Offset bushings and alignment features of a dropper seatpost assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12258085-B2
Application number	US-202318239980-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2023
Priority date	May 28, 2020
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

A dropper seatpost assembly is disclosed. The dropper seatpost assembly includes a lower post and an upper post configured to telescopically move with respect to the lower post. The dropper seatpost assembly also includes a translating mechanism configured to maintain an orientation such as a lateral orientation, a rotational orientation, or both a lateral orientation and a rotational orientation of the upper post with respect to the lower post as the upper post telescopically moves with respect to the lower post, the translating mechanism comprising two or more vertically offset features.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dropper seatpost assembly comprising:
a first post;
a second post configured to telescopically move with respect to said first post; and
a translating mechanism configured to maintain an orientation of said second post with respect to said first post when said second post telescopically moves with respect to said first post, said translating mechanism comprising two or more vertically offset features, said orientation selected from the group consisting of a lateral orientation and a rotational orientation, wherein said two or more vertically offset features of said translating mechanism comprise:
a first slot located at a first location axially along said second post;
a first pin located on said first post, said first pin oriented to interact with said first slot;
at least a second slot located at a second location axially along said second post, said second location vertically offset from said first location; and
at least a second pin located on said first post, said second pin oriented to interact with said at least said second slot.

2. The dropper seatpost assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
said first post having a first post inner diameter (ID) and a first post outer diameter (OD); and
said second post having a second post OD, said second post OD smaller than said first post ID, such that said second post is configured to telescopically move within said first post.

3. The dropper seatpost assembly of claim 1 , wherein said two or more vertically offset features of said translating mechanism are coupled with one of said second post and said first post.

4. The dropper seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein said two or more vertically offset features of said translating mechanism comprise:
a first semicircular bushing located at a first location axially along said second post; and
at least a second semicircular bushing located at a second location axially along said second post, said second location vertically offset from said first location.

5. The dropper seat assembly of claim 4 , further comprising:
said first semicircular bushing oriented toward a front of a bicycle frame when said dropper seatpost assembly is installed in a seatpost retaining portion of said bicycle frame; and
said at least said second semicircular bushing oriented toward a back of said bicycle frame when said dropper seatpost assembly is installed in said seatpost retaining portion.

6. A dropper seatpost assembly comprising:
a first post configured to couple with a seatpost retaining portion of a bicycle frame;
a second post configured to telescopically move with respect to said first post;
a head assembly coupled with said second post, said head assembly to retain a saddle; and
a translating mechanism configured maintain an orientation of said second post with respect to said first post when said second post telescopically moves with respect to said first post, said translating mechanism comprising two or more features offset axially along said dropper seatpost assembly, said orientation selected from the group consisting of a lateral orientation and a rotational orientation, wherein said two or more features of said translating mechanism comprise:
a first semicircular bushing located at a first location axially along said second post;
at least a second semicircular bushing located at a second location axially along said second post, said second location axially offset from said first location;
a first slot located at a third location axially along said second post, said third location axially offset from said first location and said second location; and
a first pin located on said first post, said first pin oriented to interact with said first slot.

7. The dropper seatpost assembly of claim 6 , further comprising:
said first post having a first post inner diameter (ID) and a first post outer diameter (OD); and
said second post having a second post OD, said second post OD smaller than said first post ID, such that said second post is configured to telescopically move within said first post.

8. The dropper seatpost assembly of claim 6 , further comprising:
said first post having a first post inner diameter (ID) and a first post outer diameter (OD); and
said second post having a second post ID and a second post OD, said second post OD smaller than said first post ID, such that said second post is configured to telescopically move within said first post.

9. The dropper seatpost assembly of claim 6 , wherein said two or more features of said translating mechanism are coupled with one of said second post and said first post.

10. The dropper seat assembly of claim 6 , wherein said first semicircular bushing is oriented toward a front of said bicycle frame when said dropper seatpost assembly is installed in said seatpost retaining portion; and
at least said second semicircular bushing is oriented toward a back of said bicycle frame when said dropper seatpost assembly is installed in said seatpost retaining portion.

11. The dropper seatpost assembly of claim 6 , further comprising:
at least one of said two or more features of said translating mechanism is coupled with said second post; and
at least another of said two or more features of said translating mechanism is coupled with said first post.

12. The dropper seat assembly of claim 11 , wherein said two or more features of said translating mechanism comprise:
at least a second slot located at a second location axially along said second post, said second location axially along said second post and offset from said first location; and
at least a second pin located on said first post, said second pin oriented to interact with said second slot.

13. The dropper seat assembly of claim 11 , wherein said two or more features of said translating mechanism comprise:
at least a second slot located at a second location axially along said first post, said second location axially along said first post and offset from said first location; and
at least a second pin located on said second post, said second pin oriented to interact with said second slot.

14. A dropper seatpost assembly comprising:
a first post;
a second post configured to telescopically move with respect to said first post; and
a translating mechanism configured to maintain an orientation of said second post with respect to said first post when said second post telescopically moves with respect to said first post, said translating mechanism comprising two or more vertically offset features, said orientation selected from the group consisting of a lateral orientation and a rotational orientation, wherein said two or more vertically offset features of said translating mechanism comprise:
a first semicircular bushing located at a first location axially along said second post;
at least a second semicircular bushing located at a second location axially along said second post, said second location vertically offset from said first location;
a first slot located at a third location axially along said second post, said third location vertically offset from said first location and said second location; and
a first pin located on said first post, said first pin oriented to interact with said first slot.

15. The dropper seatpost assembly of claim 14 , further comprising:
said first post having a first post inner diameter (ID) and a first post outer diameter (OD); and
said second post having a second post OD, said second post OD smaller than said first post ID, such that said second post is configured to telescopically move within said first post.

1

Assignees

• Fox Factory Inc

Inventors

• Coaplen Joshua
• Kiffmeyer John Ralph

Classifications

• B62J2001/085

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

• B62K23/06

  Levers · 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