Methods and apparatus for selective spring pre-load adjustment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10414236-B2
Application number	US-201715623914-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2017
Priority date	Mar 19, 2009
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a suspension comprising a spring having a threaded member at a first end for providing axial movement to the spring as the spring is rotated and the threaded member moves relative to a second component. In one embodiment, the system includes a damper for metering fluid through a piston and a rotatable spring member coaxially disposed around the damper and rotatable relative to the damper.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. A suspension system comprising:
a cylindrical body having a threaded portion;
a spring coaxially disposed around said cylindrical body;
an adjuster assembly disposed coaxially around said cylindrical body and coupled to said spring;
a follower nut disposed coaxially around said cylindrical body and coupled to said adjuster assembly, said follower nut disposed in threaded engagement with said threaded portion of said cylindrical body and abutting an end of said spring, said follower nut constructed and arranged to affect compression of said spring while said follower nut translates axially along said threaded portion of said cylindrical body, wherein an axial position of said follower nut is indicated relative to a piggyback reservoir operable with a damper; and
a visual indicator and a scale coupled with said piggyback reservoir, said visual indicator and said scale operable to indicate an amount of compression of said spring, said visual indicator and said scale together comprising:
a longitudinal wire coil;
a permanent magnet; and
wherein said position of said permanent magnet relative to said longitudinal wire coil is indicated by a state of current through said longitudinal wire coil.

Assignees

• Fox Factory Inc

Inventors

• Cox Christopher Paul
• Marquez Michael David
• Ericksen Everet

Classifications

• B60G15/063

  characterised by the mounting of the spring on the damper (B60G15/065, B60G15/066 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60G2500/30

  Height or ground clearance · CPC title

• B60G2204/61

  Adjustable during maintenance · CPC title

• B60G2204/1242

  on a damper, e.g. MacPerson strut · CPC title

• F16F9/3264

  Arrangements for indicating, e.g. fluid level; Arrangements for checking dampers (F16F9/3292 takes precedence; testing of vehicle damping G01M17/04) · CPC title