Saddle for bicycles

Details Saddle for bicycles Saddle for bicycles

2000-09-29

2002-03-19

Brown, Peter R. (Department: 3636)

Chairs and seats

Straddle seat

Sectional or split relatively movable supporting surface

Reexamination Certificate

active

06357825

ABSTRACT:

The invention concerns a saddle for bicycles, particularly suitable to be used on sports and racing bicycles.
It is known that saddles for bicycles include a column coupled to the bicycle frame and supporting the supporting element of a seat on which the cyclist sits. In particular the seat has a modelled shape which is generally tapered in the front part which is housed in correspondence with the cyclist's groin.
The saddles for bicycles of the known described type are realized with different shapes according to whether the bicycle to which they are applied is a tourism bicycle or a sports bicycle or racing one.
All the saddles of the known type have, however, some known drawbacks. A first drawback is that the seat is fixed in its position and during the pedal stroke the cyclist's body, especially the thigh and the groin internal areas, carry out a rubbing against the seat surface. This contributes to make the sitting comfort worse, especially when the pedal stroke is particularly strong, for example during a climb cycling.
Another drawback is that the seat comfort degree is rather low because, since the support area in correspondence with the groin is limited, the specific pressure is enough to generate a discomfort and sometimes a pain too. This happens especially during sports competitions in which the sitting on the saddle is protracted for several hours and the pedal stroke is particularly powerful.
A further drawback is that the structural pattern of the seats does not help the ventilation in the area in contact with the cyclist's body. This causes an abundant sweating, especially in correspondence with the groin, bringing about tumefactions even serious and such that they can prevent the cyclist from using the bicycle even for a long time.
It is known that there are saddles for bicycles trying to overcome such known drawbacks, described in the European Patents No. 0.467.541/A1, 0.043.278/A2, 0.091.016/A2.
According to the above-mentioned patents teaching, the seat of the bicycle is divided in two independent parts, each one being connected to a horizontal rotating gudgeon coupled to a fixed supporting element connected to the bicycle frame.
The division of the seat saddle in two independent parts helps the ventilation and reduces the friction in correspondence with the groin, improving therefore tangibly the comfort with respect to the saddles of the known type.
Nevertheless it has been found that the seat revolving around an horizontal axis, whether it is realized in a single part or in two or several independent parts, does not gives to the cyclist a fixed reaction surface and reduces the power that the latter can transmit to the pedals, especially during a climb cycling.
It has also been found that using saddles with revolving seats following the buttocks moves, sometimes can cause troubles as traumata or back sprains, caused by the continuous lifting and lowering of the backbone.
That is why the use of saddles of the type described in the mentioned patents and generally of saddles having revolving seats is usually not recommended, particularly for those people suffering from backbone and back troubles.
Trying to overcome also these drawbacks, the U.S. Pat. No. 4.512.608 furnishes a saddle in which the seat is divided in two independent parts which are nevertheless fixed with respect to a supporting element connected to the bicycle frame and along which they can be adjusted in their position. The two parts in which the seat is divided are separate by a central element, connected as well to the same supporting element of the seat.
The saddles of the described type have a fixed seat and therefore do not cause any articular trouble to the cyclist's back and backbone. But the presence of the central element in the seat reduces the air circulation in correspondence with the groin and turns out to be an obstacle for a correct pedal stroke, especially a sports one.
The European Patent EP 0816214/A2 is also known, describing a saddle in which the seat has a back part fixed and connected to the frame, from which two protuberances project forward, parallel and pivoted on the seat fixed part. Each projecting part supports the lower part of the cyclist's thigh and follows it during the pedal stroke.
The fixed part of the seat is an effective opposing element for the cyclist's buttocks and therefore the legs thrust can be totally transmitted to the pedals while the cyclist's thigh is supported during the move by the swinging of the forward projecting parts.
The mentioned patent has also a different embodiment in which the seat is divided in two independent parts, both revolvingly coupled to an horizontal axis and each one consisting in several parts reciprocally hinged, such that they can follow the cyclist's leg movement during the pedal stroke.
But both the embodiments described in the mentioned patent have as well some drawbacks.
In particular the first mentioned embodiment has the drawback that, since the back part of the seat is realized in a single piece, the ventilation in correspondence of the buttocks is limited while the embodiment having the seat divided in two independent and revolving parts, presents the same problems previously mentioned concerning the saddles having revolving seats. All the saddles without the central element and in which the seat is divided in two independent parts have also the drawback of furnishing a weak anchorage to the cyclist's buttocks. The cyclist tends therefore, especially during the thrust on the pedals, to slide forward. So the efficacy of the pedal stroke and the stability of the driving position are compromised.
The present invention intends to overcome all the mentioned drawbacks and limitations.
A first aim is that the saddle of the invention has an anatomically-designed outline that, fitting the cyclist's buttocks outline, it allows the reduction of the specific pressure.
Another aim of the invention is that of realizing a saddle granting a safer support to the cyclists buttocks during the pedal stroke, with respect to the saddle of the known type.
A further and not the last aim of the invention is that the saddle of the invention, during the pedal stroke, does not bring any stress to the cyclist's backbone.
The said aims are achieved through the realization of a saddle for bicycles main features of which are to the first claim.
According to a preferred embodiment described hereinafter, the supporting unit correspondence with the points of contact.
In particular the anatomically-designed concave shape of the fixed parts covering of the saddle defines a depression in the covering just in correspondence with the area corresponding, on the vertical direction, to the point in which the head of the femur fits in the pelvis. An engagement is therefore obtained, preventing the sliding forward of the cyclist's pelvis, especially during the thrust on the pedals. This helps the transmission to the pedals of all the thrust carried out by the cyclist during the pedal stroke and is therefore particularly useful especially during a climb cycling.
Still advantageously the presence of the open area in correspondence with the groin reduces the rubbing and helps a better ventilation.


REFERENCES:
patent: 603734 (1898-05-01), Peck et al.
patent: 4089559 (1978-05-01), Prange et al.
patent: 4387925 (1983-06-01), Barker et al.
patent: 4451086 (1984-05-01), Seven
patent: 5863094 (1999-01-01), Endo
patent: 91361 (1897-04-01), None
patent: 0 816 214 (1998-01-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Saddle for bicycles does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Saddle for bicycles, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Saddle for bicycles will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2853647