Patents by Inventor RAFER CHAMBERS
RAFER CHAMBERS 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).
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Publication number: 20240166286Abstract: Height adjustable seat posts for bicycles are described herein. An example height adjustable seat post includes an upper tube and a lower tube configured in a telescopic arrangement. The height adjustable seat post also includes a shaft coupled to the lower tube and extending into the upper tube a piston assembly coupled to the shaft and disposed in the upper tube. The piston assembly includes a piston dividing the upper tube into a first chamber and a second chamber. The first and second chambers are filled with fluid. The piston assembly includes a valve operable between a closed state in which the fluid is blocked from flowing between the first and second chambers and an open state to enable the fluid to flow between the first and second chambers. The height adjustable seat post also includes a solenoid to control the valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2023Publication date: May 23, 2024Applicant: SRAM, LLCInventors: RAFER CHAMBERS, CHRISTOPHER ERIC GOLKIEWICZ, ERIC SU, DONALD FREDERICK COFFMAN, ALEX KYLE MCGEE, CHARLES DUNLAP
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Patent number: 11987312Abstract: A fluid device for a bicycle may be provided to vent fluid from a hydraulic chamber of a seating component such as an adjustable seating assembly for a bicycle. The fluid device may be operable to vent a compressible fluid or a mixed combination flow of compressible and non-compressible fluids in a metered volume. The fluid device may recycle fluids preferentially.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2019Date of Patent: May 21, 2024Assignee: SRAM, LLCInventors: Christopher Shipman, Brian Jordan, Kevin Wesling, Rafer Chambers, Jesse Jakomait
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Publication number: 20230264771Abstract: A seat post assembly for a bicycle includes a first tube having a first distal end, and a second tube having a second distal end. The first tube is movable relative to the second tube to establish a distance between the first distal end and the second distal end. The distance is at a maximum distance when the first tube is in a first position relative to the second tube. The seat post assembly includes a seal disposed within the second tube and connected to the first tube or the second tube. The seat post assembly includes a piston coupled to the seal when the first tube is in the first position. A position of the seal relative to the second distal end is adjustable, such that the first position of the first tube relative to the second tube is adjustable via the coupling between the piston and the seal.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2023Publication date: August 24, 2023Applicant: SRAM, LLCInventors: CHARLES DUNLAP, RAFER CHAMBERS
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Publication number: 20230192207Abstract: A seat post assembly for a bicycle includes a first tube having a first distal end and a second tube having a second distal end. A distance between the first distal end of the first tube and the second distal end of the second tube is at a maximum when the first tube is in a first position relative to the second tube. The seat post assembly also includes a first chamber and a second chamber that are fluidly coupleable. The first chamber is a positive fluid chamber, and the second chamber is a negative fluid chamber. The seat post assembly includes a fluid volume disposed in the first chamber and the second chamber. The fluid volume includes a compressible fluid. The first chamber is configured to act as a spring configured to bias the first tube towards the first position relative to the second tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2023Publication date: June 22, 2023Applicant: SRAM, LLCInventors: RAFER CHAMBERS, CHARLES DUNLAP
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Patent number: 11661129Abstract: A seat post assembly for a bicycle includes a first tube having a first distal end and a second tube having a second distal end. A distance between the first distal end of the first tube and the second distal end of the second tube is at a maximum when the first tube is in a first position relative to the second tube. The seat post assembly also includes a first chamber and a second chamber that are fluidly coupleable. The first chamber is a positive fluid chamber, and the second chamber is a negative fluid chamber. The seat post assembly includes a fluid volume disposed in the first chamber and the second chamber. The fluid volume includes a compressible fluid. The first chamber is configured to act as a spring configured to bias the first tube towards the first position relative to the second tube.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2020Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: SRAM, LLCInventors: Rafer Chambers, Charles Dunlap
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Publication number: 20210403111Abstract: A seat post assembly for a bicycle includes a first tube having a first distal end and a second tube having a second distal end. A distance between the first distal end of the first tube and the second distal end of the second tube is at a maximum when the first tube is in a first position relative to the second tube. The seat post assembly also includes a first chamber and a second chamber that are fluidly coupleable. The first chamber is a positive fluid chamber, and the second chamber is a negative fluid chamber. The seat post assembly includes a fluid volume disposed in the first chamber and the second chamber. The fluid volume includes a compressible fluid. The first chamber is configured to act as a spring configured to bias the first tube towards the first position relative to the second tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2020Publication date: December 30, 2021Applicant: SRAM, LLCInventors: RAFER CHAMBERS, CHARLES DUNLAP
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Publication number: 20200122799Abstract: A fluid device for a bicycle may be provided to vent fluid from a hydraulic chamber of a seating component such as an adjustable seating assembly for a bicycle. The fluid device may be operable to vent a compressible fluid or a mixed combination flow of compressible and non-compressible fluids in a metered volume. The fluid device may recycle fluids preferentially.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2019Publication date: April 23, 2020Applicant: SRAM, LLCInventors: CHRISTOPHER SHIPMAN, BRIAN JORDAN, KEVIN WESLING, RAFER CHAMBERS, JESSE JAKOMAIT
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Patent number: 10611433Abstract: A control device is for a hydraulic valve bicycle component and has a housing defining a fluid port in fluid communication with a hydraulic valve of a bicycle component and has a lever having a proximal end coupled to the housing and a distal end. The proximal end of the lever is rotatable about a pivot axis. The lever includes an actuation surface near the distal end. The control device has a cavity within the housing. The cavity includes a fluid chamber in fluid communication with the fluid port. The control device has a piston disposed within the cavity and movable by actuation of the lever along a piston axis. A first plane perpendicular to the piston axis and containing the piston axis is offset a distance from a second plane perpendicular to the piston axis and extending through the actuation surface of the lever.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2017Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: SRAM, LLCInventor: Rafer Chambers
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Patent number: 10549803Abstract: A fluid device for a bicycle may be provided to vent fluid from a hydraulic chamber of a seating component such as an adjustable seating assembly for a bicycle. The fluid device may be operable to vent a compressible fluid or a mixed combination flow of compressible and non-compressible fluids in a metered volume. The fluid device may recycle fluids preferentially.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2018Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: SRAM, LLCInventors: Christopher Shipman, Brian Jordan, Kevin Wesling, Rafer Chambers, Jesse Jakomait
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Publication number: 20190002051Abstract: A fluid device for a bicycle may be provided to vent fluid from a hydraulic chamber of a seating component such as an adjustable seating assembly for a bicycle. The fluid device may be operable to vent a compressible fluid or a mixed combination flow of compressible and non-compressible fluids in a metered volume. The fluid device may recycle fluids preferentially.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2018Publication date: January 3, 2019Applicant: SRAM, LLCInventors: CHRISTOPHER SHIPMAN, BRIAN JORDAN, KEVIN WESLING, RAFER CHAMBERS, JESSE JAKOMAIT
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Publication number: 20180274562Abstract: A control device is for a hydraulic valve bicycle component and has a housing defining a fluid port in fluid communication with a hydraulic valve of a bicycle component and has a lever having a proximal end coupled to the housing and a distal end. The proximal end of the lever is rotatable about a pivot axis. The lever includes an actuation surface near the distal end. The control device has a cavity within the housing. The cavity includes a fluid chamber in fluid communication with the fluid port. The control device has a piston disposed within the cavity and movable by actuation of the lever along a piston axis. A first plane perpendicular to the piston axis and containing the piston axis is offset a distance from a second plane perpendicular to the piston axis and extending through the actuation surface of the lever.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2017Publication date: September 27, 2018Applicant: SRAM, LLCInventor: RAFER CHAMBERS