Gas spring curve control in an adjustable volume gas pressurized device
AssigneeFox Factory, Inc.
InventorRobert C. Fox
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas spring curve control valve for a adjustable-volume gas-pressurized device is described. The valve allows for selection from among at least four spring curves and can be packaged in small spaces/devices. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a rotary cam having grooves and lobes that interact with spring loaded ball bearings and an external adjuster knob are used to easily change the gas spring curve “on-the-fly” and with minimal user effort.
Claims27
An adjustable-volume gas-pressurized device for a two-wheeled vehicle, comprising:
- a main gas chamber and at least first and second auxiliary gas chambers, the chambers containing a compressible gas;
- a gas spring curve control valve having a plurality of discrete settings for controlling whether different combinations of the main, first auxiliary and second auxiliary gas chambers are in communication;
- wherein the gas spring curve control valve comprises a first and second valve bodies housed in a first and second valves and a rotor for opening said first and second valves, thereby permitting simultaneous communication between the main and the at least first and second chambers.
An adjustable-volume gas-pressurized device, comprising:
- a housing, the housing at least partially defining a main gas chamber and at least partially defining first and second auxiliary gas chambers, the chambers containing a compressible gas;
- a gas spring curve control valve, at least partially within the housing, and having rotor coupled to a cam wherein rotation of the rotor rotates the cam into engagement with a first and second valve bodies to achieve a plurality of discrete settings for controlling whether different combinations of the main, first auxiliary and second auxiliary gas chambers are in communication.
A gas spring curve control valve, comprising:
- (a) a body portion for at least partially defining a main gas chamber and at least two auxiliary gas chambers, the chambers containing a compressible gas, the body portion including:
- (1) a first flow port allowing communication between the main gas chamber and the first auxiliary gas chamber;
- (2) a second flow port allowing communication between the main gas chamber and the second auxiliary gas chamber;
- (b) first and second valves with first and second valve bodies for selectively controlling gas flow through the first and second gas ports and having open and closed positions;
- (c) a rotor having a cam at an end thereof, the rotor associated with the first and second valves such that rotation of the rotor selectively opens or closes different combinations of the first and second valves.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.