JP2012071808A - Foldable bicycle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a bulking problem of an increased wheel size caused by a folding method for making a front wheel and a rear wheel approach each other irrespective of a fact that the larger a wheel size of a bicycle, the faster its speed, and the bicycle can easily ride over a step.SOLUTION: A bicycle frame is separated into a front frame and a rear frame, a front shaft for use in connecting an upper part and a lower part together is arranged inside the rear end of the front frame, a front end of a central shaft is connected near the central part of the front shaft in its longitudinal direction and the rear end of the central shaft is connected near the central part of the rear shaft in its longitudinal direction of connecting the upper part and lower part inside the front end of the rear frame. There is provided a foldable bicycle structure where a bicycle driver holds the central shaft, rotates the front shaft connecting portion to make the central shaft perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the front frame and concurrently, twists the central shaft at its rear end in such a way that a right angle in opposition to the front shaft is formed in regard to the longitudinal direction of the rear part of the frame, i.e. in such a way that the front frame, the central shaft and the rear frame may form an S-shaped crank, and then the driver rotates the connected part of the rear shaft and moves the rear wheel to the position in parallel with the front wheel without reversing the rear wheel in its front and rear positions.

Description

  The present invention relates to a folding bicycle.

  As a folding method of the folding bicycle, there are a method of bringing the front wheel and the rear wheel together as shown in Patent Documents 1, 2, and 4, or a method of folding by providing hinges at two locations as disclosed in Patent Document 3. The mainstream of folding bicycles currently on the market is a method in which there is one hinge in the center of the frame, and the rear wheel is reversed and overlapped with the front wheel.

Patent 3759730 Patent 3872801 JP 08-133160 Special table 2003-506253

  The larger the size of the wheel, the faster the speed and the level difference can be easily overcome. However, the folding method that brings the front and rear wheels together is not less than twice the wheel diameter after folding. When the size increases, it becomes bulky. Nowadays, an increasing number of people are traveling on bicycles or commuting by bicycle to bring their bicycles to the train, but the size after folding is naturally better. The challenge is how to fold a bicycle with large wheels.

  Providing multiple hinges on the frame and folding it multiple times is cumbersome and not compact. The method of folding the rear wheel by flipping the rear wheel by providing a hinge at one center of the frame is the mainstream in the current market, but as soon as the hinge is unlocked, the center of the frame falls under its own weight and the chain ring I'm about to reach the ground. In addition, the operation of turning the rear wheel over and superimposing it on the front wheel is difficult for a powerless woman or the like because the rear wheel must be rotated 180 degrees while supporting the vehicle weight. Furthermore, there are many cases where the location of the folding operation is not determined, and the hands are soiled with mud and oil.

  Tires occupy the largest volume when folding a bicycle with a practical wheel size. Superimposing these front and rear tires is one means for compact folding. In order to solve the above problems, the present invention separates the frame back and forth, provides a front shaft that connects up and down inside the rear end of the front frame, connects the front end of the central shaft near the longitudinal center of the front shaft, The rear end portion of the central shaft is connected to the vicinity of the center in the longitudinal direction of the rear shaft that is connected vertically to the inside of the front end of the rear frame. The front shaft, the central shaft, and the rear shaft can be rotated about their respective longitudinal directions as the central axis, and the central shaft is gripped and the front shaft connecting portion is rotated so that the central axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the front frame. At the same time, the central axis is formed so that the rear end of the central axis forms a right angle opposite to the front axis with respect to the longitudinal direction of the rear part of the frame, that is, the front frame, the central axis, and the rear frame are in an S-shaped crank shape. Next, the rear shaft connecting portion is rotated and moved to a position parallel to the front wheel without reversing the front and rear. Thus, the structure can be folded.

  In addition, the front frame, center shaft, and rear frame, which are straight when assembled, are covered with a cylindrical cover along the longitudinal direction of the frame, and each shaft does not rotate during running with a locking mechanism such as screwing. Thus, the cylindrical cover could be fixed to the frame. At the time of folding, the locking mechanism is released, and the cylindrical cover is slid forward or backward to enable the folding operation.

  When folded, the lock can be released, the cylindrical cover can be slid, the center shaft can be twisted at a right angle while slightly lifting it with one hand, and the rear wheel can be superimposed on the front wheel without reversing. Bicycles with practical tire sizes can be folded compactly.

  In addition, since the folding operation can be performed by grasping one place on the central axis, the place to hold can be clearly recognized. Since the central shaft is covered with a cylindrical cover during traveling, the hands are not soiled during operation.

It is a perspective view at the time of an assembly of a folding structure. It is a figure at the time of folding operation of a folding structure. It is a general view at the time of an assembly of a folding bicycle. It is a general view at the time of folding of a folding bicycle.

  Among the frames separated into the front and rear, there is a front shaft that connects up and down inside the rear end of the front frame, and the front end of the central shaft is connected near the longitudinal center of the front shaft, and the rear end of the central shaft Are connected to the vicinity of the center in the longitudinal direction of the rear shaft which is connected vertically inside the front end of the rear frame. The front axis, the central axis, and the rear axis can rotate with their longitudinal directions as the central axes. When assembling, the front frame, center shaft, and rear frame are straight, so that they cover the cylindrical cover along the longitudinal direction of the frame, and each shaft rotates while driving with a locking mechanism such as screwing. Do not fix. At the time of folding, the lock mechanism is released, and the cylindrical cover is slid forward or rearward of the frame to enable folding. The folding method is as follows. First, grip the center shaft, rotate the front shaft connecting part so that the center shaft is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the front frame, and at the same time, the rear end of the center shaft is perpendicular to the front axis. Is formed in the longitudinal direction of the rear portion of the frame, that is, the central shaft is twisted so that the front frame, the central shaft, and the rear frame are in an S-shaped crank shape, and then the rear shaft connecting portion is rotated. As a result, the rear wheel can be moved to a position parallel to the front wheel without being reversed, and folded.

  FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, which shows a folding mechanism of a central part of a folding bicycle frame. The frame cross section is a quadrangular prism, and through the folding mechanism part. 4. Front frame Separated into a rear frame. 1. The front shaft is cylindrical and is connected to the upper and lower walls inside the rear end of the front frame. 1. A cylindrical shape near the center of the front shaft. 2. The front end of the central shaft is connected, and the rear end of the central shaft is connected to the upper and lower walls inside the front end of the rear frame. Connected near the center of the rear axle. The front axis, the central axis, and the rear axis can be rotated with the longitudinal direction as the central axis. 6). 6. Slide the cylindrical cover from the front to cover it. Each shaft rotation during running is locked by fixing to the frame with fixing screws.

  When folding, release the lock mechanism and slide the cylindrical cover in front of the frame. If the part where the frame is separated forward and backward is slightly shifted to the left and right, the central axis is exposed from the cuts on both the left and right sides. Grab the central shaft and rotate the front shaft connection part so that the central shaft is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the front frame, and at the same time, the central shaft rear end is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the front frame In other words, the central shaft is twisted so that the front frame, the central shaft, and the rear frame have an S-shaped crank shape. Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the rear shaft connecting portion is rotated, and the rear wheel is moved to a position parallel to the front wheel without reversing the front and rear.

  FIG. 3 illustrates an overall view of a folding bicycle with 20 inch tires. The folding mechanism is located approximately in the center of the frame and is separated into a front frame and a rear frame.

  FIG. 4 shows a shape when the bicycle of FIG. 3 is folded. From the positional relationship shown in the figure, it can be seen that the rear wheel overlaps the front of the front wheel, and a bicycle with a practical wheel size is lowered compactly with less movement. A clearance required for a pedal, a crank, or the like entering between the front wheel and the rear wheel can be adjusted by adjusting the length of the central shaft.

  There are many people who switch from automobiles to trains and bicycles from the viewpoint of health maintenance or environmental protection. There are an increasing number of travelers who bring bicycles to the train during travel, use bicycles locally, and increase the radius of action. In the case of a bicycle with a small wheel size, there are inconveniences that the speed does not come out due to the gear ratio, and that a big impact is received when getting over the step. A certain wheel size is required to perform comfortable wheeling. And when bringing it on the train, it is required to have a simple folding operation and above all to be compact. According to the present invention, a practical wheel size bicycle can be easily and compactly folded.

  The number of people who commute to work directly on bicycles is increasing, but few people commute by bringing bicycles to the train. According to the present invention, since a large movement is not required, even a woman can easily perform the operation, and the central axis that is the position of the woman is clearly specified, and the cover is put on during the travel, so that the hand can be used during the operation. It will not pollute you. It can also be expected that the sales profession goes around using trains and bicycles.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Front shaft 2 Center shaft 3 Rear shaft 4 Front frame part 5 Rear frame part 6 Cylindrical cover 7 Fixing screw

Claims (2)

  In a folding bicycle, there is a front shaft that connects up and down inside the rear end of the front frame of the front and rear frames, and the front end of the central shaft is connected near the center in the longitudinal direction of the front shaft. The rear end is connected to the vicinity of the center in the longitudinal direction of the rear shaft that is connected vertically inside the front end of the rear frame, and the front shaft, the central shaft, and the rear shaft can be rotated around their respective longitudinal directions as the central axes. Grab the shaft and rotate the front shaft connecting part so that the central shaft is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the front frame, and at the same time, the central shaft rear end is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the front frame For the front wheel, without twisting the central shaft so that the front frame, the central shaft, and the rear frame are in the shape of an S-shaped crank, and then rotating the connecting portion of the rear shaft to reverse the rear wheel Move to a position parallel to More, folding bicycles, which is a structure that can be folded.   In the bicycle having the folding structure described above, the front frame, the central shaft, and the rear frame, which are straight when assembled, are covered with a cylindrical cover along the longitudinal direction of the frame, and are further running with a locking mechanism such as screwing. The cylindrical cover is fixed to the frame so that each shaft does not rotate, the lock mechanism is released at the time of folding, and the cylindrical cover is slid forward or backward to enable the folding operation. The folding bicycle according to claim 1.

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