Bicycle Air Spring Venting for Safe Sealhead Disassembly

Solution Overview

Problem

Air springs in bicycle components often require manual depressurization before disassembly, which can lead to parts being ejected at high velocity, causing damage and safety hazards due to improper handling.

Innovation Solution

The air springs are designed with features that automatically vent and depressurize the sealed chamber when one of the sealheads is removed, ensuring the chamber equalizes with atmospheric pressure before complete detachment, preventing ejection of parts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual depressurization is required before disassembly, then the sealed pressure chamber can be safely opened, but the disassembly process becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety during disassemblyVSAvoiddisassembly procedure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The vent port is pre-positioned in the tube at a location that automatically aligns with the sealhead during the disassembly process. As the sealhead is decoupled from the tube, the seal naturally loses contact with the inner surface and opens the vent port before complete separation occurs, performing the depressurization action in advance of full disassembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The air spring system performs its own depressurization automatically during the disassembly process. The seal's movement relative to the vent port creates an automatic pressure equalization mechanism that eliminates the need for external manual depressurization operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If manual depressurization is required before disassembly, then safety can be ensured, but the disassembly time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety during disassemblyVSAvoiddisassembly time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The vent port is pre-positioned in the tube at a location that automatically aligns with the sealhead during the disassembly process. As the sealhead is decoupled from the tube, the seal naturally loses contact with the inner surface and opens the vent port before complete separation occurs, performing the depressurization action in advance of full disassembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The air spring system performs its own depressurization automatically during the disassembly process. The seal's movement relative to the vent port creates an automatic pressure equalization mechanism that eliminates the need for external manual depressurization operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the seal maintains sealing contact throughout disassembly, then pressure containment is maintained, but parts can be ejected at high velocity causing damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure containmentVSAvoidparts ejection hazard

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The vent port is pre-positioned in the tube at a location that automatically aligns with the sealhead during the disassembly process. As the sealhead is decoupled from the tube, the seal naturally loses contact with the inner surface and opens the vent port before complete separation occurs, performing the depressurization action in advance of full disassembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The design converts the potentially harmful high-velocity ejection of parts into a beneficial automatic depressurization mechanism. The seal's natural movement during disassembly is harnessed to open the vent port and equalize pressure, transforming the disassembly motion itself into a safety feature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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

This design significantly improves serviceability and reduces disassembly time by ensuring safe and easy disassembly without the risk of parts being ejected, enhancing safety and accessibility.

Implementation Method 1

the seal is spaced from the vent port by a port seal gap that is less than the axial interface locking length such that as the second sealhead is being decoupled from the tube, the seal loses sealing contact with the inner surface to enable at least a portion of the sealed pressure chamber to be equalized with atmospheric air before the second sealhead is fully decoupled from the tube

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure equalization: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS20260001604A1Air springs for bicycle components

Publication Date: 2026.01.01 SRAM LLC

AI summary

Air springs for bicycle components are described herein. An example air spring includes a tube, a first sealhead coupled to the tube, a second sealhead coupled to the tube such that a sealed pressure chamber is formed in the tube between the first and second sealheads, and a seal coupled to the second sealhead. The second sealhead and the tube are coupled along an axial interface locking length. The tube has a vent port. The seal is spaced from the vent port by a port seal gap that is less than the axial interface locking length such that as the second sealhead is being decoupled from the tube, the seal loses sealing contact with the inner surface to enable at least a portion of the sealed pressure chamber to be equalized with atmospheric air before the second sealhead is fully decoupled from the tube.