An air bleed system for a suspension fork or shock absorber includes: a fluid passage between an interior of the suspension and an exterior of the suspension; and a manually operable valve having a first position substantially closing the fluid passage and a second position allowing fluid flow between the interior and the exterior.

A bushing bypass. The bushing bypass includes a bushing having a top surface and a bottom surface. The bushing also includes an inner diameter surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface. The bushing also includes an outer diameter surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface. The bushing further includes a channel formed in the outer diameter surface. The channel extends from the top surface of the bushing to the bottom surface of the bushing.

A bushing bypass. The bushing bypass includes a bushing having a top surface and a bottom surface. The bushing also includes an inner diameter surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface. The bushing also includes an outer diameter surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface. The bushing further includes a channel formed in the outer diameter surface. The channel extends from the top surface of the bushing to the bottom surface of the bushing.

In a hydraulic system which is biased to a minimum system pressure using a bias valve or other flow obstruction disposed in a tank line, there is provided in a bypass line to the bias valve an evacuating and filling valve through which the hydraulic system is first evacuatable and subsequently fillable with a hydraulic fluid. The valve closes the bypass when a differential pressure overcomes a preadjusted force of a spring element. For this purpose, the valve possesses a displaceably mounted valve body with an integrated throttle and a seal face which closes a through opening when the valve body is shifted against the bias force of the spring element due to the pressure difference.

In a hydraulic system which is biased to a minimum system pressure using a bias valve or other flow obstruction disposed in a tank line, there is provided in a bypass line to the bias valve an evacuating and filling valve through which the hydraulic system is first evacuatable and subsequently fillable with a hydraulic fluid. The valve closes the bypass when a differential pressure overcomes a preadjusted force of a spring element. For this purpose, the valve possesses a displaceably mounted valve body with an integrated throttle and a seal face which closes a through opening when the valve body is shifted against the bias force of the spring element due to the pressure difference.

A pressure-balanced shock absorber has an outer tube, an inflatable base, a piston tube, a valve adjusting rod, a piston base, an inner tube, and an adjusting resilient element. The inflatable base has a valve passage and a first valve core. The first valve core selectively seals the valve passage. The piston tube communicates with the valve passage. The valve adjusting rod is movably mounted in the valve passage of the inflatable base and the valve tube. The piston base is connected to the piston tube and has a piston passage. A second valve core selectively seals the piston passage. The inner tube is mounted around the piston tube. The piston base divides the inner tube into a first air chamber and a second air chamber. The adjusting resilient element is disposed in the piston tube to achieve the effect of inflating two air chambers.

A pressure-balanced shock absorber has an outer tube, an inflatable base, a piston tube, a valve adjusting rod, a piston base, an inner tube, and an adjusting resilient element. The inflatable base has a valve passage and a first valve core. The first valve core selectively seals the valve passage. The piston tube communicates with the valve passage. The valve adjusting rod is movably mounted in the valve passage of the inflatable base and the valve tube. The piston base is connected to the piston tube and has a piston passage. A second valve core selectively seals the piston passage. The inner tube is mounted around the piston tube. The piston base divides the inner tube into a first air chamber and a second air chamber. The adjusting resilient element is disposed in the piston tube to achieve the effect of inflating two air chambers.

A gas spring curve control valve for a adjustable-volume gas-pressurized device is described. The valve allows for selection from among at least four spring curves and can be packaged in small spaces/devices. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a rotary cam having grooves and lobes that interact with spring loaded ball bearings and an external adjuster knob are used to easily change the gas spring curve “on-the-fly” and with minimal user effort.

A gas spring curve control valve for a adjustable-volume gas-pressurized device is described. The valve allows for selection from among at least four spring curves and can be packaged in small spaces/devices. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a rotary cam having grooves and lobes that interact with spring loaded ball bearings and an external adjuster knob are used to easily change the gas spring curve “on-the-fly” and with minimal user effort.

A baffle plate (41, partition member) is manufactured by being integrally formed of a single material including flexible or pliable NBR (nitrile rubber), and a projection (51) formed on an abutment surface (42B) of the baffle plate (41) is fitted into a recess (52) in a reduced-diameter portion (36) of an intermediate tube (20). Thus, when the intermediate tube (20) fitted with the baffle plate (41) is assembled into an outer tube, the sheet-shaped baffle plate (41) can be prevented from rotating about a connecting pipe (23), and it is possible to improve the productivity and assembleability of the shock absorber.