GB2045703A - Saddles for pedal cycles and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

A saddle comprises a seat member 11 with apertured lugs 14 at its rear receiving upper wings 36 of a moulded plastics resilient suspension unit 19 having lower wings 37 apertured to receive bolts 17 extending through loops 16 in a substantially U-shaped saddle game. Side portions 40 of the frame are secured by clamps 50 to a saddle post. The unit 19 can have apertures in its central portion as shown or may have a thinned central portion with a peripheral rib. A wedge integral with the seat member 11 holds the front of the saddle frame to the seat member 11. The seat member 11 may be of plastics and may carry a layer of foamed plastics covered by a plastics cover 10. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to saddles for pedal cycles and the like This invention relates to saddles for pedal cycles and the like.

According to this invention a saddle com- prises a saddle support, a bracket for connecting the saddle to a saddle post, and a resilient plastics suspension unit between the rear of the saddle support and the bracket.

The suspension unit may be an integral plastics moulding.

The suspension unit may comprise a central portion from which extend on each side upper and lower lateral wings connected respectively to the saddle support and the bracket. The wings may diverge as they extend outwardly.

The upper wings may be connected to the saddle support by being received in lugs on the support.

The unit may have a portion bounded on its periphery on each of its front and rear sides by a rib projecting respectively forwards and rearwards.

The lower wings may be connected to the bracket by bolts extending through apertures in the lower wings and the bracket.

The bracket may be formed from a length of steel wire formed in a U-shape, the free ends of the legs of the U being formed into loops through which the bolts extend.

The front of the bracket may be wedged against the support to resist forward movement of the support relative to the bracket.

The wedge may be integral with the support.

The support may be moulded of plastics material.

The saddle may include a cover for the support and a layer of foamed plastics between the cover and the support.

The invention may be performed in various ways and some specific embodiments will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a saddle; Figure 2 is a rear elevation of a suspension unit; Figure 3 is a plan view of the unit of Fig. 2; Figure 4 is a side elevation of the unit of Fig. 2; Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical section through the saddle on a larger scale; Figure 6 is a side view of another suspension unit; Figure 7 is a view of Fig. 6 from below; Figure 8 is a plan view of Fig. 6; Figure 9 is a side elevation of Fig. 6; Figure 10is a section on the line 10-10 of Fig. 6; and Figures 11 and 12 are views similar to Figs. 6 and 10 of a further suspension unit.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, a saddle for a bicycle comprises an outer cover 10, for example of moulded plastics, a saddle support 11 of moulded plastics having a downwardly directed peripheral flange 1 2 and a downwardly directed flange 1 3 spaced rearwardly of the front of the saddle. As is known, the saddle is shaped to be narrower at the front than at the rear. Towards the rear the support 11 is provided with two laterally spaced downwardly extending integral lugs 14 each having a laterally extending aperture.

A saddle bracket 1 5 formed from a length of steel wire has outwardly inclined rear portions 15a ending in laterally spaced rear loops 1 6 in which are received bolts 1 7 which extend through apertures 1 8 in a suspension unit 1 9 and are held in place by nuts 20.

The space between the cover 10 and the support 11 is filled with a foamed plastics material 21, providing a degree of resilience.

The cover 10 is bent inwardly around its periphery to embrace the edge of the support 11 and at the rear a tongue 9 of the cover 10 extends into an aperture in the support 11. A wedge 22 is moulded to the support 11 and the curved front end 23 of the bracket 1 5 is received between the wedge 22 and the flange 1 3 to prevent forward movement of the saddle top assembly 10, 11, 21 in use in relation to the bracket 1 5.

The suspension unit 1 9 is made from a resilient plastics material and provides a resilient support to the rear of the saddle top assembly. The unit 1 9 has a central portion 30 curved to provide a forwardly facing concave surface. The generally vertical portion 30 has a central aperture 32 and surrounding smaller apertures 33 to reduce the weight of the unit and add to its resilience.

The unit has, at each side, divering side surfaces 34, 35 to provide outwardly tapered upper and lower wings 36, 37. At their outer ends the upper wings 36 have generally horizontal generally cylindrical end portions 38 which are received in the apertures in the lugs 14.

At their outer ends the lower wings 37 are provided with horizontal generally flattened end portions 39 formed with the vertical apertures 18.

The upper wings diverge as they extend outwardly; the lower wings diverge as they extend outwardly.

To secure the saddle to the saddle post of a bicycle, straight parallel portions 40 of the bracket 1 5 are in known manner embraced by clamps 50 including a transverse stud which extends through the legs of a U-shaped member which embraces the saddle post and is tightened thereon by rotating nuts 52 of the ends of the stud to tighten the clamps.

It will be appreciated that with different saddles the size and position of the lugs 1 4 and loops 1 6 can vary and the unit 1 9 is shaped accordingly. Also for some saddles it may be convenient for the upper wings to have apertured flattened portions 39 instead of cylindrical portions 38.

Figs. 6 to 10 show a modified arrangement of suspension unit 1 9a in which similar reference numerals have been applied to parts generally similar to those in Figs. 1 to 5.

The unit has a central web 50 with a peripheral rib 51 on each of its sides to reduce the weight and add to the resilience.

The unit is generally flat but could be modified to be convex/concave as at 30 in Fig. 3.

As in Fig. 2, the upwardly and downwardly facing surfaces 52, 53 of the rib 51 are concave. The rib 51 is generally of uniform thickness. The surfaces 34, 35 are generally straight.

A further construction 1 9b of suspension unit is shown in Figs. 11, 12 generally similar to Figs. 6 and 10 (corresponding reference numerals being used) and it will be noted that in this construction the central web 50a is thicker than web 50. Also the rib 51 a is, in general, wider than the rib 51, and at the bottom and two sides of the unit increases in width away from the central region.

The suspension units may for example be made from polypropylene.

Suspension units according to the invention are visually totally different from the conventional pair of helical springs which are normally used between the rear of the saddle support and the bracket, and, we believe, more pleasing to the eye. But also the cost of the unit according to the invention would normally be about one-half that of the spring construction referred to and we have no reason to believe that such a unit will be significantly, it at all, inferior in performance thereto.

Claims (14)

1. A saddle comprising a saddle support, a bracket for connecting the saddle to a saddle post, and a resilient plastics suspension unit between the rear of the saddle support and the bracket.

2. A saddle as claimed in Claim 1, in which the suspension unit is an integral plastics moulding.

3. A saddle as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the suspension unit comprises a central portion from which extend on each side upper and lower lateral wings connected respectively to the saddle support and the bracket.

4. A saddle as claimed in Claim 3, in which the upper wings are connected to the saddle support by being received in lugs on the support.

5. A saddle as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, in which the upper and lower wings on each side diverge as they extend outwardly.

6. A saddle as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, or Claim 5, in which the upper wings diverge as they extend outwardly, and the lower wings diverge as they extend outwardly.

7. A saddle as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 6, in which the central portion and part of the wings, has on its front and rear sides a peripheral rib projecting respectively forwards and rearwards.

8. A saddle as claimed in Claim 7, in which the rib along an upper edge of the portion is thicker than the rib on the side edges.

9. A saddle as claimed in Claim 8, in which the rib on the lower edge increases in thickness as it extends towards the sides.

10. A saddle as claimed in any of claims 3 to 9, in which the lower wings are connected to the bracket by bolts extending through apertures in the lower wings and the brackets.

11. A saddle as claimed in Claim 10, in which the bracket is formed from a length of steel wire formed into a U-shape, the free ends of the legs of the U being formed into loops through which the bolts extend.

1 2. A saddle as claimed in any preceding claim in which the front of the bracket is wedged against the support to resist forward movement of the support relative to the bracket.

1 3. A saddle as claimed in Claim 12, including a wedge integral with the support and engaging the bracket.

14. A saddle as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the support is moulded of plastics material.

1 5. A saddle as claimed in any preceding claim, including a cover for the support, and a layer of foamed plastics between the cover and the support.

1 6. A saddle for a pedal cycle and the like substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, or Figs. 6 to 10, or Figs. 11 and 12, of the accompanying drawings.