Bicycle rear suspension

Patent 5259637 Issued on November 9, 1993. Estimated Expiration Date:

January 13, 2013. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

944795

1047430

Suspension bicycle
Patent #: 4789174
Issued on: 12/06/1988
Inventor: Lawwill

Suspension bicycle Patent #: 5121937
Issued on: 06/16/1992
Inventor: Lawwill

Inventor

Busby, James S.

Assignee

GT Bicycles, Inc.

Application

No. 004131 filed on 01/13/1993

US Classes:

280/284Rear forks

Examiners

Primary: Focarino, Margaret A.
Assistant: Johnson, Vicky A.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Stetina and Brunda

Foreign Patent References

3033294 DE 04/13/1981
428442 IT 12/13/2012
0220760 GB 08/13/2012

International Class

B62K 025/28

Abstract

A bicycle rear suspension linkage system comprising an elongate seat tube having an upper pivot mount rigidly attached to the upper end thereof and an axle receiving bracket rigidly attached to the lower end thereof. An upper rocker is pivotally connected to the upper pivot mount with a lower rocker being pivotally connected to a lower pivot mount rigidly attached to the axle receiving bracket. The linkage system further comprises pairs of seat stay and chain stay members, with the upper ends of the seat stay members being pivotally connected to the upper rocker and the front ends of the chain stay members being pivotally connected to the lower rocker. Additionally, the back ends of the chain stay members are pivotally connected to the lower ends of the seat stay members. Also provided is a shock absorber having a body portion and a reciprocal piston rod, the distal end of which is pivotally connected to the upper pivot mount. Pivotally connected to and extending between the upper rocker and body portion of the shock absorber is a pair of upper link rods, while rigidly attached to the body portion is an elongate alignment rod. Pivotally connected to and extending between the lower end of the alignment rod and the front ends of the chain stay members is a lower link rod.

Other References

1992 Cannondale Spec-Suspension Mountain Bicycles-Article-10 pgs
Trek 9000 Series Spec-"This Beauty is a Beast"-Article-8 pgs
Fisher RS-1-Article-4 pgs.-Mountain Bike Action/Mar. '92
Suspension Mania Strikes Cycling-Mountain Bike Action/Feb. '92
Boulder Intrepid AL-2 pgs.-Mountain Bike Action/Mar. '92
Team Shockblok-6 pgs.-Mountain Bike Action/Jul. '92
Welcome to the Next Generation . . .-9 pgs.-Mountain Bike-Jun. '92
Schwinn S.A.S.S.-7 pgs.-Mountain Bike Action-May '92
Offroad Pro-Flex 550-3 pgs.-Offroad
If the Best Motorcycle . . . "Litespeed SUspension", 8 pgs. Mountain Bike-Jul. '92
Slingshot-Mountain & City Biking, 6 pgs
Guide to Suspension and High Performance, vol. 3, 1992, pp. 9, 13-15, 17, 30-31, 36-37, 42-45, 47, 53, 60, 69, 71, 76, 85-87, '92, 96, 98, 100, 100-112, 117 and 119
Mountain Bike Action, Oct. 1992, pp. 10, 25-26, 28-29, 31, 36-37, 39-41, 44, 45, 47, 58, 70, 73, 76, 79, 123, and 123
Bicycling, Nov. 1992, pp. 26-27, 58, 63-64, and 105
Mountain Biking, Nov. 1992, vol. 6, No. 11, pp. 6-9, 25, 48-49, 65, 71, 73, 108-109, 115, 124, 129, 140, 143, 163, and 169
Mountain Biking, Dec. '92, pp. 1-2, 5, 18, 44-49, 77, 127, and 160
Mountain Biking, Jan. '93, vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 32-33, 40, 45, 71, 75, 82-83, 115 and 11