# US 11,305,834 B2 · Non-uniform steerer tube or fork leg > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,834 B2 - Document ID: US11305834B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/659,272 - Filed: 2019-10-21 - Published: 2020-04-30 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-29 - Assignees: Fox Factory, Inc. - Applicants: Fox Factory, Inc. - Inventors: William O. Brown, IV; Daniel McCormick; Joshua Coaplen; Christopher Otterness - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305834B2 ## CPC - B62K 21/02: Front wheel forks or equivalent, e.g. single tine - B62K 21/18: Connections between forks and handlebars or handlebar stems - B62K: CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDECARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE ## Abstract A non-uniform steerer tube. The non-uniform steerer tubes includes an axis-symmetric outer surface and a non axis-symmetric inner surface. The axis-symmetric outer surface and the non axis-symmetric inner surface defining a wall thickness therebetween. The wall thickness varying along an axial length of the non-uniform steerer tube. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A non-uniform steerer tube comprising: an axis-symmetric outer surface; and a non axis-symmetric inner surface, said axis-symmetric outer surface and said non axis-symmetric inner surface defining a wall thickness therebetween, said wall thickness varying along an axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube; wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to reduce and/or change unwanted frequencies occurring in said non-uniform steerer tube during use of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 1 wherein said axis-symmetric outer surface has a uniform diameter length at any given location along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 2 wherein said uniform diameter length of said axis-symmetric outer surface is different at various locations along said axial length of non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 1 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has a non-uniform diameter length at any given location along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 1 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has a non-uniform diameter length at multiple locations along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 5 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has said non-uniform diameter length along said entire axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 1 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has a uniform diameter length at, at least, one location along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 1 wherein said non-uniform steerer tube has a round outer profile but non-round inner profile at, at least, some location along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 5 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has a shape selected from the group consisting of: oval-shaped, egg-shaped, elliptically-shaped, rectangularly-shaped and some combination of said shapes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 1 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to provide additional support for said non-uniform steerer tube at locations of said non-uniform steerer tube which are subjected to greater stress during use than other locations of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 10 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to provide said additional support for said non-uniform steerer tube at both a top portion of said non-uniform steerer tube and a bottom portion of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 10 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to provide said additional support for said non-uniform steerer tube at locations of said non-uniform steerer tube selected from the group consisting of: a bottom portion of said non-uniform steerer tube, a top portion of said non-uniform steerer tube, a middle portion of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 1 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to reduce and/or change said unwanted frequencies selected from the group consisting of: fore and aft vibrational and/or resonant frequencies, side-to-side vibrational and/or resonant frequencies, a combination of fore and aft and side-to-side vibrational and/or resonant frequencies. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 1 wherein said axis-symmetric outer surface of said non-uniform steerer tube remains circular along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube such that no visual differences are detectable between a conventional steerer tube and said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 15 A non-uniform steerer tube comprising: an axis-symmetric outer surface; and a non axis-symmetric inner surface, said axis-symmetric outer surface and said non axis-symmetric inner surface defining a wall thickness therebetween, said wall thickness varying along an axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube, wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to reduce and/or change said unwanted frequencies selected from the group consisting of: fore and aft vibrational and/or resonant frequencies, side-to-side vibrational and/or resonant frequencies, a combination of fore and aft and side-to-side vibrational and/or resonant frequencies. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 15 wherein said axis-symmetric outer surface has a uniform diameter length at any given location along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 16 wherein said uniform diameter length of said axis-symmetric outer surface is different at various locations along said axial length of non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 15 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has a non-uniform diameter length at any given location along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 15 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has a non-uniform diameter length at multiple locations along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 19 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has said non-uniform diameter length along said entire axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 15 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has a uniform diameter length at, at least, one location along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 15 wherein said non-uniform steerer tube has a round outer profile but non-round inner profile at, at least, some location along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 19 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface has a shape selected from the group consisting of: oval-shaped, egg-shaped, elliptically-shaped, rectangularly-shaped and some combination of said shapes. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 15 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to provide additional support for said non-uniform steerer tube at locations of said non-uniform steerer tube which are subjected to greater stress during use than other locations of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 24 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to provide said additional support for said non-uniform steerer tube at both a top portion of said non-uniform steerer tube and a bottom portion of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 24 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to provide said additional support for said non-uniform steerer tube at locations of said non-uniform steerer tube selected from the group consisting of: a bottom portion of said non-uniform steerer tube, a top portion of said non-uniform steerer tube, a middle portion of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 27 (depends on 15) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 15 wherein said non axis-symmetric inner surface is configured to reduce and/or change unwanted frequencies occurring in said non-uniform steerer tube during use of said non-uniform steerer tube. ### Claim 28 (depends on 15) The non-uniform steerer tube of claim 15 wherein said axis-symmetric outer surface of said non-uniform steerer tube remains circular along said axial length of said non-uniform steerer tube such that no visual differences are detectable between a conventional steerer tube and said non-uniform steerer tube.