WO2001034456A1

WO2001034456A1 - Bicycle seat

Info

Publication number: WO2001034456A1
Application number: PCT/CA2000/001313
Authority: WO
Inventors: Aous Asfar
Original assignee: Aous Asfar
Priority date: 1999-11-05
Filing date: 2000-11-03
Publication date: 2001-05-17
Also published as: AU1261701A; CA2288565A1

Abstract

A bicycle seat is provided which avoids exerting pressure on the pudendal and perineal structures of the rider, which seat consists of support frame (24) to be used to attach the seat to a bicycle, and a seat portion, which seat portion comprises: i) a main support area with two raised side portions (12, 14) and a lower central area (22), for supporting the ischial tuberosities of a bicycle rider and for substantially avoiding the application of pressure to the pudendal structures of the rider; and ii) a truncated beak section attached to said main support area, having two side extension arms (30) protruding away from said main support area, wherein said arms define a central opening (32) which is open at one end, and wherein the extension arms on the truncated beak act as thigh rests (36), and said central open area (32) acts to substantially avoid the application of pressure to the perineal structures of genitalia of the rider. A seat with improved comfort is provided.

Description

Bicvcle Seat

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a seat, and in particular, to a seat for a bicycle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Bicycles have undergone significant design developments in recent years. For example, bicycles are now made out of high strength, lightweight materials. There also have been vast improvements in wheel design from which have evolved mountain bicycles and touring bicycles as well as racing bicycles. A substantial amount of design effort has been devoted to providing a rider with a more comfortable ride, and in particular, with a more comfortable seat.

There have been many variations in bicycle seat designs during its evolution with many designs utilizing a single platform having a narrow nose, or beak, to support the rider. These single platform seats have generally placed excessive pressures on sensitive areas in the groin area, and thus are uncomfortable during long periods of riding. In particular, these typical bicycle seats place excessive pressures on sensitive tissues that can damage nerves, fascia and blood vessels in the groin and anal areas, as well as cause temporary impotence in males.

Recent studies have indicated that 35% of female cyclist who rode 60 miles or more per week experienced genital numbness and 14% had difficulty urinating. Additionally, 4% of male cyclists who rode more than 100 miles per week experienced erectile dysfunction (New England Journal of Medicine, May 6, 1999).

Numerous bicycle seat designs have been described in the patent prior art which address these issues. For example, bicycle seats (such as US Patent No. 5,123,698 to Hodges) have been designed to be adjustable in width in order to provide more comfortable platforms for the rider to rest his buttocks upon. In other designs, (such as US Patent No. 5720518 to Harrrison or US Patent No. 5890760 to Kirstein) the bicycle seat contains one or more cushioning pads to provide support at targeted areas in order to relieve undesired pressure at other areas such as the "rider's tail bone, soft tissues and genitalia".

In US Patent No. 5911475 (Nakahara), a seat is disclosed containing a pair of resilient pads for support ofthe "bony portions" ofthe buttocks, and a resilient foam pad on the beak ofthe seat for cushioning support ofthe male genitalia.

In other designs, the bicycle seat is composed of two or more independent support pads which move independently of one another, and which provide support to targeted areas. Examples of these seat designs include US Patent Nos. 5709430 (Peters), 5911474 (Lee) and 4387925 (Barker et al). These designs all require some form of "spring" mechanism (which can be complex) to move the seat portions in response to the movement ofthe rider. Further, not all of these designs provide support to act as thigh "rests".

Having thigh rests is considered useful particularly in activities such as riding downhill over uneven terrain. Under these circumstances, most experienced riders will lift themselves off of the seat but will squeeze the seat between their thighs against the thigh rests.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,082 to Hanson illustrates a bicycle seat which suited to accommodate the movement of a rider's ischial tuberosities. In one embodiment ofthe Hanson device, the portions ofthe seat coinciding with the rider's ischial tuberosities yield to the downward movement ofthe ischial tuberosities in order to reduce the magnitude ofthe localized pressure concentrations in these areas. In a second embodiment ofthe Hanson device, the seat has a portion which pivots transversely about the central, longitudinal axis ofthe seat during the pedalling motion to account not only for the downward movement of an ischial tuberosity but also for the associated upward movement ofthe other ischial tuberosity. However, this seat design does not provide a mechanism to remove pressure from the pernial artery, vein, fascia or nerves. In a further seat design variation, in a product currently sold under the trade name ofthe "Minkow Wedge", a bicycle seat is provided wherein a wedge of material is removed from the back ofthe seat so that pressure is removed primarily from the rider's pudendal artery, vein and nerves (hereinafter the "pudendal structure"), and to a limited extent, the rider's pernial artery, vein, fascia and nerves (hereinafter the "pernial structure") by providing a seat where only the rider's ischial tuberosities contact the seat. However, it has been found that the "beak" ofthe seat can still exert pressure on the pernial structure. Further, it has been found that under pressure, the seat portions can tend to separate. This separation tends to separate the gluteal muscles which can, over an extended period, prove painful to the rider. Accordingly, further improvement to this seat design would be desirable in order to address these issues, and in particular, further remove pressure from the pernial structure.

Commercial bicycle seats are also known wherein a portion ofthe "beak" ofthe seat is removed so as to create a hole in the beak. This assists in removing pressure from the male genital and/or the rider's pernial structure. However, the hole (which can be rectangular or elliptical) can lead to accidental injury to the rider.

In general, these prior art designs have addressed the problems of typical bicycle seats by providing extending support for the rider on the ischial tuberosities and/or providing cushioning support for the male genitalia. Several additional designs have taken these criteria to extremes including U.S. Pat. No. 575,509 to Newell which illustrates a seat designed to support a rider in a manner which relieves all middle flesh or the perineum from pressure. The seat is composed of a rim or open frame shaped at its back portion to embrace the buttocks ofthe rider and further provided with inwardly-extended arms at a front portion, which arms are separated to avoid contact with the middle flesh or perineum ofthe rider. The inwardly extending arms are inclined upward so as to offer resistance to any tendency ofthe rider to slip forward outward ofthe seat by the impingement ofthe anterior aspect ofthe ischial tuberosities and the muscles and other soft parts covering them against the arms. In a similar seat design, Katz in US Patent No. 5873626 describes a seat in which a tubular structure provides support for the ischial tuberosities and provides no support for the genital area. However, this type of seat design requires careful arrangement ofthe spacing between the tubular structures in order to provide adequate support for the rider. Further, this device provides little support for the rider's thighs because ofthe absence of conventional thigh rests.

Accordingly, notwithstanding these designs, there remains a need for a bicycle seat which provides for rider comfort and riding efficiency (e.g. adequate support without impacting on normal riding techniques), without requiring individual adjustment, moving parts, spring loading of support means, and the like, and which provides the potential to reduce the potential for injury.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a principal object ofthe present invention to provide a seat, for use on a land vehicle such as a bicycle and in other environments, which supports the ischial tuberosities while substantially avoiding the application of pressure to the perineal structures of a user.

It is a further object to provide a seat as above which substantially avoids the application of pressure to the pudendal structures of a user.

It is a still further object to provide a seat as above which provides thigh rests for the rider.

It is yet a still further object ofthe present invention to provide a seat as above which is aerodynamic and formed from lightweight materials.

It is another object ofthe present invention to provide a seat as above which reduces the potential for injury.

The foregoing objects are attained by the seat ofthe present invention. Accordingly, the present invention provides, a bicycle seat having a support frame to be used to attach the seat to a bicycle, and a seat portion, which seat portion comprises: i) a main support area with two raised side portions and a lower central area, for supporting the ischial tuberosities of a bicycle rider and for substantially avoiding the application of pressure to the pudendal structures ofthe rider; and ii) a truncated beak section attached to said main support area, having two side extension arms protruding away from said main support area, wherein said arms define a central opening which is open at one end, and wherein the extension arms on the truncated beak act as thigh rests, and said central open area acts to substantially avoid the application of pressure to the perineal structures or genitalia ofthe rider.

The term "beak" is used to indicate the front area of a typical bicycle seat and is sometimes referred to as the "nose" or the "pommel" of a bicycle seat. The phrase "truncated beak" is used to indicate that the beak ofthe present invention is shorter than the beak of a typical bicycle seat.

The central opening can be of any shape. However, the central opening preferably has a curving structure in order to accommodate the genitalia ofthe rider. In a most preferred feature, the extension arms define a central opening which has a concave arcuate shape.

The extension arms are preferably generally straight with some curvature on their outside surfaces in order to accommodate the thighs ofthe rider and thus, act as thigh rests.

The support frame can be any known support frame for attaching bicycle seats to a bicycle. The frame can therefore include mounting rods for connecting to the bicycle frame. Still further, the support frame may include means for adjusting the height ofthe seat relative to the bicycle frame.

The seat portion is preferably a one-piece seat design for ease of manufacture since there is no need for moving parts. However, the "one-piece seat design" may be constructed of several parts, including, for example, a steel support rod system for attaching the seat to the bicycle frame, a moulded plastic shell for support ofthe seat, a foamed cushioning material placement over the plastic shell, and a cover material for placement over the cushioning material. When assembled, the resultant seat is thereby formed into a one-piece seat design. This one-piece design provides a "single platform" seat.

Other construction materials may be used.

Alternatively, the seat may be constructed and used as a multi-part seat with any or all of the various parts spring mounted to act independently of one another. A multi-part seat manufactured in accordance with the present invention may also include means for adjusting the width ofthe seat to accommodate different sized users and to distribute the weight ofthe user in desired locations.

The main support area ofthe seat may be similar to some known bicycle seat designs. However, in a preferred embodiment, the main support area comprises two raised areas on either side of a relatively lower central area. This lower central area may be a groove running longitudinally along the centre ofthe seat, or may be a hollowed-out portion in the seat. In this manner, the rider's weight is supported by resting the rider's ischial tuberosities on the two raised portions, and thus, little or no weight rests on the pudendal structures ofthe rider.

In a preferred embodiment, the raised areas are positioned so as to provide an essentially flat seating area when the rider's ischial tuberosities are on the raised portions ofthe seat. In particular, it is desirable to provide a seat wherein the raised areas provide an essentially flat area so as to minimize any pressure to separate or compress the rider's gluteal muscles and/or the external anal sphincter muscles. Minimizing or eliminating this compression or separation pressure further eliminates a source of rider discomfort.

The seat also preferably provides a sufficiently large seating area so as to allow the rider the ability to shift and move his seating position in order to accommodate various riding positions such as an aerotuck position or an upright resting position. Although the present invention is of utility to the male bicycle rider by removing pressure from the male rider's perineal structures and genitalia, the seat also provides support benefits to the female rider by removing pressure from the female rider's perineal structures. Therefore, the seat is of a unisex design and provides benefits to, and can be used by, either a male or female rider. Further, while the seat ofthe present invention is described in the context of a bicycle seat, it should be noted that the seat can be used on any of a variety of devices including, but not limited to, devices such as motorcycles, mopeds, exercise bicycles, snowmobiles, personal water craft, and the like. Accordingly, in a further aspect, the present invention also provides a bicycle, exercise bicycle, moped, motorcycle, snowmobile, or personal water craft having a seat as described hereinabove with respect to the present invention.

Other features ofthe present invention, as well as other objects and advantages attendant thereto, are set forth in the following description and the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals depict like elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment ofthe bicycle seat ofthe present invention will now be described by reference to the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a seat in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view ofthe seat of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a back view ofthe seat of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front view ofthe seat of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view ofthe seat of FIG. 1; FIG. 6 is a perspective view ofthe seat of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a top view of an alternative design of a seat in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a top view of a further alternative design of a seat in accordance with the present invention; and

FIGS. 9 to 13 are top, front, side, bottom and perspective views of an alternative seat design, similar to the seat described in Fig. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

As previously discussed, the present invention relates to a seat, which has a wide number of applications but has particular utility on land vehicles such as bicycles.

Referring to the Figures 1 to 6, a seat 10 is provided having two raised portions 12 and 14 located in the main support area 20 ofthe seat. The two raised portions 12 and 14 are located on either side of a hollowed-out section 22 ofthe seat, and provide an essentially flat area for the rider to sit on. Two extension arms 30 extend from the main support area 20 and define a open space 32. The material 34 located between extension arms 30 decreases in height, in cross-section, as the cross-section moves from the main support area towards the end of extension arms 30.

The seat is attached to the bicycle using support rods 24.

The surfaces of material 34 and extension arms 30, which define open space 32 are all curved to avoid sharp edges. In a preferred embodiment, the surfaces ofthe material and the interior of extension arms 30 form a concave, arcuate pocket between extension arms 30. The exterior of extension arms 30 are also gradually curved to avoid interfering with the legs ofthe rider when pedalling. This gradual curve of extension arms 30 provides a comfortable thigh rest 36 for the rider.

In an alternative embodiment, shown in Fig. 7, the material 35 in the open space 32 gradually decreases in height but ends at the end of extension arms 30. However, a pocket between the arms is still defined by the material 35 and the extension arms 30.

In an additional alternative embodiment, shown in Fig. 8, hollowed-out section 22 has been replaced with a groove 23 which generally runs longitudinally along the centre ofthe seat 10.

In Figs. 9 to 13, an alternative seat design 10a is shown wherein the outer shape ofthe seat is more rounded, and the central opening 32 has been enlarged. However, the basic structures of this seat (with respect to the present invention) are similar to those ofthe seat shown in Fig. 8.

In operation, the rider sits on the seat so that the rider's ischial tuberosities rest on raised portions 12 and 14. The hollowed-out section 22, or groove 23, creates a space so as to avoid exerting pressure on the rider's pudendal structures. Open space 32 between extension arms 30, and material 34 or 35, acts as a space so as to avoid exerting pressure on the rider's pernial structures, and/or genitalia. Thus, a comfortable seat is provided for the rider which eliminates pressure in all of these sensitive areas. Further, when riding, the exterior of extension arms 30 act as thigh rests 36 for the rider.

Having described specific embodiments ofthe present invention, it will be understood that modifications thereof may be suggested to those skilled in the art, and it is intended to cover all such modifications as fall within the scope ofthe appended claims. Additionally, for clarity and unless otherwise stated, the word "comprise" and variations ofthe word such as "comprising" and "comprises", when used in the description and claims ofthe present specification, is not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps. It is apparent that there has been provided in accordance with the present invention a seat which fully satisfies the means, objects, and advantages set forth hereinbefore. While the invention has been described in combination with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light ofthe foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope ofthe appended claims.

Claims

The embodiments ofthe invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A seat having a support frame to be used to attach the seat to a bicycle, and a seat portion, which seat portion comprises: i) a main support area with two raised side portions and a lower central area, for supporting the ischial tuberosities of a bicycle rider and for substantially avoiding the application of pressure to the pudendal structures ofthe rider; and ii) a truncated beak section attached to said main support area, having two side extension arms protruding away from said main support area, wherein said arms define a central opening which is open at one end, and wherein the extension arms on the truncated beak act as thigh rests, and said central open area acts to substantially avoid the application of pressure to the perineal structures or genitalia ofthe rider.

2. A seat as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said extension arms define a central opening which has a concave arcuate shape.

3. A seat as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein said extension arms are essentially straight with some curvature on their outside surfaces to accommodate the thighs ofthe rider and thus, act as thigh rests.

4. A seat as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said support frame comprises mounting rods for connecting to the bicycle frame.

5. A seat as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said seat is a one-piece seat design.

6. A seat as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said seat is a single platform seat.

7. A seat as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said seat is a multi-part seat with any or all ofthe various parts spring mounted to act independently of one another.

8. A seat as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said main support area comprises two raised areas on either side of a relatively lower central area and said lower central area is a groove running longitudinally along the centre ofthe seat.

9. A seat as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said lower central area is a hollowed-out portion in the seat.

10. A seat as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said raised areas are positioned so as to provide an essentially flat seating area when the rider's ischial tuberosities are on the raised portions ofthe seat.

11. A bicycle, exercise bicycle, moped, motorcycle, snowmobile, or personal water craft having a seat as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10.