Bicycle saddle post suspension

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10150526-B2
Application number	US-201514885067-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2015
Priority date	Oct 16, 2015
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

A bicycle saddle suspension assembly comprises a body configured to couple to a bicycle frame; a saddle support mechanism configured to couple to a bicycle saddle; a suspension spring that biases the saddle support mechanism in a first direction with respect to the body; and a damping apparatus configured to damp motion of the saddle support mechanism with respect to the body, the damping apparatus configured to reduce a level of damping responsive to a terrain-induced force.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle saddle suspension assembly comprising:
a body configured to couple to a bicycle frame;
a saddle support mechanism configured to couple to a bicycle saddle, the saddle support mechanism movable in first and second directions with respect to the body;
a suspension spring that biases the saddle support mechanism in the first direction with respect to the body; and
a damping apparatus configured to damp motion of the saddle support mechanism with respect to the body, the damping apparatus comprising:
an inertia mass configured to have open and closed positions, wherein in the open position, the inertia mass permits a flow of damping fluid through an orifice, and, in the closed position, the inertia mass reduces said flow of said damping fluid through the orifice; and
a biasing spring that biases the inertia mass to the closed position,
wherein the inertia mass and biasing spring are configured to enable the inertia mass to move toward the open position in response to an acceleration of the body toward the saddle support mechanism caused by an externally-applied force above a predetermined threshold, and
wherein the inertia mass and biasing spring are configured to retain the inertia mass in the closed position in response to an acceleration of the body caused by a rider-induced force applied to the bicycle saddle.

2. The suspension assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a linkage mechanism that couples the saddle support mechanism to the body.

3. The suspension assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a support tube coupled to the saddle support mechanism, the support tube slidably coupled to the body.

4. The suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is away from the body and the second direction is toward the body.

5. The suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction.

6. The suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inertia mass is configured to slide in the first and second directions with respect to the body.

7. The suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein the suspension spring comprises an air spring.

8. The suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein the damping apparatus is configured to generate a damping force that is no more than 15 pounds greater with the inertia mass in the closed position than with the inertia mass in the open position when the saddle support mechanism is moving in the second direction at a rate of 0.760 inches per second.

9. The suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein the damping apparatus is configured to generate a damping force that is no more than 25 pounds greater with the inertia mass in the closed position than with the inertia mass in the open position when the saddle support mechanism is moving in the second direction at a rate of 0.760 inches per second.

10. The suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein the damping apparatus is configured to generate a damping force that is no more than 50 pounds greater with the inertia mass in the closed position than with the inertia mass in the open position when the saddle support mechanism is moving in the second direction at a rate of 0.760 inches per second.

11. The suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein the suspension spring comprises a nonlinear spring rate.

12. The suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein a full stroke of the saddle support mechanism comprises a range from a fully extended position in the first direction to a fully retracted position in the second direction with respect to the body, and wherein an average spring rate of the suspension spring is configured to be no greater than 12.5 Newtons per millimeter from 33% to 66% of the full stroke when the saddle support mechanism is moving in the second direction.

13. The suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein a full stroke of the saddle support mechanism comprises a range from a fully extended position in the first direction to a fully retracted position in the second direction with respect to the body, and wherein an average spring rate of the suspension spring is configured to be no greater than 12.5 Newtons per millimeter from 10% to 66% of the full stroke when the saddle support mechanism is moving in the second direction.

14. The suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein a full stroke of the saddle support mechanism comprises a range from a fully extended position in the first direction to a fully retracted position in the second direction with respect to the body, and wherein a reaction force generated by the suspension spring is configured to vary by no more than 110 Newtons from 33% to 66% of the full stroke when the saddle support mechanism is moving in the second direction.

15. The suspension assembly of claim 1 , wherein a full stroke of the saddle support mechanism from a fully extended position in the first direction to a fully retracted position in the second direction comprises at least 25 millimeters.

16. A bicycle assembly comprising:
a bicycle frame;
a wheel rotatably coupled to the frame;
a bicycle saddle coupled to the frame and movable in extend and retract directions with respect to the frame;
a suspension spring that biases the saddle in the extend direction with respect to the frame; and
a damping apparatus configured to damp motion of the saddle with respect to the frame, the damping apparatus comprising:
an inertia mass configured to have open and closed positions, wherein in the open position, the inertia mass permits a flow of damping fluid through an orifice, and, in the closed position, the inertia mass reduces said flow of said damping fluid through the orifice; and
a biasing spring that biases the inertia mass to the closed position,
wherein the inertia mass and biasing spring are configured to enable the inertia mass to move toward the open position in response to a terrain-induced force above a predetermined threshold applied to the wheel, and
wherein the inertia mass and biasing spring are configured to retain the inertia mass in the closed position in response to a rider-induced force applied to the saddle.

17. The bicycle assembly of claim 16 , wherein the bicycle saddle is coupled to the frame using a linkage mechanism.

18. The bicycle assembly of claim 16 , wherein the bicycle saddle is coupled to the frame using a tubular support that is configured to slide in the extend and retract directions with respect to the frame.

19. The bicycle assembly of claim 16 , wherein the inertia mass is configured to translate in the extend and retract directions with respect to the frame.

20. The bicycle assembly of claim 16 , wherein the inertia mass and saddle are configured to translate collinearly along a longitudinal axis of a saddle post.

21. The bicycle assembly of claim 16 , wherein the suspension spring comprises an air spring.

22. The bicycle assembly of claim 16 , wherein the damping apparatus is configured to generate a damping force that is no more than 15 pounds greater with the inertia mass in the closed position than with the inertia mass in the open position when the saddle is moving in the retract direction at a rate of 0.760 inches per second.

23. The bicycle assembly of claim 16 , wherein the damping apparatus is configured to generate a damping force that is no more than 25 pounds greater with the inertia mass in the closed position than with the inertia mass in the open position when the saddle is moving in the retract direction at a rate of 0.760 inches per

Assignees

• Specialized Bicycle Components Inc

Inventors

• Mcandrews Michael
• Lampman Brian

Classifications

• B62J1/06 Primary

  Saddles capable of parallel motion up and down · CPC title

• B62J1/08

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

• F16F13/002

  comprising at least one fluid spring (F16F13/005, F16F13/02, F16F13/04 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16F15/022

  using dampers and springs in combination · CPC title

• F16F9/504

  Inertia {, i.e. acceleration,}-sensitive means · CPC title