Patents by Inventor Michael Czysz

Michael Czysz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20050241891
    Abstract: A motorcycle or bicycle having a fork with swappable trail adjustment blocks which hold the front axle to the fork. Trail can be adjusted without removing the forks or even loosening them in the triple clamps, and without altering ride height or rake angle. Brake caliper mounts are swapped when the trail adjustment blocks are swapped, moving the brake calipers the same distance and direction as the axle, to maintain a constant radial distance from the axle to the brake pads. The brake caliper mounts pivot on the forks, enabling the brake calipers to be swung outward so the wheel can be changed without removing the brake calipers from the forks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2005
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Czysz
  • Publication number: 20050242545
    Abstract: A motorcycle or bicycle having a fork with swappable trail adjustment blocks which hold the front axle to the fork. Trail can be adjusted without removing the forks or even loosening them in the triple clamps, and without altering ride height or rake angle. Brake caliper mounts are swapped when the trail adjustment blocks are swapped, moving the brake calipers the same distance and direction as the axle, to maintain a constant radial distance from the axle to the brake pads. The brake caliper mounts pivot on the forks, enabling the brake calipers to be swung outward so the wheel can be changed without removing the brake calipers from the forks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2005
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Czysz
  • Publication number: 20050212252
    Abstract: A clipon bracket for coupling a handlebar to a motorcycle fork tube using only a single bolt. A clipon assembly including the clipon bracket, a bar, a bar cap, and a pinch bolt. The clipon bracket includes a fork tube and a bar tube, with the bar tube being external to and substantially perpendicular to the fork tube. A split extends through the bar tube substantially perpendicular to its axis, dividing it into two tubular halves, and extends through one wall of the fork tube. The pinch bolt draws the handlebar and the bar cap into opposite ends of the two tubular halves of the bar tube, pinching the split closed and thereby tightening the fork tube onto the fork leg, using only a single pinch bolt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Czysz
  • Publication number: 20050212251
    Abstract: A motorcycle or bicycle suspension having adjustable side-to-side flexibility. The suspension includes a telescopic fork and a fork bottom which couples the fork to the axle of a wheel. The fork bottom and the fork are stiff in the direction of travel, to avoid flexing under heavy braking. The fork bottom is flexible in the lateral direction, to improve the ability of the tire to stay in contact with the ground when leaned over and cornering over irregular, bumpy ground. The lateral flexibility of the fork bottom is adjustable by tightening or loosening a tension cable which is attached to the ends of the fork bottom and stretched over a fulcrum in the middle of the fork bottom. Tightening the tension cable increases sideways thrust of the fulcrum against the fork bottom, reducing the lateral flexibility of the fork bottom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2005
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Czysz
  • Publication number: 20050206119
    Abstract: A motorcycle whose front end has a coil-over shock disposed within the head tube and telescopic forks which include linear bearings riding between flats on the outer face of the inner fork tubes and flats on the inner face of the outer fork tubes. The linear bearings ride on hardened steel races, enabling the fork tubes to be e.g. aluminum. Using an odd number of linear bearings in each fork prevents having two linear bearings at 180° opposition which would increase sensitivity to manufacturing tolerance stackups, preload, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Czysz
  • Publication number: 20050206118
    Abstract: A motorcycle whose front end has a coil-over shock disposed within the head tube and telescopic forks which include linear bearings riding between flats on the outer face of the inner fork tubes and flats on the inner face of the outer fork tubes. The linear bearings ride on hardened steel races, enabling the fork tubes to be e.g. aluminum. Using an odd number of linear bearings in each fork prevents having two linear bearings at 180° opposition which would increase sensitivity to manufacturing tolerance stackups, preload, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Czysz
  • Patent number: 6926297
    Abstract: A motorcycle or bicycle having a fork with swappable trail adjustment blocks which hold the front axle to the fork. Trail can be adjusted without removing the forks or even loosening them in the triple clamps, and without altering ride height or rake angle. Brake caliper mounts are swapped when the trail adjustment blocks are swapped, moving the brake calipers the same distance and direction as the axle, to maintain a constant radial distance from the axle to the brake pads. The brake caliper mounts pivot on the forks, enabling the brake calipers to be swung outward so the wheel can be changed without removing the brake calipers from the forks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: MotoCzysz
    Inventor: Michael Czysz
  • Publication number: 20050139407
    Abstract: A motorcycle in which the swingarm pivot is coaxial with the sprocket shaft, and the sprocket is laterally outside the swingarm structures at the swingarm pivot. The swingarm pivot is located in the engine case, such as where the cylinder block meets the crankcase. An optional slipper clutch is located in the crankcase, such as where an upper crankcase half meets a lower crankcase half, and drives the sprocket shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Publication date: June 30, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Czysz
  • Publication number: 20050127636
    Abstract: A motorcycle whose front end has a coil-over shock disposed within the head tube and telescopic forks which include linear bearings riding between flats on the outer face of the inner fork tubes and flats on the inner face of the outer fork tubes. The linear bearings ride on hardened steel races, enabling the fork tubes to be e.g. aluminum. Using an odd number of linear bearings in each fork prevents having two linear bearings at 180° opposition which would increase sensitivity to manufacturing tolerance stackups, preload, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Czysz
  • Publication number: 20050062255
    Abstract: A motorcycle or bicycle having a fork with swappable trail adjustment blocks which hold the front axle to the fork. Trail can be adjusted without removing the forks or even loosening them in the triple clamps, and without altering ride height or rake angle. Brake caliper mounts are swapped when the trail adjustment blocks are swapped, moving the brake calipers the same distance and direction as the axle, to maintain a constant radial distance from the axle to the brake pads. The brake caliper mounts pivot on the forks, enabling the brake calipers to be swung outward so the wheel can be changed without removing the brake calipers from the forks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Czysz
  • Publication number: 20050023062
    Abstract: A motorcycle or bicycle having a fork with swappable trail adjustment blocks which hold the front axle to the fork. Trail can be adjusted without removing the forks or even loosening them in the triple clamps, and without altering ride height or rake angle. Brake caliper mounts are swapped when the trail adjustment blocks are swapped, moving the brake calipers the same distance and direction as the axle, to maintain a constant radial distance from the axle to the brake pads. The brake caliper mounts pivot on the forks, enabling the brake calipers to be swung outward so the wheel can be changed without removing the brake calipers from the forks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Czysz
  • Publication number: 20050026737
    Abstract: A back-torque limiting slipper clutch. An engine including such a slipper clutch separate from its conventional gearbox clutch. A motor vehicle including such an engine having separate slipper clutch and gearbox clutch. A motorcycle having separate slipper clutch and gearbox clutch. The slipper clutch friction stack tension can be altered statically or dynamically. The slipper clutch may include a secondary output shaft which moves the final output to a point not coaxial with the slipper clutch, such as to move the final output to a different vertical height with respect to a swingarm pivot of the motorcycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Czysz
  • Publication number: 20050023795
    Abstract: A motorcycle or bicycle suspension having adjustable side-to-side flexibility. The suspension includes a telescopic fork and a fork bottom which couples the fork to the axle of a wheel. The fork bottom and the fork are stiff in the direction of travel, to avoid flexing under heavy braking. The fork bottom is flexible in the lateral direction, to improve the ability of the tire to stay in contact with the ground when leaned over and cornering over irregular, bumpy ground. The lateral flexibility of the fork bottom is adjustable by tightening or loosening a tension cable which is attached to the ends of the fork bottom and stretched over a fulcrum in the middle of the fork bottom. Tightening the tension cable increases sideways thrust of the fulcrum against the fork bottom, reducing the lateral flexibility of the fork bottom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Czysz
  • Publication number: 20050023794
    Abstract: A motorcycle or bicycle front end having coaxial steering and suspension components, and having telescopic forks. Swing weight of the forks is dramatically reduced by removing their suspension components to the central location, coaxially within the steering tube. Ride height can be adjusted without loosening the forks in the triple clamps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Czysz
  • Patent number: 6807927
    Abstract: A multi-cylinder reciprocating-piston engine with two crankshafts located generally end-to-end with respect to each other and with power output ends of the crankshafts located adjacent each other and mechanically interconnected with each other so they rotate at equal speeds but in opposite directions. Pairing of oppositely moving pistons reduces engine vibration. The crankshafts may be coaxial or offset radially from each other. Power from the engine is delivered from the adjacent power output ends of the crankshafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Leatherman Tool Group,. Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Czysz
  • Publication number: 20040187812
    Abstract: A multi-cylinder reciprocating-piston engine with two crankshafts located generally end-to-end with respect to each other and with power output ends of the crankshafts located adjacent each other and mechanically interconnected with each other so they rotate at equal speeds but in opposite directions. Pairing of oppositely moving pistons reduces engine vibration. The crankshafts may be coaxial or offset radially from each other. Power from the engine is delivered from the adjacent power output ends of the crankshafts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventor: Michael Czysz