Patents by Inventor Martin Walthert

Martin Walthert has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20180334220
    Abstract: A shock device for an at least partially muscle-powered two-wheeled vehicle including a damping system having a damper cylinder and a moving piston disposed therein and connected with a piston rod extending from the damper cylinder, wherein the piston acts on a first damping chamber in the damper cylinder in the compression stage as the piston rod plunges in from a retracted base position into a plunged-in position. In the damping system, as the piston rod plunges in, damping fluid is transferred from the first damping chamber to an auxiliary chamber. A flow resistance for transferring the damping fluid into the auxiliary chamber is configured travel-dependent, depending on the piston position. The flow resistance for transferring the damping fluid into the auxiliary chamber over a first travel distance of the piston including the base position is smaller than over a second travel distance that is plunged in further.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Martin WALTHERT, Karsten RICHTER, Samuel ZBINDEN
  • Patent number: 10099743
    Abstract: A suspension control system and a method for controlling a damper device of a bicycle include a damper device and a spring device for sprung damping of a relative motion between a first and a second component of the bicycle. The suspension device has a spring unit exhibiting a spring characteristic, and the damper device exhibits a damping characteristic. The spring characteristic of the spring unit is changed under the control of an electrically operated actuator, which in turn is controlled via an electric control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: DT Swiss Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Walthert, Valentin Wendel, Stefan Battlogg, Gernot Elsensohn
  • Patent number: 10065452
    Abstract: A bicycle component includes a hub shell for a wheel of an at least partially muscle-powered bicycle, wherein the hub shell is rotatably supported by at least one bearing device. An adapter unit is disposed on one end of the hub shell. The adapter unit includes an inner stopper having an inner stop face for transferring a clamping force to the bearing device and an outer stopper with an outer stop face transmitting at least part of the clamping force. The adapter unit includes a first and a second stopper component transmitting the clamping force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: DT SWISS INC.
    Inventors: Martin Walthert, Stefan Spahr, Simon Haas
  • Patent number: 10029511
    Abstract: A spoke for an at least partially muscle-powered bicycle and wheel including a spoke where the spoke comprises a spoke body with a hub-side, first end and a rim-side, second end and the first end and the second end are remote from one another. The spoke body is elongated and includes at least one first center region disposed closer to the first end than to the second end, and at least one second center region disposed closer to the second end than to the first end. The first center region and in the second center region of the spoke body each include flattened cross-sections substantially accommodated in a longitudinal plane. In the second center region the spoke body is configured more asymmetric than in the first center region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: DT SWISS INC.
    Inventors: Martin Walthert, Paul Schuler, Adrian Scheidegger, Jean-Paul Victor Ballard
  • Patent number: 9944115
    Abstract: A rim for a mountain bike is provided, including a rim body having a rim well, a rim base and two lateral rim flanks and a hollow space device with a hollow space. A width of the rim body is larger than 30 mm. The hollow space device of the rim body is radially outwardly limited by the rim well and laterally and radially inwardly, by an inner enclosing wall including the rim base and the rim flanks. The radially inwardly enclosing wall forms an internal wall that is substantially closed, apart from the nipple accommodations. The rim well includes a plurality of recesses having a surface proportion of at least 10% of a surface of the rim well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: DT SWISS INC.
    Inventors: Andreas Tschanz, Martin Walthert
  • Patent number: 9902460
    Abstract: A chassis controller controls a shock absorber of a bicycle for spring-assisted damping of a relative movement between a first and a second connecting unit. A damper device and a spring device absorb shocks between the connecting units. A sensor device acquires measurement data relating to a relative movement of the connecting units. A control device controls the shock absorber. The sensor device has a scaling device connected to one of the connecting units and the sensor device extends over a measuring section in a direction of movement of the relative movement. The scaling device has a structure with magnetic properties that repeat periodically over the measuring section. The sensor device has a detector head which interacts with the scaling device, is connected to the other of the connecting units and determines a position of the shock absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: DT Swiss Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Walthert, Valentin Wendel, Gernot Elsensohn, Juergen Poesel
  • Publication number: 20180050564
    Abstract: A hub and a hub series are provided for at least partially muscle-powered bicycles. The hub includes a hub shell and a bearing unit for rotatably supporting the hub shell relative to an axle. The bearing unit includes two bearing rings having a take-up surface each and a raceway each. A bearing ring configured as an outer ring is oriented with its take-up surface to a bearing seat of the hub shell. A bearing ring configured as an inner ring is oriented with its take-up surface to the axle. Rolling members are disposed between the raceways of the bearing rings. The bearing ring includes a cut-out on its take-up surface for weight reduction so that the bearing ring is disposed spaced apart from the bearing seat and/or the axle in the region of the cut-out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Martin WALTHERT, Stefan SPAHR
  • Publication number: 20180029413
    Abstract: A hub for bicycles with a hub shell rotatably supported relative to a hub axle by roller bearings and a rotor rotatably supported relative to the hub axle by at least two rotor bearings and with a freewheel device with two interacting freewheel components namely, a hub-side freewheel component and a rotor-side freewheel component. The two freewheel components are movable relative to one another in the axial direction between a freewheel position and an intermeshing engaging position in which a driving torque can be transmitted. The hub-side freewheel component is compact in configuration and a hub bearing to rotatably support the hub shell is integrated and configured therein. An outer ring of the hub bearing is configured in an axial body section of the hub-side freewheel component. A sealing unit protects the interior of the hub bearing from the entry of dirt and water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Martin WALTHERT, Stefan SPAHR
  • Publication number: 20180029412
    Abstract: A hub for bicycles includes a hub shell which is rotatably supported relative to a hub axle by two roller bearings disposed on opposite ends of the hub shell, a rotor rotatably supported relative to the hub axle by two rotor bearings, and a freewheel device having an interacting hub-side freewheel component and a rotor-side freewheel component. The two freewheel components each have axial engagement elements and are axially movable relative to one another between a freewheel position and an intermeshing engaging position. The rotor is disposed in the same axial position both in the freewheel position and in the engaging position. A driving torque is transmitted in the engaging position. The hub-side freewheel component has an inner central receiving space with a bearing seat and a roller bearing received to rotatably support the hub shell. The hub-side freewheel component includes an appendix protruding outwardly from the axial body section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Martin WALTHERT, Stefan SPAHR
  • Publication number: 20170282638
    Abstract: A spoke for an at least partially muscle-powered bicycle and wheel including a spoke where the spoke comprises a spoke body with a hub-side, first end and a rim-side, second end and the first end and the second end are remote from one another. The spoke body is elongated and includes at least one first center region disposed closer to the first end than to the second end, and at least one second center region disposed closer to the second end than to the first end. The first center region and in the second center region of the spoke body each include flattened cross-sections substantially accommodated in a longitudinal plane. In the second center region the spoke body is configured more asymmetric than in the first center region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Martin WALTHERT, Paul SCHULER, Adrian SCHEIDEGGER
  • Publication number: 20170239984
    Abstract: A quick release device for at least partially muscle-powered two-wheeled vehicles, having an axle unit and a clamping mechanism. The axle unit includes an axle extending in the axial direction, a locking device at the first end of the axle unit and a fastener at a second end of the axle unit. The clamping mechanism is suitable for mounting and demounting the axle unit to a two-wheeled vehicle. The clamping mechanism has an operating lever and a clamping component, the latter is non-rotatably coupled with the axle unit and is decoupled from the axle unit. The clamping mechanism has an intermediate device with an actuating unit, which ensures in a first position a non-rotatable connection of the clamping component and the operating lever, and in a second position, allows the operating lever to pivot relative to the clamping component while the clamping component is non-rotatably coupled with the axle unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: Martin WALTHERT, Stefan SPAHR, Matthias MEIER
  • Patent number: 9731546
    Abstract: A bicycle spoke has a spoke body having two remote ends, a rim end, and a hub end. The elongated body includes a longitudinally flattened cross-section. The body includes a first end portion thickness at the hub end transverse to a longitudinal plane. The body includes a second end portion thickness at the rim-side end transverse to the longitudinal plane. The body includes in a first center region disposed closer to the first end portion than to the second end portion, a first center region thickness transverse to the longitudinal plane that is less than the first end portion thickness. In a second center region disposed closer to the second end portion than to the first end portion, the body has the flattened cross-section wherein the second center region includes a second center region thickness transverse to the longitudinal plane that is less than the first center region thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: DT SWISS INC.
    Inventors: Stefan Spahr, Martin Walthert
  • Patent number: 9719574
    Abstract: Shock absorber and method for operating a shock absorber for a bicycle wherein a relative motion of a first and a second component interconnected via a damper device is dampened. The damper device includes a controllable damping valve with a field generating device with which a field-sensitive medium can be influenced for influencing a damping force of the damper device by applying a field intensity of the field generating device. A parameter for the current relative speeds of the first and second components is obtained in real time. For damping, a current field intensity to be set is derived in real time by way of the parameter from a characteristic damper curve and the field intensity to be currently set is generated by the field generating device in real time for setting in real time a damping force which results from the predetermined characteristic damper curve at the parameter obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: DT Swiss Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Battlogg, Martin Walthert, Gernot Elsensohn, Juergen Poesel
  • Patent number: 9616963
    Abstract: A quick release device for at least partially muscle-powered two-wheeled vehicles such as bicycles, having an axle unit and a clamping mechanism. The axle unit includes an axle extending axially, a locking means at a first end of the axle unit and a fastener at a second end of the axle unit. The clamping mechanism is suitable for mounting and demounting the axle unit to a two-wheeled vehicle. The clamping mechanism includes an operating lever and a clamping component connected therewith. The clamping component can be non-rotatably coupled with the axle unit and can be decoupled from the axle unit. The operating lever of the clamping mechanism can be moved from an engagement position in which it is non-rotatably connected with the clamping component to a rotary position in which it is freely rotatable relative to the clamping component, while the clamping component is non-rotatably coupled with the axle unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: DT SWISS INC.
    Inventors: Martin Walthert, Stefan Spahr, Matthias Meier
  • Publication number: 20160339987
    Abstract: A chassis controller and method for controlling the damping of a human-powered two-wheeled vehicle having a controllable shock absorber and a control device and a memory device. A sensor device acquires measurement data sets relating to a relative movement of two connecting units of the shock absorber with respect to one another. A filter device pre-processes the measurement data sets. Multiple data sets are stored in the memory device. A data set, derived from a measurement data set acquired with the sensor device during the relative movement of the connecting units is stored and an analysis device analyzes a stored data set. A filter parameter set is determined based on the analysis, and a control data set is derived with the filter parameter set. The control device controls the shock absorber with the control data set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: MARTIN WALTHERT, VALENTIN WENDEL, GERNOT ELSENSOHN, JUERGEN POESEL, MARKUS MAYER, STEFAN BATTLOGG
  • Publication number: 20160339990
    Abstract: A bicycle component for an at least partially human-powered bicycle has a shock absorber device. The shock absorber device includes a damper device which can be controlled by a control device. A detection device is provided with a sensor device for receiving a signal. The sensor device is arranged on at least one component of the bicycle which is pivoted in the case of a steering movement. The detection device is suitable for detecting, and is designed to detect, the difficulty in the terrain as a function of the acquired signal, and is configured to control the damper device as a function of the detected difficulty in the terrain, with the result that a damping property of the damper device can be adjusted by way of a signal of the detection device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: MARTIN WALTHERT, VALENTIN WENDEL, STEFAN BATTLOGG
  • Publication number: 20160339989
    Abstract: A chassis controller controls a shock absorber of a bicycle for spring-assisted damping of a relative movement between a first and a second connecting unit. A damper device and a spring device absorb shocks between the connecting units. A sensor device acquires measurement data relating to a relative movement of the connecting units. A control device controls the shock absorber. The sensor device has a scaling device connected to one of the connecting units and the sensor device extends over a measuring section in a direction of movement of the relative movement. The scaling device has a structure with magnetic properties that repeat periodically over the measuring section. The sensor device has a detector head which interacts with the scaling device, is connected to the other of the connecting units and determines a position of the shock absorber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: MARTIN WALTHERT, VALENTIN WENDEL, GERNOT ELSENSOHN, JUERGEN POESEL
  • Publication number: 20160263935
    Abstract: A rim for a mountain bike is provided, including a rim body having a rim well, a rim base and two lateral rim flanks and a hollow space device with a hollow space. A width of the rim body is larger than 30 mm. The hollow space device of the rim body is radially outwardly limited by the rim well and laterally and radially inwardly, by an inner enclosing wall including the rim base and the rim flanks. The radially inwardly enclosing wall forms an internal wall that is substantially closed, apart from the nipple accommodations. The rim well includes a plurality of recesses having a surface proportion of at least 10% of a surface of the rim well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Andreas TSCHANZ, Martin WALTHERT
  • Publication number: 20160257164
    Abstract: A bicycle spoke has a spoke body having two remote ends, a rim end, and a hub end. The elongated body includes a longitudinally flattened cross-section. The body includes a first end portion thickness at the hub end transverse to a longitudinal plane. The body includes a second end portion thickness at the rim-side end transverse to the longitudinal plane. The body includes in a first center region disposed closer to the first end portion than to the second end portion, a first center region thickness transverse to the longitudinal plane that is less than the first end portion thickness. In a second center region disposed closer to the second end portion than to the first end portion, the body has the flattened cross-section wherein the second center region includes a second center region thickness transverse to the longitudinal plane that is less than the first center region thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Stefan SPAHR, Martin WALTHERT
  • Patent number: 9421817
    Abstract: A wheel for at least partially muscle-powered vehicles and two-wheeled vehicles includes a hub and a rim having a plurality of spoke holes and a plurality of spoke systems for connecting the hub with the rim. A spoke system includes a spoke and a spoke nipple. A reinforcing unit with a through hole between the rim and the spoke nipple is provided. The reinforcing unit is a disk-type and is configured curved about at least one longitudinal axis. The reinforcing unit has a convex inner rim contact surface for bearing against a concave orientation area of the rim matched thereto. The reinforcing unit has a concave outside surface at which a nipple accommodation is provided at a depression having a concave nipple contact surface with a narrower curvature for accommodating a matching, convex supporting area of the spoke nipple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: DT SWISS INC.
    Inventors: Martin Walthert, Stefan Spahr