GB2578741A

GB2578741A - A collapsible wheel device

Info

Publication number: GB2578741A
Application number: GB1818083.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Waller Martin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-11-06
Filing date: 2018-11-06
Publication date: 2020-05-27
Also published as: GB201818083D0

Abstract

A collapsible wheel device comprising an outer tyre and an inner frame, wherein the frame comprises a rim, spoke members and a hub; and wherein the spoke members are arranged to displace to lock the rim into a circular usage form in a first position, and one or more spoke members is arranged to elongate to enable the rim to assume a non-circular elongated ovaloid storage form in a second position. One or more of the spokes may be telescopic. The rim may be connected to the spokes by a plurality of hinges. Two spokes may be arranged to fit inside two other spokes.

Description

A COLLAPSIBLE WHEEL DEVICE

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a collapsible wheel device, in particular a device for a cycle.

Background

Increasing numbers of people in most societies are becoming interested in cycling and owning and using a cycle or bicycle. This may be for commuting or general travel, and is often prevalent in urban locations in particular.

As a result of the interest, many users may have expensive cycles. And these may become targets for thieves.

As a result of the prevalence many users may struggle to park their cycles, for 20 example close to where they desire.

In some locations it can be advantageous to have a cycle that is arranged to fold into a smaller size, particularly a wheel for a cycle that is arranged to fold into a smaller size.

Prior Art

CN 104 924 843 (TANG) discloses a novel folded wheel comprises a rubber tire, a hub, a plurality of spokes and a centre rotating shaft. The rubber tire is fixedly connected with the hub. The hub is an integral round hub formed in the manner that a plurality of sections of fan-shaped bodies make contact in an end-to-end mode. The round hub is internally provided with a telescopic spoke composed of one mother spoke and two son spokes, and two strengthening spokes can be increased.

After the position locking measure between the mother spoke and the son spokes is released, the wheel can be conveniently folded, and the wheel can be folded to be very small. The invention further provides a folded bicycle. Connection among a front fork, a middle pipe, a seat pipe, a rear upper fork and a rear lower fork is designed into rotating connection, a chain wheel assembly is installed on the rear lower fork, and when folding is needed, a locking device is unloosed, a sliding sleeve at the front end of the rear lower fork freely slides on the seat pipe up and down, a frame can be conveniently folded, and the size of the folded bicycle is very small.

EP 2 164 714 (FITZSIMONS) present invention provides a spoked wheel comprising: a rim comprising a continuous series of circumferential sections each of which has opposed ends and is connected at each of its ends to an adjacent section by means of a hinge that allows the two adjacent sections to pivot with respect to each other substantially in the plane of the wheel; a hub that rotates with the rim; and a plurality of spokes extending between the hub and the rim and supporting the rim on the hub, each spoke having an end that is pivotally attached to the rim via a pivot. At least one of the spokes is movable with respect to the hub in the plane of the wheel to change the angular spacing between adjacent spokes and alter the shape of the rim between a circular shape and a non-circular shape, preferably a flattened shape. The wheel may also include a tubular tyre held on the rim and is primarily intended for use in connection with bicycles and wheelchairs.

GB 573 956 (BERRELL) discloses a foldable wheel or, equivalent member comprising a plurality of pivotally interconnected arcuate rim elements capable of defining a collapsible substantially circular frame, a hub, portion, spokes connecting said rim elements with said hub portion, and means for locking said spokes relative to said rim elements and hub portion to maintain the rim elements substantially rigidly interrelated to define the circular frame but to permit said frame to be collapsed when desired by elongation in one sense, with corresponding shortening in another sense, substantially at right-angles thereto in the plane of the frame.

The present invention arose in order to overcome problems suffered by existing devices.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a collapsible wheel device comprising an outer tyre and an inner frame, wherein the frame comprises a rim, spoke members and a hub; and wherein the spoke members are arranged to displace from a first configuration to a second configuration to lock the rim into a circular usage form in a first position, and at least one spoke member is arranged to extend to enable the rim to assume a non-circular elongated ovaloid storage form in a second position.

In some embodiments the device may comprise four spoke members.

For example four spoke members may be arranged orthogonally in two pairs in the first position.

In some embodiments one or more spoke members may be arranged to extend or 15 retract, for example coaxially telescopically so as to enable the ovaloid form. In other embodiments one or more spoke members may be arranged to detach from the rim to enable the ovaloid form.

In some embodiments the rim may be comprised of a plurality of segments. Such 20 segments may be arcuate and/or substantially rigid. Such segments may be permanently joined, for example using hinges so as to enable the rim shape to change from circular to ovaloid.

Some embodiments may comprise four rim segments.

In some embodiments the spokes and rim are permanently connected. In other embodiments the spokes and rim are connected so as to allow the variation in configuration between positions, for example enabling the spokes to change position and/or angle in reference to the rim.

In some embodiments the tyre may be a continuous part, for example comprising a solid wall tyre so as to enable displacement, rearrangement and movement from the first position to the second position without compromise to function.

In some embodiments the spokes and the rim comprise joints, which joints may enable rotation, displacement or collapse, to enable movement between positions. In some embodiments the joints enable the rim to rotate against or through the spokes so as to enable displacement or rotation of some spokes in relation to others.

The spokes may be separated into basal spoke members and secondary spoke sections. In this way some spoke, for example the secondary spoke sections, may be enabled to move, displace or reconfigure, and other spokes, for example the basal spoke members may be arranged to maintain form, or vary in different manners.

For example the basal spoke members maty be arranged to provide a spine for the elongated form, and the secondary spoke sections may be arranged to displace for the minimisation in the elongated form. For example the spoke members may be arranged to extend telescopically whilst the spoke sections may be arranged to retract telescopically or displace radially.

For example in embodiments having orthogonal spokes in the first position, the spoke sections may displace radially 90 degrees in a first step for reconfiguration from the first position to the second position, whereby the spoke sections are coaxial the spoke members. The spoke members may then extend coaxially, so as to allow the rim to be collapsed against the spoke members wherein the rim comprises four segments.

In some embodiments the rim is displaceable, or reconfigurable, so as to allow the device to assume an elongated form in the second position. In some embodiments 25 the device comprises a lock means for the positions, for example a grub screw with reference the extension.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the Figures in which:

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows an isometric view of an embodiment of the device according to the present invention in the first position; Figure 2 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an isometric view of an embodiment of the device according to the present invention shown in Figure 1 in the second position Figure 4 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment as shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 shows an isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 in an intermediate position; Figure 6 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment as shown in Figure 5; Figure 7 shows an isometric exploded view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; And Figure 8 shows a reverse exploded isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

Detailed Description of Figures

With reference to the embodiment shown in the figures there is shown an embodiment of the device generally comprising a collapsible wheel device 99 comprising an outer tyre 5 and an inner frame 1, wherein the frame comprises a rim 4, spoke members 2,3 and a hub 7; and wherein the spoke members 2,3 are arranged to displace to lock the rim 4 into a circular usage form in a first position as shown in Figure 1, and one of the spoke members 10 is arranged to elongate to enable the rim to assume a non-circular elongated ovaloid storage form in a second position as shown in Figure 3.

In particular reference to the pictured embodiment the embodiment 99 comprises a wheel that is capable of moving from a locked first position where it has a circular form for use, to a second position where the wheel is more ovaloid in form, and 35 subsequently is better suited to transport or storage.

The wheel comprises four spokes 2, 3, comprised of a basal spoke member 2 which provides a single elongate spoke member that extends across the diameter to provide two opposing spoke members, and two orthogonally extending radii provided by two displaceable spoke sections 3. These spoke sections comprise a fixed spoke section 19 and an extendable spoke section 10.

The spoke members 2 comprise a parallel spaced top and bottom cover plates 9 fixed connected to the hub 7 and with an aperture 8 centrally to opposing faces, for receipt of the spoke sections in the second position.

The spoke sections 3 are displaceable circumferentially through rotation of the rim, wherein the spoke sections are fixedly connected to the rim 4 at joints 12,13 and connected to a rotatable hub 7.

In this way the rotation of the rim 4 may change the respective spoke arrangement, whereby in the second position the spoke sections are coplanar and coaxial the basal spoke members, and the spoke sections are held within the apertures 8 of the spoke members.

The rim 4 is multi-segmented, split into four arcuate segments, which are rigid, and hinged together at hinges 13. Two joints 12, which may be called spoke joints are arranged to extend along a portion of the rim, and these are wider than the spoke members 2, such that in the second position said spoke joints 12 are located at either end of the spoke members 2. However the spoke joints 12 are located at the end of the spoke sections 10, 19, and in the first position are perpendicular the spoke members 2.

The spoke joints 12 are fixed arcuate lengths following the rim and comprise two endmost hinges 13.

The spoke sections comprise chamfered edges 77 arranged to engage in corresponding indentations 49 within the apertures 8 of the spoke members.

The spoke sections comprise a reduced section extension member 777 which 35 extends from an end most hole 17 of a fixed socket 76 extending radially from the hub 7. The spoke section is prevented from over-extension by the rim 4. A grub screw 117 allows a lock means for extension or retraction.

The second pair of joints comprises inward folding hinges 13, so as to allow two 5 arcuate segments to be formed to either side of the parallel spoke members and spoke joints in the second position.

For the second pair of joints the rim extends axially inwardly on one side of the joint, to provide inward facing protrusions 41 which butt against and engage cut-outs 44 10 within the aperture 8 so as to act a stop to rotation of the rim with reference the spoke member into the second position The movement between positions is facilitated by rotation of the rim 4 around the spoke members 2, and extension from one end of a spoke, or more particularly a 15 spoke section 10 enabled to extend from the spoke member end.

This coaxial telescopic extension is only enabled when the spoke sections are coaxial the spoke members, such that the hinges 13 enable the rim to hinge to collapse as the spoke section extends. The extension occurs along the diametric line 20 A defined through the spoke members.

The hub comprises an inner tube 7 and outer rings 6, with intermediate bearings, wherein the inner tube is enabled to rotate in the outer ring, and the outer ring is associated with the spoke member and the inner tube is associated with the spoke 25 sections.

The tyre 5 is solid rubber, and has fold locations 59 for the hinges 13.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated 30 that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention as defined by the claims, in particular but not solely combination of features of described embodiments.