Motorized vehicle saddle apparatus and method

Abstract

A seating system for motorized vehicles is adapted to saddles on which riders travel for extended periods of time, such as motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and the like. The saddle includes an isolator with a disconnect for lateral vibrations, and a damper for lateral and vertical absorption and isolation of shocks and vibration. A decoupler includes layers separating or uncoupling lateral shear loading from vertical spring loading so vertical forces are not increased by the tension against nearby, laterally displaced material. Cradles provide bolsters to support soft tissue and distribute loads on skeletal structures more evenly at increased area and lower stress. Coverings may include integrating liners, moisture barriers, and an outer wrapper or skin, and may include localized padding.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is: 
     
         1 . A method for manufacturing a saddle, the method comprising:
 providing an original saddle configured for a vehicle and having a loading region configured to provide support when a rider is seated thereon;   removing cover material;   providing a cavity defining a core in the loading region;   inserting within the cavity an isolator comprising a disconnect isolating lateral motion between a pan of the original saddle and the loading region above the pan, and a damper portion tending to isolate lateral motion between the core and the pan, vertical motion between the core and the pan, and absorb and dissipate energy associated therewith;   a decoupler comprising layers transmitting vertical loading and isolating lateral loading between one another;   a cradle containing a central region positioned to support skeletal structures of a seated rider and a bolster portion outboard thereof and supporting soft tissue surrounding the skeletal structures to relieve stress; and   applying a cover system to enclose the original pad and core.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing rollers intermediate the pan and the core isolating lateral relative motion therebetween. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising providing a stabilizer between two arrays of pillars disposed above and below the stabilizer, the pillars formed of a polymer providing elastic deformation and inelastic deformation in response to lateral motion and vertical motion. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising providing spring sheets comprising closed-cell, expanded polymeric, sheet material providing elastic deformation in a vertical direction, and isolated from one another to resist transmission of lateral displacement. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising providing a container containing the rollers and applying transmitted forces in a vertical direction to the rollers, while rolling in non-slipping contact with the rollers. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising providing a spring layer comprising elastically deforming bubbles distributed throughout a substantially planar region and provided with spaces intermediate to bubbles in which the bubbles may deform and expand laterally in response to deflections imposed vertically thereon. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising providing bolsters in the cradle, the bolsters comprising a flexible and deformable covering in a laterally extreme portion, filled with a comparatively incompressible, granular material displaceable and deformable as a mass, but substantially non deformable as individual granules. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising providing a plurality of cradles, each comprising a container extending throughout a horizontally disposed lateral region and containing a fill material in a bolster region thereof, the fill materials for each cradle being distinct from those of the other cradles. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising providing the rollers as the disconnect and the pillars as a damper of the isolator. 
     
     
         10 . A method for manufacturing a saddle, the method comprising:
 providing a saddle for a vehicle, the saddle having a pan, providing a rigid support, and a loading region thereabove, configured to provide support under a rider when seated thereon;   removing a cover material;   providing a cavity defining a core in the loading region;   inserting within the cavity a core comprising
 an isolator comprising a disconnect isolating lateral motion between the pan and the loading region, 
 a damper tending to isolate relative motion between the core and the pan and absorb and dissipate energy associated therewith, 
 a decoupler comprising layers transmitting vertical loading and isolating lateral loading between one another, and 
 a cradle containing a central region positioned to support skeletal structures of a seated rider and a bolster portion outboard thereof and supporting soft tissue surrounding the skeletal structures to relieve stress; and 
   applying a cover system to enclose the original pad and core.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the decoupler comprises rollers intermediate the pan and a remainder of the core above the decoupler. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the damper comprises arrays of pillars formed of a polymer providing elastic deformation and inelastic deformation in response to lateral motion and vertical motion. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the core further comprises a sheet material providing elastic deformation in a vertical direction and slippage in a lateral direction. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the decoupler comprises rollers intermediate the pan and a remainder of the core above the decoupler, the rollers being contained within a containment to transmit vertical forces and rolling laterally in response to lateral forces. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising providing a spring layer comprising elastically deforming bubbles distributed throughout a substantially planar region and provided with spaces intermediate to bubbles in which the bubbles may deform and expand laterally in response to deflections imposed vertically thereon. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising providing a cradle having a central support region and a bolster outboard from the central support region to provide support in a direction toward the central support region. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising providing rollers operating as the isolator and pillars operating as the damper.