Bicycle suspension components and electronic control devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11724769-B2
Application number	US-201916717141-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2019
Priority date	Dec 17, 2019
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

Example bicycle suspension components and control devices are described herein. An example shock absorber includes a damper body defining a first chamber and a reservoir defining a second chamber. A flow path is defined between the first chamber and the second chamber. The example shock absorber also includes a flow control member disposed in the flow path and a motor to operate the flow control member to affect fluid flow between the first chamber and the second chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shock absorber for a bicycle, the shock absorber comprising:
a damper body defining a first chamber;
a reservoir defining a second chamber, a flow path defined between the first chamber and the second chamber;
a flow control member disposed in the flow path;
a motion device to operate the flow control member to affect fluid flow between the first chamber and the second chamber;
a printed circuit board (PCB) having circuitry to, based on a command signal, activate the motion device to operate the flow control member; and
a wireless transceiver to receive the command signal,
a wireless transceiver to receive the command signal,
wherein the wireless transceiver is disposed on the PCB and the PCB is disposed within a housing of a control device, at least a portion of the housing is constructed of radio frequency transparent material.

2. The shock absorber of claim 1 , wherein the motion device is disposed within the housing.

3. The shock absorber of claim 2 , further including a battery to power the motion device.

4. The shock absorber of claim 3 , wherein the control device, including the PCB, the motion device, and the battery, is removably coupled to a top of the reservoir.

5. The shock absorber of claim 1 , wherein the flow control member includes a plug, and wherein the motion device is a motor and rotation of an output shaft of the motor causes translation of the plug.

6. The shock absorber of claim 1 , wherein the motor is operatively coupled to the plug via a worm gear.

7. The shock absorber of claim 1 , further including a spring, the damper body and the spring configured in a telescoping arrangement, the reservoir aligned along an axis that is parallel to and offset from an axis of the spring and the damper body.

8. A shock absorber for a bicycle, the shock absorber comprising:
a damper body defining a first chamber;
a reservoir defining a second chamber, a flow path defined between the first chamber and the second chamber;
a flow control member disposed in a body of the reservoir; and
a control device to, based on a wireless command signal, operate the flow control member to affect a flow of fluid between the first chamber and the second chamber, the control device including:
a housing; and
a wireless transceiver disposed within the housing.

9. The shock absorber of claim 8 , wherein the control device is coupled to the reservoir.

10. The shock absorber of claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the housing is constructed of radio frequency transparent material.

11. A shock absorber for a bicycle, the shock absorber comprising:
a damper body defining a first chamber;
a reservoir defining a second chamber, a flow path defined between the first chamber and the second chamber;
a flow control member disposed in the flow path;
a motion device to operate the flow control member to affect fluid flow between the first chamber and the second chamber;
a printed circuit board (PCB) having circuitry to, based on a command signal, activate the motion device to operate the flow control member; and
a wireless transceiver to receive the command signal, wherein the flow control member includes a plug that is movable along a first axis, and wherein the motion device is a motor oriented with an output shaft extending along a second axis that is perpendicular to and offset from the first axis.

12. A shock absorber for a bicycle, the shock absorber comprising:
a damper body defining a first chamber;
a reservoir defining a second chamber, a flow path defined between the first chamber and the second chamber;
a flow control member disposed in the flow path, the flow control member disposed in a body of the reservoir;
a motion device to operate the flow control member to affect fluid flow between the first chamber and the second chamber;
a printed circuit board (PCB) having circuitry to, based on a command signal, activate the motion device to operate the flow control member; and
a wireless transceiver to receive the command signal.

Assignees

• Sram Llc

Inventors

• Santurbane Mark
• Nichols Geoff
• Shipman Christopher
• Baltes Jeffrey John

Classifications

• B62K25/02 Primary

  for mounting axles rigidly on cycle frame or fork, e.g. adjustably · CPC title

• B62J45/00

  Electrical equipment arrangements specially adapted for use as accessories on cycles, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B62K2201/08

  Fluid springs · CPC title

• F16F9/0281 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• B62J45/20 Primary

  Cycle computers as cycle accessories · CPC title