Shock absorber with electronic control

• US 7,484,603 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2006
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fox Factory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fox Factory Incorporated
• Inventors: Fox, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US11/532,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20070012531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 871 Days
• Field of Search: 188/275, 188/282.8, 188/322.13, 188/322.14, 188/313, 188/314, 188/315, 188/318, 701/37
• US Class Current: 188/275
• 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: B62K 25/286 the shock absorber being connected to the chain-stay via a linkage mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/064 Units characterised by the location or shape of the expansion chamber F16F9/068, F16F9/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/096 comprising a hydropneumatic accumulator of the membrane type provided on the upper or the lower end of a damper or separately from or laterally on the damper F16F9/088 takes precedence
• 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 9/466 Throttling control, i.e. regulation of flow passage geometry F16F9/464, F16F9/465 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/504 Inertia , i.e. acceleration,-sensitive means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/494 Fluidic or fluid actuated device making

Abstract

A damper including a valve movable between an open position and a closed position to selectively alter the compression damping rate of the shock absorber. The valve may be responsive to a vertical acceleration sensor.

Claims

1. A damper, comprising:

a tube at least partially filled with hydraulic fluid;

a piston in sealed, sliding engagement with the tube and dividing the tube into a compression chamber and a rebound chamber;

a piston rod coupled to the piston, wherein at least a portion of the piston rod is relatively movable into the tube during compression of the damper, thereby displacing a corresponding volume of the hydraulic fluid from the tube;

an opening in fluid communication with the compression chamber;

a reservoir chamber at least partially filled with the hydraulic fluid; and

an inertia valve comprising;

an inertia mass;

moveable;

to an open position where the inertia mass exposes the opening to the reservoir chamber, thereby providing fluid communication between the compression and reservoir chambers in response to acceleration of the damper in a first direction,

to a closed position where the inertia mass blocks the opening, thereby substantially preventing fluid communication between the compression and reservoir chambers, and

into a pocket when moving from the closed position to the open position, thereby displacing the hydraulic fluid from the pocket;

a biasing member biasing the inertia valve toward the closed position; and

a timer comprising a plate movable to restrict flow of the hydraulic fluid into the pocket, thereby delaying movement of the inertia mass from the open position to the closed position.

2. The damper of claim 1, wherein:

at least a portion of the inertia mass is made from a magnetic material, and

the timer further comprises an EMF generator.

3. The damper of claim 1, wherein the timer is configured to delay for 0.05-5 seconds.

4. The damper of claim 1, wherein the timer is manually variable.

5. The damper of claim 1, wherein acceleration of the damper in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, biases the inertia valve toward the closed position.

6. The damper of claim 1, wherein the first direction is compression of the damper.

7. The damper of claim 1, further comprising a spring biasing the damper toward an extended position.