fit therewith, the piston separating a compression chamber and a rebound chamber within the tube;
• a piston rod attached to the piston, having a longitudinal axis, and extending through the rebound chamber and out of one end of the tube;
• a compression stroke valve comprising at least one deflectable disc mounted on the piston on the compression chamber side thereof;
• a compression flow passage extending through the piston in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the piston rod, opening at one end into the compression chamber, and having an opening at the other end into the rebound chamber which is closable by the at least one deflectable disc;
• and a rebound flow passage extending through the piston in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the piston rod, opening at one end into the rebound chamber, and having an opening at the other end into the compression chamber which is closable by the at least one deflectable disc;
• wherein each of the at least one deflectable discs have fluid flow apertures aligned with the rebound flow passage;
• and wherein the compression stroke valve further comprises an annular stop member;
• and an annular orientation disc positioned between the stop member and the deflectable discs on the side of the at least one deflectable disc remote from the piston;
• the stop member and the orientation disc each having fluid flow apertures aligned with the fluid flow apertures in each of the at least one deflectable discs;
• the orientation disc having a longitudinal pin folded therefrom and extending in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the longitudinal pin extending through corresponding disc apertures formed in each of the at least one deflectable discs into a corresponding slot formed in the piston;
• and alignment means formed on the orientation disc and the stop member for aligning the orientation disc relative to the stop member;
• wherein the orientation disc has two axially extending pins, and each of the at least one deflectable discs and piston have the corresponding disc apertures and slots to receive the two axially extending pins.