Patent · US Expired

Shock absorber compression damping adjustment

US6659241B2 · kind B2 · utility

122Cited by
9References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 22, 2001
Grant dateDec 9, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 22, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF16F9/44
  • WIPO fieldMechanical elements
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An adjustable shock absorber is provided that includes a body having a fluid passageway with first and second passages in fluid communication with one another. A valve assembly is arranged between the passages and includes a plunger that is adjustable between a plurality of positions corresponding to a plurality of fluid flow positions. The valve assembly includes a metering valve having a orifice in a disc, and the plunger includes a needle with a portion disposed in said orifice to provide flow area. The flow area is changed when the plunger moves. The valve assembly also includes a blow-off valve in which the disc is biased to a closed position by a spring arranged between the plunger and the disc. Movement of the plunger changes the loading on the spring. An adjustment knob has a cammed surface that cooperates with the plunger so that as the adjustment knob is rotated the cammed surface moves the plunger. In this manner, the blow-off and metering valves may be adjusted simultaneously, or independently if the metering and blow-off valves are separated, to provide more desirable shock absorber adjustment. Moreover, adjustment of the shock absorber is not necessarily limited to a …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.