BICYCLE SADDLE WITH A QUICK-CONNECT STRUCTURE |
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申请号 | EP05718252.9 | 申请日 | 2005-03-23 | 公开(公告)号 | EP1796954B1 | 公开(公告)日 | 2008-05-14 |
申请人 | SELLE ROYAL S.P.A.; | 发明人 | BIGOLIN, Barbara; | ||||
摘要 | Bicycle saddle with a quick connect structure for removably mounting an accessory (A), such as a tool kit or the like, to the saddle (S). The saddle (S) has at least one load-bearing body (2) to be attached to a bicycle frame (T). The quick connect structure comprises at least one male member (3), which may be snap-fitted in a corresponding female member (4). The male (3) and female (4) members are associated either to the saddle (S) or to the accessory (A). One of these male (3) and female (4) members is integrally formed in the body (2) of the saddle (S). | ||||||
权利要求 | |||||||
说明书全文 | The present invention finds application in the field of sport and leisure accessories, and particularly relates to a quick-connect structure for bicycle saddles. The invention further relates to the components of the quick-connect lock according to the invention. One of the drawbacks associated with two-wheeled vehicles, particularly bicycles and motorcycles, is known to be the limited luggage-carrying capacity of such means of transport. Especially in bicycles, a problem may also arise from the need of carrying emergency equipment and accessories to be used in case of mechanical breakdowns, including screw drivers or wrenches. Special containers or tool kits have been designed to this purpose. A number of technical arrangements have been developed to solve the problem of carrying such containers. Document From Other arrangements more or less associated to the above, are disclosed in From Form The object of this invention is to overcome the above drawbacks, by providing a quick-connect structure for a bicycle saddle which achieves high efficiency and has a relatively simple construction. A particular object is to provide a structure that allows an easy and safe connection of accessories to the bicycle saddle. Another object of the invention is to provide a structure that does not limit the adjustment of saddle's sliding parts, such as the seat post or the rails. A further object is to provide a structure having minimum space requirements. These objects, as well as other objects that will be apparent hereafter, are achieved by providing a bicycle saddle with a quick-connect structure, according to claim 1. Thanks to this particular arrangement, the structure of the invention allows an easy and safe connection of accessories to the bicycle saddle. According to a further aspect of the invention, there are provided, according to the independent claim 15, a male member of a quick-connect structure for a bicycle saddle, which is designed to be rigidly attached to an object, such as a tool kit or the like and, according to claim 16, a female member of a quick-connect structure for a bicycle saddle, which is an integral part of the saddle body. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the detailed description of a few preferred, non-exclusive embodiments of a quick-connect structure according to the invention, which is described as a non-limiting example with the help of the annexed drawings, in which:
Referring to the above figures, a quick-connect structure according to the invention, generally designated by reference numeral 1, is particularly suitable for removably coupling an accessory A, such as a tool kit, a mudguard, a reflector, a water bottle cage or the like, to a saddle S. The saddle S has at least one load-bearing body 2 to be attached to a bicycle frame T, which is made, for instance, by plastics injection molding. The structure 1 further comprises at least one male member 3, which may be snap-fitted in a corresponding female member 4. The male 3 and female 4 members are associated either to the saddle S or to the accessory A. According to the invention, at least one of the male 3 and female 4 members is integrally and monolithically formed in the body 2 of the saddle S. Advantageously, the other member may be rigidly attached to the accessory A. Thus, accessories of any type may be easily and safely connected to the bicycle saddle, with no connection members therebetween which may be easily broken or damaged. In the embodiment that is shown in By this arrangement, the presence of the structure does not limit the adjustment of the saddle's sliding parts, such as the seat post or the saddle rail, as the latter do not interact with any part of the structure. Suitably, the male member 3 may include a first elongated portion 6, for rigid connection to the accessory A and a second portion 7, for removable connection to the female member 4. According to a first preferred embodiment, the first portion 6 and the second portion 7 may be joined together to form a predetermined angle a, as shown in In another preferred embodiment, as shown in Thus, the accessory A may be even more conveniently mounted. The possibility of mutual articulation-of the portions 6 and 7 allows to place the accessory A in the most convenient position and to facilitate the connection/release thereof to and from the saddle S, regardless of its shape and relative adjustments. In both embodiments, the second portion 7 may have an elongated extension 8 having a substantially prismatic shape, tapering toward the free end 9, for insertion in a complementary receptacle 10 that defines the female member 4. Suitably, the extension 8 may have a substantially trapezoidal plan shape, with a decreasing thickness s and a shorter base b with rounded edges. This facilitates the introduction of the extension 8 in the receptacle 10. The shape of the receptacle 10 may in turn be complementary to that of the extension 8, with an upper wall 11 and a lower wall 12 joined together by a pair of side walls 13 and 13'. Advantageously, the walls 11 and 12 may have curved edges 14, to act as guide surfaces to introduce the extension 8 in the receptacle 10. Suitably, the height h of the latter will be not less than the thickness s' of the extension 8 at its longer base B. Thus, the introduction of the extension 8 in the receptacle 10 is fast and effective, even when the user is in a rotated position, as is frequently the case. The extension 8 may be prevented from accidentally disengaging from the receptacle 10 by a pulling action, by providing it with suitably snap lock means 15. Preferably, these lock means 15 are a projection or a tooth 16, which is engageable in a corresponding slot 17 in the receptacle 10, e.g. formed in the lower wall 12 thereof. This will assure a firm and safe lock between the male 3 and female 4 members. Suitably, the first portion 6 may have holes 18 for receiving screws or rivets 19 to be fastened to the accessory A, to assure a stable and effective coupling thereof. From the above disclosure, the structure of the invention proves to fulfill the proposed objects and particularly meets the requirement of allowing an easy and safe connection of accessories to the bicycle saddle. Thanks to the monolithic integration of the female member 4 in the body 2 of the saddle S, and thanks to the particular configuration of the male member 3, accessories A may be firmly connected to a saddle S while minimizing the risks of accidental losses or failures. The structure of the invention is susceptible of a number of changes and variants, within the inventive concept disclosed in the appended claims. All the details thereof may be replaced by other technically equivalent parts, and the materials may vary depending on different needs, without departure from the scope of the invention. While the structure has been described with particular reference to the accompanying figures, the numerals referred, to in the disclosure and claims are only used for the sake of a better intelligibility of the invention and shall not be intended to limit the claimed scope in any manner. |