Velocity dependent air spring
AssigneeFox Factory, Inc.
InventorEdwin Blake Nicholas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A velocity dependent flow control unit for an air spring. The velocity dependent flow control unit including a compression fluid pathway with a one-way valve and a rebound fluid pathway with a one-way valve. The velocity dependent flow control unit can be fixed and coupled between two additional air chambers of the air shock. A spring curve of said air shock can be dependent upon a velocity of a compression of the air shock and can be controlled by a flow rate of a fluid passing the two additional chambers and the velocity dependent flow control unit.
Claims20
A velocity dependent compression flow control unit with a main body comprising:
- a compression fluid pathway to allow a fluid to pass into a first opening in a first surface of said main body, through said main body, and out of a second opening in a second surface of said main body, wherein said first surface is facing an opposite direction of said second surface;
- a first one-way valve over said second opening of said compression fluid pathway in said second surface;
- a first connector to connect and fix said first surface of said main body to a first additional chamber of an air shock;
- a second connector to connect and fix said second surface of said main body to a second additional chamber of said air shock;
- and
- wherein a spring curve of said air shock is dependent upon a velocity of a compression of said air shock and is controlled by a flow rate of said fluid passing through:
- said first additional chamber, said velocity dependent compression flow control unit, and said second additional chamber.
A velocity dependent rebound flow control unit with a main body comprising:
- a rebound fluid pathway to allow a fluid to pass into a first opening in a first surface of said main body, through said main body, and out of a second opening in a second surface of said main body, wherein said first surface is facing an opposite direction of said second surface;
- a first one-way valve over said second opening of said rebound fluid pathway in said second surface;
- a first connector to connect and fix said first surface of said main body to a first additional chamber of an air shock;
- a second connector to connect and fix said second surface of said main body to a second additional chamber of said air shock;
- and
- wherein a spring curve of said air shock is dependent upon a velocity of a rebound of said air shock and is controlled by a flow rate of said fluid passing through:
- said first additional chamber, said velocity dependent rebound flow control unit, and said second additional chamber.
A reservoir for an air shock, comprising:
- a first additional chamber comprising:
- a first floating piston that movably seals a fluid filled portion from a gas filled portion of said first additional chamber, wherein said gas filled portion of said first additional chamber is in fluid communication with a main gas chamber of said air shock;
- a second additional chamber comprising:
- a second floating piston that movably seals a fluid filled portion from a gas filled portion of said second additional chamber;
- a velocity dependent compression flow control unit with a main body, wherein said velocity dependent compression flow control unit is coupled to and fixed between said first additional chamber and said second additional chamber, said velocity dependent compression flow control unit comprising:
- a compression fluid pathway to allow a fluid communication between said fluid filled portion of said first additional chamber and said fluid filled portion of said second additional chamber;
- and
- a first one-way valve over said compression fluid pathway in said second additional chamber;
- and
- wherein a spring curve of said air shock is dependent upon a velocity of a compression of said air shock and is controlled by a flow rate of said fluid passing through:
- said first additional chamber, said velocity dependent compression flow control unit, and said second additional chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.