Adjustable Air Pressure Chamber for Suspension Fork
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional suspension designs for two-wheeled vehicles lack adjustability in the compensating force acting on the floating piston, which affects the suspension's performance under various conditions, leading to poor riding comfort.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a compensator assembly with a floating piston and an air introduction system that allows users to adjust the air pressure in the air chamber using a conventional pump with a pressure gauge, enabling adjustments to the fork's effective spring rate and damping characteristics without significantly increasing size or weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional compensator chamber with a floating piston is used, then the suspension can compensate for shaft volume changes, but the user cannot adjust the compensating force acting on the floating piston
Solution Approach 1:
The air chamber is divided into two separate chambers: a first air chamber for compensation and a second air chamber for adjustment. This segmentation allows the system to provide both automatic compensation functionality and user-adjustable compensating force through separate, independently controllable chambers, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
A check valve is introduced as an intermediary component between the first and second air chambers. This check valve allows air to flow from the second chamber to the first chamber when pressure exceeds a threshold, but prevents reverse flow. This intermediary mechanism enables user adjustment while maintaining automatic compensation, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and device complexity
2Ease of operation
If the air chamber is made large enough to allow pressure measurement and adjustment, then user adjustability is enabled, but the size of the suspension package increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air chamber is segmented into a smaller first air chamber for compensation and a second air chamber for adjustment and pressure measurement. This segmentation allows the system to maintain user adjustability while reducing the overall volume required, as each chamber can be optimized for its specific function rather than requiring one large chamber to perform both functions
Solution Approach 2:
The second air chamber is positioned within the upper leg of the suspension fork, nesting the adjustment functionality within the existing structural space. This nesting approach enables user adjustability without significantly increasing the external dimensions of the suspension package
3Adaptability or versatility
If a floating piston is used to separate the air chamber from the damping fluid, then volume compensation is achieved, but the structure does not allow adjustment of the compensating force
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the air chamber into two separate chambers divided by a partition wall with a check valve. The first chamber maintains the floating piston for volume compensation, while the second chamber provides adjustable pressure. This segmentation enables force adjustment through the check valve mechanism without compromising the floating piston's compensation function, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and device complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides increased riding comfort and adjustability, allowing riders to customize the suspension's performance by adjusting air pressure and flow rate, thereby improving the suspension's responsiveness to different riding conditions.
Implementation Method 1
Because the damping fluid is substantially incompressible, it is conventional to include an air chamber separated from the damping fluid that compensates for the presence and absence of the shaft
Implementation Method 2
a floating piston may be incorporated into one end of the damper structure. One side of the floating piston may form one side of the damper chamber. The opposite side of the floating piston may form one side of an air chamber
Implementation Method 3
the coil spring and the air are able to compress, thereby increasing the effective volume of the damper chamber
Implementation Method 4
the coil spring and the air are able to compress
Implementation Method 5
allow for increased riding comfort and increased adjustability by a rider of the pressure within the compensator chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A suspension system for a fork includes a first tube and a second tube that telescopically interfit with one another. A damping system is in one leg of the fork. The damping system includes an air chamber having a first portion and a second portion separated by a check valve. A Schrader valve permits the addition and removal of air from the air chamber. Actuation of the Schrader valve actuates the check valve and allows air to flow into both the first portion and second portion simultaneously. The air volume in the air chamber is sufficient to allow a standard pump pressure gauge to read the pressure in the air chamber.