JPH10119861A - Folding bicycle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the folding bicycle which can be folded compactly, and makes its housing volume minimum. SOLUTION: A handle bar 3 can be made collapsible downward at the upper end of a handle post 4, the handle post 4 can be made collapsible downward at its lower end, a head frame 6 and the front end of a front frame 7 can be made collapsible around an axial line in the longitudinal direction so as to be combined with each other by a hinge 8, the rear end of the front frame 7 and the front end of a center frame 9, and the rear end of the center frame 9 and the front end of a main frame 11 can be made rotatable around respective axial lines in the surface direction so as to be combined with each other by hinges 10 and 12 respectively, the main frame 11 and the lower end of a seat post 13, and the upper end of the seat post 13 and a pillar outer 15 can be made rotatable so as to be combined with hinges 14 and 16 respectively, and a rear fork 19 rotatably supporting a rear wheel 2 is made rotatable to the main frame 11 in the longitudinal direction so as to be combined with each other by a hinge 20.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a folding bicycle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There are various types of conventional folding bicycles. As a typical structure, as shown in FIG. 9 (A), a main frame having a front wheel 1 and a rear wheel 2 is provided at a central portion. To separate the front frame 30a and the rear frame 30b, and connect the divided portions with hinges 31 so as to be rotatable around an axis in the lateral direction. The pillar outer 33 having a seat (saddle) slides on the seat post 32 to contract. 9 and handlebar 34 is removable, and FIG.
As shown in (B), the front frame 30a and the rear frame 30b are folded in two by the hinge 31.

As shown in FIG. 10A, a main frame having a front wheel 1 and a rear wheel 2 is also divided into a front frame 40a and a rear frame 40b at a central portion.
The divided portions are connected to each other by hinges 41 formed of a central pipe so as to be rotatable about an axis in a lateral direction, a pillar outer 43 provided with a seat (saddle) is slidable on a seat post 42 to be contractable, and a handle bar 43 is provided on a handle post. 4
5, the front frame 40a and the rear frame 40b are folded in two by a hinge 41 as shown in FIG.

[0004]

In each of FIGS. 9 and 10, there is only one folding point, and the folding storage capacity is large. Further, the folding bicycle shown in FIG. 9 requires a troublesome operation of removing and attaching the handlebar 34.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a folding bicycle which can be folded compactly and has a minimum storage volume.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a handlebar is foldable downward at an upper end of a handlepost, and the handlepost is
The lower end is foldable downward, and the head frame and the front end of the front frame are hinged so as to be rotatable around an axis in the front-rear direction, and the rear end of the front frame, the front end of the center frame, and the rear end of the center frame are connected to each other. The front end of the main frame is hinged so as to be rotatable about a lateral axis, and the main frame, the lower end of the seat post, the upper end of the seat post, and the pillar outer are hinged so as to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis, respectively. A rear fork supporting the rear wheel is hinged to the main frame so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a front wheel supported by a front fork, and reference numeral 2 denotes a rear wheel supported by a rear fork 19.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a handle bar. The handle bar 3 is foldable downward at an upper end of a handle post 4. The handle post 4 is foldable downward by a hinge 5 at its lower end.

The head frame 6 and the front end of the front frame 7 are connected to each other by a hinge 8 so as to be rotatable around an axis in the front-rear direction. It is connected by a hinge 10 so as to be rotatable around.

A rear end of the center frame 9 and a front end of the main frame 11 are joined by a hinge 12 so as to be rotatable around an axis in a lateral direction, and the lower end of the main frame 11 and a lower end of the seat post 13 are rotated around an axis in a front-rear direction. Hinge 14 so as to be rotatable.

An upper end of the seat post 13 and a pillar outer 15 provided with a seat (saddle) 17 are connected by a hinge 16 so as to be rotatable around a longitudinal axis, and a rear fork 19 which supports the rear wheel 2 is mounted on a main frame. 11 has a structure in which it is connected to a hinge 20 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction. In addition, 1
Reference numeral 8 denotes a rotation locus of the crank.

Since the present invention has the structure as described above, the handle bar is folded and stored at the upper end of the handle post 4 as shown in FIG. It is folded down by the hinge 5 at the lower end.

As shown in FIG. 3, the rear wheel 2 rotates the rear fork 19 forward by a hinge 20 to be folded under the main frame 11.

With the handlebar 3, handle post 4 and rear fork 19 folded, the head frame 6 is rotated backward by the hinge 8 and the front frame 7 is rotated laterally by the hinge 10, as shown in FIG. Then, the center frame 9 is rotated sideways by the hinge 12, and the front frame 7 is folded along an axis parallel to the main frame 11.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the seat (saddle) portion rotates the pillar outer 15 forward with the hinge 16 and rotates the seat post 13 forward with the hinge 14 so as to be folded and accommodated.

The bicycle folded as described above is folded and stored in an extremely compact form as shown in a plan view shown in FIG. 6 and a side view shown in FIG.
The storage volume can be minimized.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, a hinge structure is provided in which a plurality of folded portions are provided at a plurality of positions, and the respective portions are folded so as to wrap each other when folded. Folded and stored in a compact form, the storage volume can be minimized, for example, easy storage in the car or in the trunk,
It also has advantages such as being convenient to carry.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view for explaining a folded and stored state of the handle portion according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the rear fork according to the present invention in a folded and stored state.

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating the main frame in a folded and stored state according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating the folded state of the seat portion according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the folded storage state of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the folded storage state of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a conventional folding bicycle.

FIG. 9 is a side view of a conventional folding bicycle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 front wheel 2 rear wheel 3 handle bar 4 handle post 5 hinge 6 head frame 7 front frame 8 hinge 9 center frame 10 hinge 11 main frame 12 hinge 13 seat post 14 hinge 15 pillar outer 16 hinge 17 seat (saddle) 18 crank rotation track 19 Rear fork 20 hinge

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] April 18, 1997

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0002

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional folding bicycles have various structures.
The typical structure isFIG.Shown in (A)
The main frame with front wheels 1 and rear wheels 2
Front frame 30a and rear frame 30b at the center
And can be rotated around the side axis
With a seat (saddle)
-The outer 33 slides on the seat post 32 and can contract
Function, handlebar 34 is removable,FIG.
As shown in (B), the front frame 30a and the rear frame
To be folded in two by the hinge 31
I have to.

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0003

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

As shown in FIG. 9 (A), a main frame having a front wheel 1 and a rear wheel 2 is also divided into a front frame 40a and a rear frame 40b at a central portion, and this divided portion is directed sideways. Are connected by a hinge 41 formed of a central pipe so as to be rotatable about the axis of the vehicle. A pillar outer 43 having a seat (saddle) is slidable on the seat post 42 so as to be retractable.
Slide the collapsible, so that fold up to 2-fold by the front frame 40a and the rear frame 40b hinge 41 as shown in FIG. 9 (B) to.

[Procedure amendment 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0004

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0004]

In each of FIGS . 8 and 9 , there is only one folding point, and the folding storage capacity is large. Further, the folding bicycle shown in FIG. 8 requires a troublesome operation of removing and attaching the handlebar 34.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A handlebar is foldable downward at an upper end of a handle post, and the handlepost is foldable downward at a lower end thereof, and rotates a head frame and a front end of a front frame around a longitudinal axis. Hinge connection so that the rear end of the front frame, the front end of the center frame, and the rear end of the center frame and the front end of the main frame can be hinged so as to be rotatable around a lateral axis, respectively. The lower end of the seat post and the upper end of the seat post and the pillar outer are hinged so as to be rotatable around the axis in the front-rear direction, and the rear fork supporting the rear wheel is hinged to the main frame so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction. Folding bike.