Patent EA-000228-B1 (EA)
Title: Spring-action seat suspension assembly for a two-wheeler
Inventor: HALS CATO
IPC: B62J1/04
Filed: 1996-05-31
Abstract: 1. A springy seat retainer assembly for a two-wheeled vehicle, preferably a bicycle, said vehicle having a frame which comprises a downward running seat tube (21), said assembly being adapted for conventional entry and tightening in said seat tube (21) and to hold a standard bicycle saddle, as a substitute for a conventional seat post, said assembly comprising: - a seat post member (20) for entry and tightening in said seat tube (21) and comprising a post head (1) protruding up from said seat tube (21), - a movable intermediate section (3, 4, 6, 7, 11, 13, 19) attached in one end thereof to said post head (1) and in the other end to - a saddle attachment part (2) having attachment details (8, 9, 14-l7) for a conventional saddle, characterized in that said intermediate section comprises: - two, three or four substantially parallel bars (3, 4) each being journalled in one end thereof to a bearing (27, 28) on said post head (1), and in the other end to a bearing (23, 24) on a lower portion of said seat attachment part (2), said bare (3, 4) pointing obliquely upwards and rearwards when said assembly is in an unloaded condition, and - a springing mechanism (6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 19) mounted in between two diagonally situated said bearings (23, 24,27,28) to provide an upward directed force against said seat attachment part (2). 2. The seat retainer assembly of Claim 1, characterized in that the distance between two of said bearings (23, 24, 27, 28) is somewhat shortened in relation to a parallellogram configuration, e.g. by the upper bar(s)(4) being a little shorter than said lower bar(s) (3), whereby the saddle is rotated somewhat during a downward cushioning movement for said assembly, in order to compensate for the rotation movement, of the vehicle during a shock against the vehicle rear wheel. 3. The seat retainer asseinbly of Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said springing mechanism (6, 7, 10, 1l, 12, 13, 19) provides an expansion force and is mounted in between a lower one (28) of said bearings (27, 28) on said post head (l) and an upper one (23) of said bearings (23, 24) on said seat attachment part (2). 4. The seat retainer assembly of Claim 3, characterized in that said springing mechanism comprises a helical spring (6) mounted around a telescopic-acting guide (11, 13) with an attachment means (7, 19) to a bearing (28, 23) in both ends thereof. 5. The seat retainer assembly of Claim 4, characterized by a biasing device (10) with a threaded cog rim on an end portion of one member (11) of the telescopic-acting guide, for defining a pre-set upper seat position by placing a slit (5) in said one member (11) of the guide relative to an engaging stop cotter (12) in the second member (13) of said guide. 6. The seat retainer assembly of Claim 4 or 5, characterized by stop means (30, 32, 33) for soft. limiting of the deflection of the springing mechanism in both directions. 7. The seat retainer assembly of Claim 6, characterized in that- a stop bolt (33) with resilient material (32) is provided on said seat attachment part (2) in a position substantially between the bearings (23, 24) thereon, as a stop means for limiting upward deflection. 8. The seat retainer assembly of Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that an attachment detail (8) on said seat attachment part (2) is provided with a member of resilient material (30) which operates as a stop means for limiting downward deflection of said springing mechanism by engagement against the top surface of the upper bar(s) (4). 9. The seat retainer assembly of any previous Claims, characterized in that a vertical line through the center (25) of the attachment details of said seat attachment part (2), in an unloaded seat position, substantially lies between the bearing pair (27. 28on said post head (1) and the bearing pair (23, 24) on said seat attachment part (2). 10. The seat retainer assembly of any previous Claim, characterized in that the bearing pair (23, 24) on said seat attachment part (2) in an unloaded seat position is situated behind an extension of the seat tube (21) axis (26). 11. The seat retainer assembly of any previous Claim, characterized in that a return damper device (18, 36) of a telescopic friction type is arranged outside between bearing-extensions (17, 41) and substantially parallel to said springing mechanism, said damper device having in one end thereof an elongate and longitudinal hole (37) for cooperation with one of said bearing-extensions (41) so as to provide an adjustable free travel range without damping effect.