Suspension system
AssigneeTempest Cycles, Inc.
InventorErick J. Ackley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A suspension system for supporting a front wheel of a vehicle, such as a motorcycle, that includes at least one movement limiting device coupled to a support arm assembly and to a frame. The support arm assembly may support the front wheel and pivot about an axis that is generally orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of a vehicle and generally orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the support arm assembly. The suspension system controls the amount of movement the support arm assembly undergoes about the pivot. The suspension system may be configured to absorb shock encountered in motorcycles having extreme rake.
Claims33
A suspension system for supporting a front wheel of a vehicle, comprising:
- a support arm assembly comprising at least one support arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the at least one support arm supporting the front wheel, and the support arm assembly pivotably coupled to a frame of the vehicle at a pivot proximate to the second end of the at least one support arm so that the at least one support arm assembly can rotate about an axis that is generally orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the frame and generally orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the at least one support arm assembly;
- and
- at least one movement limiting device having a first end and a second end, the first end of the at least one movement limiting device is coupled to the frame and the second end of the at least one movement limiting device is coupled to the support arm assembly between the pivot and the second end of the support arm assembly generally opposite to the first end coupled to the front wheel to limit movement of the at least one support arm about the pivot.
A suspension system for supporting a front wheel of a vehicle, comprising:
- a support arm assembly comprising:
- a neck rotatably coupled to a frame at a pivot;
- a support bracket rotatably coupled to the neck and coupled to at least one support arm;
- the at least one support arm having a first end coupled to the front wheel and a second end coupled to the support bracket;
- and
- wherein the support arm assembly is pivotably coupled to a frame at the pivot so that the at least one support arm assembly can rotate about an axis that is generally orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the frame and generally orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the at least one support arm assembly;
- and
- at least one movement limiting device having a first end and a second end, the first end of the at least one movement limiting device coupled to the frame and the second end of the at least one movement limiting device is coupled to the support arm assembly between the pivot and the second end of the support arm assembly generally opposite to the first end coupled to the front wheel to prevent the at least one support arm from freely rotating about the pivot.
A motorcycle, comprising:
- a frame having at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel;
- and
- a suspension system for the front wheel, comprising:
- a support arm assembly comprising at least one support arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the at least one support arm coupled to the front wheel, and the support arm assembly pivotably coupled to the frame at a pivot proximate to the second end of the at least one support arm so that the at least one support arm assembly can rotate about an axis that is generally orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the frame and generally orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the at least one support arm assembly;
- and
- at least one movement limiting device having a first and a second end, the first end of the at least one movement limiting device is coupled to the frame and the second end of the at least one movement limiting device is coupled to the support arm assembly between the pivot and the second end of the support arm assembly generally opposite to the first end coupled to the front wheel to prevent the at least one support arm from freely rotating about the pivot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.