Lift seat pipe switch valve structure

Abstract

The present application relates to a lifting seat pipe switch valve structure, which comprises a seat pipe, a seat rod capable of extending and retracting relative to the seat pipe, a valve group arranged in the seat rod, and a driving module arranged at the bottom of the seat pipe and capable of selectively opening and closing the valve group. A sliding chamber is arranged in the seat pipe for the seat rod to slide therein. A valve rod is arranged between the valve group and the driving module. The opening and closing of the valve group is controlled through the valve rod. The driving module comprises a motor, a rotating disc and a guide cylinder. The periphery of the rotating disc is provided with opposite cam guide edges. The linear motion of the valve rod is converted through a roller and a sleeve head structure, so as to push a valve piece to open and close a valve hole. Therefore, the present application can form a lifting seat pipe switch valve structure with simple structure, stable locking and smooth action, so as to improve the overall durability and operation stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a lifting seat post switching valve structure, which is mainly applied in the field of bicycle and electric vehicle technology. Background Technology

[0002] Bicycles are generally powered by human pedaling, making them energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. Therefore, they are commonly used as general transportation or recreational sports equipment. With advancements in vehicle technology and road improvements, their performance and quality have continuously improved. Taking the saddle as an example, to accommodate different user heights, most bicycle saddles are equipped with a saddle height adjustment device. This device is located between the seat post and seatpost, changing their relative position through linear displacement to achieve height adjustment. Based on their actuation method, existing technologies can be mainly divided into three categories: mechanical, which mainly uses a mechanical structure to change the relative height of the seat post and seatpost; the structure is simple, but the adjustment flexibility is limited; and pneumatic / hydraulic, which uses pneumatic components, hydraulic components, or both simultaneously, achieving height adjustment through the control of interconnected pneumatic and hydraulic circuits. This type of device requires the brake assembly to control the valve stem to switch between pneumatic and hydraulic circuit states.

[0003] Later, the industry developed an adjustable seatpost assembly for bicycles, such as the one with Taiwan's public notice number M475392. This assembly uses wireless transmission to control a motor to adjust the seatpost height. A control lever, driven by the motor, pushes a valve stem, causing linear displacement and switching the oil circuit connection within a valve seat. This allows the seatpost to rise or fall relative to the seatpost, achieving height adjustment. While this design avoids the problems associated with laying cables or oil lines, the cam block only contacts the valve stem on one side and bears the thrust, making it prone to misalignment and uneven force distribution. Over time, this leads to unstable valve stem operation and reduced overall reliability.

[0004] To address this, the industry has developed an improved drive module for the lifting seat post, such as the one described in Taiwan's Publication No. M671815. This improvement utilizes a motor in the drive module to rotate the track column when adjusting the seat post height. Guide rods, passing through a linear track and perforations, allow the push sleeve to move linearly, thereby pushing the valve stem's nozzle to produce linear displacement. This switches the oil circuit connection state within the valve seat, allowing the seat post to rise or fall relative to the seat post, achieving height adjustment. However, this design relies on the motor actuating the track column, followed by guide rods on both sides actuating the limiting sleeves, which in turn indirectly actuate the push sleeve to move the valve stem. The guide rods are separate, and the push sleeve is required, complicating the overall structure. Furthermore, the drive module may loosen due to vibration, causing the guide rods to wobble and shift, affecting the smoothness and stability of the operation. This reduces the reliability of the lifting switch and also decreases the overall durability and ease of operation of the lifting seat post.

[0005] Therefore, it is evident that the valve group switching control of the aforementioned existing lifting seat tube directly affects the practicality of its function and needs further improvement. Utility Model Content

[0006] The technical problem this invention aims to solve is to provide a lifting seat post switching valve structure that allows the drive module to directly actuate the valve stem of the valve assembly, effectively simplifying the structure and avoiding the complex assembly and operational errors caused by indirect mechanisms in existing technologies. This ensures that the seat post height adjustment can be performed quickly and accurately. Secondly, by using a direct drive method, it avoids the shaking and misalignment caused by uneven force on a single-sided cam or a separate guide rod, making the valve assembly more reliable when switching oil circuits and extending the service life of the overall device. Thirdly, it provides bidirectional screws at both ends of the drive module to securely lock the drive module inside the seat post, which not only improves installation convenience and fixing strength but also effectively resists vibrations generated during riding, preventing loosening and displacement, further enhancing the durability and operational safety of the lifting seat post, and overcoming the shortcomings of existing technologies.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a lifting seat tube switching valve structure, comprising: a seat tube, a seat rod, a valve assembly, and a drive module; the seat tube has a sliding chamber; the seat rod is retractable relative to the seat tube within the sliding chamber, and the seat rod has a hollow chamber; the valve assembly is disposed within the hollow chamber inside the seat rod, forming a first chamber and a second chamber within the hollow chamber; the valve assembly has a valve orifice and a valve element, the valve element selectively closing or opening the valve orifice to control... The fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber is controlled. The drive module is located at the bottom of the seat tube and is linked to the valve assembly. The drive module includes a motor, a turntable, and a guide cylinder. The turntable can be actuated by the motor, and the turntable has two opposing cam guides on its periphery for mounting a roller. The guide cylinder can be fixed inside the seat tube, and two long guide holes are formed on the guide cylinder to restrict the roller from sliding axially, so that the roller can push a valve rod, and the valve rod selectively drives the valve to open and close the valve orifice, thereby controlling the extension and retraction of the seat rod.

[0008] Preferably, the bottom of the seat tube is provided with a bottom cover, and the inner walls of the bottom cover and the opposite ends of the seat tube are respectively formed with a first internal thread segment and a second internal thread segment in opposite directions. The outer edge of the guide tube is respectively formed with a first external thread segment and a second external thread segment corresponding to the first internal thread segment and the second internal thread segment, so as to produce a bidirectional fastening effect.

[0009] Preferably, the top of the seat post has a bone for detachably assembling a pad.

[0010] Preferably, the valve assembly can generate a piston action relative to the hollow chamber of the seat rod, and when the valve rod is reset, it returns to its original position through an elastic element to close the valve orifice.

[0011] Preferably, the valve stem has a connecting section at the bottom, and a sleeve is fixed to the connecting section. The sleeve has an inverted U-shaped notch for holding the roller, so that the valve stem moves synchronously with the displacement of the roller.

[0012] Preferably, the top of the guide tube is provided with a protrusion, the periphery of the protrusion is provided with at least one flow channel, and a pressure relief pad is fitted on the outer edge of the protrusion. The surface of the pressure relief pad has at least one lip to provide pressure release function during the operation of the valve stem.

[0013] Preferably, the top surface of the protrusion is provided with a buffer pad, which is used to withstand the impact when the seat rod is pressed down, so as to avoid wear of the parts.

[0014] Preferably, the guide cylinder has a relatively flat tangent formed on the outer periphery corresponding to the long guide hole to improve the smoothness of the roller movement.

[0015] Preferably, a connecting pipe is provided between the valve assembly and the drive module, and the valve stem can slide within the connecting pipe.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: Through the specific implementation of the above-mentioned technical means, the drive module adopts a linear pushing linkage design of the guide cylinder, the turntable, the roller and the valve stem. At the same time, the cam guide edge of the turntable and the pushing mechanism formed by the single roller can effectively simplify the structure and can stably convert the rotational motion into linear displacement, ensuring that the stroke of the valve stem when opening and closing the valve is controllable. Furthermore, it will not cause loosening or jamming, which can effectively improve its practicality and greatly enhance its added value and economic benefits.

[0017] The following is a further detailed description of this work in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a side view sectional diagram of the lifting seat tube switch valve structure of this creation.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional exploded diagram of the drive module in the lifting seat tube switching valve structure of this creation.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a partial side view sectional diagram of the drive module in the lifting seat tube switching valve structure of this work.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the lifting action of the drive module opening the valve group in the structure of the lifting seat tube switch valve of this creation.

[0022] Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the descent action of the drive module closing the valve group in the structure of the lifting seat tube switch valve of this invention.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a partial side view of the valve assembly before its operation in the lifting seat valve structure of this invention.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a partial side view of the valve assembly after it opens in the lifting seat valve structure of this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The detailed structure of the lifting seat valve in this work is as follows: Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, it comprises a seat tube 10, a seat rod 20 that can extend and retract relative to the seat tube 10, a valve assembly 30 disposed inside the seat rod 20, and a drive module 50 disposed at the bottom of the seat tube 10 and capable of selectively switching the valve assembly 30.

[0026] The seat tube 10 has a sliding chamber 11 inside (e.g.) Figure 1 As shown, the seat rod 20 slides within the sliding chamber 11 and extends and retracts relative to the seat tube 10. The bottom of the seat tube 10 is locked together with the drive module 50 through a bottom cover 15. The inner walls of the opposite ends of the seat tube 10 and the bottom cover 15 are respectively formed with a first internal thread section 12 and a second internal thread section 16, wherein the first and second internal thread sections (12, 16) are reverse threads, so that the drive module 50 can remain locked when vibrating due to forward and reverse operation.

[0027] The top of the seat rod 20 has a bone 21 for detachably assembling a pad (not shown). The seat rod 20 has a hollow chamber 22 for relative sliding of the valve assembly 30. The hollow chamber 22 is divided into a first chamber 23 and a second chamber 24 by the valve assembly 30, and the relative volumes of the first chamber 23 and the second chamber 24 can be changed by the opening and closing action of the valve assembly 30. Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown.

[0028] The valve assembly 30 can generate a piston action relative to the hollow chamber 22 of the seat rod 20. The valve assembly 30 has a valve hole 31 that can connect the first chamber 23 and the second chamber 24, and the valve assembly 30 has a valve element 32 that can selectively close the valve hole 31. There is a connecting pipe 35 between the valve assembly 30 and the drive module 50, and a valve rod 36 that can be actuated by the drive module 50 is slidably disposed in the connecting pipe 35, so that the valve rod 36 can selectively push the valve element 32 to open and close the valve hole 31 of the valve assembly 30. Furthermore, the valve assembly 30 is provided with an elastic element 38 that can be reset after the valve rod 36 is actuated. The bottom of the aforementioned valve rod 36 has a connecting section 361 for fixing a sleeve 37, and the sleeve 37 has a downward-opening socket 371.

[0029] The drive module 50 comprises at least a motor 51, a turntable 52, and a guide cylinder 55. The motor 51 is fixed to the bottom of the base cover 15 and has an upwardly extending output shaft 511. The turntable 52 is fixed to the output shaft 511 in a linked manner and is located inside the guide cylinder 55. The turntable 52 has two opposing cam guide flanges 53 around an axis. A roller 54 perpendicular to the axis and capable of pushing the valve stem 36 is spaced between the two cam guide flanges 53 of the turntable 52, allowing the valve stem 36 to utilize... The insert 371 of the sleeve 37 is constrained on the roller 54, so that the roller 54 can synchronously push the valve stem 36 when it moves up and down. The guide cylinder 55 has a shaft hole 550 for the valve stem 36 to slide through. Furthermore, a first external thread section 551 and a second external thread section 552 are formed at both ends of the outer diameter of the guide cylinder 55, respectively. The first and second external thread sections (551, 552) are reverse threads and correspond to the first and second internal thread sections (12, 16) respectively, so that the guide cylinder 55 is locked to the seat tube 10 and the bottom cover 15. The guide cylinder 55 provides a bidirectional fastening effect, preventing it from rotating or loosening due to vibration. The outer periphery of the guide cylinder 55 has two opposing flat surfaces 555, and each of these surfaces has a long guide hole 56 for the rollers 54 on the turntable 52 to pass through and slide synchronously, improving the smoothness of their movement. Since the guide cylinder 55 is fixed to the seat tube 10, when the turntable 52 is driven by the motor 51, the rollers 54 are restricted from rotation and can only move up and down along the long guide holes 56. The guide tube 55 has a protrusion 57 at its top for the valve stem 36 to pass through, and the periphery of the protrusion 57 has a plurality of flow channels 571. A pressure relief pad 58 is fitted on the outer edge of the protrusion 57. The upper and lower surfaces of the pressure relief pad 58 have a plurality of protruding lips 581, which can cooperate with the flow channels 571 of the protrusion 57 to produce a pressure relief effect. The top surface of the protrusion 57 of the guide tube 55 has a buffer pad 59 for the valve stem 36 to pass through, so as to withstand the impact of the seat rod 20. This constitutes a simple structure and a smooth and stable lifting seat tube switch valve structure.

[0030] In the specific implementation of this creation, such as Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, in operation, when the drive module 50 starts working, its internal motor 51 starts and drives the output shaft 511 to rotate. Since the output shaft 511 is fixedly connected to the turntable 52, the turntable 52 rotates synchronously. This causes the two side cam guides 53 formed around the turntable 52 to generate periodic up-and-down cam motion relative to the roller 54 during rotation. The two ends of the roller 54 are restricted by the long guide hole 56 of the guide cylinder 55, so they cannot rotate with the turntable 52 and can only slide up and down along the long guide hole 56. This converts the rotational motion of the turntable 52 into a pushing force in the up-and-down direction of the roller 54. When the roller 54 is pushed upward with the rotation of the turntable 52, the sleeve 37 connected to it will synchronously drive the valve stem 36 to move upward (e.g. Figure 4 As shown in the image. At this time, as... Figure 7 As shown, the valve stem 36 pushes the valve member 32 of the valve assembly 30, opening the valve port 31 and connecting the first chamber 23 and the second chamber 24 within the hollow chamber 22 of the seat rod 20. This allows hydraulic or pneumatic pressure to flow between the first and second chambers (23, 24), achieving a switching state of extension and retraction of the seat rod 20. For example, the rider's own weight can be used to press down on the seat rod 20 to retract it, compressing the space of the first chamber 23 and generating a restoring force to lower the seat height. After releasing the downward pressure on the seat rod 20, the pressure in the first chamber 23 can enter the second chamber 24 through the valve port 31, causing the seat rod 20 to rise and return, thus increasing the seat height.

[0031] Conversely, when the motor 51 of the drive module 50 actuates the turntable 52 to reverse, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the cam guide edge 53 of the turntable 52 can reverse the direction to cause the roller 54 to descend from the high point of the long guide hole 56 of the guide cylinder 55, so that the valve stem 36 moves down under the restoring action of the elastic member 38. At this time, the valve member 32 of the valve assembly 30 returns to the closed position under the action of the second chamber 24, so that the valve hole 31 is sealed, and the passage between the first chamber 23 and the second chamber 24 in the seat rod 20 is blocked, so that the pressure state in the hollow chamber 22 of the seat rod 20 is fixed, ensuring that the seat rod 20 maintains its current extension and retraction position without being affected by external forces or vibrations.

[0032] Furthermore, since the guide cylinder 55 is interlocked with the first and second external threaded sections (551, 552) of the seat tube 10 and the first and second internal threaded sections (12, 16) of the bottom cover 15, and has a reverse thread structure, the guide cylinder 55 remains stable and does not loosen even when the motor 51 rotates forward and backward or when the seat rod 20 vibrates. In addition, the cooperation between the protrusion 57 and the pressure relief pad 58 can release excessive pressure during the operation of the valve stem 36, while the buffer pad 59 can withstand the impact of the seat rod 20, ensuring the smooth operation of the overall structure.

[0033] As can be seen from the aforementioned structural and operational descriptions, this invention utilizes the linear push-linkage design of the guide cylinder 55, the turntable 52, the roller 54, and the valve stem 36 in the drive module 50, eliminating the inconvenience of requiring additional complex parts in traditional mechanisms. Simultaneously, the push mechanism formed by the cam guide edge 53 of the turntable 52 and the single roller 54 can stably convert rotational motion into linear displacement, ensuring that the stroke of the valve stem 36 when opening and closing the valve 32 is controllable and the response is precise, preventing loosening or jamming. Furthermore, the protrusion 57 at the top of the guide cylinder 55, combined with the convex lip 581 of the pressure relief pad 58, can release pressure in real time when the internal pressure is too high, preventing the valve 32 or valve stem 36 from wearing out due to long-term overpressure. At the same time, the buffer pad 59 can effectively absorb the impact force generated during the extension and retraction of the seat rod 20, reducing component wear and extending the overall service life, thus effectively improving its practicality.

Claims

1. A lifting seat tube switching valve structure, comprising: a seat tube, a rod, a valve assembly, and a drive module; characterized in that: The seat tube has a sliding chamber; the seat rod is retractable relative to the seat tube within the sliding chamber, and the seat rod has a hollow chamber; the valve assembly is disposed within the hollow chamber inside the seat rod, forming a first chamber and a second chamber; the valve assembly has a valve orifice and a valve element, the valve element selectively closing or opening the valve orifice to control fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber; the drive module is disposed at the bottom of the seat tube and is linked to the valve assembly; the drive module includes a motor, a turntable, and a guide cylinder, wherein the turntable is actuated by the motor, and the turntable has two opposing cam guide flanges on its periphery for mounting a roller; the guide cylinder is fixed inside the seat tube, and two long guide holes are formed on the guide cylinder to restrict the roller from sliding axially, allowing the roller to push a valve rod, which selectively drives the valve element to open or close the valve orifice, thereby controlling the extension and retraction of the seat rod.

2. The lifting seat tube switching valve structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the seat tube is provided with a bottom cover, and the inner wall of the bottom cover and the opposite end of the seat tube are respectively formed with a first internal thread section and a second internal thread section in opposite directions. The outer edge of the guide tube is respectively formed with a first external thread section and a second external thread section corresponding to the first internal thread section and the second internal thread section, so as to produce a bidirectional fastening effect.

3. The lifting seat tube switching valve structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the seat post has a bone for detachably assembling a pad.

4. The lifting seat tube switching valve structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The valve assembly can generate a piston action relative to the hollow chamber of the seat rod, and when the valve rod is reset, it returns to its original position through an elastic element to close the valve orifice.

5. The lifting seat tube switching valve structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The valve stem has a connecting section at its bottom, and a sleeve is fixed to the connecting section. The sleeve has an inverted U-shaped notch for holding the roller, so that the valve stem moves synchronously with the displacement of the roller.

6. The lifting seat tube switching valve structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the guide tube is provided with a protrusion, the periphery of which is provided with at least one flow channel, and a pressure relief pad is fitted on the outer edge of the protrusion. The surface of the pressure relief pad has at least one lip to provide pressure release function during the operation of the valve stem.

7. The lifting seat tube switching valve structure as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The top surface of the protrusion is provided with a buffer pad, which is used to withstand the impact when the seat rod is pressed down, so as to avoid wear of the parts.

8. The lifting seat tube switching valve structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The guide tube has a relatively flat tangent formed on the outer periphery corresponding to the long guide hole to improve the smoothness of the roller movement.

9. The lifting seat tube switching valve structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that: A connecting pipe is provided between the valve assembly and the drive module, and the valve stem can slide within the connecting pipe.

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