Hayes Bicycle Group Inc.

Nicholas William Pye

Edward Charles Kwaterski

Christopher S Jones

Joshua T Pallesen

Jonathon M Haggerty

A compression assembly/system for a front suspension fork for a bicycle is disclosed. The compression assembly/system of the front suspension fork may comprise a combination of improved functional assemblies including a hydraulic bottom-out assembly/mechanism and a low-speed compression assembly/mechanism and a high-speed compression assembly/mechanism. The compression assembly/system of the front suspension fork may comprise an externally-adjustable hydraulic bottom-out mechanism; and substantially co-located external adjustment controls for bottom-out mechanism and low-speed compression mechanism and high-speed compression mechanism. The compression assembly/system may also comprise an axially-oriented (compression) mechanism configured to transmit movement/adjustment radially from inner components to outer components of the mechanisms to be adjusted.

Suspension system

A system/assembly for a suspension fork for a bicycle is disclosed. The fork may comprise a compression system and an adjustment mechanism configured for adjustment of compression damping and adjustment of travel. Adjustment of travel reduces compression stroke distance within the full length of travel. The adjustment mechanism may be configured for at least two settings for compression damping and at least two settings for adjustment of travel. Settings for compression damping may comprise a setting with adjustment of compression damping but no adjustment of travel and a setting with adjustment of compression damping and adjustment of travel. Settings for adjustment of travel may comprise a travel-adjust setting where the stroke distance is reduced and a setting where the stroke distance may be the full length of travel. The adjustment mechanism may provide for performance adjustment at an adjuster. The fork may comprise a rebound system with an adjuster.

A system/assembly for a suspension fork for a bicycle is disclosed. A suspension system for use in a vehicle is also disclosed. A front suspension fork for a bicycle such as a mountain bike configured to contain a hydraulic fluid for fluid flow and in a flow path providing for compression damping and for rebound damping is also disclosed. A damper assembly configured to contain a hydraulic fluid for fluid flow in a flow path is also disclosed. The assembly/system generally comprises a set of inventive concepts/inventions (combination of inventive features) including (but not specifically limited to): (1) an externally-accessible adjustment mechanism; and (2) internal floating piston. The compression assembly/system of the suspension fork comprises a combination of improved functional assemblies including (but not limited to) an adjustment mechanism (e.g. with a 'travel-adjust' setting) operating through flow control elements; the compression assembly can be adjusted to a 'travel adjust' setting (with a reduced stroke length) and either of a &#x201c;neutral&#x201d; setting or &#x201c;descend&#x201d; setting with progressively less resistance in the fluid flow circuit. The rebound assembly/system of the suspension fork comprises a combination of improved functional assemblies including (but not limited to) an adjustment mechanism; the rebound assembly can be adjusted in a range between a &#x201c;quick&#x201d; setting and a &#x201c;slow&#x201d; setting (corresponding to relative system response speed in rebound to restore stroke length) operating through flow control elements.

An axle assembly for a bicycle is disclosed. The axle assembly is configured to be installed at a mounting structure on the bicycle to mount a rotating hub of a wheel on the bicycle. The axle is secured to the mounting structure by a bolt; the bolt is nested in a retainer secured to the mounting structure. The axle has at least one non-circular section engaging a corresponding non-circular section of the mounting structure. The retainer is installed in a threaded section of the mounting structure. At initial installation of the axle assembly the retainer and the bolt of the axle assembly are installed on the mounting structure; subsequent installation and removal of the wheel/hub is accomplished by installation and removal of the axle performed by rotation of the bolt (using a tool or a tool-free feature) nested in the retainer. The axle assembly can be installed in the front fork (such as a front suspension fork) or the rear frame of the bicycle or other wheeled vehicle. The axle assembly comprises one or more of the inventive concepts and features shown and described in the specification and FIGURES.

Axle assembly

The invention relates to a quick release assembly for a bicycle, wherein the assembly comprises an axle having a first non-cylindrical end portion, a cylindrical central portion, and a second non-cylindrical end portion, wherein a diameter of one of the non-cylindrical end portions is larger than the diameter of the cylindrical central portion. The quick release assembly further comprises an insert having a non-cylindrical outer profile configured to be retained in a non-cylindrical opening and having a cam surface disposed therein, wherein the insert is sized to retain one of the non-cylindrical end portions of the axle therein. The assembly also includes a shaft sized to pass through the axle and having a cam follower on a first end and a handle on a second end, wherein the cam follower is configured to form a locking engagement with the cam surface upon an axial rotation of the handle.

Growing community of inventors

Carrboro, NC, United States of America

Nicholas William Pye