Shock assembly with automatically adjustable ride height

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12227048-B2
Application number	US-202318230928-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2023
Priority date	Feb 27, 2020
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

A shock assembly with automatically adjustable ride height is disclosed. The assembly includes a main chamber including a fluid therein. A pump tube within the main chamber, the pump tube having a fluid flow path internal thereto, the pump tube disposed axially along a center of the main chamber. A damping piston coupled to a shaft, the damping piston and a portion of the shaft disposed axially about the pump tube, the damping piston disposed in the main chamber to divide the main chamber into a compression side fluid chamber and a rebound side fluid chamber. An automatic ride height adjustment assembly including a tube-in-shaft pump assembly and a spring preload piston assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shock assembly comprising:
a main chamber comprising a fluid therein;
a pump tube disposed within said main chamber;
a damping piston coupled to a shaft, said damping piston disposed in said main chamber to divide said main chamber into a compression side fluid chamber and a rebound side fluid chamber;
an automatic ride height adjustment assembly comprising:
a tube-in-shaft pump assembly; and
a spring preload piston assembly;

wherein said tube-in-shaft pump assembly comprises:
an intake/exhaust port through a portion of said pump tube; and
a fluid path from said pump tube to said spring preload piston assembly,
wherein motion of said damping piston along said pump tube during a compression stroke pumps said fluid through said pump tube and into said spring preload piston assembly; and
wherein a SAG ride height is established by an axial location of said intake/exhaust port of said pump tube.

2. The shock assembly of claim 1 , wherein said spring preload piston assembly comprises:
a fluid chamber in fluid communication with said pump tube; and
a spring retainer that extends from a portion of said fluid chamber, said spring retainer axially adjustable along said main chamber, such that a change in an amount of said fluid in said fluid chamber automatically changes a length of the spring retainer that extends from said fluid chamber which changes a ride height of said shock assembly.

3. The shock assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
said intake/exhaust port configured to allow an amount of said fluid to be pumped through said pump tube and into said spring preload piston assembly to increases a length of said spring preload piston assembly, when said damping piston coupled to said shaft covers said intake/exhaust port during a compression stroke.

4. The shock assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
said intake/exhaust port configured to allow an amount of said fluid to be drawn from said spring preload piston assembly and said main chamber and into said pump tube to reduce a length of said spring preload piston assembly, when said damping piston coupled to said shaft covers said intake/exhaust port during a rebound stroke.

5. The shock assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
said intake/exhaust port configured to allow an amount of said fluid to be pumped through said pump tube and into said main chamber, when said damping piston coupled to said shaft does not cover said intake/exhaust port during a compression stroke; and
a bleed check valve to drain an amount of said fluid from said spring preload piston assembly into said pump tube to reduce a length of said spring preload piston assembly, when said damping piston coupled to said shaft does not cover said intake/exhaust port during said compression stroke.

6. The shock assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
said intake/exhaust port configured to allow an amount of said fluid to be drawn from said spring preload piston assembly and said main chamber into said pump tube to reduce a length of said spring preload piston assembly, when said damping piston coupled to said shaft does not cover said intake/exhaust port during a compression stroke.

7. The shock assembly of claim 1 , wherein said tube-in-shaft pump assembly comprises:
a fluid path from said pump tube to said spring preload piston assembly;
a preload spring spacer coupled with said damping piston and said shaft, wherein an axial motion of said damping piston and said spring spacer along said pump tube during a compression stroke pumps said fluid through said pump tube and to said spring preload piston assembly;
a valve to control said fluid returning from said spring preload piston assembly to said pump tube via said fluid path;
a preload spring in said pump tube between said preload spring spacer and said valve; and
a bleed orifice to control a rate of bleed from said spring preload piston assembly.

8. The shock assembly of claim 7 , further comprising:
a low riding shock assembly configuration such that said preload spring applies a pressure to said valve to engage said valve,
wherein said engaged valve allows said fluid through said fluid path from said pump tube to said spring preload piston assembly, to increase a length of said spring preload piston assembly, and
wherein said engaged valve does not allow said fluid through said fluid path from said spring preload piston assembly to said pump tube to maintain a length of said spring preload piston assembly.

9. The shock assembly of claim 7 , further comprising:
a high riding shock assembly configuration such that said preload spring does not engage said valve,
wherein said not engaged valve allows said fluid through said fluid path from said pump tube to said spring preload piston assembly, and
wherein said not engaged valve allows said fluid through said fluid path from said spring preload piston assembly to said pump tube to reduce a length of said spring preload piston assembly.

10. The shock assembly of claim 2 , further comprising
a valve, wherein said valve is configured to provide tunable fluid flow between the pump tube and the said fluid chamber in order to regulate the spring preload.

11. A method for automatically adjusting a ride height of a shock assembly, said method comprising:
accessing a main chamber of said shock assembly, said main chamber comprising a fluid therein;
installing a pump tube within said main chamber;
disposing a damping piston coupled to a shaft within said main chamber, said damping piston dividing said main chamber into a compression side fluid chamber and a rebound side fluid chamber;
providing an automatic ride height adjustment assembly for said shock assembly, said automatic ride comprising:
incorporating a tube-in-shaft pump assembly internal to said shock assembly; and
providing a spring preload piston assembly external to at least a portion of said main chamber of said shock assembly;

wherein said incorporating said tube-in-shaft pump assembly internal to said shock assembly comprises:
providing an intake/exhaust port through a portion of said pump tube; and
providing a fluid path from said pump tube to said spring preload piston assembly,

wherein motion of said damping piston during a compression stroke pumps said fluid through said pump tube and into said spring preload piston assembly; and
establishing a SAG ride height based on a location of said intake/exhaust port of said pump tube.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said spring preload piston assembly external to at least a portion of said main chamber of said shock assembly further comprising:
providing a fluid chamber in fluid communication with said pump tube; and
inserting a spring retainer into said fluid chamber, said spring retainer extending from a portion of said fluid chamber, said spring retainer axially adjustable along said main chamber, such that a change in an amount of said fluid in said fluid chamber automatically changes a length of the spring retainer that extends from said fluid chamber which changes a ride height of said shock assembly.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
during a low ride height compression stroke, covering said intake/exhaust port with said damping piston coupled to said shaft, pumping an amount of said fluid through said pump tube and into said spring preload piston assembly to increases a length of said spring preload piston assembly; and
during a low ride height rebound stroke, covering said intake/exhaust port with said damping piston coupled to said shaft, drawing an amount of said fluid from said spring preload piston ass

Assignees

• Fox Factory Inc

Inventors

• D'Orazio Nick
• Labbe Michael R
• Strickland Rick
• Randall Connor

Classifications

• F16F9/5126

  Piston, or piston-like valve elements (F16F9/504 takes precedence) · 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

• B60G2500/114

  pressure regulating valves · CPC title

• B60G2202/312

  The spring being a wound spring · CPC title

• B62K2025/044

  Suspensions with automatic adjustment · CPC title