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

• US 7,703,585 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2002
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• 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:
  US10/237,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20030234144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,791 Days
• Field of Search: 267/64.26, 267/64.11, 267/64.28, 188/278, 188/322.13, 188/322.2, 188/299.1, 188/322.14
• 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. A suspension unit operable between a compressed position and an extended position, comprising:

a first chamber filled with gas;

a second chamber filled with gas, the second chamber gas biasing the suspension unit toward the extended position; and

a valve assembly, comprising;

a valve member operable between;

an open position where the valve assembly provides open fluid communication between the gas chambers such that volumes of the chambers are effectively combined during compression of the suspension unit, and

a closed position where the valve assembly prevents gas flow from the second chamber to the first chamber; and

a first externally accessible controller operably coupled to the valve member,

wherein the valve member is operable from the closed position to the open position in response to operation of the controller;

a compression chamber at least substantially filled with damping fluid;

a rebound chamber at least substantially filled with the damping fluid;

a damping piston operable to dampen flow of the damping fluid between the compression chamber and the rebound chamber in response to movement of the suspension unit between the positions; and

an adjuster assembly, comprising;

a second externally accessible and hand operable controller operably coupled to an adjuster member; and

the adjuster member operable to vary a damping rate of the damping piston.

2. The suspension unit of claim 1, wherein the first chamber is a fixed volume chamber and the second chamber is variable volume chamber.

3. The suspension unit of claim 1, wherein the valve member is further operable from the closed position to the open position in response to pressure in the first chamber exceeding pressure in the second chamber.

4. The suspension unit of claim 1, wherein the first controller is hand operable.

5. The suspension unit of claim 4, wherein the first controller comprises an external lever.

6. The suspension unit of claim 4, wherein:

the valve member is a ball,

the valve assembly further comprises;

a seal; and

a spring biasing the ball toward the seal, and

the ball seats on the seal in the closed position.

7. The suspension unit of claim 6, wherein the valve assembly further comprises a cam shaft operable between a first position and a second position by operation of the first controller, wherein the cam shaft:

maintains the ball away from the seal in the first position, and

allows the ball to seat on the seal in the second position.

8. The suspension unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a gas cylinder having a wall and a longitudinal bore formed by the wall; and

a partition;

disposed in the gas cylinder,

longitudinally coupled to the gas cylinder, and

dividing the gas cylinder bore into the first and second chambers.

9. The suspension unit of claim 8, further comprising a damping cylinder:

having a wall and a longitudinal bore formed by the wall,

at least partially disposed in the gas cylinder, and

longitudinally movable relative to the gas cylinder.

10. The suspension unit of claim 9, further comprising a seal head:

disposed in the gas cylinder,

longitudinally coupled to the damping cylinder,

isolating the gas cylinder bore from the damping cylinder bore, and

exposed to the second gas chamber.

11. The suspension unit of claim 10, wherein the damping piston:

is disposed in the damping cylinder bore, and

divides the damping cylinder bore into the compression chamber and the rebound chamber.

12. The suspension unit of claim 11, further comprising a shaft:

longitudinally coupled to the gas cylinder and the damping piston, and

extending through the seal head and the partition.

13. The suspension unit of claim 12, wherein the valve member is disposed between the shaft and the gas cylinder wall.

14. The suspension unit of claim 12, wherein the valve member is disposed in the shaft.

15. The suspension unit of claim 10, further comprising a third chamber filled with gas, wherein:

the third chamber gas biases the suspension unit toward the compressed position when the suspension unit is in the extended position,

the third chamber is formed between the gas cylinder and the damping cylinder, and

the seal head substantially isolates the third chamber from the second chamber.

16. A suspension unit operable between a compressed position and an extended position, comprising:

a first chamber filled with gas;

a second chamber filled with gas, the second chamber gas biasing the suspension unit toward the extended position; and

a valve assembly, comprising;

a valve member operable between;

an open position where the valve assembly provides fluid communication between the gas chambers, and

a closed position where the valve assembly prevents gas flow from the second chamber to the first chamber; and

a first externally accessible controller operably coupled to the valve member,

wherein the valve member is operable from the closed position to the open position in response to operation of the controller;

a compression chamber at least substantially filled with damping fluid;

a rebound chamber at least substantially filled with the damping fluid;

a damping piston operable to dampen flow of the damping fluid between the compression chamber and the rebound chamber in response to movement of the suspension unit between the positions; and

an adjuster assembly, comprising

a second externally accessible and hand operable controller operably coupled to an adjuster member; and

the adjuster member operable to vary a damping rate of the damping piston.

17. A suspension unit operable between a compressed position and an extended position, comprising:

a first chamber filled with gas;

a second chamber filled with gas, the second chamber gas biasing the suspension unit toward the extended position; and

a valve assembly, comprising;

a valve member operable between;

an open position where the valve assembly provides fluid communication between the gas chambers, and

a closed position where the valve assembly prevents gas flow from the second chamber to the first chamber; and

a first externally accessible controller operably coupled to the valve member,

wherein the valve member is operable from the closed position to the open position in response to operation of the controller;

a gas cylinder having a wall and a longitudinal bore formed by the wall; and

a partition;

disposed in the gas cylinder,

longitudinally coupled to the gas cylinder, and

dividing the gas cylinder bore into the first and second chambers,

a damping cylinder;

having a wall and a longitudinal bore formed by the wall,

at least partially disposed in the gas cylinder, and

longitudinally movable relative to the gas cylinder;

a seal head;

disposed in the gas cylinder,

longitudinally coupled to the damping cylinder,

isolating the gas cylinder bore from the damping cylinder bore, and

exposed to the second gas chamber;

a damping piston;

disposed in the damping cylinder bore,

dividing the damping cylinder bore into a compression chamber and a rebound chamber, and

operable to dampen flow of damping fluid between the compression chamber and the rebound chamber in response to relative longitudinal movement between the cylinders;

a shaft;

longitudinally coupled to the gas cylinder and the damping piston, and

extending through the seal head and the partition.

18. The suspension unit of claim 17, wherein the valve member is disposed in the shaft.

19. The suspension unit of claim 17, wherein the valve member is disposed between the shaft and the gas cylinder wall.

20. A suspension unit operable between a compressed position and an extended position, comprising:

a first chamber filled with gas;

a second chamber filled with gas, the second chamber gas biasing the suspension unit toward the extended position; and

a valve assembly, comprising;

a valve member operable between;

an open position where the valve assembly provides open fluid communication between the gas chambers such that volumes of the chambers are effectively combined during compression of the suspension unit, and

a closed position where the valve assembly prevents gas flow from the second chamber to the first chamber; and

a first externally accessible controller operably coupled to the valve member,

wherein the valve member is operable from the closed position to the open position in response to operation of the controller;

a gas cylinder having a wall and a longitudinal bore formed by the wall; and

a partition;

disposed in the gas cylinder,

longitudinally coupled to the gas cylinder, and

dividing the gas cylinder bore into the first and second chambers,

a damping cylinder;

having a wall and a longitudinal bore formed by the wall,

at least partially disposed in the gas cylinder, and

longitudinally movable relative to the gas cylinder;

a seal head;

disposed in the gas cylinder,

longitudinally coupled to the damping cylinder,

isolating the gas cylinder bore from the damping cylinder bore, and

exposed to the second gas chamber;

a damping piston;

disposed in the damping cylinder bore,

dividing the damping cylinder bore into a compression chamber and a rebound chamber, and

operable to dampen flow of damping fluid between the compression chamber and the rebound chamber in response to relative longitudinal movement between the cylinders;

a shaft;

longitudinally coupled to the gas cylinder and the damping piston, and

extending through the seal head and the partition.

21. The suspension unit of claim 20, wherein the valve member is disposed in the shaft.

22. The suspension unit of claim 20, wherein the valve member is disposed between the shaft and the gas cylinder wall.