Gabriel Ride Control Products, Inc.

Srinath Nandyal

Scott Graham

A motor vehicle shock absorber ( ) that has an additional or further spring biased fluid control valve ( ) that disposed between the blow-off valve ( ) and the compression chamber ( ) of the shock absorber ( ) and that provides enhanced damping performance characteristics during relatively low velocity movements of the piston assembly ( ) in the recoil stroke direction, that is, at velocities lower than those which cause the blow-off valve ( ) of the shock absorber ( ) to open. The further spring biased fluid control valve ( ) affords the shock absorber ( ) a firmness vis-a-vis roll stability to the vehicle steering yet provides the consumer a desired &ldquo;boulevard&rdquo; or soft cushioned ride.

Shock absorber

An externally adjustable dampening control for a shock absorber provides the ability to adjust the hardness and softness of the ride near the normal curb/ride height, and still give strong resistance, and hence control, when the piston moves beyond the intermediate region. The adjustable dampening control includes a bypass for permitting fluid to bypass the piston when the piston is within an intermediate region of the cylinder corresponding to the normal curb/ride height of the shock. The bypass includes a valve body extending longitudinally along a portion of the hollow cylinder and defining a flow passage having first and second longitudinally spaced ports opening to cylinder and defining a flow passage having first and second longitudinally spaced ports opening to the internal chamber. Resistance to piston movement can be adjusted by rotating a knob to move a second piston into and out of the flow passage, thereby adjusting the amount of fluid that can flow through the bypass flow passage.

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Pulaski, TN, United States of America

Srinath Nandyal