Filamented Supporting Surface Patents (Class 297/197)
  • Patent number: 9085333
    Abstract: A bicycle seat with a primary frame that is two parallel, horizontal springs with a vertical rear section and front section that curves upwardly and forwardly. Upper, central, and lower crossbars connect the front sections together. A universal ball and socket joint attaches a C-shaped secondary frame to the primary frame rear section. A flexible, non-elastic strap tensions the primary frame. One strap end is fixed to the upper crossbar, extends rearwardly through a slot in a tab on the secondary frame, and forwardly to a strap attachment at the primary frame front section. The strap tension is either adjustable or fixed. A shaped seat substrate is attached to the secondary frame, extending forwardly as a cantilevered surface. An optional resilient wedge fits between the strap and the seat substrate as a shock absorber. The seat substrate is covered by a seat cushion and a seat cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher Watts, Sarah Ellen Watts
  • Patent number: 8851566
    Abstract: A ventilated saddle structure for bicycles, motorbikes and/or pedal powered machines, comprising: a support frame (2) designed to be anchored to a bicycle, motorbike and/or pedal powered machine, a seating surface (3) associated with the frame (2), wherein the seating surface (3) comprises a membrane (4) made of a perforated and at least partially deformable material, shaped to match the user anatomy. The frame (2) comprises at least one thrust device designed to elastically interact from below with the membrane (4) to appropriately counter the deformation thereof and to support the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Inventor: Giuseppe Bigolin
  • Patent number: 8544946
    Abstract: The tree and post remover is a removably attachable accessory for an operating vehicle, such as a skid-steer machine, tractor, or similar working machine having hydraulic power output. The tree and post remover has a mounting plate having a fixed jaw assembly extending therefrom and a movable jaw assembly captured and sliding laterally within the fixed jaw assembly. A hydraulic strut resides within the movable jaw assembly, and has one end attached to the movable jaw assembly and its opposite end attached to the fixed jaw assembly. Actuation of the hydraulic strut drives the movable jaw assembly toward or away from the fixed jaw assembly to close or open the jaws relative to one another. Each jaw assembly preferably includes a plurality of individual jaw members, opposite jaw members meshing with one another to allow the jaws to close upon objects of relatively small diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Inventor: William R. Holden
  • Patent number: 8391667
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a latching mechanism having a latch, a cam and a slider. The cam is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation. The cam is also configured to displace an end of the latch when the cam is rotated about the axis of rotation. The slider is operably connected to the cam and is configured to cause the cam to rotate about the axis of rotation. Some embodiments also include a retaining cover and a boot. The retaining cover secures a second end of the latch to a module in which the latching mechanism is implemented. The boot is operatively connected to the slider and can be manipulated by a user to activate the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventors: Tat Ming Teo, Chris Togami, Frank Flens
  • Patent number: 7367619
    Abstract: A support structure having a seat surface (2), particularly for bicycles and other pedal operated machines, comprises a substantially rigid or semirigid frame (3), means for connecting the frame (3) to the bicycle or a pedal operated machine, a yieldable padding (7) secured to the top face of the frame (3), a covering layer (8) superimposed to the yieldable pad (7), characterized in that the frame (3) has one or more differential rigidity portions (11, 11?) adapted to facilitate the pedaling motion. The differential rigidity portions (11, 11?) are situated at an outer peripheral edge (13) of the frame (3), along which at least one recess (12) is provided. Each differential rigidity portion (11, 11?) comprises a plurality of projections (14) extending outwardly of recesses (12) formed in the frame (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Selle Royal SpA
    Inventors: Massimo Fregonese, Branko Lukic, Thomas Overthun, Chris Cowart
  • Patent number: 7059674
    Abstract: The invention includes a bicycle saddle whose seating surface is made of a stretched membrane, where the membrane is stretched into a vaulted shape from the nose extending at least partially through the rider's crotch toward the cantle at the rear of the seat. The invention further includes at least one carrier member acting upon the membrane to create, at least partly, the vaulted shape, and an attachment of at least part of a perimeter of the membrane to at least one of the carrier members. The attachment further provides the vaulted shape to the membrane and/or a tension to the membrane. The invention also further includes a saddle undercarriage attached to at least one of the carrier members providing at least part of the tension to the membrane, whenever the saddle undercarriage flexes. The saddle undercarriage is further comprised of a means for mounting to a seat post. An embodiment of the invention includes a ventilation path through the seating surface to the rider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Inventors: Tylor Garland, Aldia Rauda, Geoffrey Craig Pittfield
  • Patent number: 7004540
    Abstract: A seat for a cyclist has at each of left and right sides thereof one or more movable leg support members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Manta Design Ltd.
    Inventor: Jon Catling
  • Patent number: 6957855
    Abstract: A seat for a bicycle includes two suspended seat straps which support the buttocks of a rider. The straps are attached to front and rear support arms which are attached to two points on the frame of the bicycle. The front support arms form an inverted bifurcated assembly which is attached to the bicycle frame via a shock absorber. A ball and socket fitting permits the inverted bifurcated assembly to move in pitch, yaw, and roll, thereby conforming to the movements of the rider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Inventor: Philip R. Weary
  • Patent number: 6739656
    Abstract: A base of a bicycle saddle comprises a main body made of a rigid plastic material. The main body is provided with at least one receiving space corresponding in location to the sitting area of bicyclist and a plurality of supporting bars suspended in the receiving space and defining a plurality of hollows. The base further comprises an elastic body made of a plastic material having a hardness smaller than the hardness of the plastic material of which the main body is made. The elastic body is filled in the receiving space by molding such that the hollows are enclosed by the elastic body, and the elastic body is firmly connected to the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Inventor: Tsai-Yun Yu
  • Patent number: 6113184
    Abstract: A bicycle seat assembly for promoting comfort for a male bicycle rider by permitting the scrotum to hang freely while the rider is seated on the bicycle. The bicycle seat assembly includes a housing member having a pair of spaced frontal projections, the housing member surrounding a cushioning member, the housing member being coupled to a spring assembly, the spring assembly being adapted for coupling to a seat post of a bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Inventor: Samuel J. Barnes
  • Patent number: 5558396
    Abstract: The bicycle saddle of a bicycle saddle assembly includes a rigid saddle body which is formed as a looped member and which has a front portion with a nose, an intermediate portion and a rear portion. The saddle body has a width which increases gradually from the nose to the rear portion and defines an opening. The saddle body has a periphery defining the opening which is formed with a plurality of spring retaining holes. The bicycle saddle further includes a rigid spring retaining plate which has a periphery formed with a plurality of spring retaining holes, and a plurality of elongated coil springs, each of which has a first end secured to one of the retaining holes in the saddle body and a second end secured to one of the retaining holes in the retaining plate. The coil springs extend radially in different directions from the retaining plate to the saddle body to enable the bicycle saddle to absorb shock in a plurality of directions when the saddle assembly is in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Selle Tech Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsai-Yun Yu
  • Patent number: 5553916
    Abstract: A bicycle saddle includes a saddle body, an opening formed through the saddle body and a plurality of spring-retaining holes formed along the periphery of the opening. The bicycle saddle further includes a spring-retaining assembly and a plurality of elongated coil springs connected between the saddle body and the spring-retaining assembly under tension. The spring-retaining assembly includes at least one first connecting member having a threaded hole. The spring-retaining assembly further has at least one second connecting member which has a counterbore. At least one screw member extends through the counterbore of the second connecting member and engaging the threaded hole of the first connecting member to engage the first and second connecting members. Therefore, the first and second connecting members can be moved with respect to one another by rotating the screw member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Selle Tech Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsai-Yun Yu
  • Patent number: 5356205
    Abstract: A seat assembly having flexure members and ventilation is disclosed. An elongated aperture is cut into a base plate of the seat assembly and flexure members are formed in a support plate of the assembly which is mounted to the base plate. The flexure members deform into the aperture thus providing a rider with additional comfort due to the flexibility of the seat. A venting hole is provided throughout the seat assembly to aid in rider comfort. A forced air ventilation system forces air to flow throughout the seat assembly, thus giving the rider ample ventilation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: InMotion, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel Calvert, Michael J. Arbeiter
  • Patent number: 5340192
    Abstract: The device relates to a bicycle seat structure, in which a seat frame is provided with a cut out portion on which a rubber resilient element is secured. The rubber resilient element includes a plurality of resilient strips connected with each other by web portions. It is secure to the seat frame by inserting the enlarged head portions formed on the ends of the resilient strips into the cavities disposed on the seat frame. This arrangement provides a soft, springy cushion for enhancing rider comfort. Moreover, open areas provided by a difference in thickness between the resilient strips and the web portions confers an excellent venting capability upon the seat structure, which avoids the buildup of heat in the contact area beneath riders' buttocks during riding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Inventor: Ah-Yeh Hsh
  • Patent number: 4457524
    Abstract: The upper surface of a motorcross-type motorcycle fuel tank is recessed. The front end of a motorcycle seat extends into and is seated in this recess and extends for a substantial distance rearwardly of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1984
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomomasa Yoshiwara