A damper for use with an automotive coil over shock absorber. An outer damping sleeve is retained over the exterior surface of an inner body and includes a plurality of bypass ports to alternately align and unalign with bypass ports of the inner body to regulate a bypass flow of damping oil between an interior volume and an outer passage, thereby allowing variable damping control of the damper. The outer damping sleeve is connected to an internal floating piston (IFP) which rides inside the inner body. A control spring is retained for applying a force to the IFP to limit the free movement of the IFP and thereby control a damping force of the damper during the damping event. Increased pressure in the hydraulic damping oil causes the IFP to move, causing the bypass ports to open and close depending on the forces subject to the damper.

A method and apparatus for a damper. The damper comprises a fluid chamber having a piston dividing the chamber into a compression and rebound sides, a reservoir in fluid communication with the compression side of the chamber, and an isolator disposed between the compression side and the reservoir, whereby the isolator obstructs fluid flow between the compression side and the reservoir. In one embodiment, a bypass provides a fluid path between the compression side and the isolator.

A method and apparatus for a damper. The damper comprises a fluid chamber having a piston dividing the chamber into a compression and rebound sides, a reservoir in fluid communication with the compression side of the chamber, and an isolator disposed between the compression side and the reservoir, whereby the isolator obstructs fluid flow between the compression side and the reservoir. In one embodiment, a bypass provides a fluid path between the compression side and the isolator.

A shock absorber is provided that includes a shock body and a shaft assembly. The shock body has an inner chamber. The inner chamber is defined by a cylindrical interior surface. At least one groove is formed in the interior surface within at least one select length of the shock body. A piston of the shaft assembly is received within the inner chamber of the shock body. The piston includes valving to allow dampening matter that is received within the inner chamber to pass through the piston to allow the piston to move within the inner chamber. The at least one groove that is formed within the interior surface is configured to allow at least some of the dampening matter to bypass the valving of the piston to allow the piston to move through the at least one select length with less resistance.

A shock absorber is provided that includes a shock body and a shaft assembly. The shock body has an inner chamber. The inner chamber is defined by a cylindrical interior surface. At least one groove is formed in the interior surface within at least one select length of the shock body. A piston of the shaft assembly is received within the inner chamber of the shock body. The piston includes valving to allow dampening matter that is received within the inner chamber to pass through the piston to allow the piston to move within the inner chamber. The at least one groove that is formed within the interior surface is configured to allow at least some of the dampening matter to bypass the valving of the piston to allow the piston to move through the at least one select length with less resistance.

A fluid damper for modulating a retaining force of a seat belt is provided. The fluid damper includes an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder. The inner cylinder encloses an inner space. The fluid damper includes a piston shiftable in the inner space. The fluid damper includes a duct. The duct conductively connects a front fluid chamber disposed in front of the piston to a rear fluid chamber disposed behind the piston and/or a reservoir for the damping fluid. The duct includes an outer duct portion and an inner duct portion. The inner cylinder is deflectable from a rest position by a force acting on the piston so that the deflection of the inner cylinder causes an adjustment of an overlap of the outer duct portion and the inner duct portion depending on the magnitude of the force.

A method and apparatus for a damper. The damper comprises a fluid chamber having a piston dividing the chamber into a compression and rebound sides, a reservoir in fluid communication with the compression side of the chamber, and an isolator disposed between the compression side and the reservoir, whereby the isolator obstructs fluid flow between the compression side and the reservoir. In one embodiment, a bypass provides a fluid path between the compression side and the isolator.

A method and apparatus for a damper. The damper comprises a fluid chamber having a piston dividing the chamber into a compression and rebound sides, a reservoir in fluid communication with the compression side of the chamber, and an isolator disposed between the compression side and the reservoir, whereby the isolator obstructs fluid flow between the compression side and the reservoir. In one embodiment, a bypass provides a fluid path between the compression side and the isolator.

A snubber assembly may comprise a snubber having a snubber body with an inner diameter surface and an outer diameter surface, the snubber including a plurality of valve receptacles disposed in the outer diameter surface, the snubber including a plurality of radial apertures disposed through the snubber body, each radial aperture in the plurality of radial apertures disposed in a respective valve receptacle in the plurality of valve receptacles; and a plurality of restrictor valves, each restrictor valve in the plurality of restrictor valves disposed in a respective valve receptacle in the plurality of valve receptacles, each restrictor valve in the plurality of restrictor valves including an orifice disposed through a blade.

A shock absorber including: a first cylinder having an interior, first and second ends and defining an axis, wherein the interior includes a damping fluid chamber and a damping piston movably mounted therein for movement between the first and second ends, wherein the damping piston is mounted on a first end of a shaft, wherein the first end of the shaft is movably retained within the interior of the first cylinder; first and second bypass openings configured for opening into the damping fluid chamber at first and second axially spaced-apart positions; a bypass channel fluidly coupling the first and second bypass openings; a fluid metering valve; and a floating piston dividing a portion of the shock absorber into a gas chamber and the reservoir chamber, wherein the fluid metering valve and the floating piston define the reservoir chamber there between.