Methods and apparatus for releasably supporting a vehicle wheel assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9796446-B2
Application number	US-201514605463-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2015
Priority date	May 21, 2008
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

An axle for removably retaining a wheel on a vehicle. The axle includes a rotary-type connector at a first end thereof; a cam assembly operatively connected to the second end, the cam assembly including a cam having an axis of rotation; a lever operatively connected to a second end of the axle, the lever being rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the cam, between an open position in which the axle is removable from and mountable on the vehicle and a closed position in which the axle is retained on the vehicle; and a cam assembly operatively connected to the second end; and a lever stop ensuring that an angle of maximum rotation for the lever from the closed position is less than 180 degrees.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. A method for installing an axle on a suspension fork of a vehicle, said method comprising:
inserting an axle through a first fork leg and into a second fork leg;
inserting an axle nut into said second fork leg;
engaging a thread of said axle with a mating thread of said axle nut;
rotating said axle while automatically maintaining clearance between a lever of said axle and said first fork leg, wherein said lever is operatively connected to a second end of said axle, said lever being rotatable about an axis substantially parallel said axis of rotation of a cam, between an open position in which said axle is removable from and mountable on said vehicle and a closed position in which said axle is retained on said vehicle, wherein said lever has a closed position in which a substantial portion of said lever occupies a position relative to an adjacent vehicle component such that a portion less than a whole of said lever protrudes laterally from said vehicle;
making said thread up into said mating thread until a flange of said axle is proximate a surface of said first fork leg; and
moving said lever to a closed position whereby said flange is brought into engagement with said surface of said fork leg so that said axle is releasably mounted to said fork.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
fixing said axle nut within said second fork leg before engaging a thread of said axle with a mating thread of said axle nut.

3. A vehicle suspension of a vehicle, said vehicle suspension comprising:
a cylinder of a suspension fork having a cylinder surface;
an axle for removably retaining a wheel on said vehicle, the axle having a longitudinal axis;
a rotary-type connector at a first end of said axle;
a cam assembly operatively connected to a second end of said axle, said cam assembly including a cam having an axis of rotation;
a lever operatively connected to said second end of said axle, said lever being rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to said axis of rotation of said cam, between an open position in which said axle is removable from and mountable on said vehicle and a closed position in which said axle is retained on said vehicle; and
a lever stop ensuring that an angle of maximum rotation for said lever is limited to ensure that said lever, in said open position, does not substantially interfere with said cylinder of said suspension fork when said axle is rotated.

4. The vehicle suspension of claim 3 , wherein said lever stop is integral with said lever.

5. The vehicle suspension of claim 3 , wherein said lever stop is integral with said cam assembly.

6. The vehicle suspension of claim 3 , wherein said lever stop is integral in parts with said lever and said cam assembly.

7. The vehicle suspension of claim 3 , wherein said angle of maximum rotation is between a range of 120 degrees and 165 degrees.

8. The vehicle suspension of claim 3 , wherein said vehicle is a bicycle.

9. A bicycle suspension structure, said structure comprising:
A first leg member and a second leg member configured for supporting a wheel hub;
An axle engaged with each of the first and second leg members;
A lever mounted on a first end of the axle, and substantially adjacent one of the first and second leg members, wherein the lever moves an axle tightening mechanism between a first lever position corresponding to axle removability relative to at least one of the first and second leg members and a second lever position corresponding to axle tightness relative to the at least one of the first and second leg members;
wherein in the second lever position a substantial portion of said lever occupies a position relative to the adjacent leg member such that a portion substantially less than a whole of said lever protrudes in a direction corresponding to the direction of the axis of the axle, beyond said leg member; and
a lever stop configured to ensure that an angle of maximum lever movement between the second lever position and the first lever position is limited to ensure that said lever, when in the first lever position, does not substantially interfere with said adjacent leg member when said axle is rotated.

10. An axle for retaining a wheel on a vehicle, said axle comprising:
a first end having a rotary-type connector portion;
a second end having a cam assembly operatively connected thereto, said cam assembly including a cam having a cam axis of rotation;
a lever operatively connected to said cam assembly and rotationally connected to the rotary-type connector such that torsion may be applied to the rotary-type connector by rotation of the lever about a longitudinal axle axis of the axle, said lever and axle being rotatable about the longitudinal axle axis, and said lever rotatable to operate the cam about the cam axis, said lever rotatable between a first position in which said axle is removable from said vehicle and a second position in which said axle is retained on said vehicle, wherein said second end is configured such that when said lever is in said second position a substantial portion of said lever occupies a position inside an outer bound line of an adjacent vehicle component; and
a lever stop ensuring that, when the lever is rotationally connected to the rotary-type connector, an angle of maximum rotation for said lever from said second position is less than 180 degrees.

11. The axle of claim 10 , wherein said lever is configured such that a rotation of said lever about said longitudinal axis of said axle causes engagement or disengagement of said rotary-type connector with a component part of said vehicle, and wherein said angle of maximum rotation is such that said lever is rotatable about said longitudinal axis substantially unimpeded by an adjacent part of said vehicle.

12. The axle of claim 11 , wherein the vehicle is a bicycle.

13. The axle of claim 12 , wherein the vehicle component is a bicycle fork.

14. The axle of claim 10 , where the rotary-type connector is a screw thread.

Assignees

• Fox Factory Inc

Inventors

• Laird Andrew
• Galasso Mario
• Becker William M
• Haugen David M

Classifications

• Y10T29/49963

  Threaded fastener · CPC title

• Y10T29/49948

  Multipart cooperating fastener [e.g., bolt and nut] · CPC title

• Y10T29/49622

  Vehicular structural member making · CPC title

• B62K2206/00

  Quick release mechanisms adapted for cycles · CPC title

• B62K25/02 Primary

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