Double-Flap Saddle Underflaps for Rider-Horse Shape Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional saddles for horse riding fail to effectively adapt to the needs of the rider and the shape of the horse, leading to suboptimal comfort and reliability, while being costly.
Innovation Solution
A saddle design featuring double-flap underflaps with varying thicknesses and materials, including a cushioning structure and panel structure with specific Shore hardness values, integrated with a sheet-like leather body and expanded polyurethane padding, to enhance comfort and reliability without significantly increasing production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional cushions are used in saddles, then the saddle structure is simple, but the comfort and adaptability to rider and horse shape are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The underflap is divided into multiple zones with different padding densities and firmness levels. The panel structure includes regions with varying Shore hardness values (5-25 for panel, 40-60 for cushioning structure) to provide localized support and comfort in different areas, allowing the saddle to adapt to the rider's body shape and the horse's contours without requiring a completely complex reconfigurable structure
Solution Approach 2:
The underflap combines multiple materials with different properties: expanded polyurethane foam for the cushioning structure (Shore hardness 40-60) and panel structure (Shore hardness 5-25), along with sheet-like leather body material. This composite construction provides both comfort and structural integrity while maintaining adaptability to different shapes without excessive complexity
2Ease of operation
If conventional uniform-thickness leather bodies are used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the comfort and pressure distribution are suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet-like leather body features varying thicknesses in different regions: the lower portion has a first thickness (A) and the upper portion has a second thickness (B) which is thinner than A. This thickness variation is strategically positioned to provide pressure distribution and comfort in specific areas while maintaining ease of manufacture through controlled variation rather than complete redesign
3Ease of operation
If additional padding layers are added to increase comfort, then the comfort is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The underflap uses expanded polyurethane foam as a cost-effective composite material that provides excellent cushioning and comfort properties. The foam is used in specific configurations (cushioning structure and panel structure) to maximize comfort while controlling manufacturing costs, avoiding the need for expensive traditional padding materials
Solution Approach 2:
The padding is configured with specific Shore hardness values (5-25 for panel structure, 40-60 for cushioning structure) to optimize comfort performance. By carefully selecting and controlling these material parameters, the invention achieves high comfort levels without proportionally increasing manufacturing costs
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
A saddle for horse riding (1), comprising a supporting frame (2), defining a seat (3) which extends along a longitudinal direction of extension (100) of the saddle (1), and at least one first and one second flap (4), which are associated with the supporting frame (2) and are arranged on opposite sides with respect to a plane of symmetry which is vertical in use and passes through the longitudinal direction of extension (100), the saddle for horse riding (1) comprising a double-flap saddle provided with a first and a second underflap (10) arranged between a respective flap (4) and the back (200) of the horse, wherein the first and the second underflap (10) are provided with a respective padding and a sheet-like leather body (40) which has a lower portion (41) extending below the padding and an upper portion (42) arranged at least partially facing the padding.