Bicycle seatpost assembly with cable connecting device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10106216-B2
Application number	US-201514622715-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2015
Priority date	Feb 13, 2015
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

A first cylinder, a second cylinder configured to be telescopically received therein are provided, a positioner configured to relatively position the first cylinder and the second cylinder, an operator configured to be mounted to a bicycle and operatively coupled to the positioner, and a control cable. The control cable may include an outer casing, a first cable having a first end and a second end and configured to be operatively connected to the positioner at the first end, and a second cable having a third end and a fourth end. The second cable may be configured to be operatively connected to the operator at the third end. A cable connector may be configured to connect the second end of the first cable and the fourth end of the second cable.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A seatpost assembly for a bicycle, the seatpost assembly comprising:
a first cylinder;
a second cylinder configured to move telescopically with respect to the first cylinder;
a positioner configured to position the second cylinder with respect to the first cylinder;
an operator configured to be mounted to the bicycle via a mount and operatively coupled to the positioner via a control cable, the control cable including:
an outer casing including a first outer casing and a second outer casing;
a first cable having a first end and a second end, the first cable configured to be operatively connected to the positioner at the first end; and
a second cable having a third end and a fourth end, the second cable configured to be operatively connected to the operator at the third end; and

a cable connector that connects the second end of the first cable and the fourth end of the second cable via insertion of the second end into the first outer casing and the fourth end into the second outer casing,
wherein the cable connector includes
a holding member configured to hold in place the second end and the fourth end with respect to each other within the holding member; and
a cable tension adjuster to adjust a tension of the first cable and the second cable that are connected to each other by the cable connector, the cable tension adjuster extendable outward in a direction along an axis of the cable connector, thus increasing a total length of the cable connector.

2. The seatpost assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the positioner includes an actuator that actuates the positioner via a valve structure, the actuator configured to actuate the positioner in response to an operation of the operator; and
the actuator includes a cable attachment inside a frame of the bicycle where the first cylinder is in a seat tube of the frame.

3. The seatpost assembly according to claim 2 , wherein
the first end of the first cable includes a first nipple and the actuator includes a first nipple hooked portion hooked by the first nipple of the first cable.

4. The seatpost assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the cable connector includes an outer casing receiver that receives the outer casing.

5. The seatpost assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the third end of the second cable includes a second nipple engaged with the operator and the operator includes a second nipple hooked portion hooked by the second nipple of the second cable.

6. The seatpost assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cable connector includes:
the holding member holding a first inner wire of the first cable and a second inner wire of the second cable; and
a housing that accommodates the holding member such that the holding member is movable inside the housing along an axis of the housing.

7. The seatpost assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the cable connector is not disposed within a frame of the bicycle.

8. The seatpost assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the operator includes a first operator that operates the positioner via the first and second cables and a second operator that operates a bicycle transmission via a mechanical connection.

9. The seatpost assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a first inner tube that is contained within the first cylinder and a second inner tube that is contained within the second cylinder that moves over the first inner tube, wherein
the second cylinder is configured to move telescopically with respect to the first cylinder via the second inner tube that moves over the first inner tube.

10. The seatpost assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a first inner tube, a second inner tube, and a valve structure, wherein the positioner comprises the first inner tube, the second inner tube, and the valve structure, the second inner tube configured to move over the first inner tube such that the second cylinder is positioned with respect to the first cylinder.

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Shirai Toyoto

Classifications

• B62J1/28

  Other additional equipment, e.g. back-rests for children · CPC title

• B62K19/36

  for attaching saddle pillars, e.g. adjustable during ride · CPC title

• B62J1/08 Primary

  Frames for saddles; Connections between saddle frames and seat pillars; Seat pillars (attaching seat pillars to cycle frames B62K19/36) · CPC title

• F16G11/105

  Clamps holding in one direction only · CPC title

• B62J2001/085

  Seat pillars having mechanisms to vary seat height, independently of the cycle frame · CPC title