Fork Seal Cleaning Collar for Mud and Debris Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Off-road motorcycle fork seals face challenges in protecting against mud and dirt due to their exposed position, leading to reduced seal effectiveness and limited life, requiring complex disassembly for cleaning, which is time-consuming and costly.
Innovation Solution
A seal cleaning device comprising a flexible collar with upward and downward projections, allowing for the removal of detritus from between the inner and outer tube seals without disassembly, using a partly open, flexible collar that encircles the inner tube and includes hook-shaped tips to dislodge and guide away debris from the seals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the seal is made tighter to keep dirt and water out, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but fork movement becomes restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device is segmented into multiple functional components: a collar that encircles the inner tube, cleaning projections with hook-shaped tips for removing detritus, and a structure that allows rotational movement. This segmentation enables the device to perform multiple cleaning functions while maintaining fork mobility during the cleaning process.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning device acts as an intermediary tool between the operator and the seal interface. It includes a collar that interfaces with the inner tube and cleaning projections that reach between the seal and inner tube surface, mediating the cleaning action without requiring disassembly of the seal assembly.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional cleaning methods are used, then seal cleaning can be performed, but complete disassembly of the fork leg is required
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device extracts the cleaning function from the complex disassembly process. The collar and cleaning projections are designed to access the seal interface directly through the existing structure, extracting detritus without requiring removal of protective guards or disassembly of the fork leg components.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning device performs preliminary cleaning action before seal failure occurs. The hook-shaped tips are designed to proactively remove detritus accumulated at the seal interface, preventing contamination from entering the seal and extending seal life before leakage occurs.
3Strength
If the fork inner tube diameter is increased to increase rigidity, then fork rigidity is improved, but seal effectiveness against dirt and water is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device applies local quality by concentrating cleaning action at the specific seal interface zone. The cleaning projections are positioned to target the critical area where detritus accumulates between the seal and inner tube, providing localized cleaning effectiveness regardless of the overall fork tube diameter.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If stone guards are positioned away from the leg to prevent damage, then protection from hard objects is improved, but access for cleaning becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device serves as an intermediary tool that bridges the gap between the protective stone guards and the seal interface. The collar and cleaning projections can access the seal area through the space between the stone guards and the inner tube, enabling cleaning without removing the protective guards.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A seal cleaning device for seals located at the interface of the inner and outer tubes of a telescopically acting suspension or like unit; said device characterised in comprising a collar and at least one flexible cleaning projection; said cleaning projection adapted for insertion between a said seal and an outer surface of a said inner tube; said cleaning device adapted to removal of detritus from between a said seal and said inner tube.