Pivoting brake caliper mounting for motorcycle

Abstract

A motorcycle or bicycle having a fork with swappable trail adjustment blocks which hold the front axle to the fork. Trail can be adjusted without removing the forks or even loosening them in the triple clamps, and without altering ride height or rake angle. Brake caliper mounts are swapped when the trail adjustment blocks are swapped, moving the brake calipers the same distance and direction as the axle, to maintain a constant radial distance from the axle to the brake pads. The brake caliper mounts pivot on the forks, enabling the brake calipers to be swung outward so the wheel can be changed without removing the brake calipers from the forks.

1 . A suspension for coupling a brake caliper and an axle of a wheel to a two-wheel vehicle, the suspension comprising: 
 a telescopic fork including, 
 an upper fork tube, and  
 a lower fork tube;  
   axle coupling means, coupled to the lower fork tube, for coupling to the axle; and    caliper coupling means, coupled to the lower fork tube, for pivotably coupling the brake caliper to the fork;    whereby the brake caliper can be swung to a side to facilitate installation of the wheel.    
   
   
       2 . The suspension of  claim 1  wherein the caliper coupling means includes: 
 a body;    a first cylindrical post extending from the body and adapted to rotatably engage the lower fork tube;    a second cylindrical post extending from the body and adapted to couple to the brake caliper.    
   
   
       3 . The suspension of  claim 2  wherein: 
 the first and second cylindrical posts are at a substantially  90 degree angle to each other.    
   
   
       4 . The suspension of  claim 3  wherein: 
 the caliper coupling means includes a pair of caliper mounts having their first cylindrical posts coaxially aligned when coupled to the lower fork tube.    
   
   
       5 . The suspension of  claim 1  wherein the telescopic fork further includes: 
 a fork lower coupled to the lower fork tube and including, 
 the axle coupling means, and  
 means for pivotably mating with the caliper coupling means.  
   
   
   
       6 . The suspension of  claim 6  wherein: 
 the means for pivotably mating comprises a radial mount extending in a first radial direction, the radial mount including an upper pivot hole and a lower pivot hole which are substantially coaxial and which extend substantially perpendicularly with respect to the first radial direction.    
   
   
       7 . The suspension of  claim 6  wherein the caliper coupling means includes a pair of caliper mounts each comprising: 
 a body;    a first cylindrical post extending from the body and adapted to rotatably engage a respective one of the pivot holes; and    a second cylindrical post extending from the body and adapted to couple to the brake caliper.    
   
   
       8 . The suspension of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the axle coupling means comprises a plurality of interchangeable trail adjustment blocks including, 
 a first trail adjustment block providing a first amount of trail and having an axle hole in a first axle position,  
 a second trail adjustment block providing a second amount of trail and having an axle hole in a second axle position, wherein the second axle position is removed from the first axle position by a predetermined distance;  
   the caliper coupling means comprises a plurality of interchangeable caliper mounts including,    a first caliper mount which places the brake caliper in a first caliper position, and    a second caliper mount which places the brake caliper in a second caliper position, wherein the second caliper position is removed from the first caliper position by substantially the predetermined distance.    
   
   
       9 . The suspension of  claim 8  wherein: 
 changing between caliper mounts moves the brake caliper in substantially a same direction that changing between trail adjustment blocks moves the axle.    
   
   
       10 . The suspension of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a frame having a steering head;    the upper fork tube being coupled to the steering head;    a brake rotor coupled to the wheel; and    a second telescopic fork also coupled to the steering head.    
   
   
       11 . A motorcycle suspension for use with a motorcycle having a frame, a front axle, and a front wheel, the motorcycle suspension comprising: 
 a plurality of pairs of trail adjustment blocks;    a plurality of sets of brake caliper mount pairs; and    a pair of telescopic forks each including, 
 an upper fork tube adapted for being coupled to the frame, and  
 a lower fork tube adapted for being coupled to the front axle;  
   wherein each lower fork tube includes, 
 means for mating with one of the trail adjustment blocks at a time, and  
 means for mating with one of the brake caliper mount pairs at a time.  
   
   
   
       12 . The motorcycle suspension of  claim 11  wherein: 
 the brake caliper mount pairs mate pivotably with the lower fork tubes to facilitate swinging brake calipers away to permit installation of a wheel.    
   
   
       13 . The motorcycle suspension of  claim 11  wherein: 
 the means for mating with the brake caliper mounts comprises two substantially parallel planar surfaces each having a hole extending thereinto substantially perpendicularly to the respective planar surface; and    the brake caliper mounts each comprises a body having a predetermined length corresponding to a trail adjustment setting of a respective one of the trail adjustment blocks, means for coupling the body to the brake caliper, and a post for inserting into a respective one of the holes extending into the planar surfaces of the means for mating.    
   
   
       14 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a fork including means for mounting a wheel assembly on an axle;    a brake caliper;    at least one pivoting caliper mount pivotably coupling the brake caliper to the fork;    whereby the brake caliper can be swung to a side to facilitate installation of the wheel assembly to the means for mounting.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the caliper mount includes: 
 a body;    a first cylindrical post extending from the body and adapted to rotatably engage the fork;    a second cylindrical post extending from the body and adapted to couple to the brake caliper.    
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein: 
 the first and second cylindrical posts are at a substantially  90 degree angle to each other.    
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein: 
 the at least one pivoting caliper mount includes a pair of caliper mounts having their first cylindrical posts coaxially aligned when coupled to the fork.    
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the fork comprises: 
 an upper fork tube;    a lower fork tube slidably coupled to the upper fork tube; and    a fork lower coupled to the lower fork tube and including the means for mounting.