Compression isolator for a suspension 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.
1. A vehicle suspension damper comprising:
a fluid chamber housing, said fluid chamber housing defining a fluid chamber therein, said fluid chamber comprising:
a compression side; and
a rebound side;
a piston disposed within said fluid chamber, said piston dividing said fluid chamber into said compression side and said rebound side, said piston having a shimmed compression pathway extending through said piston to enable fluid communication between said compression side and said rebound side, said piston having a shimmed rebound pathway extending through said piston to enable fluid communication between said compression side and said rebound side;
a compression isolator disposed within said fluid chamber, said compression isolator disposed at a location which inhibits a fluid from causing movement of a floating piston, said compression isolator further comprising:
a partition located within said compression side of said fluid chamber between said piston and said floating piston; and
an aperture formed through said partition, said aperture having a configuration such that said compression isolator inhibits cavitation during rapid movement events, said compression isolator configured to force said fluid through said piston during a compression stroke of said piston;
a reservoir chamber fluidically coupled with said fluid chamber, said reservoir chamber physically separated from said fluid chamber housing, and fluidically coupled with said fluid chamber via a fluid hose, said reservoir chamber comprising:
a fluid-fillable portion, said fluid-fillable portion configured to receive said fluid from said fluid chamber as a fluid capacity of said fluid chamber decreases during said compression stroke;
a compressible pocket;
a fill valve coupled with said compressible pocket, said fill valve configured to allow pressure in said compressible pocket to be adjusted; and
said floating piston disposed within said reservoir chamber, said floating piston movably sealing said fluid-fillable portion from said compressible pocket;
a bypass chamber providing a fluid pathway between said compression side and said rebound side, said bypass chamber being in fluid communication with said fluid chamber; and
at least three ports comprising a set of ports, said at least three ports formed through said wall of said fluid chamber housing and permitting fluid communication between said fluid chamber and said bypass chamber, said at least three ports axially spaced along said wall of said fluid chamber housing such that when said piston is in a first position, said at least three ports are between said piston and said compression isolator, and when said piston is in a second position, at least two of said at least three ports are between said piston and said compression isolator, wherein when said piston is in a third position, none of said at least three ports are between said piston and said compression isolator, wherein said bypass chamber said set of ports and said compression isolator collectively provide said vehicle suspension damper with concurrent position-sensitive damping and cavitation protection.
2. The vehicle suspension damper of claim 1 , wherein fluid flow through said bypass chamber is reduced as said piston moves in said compression stroke.
3. The vehicle suspension damper of claim 1 , wherein when said piston is in said first position and also when said piston is in said second position, said fluid communicates between said bypass chamber, said fluid-fillable portion of said reservoir chamber, said rebound side of said fluid chamber and said compression side of said fluid chamber, but when said piston is in said third position, said fluid communicates only between said bypass chamber, said fluid-fillable portion of said reservoir chamber and said rebound side of said fluid chamber.