METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVE SPRING PRE-LOAD ADJUSTMENT

• US 20100252972A1
• Filed: 03/19/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fox Factory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fox Factory Incorporated
• Inventors: Cox, Christopher Paul, Erickson, Everet Owen, Marquez, Michael David
• Granted Patent: US 9,140,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 267/218
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/14 having helical, spiral or coil springs only B60G11/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 15/063 characterised by the mounting of the spring on the damper B60G15/065, B60G15/066 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/021 the mechanical spring being a coil spring B60G17/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1242 on a damper, e.g. MacPerson strut
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/61 Adjustable during maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/30 Height or ground clearance
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/04 Means for informing, instructing or displaying
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/121 adjustable, e.g. to modify spring characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2228/08 pre-stressed
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/3264 Arrangements for indicating, e.g. fluid level; Arrangements for checking dampers F16F9/3292 takes precedence; testing of vehicle damping G01M17/04
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/56 Means for adjusting the length of, or for locking, the spring or damper, e.g. at the end of the stroke F16F9/50 takes precedence; for telescopic gas springs or dampers F16F9/0245; vehicle suspension locking arrangements B60G17/005

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a suspension comprising a spring having a threaded member at a first end for providing axial movement to the spring as the spring is rotated and the threaded member moves relative to a second component. In one embodiment, the system includes a damper for metering fluid through a piston and a rotatable spring member coaxially disposed around the damper and rotatable relative to the damper.

Claims

1. A vehicle suspension comprising:

a spring having a threaded member at a first end providing axial movement to the first end as the spring is rotated and the threaded member moves relative to a threaded portion of a second component.

2. The suspension of claim 1, wherein the spring is axially constrained at a second end relative to at least a portion of the second component.

3. The suspension of claim 2, wherein the threaded member is a follower nut rotationally indexed to the first end of the spring and rotatable therewith.

4. The suspension of claim 3, wherein the follower nut is rotationally fixable in a predetermined axial position relative to the second component to which it is threaded.

5. The suspension of claim 4, whereby rotatable fixing is provided with a clamp, the clamp circumferentially constraining the follower nut.

6. A suspension system with a user-adjustable spring member, the system comprising:

a cylindrical body;

a rotatable spring member coaxially disposed around the body, the spring member rotatable relative to the body; and

a follower nut disposed in threaded engagement with a threaded portion of the body and abutting a first end of the spring and rotationally indexed with the spring.

7. The suspension system of claim 6, wherein the follower nut is constructed and arranged to affect compression of the spring while translating axially along the threaded portion.

8. The system of claim 7, further including a clamp, the clamp constraining the follower nut in a rotational position corresponding to a desired amount of spring compression.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the follower nut includes a pin member extending towards and indexing with an axial end of the spring member, whereby said indexing causes the spring and follower nut to rotate together.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the spring and follower nut rotates as the other of the spring and follower nut is manually rotated.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the axial position of the nut is indicated relative to an adjacent component of the suspension system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the adjacent component is a reservoir operable with a damper.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein one of the clamp and adjacent member has an indicator and one of the clamp and adjacent member has a scale, the indictor and scale operable to indicate the amount of spring compression.

14. A method for adjusting a vehicle suspension comprising:

freeing a spring adjustment nut so that it is rotatable relative to a body of a suspension component;

rotating a spring about the suspension body and thereby rotating the nut; and

restraining the nut from rotation about the suspension body.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the nut is freed by loosening a clamp that retains the nut in a rotational position relative to the body.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein rotation of the nut is due to an engagement between the nut and the spring.

17. The method of claim 14, further including the step of determining an amount of rotation on an indicator and an adjacent scale.

18. An adjustment apparatus for a motorcycle shock absorber, comprising:

a spring adjustment nut abutting a compression spring of a rear shock where rotation of the nut affects the amount of compression in the spring;

a clamp substantially circumscribing the rotatable nut and comprising a fastener; and

an engagement member between the nut and spring rotationally fixing the nut and the spring in at least one rotational direction.

20. The adjustment apparatus of claim 18, further including an indicator for indicating an amount of spring compression.

21. The adjustment apparatus of claim 18, wherein the fastener and the spring are at least partially accessible by a user of the motorcycle.

19. The adjustment apparatus of claim 19, wherein the nut is in a threaded relationship with a second component and axially movable relative thereto.