Bicycle fork having lock-out, blow-off, and adjustable blow-off threshold

• US 8,459,418 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fox Factory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fox Factory Incorporated
• Inventors: Becker, William M., Lampman, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Pamela
• Application Number:
  US13/250,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20120018265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 188/322.13, 188/217, 188/281, 188/282.1, 188/282.8, 188/282.9, 188/276, 188/285, 188/297, 188/313, 188/314, 188/316, 188/317, 280/276, 280/279
• US Class Current: 188/314
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/08 Characteristics of fluid dampers adjusting fluid dampers in general F16F9/44 - F16F9/53
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2025/047 with suspension locking means
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2025/048 with suspension manual adjustment details
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/06 with telescopic fork, e.g. including auxiliary rocking arms
• 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 13/007 the damper being a fluid damper
• 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 9/3221 of piston rods
• 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 9/44 Means on or in the damper for manual or non-automatic adjustment; such means combined with temperature correction F16F9/53, F16F13/26 take precedence; temperature correction only F16F9/52
• 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 bicycle fork includes a pair of fork leg assemblies, each of the leg assemblies having an upper leg telescopingly engaged with a lower leg. A damping assembly is provided in at least one of the legs. The damping assembly includes lock-out and blow-off compression circuits. These compression circuits are externally adjustable without tools. Furthermore, these two compression circuits may be adjusted independently of each other.

Claims

1. A vehicle suspension, comprising:

a manually adjustable first valve, the first valve having at least two positions, one position of the first valve at least substantially inhibiting a first and second member of the suspension from moving closer together when subjected to a compressive force less than an adjustable threshold pressure;

an adjustable second valve allowing the first and second members to move closer together in response to a pressure imparted on the second valve during compression of the first and second members being equal to or greater than the adjustable threshold pressure when the first valve is in its substantially inhibiting movement position; and

a first external adjuster, the external adjuster permitting adjustment of the first valve from a location external of the vehicle suspension.

2. The vehicle suspension of claim 1, further including a second external adjuster permitting adjustment selection of positions of the second valve from a second location external of the vehicle suspension.

3. The vehicle suspension of claim 1 wherein the first and second members are telescopically engagable tubes.

4. The vehicle suspension of claim 1, wherein the first valve is a lock-out valve.

5. The vehicle suspension of claim 1, wherein the second valve is a blow-off valve.

6. A vehicle suspension, comprising:

an adjustable lock-out feature with at least two lock-out positions, a first position wherein a first and second member may move closer together and a second position where the first and second members are inhibited from moving closer together;

a blow-off feature operable when the lock-out feature is in the first position, the blow-off feature allowing the first and second members to move closer together in response to a pressure imparted during compression of the first and second members, the pressure equal to or greater than an adjustable threshold pressure; and

a first external adjuster, the first external adjuster permitting adjustment of at least one of the lock-out positions and the adjustable threshold pressure.