# US 11,897,571 B2 · Seat post

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- Number: US 11,897,571 B2
- Document ID: US11897571B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/332,685
- Filed: 2021-05-27
- Published: 2021-11-04
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2008-11-25
- Assignees: Fox Factory, Inc.
- Applicants: Fox Factory, Inc.
- Inventors: Sante Pelot; David M. Haugen; Wes Allinger; Mario Galasso; Andrew Laird
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897571B2

## CPC

- B62K 19/36: for attaching saddle pillars, e.g. adjustable during ride
- B62J 1/00: Saddles or other seats for cycles; Arrangement thereof; Component parts
- B62J 1/02: Saddles resiliently mounted on the frame; Equipment therefor, e.g. springs
- B62J 1/08: Frames for saddles; Connections between saddle frames and seat pillars; Seat pillars (attaching seat pillars to cycle frames B62K19/36)
- G05B 15/02: electric
- G05D 7/0635: {by action on throttling means (G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence)}
- B62J 2001/085: {Seat pillars having mechanisms to vary seat height, independently of the cycle frame}
- G16H 20/30: relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
- B62K: CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDECARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE
- B62J: CYCLE SADDLES OR SEATS; AUXILIARY DEVICES OR ACCESSORIES SPECIALLY ADAPTED TO CYCLES AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. ARTICLE CARRIERS OR CYCLE PROTECTORS
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA

## Abstract

A system including: a seat post; a user interface operatively connected with the seat post, the user interface configured for receiving instructions associated with a height of the seat post and for communicating received instructions to at least one controller coupled with a motive source of the seat post; and a valve assembly in communication with the motive source, the valve assembly regulating fluid flow within a variable finite positioning seat post height mode in response to a translation of the received instructions by the motive source.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An adjustable seat post for a vehicle, said adjustable seat post having various adjustable and programmable height positions, said adjustable seat post comprising:
an upper post;
a lower post within which said upper post telescopically slides;
a user interface operatively connected with said seat post, said user interface configured for adjusting said various adjustable and programmable height positions;
a valve assembly coupled to adjustable seat post, said valve assembly regulating fluid flow within said adjustable seat post to achieve said various adjustable and programmable height positions, wherein said valve assembly comprises:
at least one set of check valves configured for at least one of opening and closing, and wherein a rate of said opening and said closing of said at least one set of check valves is proportional to a real-time displacement measurement, wherein said real-time displacement measurement is based on a measured difference between a seat post height position instruction of received instructions and an actual seat post height of said adjustable seat post, and;
wherein said at least one set of check valves comprising:
two sets of check valves positioned, relative to each other, in a series, and opposed to each other, such that one-way only movement is achieved in response to said translation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The adjustable seat post of claim 1 further comprising:
a motive source coupled to said user interface and said valve assembly.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The adjustable seat post of claim 1, wherein said user interface comprises at least one of a GUI, button, dial, smart phone, and lever.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The adjustable seat post of claim 1, further comprising:
a proportional-integral-derivative controller configured for controlling a rate of said opening and said closing of said at least one set of check valves.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The adjustable seat post of claim 1, further comprising:
a displacement sensor coupled to adjustable seat post, said displacement sensor configured for measuring a displacement between a seat post height position instruction and an actual seat post height of said adjustable seat post.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The adjustable seat post of claim 5, wherein said displacement sensor is a pressure sensor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The adjustable seat post of claim 1, wherein said user interface comprises:
at least one activation button configured for activating a pre-programmed seat post position.