Bicycle seat sizer and positioning device
AssigneeTrek Bicycle Corporation
InventorsJeffrey R. Staszak, Michael L. Leighton, Allen Hu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for determining the distance between protruding anatomical features of a user includes a first portion having a volume of displaceable material and a second portion having at least one scale attached thereto. The displaceable material is configured to be displaced when subjected to a pressured loading to create depressions in the displaceable material. The second portion is movable relative to the first portion such that the scale can be aligned with the depressions to provide an indication of the distance therebetween. Preferably, the scale is coded for association of the distance with a desired bicycle seat size.
Claims25
A seat sizer, comprising:
- a first member including a first transparent surface, a second transparent surface, and a cavity located between the first transparent surface and the second transparent surface;
- a pliable material contained in the cavity and displaceable therein;
- and
- a second member that is slidably movable relative to the second transparent surface of the first member;
- wherein the second member comprises a first indicator configured to be visible through the first transparent surface, the second transparent surface, and the cavity to indicate a positioning of an anatomical feature such that:
- when the pliable material is displaced in the cavity by compressing the first transparent surface to the second transparent surface, the first indicator is visible through the first member;
- and
- when the pliable material is not displaced in the cavity, the first indicator is not visible through the first member.
A saddle sizing device, comprising:
- a transparent first portion having an amount of a pliable material affixed thereto;
- and
- a second portion cooperating with the transparent first portion and located opposite of the pliable material;
- wherein:
- the second portion comprises a first indicator configured to correspond to an anatomical feature of a first class of user;
- the second portion comprises a second indicator configured to correspond to an anatomical feature of a second class of user;
- and
- the transparent first portion and the second portion are configured such that after depressions are formed in the transparent first portion, the second portion can be registered under the depressions such that:
- when depressions are formed in the pliable material, at least one of the first indicator and the second indicator is visible through the transparent first portion;
- and
- when no depressions are formed in the pliable material, the at least one of the first indicator and the second indicator is not visible through the transparent first portion.
A bicycle seat tool, comprising:
- a sizer including:
- a memory portion movably associated with a scale portion in a planar direction;
- wherein:
- the memory portion comprises a first transparent surface, a second transparent surface, and a volume of deformable material located between the first transparent surface and the second transparent surface and configured to displace when subjected to loading;
- the scale portion comprises a first scale;
- and
- the memory portion and the scale portion are configured such that the scale portion can be aligned under displacements formed in the memory portion such that:
- when displacements are formed in the memory portion, the first scale is visible through the memory portion;
- and
- when no displacements are formed in the memory portion, the first scale is not visible through the memory portion;
- and
- an inclination indicator tool attached to at least one of the memory portion and the scale portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.