Saddle adjustment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9694865-B2
Application number	US-201615339207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2016
Priority date	Aug 1, 2013
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

A saddle adjustment assembly comprising an adjustable height saddle post, the adjustable height saddle post comprising a first support and a second support, the second support configured to slidably move relative to the first support between at least a raised position and a lowered position, the first support configured to attach to a bicycle frame; a saddle angle adjustment mechanism coupled to the second support, the saddle angle adjustment mechanism comprising a rotatably coupled saddle support configured to couple to a bicycle saddle; wherein the saddle angle adjustment mechanism is configured to enable rotation of the saddle support relative to the second support as a result of the first support moving relative to the second support.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle assembly comprising a saddle adjustment assembly, the saddle adjustment assembly comprising:
an adjustable height saddle post, the adjustable height saddle post comprising a first support and a second support the first support configured to attach to a bicycle frame;
a saddle angle adjustment mechanism coupled to the second support, the saddle angle adjustment mechanism comprising a rotatably coupled saddle support configured to couple to a bicycle saddle;
wherein the second support is configured to slidably move relative to the first support between at least a lowered position in which the saddle angle adjustment mechanism is closest to the first support and a raised position in which the saddle angle adjustment mechanism is farther away from the first support than in the lowered position;
wherein the saddle angle adjustment mechanism is configured to enable rotation of the saddle support relative to the second support in a first direction when the second support is at the lowered position and in a second direction opposite the first direction when the second support is not at the lowered position.

2. The bicycle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the saddle angle adjustment mechanism further comprises an actuation surface positioned to contact a portion of the saddle post when the first and second supports are in a predetermined relative position, wherein movement of the actuation surface caused by the first support moving relative to the second support enables the rotation of the saddle support.

3. The bicycle assembly of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined relative position is at the lowered position.

4. The bicycle assembly of claim 1 , wherein rotation of the saddle support in the second direction is caused by a force generated by the saddle angle adjustment mechanism, and wherein rotation of the saddle support in the first direction is caused by an external force applied to the saddle support.

5. The bicycle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the saddle angle adjustment mechanism further comprises first and second stop surfaces, the first stop surface configured to limit an amount of rotation of the saddle support in the first direction, the second stop surface configured to limit an amount of rotation of the saddle support in the second direction.

6. The bicycle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the saddle post further comprises a locking mechanism configured to selectively lock the second support in position relative to the first support in the raised position, the lowered position, and a plurality of positions therebetween.

7. The bicycle assembly of claim 6 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a collet positioned at least partially within an interior cavity of the second support.

8. The bicycle assembly of claim 1 , wherein said saddle support is configured to rotate between a predetermined first rotational position and a predetermined second rotational position.

9. The bicycle assembly of claim 1 , wherein said saddle angle adjustment mechanism rotates said saddle support relative the second support as the second support moves relative the first support to the lowered position.

10. The bicycle assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a controller, the actuation of which permits the height of the adjustable height saddle post to be selectively adjusted while the bicycle is in motion.

11. The bicycle assembly of claim 1 , wherein said saddle adjustment assembly further comprises a piston and wherein force exerted by the piston on the saddle support causes the saddle support to rotate relative to the second support.

12. The bicycle assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a bicycle frame.

13. A method of adjusting a saddle angle of a bicycle comprising:
affixing a first support of an adjustable height seat post to the seat tube of a bicycle, the adjustable height seat post having a second support slidably coupled to the first support and configured to adjust the saddle height of the bicycle saddle, the second support having a saddle angle adjustment mechanism affixed to the second support, the bicycle saddle rotatably coupled to the saddle angle adjustment mechanism;
actuating a controller affixed to the bicycle to selectively adjust the height of the bicycle saddle such that the second support slides relative to the first support, and permitting the bicycle saddle to be rotated.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein actuating said controller activates a mechanical control cable operably connected to the first support.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein actuating said controller unlocks a locking mechanism between the first and second supports, permitting the second support to slide relative to the first support.

16. A saddle adjustment assembly comprising:
an adjustable height saddle post, the adjustable height saddle post including a first support and a second support, the second support configured to slidably move relative to the first support between a raised position and a lowered position, the first support adapted to attach to a bicycle frame;
a saddle angle adjustment mechanism coupled to the second support, the saddle angle adjustment mechanism comprising a body and a rotating assembly;
wherein the rotating assembly is adapted to couple to a bicycle saddle and wherein the rotating assembly is rotatably coupled to the body;
wherein the saddle angle adjustment mechanism is configured to rotate the rotating assembly relative to the body between a first rotational position and a second rotational position;
wherein the adjustable height saddle post is configured to selectably lock the second support in a raised position;
wherein the adjustable height saddle post is configured to selectably lock the second support in a lowered position;
wherein the saddle adjustment assembly is configured to lock the rotating assembly in the first rotational position when the second support is in the raised position, and wherein the saddle adjustment assembly is configured to lock the rotating assembly in the second rotational position when the second support is in the lowered position.

17. A method of adjusting the saddle angle of a bicycle saddle of a bicycle equipped with an adjustable height saddle post, the adjustable height saddle post including a first support and a second support, the second support configured to slidably move relative to the first support between a raised position and a lowered position, the first support adapted to attach to a bicycle frame, the saddle angle adjustment mechanism comprising:
providing a saddle angle adjustment mechanism coupled to the second support, the saddle angle adjustment mechanism comprising a rotating assembly, the saddle rotating assembly coupled to the saddle angle adjustment mechanism about a central axis substantially perpendicular to the second support of the adjustable height saddle post,
adjusting the first support from the raised position to the lowered position, wherein the saddle angle adjustment mechanism is configured to rotate the rotating assembly relative to the second support from a first rotational position to a second rotational position when the second support is moved from the raised position to the lowered position.

18. A method of adjusting the saddle angle of a bicycle saddle of a bicycle equipped with an adjustable height saddle post, the adjustable height saddle post including a first support and a second support, the second support configured to slidably move relative to the first support between a raised position and a lowered position, the first support adap

Assignees

• Specialized Bicycle Components Inc

Inventors

• Mcandrews Michael
• Powers Ron
• Sloan Brandon D
• Bowers Jeffrey Keith
• Mcpherson Ian Thomas

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

• B62J2001/085

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