GB2533545A

GB2533545A - A portable bicycle tool

Info

Publication number: GB2533545A
Application number: GB1417639.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Windsor Mark
Original assignee: FULL WINDSOR Ltd
Current assignee: FULL WINDSOR Ltd
Priority date: 2014-10-06
Filing date: 2014-10-06
Publication date: 2016-06-29
Also published as: GB201417639D0

Abstract

A portable bicycle tool 100, including: a body 101; a component 103; and a threaded pin 102 configured to rotate within the body; wherein, in a first configuration, the component engages with the threaded pin within the body such that a user can apply torque to the threaded pin by rotating the component with respect to the body to perform a first bicycle tool function, and in a second configuration, the component engages with the body such that a user can apply torque to the component by rotating the body to perform a second bicycle tool function. Also disclosed is a chain-breaking bicycle tool including: a body; a threaded pin configured to rotate within the housing of the body; and a handle engaged with the threaded pin and configured to rotate the threaded pin; wherein the body and the housing are integral and, when in use, a user grabs the body and rotates the handle to, at least part way, remove or insert a rivet pin in a link of a bicycle chain by pressure of the threaded pin on the rivet pin.

Description

Intellectual Property Office Application No. GII1417639.0 RTM Date:13 April 2016 The following terms are registered trade marks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document: Philips Torx Allen Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.gov.uk/ipo

A PORTABLE BICYCLE TOOL

Field of Invention

The present invention is in the field of portable bicycle tools. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a portable bicycle tool that may provide chain-breaking and/or multiple functions.

Background

From time to time, bicycles require repairs to be made. Many of these repairs can be undertaken by the cyclist themselves.

Repairs are almost always occasioned by active use of the bicycle and, 15 therefore, tend to be required during a cycling journey. Accordingly, portable bicycle tools have been developed to assist the cyclist in repairing their bicycle.

Bicycles have limited carrying capacity and undertaking repairs on the road requires an easy to use tool. Therefore, some of these portable tools provide multi-functions. Unfortunately, in providing these multi-functions, the portable tools tend to be a jack of all trades and a master of none. For example, one portable tool unfolds to provide a chain-breaker and various tool bits. To utilise the chain breaker, leverage must be applied by the user and the pivot point which facilitates the unfolding feature of the portable tool is a weak point during chain breaking.

There is a desire, therefore, for a portable bicycle tool which is robust, functional, easy-to-use and lightweight.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bicycle tool to meet this desire and which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least provides a useful alternative.

Summary of Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a portable bicycle tool, including: a body; a component; and a threaded pin configured to rotate within the body; wherein, in a first configuration, the component engages with the threaded pin within the body such that a user can apply torque to the threaded pin by rotating the component with respect to the body to perform a first bicycle tool function, and in a second configuration, the component engages with the body such that a user can apply torque to the component by rotating the body to perform a second bicycle tool function.

The body may be rotated around the longest axis of the component to perform 20 the second bicycle tool function.

The first bicycle tool function may be a chain breaker.

The second bicycle tool function may be a wrench, key, or screw/nut driver.

The component may be configured to engage with the body via magnetic engagement.

The body may include a plurality of cavities and the component may engage 30 with the body via any one of the plurality of cavities.

The component may be configured to engage with the threaded pin via magnetic engagement.

The threaded pin may include a cavity arranged on a surface perpendicular to 5 the thread axis, and the component may engage with the threaded pin via this cavity.

The component may engage with the body at one end, and one of a plurality of tool bits may detachably engage with the distal end of the component. The 10 distal end of the component may be configured to detachably engage with the plurality of tool bits via magnetic engagement.

The threaded pin may be removable from the body.

The threaded pin may rotate within a housing within the body. The housing and the body may be integral.

In the first configuration and during rotation of the first component by the user, the user may grasp the body to use as leverage.

The body and/or bicycle tool may be configured to provide a third tool function such as a tyre lever, spoke key, or bottle opener.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a portable 25 chain breaker bicycle tool, including: a body; a threaded pin configured to rotate within a housing of the body; and a handle engaged with the threaded pin and configured to rotate the threaded pin; wherein the body and the housing are integral and, when in use, a user grasps the body and rotates the handle to, at least part-way, remove or insert a rivet pin in a link of a bicycle chain via pressure of the threaded pin on the rivet pin.

The handle may be detachably engaged to the threaded pin.

The threaded pin may be detachable from the body.

The body may be further configured to provide a second tool function such as a tyre lever, spoke key, bottle opener, screw driver or socket wrench.

Other aspects of the invention are described within the claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1: shows a bicycle tool in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2: shows a bicycle tool in a first configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 3a: shows a bicycle tool in a second configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 3b: shows a bicycle tool in an alternate second configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 4: shows a chain-breaking bicycle tool in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and Figure 5: shows another chain-breaking bicycle tool in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

S

The present invention provides a portable bicycle tool.

The inventor has discovered that various features of a bicycle tool can be repurposed by a user. In one embodiment, the handle of a chain breaker for a bicycle tool is reused as the driver for a plurality of tool bits. In another embodiment, the integral body of the bicycle tool is used as leverage for a chain breaker.

In Figure 1, a portable bicycle tool 100 in accordance with an embodiment of 15 the invention is shown.

The bicycle tool 100 comprises three main parts: a body 101, a threaded pin 102, and a detachable component 103.

The body 101 may be an integral piece constructed of a single material, such as metal.

The body 101 may be configured to form a housing 104 for the threaded pin 102. The housing 104 may be open to permit, for example, chain links to be 25 placed therein to enable the threaded pin 102 to, at least partially, displace/place the pins of the links.

The housing 104 may include a threaded through-hole 105 to receive the threaded pin 102 and to permit the threaded pin 102 to rotate with respect to 30 the body 101. The thread of the through-hole 105 and threaded pin 102 may be helical to permit the threaded pin 102 to move back and forth within the through-hole 105 in response to rotation of the threaded pin 102 in one direction and the other.

The body 101 may include one or more cavities 106 to engage with a first end 107 of the component 103. It will be appreciated that, in an alternative embodiment, the body 101 and component 103 may engage via different means, such as a nodule on the body 101 and a cavity within the component 103.

A magnet may reside within the one or more cavities 106, such that the component 103 and the cavity 106 magnetically engage The cavities 106 and the first end 107 of the component 103 may be shaped to prevent free rotation of the component 103 within the cavity 106. For example, the cavity 106 may be polygonal such as hexagonal or any other regular or irregular shape other than circular. Correspondingly, the first end 107 of the component 103 is shaped to mate with the cavity 106.

The threaded pin 104 may also include a cavity 108 on the surface perpendicular to the thread axis to engage with an end of the component 103. Preferably, the cavity 108 is configured to engage with the first end 107 of the component 103 similarly to the cavities 106 of the body 101. The cavity 108 may include a magnet to magnetically engage with the component 103.

The component 103 may include at its distal end a mechanism 109 to releasably engage with one of a plurality of tool bits. The mechanism 109 may be a cavity shaped to prevent free rotation of the tool bits (e.g. polygonal-shaped). The tool bits may be shaped to permit the bicycle tool to provide a wrench, key, or screw/nut driver function (i.e. the tool bit may provide a flat-blade, a Philips driver, an allen key, a Torx driver, or a socket for any of the aforementioned).

The bicycle tool 100 may also include a grip 110 affixed or clipped to the body 101. The grip 110 may be made of an easier-to-grip material such as nylon, plastic or rubber.

The body 101 and/or bicycle tool 100 may be configured to provide a third tool function such as a tyre lever, spoke key, or bottle opener. For example, the tyre lever function may be performed by the grip 110, the spoke key may be performed by a suitably shaped notch within the body, and the bottle opener may be performed by a suitable shape within the body.

In Figure 2, the portable bicycle tool 100 is shown with the component 103 in a first configuration for use as the handle of a chain breaker.

The component 103 is engaged with the threaded pin 102 and the threaded 15 pin 102 is threaded within the through-hole 105 of the housing 104 of the body 100.

A user may use the component 103 as a handle to rotate the threaded pin 102. During rotation, the user may grasp the body 101 of the bicycle tool 100 20 to use as leverage when, for example, the threaded pin 102 is, at least partially, dislodging or inserting pins in a link for a bicycle chain.

In Figure 3a, the portable bicycle tool 100 is shown with the component 103 in a second configuration for use as the driver for tool bits.

The component 103 is engaged with one of the cavities 106 of the body 101. A tool bit 300 is engaged with a cavity 109 of the component 103.

A user may rotate the body 101 around the component's 103 longest axis to 30 rotate the component 103 and the tool bit 300.

In Figure 3b, the portable bicycle tool 100 is shown with the component 103 in an alternate second configuration for use as the driver for tool bits.

The component 103 is engaged with another one of the cavities 106 of the 5 body 101. A tool bit 300 is engaged with a cavity 109 of the component 103.

A user may rotate the body 101 around the component's 103 longest axis to rotate the component 103 and the tool bit 300.

In Figure 4, a portable chain-breaking bicycle tool 400 in accordance with another embodiment of the invention is shown.

The bicycle tool 400 comprises three main parts, a body 401, a threaded pin 402, and a handle 403.

The body 401 may be an integral piece constructed of a single material, such as metal.

The body 401 may be configured to form a housing 404 for the threaded pin 20 402. The housing 404 may be open to permit, for example, chain links to be placed therein to enable the threaded pin 402 to, at least partially, displace/place the pins of the links.

The housing 404 may include a threaded through-hole 405 to receive the threaded pin 402 and to permit the threaded pin 402 to rotate with respect to the body 401. The thread of the through-hole 405 and threaded pin 402 may be helical to permit the threaded pin 402 to move back and forth within the through-hole 405 in response to rotation of the threaded pin 402 in one direction and the other. The threaded pin 402 may be removable from the housing 404.

The body 401 and the housing 404 may be integral.

The handle 403 may be configured to rotate the threaded pin 402 around its longest axis. The handle 403 may be engaged to the threaded pin 402 via a through-hole 406, such that the handle 403 is slideable through the through-hole 406. The handle 403 may include at each end a nodule 407 to prevent the handle 403 detaching from the threaded pin 402.

In one embodiment, the body 401 may include one or more cavities 408 to engage with a tool bit or a tool bit driver.

In Figure 5, a portable chain-breaking bicycle tool 500 in accordance with another embodiment of the invention is shown.

The bicycle tool 500 comprises three main parts: a body 501, a threaded pin 15 502, and a handle 503.

The body 501 may be an integral piece constructed of a single material, such as metal.

The body 501 may be configured to form a housing 504 for the threaded pin 502. The housing 504 may be open to permit, for example, chain links to be placed therein to enable the threaded pin 502 to, at least partially, displace/place the pins of the links.

The body 501 and the housing 504 may be integral.

The housing 504 may include a threaded through-hole 505 to receive the threaded pin 502 and to permit the threaded pin 502 to rotate with respect to the body 501. The thread of the through-hole 505 and threaded pin 502 may be helical to permit the threaded pin 502 to move back and forth within the through-hole 505 in response to rotation of the threaded pin 502 in one direction and the other. The threaded pin 502 may be removable from the housing 504.

The handle 503 may be configured to rotate the threaded pin 502 around its longest axis. The handle 503 may be engaged to the threaded pin 502 via a cavity 506 in the surface perpendicular to the thread axis of threaded pin 502. The handle 503 may be detachable from the threaded pin 502, for example, the handle 503 may be screwed to the threaded pin 502.

In one embodiment, the body 501 may include one or more cavities 507 to engage with a tool bit or a tool bit driver.

In one embodiment, the body 501 may be configured to include a second tool function such as a tyre lever, spoke key, bottle opener, screw driver or socket 15 wrench.

Potential advantages of some embodiments of the present invention is that the integral nature of the body and threaded pin housing for the chain breaker provides robust leverage for chain breaking, the re-purposable handle/driver both reduces weight and complexity of the bicycle tool, and the usable multi-functions within the one tool provide substantial portable repair abilities for cyclists.

While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of the embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and method, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departure from the spirit or scope of applicant's general inventive concept.

Claims

Claims 1. A portable bicycle tool, including: a body; a component; and a threaded pin configured to rotate within the body; wherein, in a first configuration, the component engages with the threaded pin within the body such that a user can apply torque to the threaded pin by rotating the component with respect to the body to perform a first bicycle tool function, and in a second configuration, the component engages with the body such that a user can apply torque to the component by rotating the body to perform a second bicycle tool function.

A portable bicycle tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body is rotated around the longest axis of the component to perform the second bicycle tool function.

A portable bicycle tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first bicycle tool function is a chain breaker.

A portable bicycle tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second bicycle tool function is a wrench, key, or screw/nut driver.

A portable bicycle tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the component is configured to engage with the body via magnetic engagement.

A portable bicycle tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body includes a plurality of cavities and wherein the component engages with the body via any one of the plurality of cavities. 2. 6.

7 A portable bicycle tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the component is configured to engage with the threaded pin via magnetic engagement.

8. A portable bicycle tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the threaded pin includes a cavity arranged on a surface perpendicular to the thread axis, and wherein the component engages with the threaded pin via the cavity.

9. A portable bicycle tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the component engages with the body at one end, and where one of a plurality of tool bits detachably engage with the distal end of the component 10. A portable bicycle tool as claimed in claim 9, wherein the distal end of the component is configured to detachably engage with the plurality of tool bits via magnetic engagement.11. A portable bicycle tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the threaded pin is removable from the body.12. A portable bicycle tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the threaded pin rotates within a housing within the body.13. A portable bicycle tool as claimed in claim 12, wherein the housing and the body are integral.14. A portable bicycle tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein, in the first configuration and during rotation of the first component by the user, the user grasps the body to use as leverage.15. A portable chain breaker bicycle tool, including: a body; a threaded pin configured to rotate within a housing of the body; and a handle engaged with the threaded pin and configured to rotate the threaded pin; S wherein the body and the housing are integral and, when in use, a user grasps the body and rotates the handle to, at least partway, remove or insert a rivet pin in a link of a bicycle chain via pressure of the threaded pin on the rivet pin. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21.A portable chain-breaking bicycle tool as claimed in claim 15, wherein the handle is detachably engaged to the threaded pin.A portable chain-breaking bicycle tool as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 16, wherein the threaded pin is detachable from the body.A portable chain-breaking bicycle tool as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the body is further configured to provide a second tool function.A portable chain-breaking bicycle tool as claimed as claimed in claim 18, wherein the second tool function is one of a tyre lever, spoke key, bottle opener, screw driver or socket wrench.A bicycle tool kit, including: a bicycle tool as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14; and a plurality of tool bits configured to detachably engage with the component.A bicycle tool as herein described with reference to the Figures.