CA2214862C - A steering head set of bicycle - Google Patents

A steering head set of bicycle Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2214862C
CA2214862C CA 2214862 CA2214862A CA2214862C CA 2214862 C CA2214862 C CA 2214862C CA 2214862 CA2214862 CA 2214862 CA 2214862 A CA2214862 A CA 2214862A CA 2214862 C CA2214862 C CA 2214862C
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CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
cup
bearing
ring
collar
cone
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
CA 2214862
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French (fr)
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CA2214862A1 (en
Inventor
Jin-Chen Lin
Ming-Chang Lin
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Individual
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Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to CA 2214862 priority Critical patent/CA2214862C/en
Publication of CA2214862A1 publication Critical patent/CA2214862A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2214862C publication Critical patent/CA2214862C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B62LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
    • B62KCYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDE-CARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE
    • B62K21/00Steering devices
    • B62K21/06Bearings specially adapted for steering heads

Abstract

The present invention relates to a steering head set of bicycle, which comprises an upper and a lower cup kits, which includes two bearing cups, a cap and a plugging adapter ring at least; wherein, the bearing cup is to set several balls into an inside cup face of a bearing collar along the inner ball track with the outer race of a cone ring, in combining, a retainer ring jam into the inner cup face of the bearing collar nearing the rim of open end to locate above-mentioned parts into the bearing collar as an integrated component; the cap has an inner and an outer collars corresponding to the cone ring of the bearing cup in the upper cup kit, in which the inner collar forms an outside taper face for retaining on the inside cone face of the cone ring, and several axial open slots along the edge of the open;
the plugging adapter ring has a taper face formed on the outside head for retaining on the inside cone face of the cone ring of the bearing cup in the lower cup kit, and several axial open slots along the edge of the open; in combining, the two bearing cups are fixed on the steering tube from both ends respectively, co-operating with the cap and the plugging adapter ring pressing down from the both ends separately, the shaft tube of the front fork is held on excepting swivelling.

Description

TITLE: A STEERING HEAD SET OF BICYCLE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering head set of bicycle, and more particu-s lady to a steering head set in which all parts or assemblies are combined on the steering tube in butt and collar joint simply and easily.
2. Description of Prior Art In accordance with the conventional steering head set of bicycle, as shown in Fig.
4, on the vertical steering tube connecting the top and the down tubes of the frame, the 1o handlebar stem and the front fork are mounted from both sides in pin joint with an upper and a lower bearing cup sets so that they can swivel freely. The steering tube structure in-cludes an upper and a lower bearing cup sets A and B, in which the upper bearing cup set A is mounted on the top end of the steering tube in the order of an upper cup A1, a ball nest A2 and an adjusting cone ring A3 from bottom to top successively.
15 Opposite the upper bearing cup set A, the lower bearing cup set B is mounted on the bottom end of the steering tube C in the order of an lower cup B 1, a ball nest B2 and a setting cone ring B3 from top to bottom successively. Referring to Fig. 5, the shaft tube D 1 of the front fork is slid into the steering tube C from the bottom side with the head ex-tending outward from the top end of the steering tube C. The adjusting cone ring A3 2o screws on the male thread on the trunk of the shaft tube Dl to fix all parts in positions without any axial gap, just like the upper and the lower ball nests are located in place, so that the front fork can pivot freely on the shaft tube D 1 in the steering tube relatively.
Analysing the above-mentioned structure, we can find that all the procedures of mounting the parts must be done in the production line, and will demand at least five 2s workers and much time as with daubing grease in the ball tracks, if careless, the grease will contaminate the exterior portion of the frame. On the other hand, in practising, the pasty grease is liquidated into a fluid oil under external high temperature or friction-heat as swivelling of the steering handle frequently so that the fluid oil of the grease spills all over the upper and the lower cups A1 and B1 that contaminates the frame of the bicycle 3o and causes less lubricating by leaking grease to increase the ware of the relative parts.
t In accordance with the above-mentioned shortcomings, an easy-mounting steering head structure was derived, in which a bearing collar takes the place of above-mentioned ball nest in order to be assembled off line in other place to simplify the mounting proc-esses on-line, as shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 8. The head cup-sets consist of two bearing col-Tars E, upper and lower cups F and G, a sleeve H and a cap assembly I, wherein the bearing collar E, as shown in Fig. 7, includes a bearing shell E1, a cone race E2, a washer E3, a retaining ring E4 and several balls E5, by means of the balls, the cone race E2 can pivot on the bearing shell E1. In combining, co-operating with the upper and the lower cups F and G, this bearing collar E structure can simplify the mounting process obviously, but the 1o above-mentioned shortcoming of running grease off is maintained in this case without any change, due to the unsealed gaps between the bearing shell E1 and the cone race E2.
In addition, as shown in Fig.9 and Fig. 10, another style conventional steering cup set consists of a bullet sleeve J, a plural balls K, a sealing ring L, a ball track M and a cap N, wherein the bullet sleeve J is plugged into the steering tube in tight fit, on which the 1 s sealing ring L, the ball track M with balls K at inside portion, and co-operating with the cap N are fixed respectively and successively. As the first prior art mentioned above, all shortcomings of the first prior art are maintained in this structure.
Referring to Fig. 11 and Fig. 12, the fourth prior art relates to a steering cup set mounting on the steering tube with divided components too. Taking the upper cup set as an example, as shown in Fig. 11, 2o which includes a cup O, a plural balls P, a ball track Q and a cap R. In combining, first the cup O is seated on the steering tube, then the balls P and the ball track Q
are located by the cap R on the cup O respectively and successively so that the cap R holds the inside of the ball track Q and the outside of the cup O on respectively. In this case, all the divided parts should be mounted on the steering tube on the production line, so it will demand more 25 workers and time as above-mentioned.
All above-mentioned prior arts, whatever the divided components as the first, third and fourth, or pre-combined assemblies as the second can not seal the grease in and keep lubrication for a desired time.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a main object of the present invention to provide a steering cup set in which a pre-combined bearing cup can be plugged into the steering tube directly to hold on the shaft tube of the front fork and make the front fork swivel in the steering tube freely.
This object is achieved by a steering cup set, which includes two bearing cups, a cap and a plugging adapter ring, wherein the bearing cup kit is to locate the balls or the ball nest in the space enclosed by the inside race of a bearing collar and the outside race of a cone ring, which has a cone surface at inside, a retaining ring set on the inside wall 1 o nearing the rim of the open of the bearing cup to retain the cone ring in the inside, and the bearing collar extends a proper length tube from the smaller end for plugging into the steering tube in tight fit. The cap has an outer collar flange and an inner collar flange with several axial notches and a taper surface corresponding to the inner cone surface of the cone ring; and the plugging adapter ring has a taper surface corresponding to the inner ~ 5 cone surface of the cone ring, and several axial notches. In combining, the bearing cups are located into the steering tube of the frame from both sides separately by plugging the tube portions of the bearing collars, co-operating to the cap and the plugging adapter ring, by the taper surfaces of them contacting with the cone surfaces of the cone rings respec-tively, to hold the shaft tube of the front fork on.
2o It is another object of the present invention to provide a steering cup set that can maintain a certain grease by a rim flange at inside of the bearing collar.

ring, each bearing cup comprising a bearing collar having an inner tubular portion surrounded by a face, a cone ring engaged in the collar and defining with said faces a circular ball race, bearing balls received in the race and a retaining ring engaged with the collar for retaining the cone ring in position, the cap being engaged over the collar of the upper assembly and the adapter ring being engaged as a plug within the collar of the lower assembly, the inner tubular portion of each collar of each assembly being plug-fittable in a respective end of the steering tube.
According to the invention, there is provided a steering head set for a bicycle comprising a steering tube, an upper cup assembly comprising a bearing cup and a cap and a lower bearing cup assembly comprising a bearing cup and an adapter ring, each bearing cup comprising a bearing collar having an inner tubular portion surrounded by a face, a cone ring engaged in the collar and defining with said face a circular ball race, bearing balls received in the race and a retaining ring engaged with the collar for retaining the cone ring in position, the cap being engaged over the collar of the upper assembly and the adapter ring being engaged as a plug within the collar of the lower assembly, the inner tubular portion of each collar of each assembly being plug-fittable in a respective end of the steering tube.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is an exploded view showing the bearing cup of the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a cross-section view of the present invention;

-4a-Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the first prior art;
Fig. 5 is a cross-section view of the first prior art;
Fig. 6 is an exploded view of the second prior art;
Fig. 7 is an exploded view showing the bearing cup of the second prior art;
Fig. 8 is a cross-section view of the second prior art;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PRIFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to Fig. 1, the present invention includes an upper and a lower cup kits 1 and 2, in which the upper cup kit comprises a bearing cup 11 and a cap 12, and the lower cup kit 2 comprises a bearing cup 21 and a plugging adapter ring 22.
The bearing cup 11 or 21, as referring to Fig.2, is to set several balls or a ball nest 112 or 212 into an inner cup face 1111 or 2111 of a bearing collar 111 or 211 along the inside ball track with the outside race 1131 or 2131 of a cone ring 113 or 213, which has an inner cone surface 1132 or 2132.
In combining, a retainer ring 114 or 214 jams into the inner cup face 1111 or of the bearing collar 111 or 211 nearing the rim of open end to retain the cone ring 111 or 211 inwardly, by a rim 1141 or 2141 of the retainer ring 114 or 214 jamming on a ring dent 1112 or 2112 of the bearing collar 111 or 211 to keep the lock secured between them;
the bearing collar 111 or 211 extends a length tube 1113 or 2113 from the bottom of the cup face 1111 or 2111 to the opposite side forming a rim flange 1114 or 2114 at the inside bottom portion for maintaining some grease smearing on the balls 112 or 212 and the cup face 1111 or 2111 into maintain the lubrication of the bearing cup 11 or 21, fiuther to make them run smoothly. Therefore the bearing up 11 or 21 can be pre-assembled as an individual assembly be used independently without combining them on the production line. The cap 12 has an inner and an outer collars 121 or 122 corresponding to the cone 2o ring 113 of the bearing cup 11 in the upper cup kit 1, in which the inner collar 121 forms an outer taper face 1211 for retaining on the inner cone face 1132 of the cone ring 113, and several axial open slots 1212 along the edge of the open end, the outer collar 122 is used for covering the outside of the bearing collar 111. The plugging adapter ring 22 has a taper face 221 formed on the outer head for retaining on the inner cone face 2132 of the cone ring 213 of the bearing cup 21 in the lower cup kit 2, and several axial open slots 222 along the edge of the open.
In combining, referring to Fig. 3, two bearing cups 11 and 12 are plugged into the steering tube 3 from both ends with the tubes 1113 and 2113 in tight fit, then put the plugging adapter ring 22 and the combined steering tube 3 on the shaft tube 4 of the front 3o fork respectively so that the taper face 221 touches against the inner cone face 2132 of the cone ring 213 of the bearing cup 21, finally screw the cap 12 on the shaft tube 4 of the front fork downward into the steering tube 3 so that the taper face 1211 of the inner collar 121 presses against the cone face 1132 of the cone ring 113, meanwhile the open slots 1212 on the inner collar 121 of the cap 12 and 222 on the plugging adapter ring 22 clamp on the shaft tube 4 of the front fork tightly. The installation is so simple that time and man-hour can be saved tremendously. Due to some sealing structures, the grease is main-tained in the inside of the cup kits without any contamination.

Claims (5)

1. A steering head set for a bicycle comprising a steering tube, an upper cup assembly comprising a bearing cup and a cap and a lower bearing cup assembly comprising a bearing cup and an adapter ring, each bearing cup comprising a bearing collar having an inner tubular portion surrounded by a face, a cone ring engaged in the collar and defining with said face a circular ball race, bearing balls received in the race and a retaining ring engaged with the collar for retaining the cone ring in position, the cap being engaged over the collar of the upper assembly and the adapter ring being engaged as a plug within the collar of the lower assembly, the inner tubular portion of each collar of each assembly being plug-fittable in a respective end of the steering tube.
2. A steering head set according to claim 1 wherein the cap has an inner circular wall received in the collar of the upper assembly and having a tapered face, which engages a complementary tapered face of the cone ring of the upper assembly.
3. A steering head set according to claim 2 including axial slots through and around the inner circular wall.
4. A steering head set according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the adapter ring has a tapered face which engages a complementary tapered face of the cone ring of the lower assembly.
5. A steering head set according to claim 4, including axial slots through and around the adapter ring.
CA 2214862 1997-09-08 1997-09-08 A steering head set of bicycle Expired - Fee Related CA2214862C (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA 2214862 CA2214862C (en) 1997-09-08 1997-09-08 A steering head set of bicycle

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA 2214862 CA2214862C (en) 1997-09-08 1997-09-08 A steering head set of bicycle

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2214862A1 CA2214862A1 (en) 1999-03-08
CA2214862C true CA2214862C (en) 2001-05-15

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2214862 Expired - Fee Related CA2214862C (en) 1997-09-08 1997-09-08 A steering head set of bicycle

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Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2923935A1 (en) * 2014-03-28 2015-09-30 Neco Technology Industry Co., Ltd. Head tube and control cable assembly for a bicycle

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CA2214862A1 (en) 1999-03-08

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