Dual piston system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016377141-A1
Application number	US-201615191760-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 24, 2016
Priority date	Jun 26, 2015
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A dual piston system for independently controlling compression and rebound flowpaths therein, the dual piston system comprising: a first adjustable orifice configured for controlling rebound fluid flow, wherein the first adjustable orifice controls the rebound fluid flow through a first pathway associated with a low speed rebound flow and a second pathway associated with a high speed rebound flow; and a second adjustable orifice configured for controlling compression fluid flow, wherein the second adjustable orifice controls the compression fluid flow through a third pathway associated with a low speed compression flow and a fourth pathway associated with a high speed compression flow.

First claim

What we claim is:

1 . A dual piston system for independently controlling compression and rebound flowpaths therein, said dual piston system comprising:
a first adjustable orifice configured for controlling rebound fluid flow, wherein said first adjustable orifice controls said rebound fluid flow through a first pathway associated with a low speed rebound flow and a second pathway associated with a high speed rebound flow; and a second adjustable orifice configured for controlling compression fluid flow, wherein said second adjustable orifice controls said compression fluid flow through a third pathway associated with a low speed compression flow and a fourth pathway associated with a high speed compression flow.

2 . The dual piston system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first piston; and a second piston into which said first piston is threaded, wherein said first and second piston each comprises at least a portion of said first, second, third and fourth pathways.

3 . The dual piston system of claim 1 , wherein said first, second, third, and fourth pathways are different from each other.

4 . The dual piston system of claim 1 , wherein
said first pathway and said third pathway comprise fluid flow through a first set of passageways, and said second pathway and said fourth pathway comprise fluid flow through a second set of passageways, wherein every passageway of said second set of passageways is one of a same distance from or a further distance from a core of said dual piston valve than every passageway of said first set of passageways.

5 . The dual piston system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a first piston; and a second piston into which said first piston is threaded, wherein said first and second piston each comprises at least a portion of said first, second, third, fourth and fifth pathways.

6 . The dual piston system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lockout plate/rebound check valve configured for controlling lockout fluid flow through a fifth pathway, wherein said lockout plate/rebound check valve is positionally adjustable and is located exterior to said dual piston valve, wherein when said lockout plate/rebound check valve is positioned directly against a first piston of two pistons of said dual piston valve and blocks fluid from flowing into a set of outer diameter passageways disposed within said first piston; and a blow-off valve positioned within said first piston, wherein said blow-off valve comprises a set of channels configured for receiving fluid that is blocked from said flowing into said set of outer diameter passageways, wherein said diameter of said set of channels is less than a diameter of said set of outer diameter passageways.

7 . The dual piston system of claim 6 , wherein said first, second, third, fourth and fifth pathway are different from each other.

8 . The dual piston system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a dual piston valve comprising a first piston and a second piston, wherein said first and second piston each comprises at least a portion of said first, second, third and fourth pathways; and a rebound adjust rod comprising:
a first end and a second end, wherein said second end is tapered such that movement out of and into said dual piston valve adjusts a size of an opening of said first adjustable orifice.

9 . The dual piston system of claim 8 , wherein said rebound adjust rod comprises an adjuster element configured for facilitating said movement of said rebound adjust rod out of and into said dual piston valve.

10 . The dual piston system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a dual piston valve comprising a first piston and a second piston, wherein said first and second piston each comprises at least a portion of said first, second, third and fourth pathways; and a compression adjust rod comprising:
a first end and a second end, wherein said second end is tapered such that movement out of and into said dual piston valve adjusts a size of an opening of said second adjustable orifice.

11 . A shock absorber for independently controlling compression and rebound flowpaths therein, said shock absorber comprising:
a gas cylinder; a damping fluid cylinder telescopically positioned within said gas cylinder; and a dual piston system mounted within said damping fluid cylinder, wherein said dual piston system comprises:
a first adjustable orifice configured for controlling rebound fluid flow, wherein said first adjustable orifice controls said rebound fluid flow through a first pathway associated with a low speed rebound flow and a second pathway associated with a high speed rebound flow; and
a second adjustable orifice configured for controlling compression fluid flow, wherein said second adjustable orifice controls said compression fluid flow through a third pathway associated with a low speed compression flow and a fourth pathway associated with a high speed compression flow.

12 . The shock absorber of claim 11 , further comprising:
a first piston; and a second piston into which said first piston is threaded, wherein said first and second piston each comprises at least a portion of said first, second, third and fourth pathways.

13 . The shock absorber of claim 11 , wherein said first, second, third, and fourth pathways are different from each other.

14 . The shock absorber of claim 11 , wherein
said first pathway and said third pathway comprise fluid flow through a first set of passageways, and said second pathway and said fourth pathway comprise fluid flow through a second set of passageways, wherein every passageway of said second set of passageways is one of a same distance from or a further distance from a core of said dual piston valve than every passageway of said first set of passageways.

15 . The shock absorber of claim 11 , further comprising:
a lockout plate/rebound check valve configured for controlling lockout fluid flow through a fifth pathway, wherein said lockout plate/rebound check valve is positionally adjustable and is located exterior to said dual piston valve, wherein when said lockout plate/rebound check valve is positioned directly against a first piston of two pistons of said dual piston valve and blocks fluid from flowing into a set of outer diameter passageways disposed within said first piston; and a blow-off valve positioned within said first piston, wherein said blow-off valve comprises a set of channels configured for receiving fluid that is blocked from said flowing into said set of outer diameter passageways, wherein said diameter of said set of channels is less than a diameter of said set of outer diameter passageways.

16 . The shock absorber of claim 15 , wherein said first, second, third, fourth and fifth pathway are different from each other.

17 . The shock absorber of claim 14 , further comprising:
a first piston; and a second piston into which said first piston is threaded, wherein said first and second piston each comprises at least a portion of said first, second, third, fourth and fifth pathways.

18 . The shock absorber of claim 11 , further comprising:
a dual piston valve comprising a first piston and a second piston, wherein said first and second piston each comprises at least a portion of said first, second, third and fourth pathways; and a rebound adjust rod comprising:
a first end and a second end, wherein said second end is tapered such that movement out of and into said dual piston valve adjusts a size of an opening of said first adjustable orifice.

19 . The shock absorb

Assignees

• Fox Factory Inc

Inventors

• Anderson Bryan Wesley

Classifications

• B62K25/08

  for front wheel · CPC title

• F16F9/461

  characterised by actuation means · CPC title

• F16F9/3405 Primary

  Throttling passages in or on piston body, e.g. slots (F16F9/344, F16F9/3481 take precedence) · CPC title

• B62K25/286

  the shock absorber being connected to the chain-stay via a linkage mechanism · CPC title

• B62K2201/08

  Fluid springs · CPC title