SPRING-MOUNTED SADDLE SUPPORT FOR BICYCLES

APPUI A RESSORT POUR SELLES DE BICYCLETTES

English Abstract

2097929 9308068 PCTABS00021
A spring-mounted saddle support for bicycles has an upper part
(10) and a lower part (20) axially movable towards each other on
springs (30), but so as not to turn. The upper part can be linked
to the saddle and the lower part can be inserted into the saddle
tube of the bicycle frame.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. Spring-cushioned saddle support for bicycles, characterised
by:
- a top part (10) which has at the top a saddle carrier
spigot (11), and a bottom part (20), which at the bottom
has a tube extension (21) which can be inserted into the
saddle support tube of a bicycle frame,
- a helical compression spring (30), which is provided
between a spring rest (12) of the top part which spring
rest is in the vicinity of the saddle carrier spigot and a
spring rest (22) of the bottom part which spring rest is
in the vicinity of the tube extension,
- telescoping tube members (13, 23) formed on the top part
(10) and the bottom part (20), which originate roughly
from the respective spring rests and which telescope into
each other,
- outer splines provided on the inside telescoping tube
member (23) and corresponding inner splines formed on the
outer telescoping tube member (13),
- a central guide rod (40) which is fastened in the top
part, extends centrally through the telescoping tube
members and is axially displaceably guided (43) in the
bottom part, and
- a dampened (41) stop (42) which is fastened to the bottom
end of the guide rod (40) which protrudes from the tube
extension (21) of the bottom part, which stop interacts
with the bottom face of the tube extension to limit the
possible expansion of the spring.
2. Spring-cushioned saddle support according to claim 1,
characterised in that the guide rod (4) is axially
displaceably guided in guide bushes (43), which are mounted
in the region of the top and bottom ends, respectively, of
the bottom part (20).

3. Spring-cushioned saddle support according to claim 1 or 2,
characterised in that the telescopic tube members (13, 23)
are provided inside of the spring (30).
4. Spring-cushioned saddle support according to claim 3,
characterised in that the inner telescoping tube member
(23) is provided on the bottom part and one of the guide
bushes (43) is mounted in the upper region of this inner
telescopic tube member.
5. Spring-cushioned saddle support according to claim 1 or 2,
characterised in that the telescopic tube members (13, 23)
surround the spring (30).
6. Spring-cushioned saddle support according to claim 5,
characterised in that the outer telescopic tube member (13)
is assigned to the top part.
7. Spring-cushioned saddle support according to claim 5 or 6,
characterised in that the bottom part (20) has a projection
(24) which extends radially inside of the spring, in which
projection the top guide bush (43) is mounted.
8. Spring-cushioned saddle support according to any one of the
claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the outer telescopic
tube member (13) has an axial slot at one place of the
circumference and can be tightened by means of a tightening
device (50, 51) acting in the circumferential direction for
the purpose of setting and adjusting the engagement of the
splines of the telescopic tube members.
9. Spring-cushioned saddle support according to claim 8,
characterised in that the tightening device is a tensioning
strap (50) inserted into a circumferential groove (14) of
the outer telescopic tube member (13) with a tension lock
(51).

10. Spring-cushioned saddle support according to any one of the
claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the profiled section
of the splines or the key-way of one of the two telescopic
tube members (13, 23) is made of plastic material.
11. Spring-cushioned saddle support for bicycles, characterised
-by:
- a top part (10) which has at the top a saddle carrier
spigot (11), and a bottom part (20), which at the bottom
has a tube extension (21) which can be inserted into the
saddle support tube of a bicycle frame,
- a helical compression spring (30), which is provided
between a spring rest (72) of the top part which spring
rest is in the vicinity of the saddle carrier spigot and a
spring rest (22) of the bottom part which spring rest is
in the vicinity of the tube extension,
- a central guide rod (40) which is fastened in the top
part, extends centrally through the spring (30) and is
axially displaceably guided in the bottom part,
- a dampened (41) stop (42) which is fastened to the bottom
end of the guide rod (40) which protrudes from the tube
extension (21) of the bottom part, which stop interacts
with the bottom face of the tube extension to limit the
possible expansion of the spring, and
- a relative rotation preventing mechanism (16, 26; 61, 62),
which is fastened in a rotation preventing manner on the
top part (10) and on the bottom part (20) above and below,
respectively, of the spring rest, and which can be
expanded and compressed in the longitudinal direction of
the saddle support.
12. Spring-cushioned saddle support according to claim 11,
characterised in that the relative rotation preventing
mechanism has complementing telescoping members which may
have any cross-section, which are provided laterally offset
relative to the spring (30), are fastened rigidly on the
top part (10) and the bottom part (20), respectively, and
extend parallel to the guide rod (40).

13. Spring-cushioned saddle support according to claim 11,
characterised in that the relative rotation preventing
mechanism has a guide profile (26) which is provided
laterally offset relative to the spring (30) fastened
rigidly on the top part (10) and the bottom part (20),
respectively, and a sliding pad (16) fastened on the top
part (10) which is guided in it.
14. Spring-cushioned saddle support according to claim 11,
characterised in that the relative rotation preventing
mechanism is a tensioning strap 60 consisting of at least
two members (61, 62) which are connected with each other by
a hinge (63), which is fastened and hinged on the top part
(10) and the bottom part (20) by means of a hinge (64) each
with the axes of the hinges situated perpendicularly to the
longitudinal axis of the saddle support.
15. Spring-cushioned saddle support for bicycles, characterised
by:
- a top part (10) which has at the top a saddle carrier
spigot (11), and a bottom part (20), which at the bottom
has a tube extension (21) which can be inserted into the
saddle support tube of a bicycle frame,
- a helical compression spring (30), which is provided
between a spring rest (12) of the top part which spring
rest is in the vicinity of the saddle carrier spigot and a
spring rest (22) of the bottom part which spring rest is
in the vicinity of the tube extension,
- a central guide rod (40) which is fastened in the top
part (10), extends centrally through the spring (30) and
is axially displaceably guided in the bottom part,
- a dampened (41) stop (42) which is fastened to the bottom
end of the guide rod (40) which protrudes from the tube
extension (21) of the bottom part, which stop interacts
with the bottom face of the tube extension to limit the
possible expansion of the spring, and
- an axial keyway (45) formed in the guide rod, with which
at least one key (25), inserted in the tube extension (21)

of the bottom part (20), engages, while the key and the
keyway are designed to allow relative axial displacement.
16. Spring-cushioned saddle support for bicycles, characterised
by:
- a top part (10) which has at the top a saddle carrier
spigot (11), and a bottom part (20), which at the bottom
has a tube extension (21) which can be inserted into the
saddle support tube of a bicycle frame,
- a helical compression spring (30), which is provided
between a spring rest (12) of the top part which spring
rest is in the vicinity of the saddle carrier spigot and a
spring rest (22) of the bottom part which spring rest is
in the vicinity of the tube extension,
- a central guide rod (40) which is fastened in the top
part (10), extends centrally through the spring (30) and
is axially displaceably guided in the bottom part,
a dampened (41) stop (42) which is fastened to the bottom
end of the guide rod (40) which protrudes from the tube
extension (21) of the bottom part, which stop interacts
with the bottom face of the tube extension to limit the
possible expansion of the spring, and
a relative rotation preventing mechanism (17, 27) between
the top part (10) and the bottom part (20) with a-tubular
axial extension having at least two axially situated slots
(27) provided on either the top or bottom part and on the
other part with axially protruding fingers (17), which
engage the slots (27) and are axially displaceable in
these.
17. Spring-cushioned saddle support according to claim 16,
characterised in that the tubular axial extension has an
externally tapered end region (28) and an adjacent region
which is provided with an outer thread (29), and a clamping
nut (70) which is screwed on the outer thread and has a
tapered inner surface t71) corresponding with the tapered
end region.

18. Spring-cushioned saddle support according to claim 16 or
17, characterised in that the elements preventing the
relative rotation are radially disposed internally of the
spring (30).
19. Spring-cushioned saddle support according to claim 16 or
17, characterised in that the elements preventing the
relative rotation surround the spring (30) on the outside.
20. Spring-cushioned saddle support according to any one of the
claims 16 to 19, characterised in that the elements to
prevent the relative rotation have two diametrically
opposed fingers (17) and two corresponding slots (27),
while the edge surfaces (17a, 27a) on both sides of each
finger and slot, are situated in a plane parallel with each
other.

Description

Spring-cushioned bicycle saddle support devices are already
known. An exceptionally well functioning bicycle saddle support
device with excellent side guiding and significant spring
travel is described in the German Utility Model 89 02 327. This
known spring-cushioned saddle support device is, just like
other spring-cushioned saddle support devices according to the
state-of-the-art, conceived so, that it necessitates a bicycle
1~ frame of a special construction to enable its use, whereas a
conventional bicycle frame construction cannot be used with a
spring-cushioned saddle support.
However, a bicycle equipped with a special frame and a well
sprung saddle support device, like the one known from the
Utility Model 89 02 327, is relatively axpensive. For this
reason and to enable the retrofitting of existing conventional
bicycles with a spring-cushioned saddle support, it is
desirable to produce a spring-cushioned saddle support, which
can be mounted in the saddle support tube of a conventional
bicycle frame instead of the usual rigid saddle supports.
This ob~ective is achieved according to the invention by a
spring-cushioned saddle support characterised in the claims.
As in the case of the spring-cushioned saddle support according
to the invention the spring is situated between the top end of
the saddle support tube of the bicycle frame and the bicycle
saddle and a spring travel of at least 4 cm to 6 cm is
required, a corresponding overall height of the spring-
cushioned saddle support above the top end of the saddle
support tube of the bicycle frame will inevitably result, which
however usually does not cause any problem, as the usual height
of the saddle above the frame, in any case for most adult
3s bicycle riders and for most common bicycle frames, in
particular for the so called mountain bikes, allows without any
difficulty the required overall height of the spring-cushioned
saddle support.
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lne inv~ntion is explained below in detail based on some
embodiments by referring to the attached drawings.
Figs.l to 6 of the drawings show six different embodiments of
the invention, each sectioned along the axis.
In all six versions of the embodiment the spring-cushioned
saddle support consist of a top part 10 with a top saddle
carrier spigot 11 and a top spring rest 12, a bottom part 20
with a bottom tube support 21 which is to be inserted into the
saddle support tube and a bottom spring rest 22, a helical
compression spring 30 provided between the top spring rest 12
and the bottom spring rest 22, a guide rod 40 which is fastened
in the top part 10 and extends centrally through the entire
saddle support and carries on its bottom end, which protrudes
past the tube extension 21, a stop 42 which is provided with a
buffer 41, and means to prevent the rotation hetween the top
part 10 and the bottom part 20, which means are di~ferent in
each of the four versions of the embodiments.
In the case of the embodiments according to Figs.l and 2 on the
top part 10 and the bottom part 20 telescopic tube members 13
and 23 are provided, which originate rou~hly from the
respective spring rests 12 and 22 and which telescope into each
other, while in each case the inner telescopic tube member 23
is arranged on the bottom part 20 and the outer telescopic
member 13 on the top part 10. The inner telescopic tube member
23 has splines on its outside, i.e. on its outer circumference
it has a rim of key-].ike teeth which are parallel to the axis,
and on the inner circumference of the outer te].escopic tube
member 13 corresponding key grooves are formed, so that both
telescopic tube members 13 and 23 are guided relative to each
other in such a manner that their relative rotation is
prevented but they can be axially displaced relative to each
other. At the same time the profiled section of one of the two
telescopic members, preferably of the outer one, may be made of
plastic material, so that during the interaction of the two
telescopic tube members a metal/plastics contact will result,
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having a lower friction on the one hand and working ~uietly on
the other.
In the case of the embodiment according to Fig.1 the two
5 telescopic tube members 13 and 23 enclose the spring 30,
whereas in the case of the embodiment according to Fig.2 the
spring is provided on the outside and it surrounds the
telescopic tube members. The version according to Fig.1 is more
advantageous inasmuch that no dirt will reach the spring and an
inadvertent access to the spring is impossible; the version
according to Fig.2 meets the requirement to make the spring
visible.
The possible spring travel of the spring-cushioned saddle
support is limited in the direction of compression of the
spring by the mutual telescoping of the top part 10 and the
bottom part 20 until the corresponding stop faces impact each
other, and in the direction of the expansion of the spring 30
by the buffered stop 42 at the end of the guide rod 40 which
stop interacts with the bottom face of the tube extension 21.
During the springing process, the guide rod 40, which is guided
in the bottom part in the upper and lower guide bushes 43 and
runs smoothly and with low wear, serves the purpose of an
accurate guiding of the top part 10 relative to the bottom part
20 without excessive stress on the interacting splines of the
two telescopic tube members 13 and 23.
In the case of the embodiment according to Fig.1 the outer
telescopic tube member ~3 has an a~ial slot at one place on its
circumference and can be tightened elastically in the
circumferential direction by means of a tensioning strap 50
inserted into a circumferential groove 14 and a tension lock
51, thus making feasible the setting and adiusting of the
engagement of the outer spline of the inner telescopic tube
member 23 in the spline grooves of the outer telescopic tube
member 13.
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In the case of the embodiment according to Fig.l the bottom
part 20 has inside of the spring 30 a protruding projection 24,
in which the upper guide bush 43 is provided. In the case of
the embodiment according to Fig.2 the upper guide bush is
S inserted in the top region of the inner telescopic tube member
23.
In the embodiments according to Figs.3 and 4 the means
preventing a relative rotation are provided off-centre. In the
embodiment according to Fig.3 on the top part 10 and the bottom
part 20 guide elements 16 and 26, respectively, are provided,
which can be, as illustrated, positively interacting
telescoping members 16, 26, or the two guide elements may be
constructed with a guide profile in which a body having a
sliding pad-like construction is being guided.
In the case of the embodiment according to ~ig.4 the relative
rotation is prevented by a tensioning strap 60, consisting of
two members 61 and 62, which are connected with each other by a
hinge 63 which is hinged on the top part 10 and the bottom part
20 by means of a hinge 64 each, with the axes of the hinges
situated perpendicularly to the longitudina3 axis of the guide
rod 40. At the same time both link strap members 61 and 62 may
have a straight or curved shape.
In the case of the embodiment according to Fig.5 the relative
rotation is prevented in that the guide rod 40 has an axial
keyway 45, with which one or several keys 25 engage (two in the
embodiment illustrated here). The keys are inserted into the
tube extension 21 of the bottom part 20. ~o ensure a good
guiding and low wear even when shear forces act on the saddle,
when, for example, the load is applied by the bicycle rider to
one side of the saddle only, which can be the case when riding
through field tracks or the like, an adequately long guiding
length is necessary, which is the reason why two keys are being
used (as illustrated~. Naturally, as an alternative, one
correspondingly long key may be used.
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The version according to Fig.6 can be compared in its effect
with the embodiments according to Fig.l or Fig.3, but it is
different in that it is particularly easy to manufacture. As
can be seen from the adjacent perspective isometric
illustration in Fig.7, the top part 10 has two (or more)
fingers 17, which engage the corresponding slots 27 of the
bottom part 20 and thus prevent their relative rotation. When
compared with the splines of the version according to ~ig.l
this version is considerably less expensive to produce; in
comparison with the version according to Fig.3 the a~vantage is
in better accuracy of guiding and greater stability. The edge
surfaces 17a on both sides of the fingers 17 and the edge
surfaces 27a on both sides of the slots 27 can be, as
illustrated, in the radial direction; however, they can also be
parallel, which may be easier as far as manufacturing
technology is concerned. Apart from the manufacturing
technologies, which may be milling, grinding or the like, the
two constructions are of equal value.
Incidentally, the version according to Fig.6 in its internal
construction corresponds to that of Fig.1, which is the reason
why further elements, already explained in relation to Fig.1,
are not described again.
Fig.8 shows a sideview of a modification of the embodiment
according to Fig.6, wherein, however, the saddle s~pport of
Fig.8 is rotated at 90 relative to the illustration in Fig.6,
so that one ~inger 17 and one slot 27 each can be seen. This
development differs from the version according to Fig.6 in that
the top part 20 has a top tap~red section 28 on its outer
circumference, while the bottom region has an outer thread 29
onto which a clamping nut 70 is screwed, the inner surface of
which is in contact with the tapered region 28, is also
tapered. By tightening the clamping nut 70 to varying degrees,
both flanks of the bottom part, situated on both sides of the
slot 27, can be clamped slightly against each othsr and thus
the sliding fit between the fingers 17 of the top part and the
slots 27 of the bottom part can be adjusted.
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As will be understood without any difficulty, there is a
further (not illustrated) version according to the principle of
Fig.8, analogous with the modification of the embodiment of
Fig.1 to that of Fig.2. Similarly to Fig.2, where the splined
members 13 and 23 provided outside of the spring 30 in Fig.l
can be provided inside of the spring 30, in a modification of
the embodiment according to Fig.8 and Fig.6, respectively, the
fingers 17 of the top part and the corresponding flanks of the
bottom part which form the slots 27 to guide the fingers can be
provided inside of the spring 30, which in that case will have
a correspondingly greater diameter.
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Representative Drawing