Inline Shock Absorber Gas Spring Cycle Wheel Suspension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Telescopic front suspension forks in two-wheeled vehicles face issues with high stiction, reduced mechanical trail during compression, lack of leverage ratio, and undesirable braking reactions, leading to instability and reduced traction.
Innovation Solution
A suspension assembly with a steering fork, shock link, shock absorber in an inline configuration, and control link, which increases mechanical trail distance as it compresses, providing a greater than 1:1 leverage ratio and improved stability through a multi-link suspension design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If telescopic fork uses large diameter stantions to support fore/aft loads, then load bearing capacity is improved, but stiction increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension system is divided into separate functional components: the fork legs provide structural support and steering, while the shock absorber handles vertical compliance and shock absorption. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, eliminating the need for large stantions in the fork while maintaining load bearing capacity through the dedicated shock absorber mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The shock absorption function is extracted from the telescopic fork structure and placed into a separate shock absorber assembly. This extraction allows the fork to focus on steering and structural integrity, while the shock absorber independently handles vertical loads and compliance, reducing stiction in the fork mechanism.
2Length of moving object
If telescopic fork compresses linearly with 1:1 leverage ratio, then wheel travel is maximized, but stability decreases due to reduced mechanical trail
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension system employs dynamic leverage ratio through the shock absorber linkage mechanism. As the suspension compresses, the leverage ratio changes to maintain optimal mechanical trail and stability. The shock absorber's pivot points and linkage geometry create a variable ratio that adapts to compression state, ensuring stability is maintained throughout the travel range.
3Stability of the object's composition
If fork stantions are angled slacker to improve angle of attack stability, then angle of attack stability is improved, but bushing load and stiction increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the steering function (fork legs) from the shock absorption function (shock absorber). This allows the fork stantions to use optimal angles for steering geometry without being constrained by shock absorption requirements. The shock absorber independently handles vertical loads, eliminating the trade-off between fork angle and stiction.
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 reduces stiction, increases stability during braking and cornering, and enhances shock absorption by maintaining or increasing mechanical trail distance as the suspension compresses, unlike traditional telescopic forks which reduce stability.
Implementation Method 1
a shock absorber having an inline configuration, a gas spring
Data Source
AI summary
A trailing link multi-link suspension assembly for a cycle having improved stability includes a first arm having a first arm fixed pivot and a first arm shock pivot. A shock link has a shock link fixed pivot and a shock link floating pivot. A shock absorber has an inline configuration, a gas spring, a first shock mount, and a second shock mount. A wheel carrier has a wheel carrier first pivot and a wheel carrier second pivot spaced apart from one another, and a wheel mount that is adapted to be connected to a wheel. A control link has a control link floating pivot and a control link fixed pivot, the control link floating pivot being pivotably connected to the wheel carrier second pivot, and the control link fixed pivot being pivotably connected to the first arm control pivot. A mechanical trail distance increases as the suspension assembly compresses relative to a fully extended state.