CA2262301A1 - A shock absorbing bicycle seat mount - Google Patents

Abstract

A shock-absorbing bicycle seat mount, comprising:
(a) a post fixedly attached to a bicycle seat at a proximal end of said post, a distal end of said poet being inserted in a bicycle seat tube for axial movement therein;
(b) biasing means disposed within said seat tube to contact said post and provide a cushioning action for said post and said bicycle seat; and (c) means to prevent rotational movement of said post within said seat tube.

Description

FEH 19 '99 16 44 FR hICFADDEN - FINCHRM 613 234 5233 TO 9532476 P.05i15 A Shock Absorbing Bicwcle Seat Mount This invention is within the field of vehicular conveyance apparatus and specifically bicycles. It is referred to in this imrentor's DISCLOSURE DOCU1VJENT No.
423458 date stamped 8/19/97 wherein it is described as "Bicycle Saddle Road Shock Absorption System".
Also, benefit is claimed of filing date of PPA #60/075350, 2/20/98.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Ordinarily bicycle (bike) Seats are supported on a Post that is tightly clamped in a bike Seat Tube (Tube) portion of a bdce frame. Seat height location is provided by a certain extension of the S eat Post (Post) up and outwardly from the Tube. At a Post height extension for a particular riders desired Seat height, a clamp located at the top of the tube is tightened to prevent any dislocation movement of the Seat Post. Thus, the Seat Post becomes) in effect) integral with the rigid bike frame which ordinarily does not provide for any road mechanical-chock absorption other than that absorbed by the bikes inflated rubber tires.
It would be desirable therefore, to have the Seat Post supported on a compression coil spring inside the Tube so that some of the imparted road chock would be absorbed by the spring.
A Seat Post that is enabled to move in a quasi-vertical motion that is along the longitudinal axis of and inside the Seat Tube unrestricted by a tightened clamp as describe above but restricted as to its lateral "swivel" motion is required for this desired shock absorbing effect.
DESCR'a'TION OP' THE INVENTxON
This invention includes a bicycle Slotted Seat Post that meets the above described criteria for allowable vertical motion without lateral swivel" motion inside a bike Seat Tube and further is designed so that it will not completely, in it's entirety eject from the Seat Tube. A Slotted Seat Post is depicted in )=IG. 1. which relates to the following description.
The invented Slotted Seat Post is a solid rylindrical shaped shell of suitably rigid and strong metal or plastic composition material. It has a slot indentation extending fmm it's lengthwise outer surface to a point within it's cross sectional area shown as dimension (a). The width of the slot is shown as dimension (b). The slot length begins at one end of the shaft considered to be it's upper end and terminates at some point short of the other end of the shaft considered to be it's bottom end as it is placed in the bike Seat Tube shown as dimension (c).
Numerical quantities are not ascribed to these dimensional location since they can vary within limits of practicality for particular circumstances.
In such a configuration, the invented Slotted Seat Post will with its slot enclosing but not restricting it, the Post;, from movement along some protrusion extending into it from a fixed position on the wall of the Seat Tube or any Post enclosing fixed position cylindrical sleeve inserted in the Seat Tube simultaneously with the Slotted Seat Post, allow for it's vertical motion but not lateral motion of the Slotted Seat Post. Further, the unslotted portion of the Slotted Seat Post at its lower end will prevent it's ejection from the Seat Tlrbe when it, the Post, comes in contact with the protrusion into it's slot. JA schematic description of this interaction is depicted in FIG. 2.

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Claims (12)

1. A shock-absorbing bicycle seat mount, comprising:
(a) a post fixedly attached to a bicycle seat at a proximal end of said post, a distal end of said post being inserted in a bicycle seat tube for axial movement therein;
(b) biasing means disposed within said seat tube to contact said post and provide a cushioning action for said post and said bicycle seat: end (c) means to prevent rotational movement of said post within said seat tube.

2. A shock-absorbing bicycle seat mount, as defined in Claim 1, further comprising: a cylindrical insert disposed between an outer peripheral surface of said post and an inner peripheral surface of said seat tube to substantially fill an annular volume defined between said outer peripheral surface of said post and said inner peripheral surface of said seat tube.

3. A shock-absorbing bicycle seat mount, as defined in Claim 1, wherein said means to prevent rotational movement of said post within said seat tube comprises:
(a) an axial slot formed in an outer peripheral surface of said post; and (b) protrusion means fixedly disposed with respect to said seat tube and extending into said slot.

4. A shock-absorbing bicycle seat mount, as defined in Claim 3, wherein said protrusion means comprises means selected from the group consisting of: studs extending through said seat tube, a protrusion integral with a cylindrical insert disposed between an outer peripheral surface of said post and an inner peripheral surface of said seat tube, and a bar having bearings disposed in contact with said axial slot.

5. A shock-absorbing bicycle seat mount, as defined in Claim 1, further comprising: a spacer disposed at a bottom end of said seat tube and in contact with said biasing means.

6. A shock-absorbing bicycle seat mount, as defined in Claim 5, further comprising: support means disposed at said bottom end of said seat tube to support said spacer.

7. A shock-absorbing bicycle seat mount, as defined in Claim 1, wherein: said biasing means is a compression spring.

8. A shock-absorbing bicycle seat mount, as defined in Claim 5, wherein:
(a) said biasing means is a compression spring; and (b) said compression spring is disposed between a lower surface of said distal end of said post and an upper surface of said spacer.

9. A shock-absorbing bicycle seat mount, as defined in Claim 1, further comprising: means to independently attach said bicycle seat to said proximal end of said post to act as a safety connection therebetween.

10. A shock-absorbing bicycle seat mount, as defined in Claim 3, wherein: said slot has a termination disposed above a bottom surface of said distal end of said post such that engagement of said termination with said protrusion means prevents said post from traveling out of said seat tube.

11. A shock-absorbing bicycle seat mount, as defined in Claim 2, wherein: said cylindrical sleeve insert has a flange outwardly formed around an upper end thereof and in contact with an upper end of said seat tube to prevent said cylindrical sleeve insert from falling into said seat tube.

12. A "knee action" linkage connecting the forward portion of a bicycle of a bicycle seat to a biter horizontal bar to further restrain lateral, horizontal (swivel) travel of a bike seat as depicted in Fig. 4 herein.