IP Library Granted Patent US 12,392,388
Granted Patent B1
US 12,392,388 · App. 17/966,573 · Granted Aug 19, 2025

Shock adjuster

Inventor: Samuel Shaffer (Ben Lomond, CA)
Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
F16F9/462F16F9/0236F16F9/0281F16F2230/0064
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,392,388
App. No.
17/966,573
Granted
Aug 19, 2025
Kind
B1
Abstract

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.

Claims (45)

1. 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.

2. The shock adjuster of claim 1 wherein, the open mode adjuster allows for compression setting adjustments to be made without affecting the settings of the remote pulley.

3. The shock adjuster of claim 1 wherein, changing the setting of the remote pulley also moves the open mode adjuster.

4. The shock adjuster of claim 1 wherein, the pulley shaft has a ledge that acts to limit the rotational movement of the pulley shaft and the remote pulley.

5. The shock adjuster of claim 1 wherein, the shim is of an appropriate shape to cover the main ports and not a blow off valve.

6. The shock adjuster of claim 1 wherein, the profile of the compression needle acts to change the fluid flow allowed through a central port with the movement of the compression needle.

7. The shock adjuster of claim 1 wherein, fluid pressure is used to bias the air spring shim towards a closed position.

8. The shock adjuster of claim 1 wherein, the air spring shim is used to close off an auxiliary chamber from a primary chamber.

9. The shock adjuster of claim 1 wherein, the adjustment of the open mode adjuster is only effective during one of the settings of the remote pulley.

10. The shock adjuster of claim 1 wherein, the remote pulley is actuated remotely.

11. The shock adjuster of claim 1 wherein, the open mode adjuster is manually operated.

12. 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, wherein the open mode adjuster allows for compression setting adjustments to be made without affecting the settings of the remote pulley, wherein changing the setting of the remote pulley also moves the 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.

13. The shock adjuster of claim 12 wherein, the pulley shaft has a ledge that acts to limit the rotational movement of the pulley shaft and the remote pulley.

14. The shock adjuster of claim 12 wherein, the shim is of an appropriate shape to cover the main ports and not a blow off valve.

15. The shock adjuster of claim 12 wherein, the profile of the compression needle acts to change the fluid flow allowed through a central port with the movement of the compression needle.

16. The shock adjuster of claim 12 wherein, fluid pressure is used to bias the air spring shim towards a closed position.

17. The shock adjuster of claim 12 wherein, the air spring shim is used to close off an auxiliary chamber from a primary chamber.

18. The shock adjuster of claim 12 wherein, the adjustment of the open mode adjuster is only effective during one of the settings of the remote pulley.

19. A shock absorber comprising:

a damping cylinder, the cylinder telescopically coupled with an air spring cylinder;

a rod, wherein the rod extends through the air spring cylinder and part way into the damping cylinder, wherein the rod is hollow;

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

a shock adjuster, the 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, wherein the compression needle is in the center of the rod; 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 the main damping piston.

20. The shock absorber of claim 19 wherein, the open mode adjuster allows for compression setting adjustments to be made without affecting the settings of the remote pulley.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 19, 2022
From: SHAFFER, SAMUEL
To: FOX FACTORY, INC.
Reel/Frame 061468/0972 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 63255790 · Oct 14, 2021
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