Candle Seat Post Anti-Slip Protrusions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seat posts for bicycles, particularly those of the candle type, experience limited durability and slipping issues due to inadequate coupling with the saddle casing, leading to increased production and assembly costs and times when external clamps or screws are used for fixation.
Innovation Solution
A candle-type seat post with integrated anti-slip elements, featuring a coupling end with projections and discontinuous portions that engage with the saddle's housing, preventing rotation and axial translation, ensuring secure attachment without additional fixing operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external clamps or screws are used for fixation, then the connection between seat post and saddle is strengthened, but production and assembly costs and times increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the anti-slip function directly into the seat post body by integrating discontinuous portions (protrusions) into the coupling end structure. This eliminates the need for separate external clamps or screws, thereby maintaining connection strength while reducing device complexity and assembly steps
Solution Approach 2:
The seat post's coupling end is designed with self-locking protrusions that automatically engage with the saddle housing during insertion. The elastic deformation of the plastic housing during insertion causes the protrusions to lock into place without requiring additional fixing operations, making the system self-assembling and self-securing
2Ease of manufacture
If simple interference coupling is used, then production and assembly are simplified, but the saddle slips out of the post over time
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling end is segmented with discontinuous portions (protrusions) that divide the continuous cylindrical surface. These segmented features create multiple independent locking points within the housing, preventing rotational movement and axial slippage while maintaining the simplicity of the overall coupling mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The discontinuous portions create an asymmetric geometry on the otherwise cylindrical coupling end. This asymmetry prevents rotation by ensuring that the protrusions do not align with the housing geometry in rotational positions other than the intended locked position, thereby enhancing coupling durability without complicating assembly
3Productivity
If the coupling end is inserted hot into the housing, then assembly is simplified, but the plastic housing must cool and shrink to constrain the post
Solution Approach 1:
The discontinuous portions (protrusions) are pre-formed on the coupling end before insertion. During hot insertion, these protrusions are positioned to engage with corresponding features in the housing. As the plastic cools and shrinks, the pre-positioned protrusions automatically lock into place, eliminating the need for additional cooling time or post-assembly adjustments
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 integrated anti-slip elements provide a secure and durable connection between the seat post and saddle, reducing the likelihood of slipping and eliminating the need for external fixation methods, thereby lowering production and assembly costs while enhancing durability.
Implementation Method 1
the end of the post is inserted in the housing in the saddle's hot casing, immediately after the hot moulding of the casing itself, and wherein, during the cooling of the plastic, this shrinks around the seat post due to its natural shrinking reaction, thus constraining the post in its position
Implementation Method 2
during the cooling of the plastic, this shrinks around the seat post due to its natural shrinking reaction, thus constraining the post in its position
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
The invention is a seat post (1) comprising a tubular body (12) having one end (11) suited to be coupled with the saddle (S) and shaped so that it fits in an apposite tubular housing (S2) provided in the casing (S1) of the saddle (S). Said coupling end (11) of the seat post (1) comprises a substantially tubular wall (21) with at least one discontinuous portion (31, 32) having at least one surface (33) not parallel to the longitudinal axis (X) of the seat post (1) and suited to interfere with the tubular wall (S5) of said tubular housing (S2) in the casing (S1), so as to prevent the seat post (1) from sliding axially, at least in the direction of extraction from the housing (S2).