Front forks for bicycles
AssigneeSram, LLC
InventorCharles Dunlap, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Front forks for bicycles are described herein. An example front fork includes an upper fork including a first leg and a second leg, a lower fork including a third leg disposed along the first leg and a fourth leg disposed along the second leg, a first set of links rotatably coupled between the first leg and the third leg, and a second set of links rotatably coupled between the second leg and the fourth leg. The first and second sets of links enable the lower fork to swing relative to the upper fork. The front fork also includes a steerer tube coupled to the front fork and a spring in the steerer tube. The spring is configured to bias the lower fork away from the steer tube.
Claims17
A front fork for a bicycle, the front fork comprising:
- an upper fork including a first leg and a second leg;
- a lower fork including a third leg disposed along the first leg and a fourth leg disposed along the second leg;
- a first set of links rotatably coupled between the first leg and the third leg;
- a second set of links rotatably coupled between the second leg and the fourth leg, the first and second sets of links to enable the lower fork to swing relative to the upper fork;
- a steerer tube coupled to the front fork;
- and
- a spring in the steerer tube, the spring configured to bias the lower fork away from the steer tube,
- wherein the lower fork includes a rotationally fixed bridge extending between the third leg and the fourth leg, the spring extending from a bottom opening of the steerer tube and engaged with the bridge.
A front fork for a bicycle, the front fork comprising:
- an upper fork including a first leg and a second leg;
- a lower fork including a third leg disposed along the first leg and a fourth leg disposed along the second leg, the lower fork moveably coupled to the upper fork;
- a first shear spring disposed between the first leg and the third leg;
- a second shear spring disposed between the second leg and the fourth leg, the first and second shear springs configured to bias the lower fork away from the upper fork;
- a first set of links coupled between the first leg and the third leg, the first set of links including a first link and a second link, the first shear spring disposed between the first link and the second link;
- and
- a second set of links coupled between the second leg and the fourth leg, the second set of links including a third link and a fourth link, the second shear spring disposed between the third link and the fourth link,
- wherein a top end of the first shear spring is engaged with a downward facing surface of the first link, and a bottom end of the first shear spring is engaged with an upward facing surface of the second link, and a top end of the second shear spring is engaged with a downward facing surface of the third link, and a fourth end of the second shear spring is engaged with an upward facing surface of the fourth link.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.