Valve stiffness adjustment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11629771-B2
Application number	US-202016801774-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2020
Priority date	May 15, 2017
Publication date	Apr 18, 2023
Grant date	Apr 18, 2023

Abstract

A damper valve with an adjustable effective stiffness of a shim. The damper valve includes a piston. The piston has a fluid path formed therethrough. A shim is disposed proximate the fluid path formed through the piston. A stiffness adjustment feature is coupled to the shim, and the shim is disposed between the piston and the stiffness adjustment feature. The stiffness adjustment feature is configured to adjust the effective stiffness of the shim without affecting a preload applied to the shim.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. A damper valve with an adjustable effective stiffness of a shim, said damper valve comprising:
a fluid path formed through a piston, said shim disposed proximate said fluid path;
a stiffness adjustment feature coupled to said shim; said shim disposed between said piston and said stiffness adjustment feature, said stiffness adjustment feature configured to adjust said effective stiffness of said shim without affecting a preload applied to said shim, wherein said stiffness adjustment feature comprises:
a rotatable stiffness adjustment plate;
a spring component coupled to said stiffness adjustment plate; and
an adjuster coupled to said stiffness adjustment plate, said adjuster comprising:
a first position which disposes said stiffness adjustment plate and said spring component in a first orientation with respect to each other, said first orientation of said stiffness adjustment plate and said spring component generating said effective stiffness of said shim; and
a second position which disposes said stiffness adjustment plate and said spring component in a second orientation with respect to each other, said second orientation of said stiffness adjustment plate and said spring component generating a second effective stiffness of said shim wherein said effective stiffness of said shim differs from said second effective stiffness of said shim.

2. The damper valve of claim 1 wherein said stiffness adjustment feature is configured such that movement of said stiffness adjuster feature varies said effective stiffness of said shim without altering an existing force which acts upon said shim.

3. The damper valve of claim 1 wherein said stiffness adjustment feature is configured such that movement of said stiffness adjuster feature varies said effective stiffness of said shim without moving said shim toward or away from said piston.

4. The damper valve of claim 1 wherein said stiffness adjustment plate comprises:
a first surface disposed facing said shim; and
a second surface disposed facing said spring component.

5. The damper valve of claim 4 wherein said first surface of said stiffness adjustment plate further comprises:
a shim engagement portion extending from said first surface of said stiffness adjustment plate, said shim engagement portion configured to engage with said shim.

6. The damper valve of claim 4 wherein said second surface of said stiffness adjustment plate further comprises:
a spring component engagement portion extending from said second surface of said stiffness adjustment plate, said spring component engagement portion configured to engage with said spring component.

7. The damper valve of claim 6 wherein said spring component engagement portion is configured such that rotational movement of said stiffness adjustment plate with respect to said spring component varies a location at which said spring component engages with said spring component engagement portion of said stiffness adjustment plate.

8. The damper valve of claim 6 wherein said spring component engagement portion further comprises:
a first location, wherein upon engagement of said stiffness adjustment plate with said first location of said spring component engagement portion, said stiffness adjustment feature generates said effective stiffness of said shim; and
a second location, wherein upon engagement of said stiffness adjustment plate with said second location of said spring component engagement portion, said stiffness adjustment feature generates a second effective stiffness of said shim, wherein said effective stiffness of said shim and said second effective stiffness of said shim are different.

9. The damper valve of claim 6 wherein said spring component engagement portion further comprises:
a first location, wherein upon engagement of said stiffness adjustment plate with said first location of said spring component engagement portion, said spring component is configured apply a first amount of force against movement of said stiffness adjustment plate towards said spring component; and
a second location, wherein upon engagement of said stiffness adjustment plate with said second location of said spring component engagement portion, said spring component is configured apply a second amount of force against movement of said stiffness adjustment plate towards said spring component, wherein said first amount of force and said second amount of force are different.

10. The damper valve of claim 1 wherein said damper valve is disposed in a rebound circuit of a damper.

11. The damper valve of claim 1 wherein said damper valve is disposed in a high speed rebound circuit of a damper.

12. The damper valve of claim 1 wherein said damper valve is manually adjustable.

13. The damper valve of claim 1 wherein said damper valve is automatically adjustable.

14. A suspension damper having an adjustable effective stiffness of a shim, said suspension damper comprising:
a housing enclosing a damping chamber;
a piston disposed within said damping chamber, said piston movable within said damping chamber, said piston dividing said damping chamber into a first region and a second region;
a fluid path formed through said piston, said shim disposed proximate said fluid path; and
a stiffness adjustment feature coupled to said shim; said shim disposed between said piston and said stiffness adjustment feature, said stiffness adjustment feature configured to adjust said effective stiffness of said shim without affecting a preload applied to said shim, wherein said stiffness adjustment feature comprises:
a rotatable stiffness adjustment plate;
a spring component coupled to said stiffness adjustment plate; and
an adjuster coupled to said stiffness adjustment plate, said adjuster comprising:
a first position which disposes said stiffness adjustment plate and said spring component in a first orientation with respect to each other, said first orientation of said stiffness adjustment plate and said spring component generating said effective stiffness of said shim; and
a second position which disposes said stiffness adjustment plate and said spring component in a second orientation with respect to each other, said second orientation of said stiffness adjustment plate and said spring component generating a second effective stiffness of said shim wherein said effective stiffness of said shim differs from said second effective stiffness of said shim.

15. The suspension damper of claim 14 wherein said stiffness adjustment feature is configured such that movement of said stiffness adjuster feature varies said effective stiffness of said shim without altering an existing force which acts upon said shim.

16. The suspension damper of claim 15 wherein said stiffness adjustment feature is configured such that movement of said stiffness adjuster feature varies said effective stiffness of said shim without moving said shim toward or away from said piston.

17. The suspension damper of claim 14 wherein said stiffness adjustment plate comprises:
a first surface disposed facing said shim; and
a second surface disposed facing said spring component.

18. The suspension damper of claim 17 wherein said first surface of said stiffness adjustment plate further comprises:
a shim engagement portion extending from said first surface of said stiffness adjustment plate, said shim engagement portion configured to engage with said shim.

19. The suspension damper of claim 17 wherein said second surface of said stiffness adjustment plate further comprises:

Assignees

• Fox Factory Inc

Inventors

• Gilbert Damon
• Brown Iv William O

Classifications

• B60G17/016

  characterised by their responsiveness, when the vehicle is travelling, to specific motion, a specific condition, or driver input {(B60G17/017 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60G17/0152

  characterised by the action on a particular type of suspension unit (B60G17/01941 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60G2600/20

  Manual control or setting means · CPC title

• B60G2600/21

  Self-controlled or adjusted · CPC title

• F16F9/5165

  by use of spherical valve elements or like free-moving bodies · CPC title