Electronically controlled sway bar damping link
AssigneeFox Factory, Inc.
InventorsPhilip TSIARAS, Rick STRICKLAND
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sway bar system is described. The sway bar system includes a sway bar having a first end and a second end. The sway bar system further includes a first electronically controlled damper link which is coupled to the first end of the sway bar. The first electronically controlled damper link is configured to be coupled a first location of a vehicle. The sway bar system also has a second link which is coupled to the second end of the sway bar. The second link is configured to be coupled a second location of the vehicle.
Claims28
A sway bar system comprising:
- a sway bar having a first end and a second end, said second end distal from said first end;
- a first link coupled to said first end of said sway bar and said first link configured to be coupled a first location of a vehicle, said first link electronically controlled, said first link comprising:
- a damper cylinder, said damper cylinder having a damper cylinder volume;
- a damping piston axially moveable within said damper cylinder;
- a shaft fixedly coupled to said damping piston;
- a fluid reserve cylinder, said fluid reserve cylinder comprising:
- a fluid reservoir chamber;
- a gas chamber;
- and
- an internal floating piston fluidly separating said fluid reservoir chamber and said gas chamber;
- and
- a valve fluidly coupled to said damper cylinder and said fluid reserve cylinder, said valve having a flow area wherein a ratio of said damper cylinder volume to said flow area of said valve is adjustable;
- and
- a second link coupled to said second end of said sway bar and said second link configured to be coupled a second location of said vehicle.
A sway bar system comprising:
- a sway bar having a first end and a second end, said second end distal from said first end;
- a first electronically controlled damper link coupled to said first end of said sway bar and said first electronically controlled damper link configured to be coupled a first location of a vehicle;
- and
- a second link coupled to said second end of said sway bar and said second link configured to be coupled a second location of said vehicle.
The sway bar system of claim 22, wherein said flow area of said valve of said second electronically controlled damper link controls an amount of fluid flow between said damper cylinder of said second electronically controlled damper link and said fluid reservoir chamber of said second electronically controlled damper link via said valve of said second electronically controlled damper link.
A sway bar system comprising:
- a sway bar having a first end and a second end, said second end distal from said first end;
- a first electronically controlled damper link coupled to said first end of said sway bar and said first electronically controlled damper link configured to be coupled a first location of a vehicle, wherein said first electronically controlled damper link comprises:
- a damper cylinder, said damper cylinder having a damper cylinder volume;
- a damping piston axially moveable within said damper cylinder;
- a shaft fixedly coupled to said damping piston;
- a fluid reserve cylinder, said fluid reserve cylinder comprising:
- a fluid reservoir chamber;
- a gas chamber;
- and
- an internal floating piston fluidly separating said fluid reservoir chamber and said gas chamber;
- and
- a valve fluidly coupled to said damper cylinder and said fluid reserve cylinder, said valve having a flow area wherein a ratio of said damper cylinder volume to said flow area of said valve is adjustable;
- and
- a second electronically controlled damper link coupled to said second end of said sway bar and said second electronically controlled damper link configured to be coupled a second location of said vehicle.
A vehicle and sway bar system comprising:
- a vehicle;
- a sway bar having a first end and a second end, said second end distal from said first end;
- a first electronically controlled damper link coupled to said first end of said sway bar and said first electronically controlled damper link coupled to a first location of said vehicle;
- and
- a second link coupled to said second end of said sway bar and said second link coupled to a second location of said vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.