Methods and apparatus for suspension adjustment
First Claim
1. An assembly for adjusting a gas pressure of a shock absorber, said assembly comprising:
- a bracket configured to be removably mounted on a damper body of said shock absorber;
a bleed valve coupled to said bracket, said bleed valve configured to be removably coupled to a fill valve of said shock absorber, said bleed valve for bleeding gas from said shock absorber as said shock absorber is compressed, said bleed valve further configured to be disposed in an initially open position, said bleed valve further comprising;
a plunger, said plunger extending from said bleed valve, said plunger disposed to be depressed when said damper body moves a sufficient distance with respect to another portion of said shock absorber, depression of said plunger closing said bleed valve;
a Schrader type valve including a valve stem; and
a lever arm, said lever arm retaining said valve stem of said Schrader valve in an open position until said plunger is depressed and engages said lever arm thereby causing said lever arm to release said valve stem from said open position;
a holder, said holder configured to hold said bleed valve and retain said bleed valve in a desired position with respect to said shock absorber; and
a sag mode valve configured to override said bleed valve, said sag mode valve having a first position in which said sag mode valve prevents gas from passing through said bleed valve, even when said bleed valve is in said initially open position, said sag mode valve having a second position which allows gas to pass through said bleed valve when said bleed valve is in said initially open position.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A shock absorber includes a gas spring cylinder containing a piston moveable between an extended position and a compressed position within the gas spring cylinder. A mechanical actuator is arranged whereby a bleed port is automatically closed when the gas spring is compressed to a predetermined position corresponding to a desired sag setting. In one embodiment, the position corresponds to a predetermined sag setting whereby the gas spring is partially compressed. In another embodiment, a proper sag setting is determined through the use of a processor and sensor that in one instance measure a position of shock absorber components to dictate a proper sag setting and in another instance calculate a pressure corresponding to a preferred sag setting.
711 Citations
11 Claims
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1. An assembly for adjusting a gas pressure of a shock absorber, said assembly comprising:
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a bracket configured to be removably mounted on a damper body of said shock absorber; a bleed valve coupled to said bracket, said bleed valve configured to be removably coupled to a fill valve of said shock absorber, said bleed valve for bleeding gas from said shock absorber as said shock absorber is compressed, said bleed valve further configured to be disposed in an initially open position, said bleed valve further comprising; a plunger, said plunger extending from said bleed valve, said plunger disposed to be depressed when said damper body moves a sufficient distance with respect to another portion of said shock absorber, depression of said plunger closing said bleed valve; a Schrader type valve including a valve stem; and a lever arm, said lever arm retaining said valve stem of said Schrader valve in an open position until said plunger is depressed and engages said lever arm thereby causing said lever arm to release said valve stem from said open position; a holder, said holder configured to hold said bleed valve and retain said bleed valve in a desired position with respect to said shock absorber; and a sag mode valve configured to override said bleed valve, said sag mode valve having a first position in which said sag mode valve prevents gas from passing through said bleed valve, even when said bleed valve is in said initially open position, said sag mode valve having a second position which allows gas to pass through said bleed valve when said bleed valve is in said initially open position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification