Bicycle and electrical seatpost assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10759483-B2
Application number	US-201514873149-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2015
Priority date	Oct 1, 2015
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

An electrical seatpost assembly comprises a first cylinder, a second cylinder, a positioning structure, an electrical actuator, and a power supply. The second cylinder is telescopically received in the first cylinder. The positioning structure is to adjustably position the second cylinder relative to the first cylinder in a telescopic direction. The electrical actuator is to actuate the positioning structure in accordance with an electrical signal. The power supply is to supply electrical power to the electrical actuator. The power supply and the electrical actuator are disposed in one of the first cylinder and the second cylinder to at least partly overlap with each other when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the telescopic direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical seatpost assembly comprising:
a first cylinder;
a second cylinder telescopically received in the first cylinder;
a positioning structure to adjustably position the second cylinder relative to the first cylinder in a telescopic direction;
an electrical actuator to actuate the positioning structure in accordance with an electrical signal; and
a power supply to supply electrical power to the electrical actuator, the power supply and the electrical actuator being disposed in one of the first cylinder and the second cylinder to at least partly overlap with each other when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the telescopic direction.

2. The electrical seatpost assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the electrical actuator includes a motor.

3. The electrical seatpost assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the power supply includes a battery.

4. The electrical seatpost assembly according to claim 3 , wherein
the battery includes a rechargeable battery.

5. The electrical seatpost assembly according to claim 4 , wherein
the power supply includes a charging port to receive electrical power to charge the battery.

6. The electrical seatpost assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the charging port is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the one of the first cylinder and the second cylinder.

7. The electrical seatpost assembly according to claim 5 , wherein
the first cylinder includes a first end and a second end opposite to the first end in the telescopic direction,
the second cylinder is telescopically received in the first cylinder from the first end, and
the charging port is provided at the second end of the first cylinder.

8. The electrical seatpost assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the first cylinder includes an internal space, and
the power supply and the electrical actuator are provided in the internal space of the first cylinder.

9. The electrical seatpost assembly according to claim 8 , wherein
the first cylinder includes a first end and a second end opposite to the first end in the telescopic direction,
the second cylinder is telescopically received in the first cylinder from the first end, and
the power supply and the electrical actuator are provided at the second end of the first cylinder.

10. The electrical seatpost assembly according to claim 9 , wherein
the power supply and the electrical actuator are provided below the positioning structure in a mounting state where the first cylinder is mounted to a bicycle frame.

11. The electrical seatpost assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing provided in the one of the first cylinder and the second cylinder, wherein
the power supply and the electrical actuator are provided in the housing.

12. The electrical seatpost assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a control substrate at least partly overlapping with at least one of the power supply and the electrical actuator when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the telescopic direction.

13. The electrical seatpost assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the power supply is detachably attached to the one of the first cylinder and the second cylinder.

14. The electrical seatpost assembly according to claim 13 , further comprising:
an electrical terminal, wherein
the power supply is detachably connected to the electrical terminal.

15. The electrical seatpost assembly according to claim 13 , wherein
the power supply is configured to be detachably connected to an additional electrical bicycle component to supply electrical power to an additional electrical actuator of the additional electrical bicycle component.

16. The electrical seatpost assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a power receiving port to receive electrical power from an external power supply.

17. A bicycle comprising:
a front single sprocket;
a rear derailleur to change a speed stage of the bicycle, the rear derailleur including an electrical shifting actuator; and
an electrical seatpost assembly including an electrical actuator, wherein
the electrical seatpost assembly includes
a first cylinder,
a second cylinder telescopically received in the first cylinder, and
a power supply to supply electrical power to the electrical actuator, the power supply and the electrical actuator being disposed at one of the first cylinder and the second cylinder to at least partly overlap with each other when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the telescopic direction, wherein

the first cylinder, the second cylinder, and the power supply form a single unit that is configured to be detachably attached to a bicycle frame as the single unit.

18. The bicycle according to claim 17 , wherein
at least one of the rear derailleur and the electrical seatpost assembly includes at least one wireless receiver to wirelessly receive a wireless signal, and
at least one of the electrical shifting actuator and the electrical actuator is operated based on the at least one wireless signal received by the at least one wireless receiver.

19. The bicycle according to claim 17 , wherein
the electrical shifting actuator and the electrical actuator are operated based on the wireless signal received by the at least one wireless receiver.

20. The bicycle according to claim 19 , wherein
the at least one wireless receiver is electrically connected to the electrical shifting actuator and the electrical actuator.

21. The bicycle according to claim 19 , wherein
the at least one wireless receiver includes
a first wireless receiver electrically connected to the electrical shifting actuator, and
a second wireless receiver electrically connected to the electrical actuator.

22. A bicycle comprising:
a front single sprocket;
a rear derailleur to change a speed stage of the bicycle, the rear derailleur including an electrical shifting actuator; and
an electrical seatpost assembly including an electrical actuator, wherein
the electrical seatpost assembly includes
a first cylinder,
a second cylinder telescopically received in the first cylinder, and
a power supply to supply electrical power to the electrical actuator, the power supply and the electrical actuator being disposed at one of the first cylinder and the second cylinder to at least partly overlap with each other when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the telescopic direction, wherein

the electrical seatpost assembly further includes a positioning structure to adjustably position the second cylinder relative to the first cylinder in a telescopic direction, and
the power supply and the electrical actuator being disposed in one of the first cylinder and the second cylinder.

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Hara Nobukatsu
• Shirai Toyoto

Classifications

• B62M9/121

  Rear derailleurs · 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

• B62J2001/085

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

• B62M9/12

  the chain, belt, or the like being laterally shiftable {, e.g. using a rear derailleur} · CPC title