Shock absorbing seat

An improved shock absorbing bicycle seat is provided for a pedal/motor power driven vehicle, such as typically but not limited to, a bicycle frame having a seat tube and wheels which consists of a seat assembly. A mechanism is located between the seat assembly and the seat tube on the bicycle frame, for absorbing impulsive forces generated by the wheels making contact with an irregular road surface. The impulsive forces will be assimilated by the absorbing mechanism before reaching the seat assembly to give a rider a smoother and softer ride.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The instant invention relates generally to cycled vehicles and more 
specifically it relates to an improved shock absorbing seat for a 
pedal/motor power driven vehicle. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Numerous cycled vehicles have been provided in prior art that are adapted 
to come equipped with seats that contain spring biased support structures 
which try to enhance the comfort of the riders of the cycled vehicles. 
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they 
address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present 
invention as heretofore described. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved shock 
absorbing seat for a pedal/motor power driven vehicle that will overcome 
the shortcomings of the prior art devices. 
Another object is to provide an improved shock absorbing seat that will 
give a rider a smoother and softer ride by lessening shocks received to 
the vehicle frame due to poor road conditions and or lengthy rides. 
An additional object is to provide an improved shock absorbing seat that 
can be quickly installed without the use of special tools and can be 
disconnected and transferred to another vehicle of the same size without 
any trouble. 
A further object is to provide an improved shock absorbing seat that is 
simple and easy to use. 
A still further object is to provide an improved shock absorbing seat that 
is economical in cost to the manufacturer, retailer and consumer. 
Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds. 
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may 
be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, 
attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are 
illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific 
construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended 
claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference 
characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, the 
Figures illustrate an improved shock absorbing seat 20 for a pedal/motor 
power driven vehicle 21, such as typically but not limited to, a bicycle 
frame 22 having a seat tube 24 and wheels (not shown). The improved shock 
absorbing seat 20 consists of a seat assembly 26 and a mechanism 28 
located between the seat assembly 26 the seat tube 24 on the bicycle frame 
22, for absorbing impulsive forces generated by the wheels making contact 
with an irregular road surface. The impulsive forces will be assimilated 
by the absorbing mechanism 28 before reaching the seat assembly 26 to give 
a rider a smoother and softer ride. 
The seat assembly 26 includes a seat post 30, with a support structure 32 
connected to an upper end of the seat post 30. A saddle 34 is carried on 
the support structure 32 and a padded cover 36 fits over the saddle 34. 
The absorbing mechanism 28, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, contains a pair 
of external shock absorbers 38, with an apparatus 40 for mounting the 
external shock absorbers 38 to the seat tube 24 on the bicycle frame 22. A 
device 42 is for coupling the external shock absorbers 38 to the seat 
assembly 26, so that the seat post 30 can slide within the seat tube 24 on 
the bicycle frame 22. Each external shock absorber 38 consists of a 
cylindrical housing 44 positioned vertically on said mounting apparatus 40 
adjacent the seat tube 24. A lower disc shaped retainer 46 is carried in 
the housing 44, so that a coil spring 48 can sit upon the lower retainer 
46. A telescopic shaft 50 extends upwardly from the center of the lower 
retainer 46 through the coil spring 48 and above the housing 44. An upper 
disc-shaped retainer 52 is affixed to the telescopic shaft 50 which fits 
over the coil spring 48. A cone-shaped bellows cover 54 is attached 
between the top of the housing 44 and the telescopic shaft 50, to protect 
the telescopic shaft 50 from weather elements, such as snow, ice, rain 
and/or debris. 
The mounting apparatus 40 includes a bracket clamp 56 having a split lug 
58, so that the bracket clamp 56 can fit about the seat tube 24 on the 
bicycle frame 22 and support the external shock absorbers 38 thereon. A 
fasteners 60 extends through the split lug 58 on the bracket clamp 56 for 
securing the bracket clamp to the seat tube 24. 
The coupling device 42 contains an elongated rod 62 extending transversely 
through the upper end of the seat post 30 and the support structure 32 in 
the seat assembly 26. An eyelet 64 is formed on a top end of each 
telescopic shaft 50. A pair of bolts 66 are provided with each extending 
through one of the eyelets 64 and threaded into an end of the elongated 
rod 62. A mechanism 68 is for adjusting the distance of the lower disc 
shaped retainer 46 from the upper disc shaped retainer 52 to selectively 
vary the stroke action of the telescopic shaft 50 with respect to the coil 
spring 48. 
As shown in FIG. 1A, a swivel ball socket 70 is located between the upper 
end of the seat post 30 and the support structure 32 in the seat assembly 
26. The coupling device is a pair of TEFLON swivel ball sockets 72, each 
located between the top end of the telescopic shaft 50 in one external 
shock absorber 38 and the saddle 34 in the seat assembly 26, to allow the 
saddle 34 to swivel from side to side. 
The absorbing mechanism 28, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 8 contains an 
internal shock absorber 74, with an apparatus 76 for mounting the internal 
shock absorber 74 into the seat tube 24 on the bicycle frame 22, so that 
the seat post 30 will slide within the internal shock absorber 74. A 
device 78 is for coupling the internal shock absorber 74 to the seat 
assembly 26. 
The internal shock absorber 74 consists of a cylindrical housing 80 having 
a collar 82 and a bore 84 therein terminating at a bottom wall 86. The 
housing 80 is sized to fit into the seat tube 24 up to the collar 82. A 
coil spring 88 fits into the housing 80 and sits upon the bottom wall 86. 
A disc-shaped cushion 90 fits over the coil spring 88 within the housing 
80, so that the bottom end of the seat post 30 can contact the cushion 90. 
The coupling device 78 includes the seat post 30 having an elongated 
longitudinal groove 92 therein. A guide bolt 94 is threaded through the 
housing 80 above the collar 82, so that when the seat post 30 is inserted 
within the bore 84 of the housing 80, the guide bolt 94 will prevent the 
seat post 30 from rotating when sliding therein. 
As shown in FIG. 4, the mounting apparatus 76 is a set screw 96 threaded 
through the seat tube 24 on the bicycle frame 12 to bear against the 
housing 80 of the internal shock absorber 74. 
The mounting apparatus 76, shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, includes the housing 
80 having a knurled external surface 98 and an external tapered bottom 
edge 100, so that the housing 80 can be force fit into the seat tube 24 
with the knurled external surface 98 securing the housing 80 therein. A 
mechanism 102 is for adjusting the length of the housing 80 to selectively 
vary the stroke action of the seat post 30 against the cushion 90 with 
respect the coil spring 88. 
In FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, the saddle 34 is longitudinally split into two 
pieces 104, in which the padded cover 36 fits over the saddle pieces 104. 
A bolt 106 is threaded through the two saddle pieces 104, the support 
structure 32 and the upper end of the seat post 30 to allow the two saddle 
pieces 104 to slightly rock independently forward and backward. 
The absorbing mechanism 28 contains a pair of external shock absorbers 108, 
an apparatus 110 for mounting the external shock absorbers 108 to the seat 
tube 24 on the bicycle frame 22 and a device 112 for coupling the external 
shock absorbers 108 to the seat assembly 26. An internal shock absorber 
114 and an apparatus 116 is for mounting the internal shock absorber 114 
into the seat tube 24 on the bicycle frame 22, so that the seat post 30 
will slide within the internal shock absorber 114. 
Each external shock absorber 108 is identical in structure with the 
external shock absorber 38 shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The mounting 
apparatus 110 is identical in structure with the mounting apparatus 40, 
also shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. 
The coupling device 112 for the external shock absorbers 108 is a pair of 
TEFLON swivel ball sockets 118, each located between the top end of the 
telescopic shaft 50 in one external shock absorber 108 and one saddle 
piece 104 in the seat assembly 26. The internal shock absorber 114 is 
identical to the internal shock absorber 74 as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 8. 
The mounting apparatus 116 for the internal shock absorber 114 is 
identical to the mounting apparatus 76 shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. 
The pedal/motor power driven vehicle 21 shown in the drawings, is a bicycle 
frame 22 having a seat tube 24. The improved shock absorbing seat 20 can 
also be applied to tricycles, mopeds, scooters, motorcycles and certain 
farm vehicles. Various types of shock absorbing mechanisms 28 can also be 
used in conjunction with the seat assembly 26, such as gas, air, viscous, 
spring, water and gel shock absorbers. 
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
20 improved shock absorbing bicycle seat 
21 pedal/motor power driven vehicle 
22 bicycle frame 
24 seat tube 
26 seat assembly 
28 absorbing mechanism 
30 seat post 
32 support structure 
34 saddle 
36 padded cover 
38 external shock absorber 
40 mounting apparatus for 38 
42 coupling device for 38 
44 cylindrical housing for 38 
46 lower disc-shaped retainer 
48 coil spring 
50 telescopic shaft 
52 upper disc-shaped retainer 
54 cone-shaped bellows cover 
56 bracket clamp 
58 split lug 
60 fastener 
62 elongated rod 
64 eyelet 
66 bolt 
68 adjusting mechanism for 46 
70 swivel ball socket 
72 TEFLON swivel ball socket 
74 internal shock absorber 
76 mounting apparatus for 74 
78 coupling device for 74 
80 cylindrical housing for 74 
82 collar on 80 
84 bore in 80 
86 bottom wall on 80 
88 coil spring 
90 disc-shaped cushion 
92 elongated longitudinal groove in 30 
94 guide bolt 
96 set screw for 76 
98 knurled external surface on 80 100 external tapered bottom edge on 80 
102 adjusting mechanism for 80 
104 saddle piece for 34 
106 bolt 
108 external shock absorber 
110 mounting apparatus for 108 
112 coupling device for 108 
114 internal shock absorber 
116 mounting apparatus for 114 
118 TEFLON swivel ball socket 
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or 
more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods 
differing from the type described above. 
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and 
described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to 
be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various 
omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and 
details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by 
those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of 
the present invention. 
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of 
the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, 
readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, 
from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential 
characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.