Main body of bicycle saddle having auxiliary functional piece and method of manufacturing the same

A main body of a bicycle saddle includes an elastomer provided on a top surface thereof with a recess, a cover layer covering the top surface and having a concave area corresponding to the recess, and an auxiliary functional piece embedded in the concave area. The main body is manufactured by attaching a contacting surface of the cover layer to a mold cavity of a forming mold by vacuum suction to make a protrusion of the inner wall or a piece material glued to the contacting surface and including the auxiliary functional piece prop up the cover layer to form the concave area, forming the elastomer in the mold cavity, and embedding the auxiliary functional piece in the concave area or exposing the auxiliary functional piece on the contacting surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to bicycle saddles and more particularly to a main body of a bicycle saddle, which has an auxiliary functional piece, and a method of manufacturing the main body.

2. Description of the Related Art

A main body of a conventional bicycle saddle primarily includes an elastomer, a rigid bottom shell and a cover layer. The elastomer is made of foam material such as expanded polyurethane (hereinafter referred to as PU), expanded ethylene-vinyl acetate (hereinafter referred to as EVA) or expanded polyethylene (hereinafter referred to as PE) for providing appropriate cushion and support. The bottom shell is mounted to the bottom of the elastomer for supporting the whole main body of the saddle and being connected with a seat post of the bicycle through other elements. The cover layer, which may be made of synthetic plastic leather for example, covers the top and the periphery of the elastomer for being contacted with the cyclist when the bicycle saddle is in use.

For preventing the cyclist sitting on the bicycle saddle stably from slipping due to smooth surface of the cover layer, some main bodies of the bicycle saddles may be provided on the top thereof with protrusions. Alternately, the surface of the cover layer may be provided with anti-slip pieces glued thereto for increasing the friction between the main body of the bicycle saddle and the cyclist, thereby providing anti-slip effect. However, the main body of the bicycle saddle, which is provided on the top thereof with protrusions, is liable to make the cyclist uncomfortable; the main body of the bicycle saddle, which is provided with anti-slip pieces glued to the surface of the cover layer, has the problem that the anti-slip pieces are liable to escape or peel off.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above-noted circumstances. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a main body of a bicycle saddle, which has an auxiliary functional piece, providing anti-slip effect and comfort to user. Further, the auxiliary piece is not liable to escape or peel off.

To attain the above objective, the present invention provides a main body of a bicycle saddle, which includes an elastomer, a cover layer, and an auxiliary functional piece. The elastomer has a top surface provided with at least one recess. The cover layer covers the top surface of the elastomer and has a contacting surface for being contacted by a user, and a concave area corresponding to the recess. The auxiliary functional piece is embedded in the concave area.

With the design of the present invention, the cover layer provides appropriate anti-slip effect because of having the concave area. Besides, compared with the conventional main body of the bicycle saddle having protrusions on the top of the main body, the main body of the bicycle saddle of the present invention provides a sufficient comfort to the user. Furthermore, the auxiliary functional piece may be an anti-slip piece for improving the anti-slip effect of the main body of the bicycle saddle, and the anti-slip piece is less possible to escape or peel off because it is embedded in the concave area of the cover layer with or without glue. It will be appreciate it that the auxiliary functional piece is not limited to the anti-slip piece. For the auxiliary functional piece, a cooling piece, a vibration-absorbing piece, or a pattern piece having a specific pattern expression, such as the expression of a trademark, may be used depending on usage requirements.

Preferably, the auxiliary functional piece has a functional surface which is exposed on the contacting surface of the cover layer and accommodated in the concave area. In other words, the user can see the functional surface of the auxiliary functional piece shown on the contacting surface of the cover layer; however, the functional surface is not flush with or higher than the contacting surface seen by the user, but a little lower than the contacting surface. In this way, the friction between the user and the contacting surface of the cover layer is less possible to cause the auxiliary functional piece to escape or peel off.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing the aforesaid main body of the bicycle saddle, which can achieve the aforesaid effect.

To attain the above objective, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing the main body of the bicycle saddle, which includes the steps of:

a) attaching the contacting surface of the cover layer to an inner wall of a mold cavity of a forming mold by vacuum suction in a way that a protrusion of the inner wall props up a part of the cover layer to form the part of the cover layer into the concave area;

b) heating a base material in the mold cavity of the forming mold to form the base material into the elastomer in a way that the elastomer is formed with the recess corresponding in shape to the protrusion and the cover layer is combined with the elastomer; and

c) taking a combination of the cover layer and the elastomer out of the mold cavity, and then embedding the auxiliary functional piece in the concave area of the cover layer.

To attain the above objective, the present invention provides another method of manufacturing the main body of the bicycle saddle, which in the steps of:

a) gluing a piece material, which includes the auxiliary functional piece, to the contacting surface of the cover layer;

b) attaching the contacting surface of the cover layer to an inner wall of a mold cavity of a forming mold by vacuum suction in a way that the piece material props up a part of the cover layer to form the part of the cover layer into the concave area;

c) heating a base material in the mold cavity of the forming mold to form the base material into the elastomer in a way that the elastomer is formed with the recess corresponding in shape to the piece material and the cover layer is combined with the elastomer; and

d) taking a combination of the cover layer, the elastomer and the piece material out of the mold cavity, and exposing the auxiliary functional piece on the contacting surface of the cover layer.

In other words, the piece material may include not only the auxiliary functional piece. Therefore, in the step d), the piece material may be partially removed to make the auxiliary functional piece be exposed on the contacting surface of the cover layer.

Preferably, the piece material may include a sacrifice piece glued to a functional surface of the auxiliary functional piece; in the step d), the sacrifice piece is removed from the auxiliary functional piece so that the functional surface of the auxiliary functional piece is exposed on the contacting surface of the cover layer and accommodated in the concave area. This means, the piece material having the sacrifice piece may be used in the manufacturing process and the sacrifice piece is removed in the step d) so that in the finished main body of the bicycle saddle, the functional surface of the auxiliary functional piece is a little lower than the contacting surface seen by the user. In this way, the whole auxiliary functional piece is accommodated in the concave area, so the friction between the user and the contacting surface of the cover layer is less possible to cause the auxiliary functional piece to escape or peel off.

Preferably, the sacrifice piece may be made of cardboard. Besides, the sacrifice piece may be glued to the functional surface of the auxiliary functional piece by means of a double-sided tape. In this way, the piece material is easy in manufacturing, and the sacrifice piece can be easily removed in the step d).

Preferably, the piece material may include a hot melt adhesive film disposed on a gluing surface of the auxiliary functional piece; in the step a), the piece material is thermocompressed so that the auxiliary functional piece is glued to the contacting surface of the cover layer by means of the hot melt adhesive film. In this way, the auxiliary functional piece can be glued to the contacting surface of the cover layer firmly.

More preferably, in the step a), the auxiliary functional piece may be glued to the contacting surface of the cover layer by means of the hot melt adhesive film by a way that a jig is disposed on the contacting surface of the cover layer, the piece material is disposed in a through hole of the jig, and then the jig, the cover layer and the piece material are thermocompressed. In this way, the auxiliary functional piece can be disposed on the required position precisely.

More preferably, in the step a), the piece material may be glued to the contacting surface of the cover layer by a way that a jig is disposed on the contacting surface of the cover layer and the piece material is disposed in a through hole of the jig.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1-5, a main body10of a bicycle saddle according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention primarily includes an elastomer20, a cover layer30, and three auxiliary functional pieces40(unlimited in amount).

The elastomer20is made of foam material, which is usually closed cell foam, such as EVA, PE, or PU, for providing the elastomer20ability of cushion and support. However, the material of the elastomer20is not limited to the aforesaid materials. As shown inFIG. 5, the elastomer20has a top surface21. The top surface is provided with three recesses212, only two of which are shown inFIG. 5. In fact, the recesses212are actually equal in amount to the auxiliary functional pieces40.

The cover layer30may, but not limited to, be synthetic leather, plastic leather, cloth material, and so on. The cover layer30tightly covers and fits with the top surface21and a circumferential surface23of the elastomer20. In addition, there is usually a bottom shell50mounted to the bottom of the elastomer20. The bottom shell50is a rigid shell made of plastics. The periphery of the cover layer30is folded back to the periphery of the bottom of the bottom shell50and fixed there. Since the formation of the bottom shell50is less related to the technical feature of the present invention, the details are thereby not specified here. As shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 5, the cover layer30has an exposed contacting surface31for being contacted by the user, i.e. the cyclist of the bicycle. The cover layer30has three concave areas32(equal in amount to the recesses212) corresponding to the recesses212respectively.

The auxiliary functional pieces40are glued to the contacting surface31of the cover layer30and embedded in the concave areas32respectively. The auxiliary functional pieces40may, but not limited to, be anti-slip pieces with rough surfaces, cooling pieces made of cooling material (ex. gel material), vibration-absorbing pieces made of vibration-absorbing material (ex. silica gel), or pattern pieces providing a specific pattern expression (ex. the expression of trademark), depending on usage requirements. Each of the auxiliary functional pieces40has a functional surface41exposed on the contacting surface31of the cover layer30. For example, in the case that each auxiliary functional piece40is an anti-slip piece, the functional surface41thereof is a rough surface providing the anti-slip effect; in the case that each auxiliary functional piece40is a pattern piece, the functional surface41thereof is the surface having a pattern.

In this embodiment and the following second preferred embodiment, each of the auxiliary functional pieces40is completely accommodated in the concave area32of the cover layer30, so each of the functional surfaces41is also accommodated in the concave area32. In other words, the user can see the functional surface41of each auxiliary functional piece40shown on the contacting surface31of the cover layer30; however, each functional surface41is not flush with or higher than the contacting surface31seen by the user, but a little lower than the contacting surface31. In this way, the friction between the user and the contacting surface31of the cover layer30is less possible to cause the auxiliary functional pieces40to escape or peel off.

In this embodiment, the method of manufacturing the main body10of the bicycle saddle includes the following steps.

a) As shown inFIG. 2, attach the contacting surface31of the cover layer30to an inner wall612of a mold cavity61of a forming mold60by vacuum suction in a way that three protrusions614(equal in amount to the auxiliary functional pieces40, the recesses212and the concave areas32) of the inner wall612prop up parts of the cover layer30to form the parts of the cover layer30into the concave areas32.

In this embodiment, the forming mold60includes an upper die62, a pressing frame64and a lower die66, which are pivotally connected with each other, and the in cavity61is located at the lower die66. The upper die62has a bottom surface622, and a protrusion624protruded from the bottom surface622. The internal contour of the pressing frame64is approximately the same in shape with the external contour of the protrusion624. The lower die66is a shell provided therein with a space662and provided at one side thereof with an air exhausting passage663which communicates with the space662. The mold cavity61is concaved from a top surface664of the lower die66and approximately shaped as the main body10of the bicycle saddle. The inner wall612of the mold cavity61is provided with a plurality of through holes616communicating with the space662.

In the step a), the cover layer30is placed on the top surface664of the lower die66, and then the pressing frame64is pressed on the top surface664with the cover layer30disposed therebetween. The cover layer30is tightly attached to the inner wall612of the mold cavity61by a way that the air in the space662and the mold cavity61is exhausted through the air exhausting passage663to create a vacuum in the space662.

b) As shown inFIGS. 3-4, heat a base material70that is filled in the mold cavity61of the forming mold60to form the base material70into the elastomer20in a way that the elastomer20is formed with the recesses212corresponding in shape to the protrusions614and the cover layer30is combined with the elastomer20.

In this embodiment, the base material70is a liquid foamable material which is a mixture of a plastic material, a foaming agent and other additive. The plastic material may, but not limited to, be EVA, PE, PU, and so on. When the lower die66is not yet covered with the upper die62as shown inFIG. 3, the base material70is injected or poured into the mold cavity61, and the bottom shell50is disposed at the protrusion624of the upper die62. After that, the lower die66is covered with the upper die62as shown inFIG. 4, so that the upper die62is pressed on the pressing frame64and the mold cavity61becomes enclosed. Then, the base material70in the enclosed mold cavity61is heated to be expanded and formed into the elastomer20by the forming mold60. Specifically speaking, the base material70is expanded and formed into the elastomer20between the bottom shell50and the cover layer30; meanwhile, the cover layer30is combined with the top surface21and the circumferential surface23of the elastomer20, and the bottom shell50is combined with the bottom of the elastomer20.

It is to be mentioned that the bottom shell50is not limited to be combined with the elastomer20in the step b), which means the bottom shell50may not be disposed in the forming mold60in the step b). The bottom shell50may be combined with the elastomer20after the elastomer20is formed, or even after the following step c).

c) As shown inFIG. 5, take the combination of the cover layer30and the elastomer20out of the mold cavity61, and then embed the auxiliary functional pieces40in the concave areas32of the cover layer30.

After the step c) is accomplished, the manufacture of the main body10of the bicycle saddle is almost finished except that the periphery of the cover layer30should be embellished. For example, the periphery of the cover layer30may be folded back to the periphery of the bottom of the bottom shell50, and then the periphery of the cover layer30is fixed at the periphery of the bottom of the bottom shell50by means of glue or staple. The aforesaid process of embellishing the periphery of the cover layer30may be performed before the auxiliary functional pieces40are glued to the concave areas32.

As mentioned above, each of the auxiliary functional pieces40may be an anti-slip piece, a cooling piece, a vibration-absorbing piece, a pattern piece, and so on. In this embodiment, the auxiliary functional pieces40are embedded in or even further glued to the concave areas32after the recesses212of the elastomer20and the concave areas32of the cover layer30are formed. Therefore, the auxiliary functional pieces40are convenient to be glued to the cover layer30and removed from the cover layer30, so that the user can change the auxiliary functional pieces40according to usage requirements or replace the auxiliary functional piece40when it is damaged.

Referring toFIGS. 6-12, a second preferred embodiment of the present invention provides another method of manufacturing the aforesaid main body10of the bicycle saddle. The method includes the following steps.

a) As shown inFIGS. 6-8, glue three piece materials80(equal in amount to the auxiliary functional pieces40), each of which includes the auxiliary functional piece40, to the contacting surface31of the cover layer30.

As shown inFIG. 7, each of the piece materials80in this embodiment includes not only the auxiliary functional piece40, but also a sacrifice piece82, a double-sided tape84and a hot melt adhesive film86. The sacrifice piece82may, but not limited to, be made of cardboard. The hot melt adhesive film86may, but not limited to, be made of thermoplastic polyurethane (hereinafter referred to as TPU). The sacrifice piece82is glued to the functional surface41of the auxiliary functional piece40by means of the double-sided tape84. The hot melt adhesive film86is disposed on a gluing surface42of the auxiliary functional piece40.

As shown inFIG. 6, in the step a) a jig92, which has three through holes922shaped complementarily to the piece materials80, is disposed on the contacting surface31of the cover layer30, and then the piece materials80are respectively disposed in the through holes922in such a way that the hot melt adhesive films86are in contact with the contacting surface31. After that, as shown inFIG. 8, the jig92, the cover layer30and the piece materials80are disposed between upper and lower dies942,944of a thermocompression mold94and then thermocompressed, so that the auxiliary functional pieces40are glued to the contacting surface31of the cover layer30by means of the hot melt adhesive films86. In practice, this thermocompressing process is performed at the temperature of 105° C. for about 15 seconds; after that, the cover layer30and the piece materials80are cooled down at the room temperature for at least 3-4 seconds.

b) As shown inFIG. 9, attach the contacting surface31of the cover layer30to an inner wall612of a mold cavity61of a forming mold60by vacuum suction in a way that the piece materials80prop up parts of the cover layer30to form the parts of the cover layer30into the concave areas32. This step is similar to the step a) of the method in the aforesaid first preferred embodiment, thereby not repeatedly described here.

c) As shown inFIGS. 10-11, heat a base material70that is filled in the mold cavity61of the forming mold60to form the base material70into the elastomer20in a way that the elastomer20is formed with the recesses212corresponding in shape to the piece materials80and the cover layer30is combined with the elastomer20. This step is similar to the step b) of the method in the aforesaid first preferred embodiment, thereby not repeatedly described here.

d) As shown inFIG. 12, take the combination of the cover layer30, the elastomer20and the piece materials80out of the mold cavity61, and expose the auxiliary functional pieces40on the contacting surface31of the cover layer30.

Because the piece material80in this embodiment includes the sacrifice piece82disposed on the functional surface41of the auxiliary functional piece40, in the step d) the sacrifice piece82should be removed from the auxiliary functional piece40to make the functional surface41of the auxiliary functional piece40be exposed on the contacting surface31of the cover layer30. In this way, each of the auxiliary functional pieces40is completely accommodated in the concave area32, so each of the functional surfaces41is also accommodated in the concave area32.

In other words, the piece material80having the sacrifice piece82is used in the aforesaid manufacturing process and the sacrifice piece82is removed in the step d), so that in the finished main body10of the bicycle saddle, the functional surface41of the auxiliary functional piece40is a little lower than the contacting surface31seen by the user. In this way, the whole auxiliary functional piece40is accommodated in the concave area31, so the friction between the user and the contacting surface31of the cover layer30is less possible to cause the auxiliary functional piece40to escape or peel off. However, the present invention is not limited to have the aforesaid feature, so the piece material80is not limited to include the sacrifice piece82. Besides, in the step a) of this embodiment, the piece material80is not limited to in the hot melt adhesive piece86or be glued to the cover layer30by thermocompression. For example, a glue may be applied between the gluing surface42of the auxiliary functional piece40and the cover layer30to make the piece material80without the hot melt adhesive piece86be glued to the cover layer30firmly. The piece material80is also not limited to be disposed on the cover layer30by means of the jig92. However, the way of gluing the auxiliary functional piece40to the cover layer30by means of the hot melt adhesive piece86and disposing the piece material80on the cover layer30by means of the jig92, such as that provided in this embodiment, can assure that the auxiliary functional piece40is glued to the contacting surface31of the cover layer30firmly and disposed on the required position of the cover layer30precisely.

In the aforesaid main body10of the bicycle saddle of the present invention, the cover layer30provides appropriate effect because of having the concave areas32, and also provides riding comfort to the user. Besides, the auxiliary functional pieces40are less possible to escape or peel off because of being embedded in the concave areas32of the cover layer30. Furthermore, the auxiliary functional pieces40may be anti-slip pieces for improving the anti-slip effect of the main body10of the bicycle saddle.