Bicycle damper

Abstract

A damper for a bicycle, having a primary unit including a damper tube, a piston rod that supports a main piston, a reservoir tube that is outside of the compression chamber of the primary tube, and an inertial valve within the reservoir tube. The damper also includes a flow path connecting the reservoir fluid chamber and the compression chamber of the primary tube. The damper also may have a damping valve in the reservoir tube. When the inertia valve is open, the damping valve opens before flow through the inertia valve is maximized. The main piston and the damper tube at least partially define a compression chamber and a rebound chamber. The main piston is movable within the damper chamber of the primary unit. The reservoir tube includes a reservoir fluid chamber. The inertial valve is responsive to terrain-induced forces and not responsive to rider-induced forces when the shock absorber is assembled to the bicycle.

1 . A damper for a bicycle, comprising:
 a primary unit comprising a damper tube;   a piston rod that supports a main piston, wherein said main piston is movable within said damper chamber of said primary unit, said main piston and said damper tube at least partially defining a compression chamber and a rebound chamber;   a reservoir tube that is outside of compression chamber of said primary tube, the reservoir tube comprising a reservoir fluid chamber;   an inertia valve within said reservoir tube;   a flow path connecting said reservoir fluid chamber and said compression chamber of said primary tube, said inertia valve being responsive to terrain-induced forces and not responsive to rider-induced forces when said shock absorber is assembled to the bicycle,   further comprising a damping valve in said reservoir tube, wherein when said inertia valve is open, said damping valve opens before flow through said inertia valve is maximized.   
   
   
       2 . The damper of  claim 1 , wherein at a piston speed of 4 meters/second said damping valve opens before flow through said inertia valve is maximized. 
   
   
       3 . The damper of  claim 1 , wherein said primary unit further comprises a spring chamber. 
   
   
       4 . The damper of  claim 3 , further comprising a spring piston fixed with respect to said compression chamber, wherein said spring piston moves within said spring chamber. 
   
   
       5 . The damper of  claim 4 , said inertia valve being responsive to terrain-induced forces and not responsive to rider-induced forces when said shock absorber is assembled to the bicycle. 
   
   
       6 . The damper of  claim 5 , said inertia valve having an open position and a closed position, wherein said inertia valve permits a flow of said fluid from said compression chamber of said primary tube to said remote fluid chamber of said remote tube when said inertia valve is open and the flow through said inertia valve is reduced when said inertia valve is in said closed position and wherein said damping valve provides damping when said inertia valve is in an open position. 
   
   
       7 . The damper of  claim 6 , wherein said shock absorber exhibits a soft damping rate when said inertia valve is open and a stiff damping rate when said inertia valve is closed. 
   
   
       8 . The damper of  claim 1 , wherein when said inertia valve is open, said damping valve opens when there is 25 pounds of force on said damping valve. 
   
   
       9 . The damper of  claim 8 , wherein said inertia valve has a plurality of flow passages having a total cross-sectional area of no more than 8 millimeters squared. 
   
   
       10 . The damper of  claim 8 , wherein said inertia valve has a plurality of flow passages having a total cross-sectional area of no more than 6 millimeters squared. 
   
   
       11 . The damper of  claim 1 , wherein when said inertia valve is open, said damping valve opens when there is 35 pounds of force on said damping valve. 
   
   
       12 . The damper of  claim 1 , wherein when said inertia valve is open, said damping valve opens when there is 55 pounds of force on said damping valve. 
   
   
       13 . The damper of  claim 1 , wherein when said inertia valve is open, said damping valve opens when there is 80 kilograms of force on said damping valve. 
   
   
       14 . The damper of  claim 1 , wherein said inertia valve has a plurality of flow passages having a total cross-sectional area of no more than 8 millimeters squared. 
   
   
       15 . The damper of  claim 1 , wherein said inertia valve has a plurality of flow passages having a total cross-sectional area of no more than 6 millimeters squared. 
   
   
       16 . A damper for a bicycle, comprising:
 a primary unit comprising a damper tube;   a piston rod that supports a main piston, wherein said main piston is movable within said damper chamber of said primary unit, said main piston and said damper tube at least partially defining a compression chamber and a rebound chamber;   a reservoir tube that is outside of compression chamber of said primary tube, the reservoir tube comprising a reservoir fluid chamber;   an inertia valve within said reservoir tube;   a flow housing within said reservoir tube, said flow housing defining a first end and a second end, a first one way valve positioned at said first end and a second one way valve positioned at said second end;   a flow path connecting said reservoir fluid chamber and said compression chamber of said primary tube,   said inertia valve having an open position and a closed position and wherein said inertia valve permits a flow of said fluid from said compression chamber of said primary tube to said reservoir fluid chamber of said reservoir tube when said inertia valve is in said open position and the flow through said inertia valve is reduced when said inertia valve is in said closed position.   
   
   
       17 . The damper of  claim 16 , where said inertia valve is responsive to terrain-induced forces and not responsive to rider-induced forces when said shock absorber is assembled to the bicycle. 
   
   
       18 . The damper of  claim 17 , said inertia valve having an open position and a closed position, wherein said inertia valve permits a flow of said fluid from said compression chamber of said primary tube to said remote fluid chamber of said remote tube when said inertia valve is open and the flow through said inertia valve is reduced when said inertia valve is in said closed position and wherein said damping valve provides damping when said inertia valve is in an open position. 
   
   
       19 . The damper of  claim 18 , wherein said shock absorber exhibits a soft damping rate when said inertia valve is open and a stiff damping rate when said inertia valve is closed. 
   
   
       20 . The damper of  claim 16 , wherein when said inertia valve is open, said damping valve opens when there is 25 pounds of force on said damping valve. 
   
   
       21 . The damper of  claim 16 , wherein said inertia valve has a plurality of flow passages having a total cross-sectional area of no more than 8 millimeters squared. 
   
   
       22 . The damper of  claim 16 , wherein said inertia valve has a plurality of flow passages having a total cross-sectional area of no more than 6 millimeters squared. 
   
   
       23 . The damper of  claim 22 , wherein when said inertia valve is open, said damping valve opens when there is 35 pounds of force on said damping valve. 
   
   
       24 . The damper of  claim 22 , wherein when said inertia valve is open, said damping valve opens when there is 55 pounds of force on said damping valve. 
   
   
       25 . The damper of  claim 16 , wherein when said inertia valve is open, said damping valve opens when there is 75 pounds of force on said damping valve. 
   
   
       26 . The damper of  claim 16 , wherein said inertia valve has a plurality of flow passages having a total cross-sectional area of no more than 8 millimeters squared. 
   
   
       27 . The damper of  claim 16 , wherein said inertia valve has a plurality of flow passages having a total cross-sectional area of no more than 6 millimeters squared.