Adjustable double-acting damper

Abstract

A dasphpot damper for acting between two objects subject to move toward and away from one another including a housing including an elongated cavity, a piston mounted within the housing cavity for reciprocating movement therealong and dividing the cavity into two variable-volume, hydraulic fluid chambers, and a network of passages permitting hydraulic fluid to flow between the two variable-volume chambers as the housing and piston move relative to one another in response to relative movements between the two objects utilizes unitary flow control cartridge mounted within the housing and defining a passageway through which hydraulic fluid is forced to flow when passing between the two variable-volume chambers. The flow control cartridge also includes a check valve device associated with the passageway for controllably restricting the flow of hydraulic fluid in one direction through the passageway and for permitting substantially unrestricted flow of hydraulic fluid in the other direction through the passageway. By controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid through the passageway in the one direction, the damping effect of the damper is controlled. The flow control cartridge can be constructed so as to provide either an adjustable or fixed restriction to the hydraulic fluid flow in the one direction.