Adjustable assembly for a bicycle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016236741-A1
Application number	US-201615004385-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 22, 2016
Priority date	Mar 11, 2011
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

According to some embodiments, an adjustable assembly for a bicycle comprises a first support and a second support slidably positioned within at least a portion of the first support, such that one of the first support and the second support is adapted to attach to a first bicycle portion and the other of the first support and the second support is adapted to attach to a second bicycle portion. In some embodiments, the second support comprises an expansion portion configured to be selectively moved between an expanded position and a retracted position. In one embodiment, the expansion portion is configured to contact and engage at least one portion of the first support when the expansion portion is in an expanded position, and the first support is configured to be selectively moved relative to the second support when the expansion portion is permitted to assume a retracted position.

First claim

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . An adjustable assembly for a bicycle, comprising:
a first support; a second support; wherein the first support and the second support are configured to be slidably movable relative to one another; a shaft received within and connected to one of either the first or second supports, and an expansion portion connected to the other of the first or second supports; a retention assembly configured to selectively move the expansion portion between a radially inward position and a radially outward position; wherein one of the first support and the second support is configured to attach to a bicycle frame, and wherein the other of the first support and the second support is configured to attach to a bicycle saddle; wherein the shaft has a surface that defines at least one channel and the expansion portion contacts and engages the at least one channel in the radially inward position to maintain the expansion portion within the at least one channel; a biasing member that imparts a force within the assembly in an attempt to urge the first support apart from the second support, wherein the biasing member is configured to elevate the adjustable assembly when the expansion portion is in the radially outward position.

22 . The adjustable assembly of claim 21 , wherein the expansion portion comprises a plurality of balls that are directed radially inwardly to contact and engage the portion of the shaft.

23 . The adjustable assembly of claim 22 , wherein the retention is selectively movable in a direction coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the adjustable assembly to move the plurality of balls between the radially inward and the radially outward position.

24 . The Adjustable assembly of claim 23 , wherein the retention assembly includes a cam surface engageable with the plurality of balls to move the plurality of balls into the radially inward or radially outward positions.

25 . The adjustable assembly of claim 21 , wherein the shaft is connected to the lower end of the first support such that the shaft is oriented coaxial with, a longitudinal axis of the first and second supports.

26 . The adjustable assembly of claim 21 , wherein the shaft defines a number of grooves sized to receive the expansion portion when the expansion portion is in the radially inward position.

27 . The adjustable assembly of claim 21 , wherein the shaft defines a female portion of a threaded connector system.

28 . The adjustable assembly of claim 21 , wherein the expansion portion remains engaged with and stationary relative to the shaft in the radially inward position.

Assignees

• Specialized Bicycle Components Inc

Inventors

• Mcandrews Michael
• Powers Ron

Classifications

• 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

• B62K2025/045

  Suspensions with ride-height adjustment · CPC title

• B62K2025/048

  with suspension manual adjustment details · CPC title

• B62J2001/085

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

• Y10T403/32516

  Remotely actuated · CPC title