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).

  • Publication number: 20240166286
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: RAFER CHAMBERS, CHRISTOPHER ERIC GOLKIEWICZ, ERIC SU, DONALD FREDERICK COFFMAN, ALEX KYLE MCGEE, CHARLES DUNLAP
  • Patent number: 11987312
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Shipman, Brian Jordan, Kevin Wesling, Rafer Chambers, Jesse Jakomait
  • Publication number: 20230264771
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: CHARLES DUNLAP, RAFER CHAMBERS
  • Publication number: 20230192207
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: RAFER CHAMBERS, CHARLES DUNLAP
  • Patent number: 11661129
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Rafer Chambers, Charles Dunlap
  • Publication number: 20210403111
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: RAFER CHAMBERS, CHARLES DUNLAP
  • Publication number: 20200122799
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER SHIPMAN, BRIAN JORDAN, KEVIN WESLING, RAFER CHAMBERS, JESSE JAKOMAIT
  • Patent number: 10611433
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Rafer Chambers
  • Patent number: 10549803
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Shipman, Brian Jordan, Kevin Wesling, Rafer Chambers, Jesse Jakomait
  • Publication number: 20190002051
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER SHIPMAN, BRIAN JORDAN, KEVIN WESLING, RAFER CHAMBERS, JESSE JAKOMAIT
  • Publication number: 20180274562
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: RAFER CHAMBERS