DESC:An embodiment of the invention will now be described herein below with reference to the drawings
A typical suspension system of a vehicle comprises a front fork assembly. In said conventional front fork assembly 10, as shown in figure 1(a) and figure 1(b) the fork pipe 110 slides within the bottom case 130. At the mouth of the bottom case 130 primarily, dust seal 122 and oil seal 124 are installed. The two seals that is a dust seal 122 and an oil seal 124 are together represented by 120 present at the mouth of the bottom case 130.
Figure 1(c) illustrates a cross-sectional view of the two seals 120 as taken across X-X1. The dust seal 122 communicates with the oil seal 124. Also, the dust seal 122 preferably communicates with the fork pipe 110 whereas, the oil seal 124 communicates with the bottom case 130.
While the vehicle is in motion and it strikes an irregularity the fork pipe 110 slides within the bottom case 130 through the two seals together represented by 120.
According to the present invention front fork assembly 12, as shown in figure 2(a), the fork pipe is represented by reference numeral 140 and the bottom case is represented by reference numeral 160. Additionally, an integrated dust seal cum sleeve guide 150 is installed at the mouth of the bottom case 160 in accordance with the present invention. The said dust seal cum sleeve guide 150 acts as guide for cover tube 148.
Figure 2(b) illustrates the upper segment 152 of the said integrated dust seal cum sleeve guide 150 and the lower segment 154. The lower segment 154 forms a sleeve like elongated structure coming over the surface of the bottom case 160 and guides cover tube 148.
Figure 2(c) illustrates a cross-sectional view of the aforesaid integrated dust seal cum sleeve guide 150 taken from Y-Y1 as illustrated in Figure 2(b). The upper segment 152 is preferably communicates with the fork pipe 140 whereas, the lower segment 154 is preferably communicates with the bottom case 160.
Further, figure 3(f) represents an isometric view of the dust seal cum sleeve guide wherein, the upper segment 152 which communicates with fork pipe 140 and the lower segment 154 which communicates with the bottom case 160 are being illustrated. Also, on the sleeve like structure of lower segment 154 are present multiple pads 156. The pads 156 are elevated and elongated structures providing strength to the said integrated dust seal and sleeve guide. These pads 156 may be multiple in number or a single elongated structure.
These multiple pads 156 are being represented in the figure 3(a) and figure 3(c) which depicts the top view and bottom view respectively. The said pads 156 of the present invention are present at suitable location and are of suitable thickness. The said pads 156 may be made of rubber/ plastic/ or any other synthetic material. These pads 156 may be of various shapes.
In addition to act as a sleeve guide, the said pads play an important role in maintaining the concentricity between the fork pipe 140 and the bottom case 160 thereby, maintaining enhancing the life of the fork pipe assembly.
Furthermore, figure 3(d), figure (b) and figure (e) represents the left hand view, front view and the right hand view of the present invention integrated dust seal cum sleeve guide respectively.
Additionally, the sleeve guide along with said pads (156) can be used as stand-alone component as illustrated in Figure 4(a), Figure 4 (b) and 4 (c).The pads (156) on the sleeve guide (149) or the lower segment (154) provide a suitable guide for cover tube (148). The said pads may of any suitable shape and dimension determined by the size of the cover tube (148) and front fork.
It will be appreciated form the foregoing description that various other embodiments of the above mentioned device are possible without departing from the scope and ambit of this invention.
,CLAIMS:Claims
We claim:
1. A front fork assembly of a suspension system of a vehicle comprises a fork pipe, a bottom case and an integrated dust seal cum sleeve guide wherein said integrated dust seal cum sleeve guide is provided at the mouth of said bottom case.
2. The front fork assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said an upper segment of said integrated dust seal cum sleeve guide contacts with said fork pipe and an lower segment of said integrated dust seal cum sleeve guide contacts with said bottom case.
3. The front fork assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lower segment of said integrated dust seal cum sleeve guide has pads on it.
4. A front fork assembly of a suspension system of a vehicle comprises a fork pipe, a bottom case and a sleeve guide wherein said sleeve guide has pads on it.
5. A motorcycle having front fork assembly as claimed in claim1.