Suspension device for reducing transmission of shock through bicycle components

A suspension device for reducing shock transmission through bicycle components, said device comprising:

• (a) an elongated outer tube having an open top end and a bottom end spaced apart from one another;
• (b) a lower guide element having a bore defined therethrough and being stationarily secured within said outer tube between and spaced from said top and bottom ends thereof;
• (c) an upper guide element having an opening defined therethrough and being stationarily secured within said outer tube near said open top end of said outer tube and spaced from and axially aligned with said lower guide element;
• (d) an elongated inner shaft disposed within said outer tube and extending upwardly through said open top end thereof, said inner shaft having an upper portion received through said opening of said upper guide element and a lower portion received through said bore of said lower guide element so as to guide said inner shaft to undergo reciprocatory sliding movement relative thereto and axially of said outer tube and thereby extend from and retract into said open top end of said outer tube correspondingly between extended and depressed positions relative to said outer tube;
• (e) shock absorbing means disposed in said outer tube for supporting and biasing said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said extended position and for yielding in response to receiving a shock impact to permit said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said depressed position;
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• (f) a flexible tubular protective cover sleeve having spaced apart upper and lower ends respectively surrounding and engaged with spaced top end of said outer tube and said upper portion of said inner shaft and extending therebetween so as to prevent foreign matter from accumulating on said upper portion of said inner shaft extending from said upper end of said outer tube;
• (g) wherein said cover sleeve has a tubular sidewall extending between said upper and lower ends thereof, an annular internal rib formed at said upper end of said cover sleeve so as to protrude radially inwardly from said tubular sidewall for mating within an annular groove defined about an upper end of said upper portion of said inner shaft to provide an upper seal therewith, and an annular internal lip formed at said lower end of said cover sleeve so as to protrude radially inwardly from said tubular sidewall for engaging about said top end of said outer tube to provide a lower seal therewith.

A suspension device for reducing shock transmission through bicycle components, said device comprising:

• (a) an elongated outer tube having an open top end and a bottom end spaced apart from one another;
• (b) a lower guide element having a bore defined therethrough and being stationarily secured within said outer tube between and spaced from said top and bottom ends thereof;
• (c) an upper guide element having an opening defined therethrough and being stationarily secured within said outer tube near said open top end of said outer tube and spaced from and axially aligned with said lower guide element;
• (d) an elongated inner shaft disposed within said outer tube and extending upwardly through said open top end thereof, said inner shaft having an upper portion received through said opening of said upper guide element and a lower portion received through said bore of said lower guide element so as to guide said inner shaft to undergo reciprocatory sliding movement relative thereto and axially of said outer tube and thereby extend from and retract into said open top end of said outer tube correspondingly between extended and depressed positions relative to said outer tube;
• (e) a support element disposed within said outer tube near said bottom end thereof and below said inner shaft and said lower guide element;
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• (f) shock absorbing means disposed in said outer tube for supporting and biasing said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said extended position and for yielding in response to receiving a shock impact to permit said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said depressed position, wherein said shock absorbing means is a plurality of elastomeric elements arranged in an end-to-end stacked relationship and being supported below said inner shaft by said support element, said plurality of elastomeric elements being disposed and extending between said support element and a lower end of said inner shaft such that said elastomeric elements in said end-to-end stacked relationship support said inner shaft at said lower end thereof.

A suspension device for reducing shock transmission through bicycle components, said device comprising:

• (a) an elongated outer tube having an open top end and a bottom end spaced apart from one another;
• (b) a lower guide element having a bore defined therethrough and being stationarily secured within said outer tube between and spaced from said top and bottom ends thereof;
• (c) an upper guide element having an opening defined therethrough and being stationarily secured within said outer tube near said open top end of said outer tube and spaced from and axially aligned with said lower guide element;
• (d) an elongated inner shaft disposed within said outer tube and extending upwardly through said open top end thereof, said inner shaft having an upper portion received through said opening of said upper guide element and a lower portion received through said bore of said lower guide element so as to guide said inner shaft to undergo reciprocatory sliding movement relative thereto and axially of said outer tube and thereby extend from and retract into said open top end of said outer tube correspondingly between extended and depressed positions relative to said outer tube;
• (e) shock absorbing means disposed in said outer tube for supporting and biasing said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said extended position and for yielding in response to receiving a shock impact to permit said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said depressed position;
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• (f) a flexible tubular protective cover sleeve having spaced apart upper and lower ends respectively surrounding and sealably engaged with spaced top end of said outer tube and said upper portion of said inner shaft and extending therebetween to form an external annular chamber containing a gas therein which becomes compressed upon movement of said inner shaft from said extended position to said depressed position into said outer tube and thereby dampens and reduces the rate of said movement of said inner shaft.

A suspension device for reducing shock transmission through bicycle components, said device comprising:

• (a) an elongated outer tube having an open top end and a bottom end spaced apart from one another;
• (b) a lower guide element having a bore defined therethrough and being stationarily secured within said outer tube between and spaced from said top and bottom ends thereof;
• (c) an upper guide element having an opening defined therethrough and being stationarily secured within said outer tube near said open top end of said outer tube and spaced from and axially aligned with said lower guide element;
• (d) an elongated inner shaft disposed within said outer tube and extending upwardly through said open top end thereof, said inner shaft having an upper portion received through said opening of said upper guide element and a lower portion received through said bore of said lower guide element so as to guide said inner shaft to undergo reciprocatory sliding movement relative thereto and axially of said outer tube and thereby extend from and retract into said open top end of said outer tube correspondingly between extended and depressed positions relative to said outer tube;
• and
• (e) shock absorbing means disposed in said outer tube for supporting and biasing said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said extended position and for yielding in response to receiving a shock impact to permit said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said depressed position;
• (f) wherein said lower guide element has an axial hole defined therein offset from the central opening and a peripheral groove defined about the circumference of the lower annular guide element which intersects with the axial hole, said hole and groove providing a pathway for filling the peripheral groove with an adhesive substance after the lower annular guide element is installed at the desired location in the outer tube so as to provide a continuous circumferential bond between the periphery of the lower annular guide element and the inside surface of the outer tube.

A suspension device for reducing shock transmission through bicycle components, said device comprising:

• (a) an elongated outer tube having an open top end and a bottom end spaced apart from one another;
• (b) a lower annular guide element stationarily secured within said outer tube between and spaced from said top and bottom ends thereof;
• (c) an upper annular guide element stationarily secured within said outer tube near said open top end of said outer tube and spaced from and axially aligned with said lower guide element;
• (d) an elongated inner shaft disposed within said outer tube and extending upwardly through said open top end thereof and through said lower and upper annular guide elements such that said lower and upper annular guide elements guide said inner shaft to undergo reciprocatory sliding movement relative thereto axially along said outer tube and thereby extend from and retract into said open top end of said outer tube correspondingly between extended and depressed positions relative to said outer tube;
• (e) a support element disposed within said outer tube near said bottom end thereof and below said inner shaft and said lower annular guide element;
• and
• (f) shock absorbing means disposed in said outer tube for supporting and biasing said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said extended position and for yielding in response to receiving a shock impact to permit said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said depressed position, said shock absorbing means including a plurality of elastomeric elements arranged in an end-to-end stacked relationship and being supported below said inner shaft by said support element, said plurality of elastomeric elements being disposed and extending between said support element and a lower end of said inner shaft such that said elastomeric elements in said end-to-end stacked relationship support said inner shaft at said lower end thereof, each of said elastomeric elements being made of a resilient compressible material adapted to expand in circumference and compress in axial length and thereby absorb the shock imparted thereto and thereby reduce transmission of the shock therethrough to said inner shaft, the resiliency of said compressible material upon cessation of application of the shock causing said elastomeric element to expand back in axial length.

A suspension device for reducing shock transmission through bicycle components, said device comprising:

• (a) an elongated outer tube having an open top end and a bottom end spaced apart from one another;
• (b) a lower annular guide element stationarily secured within said outer tube between and spaced from said top and bottom ends thereof;
• (c) an upper annular guide element stationarily secured within said outer tube near said open top end of said outer tube and spaced from and axially aligned with said lower guide element;
• (d) an elongated inner shaft disposed within said outer tube and extending upwardly through said open top end thereof and through said lower and upper annular guide elements such that said lower and upper annular guide elements guide said inner shaft to undergo reciprocatory sliding movement relative thereto axially along said outer tube and thereby extend from and retract into said open top end of said outer tube correspondingly between extended and depressed positions relative to said outer tube;
• (e) shock absorbing means disposed in said outer tube for supporting and biasing said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said extended position and for yielding in response to receiving a shock impact to permit said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said depressed position, said shock absorbing means including a plurality of elastomeric elements arranged in an end-to-end stacked relationship and disposed in said outer tube extending between said bottom end of said outer tube and a lower end of said inner shaft, each of said elastomeric elements being made of a resilient compressible material adapted to expand in circumference and compress in axial length and thereby absorb the shock imparted thereto and thereby reduce transmission of the shock therethrough to said inner shaft, the resiliency of said compressible material upon cessation of application of the shock causing said elastomeric element to expand back in axial length;
• and
• (f) a flexible tubular protective cover sleeve having spaced apart upper and lower ends respectively surrounding and engaged with spaced top end of said outer tube and said upper portion of said inner shaft and extending therebetween so as to prevent foreign matter from accumulating on said upper portion of said inner shaft extending from said upper end of said outer tube;
• (g) wherein said cover sleeve has a tubular sidewall extending between said upper and lower ends thereof, an annular internal rib formed at said upper end of said cover sleeve so as to protrude radially inwardly from said tubular sidewall for mating within an annular groove defined about an upper end of said upper portion of said inner shaft to provide an upper seal therewith, and an annular internal lip formed at said lower end of said cover sleeve so as to protrude radially inwardly from said tubular sidewall for engaging about said top end of said outer tube to provide a lower seal therewith.

A suspension device for reducing shock transmission through bicycle components, said device comprising:

• (a) an elongated outer tube having an open top end and a bottom end spaced apart from one another;
• (b) a lower annular guide element stationarily secured within said outer tube between and spaced from said top and bottom ends thereof;
• (c) an upper annular guide element stationarily secured within said outer tube near said open top end of said outer tube and spaced from and axially aligned with said lower guide element;
• (d) an elongated inner shaft disposed within said outer tube and extending upwardly through said open top end thereof and through said lower and upper annular guide elements such that said lower and upper annular guide elements guide said inner shaft to undergo reciprocatory sliding movement relative thereto axially along said outer tube and thereby extend from and retract into said open top end of said outer tube correspondingly between extended and depressed positions relative to said outer tube;
• (e) shock absorbing means disposed in said outer tube for supporting and biasing said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said extended position and for yielding in response to receiving a shock impact to permit said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said depressed position, said shock absorbing means including a plurality of elastomeric elements arranged in an end-to-end stacked relationship and disposed in said outer tube extending between said bottom end of said outer tube and a lower end of said inner shaft, each of said elastomeric elements being made of a resilient compressible material adapted to expand in circumference and compress in axial length and thereby absorb the shock imparted thereto and thereby reduce transmission of the shock therethrough to said inner shaft, the resiliency of said compressible material upon cessation of application of the shock causing said elastomeric element to expand back in axial length;
• and
• (f) a flexible tubular protective cover sleeve having spaced apart upper and lower ends respectively surrounding and sealably engaged with spaced top end of said outer tube and said upper portion of said inner shaft and extending therebetween to form an external annular chamber containing a gas therein which becomes compressed upon movement of said inner shaft from said extended position to said depressed position into said outer tube and thereby dampens and reduces the rate of said movement of said inner shaft.

A suspension device for reducing shock transmission through bicycle components, said device comprising:

• (a) an elongated outer tube having an open top end and a bottom end spaced apart from one another;
• (b) a lower annular guide element stationarily secured within said outer tube between and spaced from said top and bottom ends thereof;
• (c) an upper annular guide element stationarily secured within said outer tube near said open top end of said outer tube and spaced from and axially aligned with said lower guide element;
• (d) an elongated inner shaft disposed within said outer tube and extending upwardly through said open top end thereof and through said lower and upper annular guide elements such that said lower and upper annular guide elements guide said inner shaft to undergo reciprocatory sliding movement relative thereto axially along said outer tube and thereby extend from and retract into said open top end of said outer tube correspondingly between extended and depressed positions relative to said outer tube;
• and
• (e) shock absorbing means disposed in said outer tube for supporting and biasing said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said extended position and for yielding in response to receiving a shock impact to permit said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said depressed position, said shock absorbing means including a plurality of elastomeric elements arranged in an end-to-end stacked relationship and disposed in said outer tube extending between said bottom end of said outer tube and a lower end of said inner shaft, each of said elastomeric elements being made of a resilient compressible material adapted to expand in circumference and compress in axial length and thereby absorb the shock imparted thereto and thereby reduce transmission of the shock therethrough to said inner shaft, the resiliency of said compressible material upon cessation of application of the shock causing said elastomeric element to expand back in axial length;
• (f) wherein said lower guide element has an axial hole defined therein offset from the central opening and a peripheral groove defined about the circumference of the lower annular guide element which intersects with the axial hole, said hole and groove providing a pathway for filling the peripheral groove with an adhesive substance after the lower annular guide element is installed at the desired location in the outer tube so as to provide a continuous circumferential bond between the periphery of the lower annular guide element and the inside surface of the outer tube.

A suspension device for reducing shock transmission through bicycle components, said device comprising:

• (a) an elongated outer tube having an open top end and a bottom end spaced apart from one another;
• (b) a lower guide element having a bore defined therethrough and being stationarily secured within said outer tube between and spaced from said top and bottom ends thereof;
• (c) an upper guide element having an opening defined therethrough and being stationarily secured within said outer tube near said open top end of said outer tube and spaced from and axially aligned with said lower guide element;
• (d) an elongated inner shaft disposed within said outer tube and extending upwardly through said open top end thereof, said inner shaft having an upper portion snugly slidably received through said opening of said upper guide element and a lower portion snugly slidably received through said bore of said lower guide element so as to guide said inner shaft in undergoing reciprocatory sliding movement relative thereto axially along said outer tube and thereby extend from and retract into said open top end of said outer tube correspondingly between extended and depressed positions relative to said outer tube;
• and
• (e) shock absorbing means disposed in said outer tube for supporting and biasing said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said extended position and for yielding in response to receiving a shock impact to permit said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said depressed position;
• (f) said inner shaft having an outside surface spaced radially inwardly from an inside surface of said outer tube so as to define an upper internal annular chamber therebetween extending between said upper and lower guide elements and containing a gas therein, said upper portion of said inner shaft occupying a greater volume than said lower portion thereof such that said volume of said upper annular chamber within said outer tube is reduced by retraction of said upper portion of said inner shaft into said outer tube which causes compression of the gas contained in said upper internal annular chamber and thereby provides a damping effect that reduces the rate of retraction of said inner shaft into said outer tube and thereby augments the absorption of shock by said shock absorbing means.

A suspension device for reducing shock transmission through bicycle components, said device comprising:

• (a) an elongated outer tube having an open top end and an open bottom end spaced apart from one another;
• (b) a lower guide element having a bore defined therethrough and being stationarily secured within said outer tube between and spaced from said top and bottom ends thereof;
• (c) an upper guide element having an opening defined therethrough and being stationarily secured within said outer tube near said open top end of said outer tube and spaced from and axially aligned with said lower guide element;
• (d) an elongated inner shaft disposed within said outer tube and extending upwardly through said open top end thereof, said inner shaft having an upper portion snugly slidably received through said opening of said upper guide element and a lower portion snugly slidably received through said bore of said lower guide element so as to guide said inner shaft in undergoing reciprocatory sliding movement relative thereto axially along said outer tube and thereby extend from and retract into said open top end of said outer tube correspondingly between extended and depressed positions relative to said outer tube;
• (e) shock absorbing means disposed in said outer tube for supporting and biasing said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said extended position and for yielding in response to receiving a shock impact to permit said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said depressed position, said shock absorbing means being a plurality of elastomeric elements arranged in an end-to-end stacked relationship and disposed within the outer tube, said elastomeric elements when in uncompressed states having outside surfaces spaced inwardly from an inside surface of said outer tube so as to permit said elastomeric elements to circumferentially expand upon compression thereof when said inner shaft is retracted from said extended position to said depressed position relative to and within said outer tube, said elastomeric elements being made of a resiliently compressible material adapted to compress in axial length and absorb a shock imparted thereto permitting said inner shaft which supports a load intended to be isolated from the shock to slidably move further into said outer tube toward a depressed position, said resiliency of said compressible material forming the elastomeric elements adapting said elastomeric elements upon cessation of application of the shock thereon to expand back in axial length and thereby cause said inner shaft to slidably move and said upper portion thereof to extend out of said outer tube toward said extended position;
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• (f) a bottom end cap removably secured in said bottom end of said outer tube so as to sealably close said bottom end and support said elastomeric elements in said end-to-end stacked relationship;
• (g) said outside surfaces of said elastomeric elements in being spaced inwardly from said inside surface of said outer tube defining a lower internal annular chamber therebetween which extends axially between said lower guide element and said lower end cap and contains a gas such that said lower internal annular chamber permits circumferantial expansion of said elastomeric elements upon compression thereof when said inner shaft is retracted to the depressed position within said outer tube, said lower portion of said inner shaft in the depressed position along with said elastomeric elements in the compressed state occupying a greater volume than said elastomeric elements alone in the uncompressed state so that the volume of said lower internal annular chamber within said outer tube is reduced by retraction of said lower portion of said inner shaft further into said outer tube below said lower guide element therein which causes compression of the gas contained in said lower internal annular chamber and thereby providing additional damping effect that slows the rate of retraction of said inner shaft into said outer tube and thereby further augments the absorption of shock by said stacked elastomeric elements.

A suspension device for reducing shock transmission through bicycle components, said device comprising:

• (a) an elongated outer tube having an open top end and a bottom end spaced apart from one another;
• (b) a lower annular guide element stationarily secured within said outer tube between and spaced from said top and bottom ends thereof;
• (c) an upper annular guide element stationarily secured within said outer tube near said open top end of said outer tube and spaced from and axially aligned with said lower guide element;
• (d) an elongated inner shaft disposed within said outer tube and extending upwardly through said open top end thereof and through said lower and upper annular guide elements such that said lower and upper annular guide elements guide said inner shaft to undergo reciprocatory sliding movement relative thereto axially along said outer tube and thereby extend from and retract into said open top end of said outer tube correspondingly between extended and depressed positions relative to said outer tube;
• and
• (e) shock absorbing means disposed in said outer tube for supporting and biasing said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said extended position and for yielding in response to receiving a shock impact to permit said inner shaft to undergo sliding movement toward said depressed position, said shock absorbing means including a plurality of elastomeric elements arranged in an end-to-end stacked relationship and disposed in said outer tube extending between said bottom end of said outer tube and a lower end of said inner shaft, each of said elastomeric elements being made of a resilient compressible material adapted to expand in circumference and compress in axial length and thereby absorb the shock imparted thereto and thereby reduce transmission of the shock therethrough to said inner shaft, the resiliency of said compressible material upon cessation of application of the shock causing said elastomeric element to expand back in axial length;
• (f) wherein each of said elastomeric elements has a protrusion formed at one end thereof and a depression formed at an opposite end thereof so as to cause said elastomeric elements to mate with one another when in said end-to-end stacked relationship.