Method and apparatus for rebound control

An apparatus for rebound control by a rebound coil spring placed within a shock absorber that is aligned along an axis between an axle and a chassis, the rebound control apparatus to resist motion of the chassis away from the axle comprising:

• a shaft threaded at opposite ends for alignment with the axis when in the shock absorber;
• a piston with a central hole retained near one threaded end of the shaft, the piston having passages to permit controlled fluid flow there through;
• a tube having opposite ends, the tube enclosing there within the piston on the shaft that fits in the tube for sliding sealing reciprocal engagement along the axis so controlled fluid flow may pass through the passages damping axial motion of the piston relative to the tube, the tube coaxially surrounding part of the shaft at the end opposite the piston;
• an annular cap on the tube to close it about the shaft, the annular cap sealing the tube to the shaft but permitting sliding rotary engagement between the shaft and the annular cap;
• a shaft bearing within the tube adjacent the annular cap, the shaft bearing located between the tube and the shaft for supporting the shaft passing there through for sliding rotary engagement of the shaft relative to the tube;
• a lock ring circular group assembly carried upon the shaft and within the tube, the lock ring circular group assembly spaced apart from the piston;
• segmented shoes carried on the lock ring circular group assembly, the segmented shoes formed to engage the tube and bear resiliently against the tube in frictional engagement therewith, and
• a rebound coil spring coaxially carried about the shaft and within the tube, the rebound coil spring seated on the segmented shoes of the lock ring circular group assembly, the rebound coil spring captured between the shaft bearing and the segmented shoes so the tube, the shaft and the shaft bearing work together for compressively holding the rebound coil spring between and against the segmented shoes during rebound motion and to reciprocate axial along the axis with the reciprocating motion of the shaft, the segmented shoes frictionally engaging the tube during jounce motion to retain the rebound coil spring under compression when the shaft moves the piston away from the lock ring circular group assembly during jounce so the segmented shoes automatically position the lock ring circular group assembly along the axis and maintain the rebound coil spring compressed between the lock ring circular group assembly and the shaft bearing under and through jounce motion of the shock absorber.