DE29721779U1 - Safety trailer coupling for bicycle trailers - Google Patents

Description

Binnen Georg Binnen Ewald

Wiesäcker 4 Robert Bosch Str. 114/1

74182 Obersulm 74081 Heilbronn

Safety trailer coupling for bicycle trailers

The invention relates to a detachable trailer coupling for bicycle trailers, in particular bicycle trailers for transporting children. It is of fundamental importance that the coupling engages easily and without problems. When engaged, it must not release itself. It can only be released by deliberate manual intervention. Above all, no additional elements should be used for securing, as these may be forgotten or deliberately not attached, thus creating a safety risk. It is also necessary to equip the coupling with the greatest possible number of degrees of freedom in terms of mobility.

A well-known design variant of bicycle trailer couplings consists of a ball attached to the bicycle frame and a ball socket attached to the trailer drawbar. To ensure that the ball socket cannot lift off the ball, it is held by a spring-loaded bracket and the bracket is in turn held by a pin or

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secured with a split pin. However, this coupling variant has the disadvantage that it has very limited angular mobility and does not secure itself automatically. Other well-known bicycle trailer couplings consist of a detachable coupling in which one part is connected to the bicycle frame and the other to the trailer drawbar. Both parts can be connected to one another using a quick-release fastener. The coupling is usually secured using a locking mechanism. One of the parts is designed like a universal joint, so that angular mobility is possible. However, this type of coupling has the disadvantage that the locking mechanism, which is located in the dirty area, gets dirty and therefore may not lock into place. The result is that the coupling is not securely connected.

The object of the present invention is to develop a bicycle trailer coupling according to the generic term of the main claim, which has a simple structure, engages easily when coupling, secures itself automatically and can be released with a simple touch of the finger. It must be able to rotate in all three planes.

It shows: Fig. 1 Side view of the bicycle coupling

According to the invention, the bicycle trailer coupling consists of two components. Component A is firmly connected to the bicycle frame and consists of a tube (5) that is positively connected to the bicycle (14) and an eyebolt (1) in whose ring-shaped eye (2) a ball (3) with a hole is pivotably, rotatably and captively connected. The eyebolt (1) is rotatably mounted in the tube (5) and is fastened with a safety nut (4) which in turn is secured by a cotter pin (6). In order to hold the eyebolt (1) in the desired locking position, it is braked in the tube (5) by an elastic spring element (7).

Assembly B of the bicycle trailer coupling is connected to the drawbar (15) of the trailer and consists of a carrier element (8) to which a bolt (9) is firmly connected with a lug. A barb (10) is also attached to the carrier element (8).

in the pivot point (11), which in turn is pressed by a spring (12) onto the bolt (9) in direction (19). To connect the trailer to the bicycle in a theft-proof manner, a hole (13) is provided in the bolt (9). A padlock can be hooked into this hole.

According to the invention, this trailer coupling is very easy to use. By simply inserting the bolt (9) into the hole in the ball (3) and locking it in place using the spring-loaded barb (10), a secure connection is achieved. When there is a counterforce on the barb (10), it is pressed against the bolt (9) and keeps the connection closed.

To open the trailer coupling, the barb (10) must be removed by hand from the bolt

(9) is pushed away and the bolt (9) is pulled out of the hole in the ball (3).

The angular mobility of the coupling compensates for the trailer movements relative to the bike. According to the invention, a rolling movement (16) of the trailer is compensated for by the eyebolt (1) mounted in the tube (5). The bolt (9) pivotably mounted in the ball bore (3) enables the coupling to compensate for lateral trailer movements (17) and up and down movements (18) by the ball (3) pivotably mounted in the eyebolt (1).

Claims (1)

■Patea&ispronouncements Bicycle trailer coupling, in particular a safety coupling for bicycle trailers for transporting children, characterized in that the trailer coupling consists of two components A and B and the component A consists of an eyebolt (1) in whose ring-shaped eye (2) a ball (3) with a bore is welded, and a component B consisting of a coupling carrier (8) to which a bolt (9) is firmly connected, and a barb (10) which in turn is pivotally mounted in the pivot point (11) and is pressed against the bolt (9) by a spring (11). Bicycle trailer coupling according to claim 1, characterized in that assembly A is firmly connected to the bicycle and assembly B is firmly connected to the drawbar of the bicycle trailer. Bicycle trailer coupling according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the bolt (9) has a bore (13) in which a split pin for additional security or a padlock for theft protection is attached. Bicycle trailer coupling according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the relative movements of the bicycle to the trailer are compensated. Firstly by the ability to rotate the eyebolt (1) in the tube (5), by the ability to rotate the bolt (9) in the ball bore (3) and by the ability to pivot the ball (3) in the eye (2) of the eyebolt (1). Bicycle trailer coupling according to claim 1, characterized in that the eyebolt (1) ensures the angular mobility of the bolt (9) even without the ball (3) by appropriate shaping of the eye (2).