Fox Factory, Incorporated

Rick Strickland

Philip Tsiaras

Connor Randall

Nobuhiko Negishi

Andrew Peterson

Nick D'Orazio

Michael R Labbe

Jeff Halper

Mike Labbe

Ivan Tong

Robert Stanford

Patrick Burke

Andrew Brennan

Phillip A Kendrick

James Alens

Asimm Hirani

Grant Skognes

Philip Anthony Kendrick

A damper link associated with a sway bar system is disclosed. The damper link can include a damper chamber with a first fluid reservoir, a shaft configured to move in an out the damper chamber, and a piston. The damper link can further include a negative gas chamber housed in the damper chamber wherein a gas in the gas chamber is compressed or decompressed by a movement of the piston. The damper link can further include an additional reservoir with a positive gas chamber. The damper link can further include a hose fluidly connecting the negative gas chamber to the positive gas chamber to maintain a constant gas pressure between the negative gas chamber to the positive gas chamber.

Linked gas chambers for e-sway disconnect

A plug and play suspension system is disclosed. The plug and play suspension system includes at least one electronically adjustable shock assembly, a controller, and a communications network to communicatively couple said controller with said at least one electronically adjustable shock assembly.

Plug and play suspension

Disclosed herein is a cross-linked system comprising a first shock assembly and a second shock assembly. A first line is fluidly coupled with a first rebound chamber of the first shock assembly and a second compression chamber of the second shock assembly. The first line allows fluid to flow between the first rebound chamber and the second compression chamber. A second line is fluidly coupled with a first compression chamber of the first shock assembly and a second rebound chamber of the second shock assembly. The second line allows fluid to flow between the first compression chamber and the second rebound chamber. A reservoir is fluidly coupled to the first line and the second line.

Hydraulic cross-linked suspension

A sway bar system includes a sway bar having a first end and a second end. The sway bar system further includes a first electronically controlled damper link which is coupled to the first end of the sway bar. The first electronically controlled damper link is coupled a first location of a vehicle. The sway bar system also has a second link which is coupled to the second end of the sway bar. The second link is coupled a second location of the vehicle.

Electronically controlled sway bar damping link

A sway bar system is described. The sway bar system includes a sway bar having a first end and a second end. An electronically controlled connector to provide a remotely controllable physical connection and disconnection capability between a first location on a vehicle and the first end of the sway bar; and the second end of the sway bar coupled to a second location on the vehicle.

Automated control system for an electronically controlled sway bar link

A shock assembly with automatically adjustable ride height is disclosed. The assembly includes a main chamber including a fluid therein. A pump tube within the main chamber, the pump tube having a fluid flow path internal thereto, the pump tube disposed axially along a center of the main chamber. A damping piston coupled to a shaft, the damping piston and a portion of the shaft disposed axially about the pump tube, the damping piston disposed in the main chamber to divide the main chamber into a compression side fluid chamber and a rebound side fluid chamber. An automatic ride height adjustment assembly including a tube-in-shaft pump assembly and a spring preload piston assembly.

Shock assembly with automatically adjustable ride height

A wear sleeve for a shock body is disclosed. The wear sleeve inner diameter (ID) that is larger than an outer diameter (OD) of a shock body. A wear sleeve OD that is smaller than a spring coupler ID, such that the wear sleeve will fit about the outside of said shock body and between the shock body and the spring coupler.

Wear sleeve for a shock body

Disclosed herein is a sway bar system comprising a damping link that couples a first end of a sway bar to a first location on a vehicle. The damping link is comprised of a body comprising a damping chamber and a reservoir. There is also a through shaft coupled to a piston, where the piston divides the chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber. A high-pressure line is fluidly coupled with the chamber and the reservoir and allows fluid to flow from the first chamber and the second chamber to the reservoir. A low-pressure line is fluidly coupled with the chamber and the reservoir and allows fluid to flow from the reservoir to the first chamber and the second chamber. The high-pressure line and the low-pressure line assist in self-centering the sway bar.

A sway bar system is described. The sway bar system includes a sway bar having a first end and a second end. The sway bar system further includes a first electronically controlled damper link which is coupled to the first end of the sway bar. The first electronically controlled damper link is configured to be coupled a first location of a vehicle. The sway bar system also has a second link which is coupled to the second end of the sway bar. The second link is configured to be coupled a second location of the vehicle.

A mechanical bypass for a shock assembly is disclosed herein. The assembly has a damper chamber having a compression portion and a rebound portion. There is further an external reservoir in fluid communication with the rebound portion of the damper chamber via a flow path. A valve is coupled with the flow path, the valve to meter a flow of the working fluid through the flow path. A bypass port to the external reservoir is provided in the flow path and bypasses the valve. A mechanical relief valve is provided in the bypass port to block a fluid flow though the bypass port until a blow-off pressure that is higher than a normal operating pressure and less than a burst pressure of the damping chamber is provided thereon.

Mechanical bypass of a valve body

A vehicle damper assembly is disclosed. The damper includes a cylinder having an inner diameter (ID). A rod and a piston, the piston coupled to the rod and configured to divide the cylinder into a compression side and a rebound side. An electronic valve assembly including an electronic valve body coupled with the rod on the compression side of the piston. The electronic valve body having an electronic valve body outer diameter (OD). A boost valve having a boost valve body, a boost valve area located between the electronic valve body and the boost valve body, the boost valve having a boost valve OD. The boost valve OD is larger than the electronic valve body OD, such that the boost valve is configured to allow the electronic valve assembly to operate within said cylinder ID that is too large for the electronic valve body OD.

Growing community of inventors

Scotts Valley, CA, United States of America

Rick Strickland