Methods and apparatus for selective spring pre-load adjustment

• US 9,682,604 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2015
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fox Factory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fox Factory Incorporated
• Inventors: Ericksen, Everet, Marquez, Michael David, Cox, Christopher Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Thomas J
• Assistant Examiner(s): HSIAO, JAMES K
• Application Number:
  US14/853,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20160001623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 267218, 267195, 267175, 267177, 267221, 267 34
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/14 having helical, spiral or coil springs only B60G11/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 15/063 characterised by the mounting of the spring on the damper B60G15/065, B60G15/066 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/021 the mechanical spring being a coil spring B60G17/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1242 on a damper, e.g. MacPerson strut
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/61 Adjustable during maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/30 Height or ground clearance
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/04 Means for informing, instructing or displaying
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/121 adjustable, e.g. to modify spring characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2228/08 pre-stressed
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/3264 Arrangements for indicating, e.g. fluid level; Arrangements for checking dampers F16F9/3292 takes precedence; testing of vehicle damping G01M17/04
• 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 method and apparatus for a suspension comprising a spring having a threaded member at a first end for providing axial movement to the spring as the spring is rotated and the threaded member moves relative to a second component. In one embodiment, the system includes a damper for metering fluid through a piston and a rotatable spring member coaxially disposed around the damper and rotatable relative to the damper.

Claims

1. A suspension system comprising:

a cylindrical body;

a rotatable spring member coaxially disposed around the cylindrical body, the rotatable spring member rotatable relative to the cylindrical body;

a follower nut disposed in threaded engagement with a threaded portion of the body and abutting a first end of the spring and rotationally indexed with the spring, the follower nut is constructed and arranged to affect compression of the spring while translating axially along the threaded portion, wherein an axial position of the follower nut is indicated relative to a piggyback reservoir operable with a damper; and

a visual indicator and a scale coupled with said piggyback reservoir, the visual indicator and scale operable to indicate an amount of spring compression.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the follower nut includes a pin member extending towards and indexing with an axial end of the rotatable spring member, whereby said indexing causes the rotatable spring member and follower nut to rotate together.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the rotatable spring member and follower nut rotates as the other of the rotatable spring member and follower nut is manually rotated.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a clamp, the clamp constraining the follower nut in a rotational position corresponding to a desired amount of spring compression.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the clamp comprises a visual indicator and a scale, the visual indicator and scale operable to indicate the amount of spring compression.