Patent Document

This application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 61/409,895, filed Nov. 3, 2010. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a seat post that can be fully raised or lowered, particularly on a mountain bicycle while the cycle is in motion. 
     While a bicycle seat is positioned higher, the seated cyclist is able to exert a greater amount of force on the pedals. Yet, the bicycle is vastly more maneuverable while the seat is fully down and out of the way. While riding on trails that are steep and challengingly bumpy, this lower seat position gives the cyclist a lower center of gravity, to avoid being thrown off the bike. An adjusting seat post assembly should therefore have the capacity to be fully lowering and fully adjusting. 
     There are a number of height adjusting seat post designs that provide an upwardly urging spring mechanism and a post locking means. Yet, most of these designs are not capable of full adjustment as they are limited in their range of operation by the type of main spring that is used in combination with a locking system that often gets in the way by requiring much of the room inside of the seat post. 
     For the cyclist there is an exact seat height that yields the greatest amount of propulsion from the bicycle. A system that immediately positions the seat post into this personalized, exact maximum height will reduce the time and effort that would otherwise be spent making readjustments while riding the bicycle. 
     A remote lever that is positioned on the handlebars of the bicycle is required for keeping the cyclist safely attached to the bicycle. A seat post adjusting system that requires the cyclist to remove one hand from the handlebars while riding over bumpy terrain would possibly cause the cyclist to dangerously loose control of the bicycle. 
     A bicycle seat post needs to be strong and lightweight relative to the added performance that a seat post or any other bicycle component may bring to the bicycle. In the field of height adjusting seat posts, the seat post assembly should also be as light and strong as possible. A seat post that is tubular and without any weakening openings to the exposed tubular surface, should therefore make for the strongest and the lightest seat post configuration. 
     Bicycling on trails of dirt and mud, an adjusting seat post assembly must be as dirt poof as possible to maintain the products reliability. Height adjusting seat posts with any exposed perforations or lock openings positioned on it would increase the likelihood of dirt clogging the main locking system and further bringing dirt between the telescoping pieces. 
     Use of a main air spring should also decrease weight and increase strength from having a generally tubular type structure. An air sprung adjusting seat post should also have a lightweight air dampening system to keep the seat post from rising up too fast. Yet, the adjusting seat posts presented so far, all do not provide a fully capable, adjusting seat post. 
     Zurfluh, U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,555, Hsu, U.S. Pat. App. No. 2009/0108642, Turner, U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,180 and McAndrews, U.S. Pat. App. No. 2009/0324327 all present main air spring seat post designs. Yet, they all simply position the seat post within the main insert sleeve to form a main air spring. These previous designs are extremely sensitive to dirt, as their air seals can be broken by any dirt that gets onto the seat post and is then lowered into the main insert sleeve. All these other systems, also do not include a lightweight air dampening system or have the capacity to access a personally adjustable maximum height set system for achieving a full span of height adjustment. 
     Hsu, U.S. Pat. App. No. 2009/0108642, Turner, U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,180 and McAndrews, U.S. Pat. App. No. 2009/0324327 all present main adjusting seat post designs that require the cable for the actuation lever to come out of the top of the moving seat post. Having the cable extend from the top of the moving seat post to the top tube of the bicycle frame, where it is first attached to the bike, creates a hazardous situation where the cable loosely dangles and may get caught on a piece of the bike or onto the rider to accidentally trigger the upward release of the seat post. Such an unexpected release of the seat post could be very dangerous while riding down steep and bumpy terrain. Therefore, a seat post that is height adjusting while the bicycle is in motion needs to have the cable, for the remote actuator, exit the seat post assembly from a non-moving part of the seat post assembly. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
     An object and advantage of the present invention is a seat post assembly that uses a counter rotational assembly for the seat post that does not allow the seat post to have any side to side play, whatsoever. The counter rotational device should slide well and not have enough friction as to bind when being used as this would halt the seat posts operation. The counter rotational device should also be highly durable as not to quickly wear out or cause even greater damage to the main post. 
     An object and advantage of the present invention is a seat post assembly that does not have any perforations or locking holes on the exterior surface of the seat post, to avoid any dirt from being brought into the locking or telescoping system where any dirt might cause scratching of the post or impeding of the lock system. 
     An object and advantage of the present invention is a seat post assembly that has a main inverted air spring that is positioned within the seat post to keep the air spring sealed and free from being impeded by dirt, which there is much of, often when mountain biking. 
     Another object and advantage of the present invention is a seat post assembly that incorporates a full span air spring design that is able to maintain a very even spring rate while fully rising and fully lowering. 
     Another object and advantage of the present invention is a seat post assembly containing this inverted, two chamber air spring design that further enables the use of a lightweight air dampening system that keeps the seat post from rising up too fast. 
     Another object and advantage of the present invention is a seat post assembly that utilizes a main air spring to provide a strong and lightweight adjusting seat post due to its high strength and lightweight tubular type structure. 
     Another object and advantage of the present invention is a seat post assembly that has a full span and range of locking positions, from a fully lowered position for maximum control, a multitude of middle positions for varying degrees of terrain challenge and a maximum seat height position that provides the most power and efficiency from the bicycle. 
     Another object and advantage of the present invention is a seat post assembly that has a capacity to personally adjust the maximum seat height that the seat post can rise to. Leg length and general comfort are the main factors when an individual is determining the maximum height that they want their seat to go, as the maximum height that the seat post is set at is different for almost everyone. By placing the air spring device within the seat post, this air spring devise also allows for a unique ability to place an opening into the initial insert tube section and gain access the lower outside of the seat post, where a maximum height adjustment devise is therefore able to be used and adjusted. 
     Another object and advantage of the present invention is a seat post assembly that incorporates a remote actuation lever that is positioned on the handlebars of the bike and therefore keeps the cyclist safely attached to the bicycle. 
     Another object and advantage of the present invention is a seat post assembly that does not connect the remote actuation lever to the seat posts locking device through the top of the moving seat post as this could cause the cable to catch on the bike or the rider and dangerously trigger the release of the seat post. Instead, the remote actuation lever safely connects by a cable to the stable insert tube section where the seat post locking mechanism is partially located. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a bicycle equipped with a bicycle seat height adjusting assembly according to one embodiment of this invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged sectioned side view of the seat post assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view of  FIG. 2  taken on line  3 - 3 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectioned side view of the spline un-locking device of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the spline un-locking device of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 2  of the seat post in an unlocked position; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view of  FIG. 6  taken on line  7 - 7 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of the seat post assembly illustrated in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a sectioned front view of the seat post assembly illustrated in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a view similar to  FIG. 8  of another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a view similar to  FIG. 10  of another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  of another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 13  is an enlarged sectioned side view of the seat post assembly illustrated in  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a view similar to  FIG. 13  of the seat post in an unlocked position; 
         FIG. 15  is a sectioned side view of the spline un-locking device of  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a view similar to  FIG. 2  of another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 17  is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view of  FIG. 16  taken on line  17 - 17 ; 
         FIG. 18  is a view similar to  FIG. 16  of the seatpost in an unlocked position; 
         FIG. 19  is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view of  FIG. 18  taken on line  19 - 19 ; 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 1 , a new bicycle seat height adjusting assembly is presented and generally designated by the reference number  20 . The seat height adjusting assembly  20  generally comprises a seat post  21  that is positioned within an insert tube  23 . The insert tube  23  is shown inserted into the seat tube  28  of a bicycle frame  34 . The insert tube  23  retrofits into the bicycle seat tube  28  in the place of a traditional seat post. The seat post  21  is adjustable up and down, being telescopically slidable within the insert tube  23 . A cable housing  38  is shown extending outwardly from the upper portion of the insert tube  49 . The cable housing is further connected to an actuation lever  15  that is positioned on the bicycle handlebar  32 . The seat  22  is clamped to the top portion of the seat post  21  through any conventional clamping method  26 . A post clamp  24  is positioned around the seat tube  28  of the bicycle frame  34  for fixedly securing the insert tube  23  with respect to the seat tube  28 . 
     Referring now to the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIGS. 1 through 9 , a third tubular structure  60  is positioned at the lower support platform  71  of the insert tube  23 . The third tubular structure  60  extends up into the inner area  61  of the seat post  21 . A fourth tubular structure  64  that has a closed top end and an open bottom end is positioned within the inner area  61  of the seat post  21 . The third tubular structure  60  slides mainly within the fourth tubular structure  64 . A perimeter air seal  68  positioned around the upper area of the third tubular structure  60  forms an air tight seal between the outer wall of the third tubular structure  60  and the inner wall of the fourth tubular structure  64  to form a first air chamber  62  and a second air chamber  65 . The first air chamber  62  is formed within the third tubular structure  60 . The second air chamber  65  is formed within the contained area of the fourth tubular structure  64 . An air valve  70 , such as a Schrader air valve, extends down from the bottom of the third tubular structure  60 , through the support platform  71 , to where the air valve  70  is capable of delivering pressurized air into the first air chamber  62 , from an air pump type device. 
     Air is pumped through the air valve  70  and travels into the first air chamber  62 . An air damper opening  66  that is sized to control the speed of air flow, is positioned at the top of the third tubular structure  60 . A portion of the air that is pumped into the first air chamber  62  will then travel through the air damper opening  66  of the first air chamber  62  and be further contained within the second air chamber  65 . The air pressure increase within the first air chamber  62  and the second air chamber  65  further causes the air within the second air chamber  65  to want to expand and push up on the top surface of the fourth tubular structure  64  and expand to push down on the third tubular structure  60 . As the third tubular structure  60  is held in place by the stationary insert tube  23 , the pressurized air within the first air chamber  62  and the second air chamber  65 , forms a main air spring unit  67  that urges the seat post  58  to rise. The air damper opening  66  will restrain the seat post  21  from rising too fast. 
       FIGS. 2 and 6  show a row of locking holes  56  that are positioned along the front side of the insert tube  23 . A locking pin  72  that is square in profile, is positioned within a lock housing  73  that is positioned at the bottom section of the seat post  21 . The locking pin  72  is positioned on the lower front side of the seat post  21  so that the locking pin  72  is able to enter into one of the lock holes  56 . The locking pin  72  has a supplemental spring  80  positioned against the back wall of the lock housing  73  that pushes the locking pin  72  outward and into one of the lock holes  56 . 
     To push the locking pin  72  out of the lock holes  56 , a first groove  81  is formed in centered alignment with the lock holes  56 , along the inner wall of the insert tube  23 . A first spline rod  82  and a second spline rod  83  have flat wedging projections  84  extending from the first spline rod  82  to the second spline rod  83 . The first spline rod  82  and the second spline rod  83  are positioned against the back wall of the first groove  81 . The depth of the first spline rod  82 , the second spline rod  83  and the flat wedging projections  84  are all equal to the depth of the first groove  81 . The height of each of the flat wedging projections  84  is equal to the height of each of the lock holes  56 . The first spline rod  82  and second spline rod  83  connect at their top to form an outward pointing holder  86 . The first spline rod  82  and second spline rod  83  connect at their bottom to form an inward pointing holder  88 . Each of the flat wedging projections  84  is positioned to be pulled up and in front of a portion of each one of the lock holes  56  as the outward pointing holder  86  is lifted. 
     A supplemental wedge  76  is positioned at the outer edge of the locking pin  72 . The locking pin  72  has outer locking dog edges  74 , 74  that are rounded to fit and lock into the curve of the locking holes  56 . Slots  77 , 77  are positioned on either side of the supplemental wedge  76  to let the first spline rod  82  and second spline rod  83  enter into the slots  77 , 77  as the locking dog edges  74 , 74  are pushed into one of the lock holes  56 . Projection openings  90  are positioned between each of the flat wedging projections  84 . The supplemental wedge  76  fits through one of the projection openings  90  when the locking dog edges  74 , 74  are locked into one of the locking holes  56 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , when the flat wedging projections  84  are lifted, one of the flat wedging projections  84  pushes back the supplemental wedge  76  to push the outer locking dog edges  74 , 74  out of one of the lock holes  56  to unlock the locking pin  72  from the lock holes  56 . The main air spring unit  67  is then able to expand and force the seat post  21  to rise, with the locking pin  72  being fully pushed out of the locking holes  56 . Each of the flat wedging projections  84  is now positioned up and in front of a portion of each one of the lock holes  56 . The supplemental wedge  76  has a return curve  78  positioned at the outer portion of the supplemental wedge  76  to enable the supplemental wedge  76  to slide up and over each of the flat wedging projections  84  as the seat post  21  rises. The outer portion of the supplemental wedge  76  further extends outward a small amount more then the locking dog edges  74 , 74 , so that the locking dog edges  74 , 74  do not engage any one of the lock holes  56  as the seat post  58  rises or lowers. 
     A cable  36  first attaches onto the actuation lever  30  that is positioned on the handlebar  32 . The cable  36  extends through the cable housing  38 . The cable  36  further extends from the cable housing  38 , into the cable opening  42  that is positioned on the front of the collar protrusion  54 . Within the collar protrusion  54  is a protrusion chamber that contains the outward pointing holder  86  and a leveraging arm  46  of a pivoting lift rod  48 . The cable end barb  40  is then positioned within the leveraging arm  46  of the pivoting lift rod  48 . The end of the pivoting lift rod  48  is positioned under the outward pointing holder  86 . As the cyclist pulls the actuation lever  30 , the cable end barb  40  pulls the lifting rod  48  up, to push the outward pointing holder  86  up and thereby unlock the locking pin  72  from one of the locking holes  56 . 
     Referring back to FIGS.  1 , 2  and  3 , when the cyclist releases the actuation lever  30  the flat wedging projections  84  are no longer being pulled upwards, as a return leaf spring  94  pulls the inward pointing holder  88  back down. As the flat wedging projections  84  are pulled down and away from the openings to the lock holes  56 , the locking dog edges  74 , 74  are able to re-enter into any one of the lock holes  56  and re-lock the seat post  21  at a given height. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  distinctly show the first spline rod  82  and the second spline rod  83  with the flat wedging projections  84  extending from the first spline rod  82  to the second spline rod  83 . The outward pointing holder  86  and the inward pointing holder  88  are also shown. The projection openings  90  are shown positioned between each of the flat wedging projections  84 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , there are a number of other details of interest. A wiper seal  52  is positioned around the seat post  21 . The wiper seal  52  is positioned within the top section of the insert tube  23 . The wiper seal  52  will shed mud off the seat post  21  and keep mud from entering into the insert tube  23 . A limiting platform  100  is formed at the lower portion of the insert tube  23  to limit the downward motion of the seat post  21 . The insert tube  23  has a slight collar  50  at the upper portion that acts to limit the insert tube  23  from sliding entirely into the bicycle frame seat tube  28 . A cable housing opening  44  is also shown just in front of the cable opening  42 . A first counter rotational boss  110  and a second counter rotational boss  112  are shown in  FIG. 3  and also shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 9 , the first counter rotational boss  110  and the second counter rotational boss  112  are shown attached to the lower section of the seat post  21 . A second groove  106  is formed longitudinally within a second side of the inner wall of the insert tube  23 . The first counter rotational boss  110  slides within the second groove  106  to keep the seat post  21  from rotating relative to the insert tube  23 . A third groove  108  is formed longitudinally within a third side of the inner wall of the insert tube  23 . The second counter rotational boss  112  slides within the third channel  108  to further to keep the seat post  21  from rotating relative to the insert tube  23 . 
     A first ball bearing  114  with a second supplemental spring  115  is positioned within the seat post  21 , below said first boss  110 . The first ball bearing  114  slides partially within the second groove  106  and is pressed outwardly by the second supplemental spring  115 , to eliminate the smallest rotational movements by the seat post  21 . 
     A second ball bearing  116  with a third supplemental spring  117  is positioned within the seat post  21 , below said second boss  112 . The second ball bearing  116  slides partially within the third groove  108  and is pressed outwardly by the second supplemental spring, to further eliminate the smallest rotational movements by the seat post  21 . 
     A maximum height limiting system is shown in  FIG. 9 . A plurality of threaded openings  120  are formed into the exterior wall of the seat post  21 , above the first counter rotational boss  110 . A maximum height set screw  122  is positioned within one of the threaded openings  120 . The maximum height set screw  122  slides partially within the second groove  106 . The maximum height set screw  122  is limited in its upward movement by the top surface of the second groove  106 . Positioning of the maximum height set screw  122 , into one of the threaded openings  120 , limits how high the seat post  21  is able to raise. The threaded openings  120  of the maximum height adjust system are meant to be present on only the lowest section of the seat post  21  where they are only needed, as not to require any threaded openings  120  to be visible once the seat post assembly  20  is installed in the bicycle frame  34 . 
       FIGS. 8 and 9  show a second groove opening  111  and a third groove opening  113 . The second groove opening  111  allows for the adding and the removal of the maximum height set screw  122 , the first boss  110 , the first ball bearing  114  and the second supplemental spring  115  from the seat post  21 . The third groove opening  113  allows for the adding or removing of the second boss  112 , the second ball bearing  116  and the third supplemental spring  117  from the seat post  21 .  FIG. 8  further shows the lock holes  56  positioned through the front of the insert tube  23 . 
       FIG. 10  presents the same embodiment of the invention as presented in  FIGS. 1 through 9  except that each of the lock holes  56  are divided into double lock holes  55 , 55  to accommodate one of the locking dog portion  74  and the supplemental wedge  76  separately. 
       FIG. 11  presents the same embodiment of the invention as presented in  FIGS. 1 through 9  except that each of the lock holes  56  are divided into triple lock holes  57 , 57 , 57  to accommodate the locking dog portions  74 , 74  and the supplemental wedge  76  separately. 
       FIG. 12  presents the same embodiment of the invention as presented in  FIG. 1  except that the cable housing  38  extends from the actuation lever  30  to an opening in the lower portion of the bicycle seat tube  28 . In this configuration, a height adjusting seat post assembly  20  that has the cable  36  exiting from the lower portion of the insert tube  23  is possible. 
     The embodiment of the invention presented in FIGS.  13 , 14  and  15  is the same as the embodiment of the invention presented in  FIGS. 2 through 9 , except for a few differences. 
     The cable end  40  extends though the support platform opening  44  and is attached to the inward pointing holder  88 . The return compression spring  96  is positioned within a smaller protrusion chamber  97 . Each of the tapered wedging projections  85  has a taper at their top and bottom for smoother movement against the supplemental wedge  76 . The supplemental wedge  76  is flipped over to maintain a similar locking and unlocking operation as the tapered wedging projections  85  are pulled downward rather then upward to unlock the locking dog edges  74 ,  74  from the lock holes  56 . A connecting rod  130  extends from a pivot  131  that is attached to an inner support structure  132  that is positioned along the inner wall of the seat post  21 . The connecting rod  130  connects to the locking pin  72  to give the locking pin  72  a pivotal movement rather then a linear movement. The fourth tubular structure  64  has been removed from  FIGS. 13 and 14  with the perimeter air seal  68  extending out to the inner wall of the seat post  21  to form a seat post air chamber  63 . 
       FIG. 13  shows the locking pin  72  fully engaged into one of the lock holes  56 .  FIG. 14  shows the tapered wedging projections  85  being pulled downward by the cable end  40  and having pushed back the supplemental wedge  76 . 
       FIG. 15  distinctly shows the tapered form of the tapered wedging projections  85 . 
     The embodiment of the invention presented in  FIGS. 16 through 19  is the same as the embodiment of the invention presented in  FIGS. 1 through 9  except for a few differences. In  FIGS. 16 through 19  the second spline rod  83  is removed and a plurality of wedge shape projections  92  are used in place of the wedging projections  84 . The wedge shape projections  92  are turned to point inwards, towards the seat post  21 . A wedge shape is formed for the outer profile of each of the wedge projections  92 . A narrower first inner groove  140  is used. The supplemental wedge  76  and slots  77 , 77  are removed from the locking pin  72 . The inner surface of the insert tube  23  extends straight across rather then being curved just above each locking hole  56 , to create more room for the wedge shaped projections  87 . The front of the seat post  21  has a flat surface to accommodate the flat inner surface of the insert tube  23 . 
       FIGS. 16 and 17  show the seat post  21  in a locked position.  FIGS. 18 and 19  show the locking pin  72  pushed back by the wedge projections  92  as the wedge shaped projections  92  are pulled upward. A return curve  93  is positioned at the outer edge of each of the wedge shaped projections  92  to enable the locking pin  72  to smoothly rise while pressing against each of the wedge projections  92 . 
     The main air spring unit  67  presented in  FIGS. 2 through 9  is replaced within the alternative embodiment presented in  FIGS. 16 through 19 , by a main coil compression spring  124  that has an aligning tube  126  positioned within it to keep the main compression spring  124  from deforming. The alignment tube  126  and main compression spring  124  are both contained into position by a compression spring platform  128  that is positioned at the lowest portion of the insert tube  23 .

Technology Category: b