Seat post assembly
A bypass device for a seating component such as an adjustable seating assembly for a bicycle may be provided to redistribute fluid preferentially by density. The bypass device may be operable to redistribute a low density compressible fluid or a mixed phase of low density compressible and high density non-compressible fluids within the seating component.
1. A seating component for a bicycle, comprising:
an upper;
a lower connected to the upper and movable relative to the upper along an axis;
a support chamber disposed between the upper and the lower;
a reservoir in selective fluid communication with the support chamber across a valve;
a spring portion configured to bias the upper apart from the lower along the axis; and
a bypass configured to provide fluid communication between the support chamber and the reservoir, the bypass comprising:
an opening disposed beyond the support chamber in a lowering direction along the axis; and
a barrier configured to facilitate flow from the opening to the valve,
wherein the valve is disposed beyond the support chamber in a raising direction along the axis.
2. The seating component of claim 1 , wherein the opening is formed in the barrier.
3. The seating component of claim 1 , further comprising a floating piston disposed between the reservoir and the spring portion and configured to seal the spring portion from the reservoir.
4. The seating component of claim 1 , wherein the support chamber is housed within the upper and the upper includes a saddle connection portion.
5. The seating component of claim 1 , wherein the opening comprises at least one of an axial orifice and a plurality of radial orifices.
6. The seating component of claim 1 , wherein the opening is formed as a non-right cylindrical section of the barrier.
7. The seating component of claim 1 , wherein the bypass passes through the spring portion.
8. The seating component of claim 1 , wherein the bypass passes through the support chamber.
9. The seating component of claim 8 , wherein the support chamber further comprises:
an upper support surface; and
a lower support surface;
and wherein the bypass passes through the upper support surface and the lower support surface.
10. The seating component of claim 9 , wherein the barrier further comprises:
an outer wall in fluid communication with the support chamber; and
an inner wall sealed from fluid communication with the support chamber when the valve is in a closed state.
11. The seating component of claim 10 , further comprising a bypass seal in sealing contact with the outer wall of the barrier, the bypass seal configured to seal the support chamber.
12. The seating component of claim 11 , wherein the bypass seal is dynamic.
13. The seating component of claim 12 , wherein the bypass seal forms a seal with a piston, the piston comprising a piston seal configured to seal the support chamber.
14. The seating component of claim 13 , wherein the piston seal is dynamic and is further configured to seal the support chamber from the spring portion.
15. A seating component for a bicycle, comprising:
an upper;
a lower connected to the upper and movable relative to the upper along an axis;
a support chamber disposed between the upper and the lower;
a reservoir in selective fluid communication with the support chamber across a valve;
a spring portion configured to bias the upper apart from the lower along the axis; and
a bypass configured to provide fluid communication between the support chamber and the reservoir, the bypass comprising:
a first opening; and
a second opening disposed beyond the support chamber in a lowering direction along the axis, wherein flow between the valve and the second opening passes through the first opening.
16. The seating component of claim 15 , further comprising a floating piston, the floating piston configured to seal the reservoir from the spring portion.
17. The seating component of claim 16 , further comprising a barrier, the barrier comprising:
an outer wall in fluid communication with the support chamber; and
an inner wall sealed from fluid communication with the support chamber when the valve is in a closed state.
18. The seating component of claim 17 , further comprising a piston, the piston comprising:
a first seal configured to dynamically seal with the outer wall of the barrier; and
a second seal configured to dynamically seal with an interior wall of the upper.
19. The seating component of claim 18 , further comprising a guide affixed to the piston, the guide comprising:
an adjustment path housed within the guide; and
an entry opening to facilitate flow between the adjustment path and the reservoir.
20. A seating component for a bicycle, comprising:
an upper;
a lower connected to the upper and movable relative to the upper along an axis;
a support chamber disposed between the upper and the lower;
a reservoir in selective fluid communication with the support chamber across a valve;
a spring portion configured to bias the upper apart from the lower along the axis; and
a flow path configured to provide fluid communication between the support chamber and the reservoir, the flow path comprising:
a first opening; and
a second opening disposed beyond the support chamber in a lowering direction along the axis, wherein flow between the valve and the second opening passes through the first opening.