JP2009214756A - Bicycle folding mechanism and bicycle equipped with the folding mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To downsize an external shape while materializing sufficient coupling strength by a simple structure. <P>SOLUTION: The bicycle folding mechanism includes a coupling rod 13 coupling a first coupler 11 and a second coupler 12 coupled through a hinge 15 so as to be folded at linear coupling positions, and a locking tool 14 coupled to the coupling rod 13. The first coupler 11 and the second coupler 12 respectively have shaft holes 20, 30 in which the coupling rod 13 is axially inserted, and is provided with slits 21, 31 guiding the locking tool 14 so as to open. In the folding mechanism, while the coupling rod 13 is inserted in the shaft holes 20, 30 of the first coupler 11 and the second coupler 12, the first coupler 11 and the second coupler 12 are coupled at the linear coupling position and locked at the coupling position by the locking tool 14. A locking state of the locking tool 14 is released, and the coupling rod 13 is pulled out from the shaft hole 30 of the second coupler 12, and then the first coupler 11 and the second coupler 12 are folded by the hinge 15. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a folding mechanism for a bicycle and a bicycle including the folding mechanism, and more particularly to a folding mechanism for a bicycle that is connected to a frame and a handle and folds the frame and the handle to make it compact. The present invention relates to a bicycle provided with a mechanism.

  Bicycles can be made compact as a structure in which the frame and handle can be folded. The present inventor has developed a bicycle folding mechanism for the purpose of realizing this. (See Patent Document 1)

FIG. 1 shows a folding mechanism 82 described in Patent Document 1 previously developed by the present inventor. The folding mechanism 82 includes a first connector 83 and a second connector 84 that are coupled to each other via a hinge 85 so as to be rotatable. The first connector 83 and the second connector 84 are connected in the middle of the cut frame so that the frame can be folded. The first connector 83 and the second connector 84 are disposed in a plane orthogonal to the hinge 85, and are disposed at positions where they wrap with each other in a linear connection state in which the connection tube 1 is linearly connected. The first plate 86 and the second plate 87 are provided. The first connector 83 includes a lock pin 91 that passes through the first plate 86 in a direction parallel to the hinge 85 and can move in the axial direction. The lock pin 91 includes a protrusion locking portion 91B that protrudes from the upper surface to the lower surface of the first plate 86, and is elastically pressed by the elastic body 93 in the direction in which the protrusion locking portion 91B protrudes. The second plate 87 of the second connector 84 has a lock hole 92 that guides the protruding locking portion 91B in a state where the connection tube 81 is linearly connected. In a state in which the elastic body 93 guides the protrusion locking portion 91B to the lock hole 92, the second connector 84 and the first connector 83 lock in a state in which the connection tube 81 is linearly connected, and the protrusion locking portion. The lock pin 91 is pushed in the direction in which 91B is pushed out from the lock hole 92, the second connector 84 is rotated with respect to the first connector 83, and the connection tube 81 is folded.
JP 2001-80565 A

  The folding mechanism of FIG. 1 has a complicated structure, and it is necessary to increase the outer shape of the first connector and the second connector in order to obtain sufficient connection strength, and the connection portion becomes thick. There were drawbacks.

  The present invention has been developed for the purpose of solving this drawback. An important object of the present invention is to provide a bicycle folding mechanism capable of reducing the outer shape while realizing a sufficient connection strength with a simple structure, and a bicycle including the folding mechanism.

The bicycle folding mechanism of the present invention has the following configuration in order to achieve the above-described object.
The bicycle folding mechanism includes a first connector 11 and a second connector 12 that are connected to a folding portion of the bicycle. This folding mechanism includes a connecting rod 13 that connects the first connecting tool 11 and the second connecting tool 12 to a linear connecting position, and the first connecting tool 11 and the second connecting tool that are connected to the connecting rod 13. 12 and a locking device 14 that locks 12 in a linear connection position. The first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are foldably connected via a hinge 15. Furthermore, the 1st connection tool 11 and the 2nd connection tool 12 have the shaft holes 20 and 30 which penetrate the connection rod 13 to an axial direction, and the 1st connection tool 11 is the 2nd in the shaft hole 20. A connecting rod 13 is disposed so as to freely enter and exit toward the shaft hole 30 of the connector 12. Further, the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are provided with slits 21 and 31 that guide the lock member 14 connected to the connecting rod 13. The folding mechanism is such that the first connecting tool 11 and the second connecting tool 12 are in a linear connecting position in a state where the connecting rod 13 is inserted into the shaft holes 20 and 30 of the first connecting tool 11 and the second connecting tool 12. It is connected and locked at the connecting position by the locking tool 14, the locked state of the locking tool 14 is released, and the connecting rod 13 is pulled out from the shaft hole 30 of the second connecting tool 12, so that the first connecting tool 11 and the second connecting tool are connected. The tool 12 is folded at the hinge 15.

  In the bicycle folding mechanism according to claim 2 of the present invention, the second connector 12 has a protruding portion 32 that protrudes from the hinge 15 toward the first connector 11, and the first connector 11 protrudes from the first connector 11. The projection 32 has a fitting recess 22 for fitting the portion 32, and slits 31, 21 for guiding the locking device 14 are provided in the projection 32 and the fitting recess 22. In this folding mechanism, the locking device 14 presses the protruding portion 32 against the fitting recess 22, and the first connecting device 11 and the second connecting device 12 are locked.

  In the bicycle folding mechanism according to claim 3 of the present invention, the locking device 14 is connected to the screw portion 41 that is screwed into the connecting rod 13 in the radial direction and the tip of the screw portion 41 so as to be tiltable. And a cam lever 42 that presses the protrusion 32 of the connector 12 against the fitting recess 22, and the cam lever 42 presses the protrusion 32 against the fitting recess 22 to cause the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 to move. Locked.

  The bicycle folding mechanism according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is provided with a flange 43 inserted through the screw portion 41 inside the cam lever 42, and the screw portion 41 is formed inside the rod 43 with the slits 21, 31. A coil spring 44 having a smaller outer diameter is inserted, and the coil spring 44 elastically pushes up the cam lever 42 via the flange 43.

  In the bicycle folding mechanism according to claim 5 of the present invention, the first connector 11 includes a push spring 17 that elastically pushes the connecting rod 13 toward the second connector 12.

  In the bicycle folding mechanism according to claim 6 of the present invention, the slit 21 provided in the first connector 11 closes the end on the second connector 12 side, and the stopper 25 of the connecting rod 13 is provided. Yes.

  In the bicycle folding mechanism according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, a connecting hole 46 for inserting the connecting pin 45 for connecting the cam lever 42 is provided at the rear end of the screw portion 41, and the connecting pin inserted through the connecting hole 46. The cam lever 42 is connected to the screw portion 41 via 45.

  A bicycle according to an eighth aspect of the present invention includes the folding mechanism according to the first aspect.

  The folding mechanism of the present invention is characterized in that the outer shape can be reduced while realizing a sufficient connection strength with a simple structure. That is, the folding mechanism of the present invention linearly connects the first connector and the second connector connected to the bicycle frame, handle, etc. via the connecting rod, and locks it with the lock device. Because. In particular, in the folding mechanism of the present invention, the first connector and the second connector are connected to each other via a hinge, and a connecting rod is axially connected to the first connector and the second connector. A shaft hole that is inserted into the shaft hole of the first connector, a connection rod is connected to the shaft hole of the second connector so as to freely enter and exit, and the first connector and the second connector are The slit which guides the locking tool connected to the connecting rod is provided with an opening, and the first connecting tool and the second connecting member are inserted in the shaft holes of the first connecting tool and the second connecting tool. The tool is connected to the linear connecting position and locked to the connecting position by the lock tool, the lock tool is unlocked, the connecting rod is pulled out from the shaft hole of the second connector, and the first connector and the second connector are connected. It has a unique structure in which the tool is folded at the hinge. Therefore, the folding mechanism of the present invention realizes a feature that makes the connecting portion compact while increasing the connecting strength with a simple structure.

  In the folding mechanism according to the second aspect of the present invention, the second connector has a protrusion protruding from the hinge toward the first connector, and the first connector has a fitting recess into which the protrusion is fitted. A slit for guiding the locking device is provided in the projecting portion and the fitting recess, and the locking device presses the projecting portion against the fitting recess to bring the first connector and the second connector into a locked state. Therefore, the first connecting tool and the second connecting tool can be reliably locked by pressing the protruding portion against the fitting recess.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the folding mechanism includes a screw portion in which the lock member is screwed into the connecting rod in the radial direction and a cam lever that is tiltably connected to the tip of the screw portion, and the cam lever protrudes. Since the first connecting tool and the second connecting tool are locked by pressing the part against the fitting recess, the screw part can be rotated by the cam lever, the tightening state can be adjusted, and the locked state can be released.

  In the folding mechanism according to claim 4 of the present invention, a hook is provided at the tip of the screw part and inside the cam lever, and the screw part is inserted through the coil spring having an outer diameter smaller than the slit into the hook. Since the coil spring elastically pushes up the cam lever through the hook, the cam lever can reliably press the protrusion to the fitting recess through the hook and lock it.

  In the folding mechanism according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the screw portion has a connecting hole through which a connecting pin for connecting the cam lever is inserted at the tip, and the cam lever is connected to the screw portion through the connecting pin inserted through the connecting hole. As a result, the cam lever can be tiltably coupled to the screw portion with a simple structure.

  In the folding mechanism according to claim 6 of the present invention, the slit provided in the second connector closes the end on the first connector side, so that the connecting rod is prevented from coming out of the first connector. And can be used conveniently.

  In the folding mechanism according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, since the first connector includes a push spring that elastically pushes the connecting rod toward the second connector, the connecting rod is smoothly connected to the second connector. The first connector and the second connector can be connected through the shaft hole.

  Since the bicycle according to claim 8 of the present invention includes the folding mechanism according to claim 1, the bicycle can be folded compactly, the folding mechanism is made simple, and the coupling strength is strong. The outer shape can be reduced.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment described below exemplifies a bicycle and a folding mechanism for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the present invention does not specify the bicycle and the folding mechanism as follows.

  Further, in this specification, for easy understanding of the scope of claims, numbers corresponding to the members shown in the embodiments are indicated in the “claims” and “means for solving problems” sections. It is added to the members. However, the members shown in the claims are not limited to the members in the embodiments.

  A bicycle having a folding mechanism is shown in FIGS. In the bicycle shown in these drawings, the folding mechanism 10 is provided in the frame 50. In the frame 50, a head tube 53 that connects the front pipe 54 and the front fork 55 and a standing pipe 52 that connects the saddle 60 are connected by a connecting tube 51. The standing pipe 52 has a saddle 60 connected to the upper part thereof and a lower end connected to a bearing 63 that receives the crank 62 of the pedal 61. In the bicycle frame 50 shown in the drawing, the rear end of the connection tube 51 is connected to the lower part of the standing pipe 52, and the front end of the connection tube 51 is connected to the head tube 53. In this bicycle, the standing pipe 52 and the connecting tube 51 are separate pipes, but the standing pipe and the connecting tube can be a single pipe. Further, the vertical pipe and the top and bottom of the head tube can be connected by two connecting tubes. A bicycle frame comprising two connecting tubes connects a folding mechanism between the upper and lower connecting tubes.

  The bicycle shown in the figure has a folding mechanism 10 in the middle of the connecting tube 51. In the bicycle shown in FIG. 2, the standing pipe 52 and the head tube 53 are connected by a linear connecting tube 51, and the folding mechanism 10 is disposed at an intermediate portion of the connecting tube 51. In order to dispose the folding mechanism 10, the connection tube 51 of the frame 50 is cut in the middle in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The connecting tube 51 is configured to be foldable by connecting the folding mechanism 10 to the opposed tip of the disconnected connecting tube 51. As shown by the arrow B in FIG. 3, the bicycle having this structure can be folded back and forth by folding the connecting tube 51 of the frame 50 in the horizontal plane by the folding mechanism 10. Therefore, the cutting position of the connecting tube 51 is set to a position where the bicycle main body can be divided into almost equal parts.

  Further, the bicycle shown in the drawing is provided with a folding mechanism 10 in the middle of the standing pipe 52 and the front pipe 54. In order to dispose the folding mechanism 10, the standing pipe 52 and the front pipe 54 are separated by cutting the middle in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and the folding mechanism 10 is disposed at the opposite end of the separated pipe. Can be bent freely. As shown by the arrow A in FIG. 2, the bicycle having this structure can be folded up and down by folding the standing pipe 52 in the vertical plane by the folding mechanism 10. Further, as indicated by an arrow C in FIG. 4, the front pipe 54 can be folded up and down by folding the front pipe 54 in the vertical plane by the folding mechanism 10. Further, although not shown, the bicycle can also be connected to a folding mechanism on the handle. This bicycle can fold the handle pipe in the middle.

  An enlarged perspective view of the folding mechanism 10 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and an enlarged sectional view is shown in FIG. 5 and 7 show the folding mechanism 10 in the linear connecting position, and FIG. 6 shows the folded state of the folding mechanism 10 shown in FIG. The folding mechanism 10 in these drawings includes a first connector 11 and a second connector 12. The bicycle shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 is provided with a folding mechanism 10 on a connecting tube 51, a standing pipe 52, and a front pipe 54, which are frames 50. The folding mechanism 10 that foldably connects the connecting tube 51 connects the first connecting tool 11 to the rear connecting tube 51 and connects the second connecting tool 12 to the front connecting tube 51. In the folding mechanism 10 that foldably connects the standing pipe 52, the first connecting tool 11 is connected to the lower standing pipe 52, and the second connecting tool 12 is connected to the upper standing pipe 52. The folding mechanism 10 that foldably connects the front pipe 54 connects the first connector 11 to the lower front pipe 54 and connects the second connector 12 to the upper front pipe 54.

  In addition to the first connector 11 and the second connector 12, the folding mechanism 10 includes a connecting rod 13 that connects the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 to a linear connection position, and the connecting rod 13. And a locking tool 14 that locks the first connecting tool 11 and the second connecting tool 12 in a linear connecting position.

  In the first connector 11 and the second connector 12, the connection ends 23 and 33 are cylindrical in order to connect the connection ends of the connection tube 51, the standing pipe 52, and the front pipe 54 that are the frames 50. The first connector 11 and the second connector 12 shown in the figure have a cylindrical shape with a thin tip and different thickness. The connecting ends 23 and 33 can be firmly connected to the frame 50 by inserting the column portion into the connecting end portion of the frame 50 and welding the boundary with the connecting end portion. Further, the folding mechanism connected to the handle is securely connected by inserting a cylindrical connecting end into the handle pipe and welding the boundary with the handle pipe. In particular, the cylindrical connecting ends 23 and 33 are inserted and welded to the connecting ends of the connecting tube 51, the standing pipe 52 and the front pipe 54, which are the frames 50, or are inserted and welded to the connecting ends of the handle pipe. The connection structure can be connected to the frame 50 and the handle with extremely high bending strength. In addition, columnar connecting ends having different thicknesses can be reliably connected by being inserted into connecting ends of frames or handles having different thicknesses.

  The first connector 11 and the second connector 12 can be manufactured by casting iron or an iron alloy, and further aluminum or an aluminum alloy into a cylindrical shape. The first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are foldably connected via a hinge 15. The first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are provided by integrally forming a hinge 15. The hinge 15 is provided on one side of the connection end surface of the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 so that the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 can be bent, that is, can be folded. Connect to The first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are provided with cylindrical portions 24 and 34 that pass through the rotating shaft 16 of the hinge 15 so as to protrude to one side of the connection end surface, and to the right in FIGS. 5 and 7. The rotating shaft 16 is inserted into the cylindrical portions 24 and 34, and the first connecting tool 11 and the second connecting tool 12 are connected via the rotating shaft 16 so that they can be folded. The cylindrical portions 24 and 34 of the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are displaced from each other in the axial direction of the rotary shaft 16 so that they can be inserted through and connected to the rotary shaft 16.

  The first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are linearly connected via a connecting rod 13. Therefore, the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are provided with shaft holes 20 and 30 through which the connecting rod 13 is inserted in the axial direction. The first connector 11 and the second connector 12 shown in the figure are formed in a cylindrical shape as a whole and are provided with axial holes 20 and 30 along the central axis thereof.

  Furthermore, the 1st connection tool 11 is inserted and connected so that the connection rod 13 can reciprocate to the axial hole 20. As shown in FIG. The connecting rod 13 is a cylindrical metal rod, and is connected to the first connector 11 so as to enter and exit toward the shaft hole 30 of the second connector 12. In the illustrated folding mechanism 10, the connecting rod 13 has a columnar shape, but the connecting rod does not necessarily have a columnar shape. For example, although not shown, the connecting rod 13 may have a prismatic or elliptical column shape. The first connector 11 elastically pushes the connecting rod 13 toward the second connector 12 by a push spring 17. The push spring 17 is a coil spring and is inserted into the shaft hole 20 to elastically push out the connecting rod 13. The pressing spring 17 is inserted between the rear end of the connecting rod 13 and the bottom surface of the shaft hole 20 in an elastically compressed state, and elastically pushes the connecting rod 13.

  A slit 21 (to be described later) provided in the first connector 11 closes the end on the second connector 12 side so that the connecting rod 13 is not pushed from the first connector 11 by being pushed by the push spring 17. Thus, the stopper 25 of the connecting rod 13 is used. The stopper 25 comes into contact with the threaded portion 41 of the locking tool 14 that moves along the slit 21 to prevent the connecting rod 13 from coming out of the shaft hole 20 of the first connecting tool 11. In other words, the connecting rod 13 is pushed out by the push spring 17 until the screw portion 41 of the locking device 14 hits the stopper 25, and the tip portion protruding from the shaft hole 20 is inserted into the shaft hole 30 of the second connecting device 12. Then, the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are linearly connected.

  The structure in which the push spring 17 elastically pushes the connecting rod 13 is such that when the first connecting tool 11 and the second connecting tool 12 are linearly connected, the connecting rod 13 is connected from the first connecting tool 11 to the second connecting tool 12. It can protrude smoothly toward. Further, in the connected state, the distal end portion of the connecting rod 13 is inserted into the shaft hole 30 of the second connecting tool 12 to reliably connect the first connecting tool 11 and the second connecting tool 12 in a straight line. However, in the folding mechanism of the present invention, the connecting rod can be inserted into the shaft hole of the second connector by the lock mechanism without pushing the connecting rod toward the shaft hole of the second connector by a push spring.

  Furthermore, the 2nd connection tool 12 shown in the figure has provided the protrusion part 32 which protrudes toward the 1st connection tool 11 from the hinge 15 in a connection end surface. The first connector 11 is provided with a fitting recess 22 for fitting the protruding portion 32 of the second connector 12. The 2nd connection tool 12 shown in the figure makes the side part of the connection end surface on the opposite side to the hinge 15 protrude, and makes the side part of a connection end surface the protrusion part 32. As shown in FIG. The second connector 12 is provided with a protrusion 32 so that one half of the connection end surface protrudes toward the first connector 11. The 1st connection tool 11 makes the connection end surface the shape which follows the connection end surface of the 2nd connection tool 12, and is setting it as the fitting recessed part 22 which fits the protrusion part 32. FIG. The 1st connection tool 11 and the 2nd connection tool 12 of a figure provide the protrusion part 32 and the fitting recessed part 22 by making a mutual connection end surface into a curved surface. The connection end surfaces of the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 provided with the protrusion 32 and the fitting recess 22 can be tilted from the linear connection position to the folding position about the rotation shaft 16 of the hinge 15. And it is shape | molded in the shape which presses the protrusion part 32 against the fitting recessed part 22 with the locking tool 14, and can lock to a linear connection position. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the first connection tool 11 and the second connection tool 12 are configured as second inclined surfaces that protrude toward the first connection tool 11 in the direction away from the hinge 15. The protrusion 12 can be provided in the connector 12, and the fitting recess 22 can be provided in the first connector 11. Therefore, in this specification, the “fitting recess” means a shape capable of guiding the protrusion 32 in a state where the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are linearly connected. It is not always necessary to have a recessed shape.

  The protrusions 32 of the second connector 12 and the fitting recesses 22 of the first connector 11 are provided with slits 21 and 31 for guiding a screw portion 41 of the lock device 14 to be described later. The first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are provided with slits 21 and 31 linearly at the linear connection position. Since the slits 21 and 31 move the screw part 41 of the locking device 14, the width of the screw part 41 can be moved. In the folding mechanism 10 of FIG. The width in which the screw portion 41 can be moved, that is, wider than the outer diameter of the coil spring 44 is set. The locking device 14 moves the screw portion 41 along the slits 21 and 31, and presses the protruding portion 32 against the fitting recess 22 with the cam lever 42, so that the first connecting device 11 and the second connecting device 12 are moved. Lock in a straight connection position. Since the protruding portion 32 is provided on the side facing the hinge 15, the slits 21 and 31 are also on the side facing the hinge 15 so that the screw portion 41 in a posture orthogonal to the rotation axis 16 of the hinge 15 can be moved. Provided. As described above, the slit 21 of the first connector 11 closes the end of the second connector 12 and is provided with the stopper 25 of the connecting rod 13, but the slit 31 of the second connector 12 is The first connector 11 side is opened so that the screw part 41 of the lock tool 14 can be taken in and out. This is because when the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are folded, the screw portion 41 of the lock device 14 is pulled out from the slit 31 of the second connector 12.

  6 and 7 is connected to a threaded portion 41 that is screwed into the connecting rod 13 in the radial direction, and a tip of the threaded portion 41 so as to be tiltable. And a cam lever 42 that presses against the fitting recess 22. The connecting rod 13 is provided with a female screw hole 18 into which the screw portion 41 of the lock tool 14 is screwed. The female screw hole 18 is provided in the middle of the connecting rod 13 in the radial direction. The threaded portion 41 is rotated clockwise by the cam lever 42 and screwed into the connecting rod 13, and further rotated counterclockwise and moved in the direction of coming out of the connecting rod 13. When the locking tool 14 locks the first connecting tool 11 and the second connecting tool 12 at the linear connecting position, the cam lever 42 rotates the screw portion 41 clockwise to screw it into the connecting rod 13, and then operates the cam lever 42. The protrusion 32 is pressed against the fitting recess 22. The lock tool 14 is inserted into the shaft hole 30 of the second connecting tool 12 by inserting the distal end portion of the connecting rod 13 so that the first connecting tool 11 and the second connecting tool 12 are connected in a straight line with the cam lever 42. The protrusion 32 is pressed against the fitting recess 22 and locked. Accordingly, the female screw hole 18 of the connecting rod 13 is provided at a position where the protruding portion 32 can be pressed against the fitting recess 22 by the cam lever 42 at the linear connecting position.

  The locking device 14 shown in the figure has a flange 43 inserted through the screw portion 41 inside the cam lever 42. Further, the screw portion 41 has a coil spring 44 having an outer diameter smaller than that of the slit 21 inserted inside the flange 43. In the locking device 14, the coil spring 44 elastically pushes up the cam lever 42 via the flange 43 in a state where the lock is released. Therefore, the connecting rod 13 can be smoothly moved in the axial direction in the unlocked state. This is because the coil spring 44 separates the flange 43 so as not to contact the surface of the protrusion 32 of the second connector 12.

  The threaded portion 41 is provided with a connecting hole 46 through which a connecting pin 45 for connecting the cam lever 42 is inserted, at the rear end, in FIG. The cam lever 42 is connected to the rear end of the screw portion 41 through a connecting pin 45 inserted through the connecting hole 46. The cam lever 42 has a shape in which the lever 42B is connected to a cam 42A having a different distance from the center of rotation of the connecting pin 45 to the outer periphery. 42B is rotated and it is made the shape which can press the collar 43. FIG. The cam lever 42 shown in FIG. 7 locks the first connecting tool 11 and the second connecting tool 12 in the linear connecting position by pressing the protruding portion 32 against the fitting recess 22 with the flange 43 in the position of the solid line in FIG. 7 is rotated to the position indicated by the chain line in FIG. 7 so that the protrusion 32 is not pressed against the fitting recess 22, that is, the lock is released, and the connecting rod 13 can be moved along the shaft holes 20 and 30. In a state where the lock is released, the screw portion 41 is rotated via the cam lever 42, and the connecting rod 13 can be moved along the shaft holes 20 and 30 more smoothly by further separating the flange 43 from the surface of the protruding portion 32.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the folding mechanism 10 described above is in a state in which the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 can be folded as follows, and locked in a linear connection position. .
[Folded state]
(1) The cam lever 42 of the locking device 14 is set to the position shown in FIG. 9B, and the hook 43 is separated from the surface of the protruding portion 32 to release the lock. In this state, as shown in FIG. 9B, the cam lever 42 is rotated so as to loosen the screw portion 41, and as shown in FIG. Can be released.
(2) In a state where the lock is released, the screw portion 41 is moved from the second connector 12 to the first connector 11 along the slits 21 and 31 as shown in FIG. The connecting rod 13 in which the screw portion 41 is moved in this direction is pulled out from the shaft hole 30 of the second connector 12 as shown in FIG.
(3) When the tip of the connecting rod 13 is pulled out from the shaft hole 30 of the second connecting tool 12, the connecting rod 13 does not hold the first connecting tool 11 and the second connecting tool 12 in the linear connecting position. Accordingly, in this state, as shown in FIG. 9E, the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 can be folded via the rotation shaft 16 of the hinge 15.

[Locked state]
(1) As shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the screw part 41 of the lock tool 14 is moved along the slits 21 and 31 from the second connector 11 to the first connector 12. Thus, as shown in FIG. 10C, the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 are set to be linear connection positions.
(2) As shown in FIG. 10C, the screw portion 41 of the lock tool 14 is moved along the slits 21 and 31 in the direction from the first connector 11 to the second connector 12. In this state, the tip of the connecting rod 13 is inserted into the shaft hole 30 of the second connecting tool 12, and the connecting rod 13 holds the first connecting tool 11 and the second connecting tool 12 in a linear connecting position.
(3) Further, as shown in FIGS. 10 (e) and 10 (f), the cam lever 42 of the locking device 14 is rotated, and the protruding portion 32 is pressed against the fitting recess 22 by the flange 43 to bring the locked state. To do. At this time, when the cam lever 42 is rotated and the protrusion 32 cannot be firmly pressed against the fitting recess 22 by the flange 43, the flange 43 is separated from the surface of the protrusion 32 as shown in FIG. Then, after the screw lever 41 is rotated by the cam lever 42 in the screwing direction to the connecting rod 13, the cam lever 42 is rotated to the locked position as shown in FIGS. 10 (e) and 10 (f). The protrusion 32 is firmly pressed against the fitting recess 22 to be securely locked.

It is a perspective view of the conventional folding mechanism. It is a side view of the bicycle provided with the folding mechanism concerning one Example of this invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the bicycle shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bicycle shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the folding mechanism in a linear connection position. It is a perspective view which shows the state which folded the folding mechanism shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the folding mechanism shown in FIG. It is a side view which shows another example of a folding mechanism. It is a figure which shows the process of folding the folding mechanism shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the process of locking the folding mechanism shown in FIG. 6 to a linear connection position.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Folding mechanism 11 ... 1st connection tool 12 ... 2nd connection tool 13 ... Connection rod 14 ... Locking tool 15 ... Hinge 16 ... Rotating shaft 17 ... Push spring 18 ... Female screw hole 20 ... Shaft hole 21 ... Slit 22 ... Insertion recessed part 23 ... Connection end 24 ... Tube part 25 ... Stopper 30 ... Shaft hole 31 ... Slit 32 ... Projection part 33 ... Connection end 34 ... Tube part 41 ... Screw part 42 ... Cam lever 42A ... Cam
42B ... Lever 43 ... 鍔 44 ... Coil spring 45 ... Connection pin 46 ... Connection hole 50 ... Frame 51 ... Connection tube 52 ... Standing pipe 53 ... Head tube 54 ... Front pipe 55 ... Front fork 60 ... Saddle 61 ... Pedal 62 ... Crank 63 ... Bearing 64 ... Handle 81 ... Connecting tube 82 ... Folding mechanism 83 ... First connecting tool 84 ... Second connecting tool 85 ... Hinge 86 ... First plate 87 ... Second plate 91 ... Lock pin 91B ... Protrusion locking portion 92 ... Lock hole 93 ... Elastic body

Claims (8)

A bicycle folding mechanism comprising a first connector (11) and a second connector (12) connected to a folding part of a bicycle,
A connecting rod (13) for connecting the first connecting tool (11) and the second connecting tool (12) to a linear connecting position, and the first connecting tool (11) connected to the connecting rod (13) A locking device (14) for locking the second coupling device (12) in a linear coupling position;
The first connector (11) and the second connector (12) are foldably connected via a hinge (15), and the first connector (11) and the second connector (12) are connected to each other. A shaft hole (20), (30) is inserted through the rod (13) in the axial direction. The first connector (11) is inserted into the shaft hole (20) of the shaft of the second connector (12). A connecting rod (13) is arranged so that it can enter and exit toward the hole (30).
Further, the first connector (11) and the second connector (12) open slits (21) and (31) for guiding the lock device (14) connected to the connecting rod (13). Provided,
The first connecting tool (11) and the second connecting tool in a state where the connecting rod (13) is inserted into the shaft holes (20) and (30) of the first connecting tool (11) and the second connecting tool (12). (12) is connected to the linear connecting position and locked to the connecting position by the locking tool (14), the locking tool (14) is unlocked and the connecting rod (13) is connected to the second connecting tool (12). A folding mechanism for a bicycle, which is drawn out from the shaft hole (30) of the bicycle so that the first connector (11) and the second connector (12) are folded by a hinge (15).   The second connector (12) has a projecting portion (32) projecting from the hinge (15) toward the first connector (11), and the first connector (11) is provided with the projecting portion (32). ), And the protrusion (32) and the fitting recess (22) are provided with slits (31), (21) for guiding the locking device (14). The locking tool (14) presses the protrusion (32) against the fitting recess (22) to lock the first connecting tool (11) and the second connecting tool (12). Bicycle folding mechanism.   The lock member (14) is connected to a screw part (41) which is screwed in the connecting rod (13) in a radial direction, and a tip of the screw part (41) so as to be tiltable, thereby the second connector (12). And a cam lever (42) that presses the protrusion (32) against the fitting recess (22), and the cam lever (42) presses the protrusion (32) against the fitting recess (22). 11. The bicycle folding mechanism according to claim 2, wherein 11) and the second connector (12) are locked.   On the inside of the cam lever (42), there is provided a flange (43) inserted through the screw portion (41), and the screw portion (41) is provided on the inner side of the flange (43) with slits (21), (31 The coil spring (44) having a smaller outer diameter than the coil spring (44) is inserted, and the coil spring (44) elastically pushes up the cam lever (42) through the flange (43). Bicycle folding mechanism.   The bicycle folding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first connector (11) includes a pushing spring (17) that elastically pushes the connecting rod (13) toward the second connector (12).   The slit (21) provided in the first connector (11) closes the end on the second connector (12) side and provides a stopper (25) of the connecting rod (13). 5. The bicycle folding mechanism described in 5.   A connecting hole (46) for inserting a connecting pin (45) for connecting the cam lever (42) is provided at the rear end of the screw portion (41), and a connecting pin (45) inserted through the connecting hole (46). The bicycle folding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the cam lever (42) is connected to the threaded portion (41) via a screw.   A bicycle comprising the folding mechanism according to claim 1.

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