Suspension system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11859690-B2
Application number	US-202016983294-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2020
Priority date	Oct 13, 2009
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

A suspension system includes a first suspension member movable relative to a second suspension member, a fluid reservoir having a volume, the volume variable in response to a relative movement between the first and second suspension members, and a fluid flow circuit having a first end in fluidic communication with the fluid reservoir and a second end in fluidic communication with an isolated suspension location, the fluid flow circuit comprising a first valve, a second valve and a third valve, wherein said first and third valves are in parallel with each other and the second valve is in series with each of the first and third valves.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. A suspension system comprising:
an upper leg tube;
a lower leg tube, said upper leg tube telescopically engaged with and said lower leg tube;
a damping cartridge movable within said lower leg tube;
a cylinder disposed at least partially within said lower leg tube;
a fluid reservoir enclosed within said cylinder;
an inertia valve assembly disposed in said lower leg tube below, said inertia valve disposed below said damping cartridge; and
a blow-off valve assembly disposed in said lower leg tube below, said inertia valve disposed below said damping cartridge, and wherein said inertia valve comprises:
a movable inertia mass; and
a shaft comprising an interior hollow portion and an outer surface, said interior hollow portion being in fluidic communication with at least one flow passage intermediate a first and second end of said shaft, said at least one flow passage being selectively at least partially obstructed by said inertia mass to control a degree of fluid flow restriction from said fluid reservoir to said isolated suspension location depending on a position of said inertia mass, wherein said movable inertia mass is configured for moving along said outer surface of said shaft between a first position and a second position, said first position comprising a location along said outer surface of said shaft that at least partially restricts fluid flow through said at least one flow passage, wherein a portion of said fluid bypasses flowing through said at least one flow passage to flow from said fluid reservoir to said isolated suspension location as a piston rod moves further into said one of said upper leg tube and said lower leg tube, and said second position comprising a location along said outer surface of said shaft that is providing less restriction to fluid flow through said at least one flow passage, wherein less fluid bypasses flowing through said at least one flow passage to flow from said fluid reservoir to said isolated suspension location as said piston rod moves further into said one of upper leg tube and said lower leg tube, and wherein said movable inertia mass moves from said first position towards said second position when an upward acceleration imparted to at least a portion of said suspension system exceeds a predetermined acceleration threshold.

2. The suspension system of claim 1 further comprising:
said fluid reservoir having a volume, said volume variable in response to a relative movement between said upper leg tube and said lower leg tube;
a fluid flow circuit disposed in said first fork leg, said fluid flow circuit having a first end in fluidic communication with said fluid reservoir and a second end in fluidic communication with an isolated suspension location;
a damper cap assembly coupled to said upper leg tube; and
a spacer disposed in said upper leg tube.

3. The suspension system of claim 2 wherein said flexible tubing comprises extruded tube stock.

4. The suspension system of claim 2 wherein said flexible tubing comprises pulltruded tube stock.

5. The suspension system of claim 1 further comprising:
a first compression region, said first compression region comprising:
a portion of said first end of said flexible tubing; and
a first seal ring configured for said sealingly compressing said portion of said first end of said flexible tubing against a first end of an outer surface of said cylinder, such that said first end of said flexible tubing and said first end of said outer surface of said cylinder are sealingly squeezed shut.

6. The suspension system of claim 5 , wherein said portion of said first end of said flexible tubing comprises an upset.

7. The suspension system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second compression region, said second compression region comprising:
a portion of said second end of said flexible tubing; and
a seal ring configured for retainably compressing said portion of said second end of said flexible tubing against said second end of said outer surface of said cylinder, such that said second end of said flexible tubing and said second end of said outer surface of said cylinder are squeezed partially together to retain a first position while remaining open to a damping fluid flowing between said fluid flow circuit and said isolated suspension location.

8. The suspension system of claim 7 , wherein said portion of said second end of said flexible tubing comprises an upset.

9. The suspension system of claim 1 , wherein said inertia valve further comprises:
a first plurality of protrusions located on a first end of said movable inertia mass, said first plurality of protrusions configured for impacting a first absorber when said inertia valve is opened.

10. The suspension system of claim 9 , wherein said inertia valve further comprises:
a second plurality of protrusions located on a second end of said movable inertia mass, said second plurality of protrusions configured for impacting a second absorber when said inertia valve is closed.

11. The suspension system of claim 9 , further comprising:
an adjustable time delay mechanism configured for delaying said inertia valve from returning to a closed position, said adjustable time delay mechanism comprising:
a fluid recess configured for holding damping fluid, said fluid recess in fluidic communication with said fluid flow circuit;
a one way delay valve washer configured for opening when a fluid pressure differential between a compression chamber and said fluid recess is below a predetermined threshold; and
an inertia valve delay neck positioned at said second end of said movable inertia mass, said inertia valve delay neck configured for being biased open by a spring for a predetermined period of time.

12. The suspension system of claim 11 , wherein said predetermined period of time is translated to said adjustable time delay mechanism via rotation of a delay adjustment knob.

13. The suspension system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a knob assembly selectively rotatable, said knob assembly comprising:
a damping valve adjustment knob configured for being rotated; and
a damping valve adjustment shaft configured for responding to rotational movement of said damping adjustment knob, said responding comprising moving axially in proportion to a thread helix and pushing or pulling on an adjustment shaft that is coupled with a needle valve, thereby adjusting an interference of said needle valve within a damping orifice that extends through a center of a damping piston, wherein, during compression or extension of said suspension system, said damping piston controls flow of said damping fluid.

14. The suspension system of claim 9 , wherein said blow-off valve is configured for allowing said upper leg tube and said lower leg tube to move together in response to a pressure imparted on said blow-off valve during a compression of said upper leg tube and said lower leg tube, wherein said pressure is equal to or greater than a threshold pressure when a lock-out valve of said inertia valve is in a substantially inhibiting movement position.

15. The suspension system of claim 14 , wherein said threshold pressure is operator-selectable.

16. The suspension system of claim 15 , wherein said threshold pressure is adjustable from a location external to said upper leg tube and said lower leg tube.

17. The suspension system of claim 9 , wherein said inertia valve comprises:
a flow regulator configured for controlling a damping rate by providing resistance to damping fluid flowing there through, wherein a resistance provided by said flow reg

Assignees

• Fox Factory Inc

Inventors

• Laird Andrew
• Becker William M

Classifications

• F16F9/34 Primary

  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

• B62K25/08 Primary

  for front wheel · CPC title

• F16F9/092

  comprising a gas spring with a flexible wall provided between the tubes of a bitubular damper · CPC title

• F16F9/18

  with a closed cylinder and a piston separating two or more working spaces therein · CPC title

• F16F9/363

  the guide being mounted between the piston and the sealing, enabling lubrication of the guide · CPC title