Suspension for a bicycle having a Y shaped frame

Claim 2

A suspension for a bicycle comprising: a Y shaped frame comprising a head leg, a seat arm and a down arm, said seat arm and said down arm extending generally divergingly and rearwardly from said head leg, said seat arm and said down arm converge at an intersection; a unified rear triangle secured in a pivotal relation to said Y shaped frame; and a shock absorber connected to said intersection at a first connection and said rear triangle at a second connection; said suspension having a pivot for pivotally securing said rear triangle to said Y shaped frame, said pivot being connected to said down arm and said rear triangle; said pivot being positioned on said rear triangle spaced between a bottom bracket tube and said second connection.

Claim 3

The suspension of claim 1 wherein said rear triangle comprises a top stay, a chain stay and a mount brace, said top stay connected to said chain stay at a rear axle mount, said mount brace extending between and interconnecting said top stay and said chain stay.

Claim 4

The suspension of claim 2 wherein said rear triangle further comprises said bottom bracket tube positioned between said mount brace and said chain stay.

Claim 5

The suspension of claim 3 further comprising said pivot being connected to said down arm and said mount brace above said bottom bracket tube.

Claim 6

The suspension of claim 4 wherein said pivot is affixed to said mount brace.

Claim 7

The suspension of claim 4 whereby said bottom bracket tube will move relative to said pivot in the form of an arc.

Claim 8

The suspension of claim 2 wherein said top stay, said chain stay and said mount brace of said rear triangle are integrally connected.

Claim 9

The suspension of claim 1 said unified rear triangle further comprising: a shock absorber connector, a rear axle mount and a bottom bracket tube defining said unified rear triangle between them; said unified rear triangle rotating about said pivot; said pivot being disposed above said bottom bracket tube and below said shock absorber connector.

Claim 10

A bicycle frame comprising: a one piece Y shaped frame having a head leg, a seat arm and a down arm, said seat arm and said down arm integral to and secured in a spaced relation to one another and extending generally rearwardly from said head leg, said seat arm and said down arm converge at an intersection; said head leg terminating in a fork mount, said seat arm terminating in a seat post mount and said down arm terminating in a rear suspension pivot.

Claim 11

A bicycle frame comprising: a one piece Y shaped frame having a head leg, a seat arm and a down arm, said seat arm and said down arm integral to and secured in a spaced relation to one another and extending generally rearwardly from said head leg, said seat arm and said down arm converge at an intersection; said head leg terminating in a fork mount, said seat arm terminating in a seat post mount and said down arm terminating in a rear suspension pivot.

Claim 12

The bicycle frame of claim 9 where said Y shaped frame further comprises one piece of molded carbon fiber reinforced plastic formed of a plurality of laminations of unidirectional carbon fiber sheets compacted against one another to have low voids between the laminations.

Claim 13

A rear suspension for a bicycle comprising: a suspension frame, said suspension frame comprising a top stay, a chain stay and a mount brace, said top stay connected in a spaced relation to said chain stay and said mount brace extending between and interconnecting said top stay and said chain stay to form a triangle, said brace being pivotally connected to a bicycle frame at a pivot; a bottom bracket tube being positioned on said suspension frame at the intersection of said brace and said chain stay, said suspension frame being adapted to support a bicycle wheel at the intersection of said chain stay and said top stay, whereby said suspension frame is adapted to pivot with relation to the bicycle frame, and the bicycle wheel and said bottom bracket tube is adapted to be maintained substantially the same distance from one another; said bicycle frame being a Y shaped bicycle frame, said Y shaped bicycle frame having a head leg, a seat arm and a down arm all merging together at an intersection and all diverging from said intersection; said pivot further comprising a plate connected to said brace and said chain stay and having a first aperture; said Y shaped bicycle frame having a second aperture; a pin for connecting said plate to said Y shaded bicycle frame; a first bushing in said first aperture supporting said pin; and a second bushing in said second aperture supporting said pin so that said pin permits the pivoting of said triangle relative to said Y shaped bicycle frame.

Claim 14

A rear suspension for a bicycle comprising: a suspension frame, said suspension frame comprising a top stay, a chain stay and a mount brace, said top stay connected in a spaced relation to said chain stay and said mount brace extending between and interconnecting said top stay and said chain stay to form a triangle, said brace being pivotally connected to a bicycle frame at a pivot; a bottom bracket tube being positioned on said suspension frame at the intersection of said brace and said chain stay, said suspension frame being adapted to support a bicycle wheel at the intersection of said chain stay and said top stay, whereby said suspension frame is adapted to pivot with relation to the bicycle frame, and the bicycle wheel and said bottom bracket tube is adapted to be maintained substantially the same distance from one another; said bicycle frame being a Y shaped bicycle frame, said Y shaped bicycle frame having a head leg, a seat arm and a down arm all merging together at an intersection and all diverging from said intersection; said pivot further comprising a plate connected to said brace and said chain stay and having a first aperture; said Y shaped bicycle frame having a second aperture; a pin for connecting said plate to said Y shaded bicycle frame; a first bushing in said first aperture supporting said pin; and a second bushing in said second aperture supporting said pin so that said pin permits the pivoting of said triangle relative to said Y shaped bicycle frame.

Claim 15

The rear suspension of claim 11 wherein said first bushing further comprises: a cylindrical portion and a disk portion, said cylindrical portion supporting said pin and said disk portion forming a thrust bushing between said plate and said Y shaped frame.

Claim 16

The rear suspension of claim 11 wherein said first bushing comprises a metal bushing body; said first bushing body having a first portion adjacent said pin and a non-friction reducing plastic coating on said first portion of said first bushing body adjacent said pin, and said second bushing comprises a metal bushing body; said second bushing body having a second portion adjacent said pin and a non-friction reducing plastic coating on said second portion of said second bushing body adjacent said pin.

Claim 17

A rear suspension bicycle having a bicycle wheel movably supported from a frame and a rear suspension having a bottom bracket, a rear axle mount, a first shock absorber connector and a pivot, comprising: spacing the locations of the bottom bracket, rear axle mount, shock absorber connector such that they form the apexes of a triangle having three sides; said triangle having a first side running between said bottom bracket and said shock absorber connector, a second side running between said bottom bracket and said rear axle mount, and a third side running between said shock absorber connector and said axle mount; said pivot being formed in a plate mounted to said first side; said pivot being included without an angle defined by a first line extending substantially along said second side and a second line extending substantially along said third side, said first line and said second line intersecting at said rear axle mount and diverging therefrom; said pivot also being located generally along a third line extending vertically from said bottom bracket, and said frame having a rigid generally Y shaped frame having a head leg with a seat arm and a down arm integral therewith and rearwardly diverging therefrom; said head leg and seat arm and down arm meeting at an intersection; said down arm having a first end merging with said head leg and seat arm at said intersection and a second end remote from said first end; said rear suspension being pivotally mounted to said frame at said second end; said first shock absorber connector being mounted on said rear suspension; said frame having a second shock absorber connector at said intersection at which a shock absorber is mounted, whereby said rear suspension operates to absorb shocks from a riding surface without transmitting unwanted motion between pedals and a bicycle wheel.

Claim 18

A rear suspension bicycle having a bicycle wheel movably supported from a frame and a rear suspension having a bottom bracket, a rear axle mount, a first shock absorber connector and a pivot, comprising: spacing the locations of the bottom bracket, rear axle mount, shock absorber connector such that they form the apexes of a triangle having three sides; said triangle having a first side running between said bottom bracket and said shock absorber connector, a second side running between said bottom bracket and said rear axle mount, and a third side running between said shock absorber connector and said axle mount; said pivot being formed in a plate mounted to said first side; said pivot being included without an angle defined by a first line extending substantially along said second side and a second line extending substantially along said third side, said first line and said second line intersecting at said rear axle mount and diverging therefrom; said pivot also being located generally along a third line extending vertically from said bottom bracket, and said frame having a rigid generally Y shaped frame having a head leg with a seat arm and a down arm integral therewith and rearwardly diverging therefrom; said head leg and seat arm and down arm meeting at an intersection; said down arm having a first end merging with said head leg and seat arm at said intersection and a second end remote from said first end; said rear suspension being pivotally mounted to said frame at said second end; said first shock absorber connector being mounted on said rear suspension; said frame having a second shock absorber connector at said intersection at which a shock absorber is mounted, whereby said rear suspension operates to absorb shocks from a riding surface without transmitting unwanted motion between pedals and a bicycle wheel.

Claim 19

The bicycle of claim 14, said frame further comprising: said head leg having a longitudinal axis; said Y shaped frame is arranged so that the seat arm and down arm are of substantially equal length and said seat arm and said down arm diverge from said longitudinal axis at substantially equal angles.

Claim 20

The bicycle of claim 14, said triangle further comprising: a brace extending between said first side and said second side; a pair of top stays extending from said axle mount to said first shock absorber connector with said brace, defining a wheel rotating space between said top stays; a pair of chain stays extending from said axle mount to said bottom bracket, defining a wheel rotating space between said chain stays; a pair of cupped plates extending forwardly and from either side of said brace; said pivot being located on said plates.