Bicycle fork cartridge assembly
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An off-road bicycle suspension fork includes a pair of fork leg assemblies, each of the leg assemblies having an upper leg telescopingly engaged with a lower leg. A damping assembly is provided in at least one of the legs and includes a cartridge tube connected to the lower leg and a piston connected to the upper tube by a shaft. The piston is telescopingly engaged with the cartridge tube to define a compression chamber below the piston. A control assembly is located at a top portion of the upper leg and is in communication with the compression chamber via a central passage of the shaft. A reservoir is defined between at least a portion of the lower tube and the cartridge. During compression of the suspension fork, fluid flows from the compression chamber, upward through the central passage of the shaft, through the control assembly and to the reservoir.
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Citations
74 Claims
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1-64. -64. (canceled)
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65. A bicycle front fork, comprising:
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a compression fluid chamber configured to decrease in volume during at least a portion of the compression of said fork;
a lock-out valve, said lock-out valve in fluid communication with said compression fluid chamber, and having at least two positions;
wherein;
in a first position, fluid flow from said compression fluid chamber is substantially unrestricted by said lock-out valve, and in a second position, fluid flow from said compression fluid chamber is at least partially blocked by said lock-out valve;
a first external adjuster permitting external adjustment of said lock-out valve between at least said two positions;
a blow-off valve associated with said compression fluid chamber, said blow-off valve allowing flow from said compression fluid chamber in response to the pressure in said chamber being equal to or greater than a threshold pressure; and
a second external adjuster, said second external adjuster permitting external adjustment of said threshold pressure;
whereby adjustments to said threshold pressure may be made without tools.
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66. A method of operating a compressible bicycle fork having lock-out and blow-off features, including the step of adjusting a threshold pressure at which said blow-off feature operates, said adjustment step being performed without tools.
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67. A method of making a compressible bicycle fork, including the steps of:
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a) providing said fork with a lock-out valve;
b) providing said fork with a blow-off valve having a threshold pressure at which said blow-off valve opens and allows fluid flow there through;
c) providing said fork with the ability for its user to make tool-less adjustments of said threshold pressure.
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68. A compressible bicycle fork, comprising:
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first and second telescopingly engaged tubes configured to move closer together during compression of said fork;
an adjustable lock-out valve, said lock-out valve having a plurality of operator-selectable positions, one of said operator-selectable positions of said lock-out valve at least inhibiting said first and second tubes from moving closer together when subjected to a range of compressive forces;
a manually adjustable blow-off valve capable of tool-less adjustment, said blow-off valve allowing said first and second tubes to move closer together in response to a pressure imparted on said valve being equal to or greater than a operator-selectable threshold pressure when said lock-out valve is in its movement inhibiting position;
said threshold pressure exceeding said range of compressive forces. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71)
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72. A compressible bicycle fork, comprising:
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first and second tubes configured to move closer together during the compression of said fork;
a manually adjustable lock-out valve, said lock-out valve having a plurality of operator selectable positions, one of said operator-selectable positions of said lock-out valve at least inhibiting said first and second tubes from moving closer together when subjected to a range of compressive forces;
a manually adjustable blow-off valve capable of tool-less adjustment, said blow-off valve having a plurality of operator-selectable positions, each of said operator-selectable positions of said blow-off valve altering the magnitude of the force that must be imparted on said fork for said first and second tubes to move closer together when said lock-out valve is in its movement inhibiting position. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74)
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Specification