Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62K—CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDE-CARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE
  • B62K19/00—Cycle frames
  • B62K19/30—Frame parts shaped to receive other cycle parts or accessories
  • B62K19/36—Frame parts shaped to receive other cycle parts or accessories for attaching saddle pillars, e.g. adjustable during ride
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62J—CYCLE SADDLES OR SEATS; AUXILIARY DEVICES OR ACCESSORIES SPECIALLY ADAPTED TO CYCLES AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. ARTICLE CARRIERS OR CYCLE PROTECTORS
  • B62J1/00—Saddles or other seats for cycles; Arrangement thereof; Component parts
  • B62J1/02—Saddles resiliently mounted on the frame; Equipment therefor, e.g. springs
  • B62J1/04—Saddles capable of swinging about a horizontal pivot
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62J—CYCLE SADDLES OR SEATS; AUXILIARY DEVICES OR ACCESSORIES SPECIALLY ADAPTED TO CYCLES AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. ARTICLE CARRIERS OR CYCLE PROTECTORS
  • B62J1/00—Saddles or other seats for cycles; Arrangement thereof; Component parts
  • B62J1/02—Saddles resiliently mounted on the frame; Equipment therefor, e.g. springs
  • B62J1/06—Saddles capable of parallel motion up and down
  • B62J1/065—Saddles supported on a parallelogram linkage

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the field of two-wheeled vehicles, in particular bicycles and it relates more precisely to an adjustment device for a bicycle saddle.
• the bicycle saddles are generally provided, to be adjustable in height, by pressing the seatpost into the frame of the bicycle, the depth adjustment (fine adjustment from front to back) is ensured by sliding of the saddle in relation to the clamps. It is also possible to adjust the inclination by rotating the mounting flange and saddle assembly relative to the end of the seatpost.
• the cyclist must adjust the position of his center of gravity according to the inclination of the slope.
• One solution is that it changes its sitting position on the saddle and in the extreme leaves the seat of its saddle, but at the risk of being in uncomfortable positions, less stable, or even risky.
• different solutions for adjusting the saddle so that the cyclist keeps his sitting position on sloping ground.
• document FR 2529853 discloses a device allowing the cyclist to readjust the position of the saddle so that it retains the same center of gravity with respect to the axis of the crankset when climbing a slope.
• This device comprises a male part comprising an openwork tab which slides inside a female part, guided by the inclination of a groove, the two parts being able to be immobilized relative to each other by a rod. lock actuated by hand by the cyclist while traveling.
• This solution has the disadvantage of a displacement within reduced limits of the center of gravity and thus of an uneasy use.
• document FR 2491425 discloses a bicycle saddle mounting device allowing the change of saddle position from an extreme rear position used for flat terrain to a extreme forward position more useful for climbing.
• the solution envisaged in this document is the use of a double articulated parallelogram mounted between the saddle and the seat post, the two extreme positions corresponding to the closed positions of the parallelogram.
• the change of position, during the movement by bicycle proves not easy, because the cyclist must use his hand to overcome the force of the spring which maintains the saddle in one of the extreme positions, to be able to pass to the other position.
• other intermediate positions can be achieved according to this document, but only by blocking the rods by bolting, this solution therefore being incompatible with a change of the positions in operation.
• the object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks, at least in part.
• the object of the present invention is a bicycle saddle adjustment device allowing the cyclist to modify the position of his center of gravity as a function of the inclination of the terrain on which he is riding, while giving him a flat seat and him allowing to keep a substantially constant distance between the saddle and the crankset axle.
• Another object of the invention is a bicycle saddle adjustment device making it easy and easy to change the position of the saddle while riding.
• Another object of the invention is a device for adjusting the bicycle saddle which can be used with a universal, traditional bicycle saddle or with any other type of existing saddle.
• a further object of the invention is a bicycle saddle adjustment device of simple construction, compact, robust, reliable in operation, while having a reduced weight and a low manufacturing cost.
• a bicycle saddle adjustment device making it possible to adapt the position of the saddle to the configuration of the terrain covered, consisting of at least two parallel articulated rods pivoting around at least two mobile joints joined by at least a connecting rod and two fixed articulations supported by at least one part bearing on the seat post, characterized in that the bicycle saddle is arranged on the connecting rod and that the articulated rods can occupy at least one position stable intermediate in their pivoting from a first stop position where they are held by return means and a second stop position, the locking in one or other of said positions being done by indexing means during movement on said land.
• the device may have no intermediate position.
• This variant will therefore be limited to a high stop position (I) suitable for climbing and a low stop position (X) for flat terrain and downhill.
• This variant will be more particularly suitable for bicycles for road racing.
• Such a device the saddle of which is mounted on the connecting rod located between the two articulated parallel rods allows, by the pivoting of the latter, a displacement of the saddle forwards for a first stable position called ascent, behind for another position stable, called downhill, as well as in a plurality of other intermediate positions adapted to the slope of the terrain.
• the saddle moves parallel to its initial position, in a median longitudinal plane passing through the seat post and perpendicular to the axis of the crankset.
• the cyclist thus keeps a constant seat and substantially the same distance between the axis of the crankset and the saddle, which allows him to keep the same muscular rhythm during the effort.
• the adjustment device of the invention comprises indexing means which comprise a lever, a return spring pushing said lever into an indexing opening and control means allowing said indexing lever to release said opening.
• the indexing lever is pivotally mounted on the damper or indexing body and it has one end actuated by the control means, while the other end has a protrusion which is housed in an orifice of a spring rod or spring barrel under the thrust of the return spring.
• the device according to the invention comprises return means constituted by a spring mounted inside a rod or barrel of spring sliding in a body shock absorber or spring body, one end of said rod or barrel being secured to one of the articulated links and one end of the body being secured to the opposite articulated link.
• the device has an indexing lever secured to the spring body or damper, said lever comprises at one of its ends a protuberance which is caused to be housed in an opening formed in the rod spring.
• This embodiment has great compactness, the indexing means, as well as the return means, being arranged between the articulated parallel links which simplifies the construction, thus optimizing its weight, characteristics which are not insignificant for a bicycle.
• control means of the adjustment device comprise a cable controlled by a control lever arranged on the handlebars of the bicycle.
• the adjustment device according to the invention comprises a shock absorber in order to reduce the shocks during displacement, in particular during the descent by bicycle.
• said damper is made of a flexible material such as an elastomer. Such a damper is reliable, discreet while having a low manufacturing cost.
• the adjustment device comprises fixed articulations integral with a support piece bearing directly on the frame of the bicycle.
• This solution has improved mechanical strength and at the same time gives the advantage of being able to adapt easily to the frame of the bicycle, in particular to the so-called “full suspension” mountain bike (mountain bike equipped with front and rear shock absorbers) , this allowing a more precise and easier adjustment of the initial position of the bicycle saddle relative to the frame, before mounting on the saddle.
• Figure 1 shows sectional views along a longitudinal median plane of the device passing through the bicycle rod axis of the preferred embodiment in 3 operating positions
• 2 shows a sectional view along a median longitudinal plane passing through the axis of the bicycle rod illustrating the adjustment device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention
• - Figure 3 shows different views of the device according to the mode preferred embodiment of the invention
• 4 shows a sectional view along a longitudinal median plane passing through the axis of the bicycle frame showing an advantageous variant of the invention.
• the adjustment device is arranged between the saddle 1 of the bicycle and the seatpost 10 or between the saddle 1 and the bicycle frame 52.
• the saddle 1 which is of universal type or conventional, is fixed on the upper part of the adjustment device by seat clamps 2 and 5, the connecting rod 17, the fixing means 3 are, for example, of the screw type. These fixing means make it possible to adjust the depth and the inclination of the saddle relative to the rod before riding on the bicycle.
• the adjustment device comprises two parallel rods 4,6, of substantially equal lengths, the rods assembled on fixed joints 9J3 and mobile 15J6 connecting them to the different parts of the device.
• the front 6 and rear 4 links are assembled relative to each other by means of a connecting rod 17 forming the upper part of the device and serving as a support for the saddle 1.
• the fixed joints 9J3 are supported by a part 12 engaged in the bicycle rod 10.
• Axes are fixed in each articulation 9,13,15,16 around which the rods are caused to pivot in their movements during operation.
• the front 6, rear 4, and connecting rods 17 form, together with their respective articulations, an articulated parallelogram.
• the links 4,6 are held in a high stop position I by return means 34. They pivot around their articulations at from the high stop position I to a limit position called the low stop X passing through several intermediate positions. Indexing means 22, 23, 24, 44, 46, 48 block the articulated parallelogram in one or other of these so-called stable positions.
• the indexing means comprise an indexing lever 44 mounted to pivot about an axis 25 supported by the damper or indexing body.
• the lever 44 has at one of its ends fixing means 27, for example with screws, for a non-flexible cable 22.
• Control means 26 preferably actuated by a control lever arranged on the handlebars of the bicycle, pull on the cable 22 and direct the pivoting of the indexing lever 44.
• the lever 44 has at the opposite end a protuberance 46 which is designed to engage in an indexing orifice 48 of the rod or spring barrel 40
• a compression spring 24 maintains the protuberance 46 of the lever 44 in the indexing orifice 48, as best seen in FIG. 2.
• FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of the lever 44 relative to the damper or indexing body (42), as well as the means 27 for fixing the cable 22 relative to the lever 44.
• the device In operation, during movement on a bicycle, the device is in one of its stable positions, because the protuberance 46 of the indexing lever 44 is engaged in the indexing opening 48 of the rod or barrel 40.
• the cyclist To change the position of the saddle according to the inclination of the terrain, in particular to move it forwards or backwards, with respect to the previous position, the cyclist must perform a few maneuvers, as will be explained later.
• the cyclist In order to change the position of the saddle while riding, the cyclist first rises from his saddle in order to release the stresses on the bicycle saddle due to its weight, stresses which act implicitly on the indexing lever 44. In at the same time it actuates the control means 26, in particular by pressing the control lever on the handlebar which pulls on the cable 22.
• the cable 22 compresses the spring 24, the opening 48 being released by pivoting the lever 44 around of the axis 25.
• the adjustment device in particular the articulated parallelogram, being no longer blocked, it tends to occupy its high position I, pushed by the spring 34.
• a multiplicity of intermediate positions are possible between a high limit position I and a low limit position X.
• the number of possible positions is according to the number of openings 48 made on the rod or barrel spring 40.
• a device according to the invention can comprise between 2 and 21 positions, preferably between 3 and 21 positions, more preferably 7.
• the pivoting of the links 4,6 from a high limit position I to a low limit position X corresponds to an angular displacement of between 10 ° and 90 °, preferably 48 °.
• the links 4, 6 and 17 are made of light metallic material of the aluminum, titanium, steel type and any type of light and resistant metallic alloy, or of a composite material, for example based on carbon or of material known under the trade name. of "keviar". They can be in the form of articulated bars, as shown in the figures, or even of articulated tubes.
• the device comprises an articulated parallelogram, composed, as shown in the figures, of two parallel rods 4,6 having substantially the same length and a connecting rod 17 supporting, preferably in its median part, the saddle 1.
• the adjustment device may comprise two articulated parallelograms, fulfilling the same function, parallel to one another, arranged in the same way between the saddle 1 and the bicycle rod 10.
• the adjustment device comprises a shock absorber 28 attenuating the shocks during displacement, in particular during the descent by bicycle.
• This shock absorber can be made of a flexible material of the elastomer type.
• the damper can be of the hydraulic, pneumatic or oleopneumatic type.
• the adjustment device comprises articulated links 4,6 whose fixed joints 9J3 are integral with a support piece 66 bearing directly on the frame 52 from the bicycle.
• This support piece 66 is linked to the end of the link 68 by the articulation 70.
• the other end of this link 68 is fixed to a frame flange 56 by means of fixing systems 64, this giving the support 66, through lights 58 and 60 the degrees of freedom necessary for a height and depth adjustment similar to a conventional seatpost.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Steering Devices For Bicycles And Motorcycles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9543151

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (6)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 1999
  • 1999-03-05 FR FR9903116A patent/FR2790438A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 2000
  • 2000-03-03 WO PCT/FR2000/000569 patent/WO2000053484A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2000-03-03 EP EP00909450A patent/EP1163145A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-03-03 AU AU31732/00A patent/AU3173200A/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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