Patents Assigned to Felt Racing, LLC
  • Patent number: 9955125
    Abstract: A bicycle video system for facilitating improved aerodynamic positioning of a bicyclist. The bicycle video system includes a video display. The video display is used by the bicyclist to view an area in front of the bicycle. The video display allows the bicyclist to ride while maintaining a lowered head position to see an area in front of the bicycle. The bicycle video system also includes a video camera. The video camera is in electrical communication with the video display. The video camera is positioned in a direction toward an area in front of the bicycle to capture images in front of the bicycle. The video camera may transmit a video signal representative of a real-time image of an area in front of the bicycle to the video display. The video display may continuously receive real-time images of an area in front of the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventor: James Michael Felt
  • Patent number: 9398782
    Abstract: An aerodynamic bicycle helmet for decreasing coefficient of drag when a head of a rider is in a down position is disclosed. The helmet may comprise a cushion with a concave cavity for receiving the head of the rider; a strap attached to the cushion for maintaining the cushion on the head of rider in the event of a crash; an exterior shell disposed over the cushion, the exterior shell having a leading portion with a spherical or a parabolic configuration, the leading portion positioned on a top portion of the head of the rider when the helmet is worn by the rider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventor: James Michael Felt
  • Patent number: 9120519
    Abstract: An aerodynamically shaped seat post fabricated from carbon fiber is mountable to a seat tube by placing left and right bushings within the hollow center of the seat post. These bushings are accessible and engageable to left and right bolts when the desired height of the seat post is reached. In particular, the left and right bolts are fed through left and right holes formed in the seat tube. The seat post has left and right elongate slots which provide access to the bushings, and more particularly, to the threaded holes of the bushings so that the left and right bolts may engage those threaded holes and clamp the left and right sidewalls of the seat post and the left and right sidewalls of the seat tube together, respectively. This seat post mount eliminates stress concentrations to the seat post. Moreover, the seat post is not clamped down with opposed forces placed on the left and right sidewalls of the seat post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventor: Jeff Soucek
  • Publication number: 20150191211
    Abstract: An aerodynamic straw and a straw mount for selectively positioning the aerodynamic straw is disclosed. In this manner, a mouthpiece of the straw can be optimally positioned so that the rider need only move his or her head slightly to bite down on the mouthpiece and hydrate him or herself during a ride. In this manner, the rider can maintain the aerodynamic tucked in position while riding a road bicycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Applicant: FELT RACING, LLC
    Inventor: Anton A. Petrov
  • Publication number: 20140252745
    Abstract: An aerodynamically shaped seat post fabricated from carbon fiber is mountable to a seat tube by placing left and right bushings within the hollow center of the seat post. These bushings are accessible and engageable to left and right bolts when the desired height of the seat post is reached. In particular, the left and right bolts are fed through left and right holes formed in the seat tube. The seat post has left and right elongate slots which provide access to the bushings, and more particularly, to the threaded holes of the bushings so that the left and right bolts may engage those threaded holes and clamp the left and right sidewalls of the seat post and the left and right sidewalls of the seat tube together, respectively. This seat post mount eliminates stress concentrations to the seat post. Moreover, the seat post is not clamped down with opposed forces placed on the left and right sidewalls of the seat post.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: FELT RACING, LLC
    Inventor: Jeff Soucek
  • Publication number: 20140190775
    Abstract: The brake disclosed herein provides a linear brake kinematic over a wide range of wheel rim sizes. The brake provides for the same brake feel and response to the rider throughout actuation of the brake lever. Also, the brake feel and response may be designed to be the same even if a different wheel rim size is mounted to the bicycle. In an aspect of the brake, this is accomplished by forming a curved configuration, namely, a cam profile on upper portions of left and right brake arms. These upper portions of the left and right brake arms extend away from the wheel so that the cam profiles formed in the upper portions of the left and right brake arms may be made as long as necessary to accommodate the wide range of rim sizes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: FELT RACING, LLC
    Inventors: Leonard Paul Short, John Paul Schmider, Jonathan Paul Loudon
  • Patent number: 8727436
    Abstract: A bicycle seat clamp assembly is disclosed herein which comprises upper and lower members to provide a vertical clamping force to the rails of a seat to attach a seat to the seat post. The upper and lower members are actuated by a horizontal fastening device which can be tightened or loosened with one hand. The bicycle seat clamp assembly provides for fine tuning of a front to back angular tilt as preferred by the user. Moreover, the seat post can be rotated to the forward direction or the rearward direction to increase a front to back adjustment range of the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventor: Brendan Connors
  • Patent number: 8702116
    Abstract: An aerodynamically shaped seat post fabricated from carbon fiber is mountable to a seat tube by placing left and right bushings within the hollow center of the seat post. These bushings are accessible and engageable to left and right bolts when the desired height of the seat post is reached. In particular, the left and right bolts are fed through left and right holes formed in the seat tube. The seat post has left and right elongate slots which provide access to the bushings, and more particularly, to the threaded holes of the bushings so that the left and right bolts may engage those threaded holes and clamp the left and right sidewalls of the seat post and the left and right sidewalls of the seat tube together, respectively. This seat post mount eliminates stress concentrations to the seat post. Moreover, the seat post is not clamped down with opposed forces placed on the left and right sidewalls of the seat post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventor: Jeff Soucek
  • Patent number: 8540268
    Abstract: An aerodynamically shaped seat post fabricated from carbon fiber is mountable to a seat tube by placing left and right bushings within the hollow center of the seat post. These bushings are accessible and engageable to left and right bolts when the desired height of the seat post is reached. In particular, the left and right bolts are fed through left and right holes formed in the seat tube. The seat post has left and right elongate slots which provide access to the bushings, and more particularly, to the threaded holes of the bushings so that the left and right bolts may engage those threaded holes and clamp the left and right sidewalls of the seat post and the left and right sidewalls of the seat tube together, respectively. This seat post mount eliminates stress concentrations to the seat post. Moreover, the seat post is not clamped down with opposed forces placed on the left and right sidewalls of the seat post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventor: Jeff Soucek
  • Patent number: 8356828
    Abstract: An aerodynamic braking system is disclosed herein. In particular, the brake arms may define an aerodynamic leading portion or edge and may be integrated into the legs of the front fork. Also, the brake arms may be disposed behind the bottom bracket shell to take the rear brake out of the air flow path and reduce aerodynamic drag. The rear brake arms are tapered so that the brake arms remain sufficient stiff to provide sufficient brake response times. The rear brake arms may be matched to recesses formed on an underside of chain stays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Bell, Timothy Saul Lane, William Duehring, James Michael Felt, Jeffrey A. Soucek, David Tyson Buckenberger
  • Patent number: 8261859
    Abstract: A self-propelled trailer may be attached to a bicycle. The speed of the trailer is adjusted based on a signal from a force gauge which indicates whether the bicycle is pulling the trailer or the trailer is pushing the bicycle. In the former situation, the force gauge indicates a tensile load, and in the latter situation, the force gauge indicates a compressive load. Based on the feedback from the force gauge, the speed of the motor attached to the self-propelled trailer is adjusted so that the trailer and bicycle are moving at the same speed or the bicycle is pulling the trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventor: William K. Duehring
  • Patent number: 8256543
    Abstract: A bicycle may tow a trailer for the purposes of carrying a heavy or large object across great distances. A motor may be mounted to the trailer which drives a rear wheel of the bicycle. To this end, a transmission is added to the rear hub of the bicycle which is mechanically coupled to the output shaft of the motor. When the trailer is detached or not used in conjunction with the bicycle, the rider does not have to carry the weight of the motor. Also, this setup provides a stable configuration since the bicycle is pulling the trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventor: William K. Duehring
  • Patent number: 8220815
    Abstract: The bicycle may have a frame and a seat post. A cross section of the seat post may have an airfoil shape wherein a leading surface is sharper (i.e. less round) compared to prior art airfoil shaped bicycle frames. Additionally, a maximum thickness of the airfoil shape may be located more rearward compared to prior art airfoil shaped bicycle frames and bicycle front forks. This configuration may provide for a reduction in drag. A battery pack may be mounted to a rear side of the seat post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventors: David Tyson Buckenberger, Jeffrey A. Soucek
  • Patent number: 8079609
    Abstract: An aerodynamic braking system is disclosed herein. In particular, the brake arms may define an aerodynamic leading portion or edge and may be integrated into the legs of the front fork. Also, the brake arms may be disposed behind the bottom bracket shell to take the rear brake out of the air flow path and reduce aerodynamic drag. The rear brake arms are tapered so that the brake arms remain sufficient stiff to provide sufficient brake response times. The rear brake arms may be matched to recesses formed on an underside of chain stays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Bell, Timothy Saul Lane, William Duehring, James Michael Felt, Jeffrey A. Soucek, David Tyson Buckenberger
  • Patent number: 8056657
    Abstract: A bicycle may tow a trailer for the purposes of carrying a heavy or large object across great distances. A motor may be mounted to the trailer which drives a rear wheel of the bicycle. To this end, a transmission is added to the rear hub of the bicycle which is mechanically coupled to the output shaft of the motor. When the trailer is detached or not used in conjunction with the bicycle, the rider does not have to carry the weight of the motor. Also, this setup provides a stable configuration since the bicycle is pulling the trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventor: William K. Duehring
  • Patent number: 7976045
    Abstract: A bicycle front end assembly is provided which is configured to reduce aerodynamic drag. In particular, an axis shaft of a fork may be mounted to a head tube of a bicycle frame. A fork head may be disposed in front of the head tube for providing a front end assembly which is aerodynamically configured while providing an increased moment of inertia compared with traditional designs to reduce drag of the bicycle and increase steering stiffness. Also, the handlebar may be attached to the fork head such that when the bicycle is steered to the left, the fork head is rotated toward the left and when the bicycle is steered to the right, the fork head is rotated toward the right. In this manner, the fork head is alignable to the travel direction of the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventor: Timothy Saul Lane
  • Patent number: 7967315
    Abstract: The bicycle may have a frame and a front fork. A cross section of the frame or the front fork may have an airfoil shape wherein a leading surface is sharper (i.e. less round) compared to prior art airfoil shaped bicycle front forks and bicycle frames. Additionally, a maximum thickness of the airfoil shape may be located more rearward compared to prior art airfoil shaped bicycle frames and bicycle front forks. This configuration provides for a reduction in drag for headwind speeds of about twenty (20) to thirty (30) miles per hour and headwind angles of plus or minus fifteen (15) degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Soucek, David Tyson Buckenberger
  • Patent number: 7963540
    Abstract: A bicycle front end assembly is provided which is configured to reduce aerodynamic drag. In particular, an axis shaft of a fork may be mounted to a head tube of a bicycle frame. A fork head may be disposed in front of the head tube for providing a front end assembly which is aerodynamically configured while providing an increased moment of inertia compared with traditional designs to reduce drag of the bicycle and increase steering stiffness. Also, the handlebar may be attached to the fork head such that when the bicycle is steered to the left, the fork head is rotated toward the left and when the bicycle is steered to the right, the fork head is rotated toward the right. In this manner, the fork head is alignable to the travel direction of the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventor: Timothy Saul Lane
  • Patent number: D774980
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventor: William Duehring
  • Patent number: D802487
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC
    Inventor: Anton A. Petrov