Bicycle Saddle Shell Groove and Elastic Wings Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bicycle saddle shells lack sufficient elasticity and structural strength, with existing designs either failing to effectively absorb vibration or being prone to fracture due to inadequate connecting areas between sockets and the shell's inner surfaces, leading to material inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A shell design featuring a wide posterior portion with a groove that allows for elastic swinging, accompanied by elastic wings and sockets connected to the rear edge and lateral edges, enabling greater elasticity and structural strength while minimizing material usage and fracture risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If sockets are made with small connecting areas to the inner surfaces of the shell, then material cost is reduced and manufacturing is simplified, but the sockets become prone to fracture and structural strength is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by designing the sockets as elastic components that can deform under load. The sockets are made thin-walled but incorporate elastic deformation capability, allowing them to flex when the saddle is subjected to forces, thereby distributing stress and preventing fracture while using minimal material.
Solution Approach 2:
The sockets are designed to be elastic rather than rigid, allowing dynamic deformation under load. This elasticity enables the sockets to absorb and dissipate energy through controlled deformation, preventing catastrophic failure while maintaining structural integrity with minimal material.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the section from the sockets to the rear edge of the shell is made inflexible to support the shell through the sockets, then structural stability is improved, but the elasticity and vibration absorption capability of the shell is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the entire wide posterior portion elastic rather than having a rigid section, allowing the shell to dynamically respond to vibrations and loads. The elastic design enables the shell to absorb vibrations while maintaining structural stability through distributed flexibility rather than rigid support.
Solution Approach 2:
The shell is divided into functional zones with the wide posterior portion designed as elastic and the narrow anterior portion as relatively rigid. This segmentation allows different parts of the shell to perform different functions - the posterior portion absorbs vibrations while the anterior portion maintains structural integrity.
3Strength
If the shell is made with sufficient material and hardness to ensure structural strength, then structural strength is improved, but the elasticity and vibration absorption capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs thin-walled elastic sockets and an elastic wide posterior portion that can deform under load. These flexible components provide both structural strength through their elastic properties and vibration absorption capability, eliminating the need for excessive material hardness.
Solution Approach 2:
The shell combines materials with different properties - the elastic wide posterior portion and relatively rigid narrow anterior portion create a composite structure that achieves both strength and flexibility. This composite design allows the shell to meet structural requirements while maintaining vibration absorption capabilities.
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
The design achieves enhanced elasticity and structural strength, reducing the likelihood of socket fracture and lowering material costs, while ensuring the entire wide posterior portion and narrow anterior portion are elastic, improving overall comfort and durability.
Implementation Method 1
the groove not only makes the left region and the right region of the wide posterior portion swingable elastically at outer sides thereof, but also provides the two elastic wings capable of swinging elastically
Implementation Method 2
The two sockets are also swingable elastically. Therefore, the shell for the bicycle saddle provided by the present invention has great elasticity
Implementation Method 3
improving the saddles' ability of absorbing vibration
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A shell (1) for a bicycle saddle has a groove (20) opened through top and bottom surfaces (16, 18) thereof, a narrow anterior portion (12) having a front edge (124), and a wide posterior portion (14) having a rear edge (142) and divided by an imaginary longitudinal axis (L2) passing through the front and rear edges (124, 142) and the groove (20) into left and right regions (143, 144) where two sockets (30) are located, respectively. The groove (20) has a longitudinal section (22) extending along the axis, and a transverse section (24) extending from a rear end (224) of the longitudinal section (22) to the left and right regions (143, 144) so as to form two elastic wings (146) adjacent to the groove (20). Each socket (30) has a connecting sheet (32) and an insertion block (34) and extends from rear and lateral edges (142, 141) of the wide posterior portion (14) to a position under the bottom surface (18) to form a space (36) therebetween. As a result, the shell (1) has great elasticity and structural strength.