WO1997030885A1

WO1997030885A1 - Saddle with pneumatic suspension

Info

Publication number: WO1997030885A1
Application number: PCT/CZ1997/000008
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frantis^¿ek NOVÁK
Original assignee: Novak Frantisek
Priority date: 1996-02-22
Filing date: 1997-02-21
Publication date: 1997-08-28
Also published as: AU1716197A; EP0881980A1; CA2247056A1

Abstract

In the saddle with pneumatic suspension the flat bag (3) is placed inside the lower space of the saddle skeleton (2) in such a way, that the elastic part of the bag (3) is in the middle part of the skeleton (2) and the compression space of the bag (3) with at least one valve (31) is prevailingly in the rear part of the skeleton (2) and from the lower side the saddle skeleton (2) is provided at least with one vertical pillar (22), where the pillars (22) are especially arranged in such a way, that one vertical pillar (22) is adapted in the front part of the skeleton (2) and two vertical pillars (22) are in the rear part of the skeleton (2) placed along the sides of the lower inner space of the skeleton (2), and in this way the hoop (1) is slidingly guided by the guides (15) on the vertical pillars (22), where the carrier surface (14) of the hoop (1) is placed among the guides (15) and leans against the lower wall of the elastic part of the bag (3) and, in the loaded state, the carrier surface (14) of the hoop (1) is pressed into the inner space of the elastic part of the bag (3) and the lower part of the hoop (1) formed by clamping rods (11) is adapted for clamping to the saddle tube.

Description

SADDLE WITH PNEUMATIC SUSPENSION

Field of the invention

The invention relates to the pneumatically cushioned saddle for bicycles

Prior art

Most of the known saddless operated with bicycles are without sprung suspesion There are only known pneumatic cushions arranged in the upper part of a saddle which, however, cushion only the sitting but this is very unsteady and does not solve dampmg of shocks which are the mam disadvantages and that is why they are not used The mam shortcoming of all known designs of sprung saddle mounting is besides a bad course of damping also a nonperfect guiding of the skeleton of a saddle on the transom clamped to the saddle tube The lower part of the skeleton is provided with various guiding elements, whereas the dampmg of only the back part of the saddle is not convenient, where the front part of the saddle transfers shocks and for the damping of a rear part of a saddle are used besides heavy iron spπngs also in some cases spπngs from elastomer, which are of the high weight too, and the main disadvantage m both the types is the pretermined elastic force In the combination of above said guiding mechanisms with pneumatic spπngs with a valve the guidance of the skeleton on the earner is nonperfect too and with shortcomings of principle in layout and shape of a pneumatic spring and this has crucial disadvantageous influence for quality of damping ofthe bicycle saddle

Summary of the invention

The above said disadvantages are avoided in the saddle with pneumatic suspension, where in the lower space of the skeleton a pneumatic spnng in the shape of a flat bag is placed in such a way, that the elastic part of the bag is in the middle part of the skeleton and the compression space of the bag with at least one valve is prevailingly in the rear part of the skeleton and from the lower side the saddle skeleton is provided with at least one vertical pillar, where the pillars are arranged in such a way, that one vertical pillar is adapted in the front part ofthe skeleton and two vertical pillars are the rear part of the skeleton placed along the sides of the lower inner space of the skeleton, and in this way the hoop is slidingly guided by the guides on the vertical pillars, where the carrier surface of the hoop is placed among the guides and leans against the lower wall ofthe elastic part ofthe bag and is pressed, in the loaded state, into inner space of the elastic part of the bag and the lower part of the hoop formed by clamping rods is adapted for clamping to the saddle tube The layout of the saddle with pneumatic suspension according to this invention has the following advantages The whole saddle spnngs along the vertical axis and the skeleton of the saddle is exactly guided Using also the rear lower part of the saddle the convenient proportion of the spnnging and compression part is reached and consequently the optimum course of the deflection charactenstic can be reached too Changing the press the needed loading capacity and ngidity can be set with the long-term keeping of the press, because the bag forms a closed pressure space Further advantages consist in a universal fitting on bicycles, low weight of the saddle, and possibility of an arbitrary shaping of the upper sitting part of saddle as in the current assortment of produced saddles, because the whole sprung mechanism is arranged in the lower, so far unused part ofthe saddle

Description of the preferred embodiment

The saddle with pneumatic suspension according to the invention, displayed in Figs 1 to 29 in the basic performance, consists of the solid skeleton 2 of the saddle with the upper sitting layer and a flat bag 3 is placed inside the lower space of the saddle skeleton 2 in such a way, that the elastic part of the bag 3 is in the middle part of the skeleton 2 and the compression space of the bag 3 with at least one valve 31 is prevailingly m the rear part of the skeleton 2 and from the lower side the saddle skeleton 2 is provided at least with one vertical pillar 22, where the pillars 22 are arranged in such a way, that one vertical pillar 22 is adapted the front part of the skeleton 2 and two vertical pillars 22 are in the rear part ofthe skeleton 2 placed along the sides of the lower inner space of the skeleton 2, and in this way the hoop 1 is slidingly guided by the guides 15 on the vertical pillars 22, where the carrier surface 14 of the hoop 1 is placed among the guides 15 and leans against the lower wall of the elastic part of the bag 3 and, in the loaded state, the carrier surface 14 of the hoop 1 is pressed into the inner space ofthe elastic part of the bag 3 and the lower part of the hoop 1 formed by clamping rods 11 is adapted for clamping to the saddle tube

The performance with the upper attachment of the pillars 22 into the skeleton 2 is displayed in a simplified way in Figs 1 to 4 The lower ends of the pillars 22 are ended by caps 23 Assembling the skeleton 2 with the hoop 1 an empty space appears in the back where the bag 3 can be inserted in The compression part of the bag 3 is placed from the lower side in the box 4 which is attached to the back side ofthe lower space ofthe skeleton 2, whereas the box 4 has the vertical low wall 42 in the front part over which the bag 3 is folded in such a way, that when the carrier surface 14 of the hoop 1 is pressed, the perfect generating ofthe bag 3 is ensured, and the space of the elastic part ofthe bag 3 is connected with the compression space ofthe bag 3 with the space over the vertical low wall 42 In Figs 5 to 7 the pillar 22 is an independent body, the upper end of which is attached to the skeleton 2 The guiding surface of the pillar 22 can be formed by the tube 27 The lower end ofthe pillar 22 is ended with a pillar bolt 24 In Figs 5 and 6 the upper end ofthe pillar 22 is provided with a collar 25, to which the pin 21 is attached The pillar 22 fits with the collar 25 on the lower part of the skeleton 2 and the pin 21 goes through the hole in the skeleton 2 In Fig 5 the thread of the pin 21 is screwed on to the skeleton 2 In Fig 6 the pillar 22 is attached in such a way, that the upper end of the pin 21 is enlarged on the upper part of the skeleton 2 The same purpose is achieved by screwing of the nut on the thread of the pin 21 In Fig 7 in the lower part some possibilities of the shapes of vertical guiding surfaces ofthe pillar 22 are sketched, where as a basic shape the cylinder is considered

One of the possible performances of the saddle with pillars 22 forming one unit with the skeleton 2 is in Figs 8 to 12, where a ring of upper elastic stop 6 is placed on the upper end ofthe pillar 22 and the lower end of the pillar 22 is ended with a cap 23 attached with a pillar bolt 24 and the lower elastic stop 5 is on the upper side ofthe cap 23 In the compact performance ofthe hoop 1 two parallel clamping rods 11 are a part ofthe hoop 1 in such a way, that in the front part they transit the shape into the front bifurcation of the hoop 1 and in the rear part they transit the shape into rear bifurcation ofthe hoop 1, where the hoop 1 can be reinforced with the transversal nb 12 The flat spnng 7 which makes the clamping to the saddle tube easy is on the lower part of the hoop 1 m the space adapted for the clamping to the saddle tube and is attached with at least one spring expanding clamp 71 The box 4 can be provided with at least one hook 41, with which it is attached on the clamping projection of the skeleton 2, whereas the vertical wall on which the hook 41 is placed is vertically scored and in this way elastic leaning of the part of the wall with the hook 41 is enabled when clamping on the projection of the skeleton 2 In Fig 1 1 and in the part of Fig 12 there is a detail of the clamping of the cap 23 to the lower end of the pillar 22 with the pillar expanding clamp 28 In Fig 14 the cap 23 is attached with the pillar expanding clamp 28, which is secured against the pulling up with the pillar bolt 24 whereas the same purpose can be achieved also with a pin, thorn and so on In Fig 13 the elastic sleeve 18 is in the guide 15, and the sliding sleeve 17 is in the elastic sleeve 18 and slidingly placed on the pillar 22

The performance with the reinforcing elements is in Figs 15 to 21 , where the guiding surface of the pillar 22 is formed by the tube 27 and the skeleton 2 is provided with the skeleton reinforcement 26 in such a way, that is sealled in the plastic wall of the skeleton 2 The skeleton reinforcement 26 reaches to the space of the connection of the pillars 22 with the skeleton 2 and the tubes 27 are with their upper ends adapted in the skeleton reinforcement 26 At least the upper ends ofthe tubes 27 and the skeleton reinforcement 26 are sealled m the plastic skeleton 2 The bent ends of the clamping rods 11 are fixed to the hoop reinforcement 16 by sealhng together with the hoop reinforcement 16 into the plastic hoop 1 and the middle parts of the clamping rods 11 are adapted for the clamping to the saddle tube In Figs 20 and 21 in detail the skeleton reinforcement 26 respectively the hoop reinforcement 16 is provided with onfices for a mutual connection of the layers of plastics which surround the reinforcement from the both sides The dust seals 8 are attached with one end to the guide 15 and with the other end are adapted to one of the ends of the guiding surface of the pillars 22, whereas the dust seal 8 is drawn over the wide head ofthe pillar bolt 24 on the lower end of the pillar 22 In Figs 15 and 16 it is evident, that the valve 31 can bear either backwards or obliquely, or downwards to be pulled through the orifice in the box 4 In Fig 19 the box 4 is attached to the skeleton 2 with the box bolts 43 The flat spring 7 is provisionally pasted in the lower side of the hoop 1 in the space adapted for clamping to the saddle tube The flat spring 7 makes the clamping of the saddle to the saddle tube easy and it can be removed afterwards

The skeleton reinforcement 26 is reinforced in Figs 22 and 23 by providing with a double reinforcement 29 In Figs 24 and 25 the skeleton reinforcement 26 is led to the space of the connection of the plastic pillars 22 with the skeleton 2 In Fig 26 the front respectively rear bent ends ofthe clamping rods 11 are connected only with little hoop reinforcements 16 sealled in the plastic hoop 1

The independent bodies of the pillars 22 united with the skeleton 2 into one unit are in Figs 27 to 29 In Fig 27 the pillar 22 is attached to the skeleton 2 in such a way, that the upper end of the pillar 22 is provided with a collar 25 on which the pin 21 with the thread is attached with which it is screwed on into the skeleton 2 In Figs 28 and 29 the pillar 22 fits with the collar 25 on the lower side of the skeleton 2, the pin 21 goes through the skeleton 2 and o the upper side ofthe skeleton 2 a head is formed on the end of the pin 21 in a way, that the overlapping end of the pin 21 is enlarged with the aid of press and temperature The end of the pin 21 screwed on into the skeleton 2 can be also secured with this enlargement The joints can be also glued List of the refference characters

1 hoop

1 1 clamping rod

12 transversal rib

14 carrier surface

15 guide

16 hoop reinforcement

17 sliding sleeve

18 elastic sleeve

2 skeleton

21 pin

22 pillar

23 cap

24 pillar bolt

25 collar

26 skeleton reinforcement

27 tube

28 pillar expanding clamp

29 double reinforcement

3 flat bag

31 valve box 1 hook 2 low wall 3 box bolt

5 lower elastic stop upper elastic stop

flat spring 1 spring expanding clamp dust seal

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS :

1 A saddle with pneumatic suspension consisting of a solid saddle skeleton with the upper sitting layer, where a pneumatic spring with valve is on the lower part of the skeleton and the transom is guided to the saddle tube by elements of guiding mechanism which are placed also on the lower side of the skeleton characterized in that the flat bag (3) is placed inside the lower space of the saddle skeleton (2) in such a way, that the elastic part of the bag (3) is in the middle part of the skeleton (2) and the compression space of the bag (3) with at least one valve (31 ) is prevailingly in the rear part of the skeleton (2) and from the lower side the saddle skeleton (2) is provided at least with one vertical pillar (22), where the pillars (22) are especially arranged in such a way, that one vertical pillar (22) is adapted in the front part of the skeleton (2) and two vertical pillars (22) are in the rear part of the skeleton (2) placed along the sides of the lower inner space ofthe skeleton (2), and in this way the hoop ( 1 ) is slidingly guided by the guides ( 15) on the vertical pillars (22), where the carrier surface ( 14) of the hoop ( 1 ) is placed among the guides ( 15) and leans against the lower wall of the elastic part of the bag (3) and, in the loaded state, the carrier surface ( 14) of the hoop (1 ) is pressed into the inner space of the elastic part of the bag (3) and the lower part of the hoop (1 ) formed by clamping rods ( 1 1 ) is adapted for clamping to the saddle tube

2 A saddle with pneumatic suspension according to Claim 1 characterized in that the pillar (22) is provided at least with one vertical guiding surface, whereas the vertical guiding surface of the pillar (22) is especially in the shape of cylinder

3 A saddle with pneumatic suspension according to Claim 1 characterized in that the pillar (22) is an independent body, upper end of which is adapted in the body of the skeleton (2)

4. A saddle with pneumatic suspension according to Claim 1 characterized in that the skeleton (2) is provided with at least one skeleton reinforcement (26) sealled in the plastic wall of the skeleton (2)

5 A saddle with pneumatic suspension according to Claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the guiding surface of the pillar (22) is formed by the tube (27)

6 A saddle with pneumatic suspension according to Claim 1 characterized in that the clamping rods ( I I ) are in the middle parts parallel and their ends are sealled mlo the plastic hoop ( 1 ), where they are prevailingly adapted to at least one hoop reinforcement ( 16) 7 A saddle with pneumatic suspension according to Claims 1 and 4 and 6 characterized in that the skeleton reinforcement (26) respectively the hoop reinforcement ( 16) is provided with orifices for the mutual connection of layers of plastics which surround the reinforcement from both sides

8 A saddle with pneumatic suspension according to Claims 1,2 and 3 characterized in that the pillar (22) is an independent body, upper end of which is provided with a collar (25) on which the pin (21 ) with a thread links, whereas the pillar (22) fits with the collar (25) on the lower side of the skeleton (2) and the pin (21 ) with the thread goes through the skeleton (2) in such a way, that is screwed on into the skeleton (2) and on the upper side o the skeleton (2) is prevailingly moreover secured

9 A saddle with pneumatic suspension according to Claims 1 ,2 and 3 characterized in that the pillar (22) is an independent body, end of which is provided with a collar (25), on which the pin (21) links, whereas the pillar (22) fits with the collar (25) on the lower side o the skeleton (2) and the pin (21 ) goes through the skeleton (2), where a head is formed on the end of the pin (21 ) on the upper side of the skeleton (2) in such a way, that the overlapping end of the pin (21 ) is enlarged

10 A saddle with pneumatic suspension according to Claim 1 characterized in that the compression part of the bag (3) is placed from the lower side in the box (4) which is attached to the back side ofthe lower space ofthe skeleton (2), whereas the box (4) has the vertical low wall (42) in the front part over which the bag is folded in such a way, that when the carrier suriace ( 14) of the hoop ( I ) is pressed, the perfect generating of the bag (3) is ensured, and the space of the elastic part of the bag (3) is connected with the compression space of the bag (3) with the space over the vertical low wall (42)

1 1 A saddle with pneumatic suspension according to Claim 1 characterized in that one of the ends of the dust seal (8) is attached on the guied (15) and the other end of the dust seal (8) is adapted to one of the ends of the guiding surface of the pillar (22), whereas the dust seal (8) is especially adapted on the lower end of the guiding surface of the pillar (22) in such a way, that is drawn over the wide head ofthe pillar bolt (24)

12 Λ saddle with pneumatic suspension accoiding lo Claim I iam ci i/ d in (h;ιl l assembling flat spring (7) is inserted to the space adapted for clamping to the saddle tube on the lower side of the hoop ( 1 )