Bicycle saddle

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a saddle that can be installed at a low position which is up to the limit beyond which the saddle interferes with a bicycle frame. [Solution] This saddle is for use on a bicycle (1), does not include a seat post, and includes: a frame receiving hole (21) that is provided near the center of a bottom surface of the saddle, and that receives a seat post reception part of the bicycle; and a top-tube reception groove (22) that is provided at a location, on the bottom surface of the saddle, from the frame reception hole to a front end, and that receives a top tube of the bicycle.

Description

Bicycle saddle

[0001] The present invention relates to a bicycle saddle.

[0002] Typically, bicycle saddles are height adjustable, and for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a bicycle technology having such a height adjustable saddle.

[0003] Utility Model Registration No. 3133698

[0004] Incidentally, in recent years, it has been discovered that children can learn to ride a bicycle at an accelerated pace by riding it without pedals, kicking off the ground with their feet to practice balance, and then attaching pedals once they have mastered balance. This method has led to an increase in the number of children who are able to ride a bicycle at a young age.

[0005] However, because children grow quickly, people tend to buy them bikes that are too big for their bodies when considering that they will use them for a long time. In such a situation, when the pedals are removed, the child's feet may not be able to reach the ground, or only their toes may be able to reach the ground, making it difficult for them to practice balance.

[0006] In a normal saddle, the seat post attached to the underside of the saddle is inserted into the seat post holder on the bicycle frame, and the saddle height can be freely adjusted by tightening the clamp attached to the seat post holder at any position. However, because a seat post and a seat post frame are required to connect it to the saddle body, even when the saddle is lowered to its maximum, there is a distance between the saddle and the bicycle frame of at least the size of the seat post frame, and it cannot be lowered any further.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a saddle that can be installed lower on a bicycle.

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the saddle of the present invention is a bicycle saddle that does not have a seat post, but has a frame receiving hole located near the center of the underside for receiving the bicycle's seat post receiving portion, and a top tube receiving groove located on the underside at a position from the frame receiving hole to the front end for receiving the bicycle's top tube.

[0009] It is also desirable that the front end of the top tube receiving groove be provided with a recessed portion for receiving the top tube.

[0010] It is desirable to provide a pair of side flanges on both the left and right sides of the top tube receiving groove to prevent rotational movement of the saddle about the seat post receiving portion as an axis.

[0011] It is desirable that the left and right side flanges each have a mounting hole, and that a mounting tape for fixing the saddle to the top tube is installed in the mounting hole.

[0012] It is desirable to have a rear flange on the rear side of the frame receiving hole for contacting the seat stay of the bicycle frame.

[0013] The saddle may have a recess at the rear of its underside for an instructor to grab and prevent the student from falling.

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a saddle that can be installed as low as possible without interfering with the frame.

[0015] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a saddle according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to a bicycle frame; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a method of attaching the saddle of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the saddle as seen from below; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view in the state of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the saddle; Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the saddle; Fig. 7 is a right side view of the saddle; Fig. 8 is a front view of the saddle; Fig. 9 is a rear view of the saddle.

[0016] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a saddle 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention attached to a bicycle frame 1. In the following description, the front wheel side of the bicycle 1 is referred to as the front, and the rear wheel side is referred to as the rear. Only a portion of the bicycle frame 1 is shown.

[0017] The saddle 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a saddle that can be attached to a bicycle frame 1 after a conventional saddle with a seat post has been removed from the bicycle frame 1, and does not have a seat post. The saddle 2 is made of resin and has a frame receiving hole 21 near the center of its underside that receives the seat post receiving portion 11 of the bicycle 1. The saddle 2 also has a seating surface 20 on its upper surface, and a top tube receiving groove 22 on its underside that extends from the frame receiving hole 21 to its front end and receives the top tube 12 of the bicycle 1. As shown in Figure 8, the front end of the top tube receiving groove 22 has a recessed portion 25 in front view, where the top tube 12 is positioned. This allows the saddle 2 to be positioned lower.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the seat post receiving portion 11 of the bicycle frame 1 fits into the frame receiving hole 21 of the saddle 2, thereby fixing the position of the saddle 2, and the top tube 12 fits into the top tube receiving groove 22, preventing the saddle 2 from moving in the rotational direction around the seat post receiving portion 11 as an axis.

[0019] The saddle 2 has a spacer 21a made of elastomer resin that absorbs the gap between the seat post receiving portion 11 and the frame receiving hole 21 and prevents them from being scratched, and similarly has a spacer 22a made of elastomer resin that absorbs the gap between the top tube 12 and the top tube receiving groove 22 and prevents them from being scratched.

[0020] A pair of side flanges 22b are provided on both the left and right sides of the top tube receiving groove 22 to prevent rotational movement of the saddle 2 around the seat post receiving portion 11. These side flanges 22b are located on the left and right sides of the top tube 12 and extend downward to an extent that the top tube 12 is hidden from both sides when the saddle is attached to the bicycle frame 1.

[0021] Front and rear mounting holes 22c and 22d are aligned at the bottom end of the side flanges 22b. There are two mounting holes on each of the left and right side flanges 22b, for a total of four mounting holes. These mounting holes are long in the front-to-rear direction and have a rod-shaped portion in the center in the height direction, around which mounting tape 22e is installed. The mounting tape 22e is a hook-and-loop fastener that passes under the top tube 12 to secure the saddle 2 to the top tube. Note that only the mounting tape 22e that passes through mounting hole 22c is shown in the figure; the mounting tape 22e that passes through mounting hole 22d is omitted.

[0022] A plurality of ribs 23 for reinforcing the side flange 22b are provided on the outer surface of the side flange 22b.

[0023] A recess 24 is provided at the rear underside of the saddle 2 for the instructor to grip and prevent the trainee from falling. The instructor can insert his or her fingers into this recess 24 to grip and prevent the bicycle from falling over.

[0024] Behind the frame receiving hole 21 in the saddle 2 is a rear flange 21b that abuts against the seat stay 13 of the bicycle frame 1. This rear flange 21b is designed to release the weight of the rider to the seat stay 13, and the outer surface of this rear flange 21b is provided with a plurality of ribs 23. In this way, by transferring the rider's weight mainly through the rear flange 21b and the underside of the top tube receiving groove 22 to the bicycle frame 1, damage to the seat post receiving portion 11 due to excessive weight is prevented.

[0025] By configuring the saddle 2 in this way, it is possible to lower the position of the saddle 2 to the limit at which it does not interfere with the frame.

[0026] Therefore, when practicing balance with the pedals removed, the saddle 2 can be placed at a low position so that the feet can firmly touch the ground, and once the balance practice is complete, the pedals can be attached, the saddle 2 can be removed, and a normal saddle can be attached, allowing the bicycle to be used as a normal bicycle including the pedals.

[0027] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and applications are possible within the scope of the claims.

[0028] For example, the shape of the saddle 2 is not limited to the shape of the above-described embodiment, and various shapes can be adopted.

[0029] Furthermore, the bicycle 1 having the saddle 2 of the present invention can be used for various types of bicycles, such as general bicycles, children's bicycles, balance bikes without pedals, sports bicycles, electrically assisted bicycles, tricycles, and special bicycles.

[0030] 1 Bicycle frame 2 Saddle 20 Seat 21 Frame receiving hole 22 Top tube receiving groove

Claims

1. A bicycle saddle that does not have a seat post, but has a frame receiving hole located near the center of the underside that receives the bicycle's seat post receiving portion, and a top tube receiving groove located on the underside from the frame receiving hole to the front end that receives the bicycle's top tube.

2. A saddle according to claim 1, wherein a recessed portion for receiving the top tube is provided at the front end of said top tube receiving groove.

3. A saddle as described in claim 1, having a pair of side flanges on both the left and right sides of said top tube receiving groove to prevent rotational movement of said saddle about said seat post receiving portion as an axis.

4. A saddle according to claim 3, wherein the left and right side flanges each have a mounting hole, and mounting tape for fixing the saddle to the top tube is installed in the mounting holes.

5. A saddle according to claim 1, further comprising a rear flange on the rear side of said frame receiving hole for contacting a seat stay of a bicycle frame.

6. A saddle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear underside of the saddle is provided with a recess for an instructor to grasp and prevent the trainee from falling.

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