GB2524945A

GB2524945A - Bicycle storage box

Info

Publication number: GB2524945A
Application number: GB1403771.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John-Paul Ashton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-03-04
Filing date: 2014-03-04
Publication date: 2015-10-14
Anticipated expiration: 2034-03-04
Also published as: GB201403771D0; GB2524945B

Abstract

A bicycle storage box 1 comprises a base unit 2 with a cavity for storing articles therein. An underside of the base unit has a channel (10, figure 1) located substantially centrally of, and extending the length of, the underside. A side wall of the base unit has a recessed portion (11, figure 1) extending up a section of the side wall such that, when the bicycle storage box is mounted on a bicycle 100, the underside channel 10 is arranged to receive the top tube 101 of the bicycle 100 and the recessed portion 11 is arranged to receive a portion of the saddle 102 of the bicycle 100 thereby retaining the cycle storage box 1 on the bicycle 100. In this way, the storage box 1 is securely mountable on a bicycle 100 and is restricted by the placement of the top tube 101 and saddle 102 from rotating around the longitudinal axis of the top tube 101 and becoming unstable in its mounting.

Description

BICYCLE STORAGE BOX

The present invention relates to a storage box for use with a bicycle, particularly within the context of a triathion competition.

The triathion is a popular sport and requires a participant to take part in a cycle race, a swim and a run. At stages of the competition, typically between the various races, the competitor needs to carry belongings between the locations at which the various stages begin. As a consequence, it is necessary for the competitor not only to carry a these belongings with them but also transport the bicycle.

At present, competitors use often use plastic storage boxes of the kind that are usually used for storing articles in the home and which can be bought from retail outlets such as supermarkets and DIY stores. The belongings are stored in the box which is then balanced on the top tube of the cycle. The storage box is inherently unstable when balanced in this way and requires the competitor to hold onto the box with one hand while steering and the cycle with the other. This is particularly difficult and cumbersome when the articles in the box are wet and are heavier.

According to the present invention, there is provided a bicycle storage box comprising a base unit having an underside and a side wall, the underside and the side wall defining a cavity for storing articles therein, and wherein the underside has a channel located substantially centrally of, and extending the length of, the underside, and the side wall has a recessed portion extending up a section of the side wall such that, when the bicycle storage box is mounted on a cycle, the underside channel is arranged to receive the top tube of the bicycle and the recessed portion is arranged to receive a portion of the saddle of the bicycle thereby retaining the cycle storage box on the bicycle.

In this way, the storage box is securely mountable on a bicycle and is restricted by the placement of the top tube and saddle from rotating around the longitudinal axis of the top tube and becoming unstable in its mounting.

The recess and the channel may be contiguous The underside channel may further include achannel insert having a predefined profile corresponding to a cross-sectional profile of the bicycle. The insert may extend only along a portion of the channel.

The underside channel may define a partition wall within the cavity to define a first storage section and a second storage section.

The bicycle storage box may include one or more inserts.

The inserts may include at least one inner lid for enclosing at least one of the first and second storage sections. The lid may be formed of a foam material and shaped to conform to the inner contour of the side wall of the base unit, The side wall of the container may include an inner lip. The inner lip may be used to support the inner lid.

The inserts may include a hollow container for insertion within the cavity. The hollow container may include an aperture for access to the interior of the hollow container. The hollow container may include a lockable lid to close the aperture.

The hollow container can be used to retain a water bottle or personal belongings which can be locked away.

The first and second storage sections may include an aperture in the underside for venting externally of the bicycle storage box.

The side wall may include first and second opposing carrying recesses.

The bicycle storage box may further include a storage box lid connectable to the base. The lid may be detachably connectable to the base. Alternatively the lid may be hingedly or otherwise attached to the base.

At least one of the first storage section and second storage section may include an aperture venting to the exterior of the storage box. This enables water to escape from the storage box which assist when wet belongings are stored in the storage box.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a first perspective view of a bicycle storage box; Figure 2 is second perspective view of a bicycle storage box of Figure 1 with the channel insert in place; Figure 3 is a third perspective view of a bicycle storage box of Figures 1 and 2 without the channel insert in place; Figure 4 is a side view of the bicycle storage box, in the direction of arrow IV in Figures 6 and 7, showing the side recess; Figure 5 is a side view of the bicycle storage box, in the direction of arrow V in Figures 6 and 7; Figure 6 is a side view of the bicycle storage box of Figures 1 to 3, in the direction of arrow VI in Figures 4 and 5; Figure 7 is a side view of the bicycle storage box of Figures Ito 3, in the direction of arrow VII in Figures 4 and 5; Figure 8 is an underside view, in the direction of arrow VIII in Figures 4 to 7, of the bicycle storage box of Figures 1 to 3; Figure 9 is a perspective view of the base unit of the bicycle storage box of Figures 1 to 3; Figure 10 is a perspective view of the lid of the bicycle storage box of Figure 1 to 3; Figure 11 is a transparent perspective view of a bicycle storage box illustrating the cavity of the base unit; Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view in the plane XII-XII shown in Figure 11; Figure 13 a cross-sectional view in the plane XIII-XIII shown in Figure 11; Figure 14 is a perspective illustration of the inserts for the bicycle storage box of Figures 1 to 3; and Figure 15 illustrates the mounting of the bicycle storage box of Figures 1 to 3 mounted on a bicycle.

A bicycle storage box 1 comprises a base unit 2 and a lid 3.

The base unit 2 includes an underside 4 and a side wall 5 comprising four side faces Sa, 5b, Sc, 5d.

The underside 4 is substantially rectangular in shape with the side wall 5 extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom, although it can be understood that other shapes and arrangements are possible. The underside 4 and side wall 5 define an internal cavity 13 for the bicycle storage box 1.

The base unit 3 has a rim 6 at the upper end and the lid 3 has a lip 7 running around the edge 8 of the lid 3. The lid 3 has a shape and sized to fit, and conform to the rim 6 of the base unit 3.

The lid 3 includes an elongate hole 22 for use in holding the lid 3 or for helping in carrying the bicycle storage box 1.

Two clasps or clips 9 are provided on the lid 3 for engaging with the rim portion 6 to further lock the lid 3 in place. Such locking arrangements are well known in the art and need not be described in any further detail herein, Other suitable locking arrangements could be used.

A channel 10 is formed in along the length of the underside 4, substantially centrally of the underside 4, between two opposing side faces 5a, Sb. The charmel 10 is formed at a depth such that it extends inwardly of the cavity 13 of the base unit 2. The channel 10 therefore forms a partition 14 within the internal cavity 13 to define first and second storage sections 15, 16.

In the embodiment described herein, the channel 10 extends inwardly to an extent that the partition 14 is approximately half the height of the side wall 5 of the bicycle storage box 1.

Extending fi'om the channel 10 up an adjacent side face 5a is a recess 11, such that the channel 10 is contiguous with the recess 11. In this way, the recess is substantially perpendicular to the channel 10.

The recess 11 also extends inwardly of the cavity 13 and forms part of the partition 14, such that the partition 14 as an L-shaped configuration with a first height and a second height towards the adjacent side wall 5a in which the recess 11 is formed -see Figure 9.

The channel 10 has a channel insert 12 inserted therein. The channel 10 has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile. The channel insert 12 does not extend into the portion of the channel 10 that is contiguous with the recess 11.

The recess 11 diverges at the rim 6 to form a first carrying recess 17. A second carrying recess 18 is provided in the opposite wall Sb. The first and second carrying recesses 17, 18 can be used to manually pick up the bicycle storage box 1.

The side wall 5 has a step-wise cross-sectional profile to define an inner lip 19 running around the inner surface of the side wall 5 at a location substantially centrally of the side wall 5 and corresponding to the first height of the partition 14.

The inner lip 19 serves as a retainer, or support, for a number of inserts in the form of lids and containers as will be described in further detail below. In this way, the side wall 5 comprises a lower section 22a and an upper section 22b delineated by the inner lip 19.

The pair of opposing side faces 5a, Sb which run substantially parallel to the partition 14 have a recessed central section 23.

The underside 4 has raised portions 20, relative to the remainder of the underside 4 in each of the first and second storage section 15, 16. The raised portions 20 are contiguous with the recessed central section 23 of each side face Sa, Sb, Sc, 5d and together to define four recessed areas 21 within thc cavity 11 of the bicycle storagc box I for receiving an insert as will be described below.

There is one recessed area 21 in each corner of the storage box 1.

The underside 4 has four apertures 3 1, one in each of the recessed areas 21, venting to the exterior of the bicycle storage box 1.

A number of inserts can be placed within each or either of the first and second storage sections 15, 16.

In the embodiment described herein, inserts are provided in both first and second storage sections 15, 16.

The first insert may is the form of a hollow, box-shaped container 24 configured and shaped to fit into one of the recessed areas 21. The hollow container 24 includes a top face in which is provided an aperture 26. The aperture could be used, for example, to retain a water bottle in place. Alternatively, the aperture 26 could be provided with a lockable lid 27. In this way, personal belongings can be placed inside the hollow container 24 and the lid 27 locked thereby keeping the belongings relatively safe and secure.

The second insert can be in the form of a lid or plate 28 with an outer edge configured to be supported by a portion of the inner lip 19 and to match the contour of a portion of the inner wall of the cavity 13 and the partition 14. It is sized to cover a portion of the first or second storage section 15, 16 such that it abuts the hollow container 24, when in place, but does not overlap it. In this way, placing the lid or plate 28 in place encloses the first and second storage sections 15, 16 and defines a further upper storagc section 29, when two of the lids or plates 28 are in place.

The lid or plate 28 is made of a light weight and non-absorbent foam material.

To mount the bicycle storage box 1 on a bicycle 100, the top tube 101 of the bicycle 100 is inserted into the channel 10 and then into the U-shaped part of the channel insert 12. The U-shaped profile of the channel 12 helps retain the top tube 101 snugly in position. The use of the channel insert 12 means that different shaped and configured channel inserts 12 can be developed for different bicycles.

At the same time, the front, free end of the saddle 102 is inserted into the recess 11. By having an elongate recess 11, different heights of saddles can be accommodated.

This is illustrated in Figure 15.

The positioning of the saddle 102 within the recess 11 further keeps the bicycle storage box 1 in place by preventing rotation of the bicycle storage box around the longitudinal axis of the top tube 101, thereby keeping the bicycle storage box 1 upright and stable on the bicycle 100.

The provision of separate storage sections 15, 16 enables the user to distribute belongings within the cavity 13 to thereby distribute weight more evenly and keep the bicycle storage box 1 additionally stable.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A bicycle storage box comprising a base unit having an underside and a side wall, the underside and the side wall defining a cavity for storing articles therein, and wherein the underside has a channel located substantially centrally of, and extending the length of, the underside, and the side wall has a recessed portion extending up a section of the side wall such that, when the bicycle storage box is mounted on a cycle, the underside channel is arranged to receive the top tube of the bicycle and the recessed portion is arranged to receive a portion of the saddle of the bicycle thereby retaining the cycle storage box on the bicycle.
2. A bicycle storage box according to claim I, wherein the recess and the channel are contiguous
3. A bicycle storage box according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein he underside channel further includes a channel insert having a predefined profile corresponding to a cross-sectional profile of the bicycle.
4. A bicycle storage box according to claim 3, wherein the insert extends only along a portion of the channel.
5. A bicycle storage box according to any preceding claim, wherein the underside channel defines a partition wall within the cavity to define a first storage section and a second storage section.
6. A bicycle storage box according to any preceding claim, including one or more inserts.
7. A bicycle storage box according to claim 6, wherein the inserts includea at least one inner lid for enclosing at least one of the first and second storage sections.
8. A bicycle storage box according to claim 7, wherein the lid is fonned of a foam material and shaped to conform to the inner contour of the side wall of the base unit.
9, A bicycle storage box according to claim 6, wherein insert includes a hollow container for insertion within the cavity.
10. A bicycle storage box according to claim 9, wherein the hollow container includes an aperture for access to the interior of the hollow container.
11. A bicycle storage box according to claim 10, wherein the hollow container may include a lockable lid to close the aperture,
12. A bicycle storage box according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the first storage section and second storage section include an aperture venting to the exterior of the storage box.