Patents by Inventor Christopher Shipman
Christopher 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: 9663184Abstract: A hydraulically actuated rim brake with a pair of brake arms. Both brake arms may rotate about a common axis, which is the axis of a single bolt that mounts the assembly to the bicycle. The system has one piston slidably disposed in a piston cylinder. The piston's cylinder may be formed in one of the two brake arms. Actuation of the piston in the cylinder causes movement of both brake arms.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2011Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: SRAM, LLCInventors: Brian Jordan, Christopher Shipman, Neil Swanson
-
Patent number: 9593736Abstract: A control assembly for an in-line bicycle shock absorber can include a control member rotatably mounted to a housing of the shock absorber, the control member having an interior bore, and with one end of the bore being closed and another end of the bore being open. The control assembly also includes a piston slidably mounted within the interior bore of the control member. The control member is rotated to adjust a first characteristic of the shock absorber and the piston is displaced within the interior bore to adjust a second characteristic of the shock absorber.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2011Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: SRAM, LLCInventors: Brian Jordan, Steven Olds, Christopher Shipman, Kevin Wesling
-
Publication number: 20160288878Abstract: An electronic rear derailleur for a bicycle, includes a base member for attachment to a frame member of the bicycle, and a movable member having a cage assembly attached thereto. The electronic rear derailleur may also include a linkage coupling the movable member to the base member and configured to permit movement of the movable member relative to the base member, and a motor positioned at the movable member, the motor configured to operate the linkage to move the movable member relative to the base member.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2016Publication date: October 6, 2016Inventors: Christopher Shipman, Brian Jordan
-
Patent number: 9446813Abstract: A bicycle shifter for pulling and releasing a control cable connected to a gear change mechanism mountable at or near an end of the handlebar that returns to a neutral position after each shift operation to decrease aerodynamic drag encountered by the rider. The shifter includes a takeup member, a control mechanism, a holding mechanism and a return assembly. The takeup member is rotatable about a shift axis for winding and unwinding the control cable thereon in a cable-pull direction and a cable-release direction. The control mechanism is movable in a first direction to rotate the takeup member in the cable-pull direction and in a second direction to rotate the takeup member in the cable-release direction. The holding mechanism retains the takeup member in a selected position and the return assembly returns the control mechanism to the neutral position after each shift operation.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2006Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: SRAM, LLCInventors: Christopher Shipman, Kevin Wesling
-
Patent number: 9394030Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides an electromechanical rear derailleur for a bicycle including a base member that is configured to be coupled to a frame member of a bicycle. The derailleur includes a movable member and a link mechanism that movably couples the movable member to the base member. A motor is positioned at the movable member to move the movable member.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2012Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: SRAM, LLCInventors: Christopher Shipman, Brian Jordan
-
Publication number: 20160046352Abstract: A bicycle rear derailleur includes a base member mountable to a bicycle frame. A movable member is movably coupled to the base member. A chain guide assembly is rotatably connected to the movable member for rotation about a rotation axis. A biasing element is configured to bias the chain guide assembly for rotation in a first rotational direction with respect to the movable member. A damper assembly 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 damper assembly includes a one-way roller clutch assembly disposed coaxially about the rotational axis and a friction unit extending circumferentially over a circumferential angle coaxially about the rotational axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2014Publication date: February 18, 2016Inventors: Christopher Shipman, Brian Jordan
-
Publication number: 20150284049Abstract: A bicycle control assembly for operating an electromechanical gear shifting device. The assembly includes a graspable housing mountable to the bicycle. A first operating member is movably connected to the housing. The assembly includes an electrical switch. A controller is in communication with the electrical switch and is configured to generate a signal to change a shift position of the gear shifting device responsive to an input from the electrical switch. An antenna is on the first operating member and in communication with the controller to send the signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2014Publication date: October 8, 2015Applicant: SRAM, LLCInventors: Christopher Shipman, Matthew C. Morris
-
Publication number: 20150111675Abstract: An electromechanical rear derailleur is provided for a bicycle, including a base member for attachment to the bicycle bicycle along a mounting axis. A movable member has a cage assembly attached thereto. A linkage is provided including pivot axes oriented substantially perpendicular to the mounting axis, the linkage coupling the movable member to the base member and operative to enable movement of the movable member relative to the base member in a direction substantially parallel to the mounting axis. A power source powers an electric motor connected thereto and a transmission is coupled to and actuated by the motor to move the movable member.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2013Publication date: April 23, 2015Applicant: SRAM, LLCInventors: Christopher Shipman, Brian Jordan
-
Patent number: 8863611Abstract: A bicycle control device includes a lever for actuating a brake control mechanism and a shift control mechanism in a cable-release direction and a cable-pull direction. The lever is rotatable about a brake axis to actuate the brake control mechanism and rotatable about a shift axis to actuate the shift control mechanism in the cable-release direction and in the cable-pull direction. The bicycle control device is configured to not displace the shift control mechanism upon actuation of the brake control mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2008Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: SRAM, LLCInventors: Brian Jordan, Christopher Shipman
-
Publication number: 20140114538Abstract: An electromechanical front gear changer for a bicycle is provided, the bicycle having a chain, including a base member attachable to the bicycle. A linkage is movably coupled to the base member. A chain guide is movably coupled to the linkage for contacting the chain. A motor is supported by the base member. A gear transmission is driven by the motor to move the linkage. A CPU is provided for controlling the motor and a power supply is supported by the base member to power the motor and the CPU.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2013Publication date: April 24, 2014Applicant: SRAM, LLCInventors: Christopher Shipman, Brian Jordan, Mark Santurbane, Henry Tsao
-
Publication number: 20140087901Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides an electromechanical rear derailleur for a bicycle including a base member that is configured to be coupled to a frame member of a bicycle. The derailleur includes a movable member and a link mechanism that movably couples the movable member to the base member. A motor is positioned at the movable member to move the movable member.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2012Publication date: March 27, 2014Applicant: SRAM, LLCInventors: Christopher Shipman, Brian Jordan
-
Patent number: 8448761Abstract: A valve mechanism for a gas spring suspension system that equalizes the gas between positive and negative gas chambers when the pressure in the negative gas chamber exceeds the pressure in the positive gas chamber. The suspension system includes a tube, a piston assembly slidably displaceable along the tube and a valve mechanism. The piston assembly separates the tube into the positive gas chamber and the negative gas chamber. The valve mechanism is configured to permit gas flow between the positive and negative gas chambers when the gas pressure in the negative gas chamber exceeds the gas pressure in the positive gas chamber.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2006Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: SRAM, LLCInventors: Christopher Shipman, John Cheever, Michael Nono
-
Publication number: 20130112510Abstract: A hydraulically actuated rim brake with a pair of brake arms. Both brake arms may rotate about a common axis, which is the axis of a single bolt that mounts the assembly to the bicycle. The system has one piston slidably disposed in a piston cylinder. The piston's cylinder may be formed in one of the two brake arms. Actuation of the piston in the cylinder causes movement of both brake arms.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2011Publication date: May 9, 2013Applicant: SRAM, LLCInventors: Brian Jordan, Christopher Shipman, Neil Swanson
-
Publication number: 20120235332Abstract: A control assembly for an in-line bicycle shock absorber can include a control member rotatably mounted to a housing of the shock absorber, the control member having an interior bore, and with one end of the bore being closed and another end of the bore being open. The control assembly also includes a piston slidably mounted within the interior bore of the control member. The control member is rotated to adjust a first characteristic of the shock absorber and the piston is displaced within the interior bore to adjust a second characteristic of the shock absorber.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2011Publication date: September 20, 2012Applicant: SRAM, LLCInventors: Brian Jordan, Steven Olds, Christopher Shipman, Kevin Wesling
-
Patent number: 7988590Abstract: A pawl for controlling the rotation of a gear in a planetary gear mechanism. The pawl includes a nose and first and second pivot axes. The nose is engageable with the gear. The pawl is rotatable about the first pivot axis between a first mode permitting rotation of the gear in a first direction and a second direction and a second mode preventing rotation of the gear in the first direction. The pawl is rotatable about the second pivot axis to permit rotation of the gear in the second direction while the pawl is the second mode.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2008Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: SRAM, LLCInventors: Brian Jordan, Christopher Shipman, Kevin Wesling
-
Publication number: 20110048161Abstract: A control cable actuation device designed to be attached to a handlebar-steered vehicle frame member for a cable assembly including a control cable slidably disposed within a control cable housing. The actuation device includes a cable adjuster attachable to the frame member and an actuation lever configured to displace one end of the control cable. The cable adjuster is configured to receive the control cable and to axially displace to slidably displace the cable within the cable housing under cable adjustment. The lever is rotatably attached to the cable adjuster about a first axis to slidably displace the cable within the cable housing under cable actuation. The lever is also configured to rotate about a second axis to axially displace the cable adjuster to slidably displace the cable within the cable housing under cable adjustment.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2009Publication date: March 3, 2011Applicant: SRAM, LLCInventor: CHRISTOPHER SHIPMAN
-
Patent number: 7870936Abstract: A bicycle suspension system including a travel adjustment apparatus. The bicycle suspension system includes a piston tube and a piston assembly slidably disposed in the piston tube forming a shock-absorbing mechanism. The piston assembly is in contact with the piston tube. The travel adjustment apparatus includes first and second fluid chambers, a fluid valve mechanism for controlling fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers, and an actuating assembly operatively connected to the fluid valve mechanism operable between at least two rider-selectable travel settings to operate the fluid valve mechanism between at least two valve settings corresponding to the rider-selectable travel settings.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2006Date of Patent: January 18, 2011Assignee: SRAM, LLCInventor: Christopher Shipman
-
Patent number: 7779718Abstract: A bicycle shifter for pulling and releasing a control cable connected to a gear change mechanism that includes a housing mountable to a handlebar, a takeup member, a control member, a holding mechanism and a release mechanism. The takeup member is movable for pulling the control cable in a cable-pull direction and releasing the control cable in a cable-release direction. The control member is movable in a shift direction from a rest position for a first shift movement to permit motion of the takeup member in the cable-release direction. The first shift movement corresponds to a single gear change. The control member is movable in the shift direction from the rest position for a second shift movement to move the takeup member in the cable-pull direction. The second shift movement corresponds to a plurality of gear changes. The second shift movement is greater than the first shift movement. The control member is biased toward the rest position.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2005Date of Patent: August 24, 2010Assignee: SRAM, LLCInventors: Brian Jordan, Christopher Shipman, Kevin Wesling
-
Patent number: 7712566Abstract: A bicycle transmission assembly that is mountable to a bottom bracket shell of a bicycle frame. The bicycle transmission assembly includes an input crank assembly, an output chainring, a planetary gear mechanism, a control system and a mounting system. The input crank assembly is mounted to a rotatable crank axle mounted to the bottom bracket shell. The planetary gear mechanism is mounted to the bottom bracket shell and provides a plurality of transmission paths. The planetary gear mechanism includes a sun gear, a ring gear and a locking element operatively connecting the sun gear and the ring gear. The control system is operatively connected to the planetary gear mechanism for selecting one of the transmission paths.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2008Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: SRAM, LLCInventors: Brian Jordan, Kevin Wesling, Christopher Shipman
-
Patent number: 7708295Abstract: A bicycle transmission assembly that is mountable to a bottom bracket shell of a bicycle frame. The bicycle transmission assembly includes an input crank assembly, an output chainring, a planetary gear mechanism, a control system and a mounting system. The planetary gear mechanism is mounted coaxially about an axis of the bottom bracket shell and provides a plurality of transmission paths. The control system is operatively connected to the planetary gear mechanism for selecting one of the transmission paths. The mounting system mounts the planetary gear mechanism and the control system to the bottom bracket shell. The mounting system includes at least one attachment point disposed on at least one frame boss extending radially outwardly from the bottom bracket shell. The control system is mounted nonrotatably to the at least one attachment point.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2007Date of Patent: May 4, 2010Assignee: SRAM, LLCInventors: Kevin Wesling, Christopher Shipman, Brian Jordan