GB2385573A

GB2385573A - Auxiliary steering device for a children's cycle

Info

Publication number: GB2385573A
Application number: GB0204346A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Wu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-02-25
Filing date: 2002-02-25
Publication date: 2003-08-27
Anticipated expiration: 2022-02-25
Also published as: FR2836886B3; GB0204346D0; GB2385573B; FR2836886A3

Abstract

An auxiliary steering device for a children's cycle (1) is disclosed. The cycle (1) includes a frame (11) formed with a head tube (111), a fork (12) having an upright stem (121) extending through the head tube (111), a front wheel (13) connected to a lower end of the fork (12). The auxiliary steering device has a toothed driven pulley (2) fixedly mounted around the stem (121), a toothed driving pulley (3) pivoted on the frame (11), and an endless notched belt (5) passing about and engaging with the pulleys (2, 3). In addition, a shaft (4) extend upward from to the toothed driving pulley (3), so that the front wheel (13) may be directed and hence the cycle (1) may be steered by turning the shaft (4) in correct directions.

Description

AUXILIARY STEERING DEVICE FOR A CHILDREN'S CYCLE 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an auxiliary steering device for a children's cycle and, more particularly, to such a steering device which is simple and inexpensive.

2. Description of Related Art A children's cycle in the form either of a bicycle or of a tricycle typically has a single front wheel, which is directed by a handlebar. A child can ride the cycle while steering it along a desired course by turning the handlebar.

For young children, especially those beginners, they can not steer the cycle properly. It is not unusual that the cycles bump on comers or barriers and the infantile riders are injured. The parents have nothing for it but to lean over their children, gripping the handlebars and pushing the cycles.

These adults rather suffer for the knee-high cycles: the longer the time they lean over, the more uncomfortable they would feel.

This problem has been solved by a children's cycle provided with an auxiliary steering device which, as shown in Fig. 5, includes a shaft (81) for control the direction of the front wheel (82) by an adult following the cycle.

In detail, as shown in Fig. 6, the auxiliary steering device includes a driven bevel gear (83) fixedly mounted around a stem (84) of a fork (85), a driving bevel gear (86) pivoted on a frame tube (87) of the cycle in a location much rearward of the driven gear (83) and a spindle (88) rotatably disposed in the frame tube (87) between the gears (83,86), with the shaft (81) attached to the driving bevel gear (86).

The spindle (88) has two ends formed with a pair of bevel gears (89,80) which mesh with the bevel gears (83,86), respectively. In this configuration, the front wheel (82)

can easily be directed by turning the shaft (81), through all these bevel gears (80,86 ; 89, 83).

In the conventional auxiliary steering device, however, the bevel gears (83,86, 89 80) are so complex that the whole device is manufactured expensively.

Therefore, it is an objective of the invention to provide an auxiliary steering device

for a children's cycle to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problem.

The object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary steering device which is simple in structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary steering device which is inexpensive to be manufactured.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a children's tricycle provided with an auxiliary steering device in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing, in detail, the auxiliary steering device provided on the tricycle of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 is a schematic top view showing the arrangement of the auxiliary steering device on the tricycle of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a schematic top view showing the operation of the auxiliary steering device; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a children's tricycle provided with an auxiliary steering device of a conventional type; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing, in detail, the conventional auxiliary steering device provided on the tricycle of Fig. 5; Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a children's tricycle (1) provided with an auxiliary steering device in accordance with the present invention.

The tricycle (1) includes a frame (11) and a swivable fork (12), with a front wheel (13) rotatably connected to a lower end of the fork (12) and a pair of rear wheels (14) rotatably connected to a back end of the frame (11). A handlebar (15) is attached to the fork (13) for the purpose of directing the front wheel (13).

Referring to Fig. 2, in fact, the frame (11) is formed with a head tube (111) and the fork (12) has an upright stem (121) that extends through the tube (111). The stem (121) terminates in its top end, to which the handlebar (15) is really attached as well known in the art.

As for the inventive auxiliary steering device, it includes a driven pulley (2) and a driving pulley (3), each being teethed or, in other words, formed with a plurality of teeth (21, 31). The driven pulley (2) is fixedly mounted around the stem (121) of the fork (12) and the driving pulley (3) is pivoted on the frame (11) around a post (112) located much rearward of the head tube (111), especially behind a saddle shown in Fig. 1.

The auxiliary steering device further includes an endless notched belt (5) passing about and engaging with the two pulleys (2,3), and additionally a shaft (4) that is coaxially attached to and extends upward from the toothed driving pulley (3). Preferably, the shaft (4) has a bent top (41) for easy actuation.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, with the auxiliary steering device, a child may ride the tricycle (1) while his/her parent follows the vehicle (1), gripping the bent top (41) and turning the shaft (4) in correct directions.

The teeth driven pulley (2) is now turned by the notched belt (5) that is driven by the teeth driving pulley (3), to which the shaft (4) is coaxially attached. Thus, the front wheel (13) is directed right or left synchronously with the turned shaft (4), and the child can learn how to steer the tricycle (1) along a desired course, without the risk of knocking down anything.

In a highly preferred embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, the frame (11) is formed with two stops (113, 114) in place thereon and the two pulleys (2,3) are provided with respective radial protrusions (22,32) engagable with the stops (113, 114), in order to limit the turning of the fork (12) in a reasonably angular range as well as of the shaft (4). This avoids the turning over or even bottom up of the tricycle (1) as a result of an excessive angle by which the fork (12) is turned right or left.

From the above description, it is noted that the invention has the following advantages: 1. being simple in structure: Because the toothed pulley (2,3) and the notched belt (5) are used instead of bevel gears, the inventive device becomes simple in its structure.

2. being inexpensive in its cost: Because the toothed pulley (2,3) and the notched belt (5) are used instead of bevel gears, the cost for the inventive device is lowered.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated

by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

Claims:

1. An auxiliary steering device for a children's cycle (l), said cycle (1) including a frame (11) formed with a head tube (111), a fork (12) having an upright stem (121) extending through said head tube (111), a front wheel (13) rotatably connected to a lower end of said fork (12) and a handlebar (15) attached to a top of said upright stem (121) for direct said front wheel (13), said auxiliary steering device comprising: a toothed driven pulley (2) fixedly mounted around said stem (121) of said fork (12); a toothed driving pulley (3) pivoted on said frame (11) in a place much rearward of said head tube (111) ; an endless notched belt (5) passing about and engaging with said pulleys (2,3) ; and a shaft (4) extending upward from and attached to said toothed driving pulley (3); whereby said front wheel (13) may be directed and hence said cycle (1) may be steered by turning said shaft (4) in correct directions.

2. The auxiliary steering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said shaft (4) has a bent top (41).

3. An auxiliary steering device for a children's cycle, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.