Patents by Inventor CHRIS SHIPMAN

CHRIS SHIPMAN 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).

  • Patent number: 10435111
    Abstract: A bicycle rear derailleur has a base member mountable to a bicycle frame, a movable member movably coupled to the base member, a chain guide assembly rotatably connected to the movable member for rotation about a rotational axis, a biasing element configured and arranged to bias the chain guide assembly for rotation in a first rotational direction with respect to the movable member, and a fluid damper having a fluid cavity containing a volume of fluid. The fluid damper is operatively disposed between the chain guide assembly and the movable member to apply a damping force to the chain guide assembly when the chain guide assembly rotates in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction. The fluid damper has a compensation device in fluid communication with the fluid cavity and is configured to accommodate a change in the volume of fluid in the fluid cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Shipman, Brian Jordan
  • Patent number: 10358180
    Abstract: A seat post assembly for a bicycle has a first tube with a first distal end and a second tube with a second distal end. The first and second tubes are movable relative to one another to establish a distance between the first and second distal ends. A first pressure chamber has a loaded pressure proportional to a load applied along the tube axis. A second pressure chamber has a second pressure not proportional to the load. A flow path connects the first and second pressure chambers. A valve is disposed along the flow path and is configured to move between a closed position closing the flow path and an open position opening the flow path between the first and second pressure chambers. An isolator of the valve is configured to nullify any resultant force produced by the loaded pressure of the first pressure chamber acting on the isolator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Shipman, Brian Jordan
  • Publication number: 20180273139
    Abstract: A bicycle rear derailleur has a base member mountable to a bicycle frame, a movable member movably coupled to the base member, a chain guide assembly rotatably connected to the movable member for rotation about a rotational axis, a biasing element configured and arranged to bias the chain guide assembly for rotation in a first rotational direction with respect to the movable member, and a fluid damper having a fluid cavity containing a volume of fluid. The fluid damper is operatively disposed between the chain guide assembly and the movable member to apply a damping force to the chain guide assembly when the chain guide assembly rotates in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction. The fluid damper has a compensation device in fluid communication with the fluid cavity and is configured to accommodate a change in the volume of fluid in the fluid cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: CHRIS SHIPMAN, BRIAN JORDAN
  • Publication number: 20180186419
    Abstract: A seat post assembly for a bicycle has a first tube with a first distal end and a second tube with a second distal end. The first and second tubes are movable relative to one another to establish a distance between the first and second distal ends. A first pressure chamber has a loaded pressure proportional to a load applied along the tube axis. A second pressure chamber has a second pressure not proportional to the load. A flow path connects the first and second pressure chambers. A valve is disposed along the flow path and is configured to move between a closed position closing the flow path and an open position opening the flow path between the first and second pressure chambers. An isolator of the valve is configured to nullify any resultant force produced by the loaded pressure of the first pressure chamber acting on the isolator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: CHRIS SHIPMAN, BRIAN JORDAN