WO1994008839A1

WO1994008839A1 - A seat cover

Info

Publication number: WO1994008839A1
Application number: PCT/AU1993/000533
Authority: WO
Inventors: Glen Charles Gannon; Stephen Keith Jarvis
Original assignee: Glen Charles Gannon; Stephen Keith Jarvis
Priority date: 1992-10-16
Filing date: 1993-10-15
Publication date: 1994-04-28

Abstract

A seat cover (10) for a bicycle seat has a leading end (11) and a trailing end (12). A medial zone (13) extends between the ends (11 and 12). An underside (14) also extends between the ends (11 and 12). The cover (10) has a resilient zone (18, 19) located on each side of the medial zone (13) and adjacent the trailing end (12). A plurality of resilient ribs (20, 21, 22) are also located on each side of the medial zone (13) and extend between the medial zone (13) and the underside (14). The cover (10) may be provided with fastening means such as a drawstring (32) so that it can be releasably secured to the bicycle seat.

Description

TITLE

"A SEAT COVER"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to a seat cover. In particular the invention concerns a seat cover for a bicycle seat.

It should be appreciated that the seat cover may be used for seats other than bicycle seats and that the invention is described by way of example with reference to its preferred use as a cover for a bicycle seat.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Seats for bicycles typically have a frame to which an outer covering is secured. Outer coverings have been made of leather or a range of synthetic materials .

In some instances, the covering is mounted to the frame via a suspension consisting of springs or the like.

Seats currently employed for racing bicycles are aerodynamically designed and typically are not suspended and can be particularly uncomfortable over long periods of riding.

Covers for seats or seats with padding have been previously suggested.

For example United States Patent Specification 4733907 relates to a padded cover for a bicycle seat where the padding covers substantially all of the seat.

United States Patent Specification 4786104 discloses another type of seat cover. United States Patent Specifications 4319871 and 4816361 disclose further alternatives.

Covers of the general type disclosed in the abovementioned patent specifications do not take into account the anatomy of the rider and provide little or no aeration between the rider and the seat. These factors simply mean that the earlier covers only provide a degree of cushioning between the rider and the seat and little else. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a seat cover which at least minimises the disadvantages referred to above.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a seat cover having a leading end, a trailing end, an underside portion, a medial zone between the ends and about which the cover has symmetry, a resilient zone located on each side of the medial zone and adjacent the trailing end and a plurality of resilient ribs located on each side of the medial zone and extending between the medial zone and the underside portion.

The cover may be made from any suitable material. In one embodiment the cover may be made from a single layer or from multi layers of material. Where multi layers of material are employed the resilient ribs and the resilient zones may be formed by capturing resilient material between the layers of the cover although this need not be the case. The material of construction of the cover may be chosen such that the surface normally in contact with the rider is either moisture resistant or moisture absorbent. The material from which the seat cover is made may have some inherent resiliency of its own to thereby augment the cushioning effect of the resilient zones and ribs. In one embodiment the material consists of one or more layers of neoprene. Preferably two layers of neoprene are employed. The neoprene may be faced on one or both of its surfaces with a fabric. The fabric may be lycra or any convenient or suitable alternative. When the layers of neoprene are secured to each other the fabric facings may be adjacent one another or alternatively one of the fabric facing layers may be on that surface normally contacted by the rider. Preferably, the material from which the cover is made is washable. Preferably, the material is weather resistant and UV stabilised. The medial zone preferably extends from the leading to the trailing end of the cover. In one embodiment, the resilient zones and ribs do not extend into the area of the medial zone and that zone is substantially free of resilient zones or ribs. In one embodiment, only the trailing end of the medial zone is left free in this way and a resilient pad or zone is provided in a leading end of the medial zone. The medial zone may be present as a strip extending between the leading and trailing ends. Preferably the strip is substantially rectangular in shape.

The resilient zones located on either side of the medial zone are preferably resilient pads. Each resilient zone may comprise a unitary pad or consist of a group of discrete resilient pads. Preferably a unitary pad is employed for each of these zones. The pads may be substantially triangular in shape with the longer side of the triangle extending in the direction of the medial zone with the apex of the triangular shape being directed towards the leading end.

The resilient ribs preferably have an upper trailing end and a lower leading end. Thus, the ribs are directed downwardly at an inclined angle.

The ribs may have a substantially constant cross sectional shape along their length although this need not be the case. The ribs may be of a variety of lengths. It is preferred that the ribs are shorter near the leading end of the cover than those towards the trailing end. The ribs may consist of tubular material or alternatively may consist of solid strips or bands of suitable resilient material.

The ribs are spaced from one another. The spacing may be equal or unequal and the degree of spacing between adjacent ribs may vary from one end of the ribs to the other.

The ribs may be present in two distinct groups - a leading group and a trailing group. While the ribs may be present in any suitable number it is preferred that there are seven ribs. Preferably, the leading group consists of three ribs while the trailing group preferably consists of four ribs.

The leading group of ribs extend between the medial zone and the underside of the cover. Preferably, the leading group extend from the medial zone towards the underside of the cover. The trailing rib of the leading group preferably has a first portion extending in the direction of and adjacent the medial zone and a second portion directed towards the underside of the cover.

The trailing group of ribs preferably extend from adjacent the resilient pad and towards the underside of the cover.

The cover may be provided integrally formed with a seat and provide that portion of the seat on which the rider sits. Alternatively, the cover may be provided separate to and attachable to the seat so as to extend over the seat. Where the cover is attachable to the seat, it may readily be removed if not required or be removed for cleaning and then refitted. Where the cover is intended to be detachably mounted to a seat it is preferred that at least the leading end be enclosed to form a pocket for locating about a leading end of a seat. Preferably both the leading end and the forward portion of the underside are enclosed. The rearward portion of the underside is open to enable the cover to be fitted to a seat.

The cover, when of the detachable type, may include fastening means for securing it in position on a seat. The fastening means may comprise a press-on tear-off fastener such as that sold under the trade mark VELCRO. Alternatively, press studs or a draw string or any other suitable fastening means may be used. Where a draw string or cord is used, the draw string preferably extends around the periphery of the open rearward portion of the underside of the cover. DISCLOSURE OF THE DRAWINGS

A particular preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a right perspective view of a seat cover according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a left perspective view of the seat cover of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detailed view of that portion of the seat cover identified by a circle in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a view showing the seat cover attached to a seat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to Figures 1 and 2 a seat cover 10 is shown. The cover 10 has a leading end 11 and a trailing end 12. A medial zone 13 which in this embodiment is substantially rectangular extends between ends 11 and 12. In this embodiment, zone 13 is not provided with resilient zones or ribs but, because of the nature of the material from which the cover is made, still provides a degree of cushioning for a rider.

The cover 10 has an underside 14 extending between ends 11 and 12. The underside is closed from end

11 to a location identified by the numeral 15. This closed end provides a pocket for receiving a leading end of a seat (as shown in ghost outline in Figure 4 ) . The underside 14 of the cover is open from location 15 to end

12 to enable the cover to be fitted over a seat.

The cover 10 has a right resilient zone or pad 18 and a left resilient zone or pad 19. Pads 18 an 19 are symmetrically located either side of medial zone 13 and towards the trailing end 12 of the cover. Pads 18 and 19 are substantially triangular in shape.

As shown in Figure 1, a first or leading group of resilient ribs 20, 21, 22 extend from the zone 13 towards the underside 14. Rib 22 has a trailing portion

24 extending along zone 13 and a leading portion 25 directed towards the underside 14. A second or trailing group of resilient ribs 26, 27, 28, 29 extend from pad 18 and towards the underside 14 of the cover. The left hand side of the cover shown in Figure 2 is the mirror symmetry of what is shown in Figure 1. The ribs on the left hand side as shown in Figure 2 have not been identified with numerals for the sake of clarity.

Figure 3 shows that the cover is made from an outer layer 30 of material and an inner layer of material 31. The layers may be secured to one another in any suitable way such as by welding, using fasteners, adhesive or stitching. The pads 18, 19 and the ribs may be secured to the outside of layer 30, to the inside of layer 31 or secured between the two layers 30, 31. Where they are secured between the layers, they are preferably captured between the layers by an adhesive or by stitching extending at least part way around the perimeter of each of the ribs and pads. Stitching is preferred. In another embodiment the cover may be moulded from a suitable material and the ribs and pads integrally formed with the cover.

As shown in the figures, the cover 10 has a draw string 32 arranged in a sleeve 33 extending around the open underside of the cover.

Figure 4 shows a seat 40 in broken outline secured to a stem 41. Cover 10 is fitted over the seat 40 and draw string 32 may then be tightened to securely mount the cover 10 to the seat 40. The pads and ribs may be formed of rubber or any other suitable resilient material.

The seat cover is readily removable from and attachable to the seat and can easily be removed for cleaning purposes. By providing covers in a variety of colours the rider may choose a cover to co-ordinate with other apparel.

The pads and ribs assist in the distribution of load on the seat and protect the soft overlying tissues of the rider. The spaces between the ribs and between the ribs and the pads promote air flow between the rider and the cover to enhance comfort. The natural resiliency of the fabric of the cover assist in the provision of a cushioning effect. The pads and ribs have a tendency to roll or deform in a direction extending between the leading and trailing ends of the seat as a consequence of body motion of the rider while the rider is in contact with the seat cover. This reduces friction between the rider and the cover and dissipates the transmission of shock and forces to the ischial and pubic tuberosities and soft overlying tissues of that part of the rider normally in contact with the seat cover. This rolling or deformation action is enhanced by having the ribs and pads located within the inner and outer layers of material from which the seat cover may be made.

Claims

CLAIMS;

1. A seat cover having a leading end, a trailing end, an underside portion, a medial, zone between the ends and about which the cover has symmetry, a resilient zone located on each side of the medial zone and adjacent the trailing end and a plurality of resilient ribs located on each side of the medial zone and extending between the medial zone and the underside portion.

2. The seat cover of Claim 1 wherein the medial zone extends from the leading end to the trailing end.

3. The seat cover of Claim 1 wherein the medial zone has a resilient pad adjacent the leading end.

4. The seat cover of Claim 1 wherein the medial zone is substantially rectangular in shape.

5. The seat cover of Claim 1 wherein the resilient zones comprise unitary resilient pads.

6. The seat cover of Claim 5 wherein the pads are substantially triangular in shape with the apex of the triangular shape directed towards the leading end.

7. The seat cover of Claim 1 wherein the ribs are equally spaced from one another.

8. The seat cover of Claim 1 wherein the ribs consist of a leading group and a trailing group.

9. The seat cover of Claim 8 wherein the ribs of the leading group extend from the medial zone towards the underside of the cover and wherein a trailing rib of the leading group has a first portion extending in the direction of the medial zone and a second portion directed towards the underside.

10. The seat cover of Claim 8 wherein the trailing group of said ribs extend from adjacent the resilient zone and towards the underside of the cover.

11. The seat cover of any one of Claims 1 to 10 made from an inner and an outer layer of material secured to one another and between which the resilient zone and the ribs are located.

12. The seat cover of Claim 11 wherein the material is neoprene.

13. The seat cover of Claim 12 including a fabric facing on one or both of the surfaces of the layers of material.

14. The seat cover of Claim 11 integrally formed with a bicycle seat.

15. The seat cover of Claim 11 having an enclosed said leading end and a forward portion of the underside is enclosed to form a pocket with the rearward portion of the underside is open to enable the cover to be removably fitted to a bicycle seat.

16. The seat cover of Claim 15 including fastening means for releasably securing the cover to the bicycle seat.

17. The seat cover of Claim 16 wherein the fastening means includes a draw string.

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 09 February 1994 (09.02.94);

original claim 1 replaced by amended claim 1;

other claims unchanged (2 oages)]

1. A seat cover having a leading end, a trailing end, an underside portion, a medial, zone between the ends and about which the cover has symmetry, a resilient zone located on each side of the medial zone and adjacent the trailing end and a plurality of resilient ribs separate from the resilient zones and located on each side of the medial zone and extending between the medial zone and the underside portion and between the resilient zones and the underside portion.

12. The seat cover of Claim 11 wherein the material is neoprene.

14. The seat cover of Claim 11 integrally formed with a bicycle seat.