US 6,149,175 AGranted

Bicycle suspension

AssigneeShimano Inc.

InventorKazuhiro Fujii

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Abstract

A suspension assembly for a bicycle frame which elastically supports a rear frame member, which in turn rotatably supports the rear wheel. The suspension assembly is positioned around the bottom bracket such that the rear frame member pivots about the axis of the bicycle crank axle of the bottom bracket. This arrangement allows the rear wheel and rear frame member to move relative to the main frame, without any adverse affects to the drive train assembly. In the preferred embodiments, drive train assembly can be either a chain drive or a shaft drive. The suspension assembly includes an inner suspension member with the crank axle mounted therein, an intermediate suspension member surrounding the inner suspension member with at least one shock-absorbing element interposed therebetween, and an outer suspension member surrounding the intermediate suspension member with at least one shock-absorbing element interposed therebetween. In the preferred embodiment, each of the shock-absorbing elements includes a plurality of biasing members.

Claims49

Dependent claims

A bicycle suspension assembly, comprising:

a first suspension member having a first frame connection to be coupled to a first bicycle frame member and including at least one first abutment;
a second suspension member movably coupled to said first suspension member for relative pivotal movement about a pivot axis, said second suspension member including at least one second abutment and having a second frame connection to fixedly couple a second bicycle frame member thereto and a bore sized to receive a bicycle crank axle therein such that said bicycle crank axle has its axis of rotation substantially coincident with said pivot axis;
an intermediate suspension member movably positioned between said first and second suspension members for relative movement, said intermediate suspension member including at least one third abutment and at least one fourth abutment, said third and fourth abutments overlapping with said first abutment of said first suspension member and said second abutment of said second suspension member in a circumferential direction;
a first shock-absorbing element coupled between said first suspension member and said intermediate suspension member and functionally engaging said first and third abutments to bias said second suspension member from a first shock-absorbing position in which said first shock-absorbing element is substantially elastically deformed to a first rest position in which said first shock-absorbing element is in relative equilibrium;
and
a second shock-absorbing element coupled between said second suspension member and said intermediate suspension member and functionally engaging said second and fourth abutments to bias said second suspension member from a second shock-absorbing position in which said second shock-absorbing element is substantially elastically deformed to a second rest position in which said second shock-absorbing element is in relative equilibrium.

3 more elements

A bicycle frame, comprising:

a first bicycle frame member having a front pivot end and a rear hub mounting end;
and
a bicycle suspension assembly coupled to said front pivot end of said first bicycle frame member via a first frame connection, said bicycle suspension assembly including
a first suspension member having a second frame connection to be fixedly coupled to a second bicycle frame member and including at least one first abutment,
a second suspension member fixedly coupled to said front pivot end of said first bicycle frame member for movement therewith about a pivot axis and movably coupled to said first suspension member for relative pivotal movement about said pivot axis, said second suspension member including at least one second abutment and having a bore sized to receive a bicycle crank axle therein such that said bicycle crank axle has its axis of rotation substantially coincident with said pivot axis,
an intermediate suspension member movably positioned between said first and second suspension members for relative movement, said intermediate suspension member including at least one third abutment and at least one fourth abutment, said third and fourth abutments overlapping with said first abutment of said first suspension member and said second abutment of said second suspension member in a circumferential direction,
a first shock-absorbing element coupled between said first suspension member and said intermediate suspension member and functionally engaging said first and third abutments to bias said second suspension member about said pivot axis from a first shock-absorbing position in which said first shock-absorbing element is substantially elastically deformed to a first rest position in which said first shock-absorbing element is in relative equilibrium, and
a second shock-absorbing element coupled between said second suspension member and said intermediate suspension member and functionally engaging said second and fourth abutments to bias said second suspension member about said pivot axis from a second shock-absorbing position in which said second shock-absorbing element is substantially elastically deformed to a second rest position in which said second shock-absorbing element is in relative equilibrium.

5 more elements

A bicycle frame, comprising:

a first bicycle frame member having a fork connection and a drive train connection;
a second bicycle frame member having a front pivot end and a rear hub mounting end;
and
a bicycle suspension assembly coupled to said drive train connection of said first bicycle frame member and coupled to said front pivot end of said second bicycle frame member, said bicycle suspension assembly including
a first suspension member having a first frame connection to be fixedly coupled to said drive train connection of said first bicycle frame member and including at least one first abutment,
a second suspension member fixedly coupled to said front pivot end of said second bicycle frame member for movement therewith about a pivot axis and movably coupled to said first suspension member for relative rotational movement about said pivot axis, said second suspension member including at least one second abutment and having a bore sized to receive a bicycle crank axle therein such that said bicycle crank axle has its axis of rotation substantially coincident with said pivot axis,
an intermediate suspension member movably positioned between said first and second suspension members for relative movement, said intermediate suspension member including at least one third abutment and at least one fourth abutment, said third and fourth abutments overlapping with said first abutment of said first suspension member and said second abutment of said second suspension member in a circumferential direction,
a first shock-absorbing element coupled between said first suspension member and said intermediate suspension member and functionally engaging said first and third abutments to bias said second suspension member from a first shock-absorbing position in which said first shock-absorbing element is substantially elastically deformed to a first rest position in which said first shock-absorbing element is in relative equilibrium, and
a second shock-absorbing element coupled between said second suspension member and said intermediate suspension member and functionally engaging said second and fourth abutments to bias said second suspension member from a second shock-absorbing position in which said second shock-absorbing element is substantially elastically deformed to a second rest position in which said second shock-absorbing element is in relative equilibrium.

6 more elements

A bicycle suspension assembly adapted to be coupled between a first bicycle frame member and a second bicycle frame member, said bicycle suspension assembly comprising:

a first suspension member having a first frame connection to be fixedly coupled to the first bicycle frame member and including at least one first abutment;
a second suspension member having a second frame connection to be fixedly coupled to the second bicycle frame member for movement therewith about a pivot axis and movably coupled to said first suspension member for relative rotational movement about said pivot axis, said second suspension member including at least one second abutment and having a bore sized to receive said first suspension member therein;
an intermediate suspension member movably positioned in said bore between said first and second suspension members for relative movement, said intermediate suspension member including at least one third abutment and at least one fourth abutment, said third and fourth abutments overlapping with said first abutment of said first suspension member and said second abutment of said second suspension member in a circumferential direction;
a first shock-absorbing element coupled between said first suspension member and said intermediate suspension member and functionally engaging said first and third abutments to bias said second suspension member about said pivot axis from a first shock-absorbing position in which said first shock-absorbing element is substantially elastically deformed to a first rest position in which said first shock-absorbing element is in relative equilibrium;
and
a second shock-absorbing element coupled between said second suspension member and said intermediate suspension member and functionally engaging said second and fourth abutments to bias said second suspension member about said pivot axis from a second shock-absorbing position in which said second shock-absorbing element is substantially elastically deformed to a second rest position in which said second shock-absorbing element is in relative equilibrium.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.