US20060049675A1

US20060049675A1 - Saddle support structure

Info

Publication number: US20060049675A1
Application number: US11/119,221
Authority: US
Inventors: Massimo Fregonese; Branko Likic; Thomas Overthun; Chris Cowart
Original assignee: Selle Royal SpA
Current assignee: Selle Royal SpA
Priority date: 2002-10-01
Filing date: 2005-04-29
Publication date: 2006-03-09
Also published as: EP1551690B1; CN100503346C; AU2003267711A1; ITVI20020208A1; JP2006501099A; AU2003267711B2; EP1551690A1; US20060022496A1; CA2500161A1; PT1551690E; WO2004031025A1; US7367619B2; DE60316329T2; ATE372917T1; BR0314476A; ES2293001T3; DE60316329D1; CN1703346A; JP4444112B2

Abstract

A support structure having a seat surface, particularly for pedal operated machines, such as bicycles, comprises a substantially rigid or semi-rigid frame, means for connecting the frame to the pedal operated machine, a yieldable padding secured to the top face of the frame, a covering layer superimposed to the yieldable pad, wherein the frame has one or more differential rigidity portions, preferably adapted to facilitate the pedaling motion. The differential rigidity portions are preferably situated at an outer peripheral edge of the frame, along which at least one recess is provided. Each differential rigidity portion comprises a plurality of outwardly extending projections.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation application of PCT/IB2003/004334, filed Oct. 1, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and the application claims the benefit of Italian Priority Application No. V12002A000208, filed Oct. 1, 2002.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention finds application in the field of cycles and similar products and relates to a support structure having a seat surface for users of pedal driven machines or vehicles.

BACKGROUND

In the field of pedal driven machines, such as bicycles, tricycles, exercise bicycles, or the like, numerous examples of support structures, or saddles, are known, which are adapted to support users on a seat surface.
A saddle generally comprises a rigid structure adapted to support the body weight of the user and allows attachment of the saddle onto a bicycle or similar vehicle by suitable fastening means.
In order to reduce compression at the contact points between the seat surface and the user it is common to use elastic and/or shock absorbing elements, generally made of polymeric foam or a material having a viscous behavior, interposed between the seat surface and the rigid structure.
During pedaling, the inside thigh areas of the user repeatedly contact the side periphery of the saddle, thereby causing periodic rubbing and consequent local irritations, unless particular arrangements are provided.
A possible solution consists in reducing the extension of the rigid structure or making it partly pliable at the side edges of the saddle, said edges being mainly formed by a soft material, adapted to be elastically deformed during the pedaling activity. This allows to reduce the contact action of the side edges of the saddle on the relevant body areas but leads to other drawbacks.
A first drawback consists in that the presence of such pliable edges reduces the surface in contact with the user's body and, as a result, increases the pressure exerted by the saddle.
A second drawback associated with such pliable side edges is that they cause the rigid structure to be permanently, and often unacceptably, weakened.
One solution to reduce or avoid contacts and repeated rubbing against the inside thighs consists in using additional soft pads, placed at the side edges of the saddle.
Published U.S. Patent Application 2002/0069464 discloses an additional pad to be fitted to the outside surface of a saddle. Such additional pad consists of two substantially parallel soft tubular members, which are connected by a flexible member made of fabric or similar material. The flexible fabric member has such a size that, once it is laid over the seat surface of the saddle, the two soft tubular members are situated along the side edges of the saddle, in areas at highest contact with the inside thighs of the user.
An apparent limit of this solution lies in that the additional pad, when not properly secured, may be displaced during use, due to the motion of the legs, and is in any case a supplement member, which has to be repeatedly checked for proper positioning. Further, the use of an additional member necessarily implies a more complex construction, requires particular care in mounting operations, and greatly changes the aspect of the saddle.
PCT Publication WO 00/51877, U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,422, and British Patent No. GB 2184698 disclose several embodiments that may be all associated to the same operation principle. The saddle is of the conventional type, with a rigid structure covered with a soft material, which is designed to improve the comfort of the seat surface. Any possible rubbing against the inside thighs of the user is attenuated by appropriate swingable means for securing the saddle to the frame of the pedal operated machine. Such swingable fastening means allow the saddle to rotate through a limited angle about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the saddle. By this arrangement, during the pedaling action, the saddle may rock on the side of the pushing leg and the pressures exerted on the inside thigh are reduced.
A common drawback of all these embodiments consists in the remarkably complicated structure introduced by the used of these swingable fastening means, and by the consequent increase of construction costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A main object of this invention is to obviate the above mentioned drawbacks, by providing a support structure for a bicycle or other pedal driven machine, which is adapted to fit the muscles of the legs and buttocks, and to provide high wellness and comfort during use.
A further object of the invention is to provide a support structure which has a sufficiently wide seat surface and such a shape as to limit compression both caused by the user's weight and by the pedaling motion, which are exerted in the inside thigh areas of the user.
A particular object is to provide a support structure which fits users of different statures and sizes.
Another particular object is to provide a support structure which is cost effective and achieves the desired performance without requiring expensive additional elements or excessively complicated constructions.
Yet another particular object is to provide a support structure which is comfortable and safe even when the user stands on the pedals of the bicycle or the like.
An additional object is to provide a support structure that may be shaped in such a manner as to have a pleasant aspect.
These objects, as well as others that will be more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a support structure having a seat surface, particularly for bicycles and other pedal operated machines, comprising a substantially rigid or semi-rigid frame, means for connecting the frame to the bicycle or a pedal operated machine, a yieldable pad secured to the top face of the frame, a covering layer superimposed to said yieldable pad, characterized in that the frame has one or more portions of differential rigidity adapted to facilitate the pedaling motion.
Arising from such particular arrangement, the support structure may fit the muscles of legs and buttocks and provide a high wellness and comfort, even to users having different body sizes, and without requiring expensive additional elements or excessively complicated structures.
Preferably, the frame has at least one pair of differential rigidity portions, located at the sides, symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis, which is defined by an elongated front portion of the frame.
Arising from this configuration, the support structure will have a sufficiently wide seat surface of such shape as to limit the compressions caused by the user's weight and, at the same time, will have a local flexibility to also reduce the compressions and rubbing caused by the pedaling motion, in the inside thigh areas of the user.
Suitably, at least one differential rigidity portion is located on the rear edge of the frame.
Arising from this particular feature, the support structure is comfortable and safe, even when the user stands up on the pedals of the bicycle or the like. Also, the rear edge of the support structure may be shaped in such a manner as to be of a pleasant aspect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood from the detailed description of several preferred but non-exclusive embodiments of a support structure according to the invention, which are described by way of non-limiting examples with the aid of the annexed drawing sheets, in which:
FIG. 1 is a general partly section perspective view of a support structure according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a first embodiment of a part of the support structure shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the part shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a part of the structure shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a second embodiment of a part of the support structure according to the invention;
FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the part shown in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the part of the structure shown in FIG. 5; and
FIG. 8 is a perspective enlarged view of a detail of the structure shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With particular reference to the above mentioned figures, a support structure or saddle 1 according to the invention is shown. The support structure 1 has a seat surface 2, and is particularly designed for bicycles or other pedal driven machines e.g., exercise bicycles and tricycles.
The support structure 1 comprises a substantially rigid or semi-rigid frame 3, which is made of plastic or composite materials. For example, the frame 3 may be made by molding or injection molding of plastic materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyvinylchloride (PVC), or polyamide polymers, such as PA6 and PA12. Other similar polymers can also be used. Further, the plastic materials can be molded with different types of fillers. The frame 3 may be secured to a bicycle or a pedal driven machine by appropriate connection means 4, such as those generally known in the art. Such connection means 4 are placed on the bottom side 5 of the frame 3.
A yieldable pad 7 is secured to the top face 6 of the frame 3, to make the seat surface 2 soft and comfortable. The yieldable pad 7 may be made of a material having a substantially elastic behavior, such as a polymer foam, and/or of a material having a substantially viscoplastic behavior, e.g., a gel, or of a combination thereof.
A covering layer 8 is superimposed to the yieldable pad 7 to protect the support structure 1 and give it a pleasant aspect. This covering layer 8 may be made of several different materials, such as leather, imitation leather, and other synthetic materials, and may have a variety of colors.
The frame 3 has a laterally widened rear portion 9 for supporting the buttocks of a user and an enlongated front portion 10 that defines a longitudinal axis (L).
According to the invention, the frame 3 has one or more portions 11, 11′ of differential rigidity. Thus, it is possible to render more comfortable the pedaling motion by acting directly on the most rigid component of the support structure 1 without requiring any additional element which would complicate the product and the manufacture thereof. Further, the differential rigidity portions are useful for facilitating the pedaling motion of a user.
Suitably, the frame 3 has at least one recess 12, which is formed along an outer peripheral edge 13 of the frame. Each differential rigidity portion 11, 11′ is located in the proximity of the outer peripheral edge 13, in correspondence of a respective recess 12.
Advantageously, each differential rigidity portion 11, 11′ has a plurality of elongated projections 14 which extend outwardly from their respective recesses 12. Preferably, each of the elongated projections are substantially parallel to one another so as to form a comblike structure. Such projections 14 may be monolithic with the frame 3. Particularly, each of the projections 14 belonging to a differential rigidity portion 11, 11′ is located at a predetermined distance (H) from the other perspectives adjacent thereto, which distance may vary for each projection 14, depending on the position thereof.
The spaces between the projections 14 are advantageously filled with filling elements 15. The filling elements 15 can comprise a base element made of a plastic and/or elastomeric material, and the filling elements 15 are preferably adapted to preserve the flexibility of the projections 14 and to increase their comfort and durability. The filling elements 15 may also partly cover the projections 14, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 5.
The free ends 16 of the projections 14 are substantially aligned to define an edge 17, which is connected with the outer peripheral edge 13 of the frame 3.
Each projection 14 may have such a cross section and shape as to provide a predetermined flexural and shear strength when acted upon by a force directed both substantially normal to the seat surface 2 and along a plane substantially parallel to the seat surface 2.
Hence, each differential rigidity portion 11, 11′ contributes to support the weight acting on the seat surface 2, whose extension is not noticeably reduced due to the provision of the portions 11, 11′. Therefore, if the user's weight is distributed over a wide seat surface 2, the contact pressures are still low, which is advantageous for the overall comfort of the support structure 1. Also the flexibility of the projecting appendices 14 assists the user in his/her motion, particularly during pedaling motion.
Suitably, at least one pair of differential rigidity portions 11 is positioned symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis L at the sides of the widened rear portion 9 and/or at the junction between the widened rear portion 9 and the elongated front portion 10.
The selection of the differential rigidity portions 11 is addressed by the fact that these portions continuously can cyclically contact the inside thighs of the user during the pedaling motion.
Advantageously, the frame 3 may include at least one differential rigidity portion 11′ located on the rear edge 18 of the widened rear portion 9.
The differential rigidity portion 11′ provides a higher flexibility rear portion, which is advantageous when the user stands on the pedals of the bicycle or a similar product. Particularly, in order to run through steep descents or avoid obstacles, mountain-bike users would rather take a backwardly unbalanced, standing position on the pedals, or have their body only supported at the rear edge 18 of the widened rear portion 9. In such a position, any desired contact or accidental shock against the rear edge 18 is less traumatic and dangerous thanks to the differential rigidity portion 11′.
Further, the differential rigidity portion 11′ on the rear edge 18 does not cause any weakening of the frame 3 and allows to shape the rear edge 18 as desired, and to confer it a pleasant aspect.
For a higher comfort of the support structure 1, the yieldable pad 7 may have such a size as to extend wholly or partly above the differential rigidity portions 11, 11′. Also, for aesthetic and protection purposes, the covering layer 8 may also have such an extension as to wholly or partly cover the differential rigidity portions 11, 11′.
The above description clearly shows that the support structure of the invention allows to achieve the proposed objects and that particularly the presence of the differential rigidity portions at the sides of the widened rear portion and/or at the junction between the widened rear portion and the elongated front portion provides the double advantage of making easier the pedaling motion, by improving the contact between the support structure and the inside thighs of the user, and of maintaining a wide seat surface, without weakening the frame or increasing the pressures exerted on the user.
The support structure according to the invention is susceptible to numerous modifications and changes falling within the inventive concept disclosed in the appended claims. All the details thereof may be replaced by other technical equivalents, and the materials may vary depending on different needs without departing from the scope of the invention.
While the support structure has been described with particular reference to the accompanying figures, the numerals referred to in the disclosure are only used for the sake of a better intelligibility of the invention and shall not be intended to limit the claimed scope in any manner.

Claims

1. A support structure having a seat surface and being adaptable for attachment to a pedal operated machine, said support structure comprising:

a substantially rigid or semi-rigid frame having a top face,

means for securing said frame to said pedal operated machine,

a yieldable pad secured to said top face of said frame, and

a covering layer superimposed to said yieldable pad,

wherein said frame comprises one or more differential rigidity portions.

2. Support structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pedal operated machine is selected from the group consisting of bicycles, tricycles, and exercise bicycles.

3. Support structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one or more differential rigidity portions are adapted to facilitate a pedaling motion by a user.

4. Support structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one or more differential rigidity portions are located in the proximity of an outer peripheral edge of said frame.

5. Support structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein said frame further comprises at least one recess formed along said outer peripheral edge of said frame.

6. Support structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein said one or more differential rigidity portions comprise a plurality of elongated projections.

7. Support structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein said elongated projections extend outwards from said at least one recess formed along said outer peripheral edge of said frame.

8. Support structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein said elongated projections extend substantially parallel to one another so as to form a comblike structure.

9. Support structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of said elongated projections are located at a predetermined distance from the remaining projections adjacent thereto, said predetermined distance forming a space between said elongated projections.

10. Support structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein said predetermined distance varies for each of said elongated projections.

11. Support structure as claimed in claim 9, further comprising filling elements adaptable for filling said spaces between said elongated projections.

12. Support structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein said filling elements comprise a base material selected from the group consisting of a plastic material, an elastomeric material, and combinations thereof.

13. Support structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein said elongated projections comprise free ends substantially aligned to define an edge, which is connected with said outer peripheral edge of said frame.

14. Support structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein said elongated projections each exhibit a flexural and sheer strength that depends on the load direction.

15. Support structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein said elongated projections each have a cross section and shape adapted to provide a predetermined flexural and shear strength.

16. Support structure as claimed in claim 15, wherein said predetermined flexural and shear strength are relative to a load activity that is substantially normal to said seat surface and that is substantially normal to a long a plane substantially parallel to said seat surface.

17. Support structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein said elongated projections are monolithic with said frame.

18. Support structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said frame comprises a laterally widened rear portion adapted for supporting the buttocks of a user and an elongated front portion defining a longitudinal axis.

19. Support structure as claimed in claim 18, wherein at least one of said differential rigidity portions is in a position symmetrically located with respect to said longitudinal axis.

20. Support structure as claimed in claim 19, wherein said symmetrically located differential rigidity portion is located at a position along a side of said widened rear portion.

21. Support structure as claimed in claim 19, wherein said symmetrically located differential rigidity portion is located at a position corresponding to a junction between said widened rear portion and said elongated front portion.

22. Support structure as claimed in claim 19, where said symmetrically located differential rigidity portion is located a position along a side of said widened rear portion and at a position corresponding to a junction between said widened rear portion and said elongated front portion.

23. Support structure as claimed in claim 18, wherein at least one of said differential rigidity portions is located at a position on a rear edge of said widened rear portion.

24. Support structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an extension adapted to wholly or partly cover said one or more differential rigidity portions.

25. Support structure as claimed in claim 24, wherein said extension arises from one or more yieldable pad and said covering layer.