Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to bicycles, and more specifically to bicycle seats having an adjustable stiffness. 
         [0002]    Bicycles commonly have a seat for supporting the rider. Bicycle seats can be made from a variety of materials, such as leather, plastic, and vinyl. In order to increase the comfort to the rider, bicycle seats are often designed to be resilient. For example, the seat can include foam to allow the seat to conform to the rider. In addition, the seat can be mounted on springs to facilitate absorption of shock loads imparted to the bicycle from the riding surface. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The present invention provides a bicycle seat including a mount adapted to be coupled to a bicycle frame, a shell supported by the mount, and a tensioned element (e.g., a flexible element, such as a cable) extending from a first anchor point to a second anchor point. The shell includes a flexible portion for supporting a rider, and the tensioned element includes a support portion providing support to the flexible portion between the first and second anchor points. The bicycle seat can be mounted on a bicycle frame. 
         [0004]    In one embodiment, the mount comprises two rails, each rail having a front end secured to a front portion of the shell and a rear end secured to a rear portion of the shell. Preferably, the first anchor point is on the front portion of the shell and the second anchor point is on the rear portion of the shell. In this regard, the flexible portion can be positioned between the front portion and the rear portion. 
         [0005]    Tension in the tensioned element is preferably adjustable to thereby adjust the support provided by the tensioned element to the flexible portion. For example, the tensioned element can be wrapped around an adjustment dial for adjusting a tension in the flexible element. A compression member (e.g., two compression members) can be positioned between the tensioned element and the flexible portion (e.g., integrally formed into the shell). 
         [0006]    Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a bicycle including a seat embodying the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an upper perspective view of the seat of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a lower perspective view of the seat of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the seat of  FIG. 1  from above the seat. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the seat of  FIG. 1  from below the seat. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the seat of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a section view of the seat taken along line  7 - 7  in  FIG. 6  illustrating the seat in a non-tensioned state. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is another section view of the seat illustrating the seat in a tensioned state. 
       
    
    
       [0015]    Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates a bicycle  10  that includes a front wheel  15 , a rear wheel  20 , a frame  25 , and a steering assembly  30 . The frame  25  includes a top tube  35 , a head tube  40 , a down tube  45 , a seat tube  50 , seatstays  55 , and chainstays  60 . A bicycle seat assembly  65  is supported by the frame  25  and provides a surface  70  upon which a rider sits while riding the bicycle  10 . 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the seat assembly includes a bicycle seat  75  that is supported by a seat support  80 . The illustrated bicycle seat  75  has a contoured shell  85  (e.g., an injected plastic base) defining the surface  70  for supporting the rider, and a mount that has two lower rails  90  that can be secured to the seat support  80 . Each rail  90  extends between a front portion  95  of the shell  85  and a rear portion  100  of the shell  85 , and is attached to the respective front and rear portions  95 ,  100  within rail supports  105  disposed on the underside of the seat  75 . The rail support  105  near the front of the seat  75  defines a pocket  110  for supporting both rails  90  near the front portion  95 , and each of the two rail supports  105  near the rear of the seat  75  defines a pocket  115  for supporting one of the rails  90  near the rear portion  100 . 
         [0018]      FIGS. 2-8  illustrate the seat assembly  65  without the lower rails  90 . The shell  85  includes a flexible portion  120  located between the front and rear portions  95 ,  100  of the seat  75 , and compression members  125  disposed along the underside of the shell  85 . As illustrated, the seat  75  has an interior opening  130  located near the center of the shell  85  and bordered by the flexible portion  120  to accommodate the anatomy of a rider, although the seat  75  can be provided without the opening  130 . Also, a seat cover (not shown) can be wrapped around the shell  85 . 
         [0019]    The compression members  125  are disposed along and extend downward from the underside of the shell  85 . The illustrated compression members  125  are integrally formed with the shell  85 , although the compression members  125  can be provided on the seat  75  as separate elements that are attached to the shell  85 . With reference to  FIGS. 3 ,  5 , and  6 , the shell  85  has four compression members  125  located around the perimeter of the interior opening  130  and engaged with or coupled to the flexible portion  120 . Two compression members  125  are located near the forward end of the opening  130  and spaced laterally apart from each other, and two additional compression members  125  are located near the rearward end of the opening  130  and spaced laterally apart from each other. 
         [0020]    As illustrated, each compression member  125  takes the form of a protruding tab that has a concavity or notch  135 . In some cases, elongated ribs or bars (not shown) can be coupled between the two longitudinally-arranged compression members  125  so that the elongated ribs are positioned along the flexible portion  120 . For example, the seat  75  can include laterally opposed elongated ribs that are integrally formed with and extend outward from the underside of the shell  85 , or elongated ribs that are separately attached to the shell  85  via the compression members  125 . Furthermore, the compression members  125  can take on other forms without deviating from the scope of the invention. 
         [0021]    The seat  75  also has a front anchor point  145  located on the front portion  95  and a rear anchor point  150  located on the rear portion  100 . In some constructions, one or both of the front anchor point  145  and the rear anchor point  150  can be supported by the rails  90 . The front anchor point  145  is located generally rearward of the forwardly-located rail support  105 , and is defined by a post  155  that extends outward from an underside of the shell  85 . The post  155  can be fastened (bolted, riveted, etc.) to the shell  85 , molded into or with the shell  85 , or secured to the underside of the shell  85  in other ways. With reference to  FIGS. 5 ,  7 , and  8 , the front anchor point  145  has an annular channel  160  located inward from a distal end of the post  155 . 
         [0022]      FIGS. 2-5  show that the rear anchor point  150  is located between and forward of the rearwardly-located rail supports  105 . The rear anchor point  150  has a wall  165  defining a recessed cavity  170  and an aperture  175  at the bottom of the cavity  170 . The illustrated wall  165  defines a substantially cylindrical cavity  170  (i.e., substantially circular when viewed from above), although the cavity  170  can have other shapes (e.g., polygonal, elliptical, etc.) The rear anchor point  150  also has notches or passageways  180  disposed in the wall  165 , although the rear anchor point  150  can be provided without the passageways  180 . Also, it should be understood that the front and rear anchor points  145 ,  150  can be defined by any suitable attachment points on the shell  85  that accommodate a seat tension apparatus that selectively stiffens or relaxes the flexible portion  120 . 
         [0023]    With reference to  FIGS. 2-8 , an exemplary seat tension apparatus  185  is coupled to the front and rear anchor points  145 ,  150 . The seat tension apparatus  185  has a tensioned element  190  that extends between the front and rear anchor points  145 ,  150 , and that is adjustable using an adjustment mechanism such as an adjustment dial  195  (see  FIGS. 2-8 ). The illustrated tensioned element  190  is a flexible element such as a cable or wire, although other tensioned elements can be used to support the flexible portion  120 . As shown in FIGS.  3  and  5 - 8 , the tensioned element wraps around and is supported on the front anchor point  145  in the annular channel  160 . As illustrated, a fastener  200  is attached to the post  155  to secure a washer  205  to the front anchor point  145  so that the tensioned element  190  remains engaged with the post  155  even if the tensioned element  190  is removed from the channel  160  (e.g., due to slack). Alternatively, the front anchor point  145  can be formed with a flange or other device to keep the tensioned element  190  from falling off the post  155 . Furthermore, the tensioned element  190  can be coupled to the shell  85  in other ways while still being capable of stiffening and relaxing the flexible portion  120 . 
         [0024]    For example, the tensioned element  190  can be arranged along the underside of the shell  85  so that the tensioned element  190  makes more than two passes under the flexible portion  120 . In these arrangements, the tensioned element can be supported by anchor points (e.g., anchor points  145 ,  150 ) on each end and can wrap around or otherwise engage structure on the shell  85  between the anchor points. Other arrangements of the tensioned element  190  along the underside of the shell  85  relative to the flexible portion  120  are also possible and considered herein. 
         [0025]    The illustrated tensioned element  190  has opposed ends  210  that are coupled to the adjustment dial  195  and a looped support portion  215  that is located between the ends  210  and engaged with the compression members  125  to support the flexible portion  120  between the front anchor point  145  and the rear anchor point  150 . The support portion  215  extends forward from the rear anchor point  150  through the passageways  180 , and the compression members  125  are positioned between the support portion  215  and the flexible portion  120  to form a column or pillar that is acted upon by the tensioned element  190  to stiffen or relax the flexible portion  120  based on the tension applied to the tensioned element  190 . In other arrangements, the tensioned element  190  can include the compression members  125 , or the tensioned element can be engaged with the flexible portion  120  in other ways (e.g., without the compression members  125 ). 
         [0026]    With reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the adjustment dial  195  has a housing or base  220  and a cap  225  that is rotatably coupled to the base  220  to permit adjustment of the tension on the tensioned element  190 . The base  220  is disposed in the recessed cavity  170  and protrudes through the aperture  175 . A flanged portion  230  supports the base  220  within the cavity  170 . The ends  210  of the tensioned element  190  extend through access openings  235  in the base  220  and are secured to a ratchet or other tension mechanism (not shown) that is housed in the base  220 . A cover (not shown) can be placed over the base  220  or to enclose the dial  195  within the cavity  170  (e.g., to protect the dial  195  from the environment). As illustrated, the cap  225  has detents  240  that assist with rotating the cap  225  relative to the base  220 . 
         [0027]    One such tension apparatus  185  is described and illustrated in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 8,091,182, assigned to Boa Technology, Inc. with its principal place of business in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and which is incorporated herein by reference. The illustrated adjustment dial  195  of the tension apparatus  185  rotates in one direction (e.g., clockwise) to apply tension the tensioned element  190 , and rotates in another direction (e.g., counter-clockwise) to decrease tension on the tensioned element  190 . In some constructions of the tension apparatus  185 , the adjustment dial  195  can rotate (either clockwise or counter-clockwise) to apply or increase tension on the tensioned element  190 , and can include a pushbutton (e.g., a momentary pushbutton or a maintained pushbutton) or another mechanism that is releasable (e.g., movable inward and outward or vertically relative to the base  220 ) to decrease or release tension on the tensioned element  190 . Another adjustment mechanism can include devices that twist, turn, push, pull, ratchet, and/or screw, etc., to increase or decrease the tension on the tensioned element  190 . Although only one construction of the tension apparatus  185  is illustrated and only a few examples of tension apparatus are described herein, it will be appreciated that there are several other tension apparatus that can be used to adjust tension on the tensioned element  190 . 
         [0028]    Moreover, other types of tension apparatus can be utilized to stiffen and relax the flexible portion  120  of the shell  85 . One such tension apparatus can include a lever actuator with a lever that is movable in one direction to increase tension to the tensioned element  190 , and that is movable in another direction to release tension on the tensioned element  190 . Another tension apparatus can include a cam actuator that increase and decrease tension on the tensioned element  190 . Yet another tension apparatus can include screw or fastener mechanisms that increase and decrease tension on the tensioned element  190 . Still another tension apparatus can include a ratchet mechanism that increases and decrease tensions on the tensioned element  190 . Also, certain features of the tension apparatus described herein can be combined to form still other types of tension apparatus (e.g., a lever-cam tension apparatus, a lever-ratchet apparatus, etc.). Other tension apparatus and/or adjustment mechanisms that stiffen and relax the flexible portion  120  are also possible and considered herein. 
         [0029]    The illustrated adjustment dial  195  is located at the rear anchor point  150 , although the adjustment dial  195  (or another adjustment mechanism) can be located anywhere along the underside of the shell  85  and in communication with the tensioned element  190  (e.g., at the front anchor point  145 , between the front and rear anchor points  145 ,  150 , along the side of the shell  85 , etc.). With reference to  FIGS. 3 ,  5 , and  6 , the tensioned element  190  extends continuously from the base  220  generally forward from the rear anchor point  150  longitudinally along the flexible portion  120 , wraps around the front anchor point  145 , and then extends rearward longitudinally along the flexible portion  120  back to the rear anchor point  150  and the adjustment dial  195 . More specifically, the tensioned element  190  extends through one passageway  180  in the rear anchor point  150 , extends along one part of the flexible portion  120 , wraps around the post  155 , extends along another part of the flexible portion  120 , and then through the other passageway  180  to the rear anchor point  150 . As illustrated, the support portion  215  is engaged with (e.g., nested in or rested upon) the compression members  125  under the flexible portion  125 . 
         [0030]    The illustrated tension apparatus  185  is assembled onto the seat  75  by orienting the looped tensioned element  190  relative to the rear anchor point  150  so that the support portion  215  extends through the passageways  180 . The dial  195  is then placed in the cavity  170  so that the base  220  protrudes through the aperture  175 . The support portion  215  is then engaged with the compression members and is routed around the post  155  within the channel  160 . The fastener  200  and flange  205 , when used, can be attached to the post  155  before or after the tensioned element  190  is wrapped around the post  155 . Also, the cap  225  can be attached to the base  220  before or after the tensioned element is routed around the front anchor point. 
         [0031]      FIG. 7  illustrates the tension apparatus  185  in a non-tensioned state, whereas  FIG. 8  illustrates the tension apparatus  185  in a tensioned state. The stiffness of the flexible portion  120  can be adjusted by changing the tension on the tensioned element  190  using the adjustment dial  195 . With reference to  FIGS. 6-8 , when the adjustment dial  195  is rotated in one direction (e.g., clockwise as denoted by arrow  245  in  FIG. 6 ), the tension on the tensioned element  190  increases to provide more support to the flexible portion  120 . More specifically, increasing tension on the tensioned element  190  increases the force of the support portion  215  acting on the compression members  125 , which in turn increases the pressure or force acting on the flexible portion  120  through the compression members  125  so that the flexible portion  120  becomes more rigid or taut. That is, clockwise rotation of the illustrated adjustment dial  195  stiffens the flexible portion  120  so that the seat  75  provides more support for the rider. 
         [0032]    When the adjustment dial  195  is rotated in the other direction (e.g., counter-clockwise as denoted by arrow  250  in  FIG. 6 ), tension on the tensioned element  190  decreases, which in turn provides less support to the flexible portion  120 . More specifically, decreasing the tension on the tensioned element  190  reduces the force of the support portion  215  acting on the compression members  125 , which in turn decreases the pressure or force acting on the flexible portion  120  through the compression members  125  so that the flexible portion  120  becomes less taut. That is, counter-clockwise rotation of the illustrated adjustment dial  195  softens the feel of the flexible portion  120  so that the seat  75  provides less support for the rider. 
         [0033]    As described, the tension in the tensioned element  190  can be incrementally or continuously adjusted using the adjustment dial  195  to increase or decrease the firmness or stiffness (i.e., support) provided by the tensioned element  190  to the flexible portion  120  to provide a desired seat stiffness for the rider. The tensioned element  190  reinforces the flexible portion  120  based on the degree of tension applied to the tensioned element  190  so that the ride characteristics and feel of the seat  75  can be customized to suit different riders. More specifically, the flex of the flexible portion  120  can be tuned using the seat tension apparatus so that the seat  75  can have the same relative stiffness for riders of different weights. 
         [0034]    Also, the tension apparatus  185  is arranged on the seat  75  so that a user can engage the cap  225  and adjust seat stiffness before or during a ride. While a rider may prefer a relatively stiff seat  75  for short rides and a relatively soft seat  75  for longer rides, the rider can adjust the stiffness of the seat  75  dynamically during a ride simply by rotating the cap  225  in the appropriate direction. Further, a rider can customize the seat stiffness using the seat tension apparatus  185  based on whether the rider is in an early training phase or late training phase. 
         [0035]    Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

Technology Category: 7