IP Library Granted Patent US 12,398,776
Granted Patent B2
US 12,398,776 · App. 17/903,903 · Granted Aug 26, 2025

Race cooler with integrated base valve

Inventors: Connor Randall (Salida, CO); Ivan Tong (San Diego, CA); Regan Woelfel (Scotts Valley, CA)
Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
F16F9/42B60G13/08B60G2202/24B60G2206/41B60G2600/72B60G2800/162F16F9/19F16F2222/12F16F2230/00F16F2232/08F16F2234/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,398,776
App. No.
17/903,903
Granted
Aug 26, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein is a cooling device comprising a cooler body, wherein the cooler body has a first chamber and a second chamber, a cooler body cap disposed to fluidly couple the first chamber and the second chamber, wherein the cooler body cap has a recess that is suitable to receive a base valve, a first hose that is fluidly coupled to the first chamber, a second hose that is fluidly coupled to the second chamber, and an adapter, wherein the adapter is connected to the first hose and the second hose, wherein the adapter has channels to direct fluid flow.

Claims (36)

1. A cooling device comprising:

a cooler body, wherein the cooler body has a first chamber and a second chamber;

a first hose that is fluidly coupled to the first chamber;

a second hose that is fluidly coupled to the second chamber;

an adapter, wherein the adapter is connected to the first hose and the second hose, wherein the adapter has channels to direct fluid flow;

wherein the adapter fluidly couples the first hose to a compression chamber, wherein the adapter fluidly couples the second hose to a piggyback reservoir; and

a shim stack is disposed between the compression chamber and the piggyback reservoir to prevent fluid flow from the compression chamber to the piggyback reservoir.

2. The cooling device of claim 1 wherein, the cooler body has cooling fins on an external surface.

3. The cooling device of claim 1 wherein, the recess is capable of coupling to multiple types of base valves.

4. The cooling device of claim 1 wherein, the base valve is in the fluid flow path between the first chamber and the second chamber.

5. The cooling device of claim 1 wherein, the base valve is retained in the recess by a snap fit.

6. The cooling device of claim 1 wherein, the first hose and the second hose are of different lengths.

7. A cooling device comprising:

a cooler body with cooling fins on an external surface, wherein the cooler body has a first chamber and a second chamber;

a cooler body cap disposed to fluidly couple the first chamber and the second chamber, wherein the cooler body cap has a recess that is suitable to receive a base valve such that the base valve is in the fluid flow path between the first chamber and the second chamber;

a first hose that is fluidly coupled to the first chamber;

a second hose that is fluidly coupled to the second chamber; and

an adapter, wherein the adapter is connected to the first hose and the second hose, wherein the adapter has channels to direct fluid flow, wherein the channels fluidly couple the first hose to the compression side, wherein the channels fluidly couple the second hose to a piggyback reservoir, wherein a shim stack is disposed between the compression chamber and the piggyback reservoir to prevent fluid flow from the compression chamber to the piggyback reservoir.

8. The cooling device of claim 7 wherein, the recess can receive more than one type of base valve.

9. The cooling device of claim 7 wherein, the base valve is retained in the recess by a snap fit.

10. The cooling device of claim 7 wherein, the first hose and the second hose are of different lengths.

11. A shock absorber comprising:

a cylinder, said cylinder comprising a cylinder inner diameter;

a rod;

a main damping piston, said main damping piston coupled to said rod and configured for operation within said cylinder, said main damping piston configured to divide said cylinder into a compression side and a rebound side; and

a cooling device fluidically coupled to said compression side chamber for regulating fluid temperature in said shock absorber comprising:

a cooler body, wherein the cooler body has a first chamber and a second chamber;

a cooler body cap disposed to fluidly couple the first chamber and the second chamber, wherein the cooler body cap has a recess that is suitable to receive a base valve;

a first hose that is fluidly coupled to the first chamber;

a second hose that is fluidly coupled to the second chamber;

an adapter, wherein the adapter is connected to the first hose and the second hose, wherein the adapter has channels to direct fluid flow, wherein the adapter fluidly couples the first hose to a compression chamber, and wherein the adapter fluidly couples the second hose to a piggyback reservoir; and

a shim stack is disposed between the compression chamber and the piggyback reservoir to prevent fluid flow from the compression chamber to the piggyback reservoir.

12. The cooling device of claim 11 wherein, the cooler body has cooling fins on an external surface.

13. The cooling device of claim 11 wherein, the recess can receive more than one type of base valve.

14. The cooling device of claim 11 wherein, the base valve is in the fluid flow path between the first chamber and the second chamber.

15. The cooling device of claim 11 wherein, the base valve is retained in the recess by a snap fit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 6, 2022
From: RANDALL, CONNOR; TONG, IVAN; WOELFEL, REGAN
To: FOX FACTORY, INC.
Reel/Frame 061001/0528 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63242997 · Sep 10, 2021
Related Publication 20230083031A1 · Mar 16, 2023
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