Shock Adjuster With Nested Coarse and Fine Damping Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shock absorbers, particularly air spring shocks, lack a simple and intuitive mechanism to combine remote adjustment features with pre-positionable adjustment features, leading to complexity and asymmetrical ease of adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A shock absorber system incorporating a remote pulley and an open mode adjuster that allows for both coarse and fine adjustments, with the remote pulley making coarse adjustments and the open mode adjuster making fine adjustments independently, enabling a broader range of damping rate variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a remote pulley mechanism is added for coarse adjustments, then the range of damping rate variations is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The open mode adjuster is nested within the remote pulley mechanism, allowing fine adjustment components to be housed inside the coarse adjustment structure. This nested arrangement enables both adjustment functions to coexist in a compact configuration, expanding the range of damping rate variations without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism is segmented into two independent functional components: the remote pulley for coarse adjustments and the open mode adjuster for fine adjustments. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific adjustment range, providing comprehensive damping rate control while maintaining modular design that limits overall complexity.
2Ease of operation
If both remote and pre-positionable adjustment features are integrated, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment system incorporates dynamic elements including a movable piston with sealing elements that can shift positions based on adjustment inputs. The piston's movement dynamically alters the damping characteristics, allowing users to easily transition between different damping rates through simple mechanical inputs while the dynamic sealing elements maintain system integrity throughout the adjustment range.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated adjustment mechanism serves multiple functions: the remote pulley provides coarse adjustment capability, the open mode adjuster provides fine adjustment capability, and together they control both compression and rebound damping rates. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate mechanisms into a single integrated system, improving ease of operation without proportionally increasing complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If independent coarse and fine adjustment mechanisms are combined, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment system is divided into segmented functional zones: the remote pulley handles coarse adjustment through larger incremental changes, while the open mode adjuster handles fine adjustment through smaller incremental changes. This segmentation of adjustment precision requirements allows each mechanism to be optimized for its specific precision level, achieving high overall adjustment precision without requiring every component to meet the highest precision specifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The fine adjustment mechanism is nested within the coarse adjustment structure, with the open mode adjuster housed inside the remote pulley assembly. This nested configuration allows precise alignment and integration of the two adjustment mechanisms, ensuring that coarse and fine adjustments work together seamlessly to achieve high manufacturing precision while minimizing the space and components required.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a shock adjuster comprising a remote pulley, a pulley shaft, wherein the pulley shaft is coupled to the remote pulley at a first end, wherein the pulley shaft is coupled to an air spring cam shaft at a second end, an air spring needle, wherein the position of the air spring needle is determined by the position of the air spring cam shaft, wherein an air spring shim is engageable with the air spring needle, an open mode adjuster, a compression cam shaft, wherein the compression cam shaft is coupled to the open mode adjuster, a compression needle, wherein the position of the compression needle is determined by the position of the compression cam shaft, and a shim, wherein the shim is coupled to the compression needle, wherein the shim is fit to open or close at least a main port in a piston.