A front fork of a bicycle may include a suspension system that includes a damper. The damper may include a hollow tube with orifices that may be partially blocked by an adjustable blocker. A free end of the adjuster that adjusts the blocker may maintain its axial position in any rotational position. Ambient air may be introduced through a valve and retained in the suspension system. The suspension may include a mechanical spring in a chamber away from the valve that introduces the ambient air.

A damper assembly, in particular for a washing machine, comprises at least one damper which causes a damping effect, in particular an active damper, which can be arranged between two components of the washing machine which are movable relative to one another and can each be connected thereto, a regulation unit which is in signal communication with the damper and is intended to regulate the damping effect of the damper, at least one determination unit, which is in signal communication with the regulation unit, for determining at least one input variable, wherein the regulation unit is designed to transmit a regulation signal to the damper in dependence on the at least one input variable, the damper is designed to variably define its damping effect in dependence on the regulation signal. In addition to the at least one active damper, at least one passive damper can be provided.

Altering the damping rate of a vehicle suspension damper. A pressure of a damping fluid is exerted against a second valve mechanism connected to the vehicle suspension damper. The pressure of the damping fluid is increased beyond a threshold of the second valve mechanism that is adjustable by an adjustment member. The adjustment member is exposed through a high pressure side of the vehicle suspension damper. The second valve mechanism is then opened.

A shock absorber comprises a housing having a work space, damping fluid present in the work space, a piston unit arranged in the work space with a piston rod having a longitudinal axis, a piston secured to the piston rod, dividing the work space into a first partial work space and a second partial work space, a flow channel connecting the first partial work space and the second partial work space, an adjustment unit for adjusting the damping force of the shock absorber with an adjustment element for adjusting the effective flow cross section area of the flow channel, an adjustment actuator for the automated adjusting of an arrangement of the adjustment element and the piston rod, wherein the adjustment unit is arranged inside the shock absorber.

A damper assembly with a bypass for a vehicle comprises a pressure cylinder with a piston and piston rod for limiting the flow rate of damping fluid as it passes from a first to a second side of said piston. A bypass provides fluid pathway between the first and second sides of the piston separately from the flow rate limitation. In one aspect, the bypass is remotely controllable from a passenger compartment of the vehicle. In another aspect, the bypass is remotely controllable based upon one or more variable parameters associated with the vehicle.

A shock absorber includes a first end and a second end that reciprocate relative to one another. The shock absorber includes a gas spring chamber, a damping chamber, and a floating piston. The first side of the floating piston is in fluid communication with the gas spring chamber. The second side of the floating piston is in fluid communication with the damping chamber. The gas in the gas spring chamber applies pressure against the floating piston, which applies pressure to the substantially incompressible fluid in the damping chamber. This pressure transfer may be adequate to minimize or prevent cavitation.

A main orifice plate assembly may be configured to transition a multi-actor damping system from a first damping actor configuration to a second damping actor configuration. The multi-actor damping system may be used in a shock strut assembly to alter a damping curve of the shuck strut assembly. The main orifice plate assembly may be a part of a main orifice assembly including an orbital cam. The main orifice plate may include a flow restrictor. The flow restrictor may be configured to retract or deploy in response to main orifice plate rotating about the orbital cam. The first damping actor configuration may correspond to a first damping curve. The second damping actor configuration may correspond to a second damping curve. The first damping curve being different than the second damping curve.

A valve mechanism includes a housing, a plate-shaped valve body, a valve positioning member, and a drive valve moving mechanism. The valve positioning member causes the valve body to face the valve seat via a predetermined gap with respect to the valve seat. The drive valve moving mechanism causes the gap between an inner circumference of the valve body and the valve seat to be variable by moving the drive valve in a direction of approaching the valve seat and elastically deforming the valve body in a direction that the inner circumference of the valve body approaches the valve seat.

A valve arrangement controls a flow of damping medium in a shock absorber. Pressurized damping fluid acts around a whole circumference of the slidable valve member and the impact of flow forces on the slidable valve member is minimized, which vastly decrease the disturbing axial forces and thereby achieves a more dependable valve arrangement with a reliable operation.

A valve arrangement controls a flow of damping medium in a shock absorber. A radial column is provided with an axial failsafe flow such that the fail safe flow is not dependent on the exact axial position of the control valve member for creating the fail safe restriction, and less turbulence arise affecting the axial position of the control valve member. Thereby a valve arrangement is provided which has a more stable and reliable failsafe operation, resulting in a more dependable valve arrangement.