Adjustable compliance bicycle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10351192-B2
Application number	US-201816145626-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2018
Priority date	May 17, 2015
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

A bicycle including a forward frame triangle. The forward frame triangle can a top tube, a down tube, a bottom bracket, a lower seat mast, and an upper seat mast. The top tube can have a first end connected to a head tube and a second end. The down tube can have a first end connected to the head tube and a second end. The bottom bracket can be connected to the second end of the down tube. The lower seat mast can extend in an upward direction from the bottom bracket to the top tube. The upper seat mast can at least partially overlap the lower seat mast. The upper seat mast can be adjustably and fixedly coupled to the lower seat mast. The upper seat mast can be rotably coupled to the forward frame triangle proximate the second end of the top tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle, comprising:
a forward frame triangle comprising:
a top tube having a first end connected to a head tube and a second end;
a down tube having a first end connected to the head tube and a second end;
a bottom bracket connected to the second end of the down tube;
a lower seat mast extending in an upward direction from the bottom bracket to the top tube; and
an upper seat mast at least partially overlapping the lower seat mast, wherein the upper seat mast is adjustably and fixedly coupled to the lower seat mast and the upper seat mast is rotably coupled to the forward frame triangle proximate the second end of the top tube.

2. The bicycle of claim 1 , wherein at least the upper seat mast is configured to bend in a longitudinal direction in response to riding forces.

3. The bicycle of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of seat stays connected to the top tube and extending in a rearward direction beyond the forward frame triangle.

4. The bicycle of claim 1 , wherein the upper seat mast is rotably coupled to the forward frame triangle by a pivot assembly at a location that is closer to a bicycle seat than the bottom bracket.

5. The bicycle of claim 1 , wherein the pivot assembly comprises at least one of a pair of bearings or a pair of bushings.

6. The bicycle of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment sleeve located between the lower seat mast and the upper seat mast.

7. The bicycle of claim 6 , wherein the adjustment sleeve, the lower seat mast, and the upper seat mast are configured such that the adjustment sleeve can slide between the lower seat mast and the upper seat mast.

8. The bicycle of claim 7 , further comprising an adjustment locking assembly configured to secure the adjustment sleeve between the lower seat mast and the upper seat mast.

9. The bicycle of claim 6 , wherein the adjustment sleeve is made of at least one of a metal, elastomer, and a fiber reinforced plastic.

10. The bicycle of claim 1 , wherein the lower seat mast and the upper seat mast are made of a fiber reinforced plastic.

Assignees

• Trek Bicycle Corp

Inventors

• Hartung Tim
• Moechnig Steven

Classifications

• B62J1/08

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

• B62K19/04

  the material being wholly or mainly metallic, e.g. of high elasticity · CPC title

• B62K19/18 Primary

  Joints between frame members · CPC title

• B62K3/04

  having a substantially horizontal top bar · CPC title

• B62K19/16

  the material being wholly or mainly of plastics · CPC title