Abstract:
A wheel support portion for a bicycle, such as a front fork assembly, arranged to reduce vibrations that originate at the bicycle wheel and are transmitted to the rider of the bicycle through the wheel support. Desirably, the front fork assembly is configured to be supported by a bicycle frame and includes a pair of fork legs, which extend in a downward direction along opposing sides of a front wheel of the bicycle. Preferably, the fork legs are configured to support the front wheel at their lower ends. An intermediate portion of each of the fork legs defines a cavity. A damping member comprised of a vibration damping material is positioned within the cavity. Preferably, the cavity passes completely through each fork leg in a lateral direction and the damping member is retained within the cavity by a friction fit therebetween.
Abstract:
A shock absorbing bicycle wheel hub apparatus uses an open ended, cylindrical shock absorber housing mounted concentrically within a wheel hub. The wheel hub is adapted for rotation about the shock absorber housing. A pivot tube is axially aligned with the shock absorber housing and rotationally mounted within its sidewall. Terminal ends of the pivot rod engage cover plates fixedly mounted thereon. A pressure tube is axially aligned with the shock absorber housing and extends through it so that its terminal ends may be fixed in the cover plates. A shock-absorbing medium is compressively positioned between the pressure tube and an interior surface of the shock absorber housing. The cover plates engage a bicycle fork so that weight supported by the bicycle fork is transmitted through the cover plates and the pivot tube and pressure tube, to the shock absorbing medium, and thereby, through the shock absorber housing and the wheel hub to a wheel of the bicycle. Likewise, road shocks are transmitted through the shock-absorbing medium in the same way.
Abstract:
A shock absorber includes an outer tube, an inner tube having a proximal end sleeved slidably into the outer tube and a distal end extending away from the outer tube, a shaft disposed inside the inner tube, a plurality of shock absorbing elastic blocks which are mounted on the outer tube for positioning resiliently the distal end away from the outer tube and which are sleeved around the shaft inside the inner tube without contacting the inner tube, each block having an inner tubular part sleeved around the shaft, and an outer tubular part wrapped around the inner tubular part. The inner and outer tubular parts are made of rubber materials having different degrees of stiffness. The inner tubular part has a stiffness higher than that of the inner tubular part to resist and limit impact pressure acting on the outer tubular part, thereby reducing deformation of the outer tubular part along radial directions and preventing the blocks from contacting the inner tube upon shock.
Abstract:
A front wheel shock absorbing system for a bicycle wherein the legs of the front wheel fork includes struts slidable in tubes. The struts are attached at one end to the wheel axle. The tubes slide over the struts and are fixedly secured to the forks steering tube through a triple clamp. A rim type braking mechanism is secured to the struts by a bypass attachment mechanism, preferably by the provision of a slot through the tube to permit a fastener to extend through the tube and onto the strut. The slot permits reciprocation of the strut relative to the tube. Compressible bumpers in the tube are compressed by the strut and tube interacting to provide the shock absorbing effect.
Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to terrain-tracking or vehicle suspension systems that include travel at least one of the front or the rear of the vehicle. Various embodiments include a suspension above the vehicle (upper suspension). Embodiments include a suspension or travel in at least one of the upper vehicle (rear and/or front), middle vehicle (rear and/or front), or below vehicle (rear and/or front). Various embodiments included a combination thereof.