Gas spring with travel control

• US 10,132,379 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2016
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fox Factory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fox Factory Incorporated
• Inventors: Franklin, Joseph, Fox, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Siconolfi, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aung, San M
• Application Number:
  US15/237,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20160348747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 188313, 188269, 188287, 18832219, 188315, 267123, 267124, 267132, 267137, 267118, 267269, 267 6418, 267 6422, 267 6446, 251900
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/27 wherein the fluid is a gas
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2025/048 with suspension manual adjustment details
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/04 for mounting axles resiliently on cycle frame or fork for sidecars, forecars or the like B62K27/06
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/08 for front wheel
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2238/02 Springs
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/0209 Telescopic F16F9/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/0245 Means for adjusting the length of, or for locking, the spring or dampers
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/0281 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/06 using both gas and liquid F16F9/486 take precedence; self-pumping fluid springs B60G17/044
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/34 Special valve constructions F16F9/44, F16F9/50 take precedence; filtering details F16F9/3285 ; valves in general F16K; Shape or construction of throttling passages
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/3415 characterised by comprising plastics, elastomeric or porous elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/46 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 Class Codes: F16K 15/044 spring-loaded
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86493 Multi-way valve unit

Abstract

In one embodiment, a gas spring having a travel control includes positive and negative chambers and a valve mechanism that controls the fluid communication between the chambers. The valve mechanism includes a valve bore that while only moving a small amount, allows for large changes in gas spring travel length.

Claims

1. A gas spring suspension comprising:

an internal gas chamber;

a valve rod disposed within said internal gas chamber, said valve rod further comprising;

an internal fluid path; and

at least through hole formed in said valve rod, said through hole configured to enable fluid communication between said internal gas chamber and said internal fluid path of said valve rod;

a moveable piston assembly disposed within said internal gas chamber, said moveable piston assembly dividing said internal gas chamber into a first variable volume gas chamber and a second variable volume gas chamber, said moveable piston assembly configured to move with respect to said valve rod; and

an adjuster disposed external to said internal gas chamber, said adjuster coupled to said valve rod and configured to adjust a location of said through hole within said internal gas chamber, said location of said through hole within said internal gas chamber corresponding to a travel mode for said gas spring suspension such that differing positions of said through hole within said internal gas chamber correspond to different travel modes for said gas spring suspension.

2. The gas spring suspension of claim 1 further comprising:

a first check valve disposed on a first end of said valve rod; and

a second check valve disposed on a second end of said valve rod, said first and second check valves configured to prevent fluid from entering said internal fluid path of said valve rod, said first and second check valves further configured to allow fluid to exit from said internal fluid path of said valve rod when a pressure of fluid flowing through internal fluid path is large enough to open either of said first and second check valves.

3. The gas spring suspension of claim 1 wherein said at least one through hole is depressed radial through hole.

4. The gas spring suspension of claim 1 wherein said adjuster is a rotatable knob.

5. The gas spring suspension of claim 4 wherein said rotatable knob is continuously adjustable between various travel modes of said gas spring suspension.

6. The gas spring suspension of claim 4 wherein said rotatable knob has a plurality of discretely adjustable positions corresponding to various travel modes of said gas spring suspension.

7. The gas spring suspension of claim 1 wherein said moveable piston assembly further comprises:

a main piston body;

a collar portion; and

a vent.

8. The gas spring suspension of claim 7 wherein said main piston body further comprises:

a bore in the center of said main piston body, said bore for receiving said valve rod therein; and

a seal disposed with said bore of said main piston body, said seal configured to provide a fluidic seal between said main piston body and said valve rod.

9. The gas spring suspension of claim 8 wherein said seal has a thickness which is less than the length of said at least one through hole.

10. The gas spring suspension of claim 7 wherein said main piston body further comprises:

an upper surface; and

a lower surface, wherein said lower surface has a smaller surface area than said upper surface.

11. A gas spring suspension comprising:

an internal gas chamber;

a valve rod assembly disposed within said internal gas chamber, said valve rod assembly further comprising;

an outer valve rod having a hollow interior; and

a valve control assembly disposed within said outer valve rod, said valve control assembly including an inner valve rod, said inner valve rod having at least one valve rod bore formed therethrough, said inner valve rod longitudinally moveable with respect to said outer valve rod, said inner valve rod enclosing a fluid path; and

a moveable piston assembly disposed within said internal gas chamber, said moveable piston assembly dividing said internal gas chamber into a first variable volume gas chamber and a second variable volume gas chamber, said moveable piston assembly configured to move with respect to said valve rod assembly; and

an adjuster disposed external to said internal gas chamber, said adjuster coupled to said inner valve rod and configured to longitudinally adjust a position of said inner valve rod with respect to said outer valve rod, said position of said inner valve rod with respect to said outer valve rod corresponding to a travel mode for said gas spring suspension such that differing positions of said inner valve rod with respect to said outer valve rod correspond to different travel modes for said gas spring suspension.

12. The gas spring suspension of claim 11 wherein said valve control assembly further comprises:

a plurality of valve tubes, each of said plurality of valve tubes having at least one through bore formed therethrough;

a valve ring.

13. The gas spring suspension of claim 11 wherein said inner valve rod and said outer valve rod define a gas gap therebetween, said gas gap providing a fluid venting passageway from said valve rod assembly to said fluid path.

14. The gas spring suspension of claim 11 wherein said adjuster is a rotatable knob.

15. The gas spring suspension of claim 14 wherein said rotatable knob is continuously adjustable between various travel modes of said gas spring suspension.

16. The gas spring suspension of claim 14 wherein said rotatable knob has a plurality of discretely adjustable positions corresponding to various travel modes of said gas spring suspension.

17. The gas spring suspension of claim 14 wherein all of said plurality of different travel modes can be achieved by less than a full rotation of said rotatable knob.

18. The gas spring suspension of claim 14 wherein all of said plurality of different travel modes can be achieved by approximately a 90 degree rotation of said rotatable knob.