Bicycle Suspension Assembly With Inertia Valve and G-Threshold

1 . A bicycle suspension assembly, comprising:

a first telescoping portion in telescoping engagement with a second telescoping portion, the first telescoping portion having a longitudinal axis and containing damping fluid;

the second telescoping portion including a piston coupled to a piston rod; the piston and a portion of the piston rod movable along the longitudinal axis of, and within, the first telescoping portion;

an inertia valve including an inertia mass having, at least:

a first position wherein the inertia valve is configured such the inertia mass remains in the first position in response to rider induced forces for substantially inhibiting compression fluid flow through the inertia valve; and

a second position wherein the inertia valve is configured such that the inertia mass moves towards the second position when a portion of the bicycle suspension assembly is subjected to an upward acceleration above a threshold for substantially allowing compression fluid flow through the inertia valve;

wherein the upward acceleration threshold being about 0.1-3 G's.

2 . The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upward acceleration threshold is less than about 2 G's.

3 . The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upward acceleration threshold is between about 0.25 and 1.5 G's.

4 . The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 3 , wherein the upward acceleration threshold is between about 0.4 and 0.7 G's.

5 . The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 1 further comprising a pressure-relief valve in fluid communication with the first telescoping portion and for allowing additional compression of the suspension assembly when the damping fluid pressure inside the first telescoping portion exceeds a predetermined pressure threshold and regardless of the position of the inertia mass.

6 . A bicycle suspension assembly, comprising:

a damping tube;

a piston rod coupled to a piston, the piston in sealed, sliding engagement with the damping tube;

the piston dividing the damping tube into a compression fluid chamber and a rebound fluid chamber, wherein a damping fluid moves between the compression chamber and the rebound chamber during compression movement of the suspension assembly as portions of the piston rod and the damping tube move towards each other;

an opening communicating with the compression chamber;

an inertia valve comprising an inertia mass, the inertia valve having an open position wherein the inertia mass does not block at least a portion of the opening and a flow of damping fluid is permitted through at least a portion of the opening, the inertia valve normally biased to a closed position wherein the inertia mass is positioned to block more of the opening such that the flow of damping fluid through the opening is reduced relative to the open position of the inertia valve;

a spring, the spring configured to apply a force to the suspension assembly tending to extend the piston rod relative to the damping tube;

wherein the inertia valve is configured such the inertia mass remains in the closed position in response to rider induced forces and wherein the inertia valve is configured such that the inertia mass moves towards the open position in response to a terrain-induced force above a predetermined threshold applied to a portion of the bicycle suspension assembly, the threshold upward acceleration being about 0.1-3 G's.

7 . The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 6 , wherein the threshold upward acceleration is less than about 2 G's.

8 . The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 6 , wherein the threshold upward acceleration is between about 0.25 and 1.5 G's.

9 . The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 8 , wherein the threshold upward acceleration is between about 0.4 and 0.7 G's.

10 . The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a pressure-relief valve in fluid communication with the compression chamber and for allowing additional compression of the suspension assembly when the damping fluid pressure inside the compression chamber exceeds a predetermined threshold and regardless of the position of the inertia mass.

11 . A bicycle suspension assembly, comprising:

a first telescoping portion in telescoping engagement with a second telescoping portion, the first telescoping portion having a longitudinal axis and containing damping fluid;

the second telescoping portion including a piston coupled to a piston rod, the piston and a portion of the piston rod movable along the longitudinal axis of, and within, the first telescoping portion;

an acceleration-responsive inertia valve at least partially controlling whether the first and second telescoping portions may telescope towards each other, the inertia valve comprising:

a) an inertia mass, slidably movable in response to an upward acceleration of at least a portion of the bicycle suspension assembly above a threshold and having at least a first position and a second position, wherein:

i) a first position wherein the inertia valve is configured such the inertia mass remains in the first position in response to rider induced forces; and

ii) a second position wherein the inertia valve is configured such that the inertia mass moves towards the second position when a portion of the bicycle suspension assembly is subjected to an upward acceleration above a threshold;

b) a spring biasing the inertia mass towards the first position; and wherein the upward acceleration threshold is about 0.1-3 G's.

12 . The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 11 , wherein the upward acceleration threshold is less than about 2 G's.

13 . The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 11 , wherein the upward acceleration threshold is between about 0.25 and 1.5 G's.

14 . The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 13 , wherein the upward acceleration threshold is between about 0.4 and 0.7 G's.

15 . A bicycle suspension assembly, comprising:

a first telescoping portion in telescoping engagement with a second telescoping portion, the first telescoping portion having a longitudinal axis and containing damping fluid;

the second telescoping portion including a piston coupled to a piston rod, the piston and a portion of the piston rod movable along the longitudinal axis of, and within, the first telescoping portion and causing a compression fluid flow when the piston and a portion of the piston rod move further into the second telescoping portion;

an acceleration-responsive inertia valve at least partially controlling whether the first and second telescoping portions may telescope towards each other by contributing towards controlling the compression fluid flow, the inertia valve comprising:

a) an inertia mass, slidably movable in response to an upward acceleration of at least a portion of the bicycle suspension assembly above a threshold and having at least a first position and a second position, wherein:

i) the first position substantially inhibits compression fluid flow through the inertia valve and therefore at least partially contributes towards inhibiting the first and second telescoping portions from telescoping towards each other; and

ii) the second position substantially allows compression fluid flow through the inertia valve and therefore at least partially contributes towards allowing the first and second telescoping portions to telescope towards each other;

b) a spring biasing the inertia mass towards the first position; and

wherein the upward acceleration threshold is about 0.1-3 G's.

16 . The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 15 , wherein the upward acceleration threshold is less than about 2 G's.

17 . The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 15 , wherein the upward acceleration threshold is between about 0.25 and 1.5 G's.

18 . The bicycle suspension assembly of claim 17 , wherein the upward acceleration threshold is between about 0.4 and 0.7 G's.