Classifications

• • 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
• • 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
  • B62J1/08—Frames for saddles; Connections between saddle frames and seat pillars; Seat pillars

Definitions

• the present invention finds application in the field of support structures, and particularly relates to an integrated human body support structure as described in the preamble of claim 1.
• connection to the seat post is accomplished by rigid members, typically two metal rods, e.g. made of steel or an alloy, which are longitudinally arranged below the lower support of the saddle, at a proper distance from each other.
• rigid members typically two metal rods, e.g. made of steel or an alloy, which are longitudinally arranged below the lower support of the saddle, at a proper distance from each other.
• These rods are secured to the saddle and the seat post by various mechanical connection means, such as plates and screws.
• US-A-6, 561 ,578 discloses a bicycle saddle in which the connection with the seat post consists of a single longitudinally extending rail, formed integrally with the support. Nevertheless, this solution has the apparent drawback of further stiffening the whole structure of the saddle, thus preventing the insertion of any means for improving shock absorption.
• the object of this invention is to overcome the above drawbacks, by providing a support structure that is highly efficient and relatively cost-effective.
• a particular object is to provide a support structure that, in spite of its integral design, can almost entirely take up the normal stresses acting on a vehicle, regardless of the provision of a pad or any other shock absorbing device.
• Another object is to provide an integrated saddle structure that combines comfort features to the requirement of having a light-weight and resistant structure.
• an integrated human body support structure to be connected to a movable or stationary frame according to claim 1 , which comprises an upper element for supporting a seated user, said upper element having longitudinal end portions; a lower element for connection to said movable or stationary frame, said lower element having longitudinal end portions; characterized in that said upper element is in facing and transversely spaced relationship with respect to said lower element, said upper and lower elements being monolithically and elastically joined proximate to only one of their longitudinal ends to define a gap therebetween to allow the opposite free ends to adjust said gap in response to a load variation applied to the structure.
• the support structure according to the invention allows to take up the shocks and stresses deriving from normal use of the vehicle on which it is mounted, as compared with prior art structures.
• the upper and lower elements being monolithically and elastically joined at one of their longitudinal ends, these elements may freely adjust the distance therebetween by movements substantially perpendicular thereto, which significantly helps to take up the stresses from the vehicle on which the structure is mounted.
• the monolithic arrangement of the two upper and lower elements provides a highly aerodynamic structure, insofar as no external elements adding weight to the structure are present.
• both the upper and lower elements may be made of the same base material, that is a substantially a rigid material selected from plastic resins and having a predetermined coefficient of elasticity.
• the structure of the invention will have a particularly light weight and a high resistance.
• particularly cost-effective materials will avoid the use of special materials, such as aluminum or titanium alloys or advanced composite materials, which usually increase fabrication costs for a seat, and particularly a bicycle saddle.
• the lower element may have a connecting portion, substantially in the form of a profile securable to the movable or stationary frame by appropriate connection means.
• the structure may be easily and promptly adjusted in the longitudinal direction defined by the profile. Furthermore, the connection will be highly stable, and prevent any offset between the saddle and the means for connecting the saddle to the frame.
• elastic damping means may be interposed between the upper element and the lower element, i.e. substantially a damping member made of a resilient material, preferably placed at one of the longitudinal ends of the structure elements.
• the structure of the invention may be equipped with an additional shock-absorbing element, which may be possibly adapted to the needs of any specific user.
• a preferably plate-like portion may be provided on the lower element for attachment of said damping means.
• FIG. 1 is an elevation axonometric view of a support structure according to the invention
• FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the support structure of FIG. 1 with certain details being omitted;
• FIG. 3 is a side view of a detail of FIG. 2;
• FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the support structure of FIG. 1 with certain details being omitted;
• FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a detail of FIG. 2.
• the support structure of the invention may support a seated human body, and may thus be configured as a car seat, a chair or a bicycle saddle, as shown in the figures.
• the support structure may conventionally include a shell 2 for supporting a resilient pad 3, made of foam, sponge, elastomeric material, gel or the like.
• the saddle will be connected by suitable connection means M to the frame T of a bicycle.
• the shell 2 comprises an upper element 4 for supporting a seated of a user, and a lower element 5, which is designed to connect the structure to the frame T.
• the elements 4 and 5 have upper longitudinal ends 8, 8' and lower longitudinal ends 9, 9 1 .
• the upper element 4 and the lower element 5 are monolithically joined at the free front end 6.
• the two elements 4 and 5 are transversely spaced to form a gap 7 whereby the opposite free ends 8 and 9 of the elements 4 and 5 can adjust the gap 7, in the direction of arrow F, in response to an applied load, e.g. when a cyclist sits on the saddle or rides across a depression in the ground.
• the two elements 4 and 5 may be made of a rigid or semi-rigid material, namely reinforced polymer materials such as glass fiber-reinforced polyamide 66. A number of methods, such as molding, may be used to form them.
• the upper element 4 may have an elongate front portion 10 and a widened rear portion 11, for optimized fit of the seated position of the user.
• the upper element 4 will have a tapered front end 6, to form a connecting portion having adequate elasticity and resistance to the stresses associated to cycling.
• the lower element 5 may have a lower portion 13 in the form of a profile, mainly extending in the longitudinal direction, along axis X, to allow easy adjustment of the whole saddle in such direction of extension.
• proper elastic damping means 14 made of a resilient material such as an elastomer, may be inserted in the gap 7 defined by the two elements 4, 5.
• the element 14 may be formed directly therein by comolding.
• the lower element 5 may substantially have a plate shape, with widened anchorage rear portions 15, 15'. This may suitably have through holes 16 for anchorage of the resilient pad 3 to the structure 1.
• the upper element 4 may have through holes 17, 17', 17" for securing the saddle pad 3 thereto.
• the integrated support structure of the invention fulfils the intended objects, and particularly it provides a support structure that, in spite of its integral design, can almost entirely take up the normal stresses acting on a vehicle, regardless of the provision of a pad or any other shock absorbing device. Thanks to the upper and lower elements being monolithically and elastically joined at one of their longitudinal ends, these elements are free to adjust the distance therebetween along a plane that is substantially perpendicular thereto, which significantly helps to take up the stresses from the vehicle on which the structure is mounted.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Seats For Vehicles (AREA)
• Vibration Dampers (AREA)
• Chair Legs, Seat Parts, And Backrests (AREA)
• Vibration Prevention Devices (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=36601195

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Cited By (3)

Families Citing this family (5)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (16)

• 2005
  • 2005-03-24 IT IT000088A patent/ITVI20050088A1/it unknown
• 2006
  • 2006-03-22 BR BRPI0612173-0A patent/BRPI0612173A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-03-22 DE DE602006004029T patent/DE602006004029D1/de active Active
  • 2006-03-22 JP JP2008502503A patent/JP2008534348A/ja active Pending
  • 2006-03-22 CN CNB2006800080724A patent/CN100562456C/zh active Active
  • 2006-03-22 WO PCT/IB2006/000625 patent/WO2006100564A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2006-03-22 US US11/909,460 patent/US7549698B2/en active Active
  • 2006-03-22 AT AT06710573T patent/ATE416123T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-03-22 EP EP06710573A patent/EP1868875B1/en active Active

Patent Citations (5)

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