Bicycle Saddle Cushion With Nested Stiffness for Sit Bone Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bicycle saddles apply significant pressure to a small area of the rider's body, leading to discomfort over time, particularly during extended rides, due to point loads on the sit bones.
Innovation Solution
Bicycle saddles are designed with multiple nested stiffness regions, including an innermost region with low stiffness, a surrounding region with intermediate stiffness, and another region with higher stiffness, strategically positioned to distribute load more evenly around the sit bones, using varying resilient materials or a 3-D lattice structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a bicycle saddle uses a uniform stiffness structure, then it provides structural simplicity and ease of manufacture, but it applies significant pressure to a small area of the rider's body leading to discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The saddle cushion is divided into multiple regions with different stiffness characteristics. The central region has higher stiffness to support the rider's weight, while lateral regions have lower stiffness to reduce pressure on soft tissues. This local differentiation of mechanical properties allows the saddle to provide targeted support where needed while minimizing discomfort in sensitive areas, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The cushion is segmented into distinct zones with varying stiffness properties rather than using a uniform structure. This segmentation allows different parts of the saddle to perform different functions - the central high-stiffness region bears the primary load while the lateral low-stiffness regions protect soft tissues, thereby eliminating discomfort without requiring complete structural redesign.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a bicycle saddle increases the surface area in contact with the rider's body, then it distributes pressure more evenly, but it may reduce structural support and increase saddle deformation
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than uniformly increasing surface area, the invention applies local quality by creating high-stiffness regions concentrated in the central area where structural support is needed. This allows the saddle to maintain strong structural support in critical areas while still providing adequate pressure distribution through the differentiated stiffness zones, resolving the contradiction between pressure distribution and structural support.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a bicycle saddle uses multiple regions with different stiffness properties, then it distributes load more evenly around the sit bones, but it increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The cushion employs composite construction with materials of different stiffness properties arranged in specific patterns. This composite approach enables the saddle to achieve complex load distribution characteristics through material selection and arrangement rather than through complicated mechanical structures, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining the benefits of differentiated stiffness regions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design provides increased comfort and reduces discomfort by distributing pressure more evenly, enhancing performance during extended rides.
Implementation Method 1
a cushion coupled to the top portion of the base structure, the cushion comprising a nose portion and a rear portion, the cushion further comprising a first lateral side and a second lateral side separated by the longitudinal plane, wherein each of the first lateral side and the second lateral side comprises: a first region comprising a first stiffness; a second region comprising a second stiffness that is less than or equal to 75% of the first stiffness, but greater than 50% of the first stiffness; and a third region comprising a third stiffness that is less than or equal to 50% of the first stiffness
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A bicycle saddle includes: a base structure having a top portion; and a cushion coupled to the top portion of the base structure, the cushion including a first lateral side and a second lateral side separated by a longitudinal plane, wherein each of the first lateral side and the second lateral side includes: a first region having a first stiffness; a second region having a second stiffness that is less than the first stiffness; and a third region having a third stiffness that is less than the second stiffness, wherein a perimeter of the second region is at least 75% enclosed within the first region, and wherein a perimeter of the third region is at least 75% enclosed within the second region.