Granted Patent B2

US 8,672,096 · App. 12/554,756 · Granted Mar 18, 2014

Inventors: Mario Galasso (Watsonville, CA); David Haugen (Pacific Grove, CA)

Assignee: Fox Factory, Incorporated

Abstract

Claims (20)

1. A method for lubricating a suspension comprising:

operating a suspension in at least one of compression or rebound;

pumping a fluid in response to said operating;

delivering said fluid to a predetermined location of said suspension;

lubricating at least one component of said suspension with said fluid, wherein said pumping comprises:

creating a dynamic first pressure in a first fluid chamber, in response to a compression of said suspension, said first pressure greater than a second pressure at said predetermined location, wherein said predetermined location comprises a region proximate a seal of said suspension and wherein said predetermined location and said seal are positioned on an outer surface of a leg tubing of said suspension, wherein said first pressure being greater than said second pressure causes a flow of said fluid to move from said first fluid chamber to said predetermined location;

checking fluid flow along a first flow path from said first fluid chamber to said predetermined location and thereby limiting flow from said predetermined location to said first fluid chamber along said first flow path;

retaining said fluid at a foam ring within said predetermined location until said foam ring becomes saturated and excess fluid of said fluid begins to flow away from said foam ring; and

lubricating said predetermined location with said excess fluid, such that said excess fluid continues lubricating within said predetermined location at a relatively constant rate and said lubricating is not dependent on fluid surges that become available during said compression.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one component comprises a seal.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said pumping a fluid in response to said operating comprises pumping a damping fluid from a damping fluid reservoir to a region proximate a seal of the suspension and distributing said damping fluid to a surface of said seal.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

increasing said pressure in said fluid reservoir by utilizing an end cap coupled with a first suspension member of said suspension, said end cap restricting a flow of said fluid in a first direction; and

causing incursion of said first suspension member into said fluid reservoir.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said pumping a fluid in response to said operating comprises:

in response to said operating, pumping said fluid through a wall of a bushing positioned along a fluid flow path of said suspension, between an outer surface and an inner surface of said bushing.

6. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein said predetermined location comprises a region and further comprising delivering the fluid from said region to said at least one component.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said pumping comprises creating said dynamic first pressure in a first fluid chamber proximate said predetermined location wherein said predetermined location comprises a region proximate a seal of said suspension, in response to an extension of said suspension, such first pressure greater than a second pressure of a damping fluid volume of said suspension.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising checking fluid flow along a second flow path from said predetermined location to said first fluid chamber and thereby limiting flow from said predetermined location to said first fluid chamber along said second flow path.

Assignments (10)

Continuity (2)