GB2480438A

GB2480438A - Bicycle frame cover

Info

Publication number: GB2480438A
Application number: GB201008178A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andreas Neophitou
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-05-17
Filing date: 2010-05-17
Publication date: 2011-11-23
Also published as: GB201008178D0

Abstract

A bicycle frame cover allowing a cyclist to change the colour of their cycle's frame to one of their choice, having a main base portion 1 of thin rectangular material, which would preferably be a bright colour or fluorescent colour, having a fastening means at two edges 4 and 5, wherein the thin material can be wrapped around a tubular section of a cycle frame, be fastened, holding the cover tightly over the section of cycle frame, thus changing the appearance of the bicycle. A reflective strip 2,3, may be used This makes the cover a cyclist safety product, making the cycle and cyclist more visible to other road users in day time and night time conditions.

Description

BICYCLE FRAME COVER

The invention relates to a cover which covers or wraps around tubular sections of a bicycle frame to change the appearance of the bicycle, changing it's colour, either for fashion/aesthetic reasons and or to make the bicycle more highly visible to other road users. The workings of which rely on a slim material wrapping tightly around a bicycle frame and being held tightly in place by a quick and simple fastening system. It's simplistic yet attractive design can allow a cyclist to quickly change the colour of their bicycle to one of their choice and make them safer on the road when a bright high visibility colour is chosen.

Whilst it is possible for a cyclist to choose any colour bicycle they wish before they buy, it is not easy and quick to later change this and then back again. A cyclist may like to change the colour of their cycle, either to suit their current tastes or to make it more high visibility when cycling in busy road conditions, but may still prefer a more conservative less bright colour in other conditions or at another time. An object of this invention is to allow a cyclist to make this change in an easy, quick and temporary manner which does not affect the condition of the cycle when removed.

Accordingly, this invention provides a cover in a slim flexible material which can easily be wrapped around a section of a bicycle frame and held tightly in place using a quick and easy fastening system, which can also be removed as quickly and easily as it was attached. The cover would be easy to change and also allow for an easy change in pattern or image on the cover rather than just a colour change.

The product can be made out of several types of material. Preferably the cover is made of fabric such as polyester, to provide a slim flexible lightweight material, easily machine washable and inexpensive. At low cost it may be mass produced in a bright high visibility colour and design to make it easily affordable for all cyclists to have and make their cycles and therefore themselves more visible, and much safer on the road.

Due to it's simplistic design it may however, be made out of thin smooth and shiny plastic if preferred. The plastic may be either totally flexible like fabric or semi flexible, that is flexible but returning to a cut tube shape (cut or open along it's length) to wrap itself tightly around a tubular cycle frame, overlapping over itself (similar looking to figure 3 but not requiring any fastening), after it is opened and released.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 shows a two dimensional view of the outside of the cover in it's fully open and laid flat shape, not wrapped around a cycle frame.

FIGURE 2 shows a three dimensional view of the cover in it's partly open shape, not wrapped around a cycle frame.

FIGURE 3 shows a three dimensional view of the cover in it's fully closed shape, not wrapped around a cycle frame.

FIGURE 4 shows a three dimensional view of two of the covers in their fully closed position, wrapped around a cycle frame of a typical fold up bike.

FIGURE 5 shows a three dimensional view of four of the covers in their fully closed position, wrapped around a standard cycle frame.

In all figures above Velcro strips are used for quick and easy fastening and removing of the cover. The Velcro strips are stitched in position. The cycle cover can most easily be fastened by the use of Velcro, however it could also be fastened with buttons, a zip or a clip fastener.

As shown in figures 1-5, the cover comprises a main piece of material 1, which may be in a bright fluorescent colour to make it high visibility, also stitched over the outside of this main material are reflective silver strips, two in these examples, 2 and 3. The reflective strips will reflect vehicle headlights in low light or dark conditiois, addiig to the cyclist's visibility and safety.

In figure 1, one side of the Velcro strip is shown 4, this is the lower section of Velcro which will be covered by the upper section which is not visible in this figure as it is on the opposite side. Figure 2 shows the Velcro lower section 4, and upper section 5, before they are closed over each other. Figure 3 shows the Velcro lower section 4, and upper section 5, after they are closed over each other, the upper section 5 is closed over the lower section 4.

Figures 4 to 5, show where covers can be positioned on two typical styles of cycle frames. The cover can be easily held up against a cycle frame, wrapped around the tubular section of a frame, closed and held tightly in position. The covers can be quickly attached and just as quickly removed When a high visibility base colour and a reflective strip is used this makes the cover a useful cyclist safety product. Whilst most people would not want to paint their cycle with a bright fluorescent colour, they would not mind adding on a cover to their cycle's frame, rather like clothing for cycles.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A bicycle frame cover having a main base portion of thin rectangular material which would preferably be a bright colour or a fluorescent colour, having a fastening ability at two ends, wherein the thin material can be wrapped around a tubular section of a cycle frame, be fastened, holding the cover tightly over the section of cycle frame, thus changing the appearance of the bicycle.
2. A bicycle frame cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein the base portion can be available in a variety of different colours allowing the cyclist to fashion their cycle in different colours of their choice.
3. A bicycle frame cover as claimed ill claim 1 wherein the base portioll can preferably be made of a fluorescent colour making it a high visibility addition to the bicycle, making the cycle more visible to other road users and therefore safer on the road.
4. A bicycle frame cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein the main base portion can have reflective strips stitched over it, reflecting vehicle headlights in low light or dark conditions, making it a high visibility addition to the bicycle, making the cycle more visible to other road users and therefore safer on the road.
5. A bicycle frame cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main base portion has a quick fastening ability at two ends, allowing a cyclist to easily and quickly attach the cover to a cycle and just as easily and quickly remove.
6. A bicycle frame cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cycle cover would gently cover and not mark the frame of a cycle, in fact it would protect it from marks or scratches, on the parts of a cycle which have the largest surface area and where scratches would show up most.
7. A bicycle frame cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cycle cover when dirty, can easily and quickly be removed to be put in to a machine wash for future re-use, can easily and quickly be replaced with a spare one keeping the cycle looking clean, new, bright, highly visible and safer.
8. A bicycle frame cover as claimed in any proceeding claim which is made from fabric or plastic or from a combination of these materials.
9. A bicycle frame cover substantially as herein described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.