NZ613844B2 - Bicycle saddle - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a bicycle saddle seat (1) shaped and padded to reduce pressure on the floor of the perineum. The saddle includes a hard shell covering by padding, having two longitudinally symmetrical portions (2,3), connected together such that along a longitudinal axis at the rear of the saddle is a substantially dovetail-shaped inlet (4). In front of the inlet is a depression (11), and in front of the depression is an open channel (5) passing throughout the vertical height of the saddle. The channel is defined by an extension on each portion, the channel reducing in width towards the front of the saddle until the extensions join together and are inclined so as to make a front end of the saddle take up an aquiline shape. The padding includes at the rear of the saddle, first areas configured to support the cyclist’s gluteal muscles where the first areas have a convexity facing upwards in a longitudinal and transverse section and are inclined with respect to the horizontal by about 5°-10°. In front of the first areas are two second areas that have padding with a thickness of about 10-15 mm and is convex, being configured to receive the inner part of the ischial tuberosities and each joining up with one of the extensions. In front of the second areas are third areas that are upwardly inclined by about 5°-10°. At the front of the third areas, the portions join back up at the front end of the saddle forms a semi-circle, the aquiline shape of the front end being downwardly inclined by about 30°-60°. substantially dovetail-shaped inlet (4). In front of the inlet is a depression (11), and in front of the depression is an open channel (5) passing throughout the vertical height of the saddle. The channel is defined by an extension on each portion, the channel reducing in width towards the front of the saddle until the extensions join together and are inclined so as to make a front end of the saddle take up an aquiline shape. The padding includes at the rear of the saddle, first areas configured to support the cyclist’s gluteal muscles where the first areas have a convexity facing upwards in a longitudinal and transverse section and are inclined with respect to the horizontal by about 5°-10°. In front of the first areas are two second areas that have padding with a thickness of about 10-15 mm and is convex, being configured to receive the inner part of the ischial tuberosities and each joining up with one of the extensions. In front of the second areas are third areas that are upwardly inclined by about 5°-10°. At the front of the third areas, the portions join back up at the front end of the saddle forms a semi-circle, the aquiline shape of the front end being downwardly inclined by about 30°-60°.

Description

BICYCLE SADDLE Description The present finding regards a bicycle saddle.

The saddle according to the finding constitutes a development of the saddles described in the Italian patent applications VI2003A000020 (corresponding to A1) and A000204 (corresponding to WO2006/015731), invented by the same inventor of the present patent application. The patent application n°VI2004A000202 (corresponding to WO2006/013063), specifically regarding a fork for supporting the body of the bicycle saddle, is also cited.

The objects described in the mentioned nts were extended as patents even worldwide, passing the merit exams for grant thereof, in particular at European patent level, in USA and China. The saddles described in such documents were ly made and marketed at a high number; such saddles were widely popular, both among professional and amateur cyclists, given that such saddles are capable of overcoming and eliminating most of the sitting problems observed on similar saddles of the known type.

In particular, such saddles were ted to a strict medical test, which carried out comparisons with a saddle of the known type (with straight tip and without an open central channel), in particular for ishing the existing difference between the genital-perineum blood perfusion when the t is sitting on the saddle and exerts the cycling, and the normal rest conditions. In particular such test revealed that with the above described saddles blood perfusion reached 80% with respect to the rest conditions, ed to the poor 20%, observed with the saddles of the known type.

Such test was carried out in 2005 by Guglielmo Breda, practitioner of the Urology department of Ospedale San no of o del Grappa (VI) and it was validated by the article published on the Boston l of Sexual Medicine, by the renowned American urologist Dr. Irvin Goldstein (see http://www.blacksynergy.com/toc/jsm/2/).

By way of evidence reference shall be made to the medical tests carried out by Dr.

Ulrich Swarzer of the department of Urology of the University of Cologne (Germany, 2002) and by Dr. Goldstein, in October 1996 (156(4):1320-9).

In particular, thousands of cyclists, who used such saddles, entirely confirmed the results of the aforementioned medical tests, i.e. that they did not feel the pressure of the structures on the floor of the perineum; furthermore, after long hours positioned on the saddle, the cyclists no longer felt the temporary prostatic congestion and they observed that the bruise on the coxal bone is almost null, which is normally observed using the other saddles of the known type, over the same period of time.

The object of the present finding is that of providing a saddle, which as the closest state of the art refers to that of the previously described saddles, which allows a better possibility of use and better results in use with respect to such s.

Summary of the Invention Therefore the present invention provides a bicycle saddle including a hard shell covered by a padding, having two udinally symmetrical portions, connected together such that along a udinal axis: at a rear of the saddle is a substantially dovetail-shaped inlet, in front of said inlet is a depression, in front of said depression is an open channel passing throughout the vertical height of the saddle, said l being defined by an extension on each portion, the channel reducing in width towards the front of the saddle until the extensions join together and are ed so as to make a front end of the saddle take up an aquiline shape, characterised in that the g includes: at the rear of the saddle, first areas configured to support the cyclist’s gluteal muscles, said first areas: having a ity facing upwards in a longitudinal and transverse section; and being inclined with t to the ntal by about ; in front of said first areas, two second areas, said second areas: having padding with a thickness of about 10-15 mm and convex; being configured to receive the inner part of the ischial tuberosities; and each joining up with one of the extensions; in front of said second areas, third areas, said third areas: being upwardly inclined by about 5°-10°; at the front of said third areas, said portions join back up at the front end of the saddle forming a semi-circle, the aquiline shape of the front end being downwardly inclined by about 30°-60°.

Preferably the padding of the saddle consists of soft foamed elastomer polyurethane plastic material, and covers the entire shell of said saddle with a thickness that: at the first areas is about 3-5 mm, on underlying areas of the shell with a e shape having a depth of about mm in the central part, all with an inclination of 30°-45° on the ions the thickness goes back to being about 3-5 mm, in the third areas, which are at underlying areas of the shell, which are 5-7 mm lower with respect to the surface of the extensions, the g has 10-12 mm of thickness, on the lower surface of the padding some recesses are formed, ed in the third areas, in which soft compact polyurethane cushions, of Shore hardness 16-25, are inserted, to prevent the pubic arch, when resting on the saddle, from resting on the hard shell.

More ably, said cushions are made of plastic, nylon or carbon fibre.

In a preferred embodiment, along the ions in underlying areas of the shell there are inverted U-shaped edges, of equal thickness to it, which go down perpendicularly on the outside and with an inclination equal to 78° on the inside.

Preferably the saddle has, at its surface that is at the bottom, in operating condition, a support fork, which has a pair of substantially parallel longitudinal members, each of which is arranged under the extensions, S-shaped ends of said longitudinal members being adapted to be inserted into cylindrical seats arranged under the shell, at the lower surface f, near the front end, whereas transversal sections, arranged behind the longitudinal members, are configured to insert into sions formed in parallelepiped-shaped structures, with a height equal to the diameter of the support fork, formed at the lower surface of the rear part of the saddle, said sions having a flat upper surface at the front, each of which includes two holes for the insertion of fastening screws, s, on the opposite side, there are two edges inclined by 45°, joined by projections and underlying hollows, wherein closing covers have the same shape as the upper surface of the structures, with two holes each in the front part, to receive flat-head screws, and a tion and a recess at the back in the underlying part, such that after having inserted the S-shaped ends of the longitudinal members inside the cylindrical seats and rested the transversal sections of the fork on the impressions, the closing covers are rested on the rear surface of the shell, and then they are slid over the parallelepiped-shaped structures g a sandwich, and finally the two pairs of screws are inserted into the holes ed, said screws, once screwed in, keeping the support fork firmly rested on the impressions of the shell.

More preferably the two closing covers are connected together by a transversal structure, said structure including a surface adapted to be printed with markings, drawings and the like. More preferably still, the surface is adapted to be printed with one or more trade marks of the manufacturer or retailer of the saddle.

The present finding will now be described in detail, with reference to some particular embodiments thereof, provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the ed drawings wherein: fig 1 (table I) represents a perspective view of the saddle according to the finding, provided with the outer covering thereof; fig 2 (table II) represents a perspective view of the support body, before the padding, of the saddle according to the finding; fig 3 (table III) represents a perspective view of the part underlying the g of the saddle according to the finding, which is glued on the body of the aforementioned saddle; figs 4, 5 and 6 (tables IV-VI) respectively represent an exploded perspective view, a longitudinal section and a transverse n (with transverse dissection of the gluteal muscles of the cyclist) of the saddle described in the patent nt VI2004A000204; fig 7 (table VII) illustrates a longitudinal section of the saddle according to the g; fig 8 (table VIII) represents a erse n of the saddle according to the g, where the support of the pubic part of the cyclist is also schematically indicated; fig 9 (table IX) ents another transverse section of the saddle according to the finding, at the area where the ischial tuberosity of the cyclist is rested; fig 10 (table X) represents a ctive view of the lower surface of the body of the saddle according to the finding, as well as of the support fork thereof and of the other members that allow fixing the aforementioned to said body; fig 11 (table XI) illustrates a centreline longitudinal section of the saddle according to the finding, at the area in which there occurs the fixing of the support fork of the body of the ; fig 12 (table XII) illustrates a transverse section view of the dissection of the structures of the floor of the perineum, highlighting the perimeter of the saddle and the central channel where the latter lies.

In particular in this figure, just like in the others indicated previously, anatomic organs of the cyclist are indicated, identified by the following references: a – coccyx b – anus c – gluteal muscles d – ischial tuberosity e – perimeter of the saddle according to the finding f – pudendal artery g – body of the penis h – deep dorsal artery of the penis i – deep dorsal vein of the penis l – penis m – pubic arch n – testicles q – prostate Before starting the description of the saddle according to the finding, the characteristics of the saddle described in the patent application n°VI2004A000204 will be highlighted below, followed by the more detailed ption of the characteristics of the saddle according to the g with reference to the closest state of the art.

Figs 4 and 5 show that such saddle of the known type has two cal portions, arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the saddle, said portions being separated, at the rear part thereof, by a substantially dove-tail-shaped inlet 4.

Thus these portions are mutually ted by a depression 11, after which a channel-shaped hole 5 open from top to bottom is provided.

The inlet 4, the sion 11 and the l 5 are arranged at the median longitudinal axis of the saddle, the channel gradually ing in width, going from the rear part thereof to the front part thereof. Furthermore, it is provided for that the channel is delimited by two portions 8, 9, which are mutually connected and inclined so as to impart an aquiline-shaped configuration 10 to the front end of the saddle. In these figures the same nce numbers are used, with identical elements, which will also be used for the saddle according to the finding, so as to place the common parts between the two saddles in direct relation.

In this saddle of the known type the padding is made of foamed polymer, it has a thickness equivalent to 8-12 mm and it is ed at the entire surface where the gluteal muscles, the ischial tuberosities and the pubic arch rest. On the body the padding is glued and the entirety is generally covered by top quality hide.

Carefully observing fig 6, it can be observed that the gluteal muscles, made up of muscular fibres which alone are capable of bearing a rigid sitting, rest on the padding, allowing said muscles, even when travelling on an uneven surface, not to ever touch the rigid surface underlying the body.

However, at the same time, due to the pressure of the padding, should the t find a slight ess on the ground, said gluteal s are lowered s the ischial tuberosities, which are made up of a bone covered by a membrane, increasing the compression of such tuberosities on the padding on which they lie, until they are made to touch the surface of the underlying body made up of rigid plastic material. Due to this, the cyclist, at each roughness of the road surface, feels an uncomfortable bruising right on the point where the ischial tuberosities rest. The pubic arch, which rests on the front part of the saddle illustrated in fig 5, is also made up of bones covered by a membrane, and it is pressed by the weight of the bust of the body of the cyclist when it rests on the handlebar; generally, the padding arranged on the front areas of the saddle is not capable of preventing the latter from touching the underlying body, thus subjecting the cyclist feel an able bruise.

The first object of the present finding is to provide a saddle capable of overcoming the drawbacks described above, allowing the cyclist to pedal even over long hours both during training and race without being subjected to any bruise.

A further object of the finding is to provide a saddle having a more aggressive and elegant ure with respect to the saddle of the known type mentioned previously, obtaining improvements also as s the .

Lastly, a r object of the finding is to improve the system for fixing the t fork to the body present in the , according to the finding with respect to the fork described in the previously mentioned patent document.

Preferred ment(s) Fig 1 shows that the saddle 1 according to the invention has two identical portions 2, 3, arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the saddle which are separated, at the front part thereof, by a substantially dove-tail-shaped inlet 4 and thus mutually connected by a depression 11, after which a channel-shaped hole 5 open from top to bottom is provided, with the inlet 4, the depression 11 and the channel 5 arranged at the median longitudinal axis of the saddle. Also in the saddle according to the finding, just like in the previously described saddle, the channel gradually narrows width-wise, going from rear part thereof to the front part f; furthermore, the channel is delimited by two portions 8, 9, which are mutually connected and are inclined so as to take up an aquiline shape at the front end 10 of the saddle. According to the finding, it is provided for that the areas 14, 16 of the saddle intended to support the gluteal muscles of the cyclist and arranged at the rear part have a convexity facing upwards and they are inclined with respect to the horizontal, in the conditions of normal use of the , by about 5°-10°. Such areas 14, 16 proceed with two further areas 13, 15 which have a considerable padding, with a thickness of about 10-15 mm, which has an upward convexity. Fig 9 shows that, as observable in particular in fig 9, these areas have an inclination with respect to the horizontal by about 30°-45° for resting the internal part of the ischial tuberosities. Such areas 13, 15 are then each ted with one of the narrow portions 8, 9 which delimit the channel 5. Such portions 8, 9 proceed with further areas 43, 45 which, as observable in particular in fig 7, are upwardly inclined by about 5°-10°. Such areas 43, 45 are thus joined at the semicircular-shaped end 10, determining the ne shape structure, which delimits the saddle at the front part.

Such structure is rdly inclined by about 30°-60°.

Still according to the finding, the padding 30 of the saddle is made of plastic material, in ular, soft foamed elastomeric polyurethane. Such padding covers the entire body 12 of the aforementioned with a thickness 20, which – at the areas 14, 16 intended to support the gluteal muscles of the cyclist – is of about 3-5 mm, while at the areas 13, 15, it has a thickness of about 10-15 mm. As observable in fig 2, which, it should be borne in mind, illustrates the body of the saddle, the concave-shaped areas 17, 19 are illustrated, which are arranged underlying the areas 13, 15 and have a depth of 10 mm at the central part thereof. Such areas 17, 19 are inclined by about 30°-45° with respect to the horizontal direction. Vice versa at the portions 8, 9, the ess 20 of the padding returns to be about 3-5 mm, while the areas 43, 45 underlying the body 21,23 are lower than 5-7 mm with respect to the portions 8, 9, thus the thickness of the g is equivalent to about 10-12 mm. Observing figs 2 and 3 it will be observed that at the areas 21, 23, in the lower part of the padding 20, cavities 47, 48 are also provided, in which cushions 44, 46 are inserted, advantageously made of soft compact polyurethane with 16-25 shore hardness. Such cushions are intended to be placed, at the lower face thereof, precisely above the areas 21, 23 and the presence thereof prevents the pubic arch of the cyclist from ng the rigid surface of the body 12 made of rigid plastic material (advantageously made of Nylon® and carbon fibre).

It is also provided for that the parts of the body corresponding to the portions 8, 9, as well as the areas 21, 23, which are arranged adjacent to the central channel, descend perpendicularly in the outer part thereof, while they d internally with an inclination equivalent to about 78° having an inverted U-shape. As able in figs 10 and 11, at the lower surface of the saddle (in practice of the body thereof), a support fork 50 is provided, which has a pair of ntially parallel longitudinal members 51, 52. Each one of them is ed beneath the front portions of the saddle which are arranged adjacent to the central l 5 and the ends thereof 53, 54, -S-shaped – can be inserted into rical seats 35, 36, arranged beneath the body of the saddle, in proximity of the aquiline-shaped area. Vice versa transversal portions 55, 56, arranged at the rear part with respect to the longitudinal members 51, 52, are intended to be inserted in impressions 40 obtained in parallelepiped-shaped structures 37, 38 with height equivalent to the diameter of the support fork. Such structures are obtained at the lower surface of the rear part of the saddle; they have at the front part a flat upper surface 31, 32, each having two holes, for the insertion of fastening screws. Furthermore, at the part opposite to that in which holes are t the, they have two edges incline by 45° joined by projections 39 and underlying recesses. Furthermore, closing covers 42 are provided, with a parallelepiped shape identical to the upper surface of the structures 37, 38, each of which have – in the front part - two holes for ing concealable elements, while at the rear part, in the underlying part, they have a projection 41 and a ion identical and contrary to those of the structures 37,38 . In particular, it is ed for that, after inserting the ends 53, 54 of the tubular elements into the seats 35, 36, as well as after resting the portion 55, 56 of the fork on the sions 40, the covers 42 (fig 11) be rested on the upper surface of the body, thus slipping the structures 37, 38 thereon sandwich-like, so that the cal and contrary shapes of the projections and recesses match perfectly with respect to each other; lastly, it is provided for that the definite fixing be completed by inserting into the holes provided with two pairs of screws, which, with fastening maintained, holds the support fork firmly testing on the impressions 40 previously made on the body.

Lastly, it may be provided for that the two covers 42 be mutually connected by a transverse ure 57, on which signs, drawings and the like may be impressed, in ular of the manufacturer and the seller of the saddle.

Claims (8)

Claims

1. BICYCLE SADDLE, ing a hard shell covered by a padding, having two longitudinally symmetrical portions, connected together such that along a 5 longitudinal axis: at a rear of the saddle is a substantially dovetail-shaped inlet, in front of said inlet is a sion, in front of said depression is an open channel passing throughout the vertical height of the saddle, said channel being defined by an extension on 10 each portion, the channel reducing in width towards the front of the saddle until the extensions join together and are inclined so as to make a front end of the saddle take up an aquiline shape, characterised in that the padding includes: at the rear of the saddle, first areas ured to t the cyclist’s 15 gluteal muscles, said first areas: having a convexity facing upwards in a udinal and transverse section; and being inclined with respect to the horizontal by about ; in front of said first areas, two second areas, said second areas: 20 having padding with a thickness of about 10-15 mm and convex; being configured to receive the inner part of the ischial tuberosities; and each joining up with one of the extensions, in front of said second areas, third areas, said third areas: 25 being upwardly inclined by about 5°-10°; at the front of said third areas, said portions join back up at the front end of the saddle forming a semi-circle, the aquiline shape of the front end being downwardly inclined by about 30°-60°. 30

2. SADDLE, according to claim 1, characterised in that the padding of the saddle consists of soft foamed elastomer ethane plastic material, and covers the entire shell of said saddle with a thickness that: at the first areas is about 3-5 mm, on underlying areas of the shell with a concave shape having a depth of 35 about 10 mm in the l part, all with an inclination of 30°-45° on the extensions the thickness goes back to being about 3-5 mm, in the third areas, which are at underlying areas of the shell, which are 5-7 mm lower with respect to the surface of the extensions, the padding has 10-12 mm of thickness, on the lower surface of the padding some recesses are formed, 5 provided in the third areas, in which soft compact polyurethane cushions, of Shore hardness 16-25, are inserted, to prevent the pubic arch, when g on the saddle, from resting on the hard shell.

3. SADDLE, according to claim 2, wherein said cushions are made of c, 10 nylon or carbon fibre.

4. SADDLE, according to any one of the ing claims, characterised in that along the ions in underlying areas of the shell there are inverted U- shaped edges, of equal thickness to it, which go down perpendicularly on the 15 outside and with an inclination equal to 78° on the inside.

5. SADDLE, according to any one of claims 1 to 3, terised in that it has, at its surface that is at the bottom, in operating condition, a support fork, which has a pair of substantially parallel longitudinal members, each of which is 20 arranged under the extensions, S-shaped ends of said longitudinal members being adapted to be inserted into cylindrical seats arranged under the shell, at the lower surface thereof, near the front end, whereas transversal sections, ed behind the longitudinal members, are configured to insert into impressions formed in parallelepiped-shaped structures, with a height equal to 25 the diameter of the support fork, formed at the lower surface of the rear part of the saddle, said impressions having a flat upper surface at the front, each of which includes two holes for the insertion of ing screws, whereas, on the opposite side, there are two edges inclined by 45°, joined by projections and underlying hollows, wherein closing covers have the same shape as the upper 30 e of the structures, with two holes each in the front part, to receive flathead screws, and a projection and a recess at the back in the underlying part, such that after having inserted the S-shaped ends of the longitudinal members inside the cylindrical seats and rested the transversal sections of the fork on the impressions, the g covers are rested on the rear surface of the shell, 35 and then they are slid over the parallelepiped-shaped ures forming a sandwich, and y the two pairs of screws are inserted into the holes provided, said screws, once screwed in, keeping the support fork firmly rested on the impressions of the shell.

6. SADDLE, according to claim 5, characterised in that the two closing covers are 5 connected together by a transversal structure, said structure including a surface adapted to be printed with gs, drawings and the like.

7. SADDLE, ing to claim 6, in which the surface is adapted to be printed with one or more trade marks of the manufacturer or er of the saddle.

8. SADDLE, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, any one or more of