Bicycle seat

Abstract

Among other things, a structure supports the ischial tubularities of a user of a device to which the structure is attached, while gravity is applying a downward force on the ischial tubularities and the user's legs are engaged in motion during which forces are being applied that tend to cause the user's respective ischial tubularities to move relative to a frame of the device. The structure includes two buttock supports having surfaces against which the bottom surfaces of the user's respective buttocks bear during the motion. A mechanism connects the two buttock supports to the frame of the device to permit simultaneously (1) free motion of the two buttock supports (a) up and down relative to a frame of the device and (b) back and forth relative to the frame of the device and (2) free variation of the angular orientations of the bottom surfaces of the user's buttocks back and forth, relative to a hypothetical horizontal plane that is fixed relative to the frame of the device.

1 . A structure to support one of the two buttocks of a user as the user is pedaling a device to which the structure is attached and while the other one of the two buttocks is independently supported, the structure comprising
 a surface with which the one buttock is in contact during the pedaling, and   a support for the surface that permits rotation of the surface simultaneously about three axes.   
     
     
         2 . The structure of  claim 1  in which one of the three axes is aligned with the direction in which the user is facing. 
     
     
         3 . The structure of  claim 1  in which one of the three axes is parallel to an imaginary line between the two tuberosities of the pelvis of the user. 
     
     
         4 . The structure of  claim 1  in which one of the three axes is normal to the surface with which the one buttock is in contact. 
     
     
         5 . The structure of  claim 1  in which the support comprises an element of a multidirectional joint. 
     
     
         6 . The structure of  claim 5  in which the element comprises a ball or socket of a ball and socket joint. 
     
     
         7 . The structure of  claim 1  in which the surface is concave in at least one direction with respect to the one buttock. 
     
     
         8 . The structure of  claim 7  in which the surface is concave in at least two directions with respect to the one buttock. 
     
     
         9 . The structure of  claim 1  in which the surface comprises a round configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The structure of  claim 1  comprising upholstery on the surface. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising
 supporting one of the two buttocks of a user as the user is pedaling a device and while the other one of the two buttocks is independently supported, the supporting comprising:   maintaining continuous contact of at least a portion of the one buttock with a surface with which the one buttock is in contact during the pedaling, and   permitting rotation of the surface simultaneously about three axes in response to rotation of the portion of the one buttock about the three axes as the user is pedaling.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  in which one of the three axes is aligned with the direction in which the user is facing. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  in which one of the three axes is parallel to an imaginary line between the two tuberosities of the pelvis of the user. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  in which one of the three axes is normal to the surface with which the one buttock is in contact. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising rotating a surface with which one buttock of a user is in contact as the user is pedaling a device, the rotating occurring simultaneously about each of three axes in response to motion of the buttock. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  in which one of the three axes is aligned with the direction in which the user is facing. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  in which one of the three axes is parallel to an imaginary line between the two tuberosities of the pelvis of the user. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  in which one of the three axes is normal to the surface with which the one buttock is in contact.