Back to results
US 9,194,456 B2Granted
Suspension system
AssigneeFox Factory, Inc.
InventorsAndrew Laird, William Becker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A suspension system includes a first suspension member movable relative to a second suspension member, a fluid reservoir having a volume, the volume variable in response to a relative movement between the first and second suspension members, and a fluid flow circuit having a first end in fluidic communication with the fluid reservoir and a second end in fluidic communication with an isolated suspension location, the fluid flow circuit comprising a first valve, a second valve and a third valve, wherein said first and third valves are in parallel with each other and the second valve is in series with each of the first and third valves.
Claims24
A suspension system comprising:
- a first suspension member movable relative to a second suspension member;
- a fluid reservoir having a volume, said volume variable in response to a relative movement between said first and second suspension members;
- and
- a fluid flow circuit having a first end in fluidic communication with said fluid reservoir and a second end in fluidic communication with an isolated suspension location, said fluid flow circuit comprising a first valve, a second valve and a third valve, wherein said first and third valves are in parallel and said second valve is in series with each of said first and third valves, wherein said isolated suspension location comprises:
- an inlet in fluidic communication with said second end of said fluid flow circuit;
- an end barrier;
- and
- an annular enclosing wall defining an interior fluid pressure cavity between said inlet and said end barrier, said annular enclosing wall comprising:
- an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein said inner surface of said annular enclosing wall comprises an outer surface of a cylinder, and wherein said outer surface of said annular enclosing wall comprises a flexible tubing.
6 more elements
A method for unlocking a suspension, said method comprising:
- loading a suspension in compression;
- opening at least one of a blow-off valve and a terrain sensitive damper valve;
- flowing a damping fluid through at least one of said blow-off valve and said terrain sensitive damping valve;
- and
- delivering said damping fluid, via a flow regulator, to a predetermined location of said suspension, said predetermined location being an isolated suspension location and being fluidly isolated from gas, wherein said isolated suspension location comprises:
- an inlet in fluidic communication with a second end of a fluid flow circuit;
- an end barrier;
- and
- an annular enclosing wall defining an interior fluid pressure cavity between said inlet and said end barrier, said annular enclosing wall comprising:
- an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein said inner surface of said annular enclosing wall comprises an outer surface of a cylinder, and wherein said outer surface of said annular enclosing wall comprises a flexible tubing.
7 more elements
A damping suspension valve assembly comprising:
- a fluid flow circuit comprising a first end in fluidic communication with a fluid reservoir and a second end in fluidic communication with an isolated suspension location, said fluid reservoir receiving therein a variable volume, and said isolated suspension location receiving a damping fluid from said fluid flow circuit in response to said variable volume;
- a first valve positioned along said fluid flow circuit, said first valve comprising a compression chamber there within and configured for opening and closing in response to a variable pressure imparted on said first valve by said damping fluid, wherein said compression chamber is in fluidic communication with both said isolated suspension location and said fluid reservoir when said first valve is open, and said compression chamber is in fluidic communication with said fluid reservoir when said first valve is closed;
- a second valve comprising an upper surface coupled with said isolated suspension location and a lower surface coupled with said first valve via said fluid flow circuit, said second valve configured for providing resistance to said damping fluid flowing along said fluid flow circuit;
- and
- a third valve in fluidic communication with said first and second valve, said third valve configured for pushing said damping fluid towards said isolated suspension location in response to a pressure imparted on said second valve during compression of said damping suspension that is equal to or greater than an operator-selectable threshold pressure when said first valve is in a substantially inhibiting movement position, wherein said isolated suspension location comprises:
- an inlet in fluidic communication with said second end of said fluid flow circuit;
- an end barrier;
- and
- an annular enclosing wall defining an interior fluid pressure cavity between said inlet and said end barrier, said annular enclosing wall comprising:
- an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein said inner surface of said annular enclosing wall comprises an outer surface of a cylinder, and wherein said outer surface of said annular enclosing wall comprises a flexible tubing.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.