Seat post assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10549803-B2
Application number	US-201816017277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2018
Priority date	Jun 30, 2017
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

A fluid device for a bicycle may be provided to vent fluid from a hydraulic chamber of a seating component such as an adjustable seating assembly for a bicycle. The fluid device may be operable to vent a compressible fluid or a mixed combination flow of compressible and non-compressible fluids in a metered volume. The fluid device may recycle fluids preferentially.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seating component for a bicycle, comprising:
an upper;
a lower connected to the upper and movable relative to the upper along an axis;
a support chamber disposed between the upper and the lower and configured to contain a liquid fluid;
a reservoir disposed between the upper and the lower;
a spring portion configured to contain a gaseous fluid;
an actuation valve operable to facilitate fluid communication between the support chamber and the reservoir in an open state and to inhibit fluid communication in a closed state of the actuation valve; and
a flow device permeable to the gaseous fluid and substantially impermeable to the liquid fluid.

2. The seating component of claim 1 , wherein the flow device is configured to facilitate flow between the support chamber and an atmospheric volume.

3. The seating component of claim 1 , further comprising a vent member, the vent member configured to facilitate fluid communication across the flow device in an open state of the vent member and to inhibit fluid communication across the flow device in a closed state of the vent member.

4. The seating component of claim 3 , wherein the vent member is configured for manual operation.

5. The seating component of claim 4 , further comprising an adjustment valve, wherein the adjustment valve is operable in:
an adjustment mode for adjusting a pressure of the spring portion; and
a vent mode for facilitating fluid communication across the flow device.

6. The seating component of claim 5 , wherein the vent member is fixedly connected to the adjustment valve.

7. The seating component of claim 3 , wherein the vent member is configured for passive operation.

8. The seating component of claim 7 , further comprising a vent bias device configured to adjustably restrict operation of the vent member to the open state of the vent member.

9. The seating component of claim 1 , wherein the flow device comprises an oil impermeable membrane.

10. The seating component of claim 1 , wherein the flow device comprises a restricted flow path.

11. The seating component of claim 10 , wherein the restricted flow path comprises a through hole between the support chamber and the spring portion.

12. The seating component of claim 11 , wherein the spring portion is restricted from fluid communication with the reservoir by a floating piston.

13. The seating component of claim 11 , wherein the through hole has a diameter of between 0.05 millimeter and 0.35 millimeter.

14. The seating component of claim 13 , wherein the through hole has a length of between 1 and 2 millimeters.

15. The seating component of claim 10 , wherein the restricted flow path comprises a plurality of through holes.

16. A telescopic seating component for a bicycle, comprising:
an upper comprising a saddle mounting portion; and
a lower configured to attach to a frame and connected to the upper and movable relative to the upper along an axis;
a support chamber disposed between the upper and the lower and configured to contain a non-compressible fluid;
a reservoir disposed between the upper and the lower;
a spring portion configured to contain a relatively compressible fluid;
an actuation valve operable to facilitate fluid communication between the support chamber and the reservoir in an open state and to inhibit fluid communication in a closed state of the actuation valve; and
a flow device configured to pass the relatively compressible fluid and to restrict the non-compressible fluid, in the closed state of the actuation valve.

17. The seating component of claim 16 , wherein the flow device is configured to facilitate flow between the support chamber and an external volume.

18. The seating component of claim 16 , wherein the flow device comprises a through hole between the support chamber and the spring portion.

19. The seating component of claim 16 , wherein the reservoir is sealed from the spring portion with a floating piston.

20. The seating component of claim 19 , wherein the reservoir is in fluid communication with the support chamber across a recycling path disposed in the upper.

Assignees

• Sram Llc

Inventors

• Shipman Christopher
• Jordan Brian
• Wesling Kevin
• Chambers Rafer
• Jakomait Jesse

Classifications

• B62K2201/08

  Fluid springs · CPC title

• B62K19/36

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

• B62J2001/085

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

• B62J1/06

  Saddles capable of parallel motion up and down · CPC title