Bicycle with suspension
AssigneeSpecialized Bicycle Components, Inc.
InventorsMichael McAndrews, Robb Jankura, Brian Lampman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bicycle assembly can include a front or rear suspension system with a shock absorber. A front suspension system can be a suspension fork. A rear suspension system can include a rear shock absorber. The shock can have a shock body and a pressurized main air chamber within the shock body to act as an air spring. The shock can also have a valve configured to receive a pump for adding air to the main air chamber. A secondary air chamber and a control member can be used to reduce the pressure within the main air chamber by venting the secondary air chamber to the atmosphere.
Claims22
A bicycle assembly comprising:
- a shock comprising:
- a shock body;
- a pressurized main air chamber within the shock body to act as an air spring;
- a secondary air chamber positioned within the main air chamber;
- a valve configured to receive a pump for adding air to both the main air chamber and the secondary air chamber;
- an outer valve housing surrounding the valve, the outer valve housing movable with respect to the shock body from a first position where the secondary air chamber is in fluid communication with the main air chamber, and a second position where the secondary air chamber is in fluid communication with atmospheric air.
A bicycle assembly comprising:
- a shock comprising:
- a shock body;
- a pressurized main air chamber within the shock body to act as an air spring;
- a valve configured to receive a pump for adding air to the main air chamber;
- a secondary air chamber;
- a control member movable with respect to the shock body, the secondary air chamber and the control member operably coupled to remove air and reduce pressure in the main air chamber, in a first position of the control member the secondary air chamber is at the same pressure as and in fluid communication with the main air chamber, and in a second position the secondary air chamber is at atmospheric pressure and in fluid communication with atmospheric air, wherein the air removed from the main air chamber does not leave the shock through the valve.
A bicycle assembly comprising:
- a shock comprising:
- a shock body;
- a pressurized main air chamber within the shock body to act as an air spring;
- a secondary air chamber positioned within the shock body;
- a valve configured to receive a pump for adding air to both the main air chamber and the secondary air chamber such that the main air chamber and the secondary air chamber have the same pressure;
- a control member configured to reduce the pressure within the main air chamber by venting the secondary air chamber to the atmosphere.
A method of adjusting the air pressure within a shock comprising:
- connecting a pump to a first valve on a shock body;
- injecting air from the pump into a main air chamber and a secondary air chamber within the shock;
- removing the pump from the first valve;
- actuating a second valve on the shock body by moving the second valve from an initial position to a second position, wherein the main air chamber and the secondary air chamber are in fluid communication in the initial position but are not in fluid communication in the second position;
- releasing air from the secondary air chamber to reduce the pressure within the shock, the secondary air chamber being in fluid communication with the atmosphere but not the main air chamber;
- and
- returning the second valve to the initial position and bringing the secondary chamber into fluid communication with the main air chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.