Disclosed herein is a process suitable for constructing a multiple stage air shock. The multiple stage air shock is unique among shocks in that the multiple stage design possesses qualities not available to other shock absorbers. The process includes a means for determining the compressed and extended lengths of the air shock based on the lengths of the parts for each stage. This means refers to one methodology and offers the air shock an extended length that is greater than twice its compressed length, an optimized extended length, and a construction capability based on adding stages. In particular, the extended length-compressed length relationship is a quality inherently unobtainable by current shock absorbers. The process also includes a means of determining the spring rate. This means refers to a second methodology and offers the capability to both set-up the air shock with a relatively linear spring rate and make the relatively linear spring rate more linear.

A transducer attenuates a physiologically damaging vibration by converting vibration energy to fluidization energy. The transducer includes a canister defining a sealed enclosure, a powder contained within the enclosure, and a coupler for vibrationally coupling the canister to the physiologically damaging vibration. When undisturbed, the powder has a settled state occupying less than the entire enclosure of the canister. However, when excited by physiologically damaging vibration, the powder has a fluidized state occupying the entire enclosure of the canister. When agitated by the physiologically damaging vibration via the coupler, the canister transmits vibration energy to the powder contained therein and causes the powder to fluidize, thereby attenuating the physiologically damaging vibration.

Presented herein are systems and methods that allow for adapting at least one dimension of an accumulator in a hydraulic system when faced with certain dimensional constraints and to vary the compliance or stiffness of an accumulator.

A head unit device for controlling motion of an object includes a chamber filled with a shear thickening fluid (STF) and a piston. The piston is housed within the chamber and exerts pressure against the STF from a force applied to the piston from the object. The STF is configured to have a decreasing viscosity in response to a first range of shear rates and an increasing viscosity in response to a second range of shear rates. The piston includes at least one piston bypass between opposite sides of the piston that controls flow of the STF between the opposite sides of the piston to selectively react with a shear threshold effect of the first range of shear rates or the second range of shear rates.

A support kit having a support base and a pole mountable to the support base is provided. A mounting seat having a square cross-section and configured to receive a lower end of the pole is formed in the support base. The mounting seat has a bottom surface through which a hole is formed. The hole is coaxially connected to a nut seat formed in the support base. The pole has a square section hollow profile interference-fittable to the mounting seat or a telescopic structure with a lower member that has a smaller cross-section than a cross-section of the mounting seat and a bottom portion provided with a threaded pin, through which the pole is screwable to a threaded nut arranged within the nut seat.

A shock absorber includes a gas spring cylinder containing a piston moveable between an extended position and a compressed position within the gas spring cylinder. A mechanical actuator is arranged whereby a bleed port is automatically closed when the gas spring is compressed to a predetermined position corresponding to a desired sag setting. In one embodiment, the position corresponds to a predetermined sag setting whereby the gas spring is partially compressed. In another embodiment, a proper sag setting is determined through the use of a processor and sensor that in one instance measure a position of shock absorber components to dictate a proper sag setting and in another instance calculate a pressure corresponding to a preferred sag setting.

The present disclosure relates to the customization of a composite layer material for absorbing or dissipating mechanical energy under impacts or vibrations. The composite layer material comprises at least a support layer of a resilient material, said support layer having recessed fluid-tight microchannels comprising a fluid, wherein the channel section and fluid viscosity is such to dampen the external load by the constricted fluid flow through said microchannels. Therefore, the present disclosure relates to a maximization of safety and/or comfort.

A suspension unit for a front fork of a vehicle includes an annular tube. The first tube defines a compression chamber and a damping chamber. A damper includes a first valve allowing gas to variably flow from the compression chamber to the damping chamber and a second valve allowing gas to flow from the damping chamber to the compression chamber. An external adjuster allows a rider to adjust the first valve to improve ride conditions.

A suspension unit for a front fork of a vehicle includes an annular tube. The first tube defines a compression chamber and a damping chamber. A damper includes a first valve allowing gas to variably flow from the compression chamber to the damping chamber and a second valve allowing gas to flow from the damping chamber to the compression chamber. An external adjuster allows a rider to adjust the first valve to improve ride conditions.

An object of the present invention is to facilitate discharge of foreign matter present around a valve member, while inhibiting degradation of seal performance of the valve member. A shock absorber includes a cylinder portion containing a liquid, a piston valve partitioning a space in the cylinder portion into a first oil chamber and a second oil chamber which contain oil, a piston rod connected to the piston valve and moving in an axial direction of the cylinder portion, a piston nut 43 (cylinder portion 433) forming a channel for the liquid between the first oil chamber and the second oil chamber, and a float valve 52 deformed or displaced depending on the pressure of oil in the channel in the piston nut 43 to open and close the channel. The float valve 52 for the channel member includes a projecting portion 52P and a recessed portion 52M so that, with the position of the float valve 52 adjusted, a gap is formed between the float valve 52 and the piston nut 43 (cylinder portion 433).