Patents Assigned to Avocet, Inc.
  • Patent number: 5791730
    Abstract: An improved bicycle seat is disclosed which is especially advantageous for mountain bike riding. When descending, a cyclist may improve the handling of the bicycle by changing his position relative to the bicycle. A rearmost portion of the inventive seat is provided with a generally planar ramped surface that extends rearward to the trailing edge to allow the rider to shift his weight to the back of the seat and lower his center of gravity. The rider may move further back completely off of the seat and lower his position below the level of the seat. Tapered edges are provided along the sides to allow for easy entry back onto the seat from the ramped surface or from behind and beneath the seat. The ramped surface and tapered edges also allow the rider to contact the seat comfortably when not fully seated on it to better control the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Avocet, Inc.
    Inventor: Bernhard J. Hoffacker
  • Patent number: 5295085
    Abstract: A pressure measurement device with a selective altitude threshold crossings accumulator and method therefor provides for selective accumulation of relative pressure thresholds. A pressure sensor measures atmospheric pressure and provides analog pressure signals representing measured atmospheric pressures. A digital-to-analog converter converts the analog pressure signals to digital pressure signals for a computer which then computes altitudes corresponding to the measured atmospheric pressures. The computer assigns a threshold flag value which corresponds to the relative direction (e.g. "up" or "down") from a first (e.g. lower) altitude to a second (e.g. higher) altitude when the magnitude of the first-to-second altitude differential exceeds a first threshold. The computer then generates a unit count when both the relative direction from the second altitude to a third (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Assignee: Avocet, Inc.
    Inventor: Bud Hoffacker
  • Patent number: 5058427
    Abstract: An accumulating altimeter includes a programmable accumulator which selectively accumulates altitude changes from a reference altitude in accordance with accumulation thresholds. Altitude changes in the direction of interest, e.g. altitude gains, are accumulated once a non-opposing accumulation threshold has been reached. Opposing altitude changes which are less than an opposing accumulation threshold are used to offset non-opposing changes. Opposing altitude changes which are equal to or greater than the opposing accumulation threshold are used to re-establish the reference altitude, whereafter accumulation of non-opposing altitude changes resume after the non-opposing accumulation threshold has been reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: Avocet, Inc.
    Inventor: Jobst Brandt