JP2002145157A - Folding bicycle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a bicycle having a compact size in a folded state. SOLUTION: The front end of a rear wheel frame 3 having a rear wheel 4, a pedal 5, and a transmission mechanism 9 between both of them is vertically rotatably fixed to the rear end lower part of a machine frame 1 having a space between a lateral pair of side plates 2b and 2b, and the upper end of a front wheel frame 10 having a front wheel 11 is vertically rotatably fixed to the front end of the machine frame 1. The front wheel frame 10 is connected to a saddle post 12 having a saddle 13 at the upper end through a link 39 passing the space of the machine frame 1, so that the front wheel 11 of the front wheel frame 10 is interlockingly raised vertically in the reverse direction to the saddle post 12 from the folded state so as to be located in the lower surface-side space of the machine frame 1 when the saddle post 12 is laid in an attitude substantially parallel to the front surface of the machine frame 1. A handle post 14 having a handle 15 is vertically rotatably connected to the upper end of the front wheel frame 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a folding bicycle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there have been various types of folding structures for bicycles.
The rear wheel frame, the front wheel frame, the saddle post, and the handle post are configured to be foldable with respect to the body frame, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 54-63349, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 51-53337, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-236371. There was one disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No.

[0003]

However, in the prior art, the body frame and the rear wheel frame, the front wheel frame, the saddle post, and the handle post are all round pipes, so that one frame is attached to the other frame. There has been a problem that the frame or the wheel cannot be folded so as to enter therein, and thus cannot be made compact.

[0004] Further, since the handle and the petal portion cannot be folded, the handle and the petal portion protrude left and right and are bulky. Therefore, the compactness is not achieved, and it is difficult to carry the folded bicycle. was there.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the conventional problems and to provide a lightweight and compact folding bicycle.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a folding bicycle according to the first aspect of the present invention, which is provided at a lower portion of a rear end of a body frame having a space between a pair of left and right side plates having a substantially rectangular shape in side view. The front end of a rear wheel frame including a rear wheel, a petal at a position in front of the rear wheel, and a transmission mechanism therebetween is pivotably connected to the front wheel so as to be vertically rotatable, and the upper end of a front wheel frame including a front wheel is attached to the body frame. A handle post having a handle at an upper end is pivotally attached to a front end portion so as to be vertically rotatable, and a handle post having a handle at an upper end thereof is substantially straight with the front wheel frame from a posture in which it is fitted into the space on the upper surface side of the body frame. And a fixing means for fixing the front wheel frame and the handle post in the upright state so as to be vertically pivoted so as to be in an upright posture, and a base block at the lower end of the saddle post having a saddle at the upper end. The front wheel frame and the base block of the saddle post are connected by a link passing through the space of the fuselage frame, so that the saddle post is When the front wheel in the front wheel frame is folded so as to be located in a space on the lower surface side of the body frame when the posture is substantially parallel to the upper surface of the frame, and when the saddle post is erected, the front wheel frame is When the saddle post is raised and rotated in a posture in which the front end of the rear wheel frame is rotated upward so as to abut against the rear end of the body frame, the rear saddle post is protruded downward. The lower end of the saddle post is configured to be fitted and fixed to the front end of the rear wheel frame.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the folding bicycle according to the first aspect, wherein a pair of left and right handles are foldably connected to the handle post, and a pair of left and right petals are attached. Is foldably connected to a mounting portion of a drive shaft in the transmission mechanism that protrudes to both right and left outer sides of a rear wheel frame.

[0008] The invention described in claim 3 is the first invention.
Alternatively, in the folding bicycle according to claim 2, the saddle post is folded forward in a state where the handle post is folded rearward so as to be located in a space above the body frame, and both posts are parallel. The saddle post is disposed so that the saddle in the saddle post is close to and covers the front end side of the body frame, and a hand grip is provided on the back surface of the saddle post.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a space is formed between the left and right side plates of the body frame, and the saddle post and the front wheel frame are connected by a link passing through the space of the body frame. A base block at the lower end of the saddle post is pivotally attached to the upper rear end of the body frame so as to be vertically rotatable, the upper end of the front wheel frame is pivotally attached to the front end of the body frame so as to be able to rotate vertically, and a handle is provided. Since the post is connected to the upper end of the front wheel frame so that it can rotate,
If the saddle post is folded forward in a state where the handle post is folded rearward so as to be located in the space above the body frame, the handle post and the saddle post are parallel at the top of the body frame. Along with
When the front wheel frame and the front wheels are accommodated in the space of the body frame, and the halo frame is folded under the body frame, the folded bicycle is very compact.

Further, since the rear wheel frame is provided with a petal, a rear wheel, and a power transmission mechanism therefor, there is no need to disassemble or remove these parts when assembling and folding, so that the assembling and folding work is not required. This can be performed quickly.

According to the second aspect of the present invention,
A drive shaft mounting part in the transmission mechanism, wherein a pair of left and right handles are foldably connected to the handle post, and a pair of left and right crank arms to which petals are respectively mounted are projected to both right and left outer sides of a rear wheel frame. Claim 1 because it is foldably connected to
In addition to the effects of the invention described in (1), the handle and the petal, which must be protruded to the left and right sides at the time of use, are folded substantially along the outer surfaces of the left and right side plates of the body frame, so that the effect is obtained that the device becomes compact.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention,
In a state where the handle post is folded rearward so as to be located in the space above the fuselage frame, the saddle post is folded forward so that both posts can be overlapped and arranged in parallel. The folded bicycle can be made very compact because it can be placed close to the front end side of the frame, and the saddle post has a hand grip on the back of the saddle post, making it easy to carry. It has the effect of becoming.

[0013]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is an overall side view of a folding bicycle according to the present invention, FIG. 2 (a) is an overall side view of the folding bicycle in a folded state, FIG. 2 (b) is a plan view in a folded state, and FIG. ) Is a bottom view in the folded state,
FIG. 3B is a front view of the folded state.

As shown in FIG. 1, a folding bicycle according to the present invention has a rear frame 4 and a front position thereof with respect to a body frame 1 having a space between a pair of left and right side plates 2a and 2b having a substantially rectangular shape in side view. A left and right crank arms 6 and 6 with a petal 5 and a drive shaft 7 to which the base of the crank arm 6 is connected, and a power transmission mechanism 9 from the drive shaft 7 to the rear wheel 4. And a front wheel frame 10 having a front wheel 11 and a saddle post 12 having a saddle 13 at an upper end.
And the front wheel frame 1
A handle post 14 having a handle 15 at the upper end is connected to be vertically rotatable and can be folded.

Next, the configuration of each part will be described. The side plates 2a and 2b of the body frame 1 are composed of a plurality of horizontal connecting shafts 16, a pivot shaft 17 of the rear wheel frame 3, a pivot shaft 18 of the front wheel frame 10, a saddle. Pivot shaft 1 at base of post 12
9, a space is formed between the side plates 2a and 2b such that the front wheel frame 10 and the front wheel 11 and the like in the folded state can fit into the side plates 2a and 2b with a predetermined width in the vertical direction or the like. 2 (a), 2 (b), 5 (a) and the like).

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 (a), 2 (b) and 4 (a), the rear wheel frame 3 is provided at the rear end of the space between the pair of left and right side plates 20a, 20b. The rear wheel 4 is rotatably supported on a support shaft 21, and is connected to be rotatable up and down via a pivot shaft 17 between a lower front end of the rear wheel frame 3 and a lower rear end of the body frame 1. Have been. Rear wheel frame 3
A drive shaft 7 is rotatably supported at a front portion of the drive shaft 7 so as to penetrate a pair of left and right side plates 20 a and 20 b. Power transmission between the drive shaft 7 and a support shaft 21 of the rear wheel 4 is performed. A mechanism 9 is disposed in the space between the side plates 20a and 20b. That is, the first timing belt 25 is wound around the drive pulley 22 fitted and fixed to the drive shaft 7 between the pair of left and right side plates 20a and 20b and the intermediate first pulley 24 fitted and fixed to the intermediate shaft 23 behind the drive pulley 22. The second timing belt 28 is wound around the intermediate second pulley 26 fixedly fitted on the intermediate shaft 23 and the driven pulley 27 fixedly fitted on the support shaft 21 (see FIGS. 2A and 3A). .

At the left and right ends of the drive shaft 7 protruding from the outer surfaces of the side plates 20a, 20b, block-shaped mounting members 29, 29 are fixedly mounted so as to extend parallel to the outer surfaces of the side plates 20a, 20b. The mounting member 29 is rotatably connected via a pin 30 to the vicinity of a bifurcated base near the front end of the crank arm 6 having the petal 5 at the tip, and the left and right petals 5, 5 are connected to the side plates 20a, When the pair of left and right crank arms 6 and 6 are arranged so as to protrude in a direction away from the rear wheel 20b (see FIG. 6B), the working posture is such that power is transmitted to the rear wheel 4, and conversely, FIG. As shown, when the crank arms 6, 6 are folded such that the petals 5, 5 on both left and right sides are inward of the side plates 20a, 20b, the non-use posture is set. Further, the lock pin 31 is fitted into the elongated hole of the forked portion of each crank arm 6 so as to be able to advance and retreat. Then, it selectively engages with engagement grooves 32a, 32b formed at both ends of each of the mounting members 29, 29. That is, at the time of the operation posture, the lock pin 31 is fitted into the engagement groove 32a on the side farther from the axis of the drive shaft 7, and the posture of the crank arms 6, 6 is maintained. In the non-use posture, the lock pin 31 is fitted into the engagement groove 32b at the other end of each of the mounting members 29,29. Then, in order to hold each posture, the lock pin 31 is pressed in this state by the urging holding means 33 shown in FIG. 8 and described in detail later so that the lock pin 31 is not accidentally disengaged from the engaging grooves 32a and 32b. Constitute.

The front wheel frame 10 has a lower end portion 10.
a is formed in a bifurcated manner so as to attach both ends of the support shaft 34 of the front wheel 11, and at the upper end of the front wheel frame 10,
A mounting block 35 for connecting the base member 14c of the handle post 14 with a pin 36 is provided, and the handle post 14 and the front wheel frame 10 are erected so as to be in a straight line. With the mounting block 35 and the mounting block 35 together,
5 is engaged with a lock pin 37 which can move forward and backward through a long hole in the same manner as the crank arm and the mounting member 29,
Although not shown, the posture can be held by pushing the lock pin 31 in this state by the urging holding means 33.

On the other hand, the base end block 3 of the saddle post 12
Numeral 8 is connected between the left and right side plates 2a, 2b of the body frame 1 via a pivot 17 so as to be freely rotatable, and connects a base block 38 and an intermediate portion of the handle post 14 with a link 39 and a pin. Connected at 40, 41, saddle post 1
When the saddle post 12 is erected in a folded state in which the front wheel frame 10 is located in the space inside the body frame 1 from below, the link 39 is turned on. Through this, the front wheel frame 10 projects downward and becomes the use position (see FIGS. 5A and 5B).

In the above state, as shown in FIG. 8, the lock pin 42, which can move forward and backward, is engaged with the engagement groove 43 of the base block 38 through the long holes formed in the left and right side plates 2a, 2b. Then, the lock pin 42 is pushed in this state by the urging and holding means 33 in which the push rod 44 and the spring 45 are attached to the case 46, so that the posture of the saddle post 12 and the front wheel frame 10 can be held.

In the state where the rear wheel frame 3 extends rearward with respect to the body frame 1, the saddle post 12
Is raised, the lower end of the saddle post 12 is fitted between the left and right side plates 20a, 20b of the rear wheel frame 3, and the front end of the rear wheel frame 3 is attached to the rear end face of the body frame 1 (rear end). (End) can be pinched and fixed (see FIG. 4B).

Further, the handle post 14 has one pipe 14a at the base end and two pipes 14b and 14b at the tip end to which the handle 15 is attached, and is connected by a plurality of connecting pieces 47. In a state where the handle post 14 and the saddle post 12 are folded so as to overlap on the upper edge side of the body frame 1, the two pipes 14b, 14b
The saddle post 12 is disposed in parallel between them, and the saddle 13 at the tip of the saddle post 12 is disposed close to the front end of the body frame 1.

On the back of the saddle post 12, a handle (grip) 48 for carrying is attached, so that the folded bicycle can be easily carried.

As shown in FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b), the mounting base piece 51 between the pair of left and right handles 15, 15 and the brake handles 49, 49 is attached to a support bracket at the upper end of the handle post 14. A lock pin 52 which is rotatably connected to and can move forward and backward through a long hole provided on the support bracket 50 side is pushed through the holding urging means 33 similar to the above, and each mounting base is It is configured to be selectively engaged with one of the engagement grooves 53a and 53b on the side of the piece 51, and to be able to hold the position in the folded posture and the use posture.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall side view of a bicycle of the present invention in use.

FIG. 2A is a side view of the bicycle in a folded state,
(B) is a plan view thereof.

FIG. 3A is a bottom view of the bicycle in a folded state,
(B) is a front view, and (c) is a rear view.

FIG. 4A is a side view showing the rear wheel frame with respect to the fuselage frame in a state in which the rear wheel frame is turning downward from the folded state,
(B) is a side view of a state in which the rear wheel frame is rotated linearly at the rear end of the body frame.

FIG. 5A is a side view in the middle of erecting the front wheel frame and the saddle post with respect to the body frame, and FIG. 5B is a side view in a state where the front wheel frame and the saddle post are erect.

FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the petal is being turned from a folded state to a used state, and FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view illustrating the posture of the petal in the used state.

FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view showing the way in which the handle is being turned from the folded state to the use state, and FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view showing the posture of the handle in the use state.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of holding urging means by a lock pin.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Body frame 2a, 2b Side plate 3 Rear wheel frame 4 Rear wheel 5 Petal 9 Power transmission mechanism 10 Front wheel frame 11 Front wheel 12 Saddle post 13 Saddle 14 Handle post 15 Handle

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A rear wheel frame comprising a rear wheel, a petal at a position in front of the rear wheel, and a transmission mechanism between the rear wheel and a lower portion of a rear end of the body frame having a space between a pair of left and right side plates having a substantially rectangular shape in side view. The front end of a front wheel frame having front wheels is pivotally connected to the front end of the body frame so as to be vertically rotatable. The upper end of the front wheel frame has a handle at the upper end. A handle post having a front wheel frame is pivotably mounted on the upper surface of the body frame so as to be able to turn up and down so as to be in a position of standing substantially linearly with the front wheel frame from a position fitted in the space on the upper surface side of the body frame. A fixing means for fixing the frame and the handle post, a base block at a lower end of a saddle post having a saddle at an upper end is pivotably mounted on a rear end upper portion of the body frame so as to be vertically rotatable; The base end block of the post is connected with a link passing through the space of the body frame, and when the saddle post is in a posture substantially parallel to the upper surface of the body frame, the front wheels of the front wheel frame are connected to the body frame. When the saddle post is folded and erected in the space on the lower surface side, the front wheel frame is interlockingly connected so as to project below the body frame, and the front end of the rear wheel frame is connected to the rear end of the body frame. The saddle post is configured to be fitted and fixed to the front end of the rear wheel frame when the saddle post is raised and rotated in a posture in which the saddle post is rotated upward so as to be brought into contact with the rear wheel frame. Folding bicycle characterized by that. 2. A transmission mechanism in which a pair of left and right handles are foldably connected to the handle post, and a pair of left and right crank arms to which petals are respectively attached are protruded to both right and left outer sides of a rear wheel frame. The folding bicycle according to claim 1, wherein the folding bicycle is foldably connected to a mounting portion of the drive shaft in (1). 3. The saddle post is folded forward in a state where the handle post is folded rearward so as to be located in a space above the body frame, so that both posts can be overlapped and arranged in parallel. The folding bicycle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a saddle in the post is disposed so as to approach and cover a front end side of the body frame, and a grip portion for carrying is provided on a back surface of the saddle post. .