Bicycle seat with vibration isolation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12565274-B2
Application number	US-202218084195-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2022
Priority date	Dec 19, 2022
Publication date	Mar 3, 2026
Grant date	Mar 3, 2026

Abstract

A bicycle seat suspension can include one or more movable body members. The one or more movable body members can be configured to be operatively connected to a bicycle saddle. The one or more movable body members can be configured to change configuration when a load is applied to the bicycle saddle. The bicycle seat suspension can also include a vibration isolator. The vibration isolator can be configured to exhibit a non-linear stiffness profile including a region of quasi-zero stiffness. The vibration isolator can be operatively positioned such that, when the one or more movable body members change configuration responsive to a load being applied to the bicycle saddle, the one or more movable body members can engage the vibration isolator. As a result, the vibration isolator can isolate a person seated on the bicycle saddle from vibrations transferred through the bicycle saddle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A bicycle seat suspension, comprising:
a first three-bar linkage configured to be operatively connected to a bicycle saddle and configured to change configuration when a load is applied to the bicycle saddle; a second three-bar linkage that is separate from the first three-bar linkage; and a vibration isolator configured to exhibit a non-linear stiffness profile including a region of quasi-zero stiffness and being operatively positioned with respect to the first three-bar linkage such that, when the first three-bar linkage changes configuration responsive to a load being applied to the bicycle saddle, the first three-bar linkage engages the vibration isolator, whereby the vibration isolator isolates a person seated on the bicycle saddle from vibrations transferred through the bicycle saddle.

2 . The bicycle seat suspension of claim 1 , further comprising a second vibration isolator, wherein the second vibration isolator is operatively positioned with respect to the second three-bar linkage.

3 . The bicycle seat suspension of claim 1 , wherein the vibration isolator is a first vibration isolator and further comprising a second vibration isolator, wherein the second vibration isolator is located within the first vibration isolator.

4 . The bicycle seat suspension of claim 1 , wherein, when the first three-bar linkage engages the vibration isolator, the first three-bar linkage compresses the vibration isolator along a longitudinal axis of the vibration isolator.

5 . The bicycle seat suspension of claim 1 , wherein the vibration isolator includes a stack of a plurality of conical springs.

6 . The bicycle seat suspension of claim 5 , wherein the stack of the plurality of conical springs is arranged in an alternating pattern, wherein each of the plurality of conical springs includes an outer diameter body portion and an inner diameter body portion, and wherein, for each of the plurality of conical springs, at least one of:
the outer diameter body portion faces the outer diameter body portion of a neighboring one of the plurality of conical springs; and the inner diameter body portion faces the inner diameter body portion of a neighboring one of the plurality of conical springs.

7 . The bicycle seat suspension of claim 6 , wherein the vibration isolator includes a plurality of inner spacers, wherein the plurality of inner spacers separates the inner diameter body portion of a neighboring pair of the conical springs, and wherein the plurality of inner spacers engages the inner diameter body portion of the neighboring pair of the conical springs.

8 . The bicycle seat suspension of claim 6 , wherein the vibration isolator includes a plurality of outer spacers, wherein the outer spacers separate the outer diameter body portion of a neighboring pair of the conical springs, and wherein the plurality of outer spacers engages the outer diameter body portion of the neighboring pair of the conical springs.

9 . The bicycle seat suspension of claim 6 , wherein the vibration isolator includes a first endcap and a second endcap, wherein the first endcap is operatively connected to a first outermost conical spring at a first end of the stack of the plurality of conical springs, and wherein the second endcap is operatively connected to a second outermost conical spring at a second end of the stack of the plurality of conical springs.

10 . A bicycle seat, comprising:
a bicycle saddle; a first three-bar linkage configured to be operatively connected to the bicycle saddle and configured to change configuration when a load is applied to the bicycle saddle; a second three-bar linkage that is separate from the first three-bar linkage; and vibration isolators including a first vibration isolator and a second vibration isolator each including a plurality of conical springs, being configured to exhibit a non-linear stiffness profile including a region of quasi-zero stiffness, and being operatively positioned with respect to the first three-bar linkage and the second three-bar linkage, respectively, such that, when the first three-bar linkage changes configuration responsive to a load being applied to the bicycle saddle, the first three-bar linkage engages the first vibration isolator, whereby the first vibration isolator isolates a person seated on the bicycle saddle from vibrations transferred through the bicycle saddle.

11 . The bicycle seat of claim 10 , further comprising:
a third vibration isolator, wherein the third vibration isolator is located within the first vibration isolator.

12 . The bicycle seat of claim 10 , wherein, when the first three-bar linkage engages the vibration isolator, the first three-bar linkage compresses the first vibration isolator along a longitudinal axis of the first vibration isolator.

13 . The bicycle seat of claim 10 , wherein the first vibration isolator includes a stack of a plurality of conical springs.

14 . The bicycle seat of claim 13 , wherein the stack of the plurality of conical springs is arranged in an alternating pattern, wherein each of the plurality of conical springs includes an outer diameter body portion and an inner diameter body portion, and wherein, for each of the plurality of conical springs, at least one of:
the outer diameter body portion faces the outer diameter body portion of a neighboring one of the plurality of conical springs; and the inner diameter body portion faces the inner diameter body portion of a neighboring one of the plurality of conical springs.

15 . The bicycle seat of claim 14 , wherein the first vibration isolator includes a plurality of inner spacers, wherein the plurality of inner spacers separates the inner diameter body portion of a neighboring pair of the conical springs, and wherein the plurality of inner spacers engage the inner diameter body portion of the neighboring pair of the conical springs.

16 . A bicycle seat suspension, comprising:
three-bar linkages including a first three-bar linkage and a second three-bar linkage that is separate from the first three-bar linkage, the three-bar linkages being aligned along a longitudinal direction of a bicycle saddle, configured to be operatively connected to the bicycle saddle, and configured to change configuration when a load is applied to the bicycle saddle; and vibration isolators operatively positioned with respect to the first three-bar linkage and the second three-bar linkage and configured to exhibit a non-linear stiffness profile including a region of quasi-zero stiffness, the vibration isolators being operatively positioned with respect to the three-bar linkages such that, when the three-bar linkages change configuration responsive to a load being applied to the bicycle saddle, the three-bar linkages engage the vibration isolators, whereby the vibration isolators isolate a person seated on the bicycle saddle from vibrations transferred through the bicycle saddle.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Gilmore Paul A
• Rowe Michael Paul
• Gandhi Umesh N
• Tandon Sanay S

Classifications

• F16F1/32

  Belleville-type springs (friction-clutch diaphragm springs F16D13/583) · CPC title

• B62K2201/02

  Rubber springs · CPC title

• B62J1/04

  Saddles capable of swinging about a horizontal pivot · CPC title

• B62J1/065 Primary

  Saddles supported on a parallelogram linkage · CPC title