Abstract:
A front wheel supporting structure for a vehicle comprises a front arm for supporting a front axle and a suspension mechanism for resiliently suppressing vertical swinging motion of the front arm. The suspension mechanism includes a damper member disposed along a lateral direction between a head pipe and the front arm, and a connecting member for connecting the front arm with the damper member such that vertical swinging motion of the front arm is converted into lateral motion of the damper member.
Abstract:
An integrated and self-contained suspension assembly having a gas spring integrated with a shock absorber (damper) is described. The rigid gas cylinder of the air spring is divided into a first gas chamber and a second gas chamber. A flow port connects the first and second gas chambers, and can be manually opened or closed by valve and a simple one-quarter turn rotation of an external knob to instantly switch the gas spring between two different spring rates. The different spring rates are functions of the separate or combined volumes of the two. gas chambers. The integrated suspension assembly is compactly packaged and self-contained, i.e., does not require any externalities, such as gas sources or electricity, to operate.
Abstract:
A bicycle assembly can include a front or rear suspension system with a shock absorber. A front suspension system can be a suspension fork. A rear suspension system can include a rear shock absorber. The shock can have a shock body and a pressurized main air chamber within the shock body to act as an air spring. The shock can also have a valve configured to receive a pump for adding air to the main air chamber. A secondary air chamber and a control member can be used to reduce the pressure within the main air chamber by venting the secondary air chamber to the atmosphere.
Abstract:
A bicycle assembly can include a front or rear suspension system with a shock absorber. A front suspension system can be a suspension fork. A rear suspension system can include a rear shock absorber. The shock can have a shock body and a pressurized main air chamber within the shock body to act as an air spring. The shock can also have a valve configured to receive a pump for adding air to the main air chamber. A secondary air chamber and a control member can be used to reduce the pressure within the main air chamber by venting the secondary air chamber to the atmosphere.
Abstract:
A three wheeled vehicle is disclosed having a vehicle frame with a frame sidewall providing a substantially flat surface, with recesses in the flat surface. Alignment arms have inner ends and outer ends, where the inner ends are mounted to the frame sidewall, and the outer ends mount a wheel hub. The inner ends have couplings with pivotal portions and fixed portions, the pivotal portions being at least partially positioned within the recesses, and the fixed portions being attached to the substantially flat surface.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for a seat post assembly that is adjustable to an upper, intermediate, and lower seat post position using a locking member and a sleeve member coupled to an actuator for securing and releasing an inner tube with respect to an outer tube. The actuator may move the sleeve member to release the locking member from engagement with the outer tube to adjust the inner tube and thus the seat post assembly to the upper, intermediate, or lower seat post positions. The actuator and the sleeve may be biased into an initial position that urges the locking member into engagement with outer tube to lock the inner tube to the outer tube.
Abstract:
An integrated and self-contained suspension assembly having a gas spring integrated with a shock absorber (damper) is described. The rigid gas cylinder of the air spring is divided into a first gas chamber and a second gas chamber. A flow port connects the first and second gas chambers, and can be manually opened or closed by valve and a simple one-quarter turn rotation of an external knob to instantly switch the gas spring between two different spring rates. The different spring rates are functions of the separate or combined volumes of the two gas chambers. The integrated suspension assembly is compactly packaged and self-contained, i.e., does not require any externalities, such as gas sources or electricity, to operate.
Abstract:
An air spring is optionally integrated with a shock absorber or other damping unit, and has an air cylinder closed at one end, and in axially-slidable engagement with a sealing head at the other end. A sealed partitioning plate is fixed in the cylinder, and divides the cylinder into a primary air chamber and a secondary air chamber. A sealed air passage connects the primary and secondary air chambers, and can be opened or closed by a simple one-quarter turn rotation of an external knob to instantly switch the air spring between two different spring rate curves.
Abstract:
A suspension apparatus (100) includes a pair of dampers (DR, DL) configured to extend/contract to exert a damping force, each of the dampers (DR, DL) includes a cylinder (3R, 3L), a piston (4R, 4L) slidably inserted into the cylinder (3R, 3L) and configured to partition the inside of the cylinder (3R, 3L) into an extension-side chamber (5R, 5L) and a contraction-side chamber (6R, 6L), and a piston rod (7R, 7L) connected to the piston (4R, 4L) and movably inserted into the cylinder (3R, 3L), and an inner diameter of the cylinder (3R) of damper (DR) is different from an inner diameter of the cylinder (3L) of the damper (DL).
Abstract:
A straddled vehicle includes a seat 17 arranged over an opening 36 of a storage box 31 and a hinge 32 for attachment of the seat 17 to a frame 2. The hinge 32 includes a movable bracket 64 rotatable together with the seat 17 with respect to the frame 2 between a closed position and an open position and configured to overlap the opening 36 of the storage box 31 in a vehicle plan view when the seat 17 is arranged in the closed position. The straddled vehicle further includes a box seal 45 configured to tightly seal the clearance gap between the seat 17 and the storage box 31 and a bracket seal 81 configured to tightly seal the clearance gap between the seat 17 and the movable bracket 64.