Bicycle air spring

Abstract

An air spring comprising a pressurized first chamber including a gas, a first piston adjacent the first chamber and configured to slideably move relative to the first chamber, pressurized second chamber adjacent the first piston and opposite the first chamber, the air spring configured such that the first piston moves towards the first chamber during compression of the air spring and the first piston moves away from the first chamber during extension of the air spring, wherein as said first piston moves towards the first chamber during compression of the air spring, said first piston pushes at least a portion of said gas within said first chamber in a direction opposite said first piston, a second piston configured to slideably move relative to the first chamber, a pressurized third chamber adjacent the second piston and opposite the first chamber.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An air spring comprising:
 a first member and a second member, wherein the second member slidably moves relative to the first member when the air spring is compressed or extended;   a first piston affixed to an end of the second member and configured to slidably move within the first member;   a first chamber including a gas, the first chamber at least partially bounded by the first piston;   a second chamber including a gas, the second chamber at least partially bounded by the first piston, wherein the first piston is configured to seal the first chamber from the second chamber,   wherein the air spring is configured such that the first piston increases the volume of the second chamber during a compression motion of the air spring and the first piston decreases the volume of the second chamber during an extension motion of the air spring;   a third chamber including a gas, the third chamber at least partially surrounding the first chamber during at least a portion of the compression motion and extension motion of the air spring; and   a second piston that at least partially bounds the third chamber, wherein the second piston is configured to seal the third chamber from the first chamber.   
     
     
         3 . The air spring of  claim 2 , wherein the third chamber is disposed between the first member and a third member of the air spring. 
     
     
         4 . The air spring of  claim 3 , wherein the second piston comprises an outer seal that seals against the third member, and an inner seal that seals against the first member. 
     
     
         5 . The air spring of  claim 2 , wherein the third chamber comprises an annular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         6 . The air spring of  claim 2 , further comprising a retaining portion, the retaining portion configured to limit displacement of the second piston towards the first chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The air spring of  claim 6 , wherein the retaining portion is configured to retain the second piston in a retained position until the pressure in the first chamber is greater than the pressure in the third chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The air spring of  claim 2 , wherein the first piston is configured to move in a first direction during the compression motion of the air spring, and wherein the second piston in configured to move in a second direction that is opposite the first direction when the pressure in the first chamber is greater than the pressure in the third chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The air spring of  claim 2 , wherein the first piston and second piston are coaxial. 
     
     
         10 . The air spring of  claim 2 , wherein the second member comprises a damping chamber including a damping fluid. 
     
     
         11 . The air spring of  claim 2 , further comprising a bicycle frame and a bicycle wheel, wherein the air spring is configured to regulate a position of the bicycle wheel with respect to the bicycle frame. 
     
     
         12 . An air spring comprising:
 a first member and a second member, wherein the second member slidably moves relative to the first member when the air spring is compressed or extended;   a first piston affixed to an end of the second member and configured to slidably move within the first member;   a first chamber including a gas, the first chamber at least partially bounded by the first piston;   a second chamber including a gas, the second chamber at least partially bounded by the first piston, wherein the first piston is configured to seal the first chamber from the second chamber,   wherein the air spring is configured such that the first piston increases the volume of the second chamber during a compression motion of the air spring and the first piston decreases the volume of the second chamber during an extension motion of the air spring;   a third chamber including a gas; and   a second piston that at least partially bounds the third chamber, wherein the second piston is coaxial with the first piston, and wherein the second piston is configured to seal the third chamber from the first chamber.   
     
     
         13 . The air spring of  claim 12 , wherein the third chamber is disposed between the first member and a third member of the air spring. 
     
     
         14 . The air spring of  claim 13 , wherein the second piston comprises an outer seal that seals against the third member, and an inner seal that seals against the first member. 
     
     
         15 . The air spring of  claim 12 , wherein the third chamber comprises an annular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         16 . The air spring of  claim 12 , further comprising a retaining portion, the retaining portion configured to limit displacement of the second piston towards the first chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The air spring of  claim 16 , wherein the retaining portion is configured to retain the second piston in a retained position until the pressure in the first chamber is greater than the pressure in the third chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The air spring of  claim 12 , wherein the first piston is configured to move in a first direction during the compression motion of the air spring, and wherein the second piston in configured to move in a second direction that is opposite the first direction when the pressure in the first chamber is greater than the pressure in the third chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The air spring of  claim 12 , wherein the third chamber at least partially surrounds the first chamber during at least a portion of the compression motion and extension motion of the air spring. 
     
     
         20 . The air spring of  claim 12 , wherein the second member comprises a damping chamber including a damping fluid. 
     
     
         21 . The air spring of  claim 12 , further comprising a bicycle frame and a bicycle wheel, wherein the air spring is configured to regulate a position of the bicycle wheel with respect to the bicycle frame.