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US 6,311,962 B1Granted
Shock absorber with external air cylinder spring
AssigneeFox Factory, Inc.
InventorJohn Marking
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gas spring shock absorber (10) includes a damping fluid cylinder (14) telescopically housed within a gas cylinder (12). A shaft (16) connects a sealed, outer end (18) of the gas cylinder (12) with a vented piston (32) movably mounted within damping fluid cylinder (14). Shaft (16) passes through a sealed inner end (28) of damping fluid cylinder (14) so that a sliding seal (34) located between gas cylinder (12) and damping fluid cylinder (14) creates a sealed variable-volume gas cylinder (40) between the cylinders.
Claims14
A gas spring shock absorber comprising:
- a gas cylinder unit comprising:
- a gas cylinder comprising first and second gas cylinder ends, said first gas cylinder end being closed, second gas cylinder end being open;
- and
- the gas cylinder comprising a first mounting element;
- a damping unit comprising:
- a damping fluid cylinder having first and second damping cylinder ends;
- the damping fluid cylinder comprising a second mounting element;
- a movement damping element movably mounted within the damping fluid cylinder;
- said second end of the damping fluid cylinder telescopically housed within the second gas cylinder end;
- a shaft connecting the movement damping element and the gas cylinder unit;
- a fluid seal between the shaft and the damping fluid cylinder, the fluid seal being mounted to and carried by the damping fluid cylinder;
- a sliding seal secured to the damping fluid cylinder and slidably engageable with the gas cylinder creating a sealed gas chamber within the gas cylinder;
- and
- a movable seal within said damping fluid cylinder, said movable seal separating said damping fluid cylinder into a fluid chamber and a second gas chamber so to accommodate movement of said shaft into and out of the damping fluid cylinder.
11 more elements
A gas spring shock absorber comprising:
- a gas cylinder unit comprising:
- a gas cylinder comprising first and second gas cylinder ends, said first gas cylinder end being closed, second gas cylinder end being open;
- and
- the gas cylinder comprising a first mounting element;
- a damping unit comprising:
- a damping fluid cylinder having first and second damping cylinder ends;
- the damping fluid cylinder comprising a second mounting element;
- a movement damping element movably mounted within the damping fluid cylinder;
- said second end of the damping fluid cylinder telescopically housed within the second gas cylinder end;
- a shaft connecting the movement damping element and the gas cylinder unit;
- a fluid seal between the shaft and the damping fluid cylinder;
- a sliding seal secured to the damping fluid cylinder and slidably engageable with the gas cylinder creating a sealed gas chamber within the gas cylinder;
- the sealed gas chamber comprising an annular portion between the gas cylinder and the damping fluid cylinder;
- and
- a movable seal within said damping fluid cylinder, said movable seal separating said damping fluid cylinder into a fluid chamber and a second gas chamber so to accommodate movement of said shaft into and out of the damping fluid cylinder.
12 more elements
A gas spring shock absorber comprising:
- a gas cylinder unit comprising:
- a gas cylinder comprising first and second gas cylinder ends, said first gas cylinder end being closed, said second gas cylinder end being open;
- and
- the gas cylinder comprising a first mounting element threadably mounted to and closing the first end of the gas cylinder;
- a damping unit comprising:
- a damping fluid cylinder having first and second damping cylinder ends;
- the damping fluid cylinder comprising a second mounting element threadably mounted to and closing the first end of the damping fluid cylinder;
- a vented piston movably mounted within the damping fluid cylinder;
- said second end of the damping fluid cylinder telescopically housed within the second gas cylinder end;
- a floating piston slidably movable in said damping fluid cylinder, and said floating piston separating said damping fluid cylinder into a fluid chamber and a second gas chamber;
- and
- a pressurization port formed in the second mounting element in fluid communication with the second gas chamber;
- and
- a shaft connecting the vented piston and the gas cylinder unit;
- a fluid seal between the shaft and the damping fluid cylinder;
- a sliding seal secured to the damping fluid cylinder and slidably engageable with the gas cylinder creating a sealed gas chamber within the gas cylinder;
- and
- the sealed gas chamber comprising an annular portion between the gas cylinder and the damping fluid cylinder.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.