Source: http://www.allindianpatents.com/patents/201967-saddle-for-bycycles
Timestamp: 2017-12-15 02:41:35
Document Index: 785092112

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 24', 'art 24', 'art 2', 'art 24', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2']

Indian Patents. 201967:SADDLE FOR BYCYCLES
SADDLE FOR BYCYCLES
The present invention discloses a saddle (1) for bicycles having an anatomically designed outline that fits the cyclist's buttocks outline, allows the reduction of specific pressure, grants safer support to the cyclist's buttocks during the pedal stroke and does not bring any stress to cyclist's backbone, said saddle (1) for bicycles comprising two separate seats (2,3) supported by a supporting unit (4) fixed to the bicycle frame. Each one of said seats (2, 3), comprises at least a first part (2', 3'), fixed with respect to said supporting unit (4) and at least a second part (2", 3"), movable with respect to said first part (2', 3'). Said second part (2", 3") being revolvingly connected to a gudgeon (10, 11) defining an axis (10a, lla) substantially horizontal placed substantially orthogonally to the advancement direction (6) of the bicycle.
WO 99/42353	PCT/EP99/01069
The invention concerns a saddle for bicycles, particularly suitable to be used
on sports and racing bicycles.
It is known that saddles for bicycles include a column coupled to the bicycle
frame and supporting the supporting element of a seat on which the cyclist sits.
In particular the seat has a modelled shape which is generally tapered in the
front part which is housed in correspondence with the cyclist's groin.
The saddles for bicycles of the known described type are realized with different
shapes according to whether the bicycle to which they are applied is a tourism
bicycle or a sports bicycle or racing one.
AH the saddles of the known type have, however, some known drawbacks.
A first drawback is that the seat is fixed in its position and during the pedal
stroke the cyclist's body, especially the thigh and the groin internal areas, carry
out a rubbing against the seat surface. This contributes to make the sitting
comfort worse, especially when the pedal stroke is particularly strong, for
example during a climb cycling.
Another drawback is that the seat comfort degree is rather low because, since
the support area in correspondence with the groin is limited, the specific
pressure is enough to generate a discomfort and sometimes a pain too. This
happens especially during sports competitions in which the sitting on the
saddle is protracted for several hours and the pedal stroke is particularly
A further drawback is that the structural pattern of the seats does not help the
ventilation in the area in contact with the cyclist's body. This causes an
abundant sweating, especially in correspondence with the groin, bringing
about tumefactions even serious and such that they can prevent the cyclist
from using the bicycle even for a long time.
It is known that there are saddles for bicycles trying to overcome such known
drawbacks, described in the European Patents No. 0.467.541/A1,
0.043.278/A2, 0.091.016/A2.
According to the above-mentioned patents teaching, the seat of the bicycle is
divided in two independent parts, each one being connected to a horizontal
rotating gudgeon coupled to a fixed supporting element connected to the
The division of the seat saddle in two independent parts helps the ventilation
and reduces the friction in correspondence with the groin, improving therefore
tangibly the comfort with respect to the saddles of the known type.
Nevertheless it has been found that the seat revolving around an horizontal
axis, whether it is realized in a single part or in two or several independent
parts, does not gives to the cyclist a fixed reaction surface and reduces the
power that the fatter can transmit to the pedals, especially during a climb
it has also been found that using saddles with revolving seats following the
buttocks moves, sometimes can cause troubles as traumata or back sprains,
caused by the continuous lifting and lowering of the backbone.
That is why the use of saddles of the type described in the mentioned patents
and generally of saddles having revolving seats is usually not recommended,
particulariy for those people suffering from backbone and back troubles.
Trying to overcome also these drawbacks, the US patent N. 4.512.608
furnishes a saddle in which the seat is divided in two independent parts which
are nevertheless fixed with respect to a supporting element connected to the
bicycle frame and along which they can be adjusted in their position. The two
parts in which the seat is divided are separate by a central element, connected
as well to the same supporting element of the seat.
The saddles of the described type have a fixed seat and therefore do not
cause any articular trouble to the cyclist's back and backbone. But the
presence of the central element in the seat reduces the air circulation in
correspondence with the groin and turns out to be an obstacle for a correct
pedal stroke, especially a sports one.
The European Patent EP 0818214/A2 is also known, describing a saddle In
which the seat has a back part fixed and connected to the frame, from which
two protuberances project forward, parallel and pivoted on the seat fixed part.
Each projecting part supports the lower part of the cyclist's thigh and follows it
during the pedal stroke.
The fixed part of the seat is an effective opposing element for the cyclist's
buttocks and therefore the legs thrust can be totally transmitted to the pedals
while the cyclist's thigh is supported during the move by the swinging of the
forward projecting parts.
The mentioned patent has also a different embodiment in which the seat is
divided in two independent parts, both revolvingly coupled to an horizontal axis
and each one consisting in several parts reciprocally hinged, such that they
can follow the cyclisf's leg movement during the pedal stroke.
But both the embodiments described in the mentioned patent have as well
In particular the first mentioned embodiment has the drawback that, since the
back part of the seat is realized in a single piece, the ventilation in
correspondence of the buttocks is limited while the embodiment having, the
seat divided in two independent and revolving parts, presents the same
problems previously mentioned concerning the saddles having revolving seats.
All the saddles without the central element and in which the seat is divided in
two independent parts have also the drawback of furnishing a weak anchorage
to the cyclist's buttocks. The cyclist tends therefore, especially during the thrust
on the pedals, to slide forward. So the efficacy of the pedal stroke and the
stability of the driving position are compromised.
The present invention intends to overcome all the mentioned drawbacks and
A first aim is that the saddle of the invention has an anatomically-designed
outline that fitting the cyclist's buttocks outline, it allows the reduction of the
specific pressure.
Another aim of the invention is that of realizing a saddle granting a safer
support to the cyclisfs buttocks during the pedal stroke, with respect to the
saddle of the known type.
A further and not the last aim of the invention is that the saddle of the
invention, during the pedal stroke, does not bring any stress to the cyclist's
Accordingly, the present invention provides a saddle for bicycles comprising two separate seats supported by a supporting unit fixed to the bicycle frame and placed substantially symmetrically laterally to the advancement direction of the bicycle, each one of said seats, comprising atleast a first part fixed with respect to said supporting unit and at least a second part, movable with respect to said first part, said second part being revolvingly connected to a gudgeon defining an axis substantially horizontal placed substantially orthogonally to the advancement direction of the bicycle, said first and said second part being covered with a first and second cushions made in soft material, each first cushion having a depression realized in correspondence with the area in which insertion point of the head of the femur of the cyclist's leg is projected in the pelvis, characterized in that each one of said first cushions has a front projection (24) extending with respect to the edge of each first part of the saddle to which said first cushions belong and which is housed in a back projection present in each one of said second cushions.
consists in a column coupled to the bicycle frame, supporting a slide (or the adjustment of the seats position.
The rotation of each movable part around the respective spin axis and with respect to the respective fixed part, is made elastic by the interposition of springs.
Advantageously both the seats have a soft covering with an anatomically-designed shape improving the support and reducing the specific pressure in correspondence with the points of contact.
In particular the anatomically-designed concave shape of the fixed parts covering of the saddle defines a depression in the covering just in correspondence with the area corresponding, on the vertical direction, to the point in which the head of the femur fits in the pelvis. An engagement is therefore obtained, preventing the sliding forward of the cyclist's pelvis, especially during the thrust on the pedals. This helps the transmission to the pedals of all the thrust carried out by the cyclist during the pedal stroke and is therefore particularly useful especially during a climb cycling. Still advantageously the presence of the open area in correspondence with the groin reduces the rubbing and helps a better ventilation. The said aims and advantages will be better underlined during the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention referring to the enclosed drawings where:
- fig. 1 shows the saddle of the invention in a top front perspective view;
- fig. 2 shows the saddle of the invention in a rear perspective view from below;
- figg. 3. 4 and 5 show respectively the front, top and outline view of the saddle
of the invention shown in fig. 1;
- fig. 6 shows the cross section of the respective position of the cyclist's body
with respect to the saddle at the beginning of the strain on the pedals;
- fig. 7 shows the cross section of the respective position of the saddle and of
the cyclist's leg at the end of the strain on the pedals.
As it can be observed in the figg. 1 to 5 the saddle of the invention, marked with 1 as a whole, includes a couple of seats 2, 3 on which the cyclist sits, which are supported by a supporting unit, marked with 4 as a whole connected to the bicycle frame.
The supporting unit 4 includes a slide 5 defining a longitudinal axis 6 coinciding with the advancement direction of the bicycle. Said slide is supported by an
underlying counter-slide 7. the latter being supported by a column 8 connected to the bicycle frame.
According to the invention each one of said seats 2, 3 includes at feast a first part 2', 3', fixed with respect to said supporting unit 4, and at least a second part 2", 3", movable with respect to said first part 2", 3", said second part 2", 3" being revolvingly connected to a gudgeon 10, 11 defining an axis 10a, 11a substantially horizontal placed substantially orthogonally to the advancement direction 6 of the bicycle.
In particular each gudgeon 10, 11 is fixed to the slide 5 and supports the first part 2' 3' of each seat 2,3. Said first part is on its turn fixed to the gudgeon. Moreover, as it can be observed in fig. 2, each second part 2", 3" of each seat has revolving supports 12, 13 connecting it in a revolving way to the gudgeon 10, 11 in such a way that said each second part 2", 3" can rotate with respect to the respective first part 2', 3' and around the longitudinal axis 10a, 11a defined by each gudgeon 10,11, according to both the directions shown by the arrows 14,15.
The rotation of the second part 2", 3" of each seat is made elastic through the interposition of elastic means, not represented.
It can be observed in the fig. that each first part 2', 3' and each second part 2", 3" of the saddle are covered respectively by a first cushion 18', 19' and a second cushion 18", 19" realized in soft material, suitable to make the sitting softer and therefore more comfortable.
in particular the first cushion 18', 19', covering each first fixed part 2", 3", has a depression 20, 21 particularly visible in figg. 6 and 7, suitable to house the cyclist's buttocks G,
The depression 20, 21 is realized just in correspondence of the area in which, on the saddle, the insertion point of the head of the femur F of the cyclist's leg L Is projected in the pelvis 8. in such a way an engagement is obtained, preventing the sliding forward of the
cyclist's pelvis during the pedal stroke.
Each first cushion 18', 19', as it can be observed in fig. 6, has a front projection
24 extending beyond the front edge 25 of the respective first part 2', 3' of the
saddle supporting it. The front projection 24, moreover, is housed in a
corresponding back recess 26 present in the second cushion 18", 19" covering
each second part 2", 3" of the saddle.
When the cyclist's leg L is in the position that can be observed in fig. 7 during
the phase of the thrust application on the pedals, it carries out on the
projecting part 24 of each first cushion 18', 19' a thrust according to the
direction shown by the arrow 22. Said thrust draws back the projecting part 24
according to the same direction of the arrow 22. Since the first cushion 18', 19'
is fixed to the first part 2', 3' of the saddle preferably through an adhesive and
therefore it cannot be removed, the projecting part 24 draws back and at the
same time lifts causing the swelling 23 widening the initial concavity of the,
depression 20, 21, changing it in the deeper depression 20', 21'.
The cyclist's buttocks G are therefore more embedded in the saddle and the
swelling 23 acts as an obstacle such that it prevents the shifting forward of the
cyclist's body during the application of the highest strain on the pedals.
It is important to underline that the second part 2", 3" of the saddle is not an..
obstacle for the cyclist's leg L during the application of the highest strain on the
pedals. In fact said second part 2", 3", as it can be observed in fig. 7, draws
back during the rotation it, as it can be observed in fig. 7, as far as reaching the
position shown through a hatching, in such a position the second cushion 18",
19" covering the said second part 2", 3" is completely re-entered under the
first part 2', 3' of the saddle.
According to what has been said it can be understood that the saddle of the
invention achieves all the pre-set aims.
In the executive phase the saddle and all the parts forming it can take different
shapes than the shown and described one and the used materials can be of
various types according to the user's needs and according to the features that
the builder wants for the saddle.
Even if the invention has been described referring to the figures shown in the
enclosed drawings, it is clear that it will undergo several modifications and
embodiments, all being a part of the inventive idea expressed in the enclosed
1. Saddle (1) for bicycles comprising two separate seats (2,3) supported by a
supporting unit (4) fixed to the bicycle frame and placed substantially
symmetrically laterally to the advancement direction (6) of the bicycle, each one of
said seats (2, 3), comprising atleast a first part (2', 3') fixed with respect to said
supporting unit (4) and at least a second part (2", 3"), movable with respect to said
first (2', 3'), said second part (2", 3") being revolvingly connected to a gudgeon (10,
11) defining an axis (10a, lla) substantially horizontal placed substantially
orthogonally to the advancement direction (6) of the bicycle, said first (21, 31) and
said second (2", 3") part being covered with a first and second cushions (18', 19',
18", 19") made in soft material, each first cushion (18', 19') having a depression
(20, 21) realized in correspondence with the area in which insertion point of the
head of the femur (F) of the cyclist's leg (L) is projected in the pelvis (B),
characterized in that each one of said first cushions (18', 19') has a front projection
(24) extending with respect to the edge (25) of each first part (2', 3') of the saddle to
which said first cushions belong and which is housed in a back projection (26)
present in each one of said second cushions (18", 19").
2. Saddle for bicycle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each first cushion (18', 19')
has a swelling (23) corresponding to the front projection (24) which get deformed
when the cyclist's leg (L) during the pedal stroke carries out a thrust (22) against it.
3. Saddle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each one of said cushions (18', 19', 18",
19") is fixed to the respective part (2', 3', 2", 3") of the saddle supporting it through
4. Saddle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting unit (4) comprises a slide
(5) to which said gudgeon (10, 11) is fixed, connected in a sliding way to a
respective counter-slide (7), the latter being supported by a column (8) housed in
5. Saddle (1) as claimed in claim 4, wherein said slide (5) and said counter-slide (7)
define a longitudinal axis (6) for the sliding of said seats (2, 3) coinciding with the
advancement direction of the bicycle.
6. Saddle (1) as claimed in claim 1 or 4, wherein said gudgeon (10, 11) supports said
first part (2', 3') of said saddle (1) which is steadily fixed to it.
7. Saddle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each second part (2", 3") has supports
(12, 13) suitable to connect it in a revolving way to each respective gudgeon (10,
8. Saddle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each second movable part (2", 3")
cooperates with elastic means suitable to make elastically yielding the rotation
around the respective gudgeon (10, 11).
in-pct-2000-00221-kol-abstract.pdf
in-pct-2000-00221-kol-assignment.pdf
in-pct-2000-00221-kol-claims.pdf
in-pct-2000-00221-kol-correspondence.pdf
in-pct-2000-00221-kol-description(complete).pdf
in-pct-2000-00221-kol-drawings.pdf
in-pct-2000-00221-kol-form-1.pdf
in-pct-2000-00221-kol-form-18.pdf
in-pct-2000-00221-kol-form-2.pdf
in-pct-2000-00221-kol-form-3.pdf
in-pct-2000-00221-kol-form-5.pdf
in-pct-2000-00221-kol-g.p.a.pdf
in-pct-2000-00221-kol-letters patent.pdf
in-pct-2000-00221-kol-priority document others.pdf
in-pct-2000-00221-kol-priority document.pdf
IN/PCT/2000/00221/KOL
DID ITALIA S R L
VIA SETTE MARTIRI ,173.I-36078 VALDAGNO
1 BAVARESCO ROBERTO JOSE VIA PASUBIO ,31 I-36078,VALDAGNO
B 62 J 1/00
PCT/EP99/01069
1 VI98A000034 1998-02-19 Italy