Infinite adjust seat post with pressure relief valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10427741-B2
Application number	US-201815944584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2018
Priority date	Oct 19, 2015
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

An assembly for enabling continuous seat post function during extreme conditions is described and includes: a first valve at least partially, slidably disposed within a stationary piston and for controlling a first fluid pathway there through, wherein the first fluid pathway runs from a first portion and to a second portion of the oil chamber, wherein the stationary piston separates the oil chamber into the first portion and the second portion; and a second valve at least partially disposed within the stationary piston and disposed in series with the first valve and having a second fluid pathway disposed through the first valve and the second valve, being in parallel with the first fluid pathway, running from the first portion to the second portion of the oil chamber, and providing a bypass for oil to flow from the first portion to the second portion when the first fluid pathway is closed.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. An adjustable seat post comprising:
an upper post;
a lower post, wherein said upper post and said lower post are telescopically disposed with respect to each other;
a piston coupled to said lower post;
a first valve at least partially disposed within said piston, said first valve controlling a first fluid pathway through said piston, wherein said first fluid pathway extends between a first portion of a fluid chamber and a second portion of said fluid chamber, said first portion of said fluid chamber and said second portion of said fluid chamber separated by said piston;
an internal floating piston disposed within said seat post, said internal floating piston disposed between said second portion of said fluid chamber and a gas chamber such that said internal floating piston separates said gas chamber from said second portion of said fluid chamber; and
a second valve at least partially disposed within said piston, said second valve providing a second fluid pathway through said piston, wherein said second fluid pathway extends between said first portion of said fluid chamber and said second portion of said fluid chamber and provides a bypass for fluid to flow between said first portion of said fluid chamber and said second portion of said fluid chamber when at least a portion of said first fluid pathway is closed.

2. The adjustable seat post of claim 1 , wherein said first valve comprises:
a wall comprising at least one slider, said at least one slider configured for sliding within said piston; and
at least one seal extending from said wall, said at least one seal is disposed against an inner surface of said piston to prevent fluid from flowing between said at least one seal and said inner surface of said piston.

3. The adjustable seat post of claim 1 , wherein said first valve comprises:
a spool valve.

4. The adjustable seat post of claim 1 , wherein said second valve comprises:
a pressure relief valve.

5. The adjustable seat post of claim 1 , wherein said second valve comprises:
a spring;
a ball coupled to said spring; and
an annular wall surrounding at least a portion of said ball, said second valve having a first position in which said ball has not sufficiently compressed said spring, and said second fluid pathway is closed, said second valve having a second position in which said ball has sufficiently compressed said spring, and said second fluid pathway is open.

6. The adjustable seat post of claim 1 , further comprising:
a piston rod having a first end and a second end, said first end of said piston rod coupled to said piston; and
an actuation assembly coupled to said second end of said piston rod, said actuation assembly having first position in which said first end of said piston rod is pushed against said first valve causing said first valve to slide within said piston.

7. The adjustable seat post of claim 1 , further comprising:
an anti-rotation pin disposed between said upper post and said lower post, said anti-rotation pin maintaining an alignment between said upper post and said lower post such that said upper post and said lower post do not rotate with respect to each other.

8. An infinite adjust seat post comprising:
an upper post;
a lower post, said upper post telescopically engaging said lower post;
a main piston coupled to said lower post, said main piston comprising:
a first fluid pathway having first fluid port and a second fluid port;

a fluid chamber enclosed within at least a first portion of said lower post, said main piston separating said fluid chamber into a first portion and a second portion;
a gas chamber enclosed within at least a second portion of said lower post;
an internal floating piston disposed between said fluid chamber and said gas chamber such that said internal floating piston separates said fluid chamber from said gas chamber;
a spool valve slidably disposed at least partially within said main piston; and
a pressure relief valve disposed at least partially within said main piston, wherein said pressure relief valve comprises a second fluid pathway through said main piston.

9. The infinite adjust seat post of claim 8 , wherein said spool valve comprises:
a wall comprising at least one slider, said at least one slider configured for sliding within said main piston; and
at least one seal extending from said wall, said at least one seal is disposed against an inner surface of said main piston to prevent fluid from flowing between said at least one seal and said inner surface of said main piston.

10. The infinite adjust seat post of claim 8 , wherein said pressure relief valve comprises:
a spring;
a ball coupled to said spring; and
an annular wall surrounding at least a portion of said ball, said pressure relief valve having a first position in which said ball has not sufficiently compressed said spring, and said second fluid pathway is closed, said pressure relief valve having a second position in which said ball has sufficiently compressed said spring, and said second fluid pathway is open.

11. The infinite adjust seat post of claim 8 , further comprising:
an anti-rotation pin disposed between said upper post and said lower post, said anti-rotation pin maintaining an alignment between said upper post and said lower post such that said upper post and said lower post do not rotate with respect to each other.

12. The infinite adjust seat post of claim 8 , wherein said first fluid pathway extends between said first portion of said fluid chamber and said second portion of said fluid chamber.

13. The infinite adjust seat post of claim 8 , wherein said second fluid pathway extends between said first portion of said fluid chamber and said second portion of said fluid chamber.

14. The infinite adjust seat post of claim 8 , further comprising:
a piston rod having a first end and a second end, said first end of said piston rod coupled to said main piston; and
an actuation assembly coupled to said second end of said piston rod, said actuation assembly having first position in which said first end of said piston rod is pushed against said spool valve causing said spool valve to slide within said main piston.

15. The infinite adjust seat post of claim 14 , wherein said actuation assembly is actuated by a mechanical lever.

16. The infinite adjust seat post of claim 14 , wherein said actuation assembly is actuated remotely.

Assignees

• Fox Factory Inc

Inventors

• Madau Barna
• Docter Jeremiah

Classifications

• F16F9/5126

  Piston, or piston-like valve elements (F16F9/504 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16F9/34

  Special valve constructions ({F16F9/44, F16F9/50 take precedence; filtering details F16F9/3285} ; valves in general F16K); Shape or construction of throttling passages · CPC title

• F16F9/512

  Means responsive to load action, {i.e. static load} on the damper or {dynamic} fluid pressure {changes} in the damper, {e.g. due to changes in velocity (F16F9/504, F16F9/516 take precedence; non-automatic damper adjustment from a distance using servo control, the servo pressure being created by the flow of damping fluid F16F9/465; self-pumping fluid springs in vehicle suspensions B60G17/044)} · 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

• F16F9/52

  in case of change of temperature ({F16F9/003 takes precedence; } combined with external adjustment F16F9/44) · CPC title