Abstract:
A motorcycle brake and suspension system comprising: an outer tube, having an upper end and a lower end, a mainspring mounted inside the outer tube, a brake line traveling through the central axis of the outer tube and looped to allow slack, and a braking system actuated by the brake line. The brake line actuates an integrated padlock caliper disk brake, and is protected by a flexible plastic cover. A fender bracket is mounted on the brake caliper. The integrated padlock caliper disk brake system has integrally formed brake fluid passages in the fork leg, which are hydraulically operative inside the load bearing portion of the fork leg. An adjustable push rod supports the mainspring by adjusting its neutral position length.

Description:
This application is a continuation in part of inventor Vincent Costa Ser. No. 11/062,196 integrated Brake and Suspension System filed Feb. 18, 2005. This application is a continuation in part of applicant&#39;s integrated motorcycle brake and suspension system Ser. No. 11/340,087 filed Jan. 26, 2006. This application incorporates by reference both disclosure made in both parent applications. 

   DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
   Motorcycle front fork components such as brake calipers are traditionally mounted to the exterior of the motorcycle fork frame, allowing for easier maintenance and replacement of vital components. This assembly method also disfavorably allows for the infiltration of dust and other various foreign objects that detrimentally interact with the motorcycle machinery. Though shielding may be added to exterior brake lines and components to prevent any such interaction, it also adds additional complexity and cost. Furthermore, the appearance of lines and components detracts from the ability of the custom motorcycle designer to work with the design. A designer should have the option of routing the lines such that they are either appearing or not apparent. 
   Previously, a variety of supporting and suspension mechanisms have been devised to provide hydraulic actuation of brake line fluid. A number of these included solutions for maintaining constant volume in the brake line fluid. U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,721 issued to Brans on Feb. 1, 2005 provides a telescopic connector for vehicle a brake conduit. Unfortunately, telescopic connectors have leaking problems between seals required to maintain the constant volume. The constant motion and telescopic translation did not provide robust hydraulic action. Furthermore, the costs of complex telescopic brake line connection such as that shown in the Brans reference provides ample opportunities for mechanical failure, which could be dangerous given the importance of front brakes in a motorcycle. Therefore, it is a present object of the invention to provide robust hydraulic action that is more reliable and does not leak. Brans devised such a complex system to provide internal lines since it is an important feature. 
   Thus, one way to avoid the constant volume problem is to have an external line or by using a cable instead of a hydraulic configuration. A variety of configurations have been invented providing hydraulic braking on motorcycles using different configurations. The cable configuration is more commonly seen on bicycles using a brake cable. Hydraulic braking in bicycle applications is more rare, but some instances can be seen such as Patent Cooperation Treaty application W0 90/13470 providing for a hydraulic rim brake on a bicycle. The hydraulic rim brake for the bicycle provides opposing pistons pressing against opposite sides of a bicycle rim where each piston is located on an opposite leg of a bicycle. The bicycle configuration rim brake has limited use in a motorcycle front fork due to the forces involved in motorcycle front fork assembly. Traditionally, opposing piston rim brake causes deflection between the legs of the motorcycle fork which bind and otherwise interfere with operation of the motorcycle suspension. Thus, motorcycle fork assemblies have traditionally mounted a rotor to the front wheel axle to provide an interface for a brake externally and modularly attached to a front fork leg. Such a mounting allows caliper to be unbolted as a complete assembly. Therefore, both halves of the caliber are manufactured from pieces of metal separate from the fork leg. Additional brackets or hardware is required to mount the brake to the fork leg. 
   Other problems with suspension mechanisms have been associated with the deformation of the motorcycle suspension fork. Brake mechanisms typically exert a substantial amount of force against a rotor such as a disk rotor. The calipers typically exert substantial force throughout an entire braking cycle. Therefore, it is also a present object of the invention to avoid deformation that would bind a telescopic suspension system of a motorcycle. The traditional rim brake bicycle configuration typically cannot be used on a motorcycle having telescopic tight tolerance suspension. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the caliper leg of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the push rod assembly. 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the outer tube. 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the assembly of the piston in relation to the top out and bottom out spring. 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the lower leg showing the disk brake. 
       FIG. 6  is a cross section view of the assembled invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The present invention is an integrated motorcycle brake and suspension system. As shown in the figures, an assembly of a push rod and outer tube shows the manner of creating a front fork assembly having telescopic connection. A pair of two suspension members forms the motorcycle fork. These suspension members are similar in operation and physical components, except the brake caliper leg has an internal brake line and integrated brake. 
   The brake line  110 ,  FIG. 1  is connected to and runs from a manually operated brake actuator through a central axis of the outer tube and mainly coaxially related components. Brake line  110  first passes through an upper retainer  120  also called a body cap in the first embodiment. The upper retainer  120  has an upper portion sized tube retain within a fork tree or clamp. The upper retainer  120  is also called a body cap because it is preferably cylindrical at a middle portion which has the largest external diameter of the body cap portions. The upper retainer  120  has a lower portion below the middle portion that has ring seals typically made of elastomeric material for retaining oil within the system. The upper retainer  120  is threaded at an external periphery on the upper portion and lower portion allowing screw connection to the inside upper circumferential surface of the upper cylinder  130  which incidentally preferably has a common external diameter with the upper retainer  120 . The middle portion alternatively fits entirely within the upper cylinder  130  if the diameter of the middle portion is sized so that it can fit within the upper cylinder  130 . 
   The brake line  110  then passes through a variety of load bearing hollow tubes starting with an upper cylinder  130  whereby the brake line  110  forms a line loop  111 . The line loop preferably forms a complete loop immediately below the upper retainer  120  and entirely within the upper cylinder  130 . The upper retainer  120  is formed as a cap having a central aperture receiving the brake line  110  within the central aperture so that the brake line  110  may pass through the upper retainer  120  in hydraulic sealed connection so that the brake line  110  does not move relative to the upper retainer  120  and further is hydraulically sealed in the interface between the brake line  110  and the central aperture of upper retainer  120 . 
   The line loop  111  is not attached to other elements, and allows slack when the telescoping components move and change the length of the motorcycle suspension system. The line loop  111  is made of a single line without a break such that it is continuous. The motorcycle suspension system moves during normal riding, and typically moves more during a ride over uneven surface. The line loop  111  is encapsulated within upper cylinder  130 . The looping of the line may move the line from a coaxial orientation relative to the upper cylinder  130  to an orientation that is not coaxial. The line loop preferably expands so that it rests against the inside wall of the upper cylinder  130  at the apex of the line loop  111 . The line loop  111  may also have a base opposite the apex. The apex of the line loop  111  and the base of the line loop  111  may take up an area between the inside walls of the upper cylinder  130  having substantial similarity in wideness as the wideness of the inside walls of the upper cylinder  130 . 
   The upper cylinder attaches to an upper plug that is also called a spring top  140 . The spring top  140  has a construction somewhat similar to the upper retainer  120 . It has an upper portion spring top that connects to the inside surface of upper cylinder  130 . The spring top  140  also has an aperture for the brake line  110  so that the spring top brake line aperture may provide a hydraulic sealed connection but does not provide a retaining connection with the brake line  110 . As the spring top  140  has retaining connection with the brake line  110  but the upper retainer  120  does not have retaining connection with the brake line  110 , the line loop  111  expands when the front motorcycle fork leg contracts. The line loop  111  contracts upon expansion of the motorcycle fork leg. The top portion of the spring top  140  is preferably in threaded connection against the inside surface of upper cylinder  130  which is similarly threaded to receive the top portion of the spring top  140 . 
   The bottom portion of the spring top  140  is preferably in a conical configuration adapted to a bottom out spring  150 . The bottom portion of the spring top  140  supports the bottom out spring  150  which rests against a middle portion of the spring top  140 . The middle portion of the spring top  140  is a wider portion preferably having a similar outside diameter as the upper cylinder  130 , so that the middle portion of the spring top  140  can connect to the upper cylinder  130  and provide support for the bottom out spring  150 . The upper cylinder  130  is also called a bottom out spacer that retains the line loop  111 . The bottom out spacer  130  attaches to the body cap  120  above, and the spring top  140  below. The bottom out spacer dimensions affect the performance of the suspension system. The spring top bottom portion receives and presses against the bottom out spring  150 . The conical portion of the spring top bottom portion maintains the bottom out spring  150  in coaxial orientation with the other fork leg components. The spring top bottom portion preferably has a slight taper and a rounded or blunt tip as shown in  FIG. 1 . The spring top  140  is also called an upper plug because it plugs the bottom of bottom out spacer  130 . 
   The bottom out spring  150  rests against piston  161 . The piston  161  has a top surface that biases against bottom out spring  151  if the fork leg is in bottom out position. The piston  161  has an external surface which is sized to translate within the main housing  170 . The piston  161  has preferably a pair of seals to provide hydraulic seal against the inside of the main housing  170 . The piston  161  is mounted on top of the inside tube assembly  160 . 
   The inner tube assembly  160  also fits in telescoping configuration inside the main housing formed as a cylinder  170 . The inner tube assembly  160  has an aperture in the piston  161  for passage of the brake line  110  through the piston  161  and the inside tube assembly  160 . The suspension system of the brake caliper leg has the main spring  185  and a top out spring  455  as well as a bottom out spring  150 . The top out spring  455  is mounted to the outside surface of the inner tube assembly  160 . A clip, or other annular member can retain the upper portion of the top out spring  455  against the outside wall of the inner tube assembly  160 . With the top out spring  455  attached, it presses against an annular shelf formed in the outer tube  170 . The annular shelf could be mounted higher such as in the middle of the outer tube  170 , or lower toward the bottom of the outer tube  170  such as at oil seal annular ring  167 . 
   The term, top out, refers to a circumstance in which the motorcycle suspension system is pulled away from the motorcycle. When operational conditions have exceeded the mainspring capabilities, the more rigid top out spring is rendered necessitous. Similarly, the bottom out spring  150  protects against a situation wherein operational conditions exceed mainspring capabilities. Hitting speed bumps or road debris at high speeds are examples of such circumstances wherein the suspension system is pushed against the motorcycle, forcing a bottom out. In order to effectively compensate for such conditions, the top out and bottom out spring should be far more rigid than the mainspring. 
   The main housing  170  is formed as cylinder and is also called the outer tube  170  because it substantially encloses all other components, including the bottom out spacer  130 , spring top  140 , bottom out spring  150 , top out spring  455 , upper portion of the inner tube  160 , and push rod tube  180 . The outer tube hides most of the other components from external visibility. The inner tube  160  inside and below the outer tube is the only other externally visible apparatus and appears to slide out of the outside tube  170 . The main housing  170  has an upper portion that has connection with a portion of upper retainer  120 . Thus, upper retainer  120  has a lower portion that retains to main housing  170  as well as bottom out spacer  130 . 
   The seal cover  165  receives an annular seal retainer that is the snap ring  166  and an oil seal formed as a ring  167 . The upper portion of the seal cover  165  screws into the lower portion of the outer tube  170  which is threaded for allowing screw connection. The seal cover  165  has an aperture disposed within it to provide translational movement relative to the inner tube  160  that passes through the seal cover  165  aperture. The seal cover  165  has an aperture that is sized to be slightly larger than the inside tube  160 . The seal cover  165  fits over the adjustable height assembly, here formed as a push rod  180 . The push rod  180  fits coaxially within the inside tube  160 . 
   The adjustable push rod  180  adjusts the neutral position length of the mainspring. The adjustable pushrod  180  also fits within inside tube  160 . The adjustable height assembly  180  is hollow, allowing for the brake line  110  to pass through. The adjustable height assembly  180  also has a retaining clip shown here as a snap ring  182  retained upon the highest of one of a plurality of pushrod tube grooves  183 . A rigid flexible sleeve  184  preferably encapsulates the brake line  110  below the line loop  111 . A main spring  185  that is the lowest spring rests against the retaining clip  182 , spring washer  188  and supports the system. The mainspring  185  moves during normal operation of the motorcycle supporting the full weight of the motorcycle fork leg and front portion of the motorcycle. The mainspring  185  pushes against the bottom of the fork leg which is the disc brake assembly  190 . The disc brake assembly  190  has an upper portion that has an external threaded connection to the bottom inside surface of inside tube  160 . The disc brake assembly  190  further includes a flat annular region disposed on a top surface of the disc brake assembly  190  that is within the circumference of the external threaded connection. The flat annular region supports the mainspring  185 . The flat annular region optionally includes a central portion that protrudes above the flat annular region so that the connection between the brake line  110  and the disc brake assembly  190  is above the interface of the mainspring  185  and the flat annular region support area. Thus, the inside tube  160  is bounded at a lower end being the disc brake assembly  190  and at an upper end being the piston  161  and telescopic sliding connection with the outside tube  170 . 
   The mainspring  185  supports the retaining clip  182 , which supports the adjustable height assembly  180 . The adjustable height assembly  180  supports the spring top  140 . The adjustable height assembly  180  has a diameter that is sized to fit within a recess formed in the bottom of the spring top  140 . The adjustable height assembly  180  thus pushes up the spring top  140  which in turn pushes up the bottom out spacer  130 , which in turn supports the upper retainer  120 . The upper retainer  120  supports the motorcycle fork leg and the motorcycle fork tree, or leg clamp that attaches the motorcycle suspension to the motorcycle frame. 
   The brake line is typically filled with oil after assembly and has dynamically varying hydraulic pressure. The brake line terminates at the disk brake assembly  190 .  FIG. 5 , the disk brake has a pair of brake pads  510  biased together by a pair of brake pistons  520 . Brake pistons  520  are sealed with o-ring seals  530 . Such seals maintain hydraulic pressure, transmitting the brake line pressure against the pistons  520  that transmit pressure against the brake pads  510  which in turn transmit pressure against the disk portion of a wheel. The wheel is mounted on the wheel axis shown as aperture  550 . 
   The disk brake assembly  190  is formed by a pair of piston assemblies. The disk brake assembly  190  also includes a pair of bolts  560  that are partially threaded and serve to secure the outside brake assembly  544  against the inside brake assembly  545 . The bolts  560  secure into threads  546 . The brake line hydraulic pressure is transmitted from the inside brake assembly  545  to the outside brake assembly  544  via a conduit  580 . A seal  581  seals the conduit as seen in  FIG. 5  at an interface. The inside piston aperture  521  opposes the outside piston aperture  522 . Preferably, a pair of bolts  590  secure through the outside brake assembly  544  and pass through the brake pads  510  at brake pad guide points  511  and secure into threads within the inside brake assembly. Preferably, a bleeder cap  599  will allow drainage of the hydraulic fluid such as oil or water. 
     FIG. 2  shows the adjustable height assembly  180  receiving the retaining clip  182  in the top position  186 . The top position  186  is above the other five positions and the lower position  187 . The retaining clip  182  supports a retaining washer  188  that rests against the retaining clip  182 . The rigid sleeve  184  although shown as bent in the drawing is actually substantially straight, and supports the line  110 . The main spring  185  rests against the retaining washer  188 . 
   A fender mount  198  is attached to the disk brake assembly  190  integral to the lower leg, allowing a fender to be mounted to the motorcycle. The fender mount  198  is preferably secured to the disk brake assembly by four machine screws as in  FIG. 2 . A faceplate also called a tombstone  199  allows a cleaner look and keeps dust out by covering the various apertures and bolt head formed by the bolts  590 ,  560 . 
     FIG. 6  shows that the spring top  140  receives the push rod  180  that rests the mainspring. Also,  FIG. 6  shows the correct assembly of the components shown in  FIG. 1 . The spring top  140  receives both the bottom out spring  150  and the push rod tube  180 . The load is transmitted through the push rod tube  180 . The bottom out spring  150  interacts with the piston  161  upon extreme operating conditions. The piston  161  is held snugly within the outer tube  170 . Oil passes through ports located in the walls of the inner tube  160 . Inner tube  160  has ports that are preferably below the piston  161  attached to the inner tube  160 . 
   The inside piston assembly is integrally formed to the caliper leg of the fork. Here, the inside piston assembly is made of the same piece of metal that supports the fork. An axle is held between the pair of fork legs. 
   After assembly, the device is partially filled with oil, leaving an air gap at the top. The device should be filled with oil above the position of the piston, allowing for lubrication of the piston. 
   The oil also adds dampening. After the device is filled with oil, it can be mounted on the motorcycle so that it receives a brake rotor  888  between the brake pads. The brake rotor is flat and corotationally mounted on a wheel axis. The motorcycle fork legs have a lower end allowing mounting of a front wheel axle between the motorcycle legs. The front wheel axle has a brake rotor  888  that cooperates with the brake pistons. The lower fork leg receives the inside brake piston as well as receiving a wheel axle. 
   Call Out List of Elements 
   
       
       Brake Line  110   
       Upper Retainer  120   
       Upper Cylinder  130   
       Line Loop  111   
       Spring Top  140   
       Bottom Out Spring  150   
       Piston  161   
       Bottom Out Spring  151   
       Main Housing Aka Outer Tube  170   
       Inside Tube Assembly  160   
       Main Spring  185   
       Top Out Spring  455   
       Oil Seal Annular Ring  167   
       Push Rod Tube Aka Adjustable Height Assembly  180   
       Seal Cover  165   
       Snap Ring  166   
       Snap Ring Aka Retaining Clip  182   
       Pushrod Tube Grooves  183   
       Rigid Flexible Sleeve  184   
       Spring Washer Aka Retaining Washer  188   
       Disc Brake Assembly  190   
       Pair Of Brake Pads  510   
       Brake Pistons  520   
       O-Ring Seals  530   
       Wheel Axis Aperture  550   
       Bolts  560   
       Outside Brake Assembly  544   
       Inside Brake Assembly  545   
       Bolt Threads  546   
       Brake Line Conduit  580   
       Conduit Seal  581   
       Inside Piston Aperture  521   
       Outside Piston Aperture  522   
       Outside Brake Assembly Pair Of Bolts  590   
       Brake Pad Guide Points  511   
       Bleeder Cap  599   
       Retaining Clip Top Position  186   
       Lower Position  187   
       Fender Mount  198   
       Faceplate Aka Tombstone  199   
       Brake Rotor  888