Bicycle steering dampening apparatus and an apparatus for installing the same

An apparatus assembly for dampening the steering of a cycle, the cycle having a lower steering mechanism connecting the handlebar of the cycle to the front wheel and having a frame, the frame being coupled with the lower steering mechanism, the apparatus assembly comprising:

• a cartridge having a passage and having a dampening material located within the passage, the dampening material having an axial length and having an opening along its axial length, the cartridge being adapted to be coupled to the frame of the cycle;
• a rod being substantially arc-shaped and being adapted to couple to the lower steering mechanism of the cycle, the rod passing through the opening of the dampening material of the cartridge, wherein the dampening material is capable of being compressed to provide variable resistance to the rod as the rod runs through the opening of the dampening material;
• and
• a universal joint coupled to the cartridge and having a pivot arm adapted to couple to the frame of the cycle.

An apparatus assembly for dampening the steering of a cycle, the cycle having a lower steering mechanism connecting the handlebar of the cycle to the front wheel and having a frame, the frame being coupled with the lower steering mechanism, the apparatus assembly comprising:

• a cartridge having a passage and having a dampening material located within the passage, the dampening material having an axial length and having an opening along its axial length, the cartridge being adapted to be coupled to the frame of the cycle and having an outer shell with first and second openings, the first opening of the shell having a cap with a first hole, the second opening of the shell having an adjustable nut with a second hole, the first and second holes forming part of the passage, and the dampening material being located between the cap and adjustable nut;
• and
• a rod being substantially arc-shaped and being adapted to couple to the lower steering mechanism of the cycle, the rod passing through the opening of the dampening material of the cartridge;
• wherein the dampening material is capable of being compressed to provide variable resistance to the rod as the rod runs through the opening of the dampening material and adjusting the adjustable nut to compress the dampening material increases friction between the dampening material and the rod.

A dampener for steering a bicycle, wherein the bicycle has a lower steering mechanism and a lowermost frame coupling the lower steering mechanism to a pedal of the bicycle, comprising

• a) an arcuate rod having two free ends coupled to the lower steering mechanism;
• b) an adjustable dampener with a passage, the passage housing a dampening material, the dampening material providing resistance to the movement of the rod running through the passage of the dampener;
• c) a universal joint coupled to the adjustable dampener;
• d) an arm extending from the universal joint;
• and
• e) an attachment element with a bore therethrough, the arm releasably inserted into the bore;
• and
• f) the attachment element coupled to the lowermost frame of the bicycle.

A method of dampening the steering of a bicycle with a lower steering mechanism and a lowermost frame, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing an arcuate rod coupled to the lower steering mechanism of the bicycle;
• b) providing a dampener with an adjustable nut and a dampening material within the dampener with a passage, the arcuate rod running through the passage;
• c) coupling the dampener to the lowermost frame of the bicycle;
• and
• d) adjusting the adjustable nut to compress the dampening material to provide desired level of friction between the dampening material and the arcuate rod.

A method of coupling a dampening assembly to a steering mechanism of a cycle, the cycle having a lower steering mechanism and a lowermost frame, the method comprising the steps of:

• coupling an arcuate rod to the lower steering mechanism of the cycle;
• running the arcuate rod through a passage in a dampening material located within a cartridge;
• radially compressing the dampening material;
• and
• coupling the cartridge to the lowermost frame of the cycle.

A method of coupling a dampening assembly to a steering mechanism of a cycle, the cycle having a lower steering mechanism, a triple clamp and a lowermost frame, the method comprising the steps of:

• coupling an arcuate rod to the lower steering mechanism of the cycle;
• running the arcuate rod through a passage in a dampening material, the dampening material located within a cartridge;
• coupling the cartridge to the lowermost frame of the cycle;
• and
• replacing the triple clamp of the cycle with a triple clamp adapted to couple to the arcuate rod.

A method of coupling a dampening assembly to a steering mechanism of a cycle, the cycle having a lower steering mechanism and a lowermost frame, the method comprising the steps of:

• coupling an arcuate rod to the lower steering mechanism of the cycle;
• running the arcuate rod through a passage in a dampening material, the dampening material located within a cartridge;
• coupling the cartridge to the lowermost frame of the cycle;
• providing a universal joint to couple to the cartridge, wherein the universal joint has a pivot arm, and a connector with a port adapted to receive the pivot arm;
• inserting the pivot arm through the port of the connector;
• and
• coupling the connector to the lowermost frame of the cycle.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a cycle including a handlebar, a front wheel, a frame and a lower steering mechanism, coupled to the frame, that couples the handlebar to the front wheel;
• a cartridge having a passage and having a dampening material located within the passage, the dampening material having an axial length and having an opening through the axial length, the cartridge being configured to be coupled to the frame of the cycle and to impart a plurality of different compressive forces to the dampening material independent of lower steering mechanism position;
• and
• an arcuate rod adapted to couple to the lower steering mechanism of the cycle, and the arcuate rod passing through the opening of the dampening material within the cartridge to stabilize the steering mechanism.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a cycle including a handlebar, a front wheel, a frame and a lower steering mechanism, coupled to the frame, that couples the handlebar to the front wheel;
• a cartridge having a passage and having a dampening material located within the passage, the dampening material having an axial length and having an opening through the axial length, wherein the cartridge is adapted to couple to the frame of the cycle;
• an arcuate rod adapted to couple to the lower steering mechanism of the cycle, and the arcuate rod passing through the opening of the dampening material within the cartridge to stabilize the steering mechanism;
• a cartridge holder having a ring area and a plate area, the ring area adapted to receive the cartridge, and the plate area having a slotted opening adapted to receive a dowel pin;
• and
• a frame holder having flanges adapted to couple to a lowermost frame of the cycle and pair of arms adapted to associate with the plate area of the cartridge holder, wherein each of the pair of arms have a hole adapted to receive the dowel pin through each of the holes in the pair of arms;
• whereby the cartridge holder is moveably coupled to the frame holder by positioning the plate area between the pair of arms and inserting the dowel pin through each of the hole in the pair arms and through the slotted opening in the plate area.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a cycle including a handlebar, a front wheel, a frame and a lower steering mechanism, coupled to the frame, that couples the handlebar to the front wheel;
• a cartridge having a passage and having a dampening material located within the passage, the dampening material having an axial length and having an opening through the axial length, wherein the cartridge is adapted to couple to the frame of the cycle;
• and
• an arcuate rod adapted to couple to the lower steering mechanism of the cycle, and the arcuate rod passing through the opening of the dampening material within the cartridge to stabilize the steering mechanism;
• wherein the cartridge has an outer shell between a nozzle opening and a threaded opening adapted to receive the arcuate rod and an adjustable nut received by the threaded opening having an outer threaded end and a cone shaped opening and the nozzle opening, the threaded opening, and the cone shaped opening define the passage.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a cycle including a handlebar, a front wheel, a frame and a lower steering mechanism, coupled to the frame, that couples the handlebar to the front wheel;
• a cartridge made of Black Delrin material having a passage and having a dampening material located within the passage, the dampening material having an axial length and having an opening through the axial length, wherein the cartridge is adapted to couple to the frame of the cycle;
• and
• an arcuate rod adapted to couple to the lower steering mechanism of the cycle, and the arcuate rod passing through the opening of the dampening material within the cartridge to stabilize the steering mechanism.

A lowermost steering mechanism for use with a cycle including a cycle frame, the lowermost steering mechanism comprising:

• first and second forks;
• a substantially arcuate rod, defining a size and a cross-sectional shape, operably connected to at least one of the first and second forks;
• and
• a cartridge, adapted to be mounted adjacent to the cycle frame, including dampening material, the dampening material having an opening, defining a size and a cross-sectional shape, through which the arcuate rod passes;
• the respective sizes and cross-sectional shapes of the arcuate rod and opening in the dampening material being such that the dampening material frictionally engages the arcuate rod and substantial movement of the arcuate rod will not substantially compress the dampening material.

A lowermost steering mechanism for use with a cycle including a cycle frame, the lowermost steering mechanism comprising:

• first and second forks;
• a substantially arcuate rod, defining a size and a cross-sectional shape, operably connected to at least one of the first and second forks;
• a cartridge, adapted to be mounted adjacent to the cycle frame, including dampening material, the dampening material having an opening, defining a size and a cross-sectional shape, through which the arcuate rod passes, the respective sizes and cross-sectional shapes of the arcuate rod and opening in the dampening material being such that the dampening material frictionally engages the arcuate rod;
• a universal joint, coupled to the cartridge, having a pivot arm;
• and
• a connector, adapted to be coupled to the frame, defining a port for the pivot arm.

A lowermost steering mechanism for use with a cycle including a cycle frame, the lowermost steering mechanism comprising:

• first and second forks;
• a substantially arcuate rod, defining a size and a cross-sectional shape, operably connected to at least one of the first and second forks;
• and
• a cartridge, adapted to be mounted adjacent to the cycle frame, including dampening material with a high-density cell structure, the dampening material having an opening, defining a size and a cross-sectional shape, through which the arcuate rod passes;
• the respective sizes and cross-sectional shapes of the arcuate rod and opening in the dampening material being such that the dampening material frictionally engages the arcuate rod.

A lowermost steering mechanism for use with a cycle including a cycle frame, the lowermost steering mechanism comprising:

• first and second forks;
• a substantially arcuate rod, defining a size and a cross-sectional shape, operably connected to at least one of the first and second forks;
• and a cartridge, adapted to be mounted adjacent to the cycle frame, including urethane dampening material, the urethane dampening material having an opening, defining a size and a cross-sectional shape, through which the arcuate rod passes;
• the respective sizes and cross-sectional shapes of the arcuate rod and opening in the urethane dampening material being such that the urethane dampening material frictionally engages the arcuate rod.

A lowermost steering mechanism for use with a cycle including a cycle frame, the lowermost steering mechanism comprising:

• first and second forks;
• a substantially arcuate rod, defining a size and a cross-sectional shape, operably connected to at least one of the first and second forks;
• and
• a cartridge adapted to be mounted adjacent to the cycle frame including
• dampening material, having an opening defining a size and a cross-sectional shape through which the arcuate rod passes, the respective sizes and cross-sectional shapes of the arcuate rod and opening in the dampening material being such that the dampening material frictionally engages the arcuate rod;
• and
• a user actuatable device that selectively increases and decreases pressure on the dampening material.

A lowermost steering mechanism for use with a cycle including a cycle frame, the lowermost steering mechanism comprising:

• first and second forks;
• a substantially arcuate rod, defining a size and a cross-sectional shape, operably connected to at least one of the first and second forks;
• and
• a cartridge, adapted to be mounted adjacent to the cycle frame, including first and second concave surfaces, at least one of the first and second concave surfaces being movable relative to the other, and dampening material located between the first and second concave surfaces, the dampening material having an opening, defining a size and a cross-sectional shape, through which the arcuate rod passes;
• the respective sizes and cross-sectional shapes of the arcuate rod and opening in the dampening material being such that the dampening material frictionally engages the arcuate rod.

A lowermost steering mechanism for use with a cycle including a cycle frame, the lowermost steering mechanism comprising:

• first and second forks rotatably movable together between a neutral position and at least one offset position rotatably offset from the neutral position;
• a substantially arcuate rod, defining a size and a cross-sectional shape, operably connected to at least one of the first and second forks;
• and
• a dampening system that applies a dampening force to the arcuate rod that is substantially equal when the forks are in the neutral position and the at least one offset position, the dampening system including
• a cartridge adapted to be mounted adjacent to the cycle frame, and
• dampening material, within the cartridge, having an opening defining a size and a cross-sectional shape, through which the arcuate rod passes, the respective sizes and cross-sectional shapes of the arcuate rod and opening in the dampening material being such that the dampening material frictionally engages the arcuate rod.