A damper valve with an adjustable effective stiffness of a shim. The damper valve includes a piston. The piston has a fluid path formed therethrough. A shim is disposed proximate the fluid path formed through the piston. A stiffness adjustment feature is coupled to the shim, and the shim is disposed between the piston and the stiffness adjustment feature. The stiffness adjustment feature is configured to adjust the effective stiffness of the shim without affecting a preload applied to the shim.

A damper valve with an adjustable effective stiffness of a shim. The damper valve includes a piston. The piston has a fluid path formed therethrough. A shim is disposed proximate the fluid path formed through the piston. A stiffness adjustment feature is coupled to the shim, and the shim is disposed between the piston and the stiffness adjustment feature. The stiffness adjustment feature is configured to adjust the effective stiffness of the shim without affecting a preload applied to the shim.

A damping valve for a hydraulic damper (D) comprises a valve housing comprising an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber. A housing valve seat is arranged between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber. A valve element having a cylindrical first portion is slidably received in a cylindrical bore of the valve housing and a second portion has a valve surface for selectively engaging and disengaging the housing valve seat to allow passage of hydraulic fluid between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber. A spring element is mounted within the valve housing for biasing the valve element into engagement with the housing valve seat. The bore of the valve housing has a closed end defining a bore chamber between an end of the first portion of the valve element and the closed end of the bore. A first passage provides fluid communication between the bore chamber and the inlet chamber.

A shock absorber includes a suction passage permitting flow only from a reservoir toward a compression-side chamber, a rectification passage permitting flow only from the compression-side chamber toward an extension-side chamber, and a variable valve permitting flow only from the extension-side chamber toward the reservoir. A large chamber as a compression-side pressure chamber communicating with the compression-side chamber and an outer periphery chamber as an extension-side pressure chamber communicating with the extension-side chamber are partitioned in the shock absorber by a free piston that moves slidably within a bottom member serving as a housing. A compression-side pressure-receiving area of the free piston is larger than an extension-side pressure-receiving area. Therefore, even in the uniflow shock absorber with the extension-side chamber and the compression-side chamber at equal pressures during the contraction operation, the damping force is reduced under conditions in which high frequency is input since the free piston moves downward.

A damper assembly includes an outer tube and an inner tube disposed in the outer tube defining a fluid space therebetween. The inner tube defines an inner volume. A piston is slidably disposed in the inner tube and divides the inner volume into a rebound working chamber and a compression working chamber. An active rebound valve is fluidly connected to the rebound working chamber and the fluid chamber, and an active compression valve is fluidly connected to the reserve chamber and the compression working chamber. An intake assembly is positioned in the fluid chamber to control the fluid flow through the active rebound valve and into the compression working chamber during a rebound stroke and to control fluid flow from the compression working chamber through the active compression valve and into the rebound working chamber during a compression stroke.

An electronically controlled internal damper includes: a main passage formed by a working fluid flowing through a main piston; a pilot passage formed by a working fluid as much as a predetermined amount discharged from a first pilot chamber and a second pilot chamber so as to maintain internal pressures of the first pilot chamber and the second pilot chamber to a predetermined level when pressures of the first pilot chamber and the second pilot chamber are increased beyond the predetermined level; and a bypass passage formed by a working fluid passing through the compression retainer and the rebound retainer symmetrically disposed above and under the main piston and a plurality of holes formed transversely to a vertical length direction of a spool rod. Accordingly, the electronically controlled internal damper is capable of implementing damping performance in both a soft mode and a hard mode with a relatively simple structure and increasing sealing performance while reducing rigidity.

A damper assembly includes an outer tube and an inner tube disposed in the outer tube defining a fluid space therebetween. The inner tube defines an inner volume. A piston is slidably disposed in the inner tube and divides the inner volume into a rebound working chamber and a compression working chamber. An active rebound valve is fluidly connected to the rebound working chamber and the fluid chamber, and an active compression valve is fluidly connected to the reserve chamber and the compression working chamber. An intake assembly is positioned in the fluid chamber to control the fluid flow through the active rebound valve and into the compression working chamber during a rebound stroke and to control fluid flow from the compression working chamber through the active compression valve and into the rebound working chamber during a compression stroke.

A hydraulic damper includes a cylinder containing a hydraulic fluid and a piston affixed to a piston rod that extends out from one end of the cylinder through an end cap seal and that divides the cylinder into two chambers. The piston includes a port extending longitudinally through it where the port defines a valve seat. Inserted in the port is a spring-loaded valve member having a central bore extending longitudinally through it of a selected diameter that sets the rate of extension and return of the piston rod during use.

A hydraulic damper includes a cylinder containing a hydraulic fluid and a piston affixed to a piston rod that extends out from one end of the cylinder through an end cap seal and that divides the cylinder into two chambers. The piston includes a port extending longitudinally through it where the port defines a valve seat. Inserted in the port is a spring-loaded valve member having a central bore extending longitudinally through it of a selected diameter that sets the rate of extension and return of the piston rod during use.

A damping valve for a hydraulic damper (D) comprises a valve housing comprising an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber. A housing valve seat is arranged between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber. A valve element having a cylindrical first portion is slidably received in a cylindrical bore of the valve housing and a second portion has a valve surface for selectively engaging and disengaging the housing valve seat to allow passage of hydraulic fluid between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber. A spring element is mounted within the valve housing for biasing the valve element into engagement with the housing valve seat. The bore of the valve housing has a closed end defining a bore chamber between an end of the first portion of the valve element and the closed end of the bore. A first passage provides fluid communication between the bore chamber and the inlet chamber.