Integrated and self-contained suspension assembly having an on-the-fly adjustable air spring

• US 7,641,028 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fox Factory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fox Factory Incorporated
• Inventors: Fox, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, XUAN LAN T
• Application Number:
  US11/612,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20080179795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 188/278, 188/322.13, 188/322.14, 188/322.2, 188/299.1, 267/64.11, 267/64.26, 267/64.28
• US Class Current: 188/299.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 15/12 and fluid damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0523 Regulating distributors or valves for pneumatic springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/12 Cycles; Motorcycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/20 Spring action or springs
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2025/048 with suspension manual adjustment details
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2201/08 Fluid springs
• 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: F16F 13/002 comprising at least one fluid spring F16F13/005, F16F13/02, F16F13/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2228/066 Variable stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/0209 Telescopic F16F9/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/0236 characterised by having a hollow piston rod
• 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 9/3257 in twin-tube type devices
• 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: F16F 9/461 characterised by actuation means

Abstract

An integrated and self-contained suspension assembly having a gas spring integrated with a shock absorber (damper) is described. The rigid gas cylinder of the air spring is divided into a first gas chamber and a second gas chamber. A flow port connects the first and second gas chambers, and can be manually opened or closed by valve and a simple one-quarter turn rotation of an external knob to instantly switch the gas spring between two different spring rates. The different spring rates are functions of the separate or combined volumes of the two gas chambers. The integrated suspension assembly is compactly packaged and self-contained, i.e., does not require any externalities, such as gas sources or electricity, to operate.

Claims

1. An integrated and self-contained suspension unit for a vehicle comprising:

a gas spring unit comprising a rigid gas cylinder having at least one open end and an inner surface;

a damper assembly comprising;

a damping cylinder containing damping fluid and having a damping rate, the damping cylinder having first and second damping cylinder ends, wherein the first end of the damping fluid cylinder is telescopically housed within the gas cylinder;

a seal head, the seal head at least partially associated with the damping cylinder;

a sliding seal secured to an outer portion of the seal head and slidably engageable with the inner surface of the gas cylinder and creating a variable-volume sealed gas chamber within the gas cylinder;

a quantity of gas contained within the sealed gas chamber;

a partition within the gas cylinder and dividing the gas chamber into a first gas chamber and a second gas chamber;

a flow port within the gas cylinder and capable of providing gas flow communication from the first gas chamber to the second gas chamber;

an externally-adjustable valve mechanism associated with the flow port and having at least an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position gas flow communication from the first gas chamber to the second gas chamber is prevented;

a manual adjuster located on an exterior portion of the integrated suspension unit, the adjuster permitting selective manual adjustment of the valve mechanism between the open position and the closed position in an on-the-fly manner during operation of the vehicle;

wherein;

a) when the valve mechanism is in the open position, the first and second gas chambers are in gas flow communication and contribute to a first discrete gas spring rate that is a function of at least the combined volume of the first and second gas chambers; and

b) when the valve mechanism is in the closed position and the pressure in the second gas chamber does not exceed a predetermined value, the first and second gas chambers are not in gas flow communication and contribute to a second discrete gas spring rate that is not a function of the volume of the second chamber;

a first eyelet for attaching the integrated and self-contained suspension assembly to one of the sprung or un-sprung masses of the two-wheeled vehicle; and

a second eyelet for attaching the integrated and self-contained suspension assembly to the other of the sprung or un-sprung masses of the two-wheeled vehicle; and

wherein substantially the entire integrated and self-contained suspension assembly is positioned between the first and second eyelets.

2. The integrated and self-contained suspension assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the valve mechanism includes a check valve positioned between the first and second chambers and biased towards the closed position by a sealing force; and

when the gas pressure in the second gas chamber exceeds the sum of the gas pressure in the first gas chamber and the sealing force of the check valve, the check valve allows gas flow.

3. The integrated and self-contained suspension assembly of claim 1, wherein:

a) the first discrete spring rate results in the gas pressure in the gas spring reaching a specified value during a first travel distance of the suspension assembly;

b) the second discrete spring rate results in the gas pressure in the gas spring reaching the specified value during a second travel distance of the suspension assembly; and

c) the first travel distance is greater than the second travel distance.

4. The integrated and self-contained suspension assembly of claim 1, wherein the damper assembly further comprises:

a damper shaft;

a damping adjuster rod capable of controlling the damping rates and located inside the damper shaft.

5. The integrated and self-contained suspension assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the gas spring is divided into separate positive and negative gas springs; and

the first and second gas chambers form the positive gas spring.

6. The integrated and self-contained suspension assembly of claim 1, wherein the damper assembly further comprises:

a damping piston having at least one orifice there through;

a damper shaft;

the damper shaft having a first end protruding from an end of the damping cylinder and extending into the gas cylinder and a second end supporting the damping piston; and

the damping rate of the damper assembly portion of the integrated and self-contained suspension unit being a function of the degree of resistance to damping fluid flow through the at least one orifice.

7. An integrated and self-contained suspension unit for a two-wheeled vehicle comprising a gas spring unit including a rigid gas cylinder having at least one open end and an inner surface;

a damper assembly including;

a damping cylinder containing damping fluid and having a damping rate, the damping cylinder having first and second damping cylinder ends, wherein the first end of the damping fluid cylinder is telescopically housed within the gas cylinder;

a damper shaft; and

a damping adjuster rod cable of controlling the damping rate and located inside the damper shaft;

a seal head, the seal head at least partially associated with the damping cylinder;

a sliding seal secured to an outer portion of the seal head and slidably engageable with the inner surface of the gas cylinder and creating a variable-volume sealed first gas chamber within the gas cylinder;

a quantity of gas contained within the sealed gas chamber;

a second gas chamber in gas flow communication with the first gas chamber;

a flow port for controlling gas flow communication from the first gas chamber to the second gas chamber;

an externally-adjustable valve mechanism associated with the flow port and having at least an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position gas flow communication from the first gas chamber to the second gas chamber is prevented;

a manual adjuster located on an exterior portion of the integrated suspension unit, the adjuster permitting selective manual adjustment of the valve mechanism between the open position and the closed position in an on-the-fly manner during operation of the two-wheeled vehicle;

and wherein;

a) when the valve mechanism is in the open position, the first and second gas chambers are in gas flow communication and contribute to a first discrete gas spring rate that is a function of at least the combined volume of the first and second gas chambers; and

b) when the valve mechanism is in the closed position, the first and second gas chambers are not in gas flow communication and contribute to a second discrete gas spring rate that is not a function of the volume of the second chamber.

8. The integrated and self-contained suspension assembly of claim 7, wherein:

a) the first discrete spring rate results in the gas pressure in the gas spring reaching a specified value during a first travel distance of the suspension assembly;

b) the second discrete spring rate results in the gas pressure in the gas spring reaching the specified value during a second travel distance of the suspension assembly; and

c) the first travel distance is greater than the second travel distance.

9. An integrated and self-contained suspension unit for a vehicle comprising:

a gas spring unit comprising a rigid gas cylinder having at least one open end and an inner surface;

a damper assembly comprising;

a damping cylinder containing damping fluid and having a damping rate, the damping cylinder having first and second damping cylinder ends, wherein the first end of the damping fluid cylinder is telescopically housed within the gas cylinder;

a damper shaft; and

a damping adjuster rod capable of controlling the damping rate and located inside the damper shaft;

a seal head, the seal head at least partially associated with the damping cylinder;

a sliding seal secured to an outer portion of the seal head and slidably engageable with the inner surface of the gas cylinder and creating a variable-volume sealed gas chamber within the gas cylinder;

a quantity of gas contained within the sealed gas chamber;

a partition within the gas cylinder and dividing the gas chamber into a first gas chamber and a second gas chamber;

a flow port within the gas cylinder and capable of providing gas flow communication from the first gas chamber to the second gas chamber;

an externally-adjustable valve mechanism associated with the flow port and having at least an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position gas flow communication from the first gas chamber to the second gas chamber is prevented;

a manual adjuster located on an exterior portion of the integrated suspension unit, the adjuster permitting selective manual adjustment of the valve mechanism between the open position and the closed position in an on-the-fly manner during operation of the vehicle;

wherein;

a) when the valve mechanism is in the open position, the first and second gas chambers are in gas flow communication and contribute to a first discrete gas spring rate that is a function of at least the combined volume of the first and second gas chambers; and

b) when the valve mechanism is in the closed position and the pressure in the second gas chamber does not exceed a predetermined value, the first and second gas chambers are not in gas flow communication and contribute to a second discrete gas spring rate that is not a function of the volume of the second chamber.

10. An integrated and self-contained suspension unit for a vehicle comprising:

a gas spring unit comprising a rigid gas cylinder having at least one open end and an inner surface;

a damper assembly comprising;

a damping cylinder containing damping fluid and having a damping rate, the damping cylinder having first and second damping cylinder ends, wherein the first end of the damping fluid cylinder is telescopically housed within the gas cylinder;

a damping piston having at least one orifice there through;

a damper shaft having a first end protruding from an end of the damping cylinder and extending into the gas cylinder and a second end supporting the damping piston; and

the damping rate of the damper assembly portion of the integrated and self-contained suspension unit being a function of the degree of resistance to damping fluid flow through the at least one orifice a seal head, the seal head at least partially associated with the damping cylinder;

a sliding seal secured to an outer portion of the seal head and slidably engageable with the inner surface of the gas cylinder and creating a variable-volume sealed gas chamber within the gas cylinder;

a quantity of gas contained within the sealed gas chamber;

a partition within the gas cylinder and dividing the gas chamber into a first gas chamber and a second gas chamber

a flow port within the gas cylinder and capable of providing gas flow communication from the first gas chamber to the second gas chamber;

an externally-adjustable valve mechanism associated with the flow port and having at least an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position gas flow communication from the first gas chamber to the second gas chamber is prevented;

a manual adjuster located on an exterior portion of the integrated suspension unit, the adjuster permitting selective manual adjustment of the valve mechanism between the open position and the closed position in an on-the-fly manner during operation of the vehicle;

wherein;

a) when the valve mechanism is in the open position, the first and second gas chambers are in gas flow communication and contribute to a first discrete gas spring rate that is a function of at least the combined volume of the first and second gas chambers; and

b) when the valve mechanism is in the closed position and the pressure in the second gas chamber does not exceed a predetermined value, the first and second gas chambers are not in gas flow communication and contribute to a second discrete gas spring rate that is not a function of the volume of the second chamber.