US-12624768-B2 - Pressure relief valve

US12624768B2US 12624768 B2US12624768 B2US 12624768B2US-12624768-B2

Abstract

A pressure relief valve for a height adjustment seat post including a lower housing, a stanchion telescopically supported within the lower housing, and a cartridge including a piston rod driven by a piston to telescopically adjust the stanchion relative to the lower housing includes a pressure relief port in the piston of the height adjustment seat post, a pressure relief valve ball, and a pressure relief valve spring to bias the pressure relief valve ball to a closed position to close the pressure relief port.

Inventors

Michael W. Pfeiffer

Assignees

Wolf Tooth Components, LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240923

Claims (9)

1 . A pressure relief valve for a height adjustment seat post including a lower housing, a stanchion telescopically supported within the lower housing, and a cartridge including a piston rod driven by a piston to telescopically adjust the stanchion relative to the lower housing, the pressure relief valve comprising; a pressure relief port in the piston of the height adjustment seat post; a pressure relief valve ball; and a pressure relief valve spring to bias the pressure relief valve ball to a closed position to close the pressure relief port, wherein the piston is positioned within a cylinder of the cartridge.
2 . The pressure relief valve of claim 1 , wherein: the pressure relief valve ball to be forced to an open position against a bias force of the pressure relief valve spring to open the pressure relief port.
3 . The pressure relief valve of claim 1 , wherein: in a default state, the pressure relief valve is closed.
4 . The pressure relief valve of claim 1 , wherein: in a pressure relief state, the pressure relief valve is open.
5 . The pressure relief valve of claim 1 , wherein: with pressure in the cylinder being less than a critical pressure, the pressure relief valve is closed, and with pressure in the cylinder being greater than the critical pressure, the pressure relief valve is open.
6 . The pressure relief valve of claim 1 , wherein: the pressure relief valve ball to be forced to an open position by pressure in the cylinder to open the pressure relief port.
7 . The pressure relief valve of claim 1 , wherein: the pressure relief port to release pressure in the cylinder to a reservoir within the cartridge.
8 . The pressure relief valve of claim 7 , wherein: pressure within the cylinder is released to the reservoir through the pressure relief port in the piston, through a seat for the pressure relief valve ball in the piston, around the pressure relief valve ball, and through a seat for the pressure relief valve spring in the piston.
9 . The pressure relief valve of claim 7 , wherein: the reservoir is provided between a cylinder wall of the cylinder and a housing of the cartridge.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/539,814 filed on Sep. 21, 2023, and incorporated herein by reference. In this instance, the day that is 12 months after the filing date of the provisional application falls on a Saturday (i.e., Saturday, Sep. 21, 2024). As such, the period of pendency of the provisional application is extended to the next succeeding business day (i.e., Monday, Sep. 23, 2024). See 35 U.S.C. 119(e)(3). BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates generally to a pressure relief valve and, more specifically, relates to a pressure relief valve for a height adjustment seat post for a saddle of a bicycle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1, 2, 3 illustrate an example of a height adjustment seat post in accordance with the present disclosure. FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7a, 7b illustrate an example of a pressure relief valve for a height adjustment seat post in accordance with the present disclosure. FIG. 8 illustrates an example implementation of a pressure relief valve for a height adjustment seat post for a saddle of a bicycle in accordance with the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific examples in which the disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other examples may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims. FIGS. 1, 2, 3 illustrate an example of a height adjustment seat post 10 for a saddle of a bicycle in accordance with the present disclosure. In examples, the height adjustment seat post 10 includes a lower housing 12, a stanchion 14 telescopically supported within the lower housing 12, and a cartridge 6 supported within the lower housing 12 and the stanchion 14 to telescopically adjust the stanchion 14 relative to the lower housing 12. In examples, the cartridge 6 includes a piston 16 and a piston rod 15 driven by the piston 16 to telescopically adjust the stanchion 14 relative to the lower housing 12. In examples, a saddle clamp assembly 18 is secured to the stanchion 14, for example, by a lock ring 17, to support a saddle for a bicycle (such as, for example, the saddle 20 for the bicycle 1 of FIG. 8). In examples, an end of the cartridge 6 is retained within the lower housing 12 by a snap ring 11, and an end of the piston rod 15 is secured to an end of the stanchion 14 by an upper cap 13. In examples, an air cap 19 covers the end of the height adjustment seat post 10. FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7a, 7b illustrate an example of a pressure relief valve 100 for a height adjustment seat post in accordance with the present disclosure, such as, for example, the height adjustment seat post 10. In examples, the pressure relief valve 100 includes a pressure relief port 161 in a piston 160 of the height adjustment seat post (e.g., the piston 16 of the height adjustment seat post 10), a pressure relief valve ball 120, and a pressure relief valve spring 140 to bias the pressure relief valve ball 120 to a closed position to close the pressure relief port 161 in the piston 160. In examples, the pressure relief port 161 is provided in a center of the piston 160. In examples, the piston 160 is positioned within a cylinder 62 of a cartridge 60 of the height adjustment seat post (e.g., the cartridge 6 of the height adjustment seat post 10), and a piston seal O-ring 65 provides a seal between the piston 160 and a cylinder wall 63 of the cylinder 62. In examples, a reservoir 64 is provided between the cylinder wall 63 of the cylinder 62 and a housing 61 of the cartridge 60. In examples, a cylinder cap 66 caps an end of the cartridge 60 between the housing 61 and the cylinder wall 63. In examples, a piston rod 150 of the height adjustment seat post (e.g., the piston rod 15 of the height adjustment seat post 10) extends from the piston 160. In examples, a piston rod coupler 170 couples the piston rod 150 with the piston 160. In examples, the pressure relief port 161 is communicated with the cylinder 62 of the cartridge 60 of the height adjustment seat post (e.g., the cartridge 6 of the height adjustment seat post 10) such that increased pressure (fluid pressure) in the cylinder 62 (Pcylinder>Pcritical) forces the pressure relief valve ball 120 to an open position (against a bias force of the pressure relief valve spring 140) to open the pressure relief port 161 in the piston 160 and release the increased pressure. In examples, the increased pressure is released by releasing fluid (oil) in the cylinder 62 through the pressure relief port 161 in the piston 160 to the reservoir 64 within the cartridge 60 of th