Patents by Inventor William M. Becker
William M. Becker 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).
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Patent number: 11951793Abstract: A method and apparatus for a vehicle suspension system gas spring. In one embodiment, a vehicle suspension system gas spring includes a compressible main gas chamber and an additional volume combinable with the main chamber to change a gas spring rate of the system. In one embodiment, a low friction piston seal is created by a flexible seal member.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2022Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventors: Mario Galasso, Joshua Benjamin Yablon, Andrew Laird, William M. Becker, Joseph Franklin, Dennis K. Wootten
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Patent number: 11872843Abstract: An axle adapter assembly, configured for enabling conversion of an axle installed on a vehicle to fit different center bore sizes of wheel hubs, including: an axle configured for coupling dropouts of fork legs of a lower fork; adapters configured for being inserted within the dropouts; the adapters configured for engaging an outer surface of the axle and retaining the axle upon engagement; and axle pinch shims configured for being inserted into slits of the dropouts and the adapters, wherein upon the insertion, the adapters are aligned with the dropouts, such that shoulders of the adapters retain edges of a wheel hub of the wheel hubs.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2021Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventor: William M. Becker
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Patent number: 11858576Abstract: A dropper seatpost head assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes a lower post for insertion into a seat tube of a vehicle and an upper post having a housing coupled at one end thereof, the upper post to telescopically slide with respect to the lower post to form a dropper seatpost. The assembly also includes a saddle rail clamp assembly having a lower saddle rail clamping portion rotatably coupled with the housing and an upper saddle rail clamping portion to couple with the lower saddle rail clamping portion to form a clamping structure. The lower saddle rail clamping portion having a drooped shape such that the lower saddle rail clamping portion and the clamping structure hang down in a plane that intersects at least a portion of the housing.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2022Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventors: Joshua Coaplen, Bryan Wesley Anderson, William M. Becker
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Patent number: 11859690Abstract: A suspension system includes a first suspension member movable relative to a second suspension member, a fluid reservoir having a volume, the volume variable in response to a relative movement between the first and second suspension members, and a fluid flow circuit having a first end in fluidic communication with the fluid reservoir and a second end in fluidic communication with an isolated suspension location, the fluid flow circuit comprising a first valve, a second valve and a third valve, wherein said first and third valves are in parallel with each other and the second valve is in series with each of the first and third valves.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2020Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventors: Andrew Laird, William M. Becker
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Publication number: 20230407938Abstract: An air bleed system for a suspension fork or shock absorber includes: a fluid passage between an interior of the suspension and an exterior of the suspension; and a manually operable valve having a first position substantially closing the fluid passage and a second position allowing fluid flow between the interior and the exterior.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2023Publication date: December 21, 2023Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventor: William M. Becker
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Patent number: 11808322Abstract: An air bleed system for a suspension fork or shock absorber includes: a fluid passage between an interior of the suspension and an exterior of the suspension; and a manually operable valve having a first position substantially closing the fluid passage and a second position allowing fluid flow between the interior and the exterior.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2022Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventor: William M. Becker
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Patent number: 11796026Abstract: An air bleed system for a suspension fork or shock absorber includes: a fluid passage between an interior of the suspension and an exterior of the suspension; and a manually operable valve having a first position substantially closing the fluid passage and a second position allowing fluid flow between the interior and the exterior.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2023Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventor: William M. Becker
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Patent number: 11794517Abstract: An axle assembly for a vehicle includes an axle shaft having a bolt end and a lever end. The axle assembly includes a cam assembly coupled to the lever end of the axle shaft. The cam assembly includes a cam housing, a cam follower shaft coupled to the cam housing, and the cam follower shaft is located coaxially within the axle shaft. The cam follower shaft does not extend the full length of the axle shaft. The cam shaft is coupled to the cam follower shaft, and a lever is coupled to the cam assembly. The lever is rotatable from an open position to a closed position, and an angle of maximum rotation for the lever between the open position and the closed position is less than 180 degrees.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2020Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventors: Andrew Laird, Mario Galasso, William M. Becker, David M. Haugen
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Publication number: 20230167870Abstract: An air bleed system for a suspension fork or shock absorber includes: a fluid passage between an interior of the suspension and an exterior of the suspension; and a manually operable valve having a first position substantially closing the fluid passage and a second position allowing fluid flow between the interior and the exterior.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2023Publication date: June 1, 2023Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventor: William M. Becker
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Patent number: 11583961Abstract: A method and apparatus for assembling a suspension. In one embodiment, a method includes altering a temperature of a first suspension component and then pressing the first suspension component and a second suspension component into engagement while the temperature remains substantially altered.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2020Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventors: William M. Becker, Derek D. Beich
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Publication number: 20220410998Abstract: A dropper seatpost head assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes a lower post for insertion into a seat tube of a vehicle and an upper post having a housing coupled at one end thereof, the upper post to telescopically slide with respect to the lower post to form a dropper seatpost. The assembly also includes a saddle rail clamp assembly having a lower saddle rail clamping portion rotatably coupled with the housing and an upper saddle rail clamping portion to couple with the lower saddle rail clamping portion to form a clamping structure. The lower saddle rail clamping portion having a drooped shape such that the lower saddle rail clamping portion and the clamping structure hang down in a plane that intersects at least a portion of the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2022Publication date: December 29, 2022Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventors: Joshua COAPLEN, Bryan Wesley ANDERSON, William M. BECKER
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Publication number: 20220324284Abstract: A method and apparatus for a shock absorber for a vehicle having a gas spring with first and second gas chambers, wherein the first chamber is utilized during a first travel portion of the shock absorber and the first and second chambers are both utilized during a second portion of travel. In one embodiment, a travel adjustment assembly is configured to selectively communicate a first gas chamber with a negative gas chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2022Publication date: October 13, 2022Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventors: Andrew LAIRD, Sante M. PELOT, William M. BECKER, Dennis K. WOOTTEN
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Patent number: 11447201Abstract: A dropper seatpost head assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes a lower post for insertion into a seat tube of a vehicle and an upper post having a housing coupled at one end thereof, the upper post to telescopically slide with respect to the lower post to form a dropper seatpost. The assembly also includes a saddle rail clamp assembly having a lower saddle rail clamping portion rotatably coupled with the housing and an upper saddle rail clamping portion to couple with the lower saddle rail clamping portion to form a clamping structure. The lower saddle rail clamping portion having a drooped shape such that the lower saddle rail clamping portion and the clamping structure hang down in a plane that intersects at least a portion of the housing.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventors: Joshua Coaplen, Bryan Wesley Anderson, William M. Becker
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Publication number: 20220242191Abstract: A method and apparatus for a vehicle suspension system gas spring. In one embodiment, a vehicle suspension system gas spring includes a compressible main gas chamber and an additional volume combinable with the main chamber to change a gas spring rate of the system. In one embodiment, a low friction piston seal is created by a flexible seal member.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2022Publication date: August 4, 2022Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventors: Mario GALASSO, Joshua Benjamin YABLON, Andrew LAIRD, William M. BECKER, Joseph FRANKLIN, Dennis K. WOOTTEN
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Publication number: 20220228639Abstract: An air bleed system for a suspension fork or shock absorber includes: a fluid passage between an interior of the suspension and an exterior of the suspension; and a manually operable valve having a first position substantially closing the fluid passage and a second position allowing fluid flow between the interior and the exterior.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2022Publication date: July 21, 2022Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventor: William M. Becker
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Patent number: 11370261Abstract: A method and apparatus for a shock absorber for a vehicle having a gas spring with first and second gas chambers, wherein the first chamber is utilized during a first travel portion of the shock absorber and the first and second chambers are both utilized during a second portion of travel. In one embodiment, a travel adjustment assembly is configured to selectively communicate a first gas chamber with a negative gas chamber.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventors: Andrew Laird, Sante M. Pelot, William M. Becker, Dennis K. Wootten
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Patent number: 11312203Abstract: A method and apparatus for a vehicle suspension system gas spring. In one embodiment, a vehicle suspension system gas spring includes a compressible main gas chamber and an additional volume combinable with the main chamber to change a gas spring rate of the system. In one embodiment, a low friction piston seal is created by a flexible seal member.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2019Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventors: Mario Galasso, Joshua Benjamin Yablon, Andrew Laird, William M. Becker, Joseph Franklin, Dennis K. Wootten
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Patent number: 11293513Abstract: An air bleed system for a suspension fork or shock absorber includes: a fluid passage between an interior of the suspension and an exterior of the suspension; and a manually operable valve having a first position substantially closing the fluid passage and a second position allowing fluid flow between the interior and the exterior.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2020Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventor: William M. Becker
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Publication number: 20220099154Abstract: A modern suspension damper, for example, a shock absorber or a suspension fork, including an inertia valve and a pressure-relief feature is disclosed. The pressure-relief feature includes a rotatable adjustment knob that allows the pressure-relief threshold to be externally adjusted by the rider “on-the-fly” and without the use of tools.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2021Publication date: March 31, 2022Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventors: William M. Becker, Robert C, Fox, Dennis K. Wootten
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Publication number: 20210317891Abstract: A user accessible shock travel spacer assembly is disclosed herein. The system is used on a shock assembly having a shaft with an initial predefined stroke length. A retaining cap having a retaining cap thickness and a retaining cap opening therethrough. The retaining cap opening having a diameter that is larger than an outer diameter (OD) of a shaft of a shock assembly. At least one fastener to fasten the retaining cap with a portion of the shock assembly about the shaft, such that the retaining cap reduces a stroke length of the shaft of the shock assembly by the retaining cap thickness.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2021Publication date: October 14, 2021Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.Inventors: Damon GILBERT, Andrew LAIRD, Bryan Wesley ANDERSON, William M. BECKER, William O. BROWN, IV