Bicycle with housing loop stay

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11124259-B2
Application number	US-201816107715-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2018
Priority date	Aug 21, 2018
Publication date	Sep 21, 2021
Grant date	Sep 21, 2021

Abstract

A bicycle comprises a front wheel, a rear wheel, a frame structure including a hollow seat tube. The bicycle further comprises a dropper seat post supported by the hollow seat tube, a loop stay positioned in the frame structure below the dropper seat post, and a control housing positioned in the frame structure for actuating the dropper seat post. The control housing includes a lower loop wrapped around at least a portion of the loop stay. The bicycle may further comprise a motor assembly coupled to the frame structure by a motor fastener, wherein the loop stay is coupled to the frame structure by the motor fastener. The frame structure may further include a top tube and a diagonal tube (e.g., a sided tube) coupling the top tube with the hollow seat tube, and the control housing may be at least partially positioned in the diagonal tube.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bicycle comprising:
a front wheel;
a rear wheel;
a frame structure supported on the front wheel and the rear wheel, the frame structure including a top tube and a hollow seat tube;
a dropper seat post supported by the hollow seat tube;
a loop stay positioned in the frame structure and positioned lower than the dropper seat post and lower than the top tube; and
a control housing positioned in the frame structure, wherein the control housing is coupled to the dropper seat post and is configured to actuate the dropper seat post, and wherein the control housing includes a lower loop wrapped around at least a portion of the loop stay.

2. A bicycle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the frame structure further includes a diagonal tube coupling the top tube with the hollow seat tube, wherein the control housing is at least partially positioned in the diagonal tube.

3. A bicycle as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the rear wheel defines a center plane, and wherein the diagonal tube comprises a side tube offset from the center plane.

4. A bicycle as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the diagonal tube intersects and forms an acute upper angle with the hollow seat tube at an intersection.

5. A bicycle as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the lower loop is positioned lower than the intersection and the dropper seat post is positioned higher than the intersection.

6. A bicycle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lower loop is at least partially positioned in a portion of the frame structure having a lower inner width, wherein the dropper seat post is positioned in an upper portion of the hollow seat tube having an upper inner width, and wherein the lower inner width is larger than the upper inner width.

7. A bicycle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the dropper seat post is positioned in an upper portion of the hollow seat tube having an upper inner width, and wherein the lower loop has a loop width that is larger than the upper inner width.

8. A bicycle as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a motor assembly coupled to the frame structure by a motor fastener, wherein the loop stay is coupled to the frame structure by the motor fastener.

9. A bicycle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the frame structure further includes a front fork coupled to the front wheel, a head tube coupled to the front fork, and a down tube extending downward and rearward from the head tube, and wherein the bicycle further includes a battery assembly positioned at least partially in the down tube.

10. A bicycle as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the down tube defines a down tube axis and includes a lower end with an opening, and wherein the battery assembly is secured at least partially in the down tube in an installed position and is slidable through the opening in the lower end of the down tube along the down tube axis.

11. The bicycle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lower loop is disposed entirely within the frame structure.

12. A bicycle frame assembly comprising:
a frame structure including a top tube and a hollow seat tube;
a dropper seat post supported by the hollow seat tube;
a loop stay positioned in the frame structure lower than the dropper seat post and lower than the top tube; and
a control housing positioned in the frame structure, wherein the control housing is coupled to the dropper seat post and is configured to actuate the dropper seat post, and wherein the control housing includes a lower loop wrapped around at least a portion of the loop stay.

13. A bicycle frame as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the frame structure further includes a diagonal tube coupling the top tube with the hollow seat tube, wherein the control housing is at least partially positioned in the diagonal tube.

14. A bicycle frame as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the frame structure further includes a head tube defining a center plane, and wherein the diagonal tube comprises a side tube offset from the center plane.

15. A bicycle frame as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the diagonal tube intersects and forms an acute upper angle with the hollow seat tube at an intersection.

16. A bicycle frame as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the lower loop is positioned lower than the intersection and the dropper seat post is positioned higher than the intersection.

17. A bicycle frame as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the lower loop is positioned in a portion of the frame structure having a lower inner width, wherein the dropper seat post is positioned in an upper portion of the hollow seat tube having an upper inner width, and wherein the lower inner width is larger than the upper inner width.

18. A bicycle frame as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the dropper seat post is positioned in an upper portion of the hollow seat tube having an upper inner width, and wherein the lower loop has a loop width that is larger than the upper inner width.

19. A bicycle frame as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the frame structure is configured to be coupled to a motor assembly by a motor fastener, and wherein the loop stay is configured to be coupled to the frame structure by the motor fastener.

20. A bicycle frame as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the frame structure further includes a front fork configured to be coupled to a front wheel, a head tube coupled to the front fork, and a down tube extending downward and rearward from the head tube.

21. A bicycle frame as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the down tube defines a down tube axis and includes a lower end with an opening, wherein the opening is configured to receive a battery assembly, and wherein the battery assembly is configured to be secured at least partially in the down tube in an installed position and to be slidable through the opening in the lower end of the down tube along the down tube axis.

22. The bicycle frame as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the lower loop is disposed entirely within the frame structure.

Assignees

• Specialized Bicycle Components Inc

Inventors

• Talavasek Jan
• Patureau Vincent
• Sonderegger Marco Werner
• Pallure Marc

Classifications

• B62M6/90

  Batteries · CPC title

• B62J2001/085

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

• F16B7/105

  locking in discrete positions, e.g. in extreme extended position · CPC title

• B62K19/40

  for attaching accessories, e.g. article carriers, lamps · CPC title