Residual pressure holding valve and suspension strut

A residual pressure holding valve for a hydropneumatic suspension strut of a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a valve housing with a substantially hollow cylindrical tubular side wall having opposite first and second ends, a valve body seat extending transversely across the side wall at the first end thereof, an end wall extending transversely across the side wall at the second end thereof, an air inlet in the valve body seat, an air outlet in the end wall, and ducts extending axially along an inner surface of the side wall and being spaced from the valve body seat;
• a valve body arranged displaceably in the valve housing and having an outer surface guided axially on the inner wall surface of the side wall of the valve housing and being centered with respect to the valve body seat for movement from a closed position where the valve body is engaged with the valve body seat and with the inner surface of the side wall between the valve body seat and the ducts and an open position where the valve body is spaced sufficiently from the valve body seat to permit air communication from the air inlet to the ducts, a breakthrough extending axially through the valve element and having a valve element seat facing the air inlet;
• a valve element arranged displaceably in the breakthrough of the valve body and being sealingly engageable with the valve element seat;
• a first spring in the breakthrough of the valve body and biasing the valve element against the valve element seat in the valve body;
• and
• a second spring in the valve housing and biasing the valve body against the valve body seat,
• wherein the valve body is connected operatively to the valve housing so that when an air pressure is applied to the air inlet, the valve body can be lifted off a valve body seat of the valve housing to allow air to flow past the valve body to the air outlet and wherein the valve element is connected operatively to the valve body so that when an air pressure is applied to the air outlet, the valve element can be lifted off a valve element seat of the valve body to allow air to flow past the valve element to the air inlet.