JP2006232276A - Foldable bicycle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a foldable bicycle folded by utilizing the moving rotational force of wheels by pushing the bicycle backwardly or forwardly while holding handlebars, and capable of easily performing the folding operation easily in a stable posture. <P>SOLUTION: The foldable bicycle has a front wheel 4 and a rear wheel 9, one wheel is movable toward the other wheel. The foldable bicycle has a folding auxiliary means 40 to perform the folding operation by moving one wheel to the other wheel side by transmitting the rotational force when the bicycle is moved while one wheel is rotated, and a locking means 20 to lock the foldable bicycle in a serviceable condition. In the folding auxiliary means 40, the moving rotational force transmission path is disconnected during the locking operation of the locking means 20, while the moving rotational force transmission path is connected when unlocking the locking means 20 with the foldable bicycle is in a non-serviceable condition. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a folding bicycle that can be folded to be compact when not in use.

There are various types of folding bicycles that can be folded and compacted when not in use.
Conventionally, for example, a configuration shown in FIG. 10 is provided as a folding bicycle. That is, the front frame 61 that supports the front wheel 60 and the rear frame 63 that supports the rear wheel 62 are rotatably connected by the connecting shaft 64, and the front frame 61 is provided with a handle 65 and the like, and the rear frame 63. Are provided with a seat pipe 66, a saddle 67, and the like. A link mechanism means 68 is provided between the front frame 61 and the seat pipe 66. Further, between the seat pipe 66 and the rear frame 63, a seat stay 69 having a lock function and a folded link type is provided. It is provided in a pair of left and right.

  According to such a conventional configuration, in the use state shown in FIG. 10, the seat stay 69 is linear and maintains the use posture. Then, when folding the folded bicycle, the pair of left and right seat stays 69 are first clamped so as to be close to each other while keeping the posture of the bicycle via the saddle 67 and the like after first turning behind the bicycle. As a result, the seat stay 69 is unlocked and jumps out to the rear 70 while the middle part of the seat stay 69 is folded, and as shown in FIG. 11, the seat pipe 66, the handle 65 and the like are folded backward and folded. be able to.

  However, in the above-described conventional configuration, a certain amount of force (grip force) is required when unlocking, and the seat stay 69 moves quickly (feels popping out) when it starts to bend, so there is a possibility that a finger may be caught in the seat stay 69 that is bent. In addition, since the movement is steep, it is difficult to balance the bicycle. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to handle especially elderly people and women.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a folding bicycle that can be folded using a moving rotational force of a wheel by holding and pushing a handle or the like. To do.

  In order to solve this problem, the folding bicycle of the present invention has a front wheel and a rear wheel, of which both wheels are configured to be movable toward one wheel, and one wheel is rotated. A folding assisting means for transmitting the rotational force when moved while moving the other wheel to one wheel side to perform the folding operation, and a locking means for holding the folding bicycle in use. The auxiliary means has a configuration in which the moving rotational force transmission path is disconnected when the locking means is locked, and the moving rotational force transmission path is connected when the lock means is unlocked when the folding bicycle is not in use.

  With this configuration, by holding and holding the handle, etc., it is possible to fold the other wheel closer to one wheel, for example, using the rotational rotational force of one wheel, thereby folding the wheel. The operation, that is, the movement of pushing or pushing, can be easily performed in a stable posture without being caught between fingers, and therefore, a folding bicycle that can be easily handled by elderly people and women and girls can be provided.

  As described above, according to the present invention, by pushing and pushing with a handle or the like, the moving rotational force of one wheel is utilized via the folding assisting means, and the other wheel is brought close to one wheel. Folding can be performed, so that the folding operation, that is, the movement of back-and-forth and push-up, is light and easy to perform in a stable posture without being pinched by fingers, and therefore can be easily handled by elderly people and women and girls. Bicycle can be provided.

  The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention has a front wheel and a rear wheel, and of the both wheels, the other wheel is configured to be movable toward one wheel, and the one wheel is moved while rotating. A folding assist means for transmitting the rotational force at the time of movement and moving the other wheel to one wheel side to perform the folding operation, and a lock means for holding the folding bicycle in use, the folding assist means The folding rotational bicycle is characterized in that the traveling rotational force transmission path is disconnected when the locking means is locked, and the traveling rotational force transmission path is connected when the locking means is unlocked when the folding bicycle is unlocked. Holding the wheel, etc., and using the moving rotational force of one wheel via the folding assist means, the other wheel can be moved closer to the other wheel and folded. Folding operation, i.e. movement of the pusher boost and before, has the effect of light, and without, as pinched fingers, yet easily in a stable posture.

  The invention according to claim 2 of the present invention includes a front wheel, a rear wheel, a front frame that supports the front wheel, a rear frame that supports the rear wheel, and a state where both the front and rear wheels are used by connecting both frames. The link mechanism means to be folded, the lock means to maintain the posture of both frames in use, and the rotational force when moving while rotating one wheel is transmitted to the other wheel side. Folding assisting means for moving the wheels and folding both frames upward, the folding assisting means disconnects the moving rotational force transmission path when the locking means is locked, and transmits the rotational rotational force when the locking means is unlocked The folding bicycle is characterized in that the path is connected, and the posture of both frames in use can be maintained firmly by the lock means, and the lock means with the handle etc. By performing the boost and before pressing After release, an effect that allows the folding while medium is folded with both frames upward.

  Further, according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, when the lock means is used in a locked state, the moving rotational force transmission path is cut off so that the forward and reverse movements can be performed without any trouble. Further, at the time of the folding operation with the locking means released, the moving rotational force transmission path is automatically connected, so that the folding by the back push or the front push can be performed.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a side view of a folding bicycle in use according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a plan view of the folding assisting means portion, and FIG. 7 is a longitudinal side view of the locking means portion.

  In FIGS. 1, 6, and 7, a front wheel 4 is supported at the front end portion of the front frame 1 via a front fork 2 and a front wheel shaft 3, and a handle 6 via a handle stem 5 and the like. Is provided. A rear wheel 9 is supported at the rear end portion of the rear frame 7 via a rear wheel shaft 8 and the like, and a seat pipe 11 is rotatably provided at a middle portion via a left / right shaft 10. In addition, a saddle 12 is provided on the seat pipe 11 side.

  A link mechanism means 13 is provided for connecting both the frames 1 and 7 to bring the front and rear wheels 4 and 9 into a use state and a folded state. The link mechanism means 13 includes a rear end portion of the front frame 1 and a front end portion of the first link body 14 formed integrally with the rear frame 7 so as to be rotatable via a connecting shaft 15 in the left-right direction. The front end is connected to the middle portion of the front frame 1 via the left / right direction pin 16 so as to be relatively rotatable, and the rear end is connected to the lower end portion of the seat post 11 via the left / right direction pin 17 so as to be relatively rotatable. It is configured by providing a second arm-shaped link body 18.

  Between the upper protrusion 1A integrally formed at the rear end of the front frame 1 side and the upper protrusion 14A integrally formed at the front end of the first link body 14 on the rear frame 7 side, The locking means 20 for maintaining the postures of both the frames 1 and 7 is provided. The locking means 20 includes a rod body 22 provided on the upper projecting portion 14 </ b> A of the first link body 14 via a left / right pin 21, and a cam body 23 provided at the free end of the rod body 22. And an operation tool 24 provided on the cam body 23, a recess 25 formed in the upper projecting portion 1A on the front frame 1 side and into which the rod body 22 can be fitted, and a front surface side of the upper projecting portion 1A. The cam receiving surface 26 is used.

  A left and right crankshaft 30 is rotatably provided at a position near the front portion of the rear frame 7, and a front sprocket 31 attached to the crankshaft 30 and a rear sprocket 32 attached to the rear wheel shaft 8. A chain 33 is hung between them. Cranks 34 are provided at both ends of the crankshaft 30, and pedals 35 are provided on these cranks 34. Reference numeral 36 denotes a chain case.

  When the front wheel (the other wheel) 4 is pushed and moved so as to move in parallel toward the rear wheel (one wheel) 9 among the wheels 4 and 9, due to the moving rotational force of the rear wheel 9, Folding assisting means 40 is provided that moves the front wheel 4 faster than the rear wheel 9 so as to approach the rear wheel 9 and cause both frames 1 and 7 to fold upward. Here, the folding assist means 40 includes a chain transmission mechanism 42 provided between the left and right support shafts 41 provided on the first link body 14 and the crankshaft 30, the front frame 1, and the first link body 14. It is comprised with the gear transmission mechanism 46 provided between adjacent edge parts.

  That is, the chain transmission mechanism 42 includes a first sprocket 43 attached to the crankshaft 30, a second sprocket 44 attached rotatably to the support shaft 41, and a chain 45 hung between the two sprockets 43, 44. Composed. The gear transmission mechanism 46 includes a gear 47 that is rotatably attached to the support shaft 41 and integrated with the second sprocket 44, and a partial gear 48 that is fixed to the rear end of the front frame 1. The partial gear 48 is arranged so that the center of the gear coincides with the axis of the connecting shaft 15. Reference numeral 49 denotes a cover body.

  As a result, the folding assist means 40 is configured with a moving rotational force transmission path that is transmitted to the first sprocket 43, the chain 45, the second sprocket 44, the gear 47, and the partial gear 48. The moving rotational force transmission path is cut off when the lock unit 20 is locked, and is connected by an elastic biasing force when the lock unit 20 is unlocked.

  That is, a hole 27 opened rearward is formed in the upper projecting portion 1 </ b> A of the front frame 1, and the compression spring 28 housed in the hole 27 is a rear end surface of the upper projecting portion 14 </ b> A in the first link body 14. It is in contact with. As shown in FIG. 7, the locking means 20 is locked against the compression spring 28. At this time, the gear 47 and the partial gear 48 are not engaged with each other. When the lock means 20 is unlocked, as shown in FIG. 8, the upper protrusions 1A and 14A are separated from each other by the elastic biasing force of the compression spring 28. At this time, the gear 47 and the partial gear 48 are engaged with each other. .

  Hereinafter, in the above-described embodiment, the folding action of the folding bicycle will be described. FIG. 1 shows the state of use. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, the locking device means 20 has the rod body 22 positioned in the recess 25 and the cam body 23 abutted against the cam receiving surface 26, and is thus locked against the compression spring 28. Has been acted upon. As a result, the gear 47 and the partial gear 48 are moved away from each other and are not meshed with each other, and the moving rotational force transmission path is cut off.

  Therefore, even if the chain transmission mechanism 42 transmits the moving rotational force due to the backward movement of the folding bicycle, the folding assisting means 40 does not substantially work because it is cut off at the gear transmission mechanism 46. . As a result, the use of the folding bicycle, that is, forward and backward movement can be performed without any trouble.

  When the folding bicycle is folded, the locking means 20 is first released. This release can be performed by removing the cam body 23 from the cam receiving surface 26 by an operation via the operation tool 24. When the locking means 20 is released, as shown in FIG. 8, the upper projecting portions 1A and 14A are separated from each other by the elastic biasing force of the compression spring 28, and the connecting shaft 15 is raised. The gear 47 and the partial gear 48 are meshed with each other to connect the moving torque transmission path.

  When the connecting shaft 15 is further raised, as shown in FIG. 2, the wheels 4 and 9 are moved closer to each other so that the handle stem 5 is tilted forward, that is, the handle 6 is positioned in front of the front wheel 4. It becomes a state.

  In this state, the folding bicycle is pushed (reversed) while holding the handle 6. That is, the front wheel 4 is pushed and moved in parallel to the rear wheel 9 within a predetermined time. Then, the rear wheel 9 is rotated by the rearward movement, and the moving rotational force of the rear wheel 9 is transmitted to the crankshaft 30 via the rear wheel shaft 8, the rear sprocket 32, the chain 33, and the front sprocket 31, and this The crankshaft 30 is rotated.

  The rotational force of the crankshaft 30 is transmitted to the first sprocket 43, the chain 45, the second sprocket 44, and the gear 47 and then transmitted to the partial gear 48 meshed with the gear 47. As a result, the partial gear 48 is rotated around the axis of the connecting shaft 15. At this time, the partial gear 48 is integrated with the front frame 1. And both the frames 1 and 7 are folded upward by raising the connecting shaft 15.

  That is, the folding assisting means 40 moves the front wheel 4 faster than the rear wheel 9 so as to approach the rear wheel 9, and as a result, as shown in FIG. Then, the seat pipe 11 side is also in a forward-turned state via the link mechanism means 13. Such folding operation is performed until a part of both wheels 4 and 9 are overlapped in the left-right direction, as shown in FIG.

  Next, when the handle stem 5 side is folded with respect to the front hawk 2 side, the folding axis is formed obliquely, so the handle 6 is folded while rotating 90 degrees, and as shown in FIG. Can be stored in the case 50.

  In the state of being completely folded in this way, as described above, a part of the wheels 4 and 9 are overlapped in the left-right direction, so that the vehicle length direction becomes very short and can be made compact.

  The folded bicycle that is folded and stored in the case 50 can be assembled by using the locking means 20 after locking the wheels 4 and 9 so that the wheels 4 and 9 are separated from each other. .

  In the above-described embodiment, the folding bicycle is pushed and folded. However, for example, in the case of adopting the free wheel to the crankshaft 30, the folding is performed by pushing (reverse) to the folded state, that is, by pushing (forward), that is, By moving the rear wheel (the other wheel) 9 forward in parallel toward the front wheel (one wheel) 4 out of the both wheels 4 and 9, it is brought into use as in the case of (Embodiment 1). Can be assembled.

(Embodiment 2)
In the above-described free wheel adoption type for the crankshaft 30, the freewheel structure in the rear sprocket 32 is moved into the crankshaft 30.

  In FIG. 9, the transmission process of the moving rotational force that is folded when pushed back (reversed) will be described. An outer shaft 55 is fitted on the crankshaft 30 so as to be relatively rotatable. The outer shaft 55 is pivotally supported by a hanger leg 57 via a bearing 56. A first sprocket 43 is integrated at one end of the outer shaft 55, and a front sprocket 31 is integrated at the other end, and the front sprocket 31 is pivotally supported by the crankshaft 30 via a free wheel 58.

  According to this embodiment, when the crankshaft 30 is rotated forward together with the crank 34, the front sprocket 31 is also rotated positively through the free wheel 58. The reverse rotation on the crank 34 side is caused by the free mechanism of the free wheel 58, and the front sprocket 31 does not rotate.

  When the bicycle is pushed with the locking means 20 released (FIG. 2), the rotational movement force of the rear wheel 9 is the rear wheel shaft 8, the rear sprocket 32, the chain 33, the front sprocket 31, the outer shaft 55, the first sprocket. 43, the chain 45, and the second sprocket 44, and is folded in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Moreover, if it pushes forward (forward) from this folded state, a moving rotational force will be transmitted to a reverse direction and it can assemble to a use state.

  In the first and second embodiments described above, a combination structure of the chain transmission mechanism 42 and the gear transmission mechanism 46 is adopted as the folding assisting means 40, but this changes the chain transmission mechanism 42 to another gear transmission mechanism. Or a drive shaft type.

  In the first and second embodiments described above, a chain transmission mechanism is employed for transmission between the crankshaft 30 and the rear wheel shaft 8, but this may employ another gear transmission mechanism such as a shaft drive type. .

The side view in the use condition of the folding bicycle which shows Embodiment 1 of this invention Side view of the same folding bicycle when unlocking Side view of the folding bicycle during folding Side view of the folding bicycle near the end of folding Side view of the same folded bicycle Top view of the folding assist means part of the same folding bicycle Longitudinal side view at the time of locking of the locking means part in the same folding bicycle Longitudinal side view at the time of unlocking the locking means part in the same folding bicycle The top view of the part of the folding assistance means of Embodiment 2 which shows Embodiment 2 of this invention Side view of a conventional example with a folding bicycle in use Side view of the same folded bicycle

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Front frame 1A Upper protrusion part 4 Front wheel 6 Handle 7 Rear frame 8 Rear wheel shaft 9 Rear wheel 11 Seat pipe 13 Link mechanism means 14 1st link body 14A Upper protrusion part 15 Connection shaft 18 2nd link body 20 Lock means 22 Rod body 23 Cam body 26 Cam receiving surface 28 Compression spring 30 Crankshaft 40 Folding auxiliary means 41 Support shaft 42 Chain transmission mechanism 43 First sprocket 44 Second sprocket 45 Chain 46 Gear transmission mechanism 47 Gear 48 Partial gear

Claims (3)

It has a front wheel and a rear wheel, and the other wheel is configured to be movable toward one of the two wheels, and the rotational force when the wheel is moved while rotating is transmitted. A folding assisting means for moving the other wheel to the wheel side of the vehicle and performing a folding operation, and a locking means for holding the folding bicycle in use,
The folding assisting means is characterized in that the traveling rotational force transmission path is cut off when the locking means is locked and the traveling rotational force transmission path is connected when the locking means is unlocked when the folding bicycle is not in use. . Front wheel and rear wheel, front frame supporting the front wheel, rear frame supporting the rear wheel, link mechanism means for connecting the two frames to bring the front and rear wheels into the use state and the folded state, and the use state The locking means for maintaining the posture of both frames at the same time, and the rotational force when the one wheel is moved while rotating, is transmitted, the other wheel is moved to one wheel side, and both frames are moved upward Folding assist means for folding,
The folding assisting means is a folding bicycle characterized in that the moving rotational force transmission path is cut off when the locking means is locked and the moving rotational force transmission path is connected when the lock means is unlocked. An elastic urging means for urging the front frame and the rear frame to the side in which the front frame and the rear frame are folded to each other is provided, and the moving rotational force transmission path is connected by the urging force of the elastic urging means when the lock means is unlocked. The folding bicycle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the front frame and the rear frame are configured to move relative to each other.

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