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

• US 9,567,029 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2014
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• 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:
  US14/271,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20140239564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 188/278, 188/322.13, 188/322.14, 188/322.2, 188/299.1, 267/64.26, 267/64.11, 267/64.28
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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, said suspension unit comprising:

a first chamber filled with gas;

a second chamber filled with gas for biasing said suspension unit toward said extended position;

an air cylinder partition that separates said first chamber and said second chamber; and

a valve assembly, comprising;

a first valve member operable between;

an open position where said first valve member provides open fluid communication between said first chamber and said second chamber, and

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

an actuator for physically positioning said first valve member in said open or said closed position, said actuator comprises a cam shaft operable between a first position and a second position to maintain said first valve member in said open position when said cam shaft is in said first position and to allow said valve member to close when said cam shaft is in said second position;

a compression chamber at least substantially filled with damping fluid;

a rebound chamber at least substantially filled with said damping fluid; and

a damping piston operable to dampen flow of said damping fluid between said compression chamber and said rebound chamber in response to movement of said suspension unit between said compressed position and said extended position.

2. The suspension unit of claim 1, wherein said first direction comprises:

a direction from said second chamber to said first chamber.

3. The suspension unit of claim 2, wherein said valve assembly further comprises:

a lower passage port and an upper passage port, and wherein during said open position, gas flows from said second chamber through a lower passage port, past said valve member, through an upper passage port into said first chamber.

4. The suspension unit of claim 1, wherein said first valve member is a check ball.

5. The suspension unit of claim 1, wherein said first valve member includes a check valve function.

6. The suspension unit of claim 1, wherein during said closed position, pressure in said first chamber and said second chamber remain approximately equal.

7. The suspension unit of claim 1, further comprising a second valve arrangement that prevents pressure in said first chamber from becoming substantially greater than said pressure in said second chamber.

8. The suspension unit of claim 1, wherein said first valve member is a needle-type valve.

9. The suspension unit of claim 1, wherein said first valve member is a check ball and wherein the suspension unit further comprises:

a connecting passageway connecting said first chamber and said second chamber; and

a knob that rotates said cam shaft that is in contact with said cam follower, wherein the check ball is seated or unseated with respect to a seal in said connecting passageway based on said cam follower.

10. The suspension unit of claim 9, wherein said suspension unit has a spring characteristic that is firm when said passageway is closed by seating said check ball and preventing gas flow.

11. The suspension unit of claim 10, wherein said suspension unit has a spring characteristic that is soft when said passageway is open by unseating said check ball and using gas from said first chamber and said second chamber.

12. The suspension unit of claim 1, wherein said suspension unit further comprises:

a body portion;

a shaft portion engaged with said body portion; and

a piston, wherein said second chamber is at least partially defined by said piston carried by said shaft portion that cooperates with said body portion.

13. The suspension unit of claim 12, wherein said shaft portion and said body portion at least partially define said first chamber.