Abstract:
An apparatus for attachment and adjustment of a bicycle seat is connected to a bicycle seat post and allows tool-free attachment of the seat to the post as well as angular fore and aft adjustment of the seat relative to the longitudinal axis of the seat post.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/506,684, filed Sep. 29, 2003. 

   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not Applicable 
   REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
   Not Applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to bicycles and teaches several novel bicycle seat rail clamping shafts and mounting systems for attachment and adjustment of a two seat rail bicycle seat and each system allows easy attachment of the seat to a bicycle seat post and the easy adjustment of the fore and aft position and the angulation of the bicycle seat with both adjustments relative to the longitudinal axis of the seat post connected to the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An objective of this invention, a bicycle seat rail clamping shaft and a bicycle seat mounting system, is to provide a novel and improved system for use with a two seat rail bicycle seat that allows a bicycle seat user to more easily adjust by hand the fore and aft seat position and the angular orientation of the two seat rail bicycle seat relative to its bicycle seat post than allowed by prior art. In the preferred embodiment, a user can even adjust the seat while riding. 
   Ergonometric advantages for a bicycle rider are promoted because in the preferred embodiment of the instant bicycle seat rail clamping shaft invention, the rider can easily make adjustments by hand without tools to the fore and aft positioning and angular orientation of his seat while away from his workshop and without recourse to a toolbox and its array of wrenches or the need to carry a toolkit while riding. 
   The invention helps a bicycle rider safeguard his back and body from injury that in the absence of the invention might be caused by riding a bicycle with a seat that is not adjusted properly to the rider or for the rider&#39;s needs. The invention permits a plurality of riders who may ride a specific bicycle to each adjust the seat to fit themselves. 
   The systems preferably and principally are made out of an aluminum alloy such as 7005 or 7075 together with appropriate mechanical fittings such as bolts, nuts, and washers. Stainless steel, titanium, or other suitable materials could be substituted in place of an aluminum alloy without departing from the intended scope of the invention. 
   Additional and various other objects and advantages attained by the invention will become more apparent as the specification is read and the accompanying figures are reviewed. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  10  for receiving and securing a two seat rail bicycle seat; 
       FIG. 2  is a side sectional view of the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  10 ; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a first mounting system incorporating the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  10 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a partial side sectional view of the first mounting system shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is an assembled perspective view of the first mounting system shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a side sectional view of a second embodiment of a bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  110 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the second embodiment of the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  110 ; 
       FIG. 8  is an assembled perspective view of a second mounting system incorporating the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  110  in the place of the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  10  in the first mounting system; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a third mounting system incorporating a third embodiment of a bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  210 ; 
       FIG. 10  is a side plan view of the third mounting system shown in  FIG. 9  also showing a left seat rail  126  mounted to the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  210 ; 
       FIG. 11  is a side sectional view of the third mounting system shown in  FIG. 10  and also showing a mid-range angular position of the sliding shaft  82  and the attached right seat rail  130 ; 
       FIG. 12  is a side sectional view of the third mounting system shown in  FIG. 10  and also showing an end-range angular position of the sliding shaft  82  and the attached right seat rail  130 ; 
       FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a sliding shaft  82 ; 
       FIG. 14  is a bottom plan view of the third mounting system shown in  FIG. 10  and also showing a left seat rail  126  and a right seat rail  130  mounted to the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  210 ; 
       FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a fourth mounting system incorporating a fourth embodiment of a bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  310 ; and 
       FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a fifth mounting system incorporating a hollow seat post tube  230  in the place of the head shell assembly  90 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 16 , a bicycle commonly is equipped with a bicycle seat having two spaced and roughly parallel seat rails  126  and  130 , see  FIG. 14 , that are also generally fore and aft relative to the bicycle longitudinal axis. 
   The present invention is a bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  10  that receives the two seat rails  126  and  130 , see for example  FIG. 14 , and securely and removably grips the rails and provides an interfacing and cooperating member to a mounting system with said system in turn secured to a seat post tube. 
     FIG. 1  shows a bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  10 . The bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  10  is a generally cylindrical one-piece shaft having two seat rail slots, a left seat rail slot  12  transverse to the longitudinal axis of the clamping shaft near one end of the clamping shaft, a right seat rail slot  14  spaced and parallel to the left seat rail slot  12  at the opposite end of the shaft, two compression slots  16 , two pairs of compression bolt bores  18  and  20  (see  FIG. 2 ) that are coaxial and transverse to the shaft axis, and two compression bolts  22 . Each pair of compression bolt bores (see  FIG. 2 ) comprises an upper threaded compression bolt bore  18  and a coaxial lower unthreaded compression bolt bore  20  and each pair of compression bores crosses a compression slot  16  that commences within a respective rail slot  12  and  14  and proceeds inwardly along the longitudinal axis of the shaft and partially towards the opposite rail slot. Each pair of compression bolt bores  18  and  20  receives a compression bolt  22  that is introduced first into the lower unthreaded compression bolt bore  20  and then into the upper threaded compression bolt bore  18 . The compression bolts  22  when tightened squeeze the compression slots  16  together and thereby squeeze each rail slots  12  and  14  respectively together. 
   The bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  10  is used in several mounting systems (see  FIGS. 3 to 16 ) for attaching the seat to a seat post and each system is used for adjusting the fore and aft seat position and the angulation of the bicycle seat relative to the longitudinal axis of the bicycle seat post for both adjustments. 
     FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a first mounting system incorporating the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  10 . The seat post tube  30  has a pair of seat post tube transverse coaxial bores  32  near its upper end and a seat post tube compression bolt bore  34  below the coaxial bores and perpendicular to the axis of the coaxial bores. A seat post tube pinch clamp plug  40  has a seat post tube pinch clamp plug transverse receiving bore  42  near its upper end that is appropriately sized to a bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  10  that will be inserted into the receiving bore, a seat post tube pinch clamp plug compression slot  44  that longitudinally splits the bore at the lower end of the plug, a seat post tube pinch clamp plug unthreaded compression bolt bore  46 , and a seat post tube pinch clamp plug threaded compression bolt bore  48 . The compression bolt bores  46  and  48  are coaxial and cross the plug compression slot  44 . The plug  40  is inserted into the top of the seat post tube  30  and the transverse bores of the post tube and the plug are aligned and the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  10  is inserted into the transverse bores and positioned with preferably equal portions extending outward on either side of the seat post tube. A compression bolt  22  is inserted into the seat post tube compression bolt bore  34  and the coaxial bores  46  and  48  and is tightened and thereby reduces the effective circumference of the transverse receiving bore  42  and securely grips the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  10 . The compression bolt can later be loosened and the clamping shaft can be rotated within the receiving bore as desired. 
     FIG. 4  is a partial side sectional view of the first mounting system shown in  FIG. 3  and discussed in the paragraph immediately above.  FIG. 4  illustrates the cooperating relationships between the elements of the first mounting system.  FIG. 5  is an assembled perspective view of the first mounting system. 
     FIG. 6  is a side sectional view of a second embodiment of a bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  110  that provides easier usage than the first embodiment because the compression slots and compression bolts are omitted and a quick release type mechanism is used to close and secure an alternative left seat rail slot  112  and to grip a left seat rail  126 . The length of the seat rail slots  14  and  112  provide stability to seat rails that are placed within them and clamped in slot  112  after the quick release type mechanism is closed. Preferably the rail slot  112  is placed transverse to the clamping shaft  110  as shown in  FIG. 6  so that its bottom is in the same plane as the lower surface of the right rail slot  14 . Shaft  110  has a bicycle seat rail clamping shaft flat  50  that is in a plane spaced and parallel to the lower plane of the rail slots  14  and  112 . The shaft  110  has a J-bolt bore  52  that is perpendicular to the flat  50  and preferably intersects the longitudinal axis of the shaft  110  and the J-bolt bore is located very near to the top edge of the slot  112  and longitudinally between the right rail slot  14  and the slot  112 . Preferably, a threaded adjustment fitting bore  54  is formed coaxially to the J-bolt bore  52  and from the surface of the shaft away from the flat  50  and linearly and adjustably receives from the surface away from the flat an adjustment fitting  56  into the fitting bore. The adjustment fitting  56  has an axial bore that is the same diameter as the J-bolt bore  52 . A J-bolt  58  is received first down into the J-bolt bore  52  and then into and extending through the adjustment fitting  56  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The J-bolt  58  has a J-bolt clamping tab  60  formed at the end that extends upward and above the flat  50  that preferably is formed to closely fit over a portion of a seat rail that is placed in the rail slot  112 . The J-bolt  58  has a transverse J-bolt retaining pin bore  62  at the end opposite the clamping tab  60 . Preferably, the adjustment fitting  56  has a coaxial spiral spring bore  66  at its lower end that may receive a spiral spring  68  that when received encircles the shaft of the J-bolt  58  and then a concave washer  70  is received over the J-bolt shaft to cooperate with a cam handle  72  that has a cam handle retaining pin bore  74  that is coaxially aligned about the J-bolt retaining pin bore  62  at the lower end of the J-bolt  58  before a J-bolt retaining pin  64  is inserted to secure the quick release mechanism together. After the cam handle  72  is secured to the J-bolt  58 , the handle can be used to control the action of the clamping tab  60 . 
     FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the second embodiment of the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  110  that shows with arrow A the allowable rotation of the cam handle  72  about the axis of the J-bolt  58  and the coupled rotation of J-bolt clamping tab  60  from a position covering the left seat rail slot  112  to a position uncovering the slot (the uncovering position is not shown). 
     FIG. 8  is an assembled perspective view of a second mounting system incorporating the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  110  in the place of the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  10  in the first mounting system. In  FIG. 8 , arrow A shows the allowable rotation of the cam handle  72  about the axis of the J-bolt  58  and the coupled rotation of J-bolt clamping tab  60  from a position covering the left seat rail slot  112  to a position uncovering the slot (the uncovering position is not shown) and arrow B indicates a permissible direction of upward movement of the cam handle  72  that will cause clamping tab  60  to clamp down to a closed position. 
     FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a third mounting system incorporating a third embodiment of a bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  210  that differs from the shaft  10  in that it has a transverse sliding shaft bore  80  near the longitudinal midpoint of the shaft  210  that is not present in shaft  10 . The sliding shaft bore  80 , is sized to slidingly receive within it a sliding shaft  82 . The sliding shaft  82  has a sliding shaft transverse receiving bore  84  near its lower end to receive and rotatably retain a sliding shaft pivot pin  86 . The sliding shaft pivot pin  86  has a threaded sliding shaft pivot pin bore  88  that is transverse at or near the pivot pin&#39;s longitudinal midpoint and threaded to receive an angular adjustment screw  108 . 
   The third mounting system uses a head shell assembly  90  that has a head shell interior cavity  92  that is preferably a rectangularly shaped hollow cube. The head shell interior cavity  92  has two spaced and parallel inside head shell walls  94  and  96  that near their upper edges are perpendicularly intersected by two head shell transverse coaxial bores  98  that are sized to receive and rotatably retain within them a bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  210 . 
   The head shell assembly  90  includes two head shell angular adjustment screw coaxial bores  100  that are in the head shell assembly below the head shell transverse coaxial bores  98  and perpendicular to the axis of the coaxial bores  98  that are sized to receive and rotatably retain an angular adjustment screw  108  that extends through them. 
     FIGS. 9 and 10  show a flared portion  102  at the lower end of the head shell assembly  90  near a male coupling portion  104 ; the coupling portion can be fixed in the top of an appropriately sized hollow seat post tube. 
     FIG. 10  is a side plan view of the third mounting system shown in  FIG. 9  and also shows a left seat rail  126  mounted to the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  210 . Preferably, reinforcing bosses  106  surround the head shell angular adjustment screw coaxial bores  100 . 
     FIG. 11  is a side sectional view of the third mounting system shown in  FIG. 10  and also shows a mid-range angular position of the sliding shaft  82  and the attached right seat rail  130 . The angular adjustment screw  108  preferably has a knob  120  at one end that can be turned by hand or alternatively an alien head or other bolt head could be used.  FIG. 11  shows the angular adjustment screw  108  passing through the head shell angular adjustment screw coaxial bores  100  and retained in the bores by a lock nut  124  or other suitable device at the other end from the knob  120 .  FIGS. 11 and 12  clearly show the angular adjustment screw  108  passing through the threaded sliding shaft pivot pin bore  88  and illustrate by the two positions shown how rotation of the screw is changed into a linear translation of the sliding shaft pivot pin  86  along the axis of the screw and an angular rotation of the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  210  that benefits from the mechanical advantages brought to bear by the system. The sliding shaft  82  slides in or out of the sliding shaft bore  80  as the screw is rotated and the sliding shaft pivot pin  86  moves along the screw. 
     FIG. 12  is a side sectional view of the third mounting system shown in  FIG. 10  and also shows an end-range angular position of the sliding shaft  82  and the attached right seat rail  130 . 
     FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a sliding shaft  82  and shows an angular adjustment screw slot  83  at the bottom of the sliding shaft that extends partially upwards along the axis of the sliding shaft towards its opposite end.  FIG. 13  also shows a sliding shaft transverse receiving bore  84  that preferably is perpendicular to the plane of the screw slot  83 . 
     FIG. 14  is a bottom plan view of the third mounting system shown in  FIG. 10  and also shows a left seat rail  126  and a right seat rail  130  mounted to the bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  210 .  FIG. 14  also shows an interior flat  128  surface located within the hollow male coupling portion  104  and shows how access is available through an opening into the head shell cavity  92  (see  FIG. 9 ). 
   Washers  122  are used in the various mounting systems in a conventional manner. 
     FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a fourth mounting system incorporating a fourth embodiment of a bicycle seat rail clamping shaft  310  that differs from the shaft  110  in that it has a transverse sliding shaft bore  80  near the longitudinal midpoint of the shaft  310  that is not present in shaft  110 . The sliding shaft bore  80 , is sized to slidingly receive within it a sliding shaft  82 . The sliding shaft  82  has a sliding shaft transverse receiving bore  84  near its lower end to receive and rotatably retain a sliding shaft pivot pin  86 . The sliding shaft pivot pin  86  has a threaded sliding shaft pivot pin bore  88  that is transverse at or near the pivot pin&#39;s longitudinal midpoint and threaded to receive an angular adjustment screw  108 . 
     FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a fifth mounting system incorporating a hollow seat post tube  230  in the place of the head shell assembly  90 . 
   The preceding description and exposition of the invention is presented for purposes of illustration and enabling disclosure. It is neither intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications or variations in the invention in light of the above teachings that are obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art are considered within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted to the breath to which they fairly, legitimately and equitably are entitled.