Patent ID: 7022275

Claim:
A method of manufacturing an integral saddle, comprising: hollow-punching a plurality of first layers of high-rigidity composite material including high-modulus fibers, so as to define a profile of a support structure and at least one opening in each of said first layers; hollow-punching at least one second layer made of high-elasticity composite material including high-elasticity fibers and having a rigidity less than that of said first layers, so as to leave said at least one second layer substantially imperforate; superimposing said first layers and said at least one second layer inside a first mold so as to ensure an alignment of the openings in said first layers, a portion of said at least one second layer being disposed coextensively with said openings so as to cover or block said openings; molding and fixing said first layers and said at least one second layer inside said first mold by means of a thermosetting resin, so as to provide an elastically yielding zone in the region of said openings to form said support structure; extracting said support structure from said first mold; inserting said support structure into a second mold; and expanding an elastomer material in said second mold to form a cover over a top of said support structure to obtain said integral saddle.