Importance

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Abstract

A shock absorber comprising a housing assembly including an elongated cavity for containing hydraulic fluid, an annular cavity surrounding the elongated cavity, a piston assembly including a head slidably received by the elongated cavity and a rod joined to the head for movement therewith, a compressible bladder containing gas under pressure positioned within the annular cavity, and a plurality of orifices defined within the housing assembly through which the elongated and annular cavities communicate with one another. The rod extends through the housing assembly and is movable with the piston head between extended and retracted conditions. The bladder is positioned within the annular cavity so as to extend along at least a portion of the annular cavity and leave uncovered a portion of the inner wall. The plurality of orifices are arranged in a pattern along the uncovered portion of the inner wall. When shock forces acting upon the shock absorber move the rod from the extended condition to the retracted condition and thereby force hydraulic fluid from the elongated cavity into the annular cavity through the open ones of the orifices, the bladder is compressed from an expanded condition to a contracted condition to function as an accumulator and to store energy for returning the rod to the extended condition once forces acting upon the shock absorber are relieved.

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First Claim