Patents by Inventor William O. Brown

William O. Brown 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: 20240124090
    Abstract: A fork assembly including a steerer tube and a crown, wherein the steerer tube is fixedly aligned to the crown in a predefined orientation at a time of manufacture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: William O. BROWN, IV, Daniel MCCORMICK, Joshua COAPLEN, Christopher OTTERNESS
  • Publication number: 20240116596
    Abstract: An air spring assembly is disclosed. The air spring assembly includes an upper fork tube having a base lug on one end, a lower fork tube having an opening to receive the upper fork tube in a first axial end, and a fork tube gas seal to form a gas seal between the upper fork tube and the lower fork tube. A partial cartridge tube within a portion of the upper fork tube, the partial cartridge tube including a partial cartridge tube gas seal between an outer diameter (OD) of the partial cartridge tube and an inner diameter (ID) of the upper fork tube. An annular volume formed between the ID of the upper fork tube, the OD of the partial cartridge tube, the partial cartridge tube gas seal, and the base lug of the upper fork tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: William O. BROWN, IV, Daniel MCCORMICK
  • Publication number: 20240069860
    Abstract: A voice-controlled question answering system that is capable of answering questions using both a knowledge base and a search engine. The knowledge base is used to answer questions when answers to those questions are contained in the knowledge base. If an answer using the knowledge base is unavailable, and if the question is suitable for answering using an unstructured search approach, the system may obtain an answer using a search engine. The search engine results may be processed to obtain an answer to the question suitable for output using a voice user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Daniel Lewis Spector, Fergus O'Donoghue, Chase Wesley Brown, JR., Shayne Leon Snow, Brandon Gerald Li Horst, William Folwell Barton
  • Patent number: 11760437
    Abstract: A fork assembly including a steerer tube and a crown, wherein the steerer tube is fixedly aligned to the crown in a predefined orientation at a time of manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: William O. Brown, IV, Daniel McCormick, Joshua Coaplen, Christopher Otterness
  • Publication number: 20230235807
    Abstract: A damper valve with an adjustable effective stiffness of a shim. The damper valve includes a piston. The piston has a fluid path formed therethrough. A shim is disposed proximate the fluid path formed through the piston. A stiffness adjustment feature is coupled to the shim, and the shim is disposed between the piston and the stiffness adjustment feature. The stiffness adjustment feature is configured to adjust the effective stiffness of the shim without affecting a preload applied to the shim.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: Damon GILBERT, William O. BROWN, IV
  • Patent number: 11708124
    Abstract: A non-uniform steerer tube. The non-uniform steerer tubes includes an axis-symmetric outer surface and a non axis-symmetric inner surface. The axis-symmetric outer surface and the non axis-symmetric inner surface defining a wall thickness therebetween. The wall thickness varying along an axial length of the non-uniform steerer tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: William O. Brown, IV, Daniel McCormick, Joshua Coaplen, Christopher Otterness
  • Patent number: 11629771
    Abstract: A damper valve with an adjustable effective stiffness of a shim. The damper valve includes a piston. The piston has a fluid path formed therethrough. A shim is disposed proximate the fluid path formed through the piston. A stiffness adjustment feature is coupled to the shim, and the shim is disposed between the piston and the stiffness adjustment feature. The stiffness adjustment feature is configured to adjust the effective stiffness of the shim without affecting a preload applied to the shim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: Damon Gilbert, William O. Brown, IV
  • Publication number: 20230023599
    Abstract: An electronically actuated dropper seatpost is disclosed. The electronically actuated dropper seatpost includes an upper post and a lower post telescopically coupled with the upper post. The electronically actuated dropper seatpost also includes an electronically adjustable valve assembly configured to control a telescopic movement of the upper post and the lower post. The electronically adjustable valve assembly including a valve controlling a flow path and a motive component, wherein an electronic input to the motive component will change a flow rate of a fluid through the valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Coaplen, William O. Brown, IV, Thomas Pollock, Everet Owen Ericksen, Christopher Otterness
  • Publication number: 20230020325
    Abstract: A fork assembly including a steerer tube and a crown, wherein the steerer tube is fixedly aligned to the crown in a predefined orientation at a time of manufacture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: William O. BROWN, IV, Daniel MCCORMICK, Joshua COAPLEN, Christopher OTTERNESS
  • Publication number: 20220371682
    Abstract: A non-uniform steerer tube. The non-uniform steerer tubes includes an axis-symmetric outer surface and a non axis-symmetric inner surface. The axis-symmetric outer surface and the non axis-symmetric inner surface defining a wall thickness therebetween. The wall thickness varying along an axial length of the non-uniform steerer tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: William O. BROWN, IV, Daniel MCCORMICK, Joshua COAPLEN, Christopher OTTERNESS
  • Patent number: 11498639
    Abstract: An air spring assembly is disclosed. The air spring assembly includes an upper fork tube having a base lug on one end, a lower fork tube having an opening to receive the upper fork tube in a first axial end, and a fork tube gas seal to form a gas seal between the upper fork tube and the lower fork tube. A partial cartridge tube within a portion of the upper fork tube, the partial cartridge tube including a partial cartridge tube gas seal between an outer diameter (OD) of the partial cartridge tube and an inner diameter (ID) of the upper fork tube. An annular volume formed between the ID of the upper fork tube, the OD of the partial cartridge tube, the partial cartridge tube gas seal, and the base lug of the upper fork tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: William O. Brown, IV, Daniel McCormick
  • Publication number: 20220252163
    Abstract: A rotary flow control valve that requires no linear motion is disclosed. The rotary flow control valve comprises a drive mechanism and a rotary flow control valve coupled with the drive mechanism, wherein the rotary flow control valve is rotated by the drive mechanism without requiring conversion of a linear motion to a rotational motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua COAPLEN, William O. Brown, IV, Thomas Pollock, Christopher Otterness
  • Publication number: 20220176829
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for controlling an electric vehicle's electric motor output. The method obtains electric vehicle data, user-related data, and receives input from at least one sensor. A controller is utilized to evaluate the electric vehicle data, the user-related data, and the input from the at least one sensor, and automatically tailor an output power curve of an electronic motor to obtain a best performance for the electric vehicle for a given rate of conservation of a battery power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc
    Inventors: David M. HAUGEN, Wesley E. ALLINGER, Everet Owen ERICKSEN, Paul KLAWER, Nobuhiko NEGISHI, Thomas L. FLETCHER, Jason SMITH, Phillip A. KENDRICK, William O. BROWN, IV, Bjorn BORGERS
  • Patent number: 11305834
    Abstract: A non-uniform steerer tube. The non-uniform steerer tubes includes an axis-symmetric outer surface and a non axis-symmetric inner surface. The axis-symmetric outer surface and the non axis-symmetric inner surface defining a wall thickness therebetween. The wall thickness varying along an axial length of the non-uniform steerer tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: William O. Brown, IV, Daniel McCormick, Joshua Coaplen, Christopher Otterness
  • Patent number: 11292550
    Abstract: A fork assembly including a steerer tube and a crown, wherein the steerer tube is fixedly aligned to the crown in a predefined orientation at a time of manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: William O. Brown, IV, Daniel McCormick, Joshua Coaplen, Christopher Otterness
  • Publication number: 20210317891
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: Damon GILBERT, Andrew LAIRD, Bryan Wesley ANDERSON, William M. BECKER, William O. BROWN, IV
  • Publication number: 20200262509
    Abstract: An air spring assembly is disclosed. The air spring assembly includes an upper fork tube having a base lug on one end, a lower fork tube having an opening to receive the upper fork tube in a first axial end, and a fork tube gas seal to form a gas seal between the upper fork tube and the lower fork tube. A partial cartridge tube within a portion of the upper fork tube, the partial cartridge tube including a partial cartridge tube gas seal between an outer diameter (OD) of the partial cartridge tube and an inner diameter (ID) of the upper fork tube. An annular volume formed between the ID of the upper fork tube, the OD of the partial cartridge tube, the partial cartridge tube gas seal, and the base lug of the upper fork tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: William O. BROWN, IV, Daniel MCCORMICK
  • Publication number: 20200208706
    Abstract: A damper valve with an adjustable effective stiffness of a shim. The damper valve includes a piston. The piston has a fluid path formed therethrough. A shim is disposed proximate the fluid path formed through the piston. A stiffness adjustment feature is coupled to the shim, and the shim is disposed between the piston and the stiffness adjustment feature. The stiffness adjustment feature is configured to adjust the effective stiffness of the shim without affecting a preload applied to the shim.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: Damon GILBERT, William O. BROWN, IV
  • Publication number: 20200130772
    Abstract: A non-uniform steerer tube. The non-uniform steerer tubes includes an axis-symmetric outer surface and a non axis-symmetric inner surface. The axis-symmetric outer surface and the non axis-symmetric inner surface defining a wall thickness therebetween. The wall thickness varying along an axial length of the non-uniform steerer tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: William O. BROWN, IV, Daniel MCCORMICK, Joshua COAPLEN, Christopher OTTERNESS
  • Publication number: 20200130773
    Abstract: A fork assembly including a steerer tube and a crown, wherein the steerer tube is fixedly aligned to the crown in a predefined orientation at a time of manufacture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Applicant: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: William O. BROWN, IV, Daniel MCCORMICK, Joshua COAPLEN, Christopher OTTERNESS