Spring devices – Vehicle – Lever and nontorsion spring
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-13
2001-02-13
Oberleitner, Robert J. (Department: 3613)
Spring devices
Vehicle
Lever and nontorsion spring
C280S283000, C297S209000, C267S216000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186487
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to bicycle shock absorbing devices and, more particularly, is concerned with a shock absorbing post assembly for both crutch and bicycle seat applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various designs of shock absorbing devices have been proposed over the years for the purpose of reducing transmission of shock impacts and vibrations to a cyclist and thereby increasing riding comfort and performance in all modes of cycling. Existing bicycle seat posts offer a convenient and accessible location on a bicycle for installation of such devices. The rising popularity of mountain biking, involving riding over rough terrain which causes jolts to the spine of the cyclist, has heightened interest in continued development and refinement of shock absorbing bicycle seat post devices.
One design approach of prior art shock absorbing bicycle seat post devices has been to provide an outer tube, an inner tube telescopingly received in the outer tube and extending from an upper end thereof, a race or races formed in one or both of the outer and inner tubes along portions of the lengths thereof, ball bearings disposed in the races or races, and a compressible body disposed within the outer tube between lower ends of the outer and inner tubes. Representative examples of such prior art devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 575,152 to Fogg, U.S. Pat. Nos. 600,365 and 636,726 to Hindmarsh, U.S. Pat. No. 601,978 to Nevill, U.S. Pat. No. 664,184 to Stoll, U.S. Pat. No. 686,156 to Snyder, U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,648 to Knapp, Italian Pat. No. 421,323 to Ponzecchi, and French Pat. No. 885,282 to Vaglio. While most of these prior art seat post devices may function satisfactorily under the specific conditions for which they were designed, many of these prior art devices introduce drawbacks in that they are complicated and costly to manufacture and difficult to assemble and unduly increase the overall weight of the bicycle seat post.
Consequently, a need still exists for a shock absorbing post assembly which will overcome these drawbacks without introducing any new drawbacks in their place.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a shock absorbing post assembly designed to satisfy the aforementioned need. The shock absorbing post assembly of the present invention is adapted for a crutch application as well as a bicycle seat application. The shock absorbing post assembly is of simple construction, low cost to manufacture, easy to assemble and only minimally increases the overall weight of the crutch or bicycle seat.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a shock absorbing post assembly for use in conjunction with a crutch, a bicycle seat and other comparable applications. The shock absorbing post assembly basically comprises an elongated outer tube, an elongated inner shaft, a plurality of guide elements, and a spring means.
The outer tube includes an exterior surface with circumferential portions lying along an outer cylinder encompassing the outer tube and a plurality of outer races formed longitudinally along and spaced apart circumferentially from one another about the outer tube. The outer races are disposed within the outer cylinder between and inwardly of the circumferential portions of the exterior surface of the outer tube. The inner shaft is at least partially received in the outer tube such that the inner shaft extends beyond the outer tube. The inner shaft includes an exterior surface with circumferential portions lying along an inner cylinder encompassing the inner shaft and a plurality of inner races formed longitudinally along and spaced apart circumferentially from one another about the inner tube and respectively in alignment with the outer races of the outer tube so as to provide a plurality of pairs of aligned outer and inner races. The inner races are disposed within the inner cylinder between and inwardly of the circumferential portions of the exterior surface of the inner shaft.
The guide elements are disposed between and extend within the pairs of aligned outer and inner races so as to permit the inner shaft to undergo reciprocatory sliding movement relative to the outer tube and thereby extend from and retract into the outer tube between corresponding extended and depressed positions relative to the outer tube. In a first exemplary form, the guide elements includes a plurality of ball bearings. In a second exemplary form, the guide elements includes a plurality of elongated rods preferably made of low-friction plastic material with the ball bearings.
The spring means is disposed in the outer tube for yieldably supporting the inner shaft at the extended position relative to the outer tube while permitting the inner shaft to retract into the outer tube toward the depressed position in response to the post assembly shaft receiving a shock impact thereon. In an exemplary form, the spring means includes a body of elastomer material.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2297 (1841-10-01), Ball
patent: 575152 (1897-01-01), Fogg
patent: 600365 (1898-03-01), Hindmarsh
patent: 601978 (1898-04-01), Nevill
patent: 636726 (1899-11-01), Hindmarsh
patent: 664184 (1900-12-01), Stoll
patent: 686156 (1901-11-01), Snyder
patent: 973283 (1910-10-01), Loftin
patent: 2041334 (1936-05-01), Hage
patent: 2414758 (1947-01-01), Moss
patent: 2675014 (1954-04-01), Powers
patent: 3989263 (1976-11-01), Stuck et al.
patent: 4958651 (1990-09-01), Najm
patent: 5044648 (1991-09-01), Knapp
patent: 5094424 (1992-03-01), Hartway
patent: 5613580 (1997-03-01), Young
patent: 5720474 (1998-02-01), Sugiyama
patent: 5927738 (1999-07-01), Kesinger
patent: 885282 (1943-09-01), None
patent: 928951 (1947-12-01), None
patent: 14225 (1899-08-01), None
patent: 22845 (1901-02-01), None
patent: 421323 (1947-05-01), None
Donald A. Kesinger, “Bicycle Seat Suspension System”, Ser. No. 08/699,920, filed Aug. 20, 1996.
Flanagan John K.
Flanagan John R.
Flanagan & Flanagan
Kramer Devon
Oberleitner Robert J.
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