Bicycle saddle cover

A bicycle saddle cover includes a fabric/film enwrapment having a top, bottom and a perimeter with the perimeter being in the shape of a bicycle saddle. An elastomer molded to the enwrapment top creates at least one depression in the enwrapment top in order to accommodate a rider's anatomy and a tie cord disposed in the enwrapment body is provided for its cinching the cover around the bicycle seat.

Conventional saddles or seats for bicycles and stationary exercise devices 
are typically formed of leather or plastic and are relatively hard and 
uncomfortable to the user, particularly during long rides or extended 
exercise. 
Ordinarily, since such saddles or seats are generally mass produced items, 
the available seats and saddles do not provide comfort for many riders. 
With regard to bicycles, especially off-road bicycles, sufficient shock 
absorption is not provided in the conventional seats or saddles. With 
regard to stationary exercise devices, the seat or saddle is uncomfortable 
for any length of time and can e painful due to chaffing after such 
extended use. 
Heretofore, prior art devices have been made in order to provide softer 
padding for the bicycle saddle or seat surfaces and to reduce the 
discomfort by providing a better fit for the rider. While such prior pads 
may be a substantial improvement over the otherwise hard and unyielding 
saddle seats, such pads may be uncomfortable. In addition, because of the 
necessity for effectively upholstering an existing bicycle seat, 
heretofore bicycle pads and covers have been hand-tailored or sewn in 
order to provide adequate contouring to an existing bicycle seat, so that 
the original bicycle seat or saddle provides the structural support for 
the rider while the cover or pad provides the desired comfort. 
The present invention provides for a bicycle saddle cover which enables a 
user to utilize an existing bicycle seat or saddle, while at the same time 
avoiding the costs of purchasing a new saddle. Accordingly, a bicycle 
saddle cover in accordance with the present invention, provides an 
economical saddle or seat cover having anatomical contours which provide 
comfort and a tailored fit heretofore only obtainable through a tailored 
sewn seat and saddle pads. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A bicycle saddle cover in accordance with the present invention generally 
includes a fabric/film enwrapment having a top, bottom and a perimeter 
with a perimeter being generally in the shape of a bicycle saddle. An 
elastomer molded to the enwrapment top provides a means for creating at 
least one depression in the enwrapment top in order to accommodate a 
rider's anatomy. In addition, a tie cord, disposed in the enwrapment 
bottom, provides means for cinching the cover around the bicycle seat. 
The elastomer is bonded to the enwrapment for the purpose of contouring the 
enwrapment top with at least one depression in order to accommodate the 
rider's anatomy as hereinabove noted. 
More particularly, the enwrapment top and the bottom may comprise different 
fabric/film materials in order to provide a suitable elastic enwrapment 
top for sitting thereon, while at the same time providing an enwrapment 
bottom having sufficient toughness and penetration resistance to cover any 
protruding portions which may be present on the bottom of a saddle without 
piercing or rupture of the enwrapment bottom. 
Preferably, the elastomer top and bottom materials are heat sealed to one 
another in order to facilitate economical manufacture of the bicycle 
saddle cover. 
More particularly, the at least one depression formed in the enwrapment top 
by the elastomer is provided in the horn portion of the enwrapment top. By 
forming the at least one depression in an arrowhead shape, relief for a 
male user of the bicycle seat is provided. A widening of the arrowhead 
shape towards a tail portion of the saddle cover accommodates the male 
anatomy. 
In addition, in accordance with the present invention, an elongate 
depression is provided which separates the tail portion of the enwrapment 
top and preferably the elongate depression and the arrowhead depression 
are contiguous. The elongate depression facilitates and accommodates the 
rider's posterior and enables air circulation thereunder. 
It must be appreciated that all of the depressions in the enwrapment top 
are formed therein and held by the underlying elastomer and accordingly no 
sewing, pleating or other manipulation of the fabric/film of the 
enwrapment top is required. 
Preferably, the tie cord is disposed between two heat sealed encirclements 
of an edge of an opening disposed in the enwrapment bottom. This 
facilitates economical production of the bicycle saddle cover without the 
use of sewing and the like.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a bicycle saddle cover 
10 in accordance with the present invention which includes a fabric/film 
enwrapment 12 having a top 14, a bottom 16, and a perimeter 20 generally 
in the shape of a bicycle saddle (not shown). 
The enwrapment top 14 may be any suitable fabric/film, however, preferably 
Lycra.RTM., is utilized because of its two-way stretch characteristics. 
Enwrapment bottom may be formed from any suitable urethane or polyethylene 
or other film having penetration resistance in order that any protruding 
fittings from a bicycle saddle (not shown) will not rupture or penetrate 
the enwrapment bottom. Suitable thicknesses of urethane are between about 
0.001 inches and about 0.5 inches. 
Preferably, the entrapment top and enwrapment bottom are heat sealed along 
the perimeter 20 and inverted to the configuration shown in FIGS. 1-4 
suitable for enwrapping, or covering a bicycle saddle (not shown). 
In addition, a thin plastic film 28 may be heat sealed to the entrapment 
top 14 in order to provide scuff pads encircling the cover 10. 
It should be appreciated that all of the manufacturing steps utilized for 
producing the present invention are disclosed in companion U.S. patent 
application Ser. No. 09/137,602 filed Aug. 21, 1998, entitled, BICYCLE 
SADDLE COVER PAD AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE. This patent application is to 
be incorporated herein in its entirety, including all drawings and 
specification, for the purpose of describing the method of manufacturing 
the bicycle saddle shown in FIGS. 1-4 and described herein. 
As shown in FIG. 4, a tie cord 32 may be heat sealed in an entrapment 
bottom tail portion 16a, about an opening 34 in the enwrapment bottom 16 
for cinching the cover 10 around the bicycle seat (not shown). A method of 
incorporating the tie cord is also described in the hereinabove referenced 
U.S. patent application which is further to be incorporated herein in its 
entirety for describing the method of making the present invention which 
includes the elastomer 24 and tie cord 32. 
In addition, a zipper 36 may be provided in an enwrapment bottom horn 
portion 16b in order to facilitate covering a saddle (not shown) with the 
enwrapment 12. Preferably, the zipper 36 and tie cord 32 are contiguous 
which enables opening of the zipper and spreading of the opening 24 as 
well as the bottom horn portion 16b. This feature is enabled by fixing the 
tie cord at points 32a, 32b on either side of the zipper 36. 
The elastomer 24 is molded onto the enwrapment top, as described in the 
hereinabove referenced U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/137,602, for 
creating a depression 40 in the enwrapment top 14. 
Preferably, a forward portion 42 of the depression 40 is in the shape of an 
arrowhead, as most clearly shown in FIG. 3, in order to accommodate the 
anatomy of a male rider. 
The forward depression portion 42 is deeper, for example, up to one-half 
inch, toward a rear end 44 thereof and shallower at a front end 46. All of 
the arrowhead depression 42 may be disposed generally within a horn 
portion 50 of the saddle cover 10. 
In addition, an elongate depression 60 is preferably formed in the 
enwrapment top 14 which separates a tail portion 62 of the saddle cover 10 
into opposing sides 64, 66. The elongate depression enables better 
accommodation of a rider's buttock (not shown), while allowing independent 
movement thereof and providing a passageway for air movement under the 
rider in order to create a breathing type circulation pattern for cooling 
purposes. The elongate depression 60 may be from between about 0.25 inches 
and about 0.5 inches. 
Additionally, the arrowhead depression 40 and elongate depression 60 are 
preferably contiguous, which enables easy folding of the two tail portions 
64, 66 toward one another when stretched in placement over a bicycle 
saddle (not shown). 
Although there has been hereinabove described a bicycle saddle cover for 
the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention may be used 
to advantage, it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited 
thereto. Accordingly, any and all modifications, variations and equivalent 
arrangements which may occur to those skilled in the art, should be 
considered to be within the scope of the invention as defined in the 
appended claims.