AU717926B2 - Seat assembly for a cycle - Google Patents

Description

PCT/AU97/00011 Received 12 October 1998 SEAT ASSEMBLY FOR A CYCLE Technical Field This invention relates to a seat for a cycle (bike), including road and mountain bicycles, tricycles, motor cycles, exercise bikes and similar mobile and static devices, where the user is to be seated on a relatively small seat and more particularly for relatively long periods of time such as during long road races or journeys.

Background Art Over long periods of time when seated on mobile or static devices, such as in particular bicycles, the relatively small size of the seat can cause discomfort to the buttocks of the rider, and it is therefore an object of a first aspect of the present invention to provide a seat which alleviates or at least minimises the discomfort.

It is now common practice with racing bicycles, in order to minimise air drag produced by mud guards overlying the wheels of the cycle, and in particular the rear wheel, to dispense with mud guards.

However, when traversing wet, including muddy, tracks or terrain, water and mud flung upwardly by the rotating rear wheel of the bicycle when in motion is directed onto the back of the rider, causing discomfort, or at least soiling of the rider's clothing, and it is therefore an object of the second aspect of the invention to provide a seat which alleviates, or at least minimises, this problem.

Disclosure of the Invention In accordance with the present invention there is envisaged a seat assembly for a cycle, including an appropriately shaped support frame overlayed by an appropriately shaped seat cover at least the upper side of which is formed of a flexible material, wherein a pair of o laterally spaced cavities are provided within the seat \cover at, or proximate, in use, the buttocks region of a AMENDED SHEET -IPEA/AU PCT/AU97/00011 Received 12 October 1998 2 person when seated on the seat, said cavities defining spaces into which air can be pumped to provide inflatable cushions within the seat cover, said seat assembly having a barrier member extending rearwardly of the seat portion and so sized,.

positioned, and shaped, as to intercept and deflect any water, including mud or muddy water, flung upwardly from the rear tyre of the cycle when in motion, and wherein the front of the seat assembly incorporates at least one hole therethrough to allow the passage of air to the underside of, and therefor cool, the seat when situated on a mobile vehicle and when the vehicle is in forward motion.

preferably the seat cover contains cushioning material, and said cavities are formed within the cushioning material.

preferably said cavities contain inflatable bags.

Brief Description of the Drawings One preferred embodiment of the invention, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of the seat assembly; Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taking along line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a transverse cross-section view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a plan view of cushioning insert for incorporation within the seat.

AMENDED SHEET IPEA/AU WO 98/31584 PCT/AU97/00011 Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention With reference to the drawings, the seat assembly of this preferred embodiment of the invention, namely seat assembly 10, comprises a conventional appropriately shaped frame in.this case in the form of a cage 11 of rigid metal rod. and sometimes an arrangement of springs, and all overlayed by a seat cover 12 in the form of a pouch 13, the upper side 13a of which is formed of a flexible material, whilst the pouch contains an insert 14 of cushioning material (see Figure The pouch 13 may be drawn onto the seat from the front nose thereof and over the frame 11 and insert 14 and attached by press studs 25 to a rear barrier member or mud spoiler to be later described.

In accordance with the present invention, this preferred embodiment has a pair of cavities 15 provided in the insert 14 of cushioning material within the pouch 13, with the cavities being spaced laterally of the seat at, or proximate, the buttocks region of a person when seated on the seat. Each of the cavities 15 receives an inflatable bag 16, which when inflated by the pumping of air thereinto provide inflatable cushions which can be inflated to a pressure suitable for the particular person and to eliminate, or at least alleviate, discomfort to the buttock region, particularly during prolonged periods seated on the seat. With reference to Figure 4 of the drawings, a channel 24 is formed in the insert 14 and extends from between the cavities 15 to the rear end of the insert to accommodate the coccyx bone at the base of the human spine in the area of which soreness or tenderness can occur when a person is seated for prolonged periods of time.

In order to inflate the bags 16 their interiors are connected to respective air supply branch conduits or tubes 17 linked to a main supply conduit or tube 18 carrying a connector 19 at its inlet end, accessible at the SUBSTITUTE SHEET rule 26 WO 98/31584 PCT/AU97/00011 4 front or nose end of the seat, and adapted to be coupled to a conventional bicycle pump (not shown), which can be actuated via a pumping like action to inflate the bags 16 to the required amount to suit the person to be seated on the seat -assembly.

In this preferred embodiment of the invention, the cage 11 forming the underlying frame of the seat assembly incorporates a conventional clamping mechanism adapted to clamp the seat to a support rod 21 which in turn is received and clamped in a conventional manner within a hollow bicycle frame member for the bicycle.

The seat assembly of this preferred embodiment carries at its trailing end a rearwardly extending barrier member or mud spoiler 22 of generally trapezium shape with a rear downturned lip 23, with the barrier member being so sized, positioned and shaped, as to intercept and deflect any water, including mud and muddy water, flung upwardly from the rear tyre of the cycle when in motion.

In this preferred embodiment the front nose of the frame of the seat assembly, which is not covered by the pouch 13, is provided with a plurality of holes 26 therethrough to allow the passage of air through the underside of the seat assembly when the bicycle is in forward motion and to assist in cooling the seat assembly.

The underside of the rear of the frame of the seat also has a pair of laterally spaced apart loops 27 onto which a bag for a conventional bicycle repair kit (not shown) can be hooked.

Overall the seat assembly and the rear mud spoiler are configured or shaped to provide enhanced aerodynamics.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET rule 26

Claims (4)

1. A seat assembly for a cycle, including an appropriately shaped support frame overlayed by an appropriately shaped seat cover at least the upper side of which is formed of a flexible material, wherein a pair of laterally spaced cavities are provided within the seat cover at, or proximate, in use, the buttocks region of a person when seated on the seat, said cavities defining spaces into which air can be pumped to provide inflatable cushions within the seat cover, said seat assembly having a barrier member extending rearwardly of the seat portion and so sized, positioned, and shaped, as to intercept and deflect any water, including mud or muddy water, flung upwardly from the rear tyre of the cycle when in motion, and wherein the front of the seat assembly incorporates at least one hole therethrough to allow the passage of air to the underside of, and therefor cool, the seat when situated on a mobile vehicle and when the vehicle is in forward motion.

2. A seat assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the seat cover contains cushioning material, and said cavities are formed within the cushioning material.

3. A seat assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said cavities contain inflatable bags.

4. A seat assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. AMENDED SHEET IPEA/AU