Bicycle rear suspension system linkage
First Claim
1. A rear suspension bicycle, comprising:
- a front triangle;
a rear wheel swingarm;
a first linkage member having a first pivotal connection with the front triangle and a second pivotal connection with the rear wheel swingarm;
a second linkage member having a first pivotal connection with the front triangle and a second pivotal connection with the rear wheel swingarm; and
a shock absorber operatively connected to the front triangle and the rear wheel swingarm and configured to control movement of the rear wheel swingarm relative to the front triangle;
wherein the first pivotal connection of the first linkage member and the second pivotal connection of the first linkage member are separated by a distance of less than 25 mm.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A bicycle rear suspension system includes a main frame and a rear wheel suspension system. The main frame generally comprises a seat tube, a down tube, a top tube, and a head tube. The rear wheel suspension system comprises a first linkage member, a rear wheel swingarm, and a second linkage member. The first linkage member is shorter than 15 mm from its pivotal connection to the main frame and its pivotal connection to the rear wheel swingarm, and changes its direction of rotation as the rear wheel is articulated generally vertically. The rear wheel suspension system allows for a preferential rear wheel axle travel path that provides for increased rates of chainstay lengthening in the first part of the vertical rear wheel travel with a rapid change to reduced chainstay lengthening in the latter part of the vertical rear wheel travel so that the overall change in chainstay length is small relative to the amount of vertical rear wheel travel.
74 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A rear suspension bicycle, comprising:
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a front triangle; a rear wheel swingarm; a first linkage member having a first pivotal connection with the front triangle and a second pivotal connection with the rear wheel swingarm; a second linkage member having a first pivotal connection with the front triangle and a second pivotal connection with the rear wheel swingarm; and a shock absorber operatively connected to the front triangle and the rear wheel swingarm and configured to control movement of the rear wheel swingarm relative to the front triangle; wherein the first pivotal connection of the first linkage member and the second pivotal connection of the first linkage member are separated by a distance of less than 25 mm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A bicycle rear suspension system, comprising:
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a first linkage member configured to make a pivotal connection with a bicycle front triangle and also to make a pivotal connection with a bicycle rear wheel swingarm; a second linkage member configured to make a pivotal connection with the front triangle and also to make a pivotal connection with the rear wheel swingarm; and a shock absorber operatively connected to the front triangle and the rear wheel swingarm and configured to control movement of the rear wheel swingarm relative to the front triangle; wherein as the shock absorber is compressed from a fully uncompressed state toward a fully compressed state, (i) rotation of the linkage members about the pivotal connections causes a rate of change of chainstay length as a function of vertical wheel travel initially to increase and subsequently to decrease, and (ii) the pivotal connection of the first linkage member with the front triangle and the pivotal connection of the first linkage member with the rear swingarm are separated by a distance of less than 25 mm. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A rear suspension bicycle frame, comprising:
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a front frame portion; a rear frame portion configured to receive a rear wheel and joined to the front frame portion by first and second linkage members; a shock absorber operatively connected to the front frame portion and the rear frame portion; wherein as the shock absorber is compressed from a fully uncompressed state toward a fully compressed state, rotation of the linkage members causes a shock rate of the bicycle frame initially to decrease, subsequently to increase, and then again to decrease; and wherein a pivotal connection of the first linkage member with the front frame portion and a pivotal connection of the first linkage member with the rear frame portion are separated by a distance of less than 25 mm. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A rear suspension bicycle, comprising:
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a front wheel; a front frame portion configured to receive the front wheel; a rear wheel; a rear frame portion joined to the front frame portion by first and second linkage members and configured to receive the rear wheel; and a shock absorber operatively connected to the front frame portion and the rear frame portion; wherein a pivotal connection of the first linkage member with the front frame portion and a pivotal connection of the first linkage member with the rear frame portion are separated by a distance of less than 25 mm. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A rear suspension bicycle frame, comprising:
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a front frame portion; a rear frame portion configured to receive a rear wheel and joined to the front frame portion by upper and lower linkage members; and a shock absorber operatively connected to the front frame portion and the rear frame portion; wherein the lower linkage member has a length, defined by a distance between pivotal connections of the first linkage member to the front and rear frame portions, respectively, of less than 20 millimeters; and wherein as the shock absorber is compressed from a fully uncompressed state toward a fully compressed state, rotation of the upper and lower linkage members causes the rear wheel to move in a non-arc travel path relative to the front frame portion. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification