Shock device in particular for bicycles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10668975-B2
Application number	US-201815980518-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2018
Priority date	May 18, 2017
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

A shock device for an at least partially muscle-powered two-wheeled vehicle including a damping system having a damper cylinder and a moving piston disposed therein and connected with a piston rod extending from the damper cylinder, wherein the piston acts on a first damping chamber in the damper cylinder in the compression stage as the piston rod plunges in from a retracted base position into a plunged-in position. In the damping system, as the piston rod plunges in, damping fluid is transferred from the first damping chamber to an auxiliary chamber. A flow resistance for transferring the damping fluid into the auxiliary chamber is configured travel-dependent, depending on the piston position. The flow resistance for transferring the damping fluid into the auxiliary chamber over a first travel distance of the piston including the base position is smaller than over a second travel distance that is plunged in further.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shock device for an at least partially muscle-powered two-wheeled vehicle comprising: a damping system having a damper cylinder and a moving piston disposed therein, which is connected with a piston rod leading out of the damper cylinder, wherein the piston acts on a first damping chamber in the damper cylinder as the piston rod plunges in from a further retracted base position to a farther plunged in position;
wherein the damping system is configured such that as the piston rod plunges in, damping fluid is transferred from the first damping chamber to an auxiliary chamber;
wherein the flow resistance for transferring the damping fluid into the auxiliary chamber is configured travel-dependent and depends on the piston position and wherein the flow resistance is smaller in a first travel distance of the piston including the base position than in at least one second travel distance that is plunged in further; wherein a transition section is provided between the first travel distance and the second travel distance; wherein the auxiliary chamber establishes an equalizing volume for the volume of the piston rod and wherein the auxiliary chamber is provided with a dividing piston that is biased by a biasing device wherein the position of the dividing piston is dependent on the piston position; at least one first and one second duct lead into the auxiliary chamber to feed damping fluid into the auxiliary chamber; and
the second duct is at least partially closed by the dividing piston when the piston is located in the transition section.

2. The shock device according to claim 1 , wherein the first travel distance extends over a length that is shorter than 60% or ½ or 40% of the maximum piston stroke.

3. The shock device according to claim 1 , wherein the flow resistance remains substantially unchanged in the first travel distance.

4. The shock device according to claim 1 , wherein the flow resistance is influenced by changing the effective flow cross-section.

5. The shock device according to claim 1 , wherein the flow resistance is influenced by changing the length of the flow path.

6. The shock device according to claim 1 , wherein the flow resistance is influenced by changing the passage resistance of a flow valve.

7. The shock device according to claim 6 , wherein the first travel distance is followed by a transition section in which the flow cross-section is reduced.

8. The shock device according to claim 7 , wherein the transition section is shorter than 25% or 20% of the maximum piston stroke.

9. The shock device according to claim 1 , wherein the second travel distance follows the transition section and extends over a length between 40% and 60% of the maximum piston stroke.

10. The shock device according to claim 1 , wherein the piston variably divides the damping volume in the damper cylinder into a first damping chamber and a second damping chamber.

11. The shock device according to claim 1 , wherein the piston is equipped with at least one throttle unit.

12. The shock device according to claim 1 , wherein the second duct is substantially closed when the piston is located in a second travel distance following the transition section, wherein the first travel distance and the transition section extend over less than half of the piston stroke.

13. The shock device according to claim 1 , wherein the first duct and the second duct are flow ducts of a throttle for the compression stage.

14. The shock device according to claim 13 , wherein the flow resistance of the throttle for the compression stage is adjustable from outside by way of at least one operating member.

15. The shock device according to claim 1 , wherein the transition position of the transition section is adjustable.

16. The shock device according to claim 1 , wherein the length of the transition section is adjustable.

17. The shock device according to claim 1 , wherein an additional throttle for the high-speed compression stage is provided.

18. The shock device according to claim 1 , wherein the dividing piston is biased by means of a steel spring and/or a gas spring.

19. The shock device according to claim 1 , wherein a device for stronger top-out damping is provided.

20. The shock device according to claim 1 , wherein the base position is an initial position with the piston rod extended to its maximum, or the sag position.

21. The shock device according to claim 1 , comprising at least one tube system including a stanchion tube and a cooperating slider tube and an adjacent wheel receiving space, wherein the damping system is disposed in the tube system.

22. The shock device according to claim 1 , comprising an accommodation for a saddle device or being configured as a rear wheel damper or a suspension fork.

Assignees

• Dt Swiss Inc

Inventors

• Walthert Martin
• Richter Karsten
• Zbinden Samuel

Classifications

• F16F9/50

  Special means providing automatic damping adjustment, {i.e. self-adjustment of damping by particular sliding movements of a valve element, other than flexions or displacement of valve discs}(F16F9/53 takes precedence); {Special means providing self-adjustment of spring characteristics} · CPC title

• B62K2025/044

  Suspensions with automatic adjustment · CPC title

• F16F9/34

  Special valve constructions ({F16F9/44, F16F9/50 take precedence; filtering details F16F9/3285} ; valves in general F16K); Shape or construction of throttling passages · CPC title

• B62K25/10

  for rear wheel · CPC title

• F16F9/446

  Adjustment of valve bias or pre-stress (F16F9/443 takes precedence) · CPC title