US 12,253,139 B2
Dual live valve shock having main damper and base valve actively controlled
Regan Woelfel, Scotts Valley, CA (US)
Assigned to Fox Factory, Inc., Duluth, GA (US)
Filed by Fox Factory, Inc., Duluth, GA (US)
Filed on Sep. 17, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/023,948.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/902,866, filed on Sep. 19, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0088100 A1, Mar. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. B60G 17/016 (2006.01); B60G 13/06 (2006.01); B60G 17/056 (2006.01); F16F 9/46 (2006.01)
CPC F16F 9/466 (2013.01) [B60G 13/06 (2013.01); B60G 17/056 (2013.01); B60G 2202/24 (2013.01); B60G 2500/11 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A damper comprising:
a reservoir;
a cylinder, said cylinder comprising a cylinder inner diameter (ID), no portion of said reservoir is concentrically disposed about a compression side or a rebound side of said cylinder, said cylinder fluidly coupled with said reservoir;
a rod;
a piston, said piston coupled to said rod and configured for operation within said cylinder, said piston configured to divide said cylinder into said compression side and said rebound side;
an active base valve, said active base valve to provide flow control for a reservoir flow path between said cylinder and said reservoir; and
an active main valve, said active main valve to provide flow control for a piston flow path fluidly coupling said compression side with said rebound side, said flow control for said reservoir flow path and said flow control for said piston flow path are independently controllable with respect to each other, said active main valve configured to automatically adjust its operation, and corresponding damping characteristics based upon operational information pertaining to said damper, said active base valve and said active main valve configured to cooperatively maintain a selected pressure within said compression side of said cylinder between said piston and said active base valve during operation of said damper, and wherein said active base valve and said active main valve are configured to cooperatively pressure balance said damper during operation.