Bypass for a suspension damper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9616728-B2
Application number	US-201514831081-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2015
Priority date	Jan 7, 2009
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle suspension damper comprises a cylinder and a piston assembly including a damping piston along with working fluid within the cylinder. A bypass permits fluid to avoid dampening resistance of the damping piston. A fluid path through the bypass is controlled by a valve that is shifted by a piston surface when the contents of at least one predetermined volume is injected against the piston surface which acts upon the valve. In one embodiment, the bypass is remotely operable.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A vehicle suspension damper comprising:
a cylinder containing a fluid and a damping piston operable to travel within the fluid in the cylinder, said vehicle suspension damper further including a passageway through the damping piston and limiting a flow rate of the fluid through the damping piston in at least one direction;
a bypass pathway in fluid communication with the cylinder between a first and second side of the damping piston;
a valve for controlling a flow of the fluid through the bypass pathway, the valve including a piston surface biasing the valve towards a closed position when displaced;
and at least one predetermined fluid volume in selective communication with the piston surface for causing displacement; wherein the valve is remotely controllable.

2. The damper of claim 1 , wherein the valve is disposed adjacent the bypass pathway and is closed when a movable member obstructs a flow path between the cylinder and bypass pathway and is open when the movable member permits flow.

3. The damper of claim 2 , wherein the valve further comprises a locked-out position.

4. The damper of claim 2 , wherein dampening is increased when the valve is closed and decreased when the valve is open.

5. The damper of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined fluid volume is injectable into the valve to displace the piston surface.

6. The damper of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined fluid volume comprises:
a valve operating cylinder.

7. The damper of claim 6 , wherein the valve operating cylinder includes a piston and rod that are operable to cause the fluid in the cylinder to be injected into the valve against the piston surface.

8. The damper of claim 7 , wherein the fluid is returnable to the cylinder, thereby removing a biasing effect on the valve towards the closed position.

9. The damper of claim 8 , wherein contents of the valve operating cylinder cause the piston surface to be displaced a first distance.

10. The damper of claim 1 , wherein said valve is remotely controllable via a valve control cylinder.

11. The damper of claim 10 , wherein the valve control cylinder is solenoid-operated.

12. The damper of claim 1 , further comprising a manually operable switch having at least two positions.

13. The damper of claim 12 , wherein the manually operable switch is located in a passenger compartment of a vehicle.

14. The damper of claim 1 , further including a load transducer for sensing piston rod force created by a damper piston rod.

15. The damper of claim 1 , further comprising a transducer arranged to measure an angle associated with a steering wheel of a vehicle.

16. The damper of claim 1 , wherein the valve is a one way valve arranged to permit fluid flow in a single direction.

Assignees

• Fox Factory Inc

Inventors

• Marking John

Classifications

• B60G17/08 Primary

  Characteristics of fluid dampers (adjusting fluid dampers in general F16F9/44 - F16F9/53) · CPC title

• F16F9/468

  controlling at least one bypass to main flow path · CPC title

• F16F9/46 Primary

  allowing control from a distance {, i.e. location of means for control input being remote from site of valves, e.g. on damper external wall (attachment of valve units to cylinders F16F9/325)} · CPC title

• F16F9/461

  characterised by actuation means · CPC title

• F16F9/19

  with a single cylinder {and of single-tube type} · CPC title