Method for the manufacture of a saddle made of composite material, in particular for a bicycle
AssigneeSelle Royal S.P.A.
InventorRiccardo Bigolin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Saddle made of composite material, in particular for a bicycle, comprising a support structure provided with a padding having a seating surface. The support structure comprises a plurality of first layers of high-rigidity composite material having an opening formed centrally therein and a second layer of composite material with a rigidity less than that of the first layers, fixed to the latter along a superimposed surface covering the opening so as to form an elastically yielding zone which is preferably located in the prostatic and ischiatic zones of the seat of the saddle.
Claims9
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.
A method of manufacturing an integral saddle, comprising:
- hollow-punching at least one first layer 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 said at least one first layer;
- 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 at least one first layer, so as to leave said at least one second layer substantially imperforate;
- superimposing said at least one first layer and said at least one second layer inside a first mold so that a portion of said at least one second layer is disposed coextensively with said opening so as to cover or block said opening;
- molding and fixing said at least one first layer 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 the covered or blocked opening 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.