GB2529225A

GB2529225A - Mudguard

Info

Publication number: GB2529225A
Application number: GB1414432.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alun Pearson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-08-14
Filing date: 2014-08-14
Publication date: 2016-02-17
Also published as: GB201414432D0; WO2016024091A1

Abstract

A cycle mudguard 1 comprises a bracket 1b and a deflector 1a extending from the bracket 1b. The bracket includes a front member 1d and a rear member 1c and the deflector 1a extends from the front member 1d. The bracket 1b further comprises at least one element 1f extending from one of the front and rear members towards the other thereof, the front and rear members 1c,1d and the at least one element 1f are configured to engage with a brace 7 of a cycle fork 4 for attachment of the mudguard 1 thereto. The mudguard 1 may be attached to the brace 7 by means of flexible ties inserted through holes (1h, figure 2) in bracket 1b.

Description

Mudguard

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to niudguards and in particular to mudguards for bicycles having their front wheels suspended on suspension struts.

Background of the Invendon

\X1hen bicycles are ridden in wet road or track conditions water and/or mud is picked up by the wheels and released from the wheels due to centripetal forces. This is a well understood problem. Iii the case of bicycles where the front wheel is attached to front forks that are fixed, that is the length of the forks is fixed, a mud guard may he attached to the forks. Such mudguards are fixed to the crown of the forks and lie in a fixed posifion relative to tile wheel. Such inudguards are relatively efficient in capturing and defleethig water and/or mud as it is released from the bicycle's tyres and thereby preventing the water and/or mud from being deposited on the rider of the bicycle, Bicycles that are adapted for riding off road are typically provided with front forks which are configured to absorb shock loads. Such forks comprise upper and lower telescoping tubes. The upper tubes are joined together by the crown and the lower tubes are joined together by a brace.

[he style of mudguard used with fixed forks is not suimbie for off roaduse as their size and proximity to tile wheel are such that the mudguards would tend to become blocked with mud, Various different devices have been used to ccu11r tile effects of water and/or mud or other debris lifted by the cycle's tres from the surface traversed by the cycle (such materials hereinafter shall be mftrred to collectively as mudspray in a non-limiting sense). For example, it is common to provide a mudguard fixed to tile down tube of the bicycle frame. Such a mudguard is useful in catchnmg the illud spray emanating from a certain part of time wheel. however, because of the position of such a mudguard relative to tile wheel a significant amount of mudspray cannot lie caught by such mudguards.

One of the problems posed by mudspray iii relation to off-road cycling is that the mudspray interferes with the nders vision. This can he particularly problematic for individuals who would normally wear spectacles.

Another problem, particularly in conditions where the mudspray is thick is that the space between the brace and the crown can become blocked with mud and other debris entrained with the mud.

It is also known in oft road bicycles to attach a relatively small mudguard to the underside ofthe brace, Whilst thcse types of mudguard function to a certani extent they occupy the space between tIme underside oftlie brace and the tyre and reduce the clearance thembetween. This can result in the space becoming blocked particulary when the mudspray is thick.

Another solution to prevent mud spray leaving the tyre and travelling forward of the rider and also to prevent a build up of mud and debris between the brace and the crown is to fit a piece of neoprene between the brace and crown. The neoprene flexes as the lower tube moves with respect to the upper tube.

However, lone of the present solutions provide a good solution to keeping mudspray out of the vision of the rider ofan off-road bicycle.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention there is provided, a cycle mudguard comprising a bracket and a deflector extending from the bracket, wherein the bracket includes a front member and a rear member and wherein die deflector extends from the front member, the bracket further comprising at least one clement extending from oile I the front and rear members towards the other thereo the front and rear members and the at least one element are configured to engage with a brace of a cycle fork set for attachment of die mudguard thereto.

The front and rear members may be joined together and may he joined together at an apex.

The at least one element may comprise a ledge. Preferably, the at least one element extends in a substantially perpendicular direction to the front or rear wall.

[he front and rear members may be joined together so as to permit movement of the respective front and rear members towards and away from each other.

The bracket and/or deflector may he fonned of a resilient material, The brackct and deflector may be formed ofa single piece element and the single piece clement is fbrmed as a plastics moulding.

It is preferred that at least one of the front and rear members extends substantially perpendicularly with respect to the lt)ngitudinal axis of the deflector, It is preferred that at least one of the front and rear members is curved, At least one of the front and rear members may be flat.

i\dvantageouslv, the cycle mudguard further comprises secnring means configured to secnre the bracket to the brace of the fork set.

Advantageously, the securing means includes at least one element configured to draw the front and rear members together. The securing means preferably includes an elongate flexible element. Preferably, at least one of the front and rear members include at least one opening and the flexible element engages with the opellings.

Preferably, the cycle mudguard comprises at least one opening in the rear member, the at least one opening situated proximate and above the at least one element, Preferably, the cycle mudguard further comprises at least one opening situated below the at least one element.

It is preferred that the cycle mudguard comprises a further flexible element, the further flexible element in use engaging with the or each opening and passing around the brace. Advantageously, the elongate flexible clement is a zip tie,

Brief Description of the Drawings

in the Drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of a mudguard of the invention and which are by way of example: Figure 1 is side view o Ia iTiudguard; Figure 2 is a front view of the mudguard illustrated in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a front view of the mudguard illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 mounted on a bicycle; and Figure 4 is a side view ofthe mudguard mounted on a bicycle as shown iii Figure 3.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring first to Figures 3 and 4, there is shown a mudguard 1 attached to a bicycle 2 which includes a set of forks 3 which comprises an upper set of tubes 4joined together by a crown 5 and a lower set of tubes 6 joined together by a brace 7.

ilie upper and lower tube sets 4, 6 are slidably mounted within one another and are biased apart as shown in Figures 3 and 4.As the bicycle is ridden along over rough ground the lower tube set 6 moves up and down on the upper tube set 4. hence, the space between the upper and lower tube sets 4,6 reduces and incrnases, Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, the mudguard 1 comprises a deflector ia which in use extends forwards of the forks. The mudguard 1 includes a bracket lb which comprises a rear wall Ic and a front wall Id which join at an apex Ic. In the illustrated embodiment a ledge member I fextends forwards from the rear wall ic, As can be seen in Figure 4 the ledge member ifsits on top of the brace 7.

the rear wall ic as shown in' die drawings is curved. I lowever, the rear wall ic may extend in a straight line to the apex le, for example from the free end thereof the ledge if or another point.

As can he seen best from Figures 3 and 4, the rear wall Ic ofhracket lb prevents mud spray being thrown through the space between the crown 5 and the brace 7. The bracket lb also allows the lower tube set 6 to move with respect to the upper tube set 4, The height of the bracket lb may differ for different models of fork set, which typically provide for different extents of travel between the tipper and lower tube sets 4,6.

in this embodiment, the rear wall ic is provided with two sets of two apertures ig and Hi and a third set of apertures ill'. The upper set of apertures ig in the rear wall Ic are substantially aligned with a corresponding set of apertures ig' in the front wall id. in the illustrated embodiment the apertures ih are rectangular or oval rather than round. This ensures that the Zip tie 10 lies in the correct orientation. The third set of apertures ih' is not essential and flay be round or another shape. For example, Figure 2 shows two configurations of aperture ih', one round and the ofiierU shaped with the open part of flue U situated in the free end of the rear wall ic, The mudguard 1 is formed of a flexible material (in the illustrated embodiment the material is a plastic). to mount the mudguard 1 on the forks 3 the underside of the ledge if is brought to rest on the upper surface of the substantially horizontal (with the bicycle standing upright) part of the brace 7. The bracket lb is then secured iii position on the brace 7. In the illustrated embodiment tIns is achieved by passing a flexible tie 10 through each of the holes iii, passing the flexible tie around the brace 7 and pulling the tie tight. The flexible tie 10 is preferably a zip tie of some description. Iwo ties 10 may be used, one for each of the boles ih. The ledge if may include openings, preferably in the form ofgrooves in the free edge tliereof for receiving the flexible tie 10. Sinnilarly, the free end of the rear wall ic may include grooves for receiving the flexible tie 1(11.

In the illustrated embodiment securing of the mudguard to the brace 7 is enhanced by a further tie 11 that passes through the substantially aligned holes ig, ig' and is then pulled tight. The tie 11 serves two functions. First, it reduces vibration of the mudguard and hence movement of the parts I a and I d about the apex le with respect to the rear wall Ic, Second, the tie 11 pulls the front and rear walls Id, Ic together so that the lower part of the front wall Id rests against the front face of the brace 7.

In use, the rear wall ic and the deflector la of the mudguard 1 lie in the path of mud spray that otherwise nught find its way into the tiders area of vision, One skilled in the art will understand that mudspray the leaves the tvre 20 when the wheel iSis rotating does so tangentially to the surface of the tvrn. One skilled in the art will also appreciate that only naidspray leaving part of the vI1eel would present a significant risk of entering the eyes of die cycle rider, Any rnudspray thrown backward or downward does not present a risk for example.

The mudguard of the invention therefore presents a practical solufion to captufing niudspray that may find its way into the eves ota cycle rider.

Claims

Claims 1. A cycle mudguard comprising a bracket and a deflector extending from the bracket, wherein the bracket includes a front member and a rear member and wherein the deflector exlvnds from the front member, the bracket thrther comprising at least one element extending from one of the front and rear members towards the other thereof the front and rear members and die at least one element are configured to engage with a brace of a cycle fork set for attachment of the mudguard thereto.
2, A cycle mudguard according to Claim 1, wherein the front and rear members are joined together.
3. A cycle mudguard according to Claim 2, wherein the front and rear members are joined together at an apex.
4. A cycle mudguard according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one clement comprises a ledge.
5. A cycle mudguard according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one element extends in a substantially perpendicular direction to the front or real wall,
6. .A cycle mudguard according to any of Claims 2 to 5, wbererin the front and rear members are joined together so as to pernut movement of die respective front arid rear members towards amid away from each other.
7. A cycle mudguard according to Claim 6, wherein the bracket is formed ofa resilient material.
8, A cycle mudguard according to Claim 7, wherein the deflector is formed of a resilient material,
9. A cycle mudguard according to Claim 7, wherein the bracket and deflector are fbrmed ofa single piece element,
10. .A cycle mudguard according to Claim 9, wherein the single piece element is formed as a plastics noulding.
11, A cycle mudguard according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the front and rear members extends substantially perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the deflector.
12. A cycle nmdguard according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the front and rear members is curved.
13. A cycle mudguard according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the front and rear members is flat.
14. A cycle mudguard according to any preceding claim, further eompflsmg securing means conflgumd to secure the bracket to the brace of the fork set.
15. A cycle mudguard according to Claim 14, wherein the securing means includes at least one element configured to draw the front and rear members together.
16. A cycle mudguard according to Claim 15, wherein the securing mealls includes an elongate flexible element.
17. A cycle mudguard according to Claim 16, wherein at least one of the front and rear members include at least one opening and the flexible element engages with the openings.
18. A cycle mudguard according to Claim 17 when dependent oii Claim 4 or any claim dependent thetcon, coniprising at least one opening in the rear member, the at least one opening situated proximate and above the at least one clement.
19, A cycle mudguard according to Claim 18, further comprising at least one opening situated below the at least one element,
20.. A cycle mudguard according Claim 18 or 19, comprising a further flexible element, the ftrther flexible element in use engaging with the or each opening and passing around the brace,
21. A cycle mudguard according to any of Claims 1 6 to 20, wherein the elongate flexible element is a zip tie.S22. A cycle mudguard according to substantially as town in, and as described with re&rence to, the drawings.