# US 8,770,360 B2 · Front bicycle suspension assembly with inertia valve > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,770,360 B2 - Document ID: US8770360B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/663,019 - Filed: 2012-10-29 - Published: 2013-02-28 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2001-08-30 - Assignees: Fox Factory, Inc. - Applicants: Fox Factory, Inc. - Inventors: Robert C. Fox - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770360B2 ## CPC - F16F 9/504: Inertia {, i.e. acceleration,}-sensitive means - B62K 25/04: for mounting axles resiliently on cycle frame or fork (for sidecars, forecars or the like B62K27/06) - B62K 25/08: for front wheel - B62K 25/286: {the shock absorber being connected to the chain-stay via a linkage mechanism} - F16F 9/064: {Units characterised by the location or shape of the expansion chamber (F16F9/068, F16F9/08 take precedence)} - F16F 9/34: Special valve constructions ({F16F9/44, F16F9/50 take precedence; filtering details F16F9/3285} ; valves in general F16K); Shape or construction of throttling passages - B62K 2025/048: {with suspension manual adjustment details} - Y10T 29/494: Fluidic or fluid actuated device making - F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION - B62K: CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDECARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A front bicycle suspension assembly having an inertia valve is described. The front bicycle suspension assembly may include at least upper and lower telescoping tubes and include a damping tube containing an inertia valve. The inertia valve may include an inertia mass movable along the outer surface of a valve shaft as the inertia valve moves between first and second positions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bicycle suspension assembly, comprising: a damper body having a longitudinal axis and containing damping fluid; a piston coupled to a piston rod, the piston and a portion of the piston rod movable within the damper body; a reservoir with a movable sealed barrier partially defining a variable volume chamber within the reservoir, wherein the longitudinal axis of the damper body and a longitudinal axis of the reservoir are non-coaxial and non-parallel; a fluid path between the damper body and the reservoir for conveying fluid flow from the damper body to the reservoir as the piston rod moves further into the damper body; an inertia valve for at least partially controlling the fluid flow through the fluid path, the inertia valve positioned within the reservoir and including: (1) an inertia mass, the inertia mass including an uppermost encircling portion immediately adjacent to and encircling a shaft and through which an upper end of a shaft protrudes; and (2) whereby in response to an upward acceleration exceeding a predetermined acceleration threshold, the inertia mass is movable along the shaft from a first position downward towards a second position; the first position limited by a stop and the inertia mass being biased towards the stop by a biasing member; and whereby when the inertia mass is in the second position, fluid enters the reservoir at a first location relative to the inertia mass, flows within an interior hollow portion of the shaft, and then exits the interior hollow portion of the shaft at a second location relative to the inertia mass. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 1, wherein the fluid path includes a pressure-relief valve. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 1, wherein the movable sealed barrier comprises a floating piston. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 3, wherein the floating piston is positioned above the inertia valve. ### Claim 5 A bicycle suspension assembly, comprising: a damper body containing damping fluid; a piston coupled to a piston rod, the piston and a portion of the piston rod movable within the damper body; a reservoir with a movable sealed barrier partially defining a variable volume chamber within the reservoir, wherein the movable sealed barrier is positioned above an inertia valve; a fluid path between the damper body and the reservoir for conveying fluid flow from the damper body to the reservoir as the piston rod moves further into the damper body; the inertia valve for at least partially controlling the fluid flow through the fluid path, the inertia valve positioned within the reservoir and including: (1) an inertia mass, the inertia mass including an uppermost encircling portion immediately adjacent to and encircling a shaft and through which an upper end of a shaft protrudes; and (2) whereby in response to an upward acceleration exceeding a predetermined acceleration threshold, the inertia mass is movable along the shaft from a first position downward towards a second position; the first position limited by a stop and the inertia mass being biased towards the stop by a biasing member; whereby when the inertia mass is in the second position, fluid enters a reservoir tube at a first location relative to the inertia mass, flows within an interior hollow portion of the shaft; and then exits the interior hollow portion of the shaft at a second location relative to the inertia mass; and wherein the damper body and the reservoir are non-coaxial and non-parallel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 5, wherein inertial mass includes an annular pocket therein in a facing relationship to the shaft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 6, wherein the inertial mass includes standoffs disposed at the opposite ends thereof, and an internal diameter thereof is larger than the external diameter of the shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 5, further including an annular clearance gap between the inertial mass and the shaft. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 5, wherein the shaft includes an opening extending from the hollow interior of the shaft to the exterior of the shaft, and the inertial mass allows restricted flow to and from the second opening when the inertial mass is in the first and the second positions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The bicycle suspension system of claim 8, wherein the width of the annular clearance gap varies about the circumference of the shaft.