Description:FIELD
The present disclosure relates to the field of vehicle suspension systems.
BACKGROUND
The background information herein below relates to the present disclosure but is not necessarily prior art.
A fork assembly in a vehicle includes an annular seal provided between an outer tube and an inner tube to prevent leakage of a pressurized fluid handled by the fork assembly. The pressurized fluid follows a path starting from an oil sump to an oil seal chamber. A bush is provided between the oil sump and the oil seal chamber. It is desired that the pressurized fluid arrives in the oil seal chamber with minimal obstruction during its travel from the oil sump to the oil seal chamber. However, in the conventional fork assembly the bush is pushed out of the outer tube as there is no defined path for its flow. This leads to leakage problems of the pressurized fluid. In some instances, the force of the pressurized fluid impinges on the oil seal causing the dislocation of the oil seal from its assembled position. Both of these problems reduce the sealing efficiency of the fork assembly, which is highly undesirable.
There is, therefore, felt a need of, a fork assembly of a vehicle that alleviates the above-mentioned drawbacks.
OBJECTS
Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a fork assembly of a vehicle that eliminates leakage problems.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a fork assembly of a vehicle that has increased sealing efficiency.
Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure discloses an oil sump configured between the inner tube and the outer tube of the vehicle fork, the oil sump configured to store and supply pressurized fluid. A bush is configured to be attached to an operative bottom portion of the oil sump. An oil seal chamber is configured to be attached to an operative bottom portion of the bush. A plurality of holes is configured on the bush to define a passage for transporting the flow of the pressurized fluid received from the oil sump through the bush to the oil seal chamber.
In a preferred embodiment, a polytetrafluoro ethylene layer is provided on an inner surface of the bush.
In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of holes extends in the operative vertical direction.
In another embodiment, the diameter of the plurality of holes is variable.
In an embodiment, the bush is dry unlubricated.
In a preferred embodiment, the shape of the bush is cylindrical.
In an embodiment, the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a two-wheeled vehicle, a three-wheeled vehicle, a four-wheeled vehicle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
The fork assembly of a vehicle, of the present disclosure will now be described with the help of the accompanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1 shows a sectional view of the fork assembly of a vehicle, of the prior art;
Figure 2 shows a sectional view of the fork assembly of a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
Figure 3 shows an isometric view of the bush of the figure 1.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS USED IN DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND DRAWING
10 – bush of the prior art
20 – oil seal chamber
30 – outer tube
40 – oil sump
50 - bush of the present disclosure
60a, 60, 60c – holes
70 – PTFE layer
80 – inner tube
100 – fork assembly
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Embodiments, of the present disclosure, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Embodiments are provided so as to thoroughly and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to the person skilled in the art. Numerous details are set forth, relating to specific components, and methods, to provide a complete understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that the details provided in the embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, well-known processes, well-known apparatus structures, and well-known techniques are not described in detail.
The terminology used, in the present disclosure, is only for the purpose of explaining a particular embodiment and such terminology shall not be considered to limit the scope of the present disclosure. As used in the present disclosure, the forms "a,” "an," and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly suggests otherwise. The terms "comprises," "comprising," “including,” and “having,” are open ended transitional phrases and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, modules, units and/or components, but do not forbid the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The particular order of steps disclosed in the method and process of the present disclosure is not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance as described or illustrated. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
When an element is referred to as being "mounted on", “engaged to”, “connected to”, or “coupled to” another element, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed elements.
The terms first, second, third, etc., should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure as the aforementioned terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another component, region, layer or section. Terms such as first, second, third, etc., when used herein do not imply a specific sequence or order unless clearly suggested by the present disclosure.
Terms such as “inner,” “outer,” "beneath," "below," "lower," "above," "upper," and the like, may be used in the present disclosure to describe relationships between different elements as depicted from the figures.
Referring to the figures 1-3, a fork assembly 100 of a vehicle is shown. The fork assembly 100 comprises an oil sump 40, a bush 50 having a plurality of holes 60a, 60b, 60c, and an oil seal chamber 20. The oil sump 40 is configured between the inner tube 80 and the outer tube 30 of the vehicle fork. The oil sump 40 is configured to store and supply pressurized fluid such as oil. The bush 50 is configured to be attached to an operative bottom portion of the oil sump 40. The oil seal chamber 20 is configured to be attached to an operative bottom portion of the bush 50. The plurality of holes 60a, 60b, 60c is configured on the bush 50. The plurality of holes 60a, 60b, 60c define a passage for transporting the flow of the pressurized fluid received from the oil sump 40 through the bush 50 to the oil seal chamber 20.
The working of the fork assembly 100 will now be explained with the help of the figures 2 and 3. The pressurized fluid is received in the oil sump 40. The pressurized fluid passes through the plurality of holes 60a, 60b, 60c configured on the bush 50 located below the oil sump 40. One end of each of the plurality of holes 60a, 60b, 60c is in fluid communication with the oil sump 40. The other end of each of the plurality of holes 60a, 60b, 60c is in fluid communication with the oil seal chamber 20 located below the bush 50. Thereafter, a seal (not shown in figures) is subjected to the force of the pressurized fluid from the seal chamber 20. The plurality of holes 60a, 60b, 60c facilitate directing the flow of the pressurized oil from the bush 50 to the sealing chamber 20. Thus, efficient sealing performance is achieved. Moreover, probability of other components of the fork assembly 100 gettign damaged is reduced significantly, as relative movement between the mating components of the fork assembly 100 is eliminated.
In a preferred embodiment, a polytetrafluoro ethylene layer is provided on an inner surface of the bush 50.
In a preferred embodiment, plurality of holes 60a, 60b, 60c extend in the operative vertical direction V.
In another embodiment, the diameter of the plurality of holes 60a, 60b, 60c is variable.

In an embodiment, the bush 50 is dry unlubricated.
In an embodiment, the shape of the bush 50 is cylindrical.
The vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a two-wheeled vehicle, a three-wheeled vehicle, a four-wheeled vehicle.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Individual components of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, are interchangeable. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.
TECHNICAL ADVANCES AND ECONOMICAL SIGNIFICANCE
The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages including, but not limited to, the realization of fork assembly of a vehicle, that:
• offers leak proof solution;
• offers increased sealing performance; and
• restricts undesired relative movement between mating components.
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully reveals the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, or step, or group of elements, or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, or step, or group of elements, or steps.
The use of the expression “at least” or “at least one” suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.
While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.
, Claims:WE CLAIM:
1. A fork assembly (100) of a vehicle comprising:
• an oil sump (40) configured between the inner tube (80) and the outer tube (30) of the vehicle fork, said oil sump (40) configured to store and supply pressurized fluid;
• a bush (50) configured to be attached to an operative bottom portion of said oil sump (40);
• an oil seal chamber (20) configured to be attached to an operative bottom portion of said bush (50);
• a plurality of holes (60a, 60b, 60c) configured on said bush (50), said plurality of holes (60a, 60b, 60c) defining a passage for transporting the flow of the pressurized fluid received from said oil sump (40) through said bush (50) to said oil seal chamber (20).
2. The fork assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a polytetrafluoro ethylene layer is provided on an inner surface of said bush (50).
3. The fork assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes (60a, 60b, 60c) extend in the operative vertical direction (V).
4. The fork assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diameter of the plurality of holes (60a, 60b, 60c) is variable.
5. The fork assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bush (50) is dry unlubricated.
6. The fork assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shape of said bush (50) is cylindrical.
7. The fork assembly (100) of a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a two-wheeled vehicle, a three-wheeled vehicle, a four-wheeled vehicle.
Dated this 18th day of November, 2022

_______________________________
MOHAN RAJKUMAR DEWAN, IN/PA – 25
of R.K.DEWAN & CO.
Authorized Agent of Applicant

TO,
THE CONTROLLER OF PATENTS
THE PATENT OFFICE, AT MUMBAI