Trailing Link Suspension Assembly for Cycle Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Telescopic front suspension forks in two-wheeled vehicles face issues with high stiction, reduced stability due to mechanical trail reduction during compression, lack of leverage ratio, and undesirable braking reactions, leading to instability and reduced traction.
Innovation Solution
A suspension assembly with a first arm, shock link, shock absorber, wheel carrier, and control link configured in a trailing orientation, allowing for rotatable, pivotable, or bendable connections that increase mechanical trail and leverage ratio, reducing stiction and improving stability during braking and cornering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If telescopic fork stantions are made larger to support fore/aft loads, then load-bearing capacity is improved, but stiction increases and compliance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension system is divided into separate functional components: a telescopic fork assembly for steering and a separate suspension assembly with shock absorber for compliance. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the fork stantions can be smaller since they don't need to bear full suspension loads, reducing stiction while maintaining load-bearing capacity through the separate suspension linkage.
2Force
If telescopic fork compression is increased to absorb bumps, then impact absorption is improved, but mechanical trail reduces and stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension assembly uses a dynamic linkage mechanism where the shock absorber pivot position changes relative to the fork stantion as the suspension compresses. This dynamic geometry maintains a more constant mechanical trail throughout the suspension travel, preventing the stability loss that occurs in traditional telescopic forks when compressed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fork stantion angle is made slacker to improve angle of attack stability, then bump response is improved, but bushing load increases and stiction increases
Solution Approach 1:
A shock link with a floating pivot acts as an intermediary between the fork stantion and the shock absorber. This intermediary allows the use of a slacker fork stantion angle for better angle of attack stability while the shock link mechanism distributes and manages the bushing loads, preventing excessive stiction through controlled pivot movement and load distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
A trailing link multi-bar 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 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.