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
  • B62J1/005—Saddles having a seating area with multiple separate weight bearing surfaces
• • 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
  • B62J1/007—Saddles with specific anatomical adaptations

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a bicycle saddle consisting of a support which is fixed in an adjustable manner to the frame of the bicycle and a seat on which the cyclist is installed.
• the known saddles generally have the same structure, namely a three-dimensional, triangular shape, more or less elongated anteroposterior depending on the destination of the saddle for sport, leisure or indoor cycling. Their cross section is curved or rounded.
• support surfaces or support cups 10, 1 1, enveloping each buttock are necessarily pivotally mounted around a transverse bar being biased in the neutral position by a torsion spring 16.
• the shells 10, 1 1 surround the buttocks following the pedaling movement. It is emphasized that it is necessary to form a suitably shaped surface conforming to the region of the ischium and the upper part of the femur, and for this section views and scale drawings are given in Figures 8, 9 , 10.
• the support cups 10, 11 certainly provide the transverse and longitudinal resistance of the cyclist's pelvis, but not the freedom of movement. Moreover, because of this freedom of pivoting, these cups 10, 11, pivoting, create instability for the pool.
• the movement of the thighs necessarily produces a movement of leverage and lifting of the back part of the buttocks, when the thigh goes down. It is therefore a movement of up and down imposed on the pelvis that goes against the stable behavior of it and is particularly a source of fatigue.
• document PCT / EP94 / 00284 describes a saddle composed of two bearing surfaces in the form of abutments curved from front to back to surround the contour of the gluteus maximus muscles. This saddle constitutes a backstop for the gluteal muscles but does not stabilize the pelvis either transversely or longitudinally.
• the document EP 0 091 016 Rabinovitz describes a saddle formed of two supports pivoting independently around a transverse axis according to the pedaling movement without stabilizing transversely and longitudinally the pelvis of the cyclist.
• PCT2014 / 077214 Pasquier describes a saddle formed of two transverse blades curved in buffalo horn and each having a proximal surface of seat 4a 1 and a surface seat cushion 4a2; the two blades line transversely and laterally the pelvis of the cyclist going up behind, behind the gluteal muscles to return laterally forward. The gluteal muscles are thus blocked at the back and on the sides, the ischions resting flat on the proximal surfaces 4a 1 of the seat.
• the present invention aims to overcome the disadvantages of bike saddles, improve the comfort of the cyclist by removing any friction of the inner thighs against the saddle and any support on the perineum and also the effectiveness of the gesture and the comfort of the bike. cyclist by creating a saddle more adapted to the physiology and morphology of the human body.
• the subject of the present invention is a bicycle saddle composed of a support for being fixed to the frame and of a seat carried by the support and composed of two ischion bearing surfaces, symmetrical with respect to the plane medial longitudinal and spaced leaving a free longitudinal space.
• Each bearing surface is a fixed ischion bearing contour formed by the edge of an orifice or a cavity surrounding the geometric point of support of the ischion, in two branches connected to the support, and the contours are angled inwards towards the longitudinal median plane and towards the front of the saddle.
• the overall shape of the saddle is in total opposition to all the existing saddle shapes, whether they are more or less elongated or shortened because it is limited to a bearing contour surrounding each ischion and recessed in the - Leaving a free longitudinal space between the two support contours by completely eliminating the longitudinal central part, thus combining the transverse and longitudinal holding of the cyclist's pelvis and optimizing its freedom of movement.
• the support contours formed by the edge of cavities or orifices receiving locally the ischions ensure by embedding good adhesion to the saddle.
• the slightly inclined forward and down position promotes ischial adherence to the saddle and gives more efficiency to pedal stroke by putting the gluteal muscles, those of the thigh and those of the hock, in optimal position of tension.
• the more or less pronounced forward inclination of the support zone makes it possible to adapt it to the morphology and the particular physiology of each cyclist and the inclination towards the bottom and the inside of the contours. 'Support stabilizes the position and adapts the seat to all the individual dimensions (adult morphologies, children, men or women) that sinking more or less on the contours of support.
• This embodiment is particularly advantageous because it is simple to manufacture and effective in holding the two ischion support contours.
• the saddle is in the form of a folded plate whose triangular support has a vertex connected to the fixing member and its base connected to the two branches of the bearing contours with which the support forms a curved edge.
• the ischion support contours protrude from the curved edge beyond each branch in the support.
• the bearing contours make a transverse inclination angle ⁇ of the order of 15 ° -20 ° with respect to the horizontal direction and a longitudinal angle of inclination ⁇ towards the front which is 15 ° -20 ° to the horizontal.
• the branches are constituted by blades and in particular blades connected to the support by a curvature which gives flexibility to the bearing surfaces. This flexibility is adjustable by the choice of material, the thickness of the branches, the variable thickness and the radius of curvature, or even a variable radius of curvature.
• the support contours are provided with a soft cushioning and covering coating, further improving the comfort of the saddle.
• the blades have a curved pattern with at least one curvature forming a body with the support for a good transition of shapes and characteristics of the material giving the whole the appropriate flexibility to absorb the shocks of the road.
• the blades provided with the support contours and the abutments are chosen from the following group:
• the invention develops a saddle which, although said "bike saddle” is a seat used in many applications requiring a sitting position. While the lateral portions of the known saddles extending transversely of the elongate central portion have a transverse convex shape, they are replaced by two lateral supports in the form of independent support contours whose shape does not correspond to any convex transverse shape because the cross-section saddle support contours according to the invention is slightly concave upwards and inclined forwardly.
• the saddle according to the invention is perfectly adapted to the morphology of the human body, both for a stationary position and for a dynamic position, the support contours being the surfaces by which the body can rest comfortably without hindering muscular work during pedaling.
• the saddle avoids all friction and support on the fragile and irritable zones of the soft parts of the basin.
• the saddle according to the invention receives the cyclist who sits with his two ischia embedded in the contours of support leaving completely free the gluteal muscles and muscles of the thigh.
• the saddle removes all contact with the axial soft parts of the body of the cyclist from which it remains separated by a completely free space.
• the saddle avoids intercrural friction and its disadvantages and promotes the effectiveness of the pedaling gesture by eliminating any friction of the saddle with the inner thighs.
• the saddle offers a fixed, stable and solid support (bone) to the pelvis of the cyclist where the muscles going to the thigh leave.
• the saddle allows a total freedom of movements and thus a better mechanical performance of the pedaling while setting the pelvis. As the gluteal muscles are outside the bearing areas of the ischia, they are totally free.
• the branches constituted by blades are a particularly simple embodiment since they are advantageously the extensions of the support, itself connected by an attachment (adjustable) to the frame of the bike.
• the branches are advantageously blades connected to the support by a bent portion which gives each blade a certain flexibility, independent of that of the other blade, allowing excellent shock absorption.
• the bicycle seat according to the invention is a particularly simple embodiment. It can be a piece cut and bent in a reinforced plastic plate, providing both stability and flexibility to the supports of the ischions.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view slightly from above of the structure of a saddle according to a first embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 1A is a very diagrammatic side view of the saddle of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 2 is another perspective side view of the saddle of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 3 is a view from above of the saddle of FIG. 1
• FIG. 4 is a very simplified diagram of a saddle with a winding of the blade in the opposite direction of the winding direction described above,
• FIG. 5 schematically shows another variant of the shape of the blades with a double winding
• FIG. 6 shows another variant of blade shape with a complete winding
• FIG. 7 shows another variant with an S-winding
• FIG. 8 shows another variant with a simple winding
• FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another simplified embodiment of a saddle according to the invention.
• FIG. 9A is a schematic cross section of the seat of the saddle of FIG. 9,
• FIG. 9B is a diagrammatic longitudinal section of the saddle of FIG. 9,
• FIG. 10 is a perspective view from above of a variant of the embodiment of FIG. 9.
• FIGS. 1, 1A show a first embodiment of the saddle 1 according to the invention which consists of a support 1 1 with an adjustable fastener 11 on a tubular nozzle 112 or other fastening means to be connected to an adjustable height in frame 100 of the bike.
• the position of the fixation allows to adjust the antero-posterior inclination of the saddle.
• the integrated support 1 1 makes it possible, by means of its adjustable attachment 1 11, to position the saddle 1 by a vertical adjustment (arrow A) and in the longitudinal horizontal direction X (arrow B) of the bicycle frame as well as its inclination (arrow C) by reference to a reference direction, for example the horizontal direction.
• a vertical adjustment arrow A
• X longitudinal horizontal direction
• arrow B longitudinal horizontal direction
• arrow C inclination
• the support January 1 is provided with two longitudinal branches 12, symmetrical with respect to the median plane of the saddle 1 which is also the median plane of the frame 100 of the bicycle.
• the longitudinal branches 12 leave between them a median longitudinal space 13, free in the longitudinal direction X.
• the longitudinal branches 12 in the form of blades each have an ischion bearing surface formed by the contour 121 of an orifice or cavity 125. These bearing contours 121 are oriented on an axis Y1 in the transverse direction and thus form a cross seat for the cyclist.
• the bearing contours 121 are each centered on the geometric point of support 120 of the ischium, knowing that the spacing D of the ischia is a practically standard dimension, with small dimensional variations, for all adult individuals.
• the branches 12 are blades of reduced width to leave free not only the interval or median longitudinal space 13 but also the musculature of the thigh and the hock. Thus, the shape of each blade 12 decreases in width beyond the bearing contour 121.
• the surface of the blade 12 surrounding the bearing contour 121 is relatively small. However, for exceptional cases of very large glutes, while maintaining the interval 13, this blade width could be increased on the outer side and back of the saddle to support the fat masses. This variant also applies to all the embodiments described below.
• the branches 12 join the support 1 1 by a curvature 122 at one end in the form of an enlarged base 124, the other end 123 being free.
• Each branch 12 thus forms a resiliently suspended support for each bearing contour 121.
• This flexibility is adjustable by the nature of the material, its dimensional characteristics such as the thickness and the radius of the curvature 122 of the connection to the support January 1. It is also possible to envisage a stiffener which reduces in an adjustable manner the elasticity of the curvature 122 of each blade.
• the support 1 Under each branch 12, the support 1 has a stop 14 leaving a free space 15 corresponding to the free longitudinal space 13 between the blades of the branches 12.
• the abutments 14 each have a curved blade shape coming under the respective branch 12, either directly in contact or leaving a gap in height to intervene only after a certain elastic deformation of the branch 12.
• the abutments 14 dampen the possible excessive deflection of the branches 12, for example in case of violent shock induced in the frame 100 of the bike by the passage of an obstacle.
• the branches 12 are slightly inclined forward (AV) and to stabilize the hold on the seat, the branches 12 are also slightly curved inward, that is to say towards the longitudinal median plane, the concavity being turned upwards.
• FIG. 1 shows the width variation of the blades of the branches 12, that is to say the non-rectilinear shape of their contour starting from the bearing contour 121, followed by a narrowing at the curvature 122 towards the before continuing with the enlarged base 124 joining the support 1 1.
• the support 1 1 is a surface practically occupying the vertical projection of the outer contour of the branches 12 to receive and concentrate the forces transmitted by the bearing surfaces and, if appropriate, the abutments 14.
• the abutments 14 are curved lamellas, themselves elastic, and elastically connected by their curvature 141 to the support 11.
• the shape of the saddle 1 according to Figures 1, 1A is lightweight and a simple embodiment.
• FIG. 2 is another perspective view showing, more generally, the structure of the saddle 1 without the coverings of the bearing contours 121 of orifices or cavities 125 nor the attachment 11 1 of the support 1 1 integral with the saddle 1.
• the abutments 14 join the support 1 1 by the curvatures 141, leaving a gap 15 between the abutments 14 which corresponds to the free space 13 between the branches 12 so that there is an overall free space 13, 15 between the branches 12 and their associated support 14.
• the support 1 1 has an orifice 1 13 for setting up the adjustable fastener 11 1.
• the orifice 1 13 is preferably oblong, if necessary extended by a portion 1 13a delimited in Figure 2 by a line in dotted which allows to adjust the saddle 1 by its support 1 1 and its adjustable attachment 11 1.
• the adjustable attachment can slide in the oblong hole 1 13 to the longitudinal position and / or inclination chosen to be then locked in this position.
• the support 1 1, curve also adjusts the inclination of the saddle 1 relative to the orientation of the tubular sleeve 1 12 which is the reference orientation since it is given by the frame 100 of the bicycle.
• the adjustable height A is only at the frame 100, for example with the collar 101 of the frame which blocks the sleeve 1 12 carrying the saddle 1 ( Figure 1A) .
• the support 1 1 is connected to the adjustable fastener 1 1 1 by clamping the edge of the support around the oblong hole 1 13.
• Figure 3 is a top view of the saddle of Figure 1 showing the variable width of the two blades constituting the branches 12.
• the bearing contour 121 may be coated with a flexible pad such as a foam more or less thick and on a more or less important surface depending on the type of use of the saddle.
• the branches 12 are blades wound forward. But they could also be oriented in the opposite direction, towards the rear, and / or constitute a loop with the stops 14.
• FIGS 4-8 summarize different saddle shape variants. To avoid complicating this schematic presentation which concerns only the section of the blades, the support contours have not been indicated in these figures.
• FIG 4 shows a first saddle variant 2 in a very schematic representation of the winding of the blades 212 in side view. This winding is in the opposite direction of the winding of the blades 12 of the embodiment described above.
• the saddle 2 is fixed by a sleeve January 12 bearing longitudinal blades 212 with a curvature, rear side, 222, with the support 21 1.
• the sleeve January 12 carries a stop 214 with a curved portion 241.
• the second variant of the saddle 3 shown in Figure 5 also has a winding of the blades 312 from the rear, in the opposite direction of the winding of the first embodiment.
• the tubular sleeve 1 12 carries each blade 312 via a curvature 322 rear joining the support 31 1.
• the blade 312 is supported by a stop 314 with two curvatures 314a, 314b connected to the sleeve 1 12.
• the third saddle variant 4 shown in FIG. 6 comprises blades 412 connected by a closed loop with two curvatures 422a, 422b at the front and at the rear joining the support 41 1.
• the fourth saddle variant 5 shown in FIG. 7 consists of blades 512 connected by a rear curvature 522 to the tubular sleeve 1 12 by the support 51 1.
• the abutment 514 is connected to the sleeve 1 12 by a double curvature 514a, 514b. shape of S.
• FIG. 8 shows a fifth saddle variant 6 composed of blades 612 connected by a front curvature 622 to the tubular sleeve 1 12.
• a stop 614 passes under the blades 612 in the same direction. It is joined to the front curvature 622 by the support 61 1.
• FIG. 9 Another particularly simple embodiment of a seat 7 according to the invention is shown in perspective view and schematically in Figure 9, in cross section in Figure 9 A and in longitudinal section in Figure 9B.
• the saddle 7 has a seat 720 of transverse structure consisting of two ischion bearing contours 722 symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal median plane whose trace of the intersection with the surface of the seat and that of the support is represented by a mixed line TI.
• the bearing contours 722 are made in two branches 721 connected by a curved edge 740 to a rigid support surface 71 1, of triangular shape whose apex is integral with the fastener 712, for example in the form of a sleeve, which will be fixed in the frame of the bike; the base, facing this vertex, is the curved edge 740.
• the two branches 721 leave between them the free space 730 which advances to near or exceeds the curved edge 740.
• the attachment 712 schematically in the drawing is, depending on the case, a very simple fixation to allow adjustment in height of the saddle. But it can also be a fastener with different degrees of freedom of longitudinal adjustment as the so-called fixing "rail" current saddles.
• the perspective view from above shows the concavity of the geometric envelope containing these support contours 722, their transverse inclination with respect to the median plane and their overall inclination with respect to the longitudinal direction.
• the two support contours 722 are constituted by a rounded curve, elongated around the geometric point of support 723 of each ischion.
• the rounded, closed curve is the outline of an orifice
• the support contours 722 assimilated to lines are bordered by a strip of material 725 branches 721, necessary for the materialization of the support contours. Rear and front side, these bands
• the concave shape facing upwards and forwards of the geometric surface containing the support contours 722 is highlighted by two curved lines CL, CT passing through the geometrical bearing point 723, and the curved line CP of the joining edge 740 between the seat 720 and the support 71 1.
• the longitudinal curved line CL gives the bearing contour 722 an inclination of the order of 15 ° to 20 ° forwardly with respect to the horizontal direction.
• the rounded, rounded edge 740 has a curvature CP, generally more open than the transverse curvature line CT.
• the front of the seat 720 is clear and the support 71 1 does not constitute a surface that could interfere with the pedaling movement or the small pelvis.
• the seat 720 of transverse structure as described above with its ischion bearing contours 722 stabilizes the cyclist in the transverse direction and in the longitudinal direction despite the reduced size of the support contours and the removal of the part median and beak, as for the traditional forms of stool bike.
• the surface formed by the support 71 1 and the two branches 721 with the support contours 722 thus constitutes a curve dihedral zone whose edge 740 which is the fold line is curved and not straight, which makes a structure particularly rigid and effective for the performance of the pedaling movement.
• FIG. 9A shows the transverse inclination of the symmetrical support contours 722, each represented by its tangential plane 722t.
• Figure 9B shows the longitudinal inclination for the tangent plane 722t.
• the support 711 is preferably constituted by a generally triangular surface joining the branches 721 of the bearing contours 722 by the curved edge 740 comparable to the edge a kind of deformed dihedral.
• the saddle 7 is thus stiffened thanks not only to its material but also to the edge 740 connecting each leg 721 to the support 71 1.
• the seat 7 may in particular be made by injection or forming a reinforced plastic plate.
• FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of a saddle 7a which is a variant of the saddle 7 described above and shown in FIG. 9.
• the numerical references of the embodiment 7 of FIG. 9 have been preserved at the Figure 10, supplemented by the suffix (a). Unmodified parts will not be rewritten or will only be simplified.
• the support contours 722a and the longitudinal space 730a between the contours 722a have been extended forward; the support 71 retains its triangular shape and the joining edge 740a between the branches 721a and the support 71 1a remains a curved edge.
• the forward elongation of the ischion bearing contour 722a in the form of an edge of an opening or a cavity intersects the joining edge 740a between the branches 721a of the bearing contours 722a and the support 71 la. It is the same for the longitudinal space 730a between the two branches 721a which extends beyond the curved edge 740a. Extending the opening or cavity of the ischion 722a abutment forwards constitutes a throat for the hamstring muscle.
• the saddle 7a thus has a shape inclined towards the median plane between the two support contours 722a and the forward inclination guaranteeing the holding of the pelvis and promoting the muscular effort of pedaling.
• the seat according to the invention may advantageously be made from a cut and bent plate as shown in the figures.
• the saddle according to the invention presented as an outdoor and indoor bike saddle is also a base for any activity that can be done in a sitting position.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Seats For Vehicles (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=56117850

Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (1)

Citations (6)

Family Cites Families (11)

• 2016
  • 2016-02-15 FR FR1651188A patent/FR3047721A1/fr active Pending
• 2017
  • 2017-02-09 CN CN201780011436.2A patent/CN108698653A/zh active Pending
  • 2017-02-09 WO PCT/FR2017/050300 patent/WO2017140970A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2017-02-09 EP EP17713338.6A patent/EP3416877A1/fr not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (6)

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