Bicycle saddle
AssigneeSpecialized Bicycle Components, Inc.
InventorsPhilip Alan Primeaux, Garrett Yale Davis Getter, Christopher Yu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bicycle saddle includes: a base structure having a top portion; and a cushion coupled to the top portion of the base structure, the cushion including a first lateral side and a second lateral side separated by a longitudinal plane, wherein each of the first lateral side and the second lateral side includes: a first region having a first stiffness; a second region having a second stiffness that is less than the first stiffness; and a third region having a third stiffness that is less than the second stiffness, wherein a perimeter of the second region is at least 75% enclosed within the first region, and wherein a perimeter of the third region is at least 75% enclosed within the second region.
Claims20
A bicycle saddle comprising:
- a cushion comprising a resilient material that forms three-dimensional lattice structures, the three-dimensional lattice structures defining a plurality of regions that each have stiffness characteristics,
- wherein the plurality of regions comprises at least a first region and a second region, the first region comprising a first stiffness and the second region comprising a second stiffness,
- wherein the second stiffness is lower stiffness than the first stiffness,
- wherein the plurality of regions are configured such that, when considered as projections onto a lateral plane:
- the first region encompasses a first surface area;
- the second region encompasses a second surface area that is different than the first surface area;
- and
- at least a portion of the second region is positioned at a widest part of the bicycle saddle;
- and
- a base structure that supports the cushion and is configured to be attached to a bicycle frame.
A bicycle saddle comprising:
- a cushion comprising a resilient material that forms three-dimensional lattice structures, the three-dimensional lattice structures defining a plurality of regions that each have stiffness characteristics,
- wherein the plurality of regions comprises at least a first region and a second region, the first region comprising a first stiffness and the second region comprising a second stiffness,
- wherein the second stiffness is lower stiffness than the first stiffness,
- wherein the plurality of regions are configured such that, when considered as projections onto a lateral plane:
- the first region encompasses a first surface area;
- the second region encompasses a second surface area that is different than the first surface area;
- and
- at least a portion of the second region is positioned at a widest part of the bicycle saddle;
- and
- a base structure that supports the cushion and is configured to be attached to a bicycle frame,
- wherein the lateral plane is oriented such that one of:
- the lateral plane is coincident with a highest point of a nose portion of the cushion and a highest point of a rear portion of the cushion, or
- the lateral plane is parallel to two rail axes, each of the two rail axes being defined by a mounting portion of a rail of the base structure,
- wherein each of the first stiffness and the second stiffness is defined as an average stiffness as measured normal to the lateral plane at uniformly spaced locations across a corresponding region of the first region and the second region, using a durometer having a 0.508 centimeter spherical diameter indenter, and
- wherein adjacent uniformly spaced locations of the uniformly spaced locations are located 10 millimeters apart from each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.