Abstract: First and second pumps are integral in that the pumps are driven by a common motor. The first pump is driven in pumping motion by an eccentric disposed on the motor shaft and the second pump is driven in pumping motion by an end of the motor shaft. The first pump can be an ABS pump and the second pump can be a pre-charge pump. The first and second pumps can be disposed in a common block housing and the common block housing can define a fluid path extending from the outlet of the second pump to the inlet of the first pump. A third pump can be susbtantially similar to the first pump and be disposed on an opposite side of the shaft as the first pump. The third pump can be driven in pumping motion by the eccentric. A separate feed line can be directed from the reservoir of the brake system to the second pump to improve performance.

Abstract: A vehicle damper includes a valve having of an imperforate, deflectable variable orifice disk with an outer periphery that is only partially clamped against a valve seat, during low velocity operation of the damper, by a variable orifice support disk having an outer periphery that is not coextensive with the outer periphery of the variable orifice disk. The portion of the outer periphery of the variable orifice disk that is not clamped against the valve seat deflects away from the valve seat during low velocity operation of the damper, in response to force on the variable orifice plate generated by pressure of fluid in flow apertures closed off by the variable orifice plate, to provide a variable orifice for fluid flow through the valve and digressive performance of the damper. The valve may take the form of a compression or rebound valve on the piston of the vehicle damper, or a base valve in a dual tube damper.

Abstract: A vehicle damper includes a valve having of an imperforate, deflectable variable orifice disk with an outer periphery that is only partially clamped against a valve seat, during low velocity operation of the damper, by a variable orifice support disk having an outer periphery that is not coextensive with the outer periphery of the variable orifice disk. The portion of the outer periphery of the variable orifice disk that is not clamped against the valve seat deflects away from the valve seat during low velocity operation of the damper, in response to force on the variable orifice plate generated by pressure of fluid in flow apertures closed off by the variable orifice plate, to provide a variable orifice for fluid flow through the valve and digressive performance of the damper. The valve may take the form of a compression or rebound valve on the piston of the vehicle damper, or a base valve in a dual tube damper.

Abstract: A vehicle damper includes a valve having a flanged spring seat for clamping a floating orifice disk to a valve seat. The flanged spring seat supports and aligns the orifice disk during assembly and operation of the valve. The valve may include a bushing having a guide surface piloted into the valve seat for guiding the floating orifice disk. Piloting the guide surface into the valve seat precludes pinching or clamping of the orifice disk between the bushing and the valve seat during assembly or operation of the valve. The valve may include a low rate, high preload spring, and the floating orifice disk may include openings for passage of fluid prior to the disk lifting off the valve seat, thereby providing a digressive valve operating characteristic. The valve may be used as either a compression or a rebound valve in a vehicle damper.

Abstract: A valve for a hydraulic damper comprising a flat circular disc(s) with a central axial opening wherein the disc(s) has a spring characteristic tending to maintain the disc in a flat shape and tending to return the disc(s) to the flat shape when forces deflect the disc(s) from the flat shape, and a disc retainer having a predetermined axial length, a circular cylindrical shape, a central axial opening, axially coextensive with said axial length, a perimeter wall around an outer perimeter of the retainer, an axial wall around a perimeter of the axial opening wherein the perimeter wall has a first diameter, an annular portion inside of the perimeter wall characterized by a shape having a continuously varying curvature arcuately rotated completely around the retainer axis, wherein during a high velocity event, the disc(s) deflects against the retainer and a load between the disc(s) and the disc retainer is spread along the disc(s) surface wherein excessive localized straining of the disc(s) is prevented and where