ON/OFF DAMPER FOR BIKES
An activation device for a damper includes a stopping tube adapted to be securely received in the piston rod and having grooves defined in a peripheral edge of the stopping tube and first teeth formed on the peripheral edge of the stopping tube, a driving tube adapted to be movably received in the piston rod and in the stopping tube and having second teeth formed on a peripheral edge of the driving tube and a rotating tube adapted to be movably received in the piston rod and having third teeth engaged with the second teeth so that the movement of the driving tube is able to drive the rotating tube to rotate an angle to selectively allow a corresponding one of the third teeth to be received in the grooves such that communication between the axial passage and the space is selectively plugged.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a damper, and more particularly to a damper which is able to be deactivated and activated according to the road conditions.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional bike dampers constantly provide damping effect to the bumpy road conditions such that the rider is able to enjoy the fun of riding. When the rider is riding across the country or passing a mountainous area, the rider requires large damping effect to damp the impact from the roads. When the rider is passing a metropolitan area where the roads are nicely paved, the rider generally does not require that much damping effect. However, the same damping effect will be provided to the rider despite the road conditions are changed. Therefore, the rider may find that whenever a brake is applied, the rider together with the bike will vibrate due to inertia. Some may find it amusing but it does affect the rider's enjoyment.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide an improved damper to mitigate the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe primary objective of the present invention is to provide an improved damper which is able to be shut off to adapt to paved roads.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide an indicator on top of the damper to indicate that the damping function is deactivated so that the rider is able to learn the status of the damper.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
With reference to
The driving tube (23) has small slanted teeth (231) formed on a peripheral edge of the driving tube (23). The stopping tube (24) has a configuration so defined that after the driving tube (23) is received in the stopping tube (24), there is no relative rotation between the driving tube (23) and the stopping tube (24). The stopping tube (24) has large slanted teeth (241) formed on a peripheral edge of the stopping tube (24) and having a dimension larger than a dimension of the small slanted teeth (231) and locking grooves (242) formed on the peripheral edge of the stopping tube (24) and having at least one large slanted teeth (241) sandwiched between two adjacent locking grooves (242). The rotating tube (25) has a hollow extension (250) extending upward and into the driving tube (23) and wedge-shaped teeth (251) formed on a shoulder (not labeled) of the rotating tube (25) to correspond to the smaller slanted teeth (231).
With reference to
The cylinder (10) is hollow inside and has a first end (101) fitted with a first plug (11) in the first end (101) and a second end (102) fitted with a second plug (12) having a first through hole (121) defined through the second plug (12). A resilient block (13) having a second through hole (131) corresponding to and aligned with the first through hole (121) is placed inside the cylinder (10) adjacent to the second plug (12) and a piston ring (14) is also received in the cylinder (10).
The piston rod assembly (20) extends through the first through hole (121) of the second plug (12), the second through hole (131) of the resilient block (13) and the piston ring (14) to connect to the piston assembly (16). Because the detailed structure and function of the piston assembly (16) are well known in the art as well as the connection with the piston rod assembly (20), detailed description thereof is thus omitted for brevity. A spring (15) is provided facing the piston assembly (16).
The piston rod assembly (20) includes a piston rod (21) with an axial passage (211) defined through the piston rod (21) and a fluid hole (212) on top of the piston assembly (16) and in communication with the axial passage (211), a linkage (27) received in the axial passage (211) to be operably connected to the activation device (22), a switching plug (28) connected to the linkage (27) to be movably received in the axial passage (211) and having a conical head (281) formed on a free end of the switching plug (28) and extending out of the axial passage (211) so as to control the communication between inside and outside of the axial passage (211) of the piston rod (21), a recoil spring (29) sandwiched between the linkage (27) and the switching plug (28) and mounted around the switching plug (28) to provide a recoil force to the linkage (27). A seat (26) is mounted on top of the stopping tube (24) after the driving tube (23) is received in the stopping tube (24) to prevent separation of the driving tube (23) from the stopping tube (24).
With reference to
With reference to
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Claims
1. An activation device for a damper having a piston assembly and a piston rod assembly provided with a piston rod which has an axial passage defined in the piston rod and a fluid hole defined in a side face of the piston rod to communicate the axial passage with a space outside the piston rod, the activation device comprising:
- a stopping tube adapted to be securely received in the piston rod and having grooves defined in a peripheral edge of the stopping tube and first teeth formed on the peripheral edge of the stopping tube;
- a driving tube adapted to be movably received in the piston rod and in the stopping tube and having second teeth formed on a peripheral edge of the driving tube; and
- a rotating tube adapted to be movably received in the piston rod and having third teeth engaged with the second teeth so that the movement of the driving tube is able to drive the rotating tube to rotate an angle to selectively allow a corresponding one of the third teeth to be received in the grooves such that communication between the axial passage and the space is selectively plugged.
2. The activation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a switching plug is provided to be operably connected to the rotating tube and receivable in the axial passage such that when the rotating tube is moved due to the movement of the driving tube, the switching plug selectively plugs the axial passage.
3. The activation device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the switching plug has a conical head formed on a free end of the switching plug so as to plug the axial passage.
4. The activation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first teeth has a dimension larger than a dimension of the second teeth.
5. The activation device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first teeth has a dimension larger than a dimension of the second teeth.
6. The activation device as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one first tooth is sandwiched between two adjacent grooves of the stopping tube.
7. The activation device as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one first tooth is sandwiched between two adjacent grooves of the stopping tube.
8. The activation device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a recoil spring mounted under the rotating tube to provide a recoil force to the rotating tube.
9. The activation device as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a recoil spring mounted under the rotating tube to provide a recoil force to the rotating tube.
10. The activation device as claimed in claim 3 further comprising a recoil spring mounted under the rotating tube to provide a recoil force to the rotating tube.
11. The activation device as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a recoil spring mounted under the rotating tube to provide a recoil force to the rotating tube.
12. The activation device as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a recoil spring mounted under the rotating tube to provide a recoil force to the rotating tube.
13. The activation device as claimed in claim 6 further comprising a recoil spring mounted under the rotating tube to provide a recoil force to the rotating tube.
14. The activation device as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a recoil spring mounted under the rotating tube to provide a recoil force to the rotating tube.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 23, 2004
Publication Date: Aug 25, 2005
Inventor: Chin-Sung Tsai (Taipei Hsien)
Application Number: 10/783,016