JP3233368U - Reflector for vehicle air valve, and wheels and vehicles including it - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a reflector for a vehicle air valve which reflects intermittently, is always present on a bicycle, and does not need to be worn / added / brought by a rider. A reflector 10 for a vehicle wheel or a bicycle wheel includes an air valve attachment 12 and a reflective surface 14 attached to the air valve attachment 12. The reflective surface 14 includes a portion arranged perpendicular to the axis of the air valve attachment 12. Attached to the air valve on a bicycle wheel or vehicle wheel. [Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

The present invention relates to a safety device for a vehicle, and in particular, the present invention relates to a reflector for a bicycle.

As the number of cyclists increases for health and enjoyment, there is also a need to increase the safety of cyclists. Drivers, such as car drivers, are particularly dangerous to cyclists because it can be difficult to see the cyclist at dusk and at night. Traditionally, a bicycle may have a reflector at the rear to improve visibility of the bicycle and the rider to the driver behind the rider. A typical reflector is located on the spokes of the bicycle and may reflect light perpendicular to the direction of the bicycle.

In addition, the bicycle may be equipped with lamps or lights on the front and / or back that help improve visibility to the driver. In some cases, battery-powered lights are known to be attached to the air valves of bicycle tires. However, such powered devices generally require a high density and potentially heavy battery, and many cyclists want to be as light as possible. In addition to this, battery-powered devices require recharging and / or regular battery replacement. As such, such batteries are cumbersome to the rider and / or may be forgotten by the rider. This can sometimes lead to not turning on the lights when the rider wants to use the bike.

In some cases, riders wear reflective garments (ie, garments containing reflectors or reflective materials) to improve their visibility to the driver. Such garments may include, for example, shoes, helmets, vests, jackets, leggings, trousers, shorts and the like. However, in such cases, the rider must remember to wear these garment items each time.

In addition, the inventors have recognized that for fashion reasons, many recent athletic and other garments are very dark or even blacker, which reduces the visibility of the biker to the driver. .. Therefore, riders may not want to wear clothing with a reflective pattern on them.

Intermittent or flashing lights are known to be more noticeable, or more noticeable, than lights that are always on. Therefore, the need for an improved, unpowered reflector that is visible to the driver either in front of or behind the cyclist is currently recognized and found. It has been found that riders need to be more prominent to drivers. It has also been found that there is a need for reflectors that provide intermittent reflections. It has also been found that there is a need for reflectors that are generally present on bicycles at all times and do not need to be worn / added / brought by the rider.

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a reflector for a vehicle wheel or a bicycle wheel, the reflector comprising an air valve attachment and a reflective surface attached to the air valve attachment. The reflective surface includes a portion arranged perpendicular to the axis of the air valve attachment.

Another embodiment of the invention relates to the wheel of a bicycle with the reflectors described herein.

Another embodiment of the invention relates to a kit for fitting a bicycle with the reflectors described herein.

Without being limited by theory, it is believed that the present invention may provide significantly improved visibility to a vehicle or bicycle when riding at night. For example, when viewed by a driver approaching a cyclist, a rotary reflector may protrude from behind the width of the tire, creating a flashing strobe and / or pulsating effect, alerting the driver to the presence of the cyclist. it is conceivable that. In addition, the pattern observed by the driver is unique to the wheels of the bicycle and is different from the fixed flashing lights at the rear of other vehicles, for example, so driving as opposed to other types of vehicles. It can uniquely show a person that he or she is approaching a cyclist. In addition to this, reflectors are often considered visible both in front of and behind the cyclist.

The reflectors herein are easy to use because they can be easily placed on the wheel air valves and / or air valve caps. In addition, the reflectors herein can be attached to the wheels of the bicycle at any time (except during repairs and / or when refilling the wheels), so cyclists add it specially to the bicycle before riding. You don't have to remember that. The reflectors herein do not require an internal power source, so the battery will not run out and / or will not need to be recharged. Therefore, it is believed that the present invention not only can significantly improve road safety, especially for cyclists, but is also easy to use and maintenance-free.

The perspective view of the reflector of one Embodiment of this invention. A partial side view of a reflector according to an embodiment of the present invention and a wheel of a bicycle. FIG. 1 is a side view of the reflector according to the embodiment of FIG. A side view of a reflector of another embodiment of the present invention. A side view of a reflector of another embodiment having a curved surface. A side view of a reflector of another embodiment of the present invention lacking a stem. FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of a reflector according to an embodiment of FIG. 3b, which visualizes a female screw. Top view of the reflector of FIG. 3b having a first circular surface corresponding to the shape of the reflective surface of the circle. Top view of the reflector of one embodiment of the present invention having the shape of the reflecting surface of the arrow. Top view of the reflector of one embodiment of the present invention having a rectangular reflective surface shape. Front view of the vehicle including the reflector of the present invention. The figures in this specification are for illustration purposes only and are not necessarily drawn to a constant scale.

Unless otherwise specified, all tests herein are performed under standard conditions including a room temperature test temperature of 25 ° C., sea level (1 atm.) Atmospheric pressure, and pH 7, and all measurements are made in meters. Furthermore, all percentages, ratios, etc. in this specification are by weight unless otherwise specified. Unless otherwise stated, the material compounds, chemicals, etc. described herein are generally understood to be commodity items and / or industry standard items available from various suppliers around the world.

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a reflector for a bicycle wheel that includes an air valve attachment and a reflective surface attached to the air valve attachment, the reflective surface including a portion arranged perpendicular to the axis of the air valve attachment.

Bicycle wheels typically include a hub that includes an axle, a rim, and spokes that connect the rim and hub. Modern bicycle wheels include tubular tires (also known as tabs, sew-ups, singles, etc.) that are commonly glued to the rim. Tubular tires include an inner tube to which air is applied through an air valve. Air valves are generally industry standard presta valves (eg, 6V1 male thread = 6 threads / inch x 0.8 mm) or Schrader valve (eg, tap size 8v1-32, male thread = 32 threads /). Inch x 7.747 mm). Valve threads are measured according to ISO 4570 standards. The air valve generally protrudes from the hole in the rim towards the hub. Air valves generally have a screw-in valve cap to protect the valve, reduce air leaks, prevent clogging of the valve with dirt and other substances, and so on.

The air valve attachments useful herein are designed to be attached to the air valve either directly or indirectly. For example, it may be designed to replace the valve cap, or may be designed to fit over the valve cap, if desired. Therefore, in one embodiment herein, the air valve attachment is hollow or partially hollow.

A reflective surface useful herein is a non-powered surface that reflects incident light back towards its source. Reflective materials generally include regular bicycle reflectors, garments, children's backpacks, road markings, signs, emergency equipment and garments, for the purpose of calling attention to improve safety in low light conditions. It is well known for its use in a variety of applications. In contrast to mirrors that reflect light in only one direction, the reflective material herein can reflect light in either one direction or multiple directions with respect to the light source. Reflective materials are well known in the art and can be formed from threads, fabrics, plastics, glass, films, foils, and combinations thereof.

Here, useful reflective materials are generally intended to reflect visible light, but can also reflect infrared and / or ultraviolet light if desired, such as retroreflective materials, diffuse reflector materials, Mirrors, glass surfaces, plastic surfaces, resin surfaces, reflective fabrics and combinations thereof, or retroreflective materials, diffuse reflector materials, plastic surfaces, resin surfaces and combinations thereof, or retroreflective materials and combinations thereof. You can choose from a group. In one embodiment of the specification, the retroreflective material includes a retroreflective material such as a T2 retroreflective material and / or a class B retroreflective material. In one embodiment of the specification, the retroreflective material is an adhesive retroreflective material. Adhesive retroreflective materials include stickers, decals, labels, vinyl decals, tapes, sheets, films and combinations thereof, or SOLAS marine reflective tapes, high intensity reflective tapes, DOT reflective tapes, DOT C2 reflective tapes, ECE 104 reflective materials. You can choose from the group of tapes, high-strength prism reflective tapes, reflective PCV tapes, and combinations thereof. In one embodiment of the specification, the reflector and / or reflective material is made of a renewable material, or a recycled material.

The retroreflective material may include glass beads therein that help reflect light back towards its source. More specifically, the retroreflective materials herein include, for example, Cat's eye reflectors, corner reflectors, phase-conjugated mirrors, and combinations thereof, Cat's eye reflectors, corner reflectors, and combinations thereof, or Cat's eye reflectors. , Corner reflectors, and combinations thereof.

In addition to reflectivity, other considerations regarding the choice of reflective material include durability, weight, water resistance, weather resistance, etc., especially against impacts from debris, rocks, pebbles, sand, etc. that bicycle wheels are expected to encounter. And may be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art.

In one embodiment of the specification, the reflective surface is included on a vertical surface indicating a plane that is perpendicular to the intended direction of movement of the bicycle. In one embodiment of the specification, the air valve attachment comprises an axis coaxial with the air valve to which the air valve attachment is attached during use, and the vertical plane is perpendicular to the axis of the air valve attachment. In one embodiment of the specification, the vertical plane is perpendicular to the plane formed by the bicycle wheels or perpendicular to the plane formed by the rims of the bicycle wheels. The vertical plane may include, for example, a reflective plane that is above it, attached to it, and / or formed with / from it.

In one embodiment of the specification, the reflective material is visible at night from at least about 250 meters away. In one embodiment of the specification, the reflective material is at least about 10 degrees to about 10 degrees when measured from various angles or from the stem axis, AA (see FIG. 1) as described herein. It is visible from 85 degrees, or from about 15 degrees to about 75 degrees, or from about 20 degrees to about 70 degrees.

To maximize the reflections provided, one embodiment of the specification is a first surface in which the vertical plane can be a plane distal to the air valve attachment and on the opposite side of the first plane. It may include a second surface which can be a second plane. The first surface, or first plane, may include a first reflective surface, and the second surface, or second plane, may include a second reflective surface. The first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface may be arranged so as to reflect light in opposite directions.

The reflectors herein can reflect light in one or more colors, i.e. the reflecting surface itself can only reflect a particular color, or the white light incident on the reflector is a light source / driver. It means that it is possible to include a filter of a colored hue that converts to colored light when returning to. The color of the reflected light returned to the light source / driver is referred to herein as the reflected color. Therefore, in one embodiment of the specification, the reflective surface reflects light in one reflective color or multiple reflective colors. Suitable reflected colors (ie, colors observed by the driver) herein include white (ie, all visible light wavelengths), red, yellow, orange, pink, green, blue, and combinations thereof. Includes white, red, yellow, orange, green, and combinations thereof. It is recognized that white light is not really monochromatic, but for ease of understanding, the term "white" is used herein to refer to light incident on the reflecting surface in proportion to its original intensity. It is used to show virtually perfect reflection of all wavelengths of.

In one embodiment of the specification, the first reflective surface reflects light with a first reflective color and the second reflective surface reflects light with a second reflective color. In another embodiment of the specification, the first reflection color is the same as the second reflection color. In one embodiment of the specification, the first reflected color is different from the second reflected color. In one embodiment of the specification, a reflector intended to be placed on the front wheels of a vehicle or bicycle reflects white light. In one embodiment of the specification, a reflector intended to be placed on the rear wheels of a vehicle or bicycle reflects red light.

In one embodiment of the specification, the reflector and any surface for it are attached directly to the air valve attachment. In another embodiment of the specification, the reflector further comprises a stem located between the air valve attachment and the reflective surface. The stem may connect the air valve attachment to the reflective surface. The stem may be hollow or partially hollow, if desired.

Reflectors herein may include a first shape and / or a second shape that is optionally arranged in any shape. The first shape and the second shape also usually determine the shape of the reflective surface. In one embodiment of the specification, the shape of the reflective surface is a circle, an arrow, a triangle, a rectangle, an oval, a pentagon, a hexagon, an octagon, and combinations thereof, or a circle, an arrow, a triangle, a rectangle, an ellipse, It is selected from the group consisting of pentagons, hexagons, octagons and combinations thereof.

In one embodiment of the specification, the reflective material generally covers the entire surface area of the reflective surface shape, or covers the entire surface area of the reflective surface shape.

In one embodiment of the specification, the reflective surface is a hemisphere, an arc, a waveform, and a combination thereof, or a partially spheroid, an arc, and a combination thereof, or a partially spheroid, and a combination thereof, and the like. It may include a curved surface.

In one embodiment of the specification, the bicycle wheel comprises a reflector herein, or the reflector described herein is attached to an air valve on the wheel of the bicycle. In one embodiment of the specification, the reflective surface has a wider width than the bicycle wheel so that light can be reflected back to the light source when attached to the air valve of the bicycle wheel. Therefore, the reflective surface has a reflective surface width, and the bicycle wheel has a bicycle tire width. In one embodiment of the specification, the reflective surface width is greater than the bicycle tire width, or the reflective surface width is about 10% to about 300% greater than the tire width, or the reflective surface width is about 25% to about 25% to about the tire width. 250% larger, or reflective surface width is about 50% to about 200% larger than the tire width.

In one embodiment of the specification, the reflective surface width is greater than the tire width, or the reflective surface width is about 10 mm to about 75 mm, or about 15 mm to about 70 mm, or about 20 mm to about 50 mm, or about 25 mm to about 45 mm. Is.

Although the present invention is intended for bicycles, it can be used in vehicles other than bicycle wheels with the same benefits and effects, and bicycle wheels are tricycles, carts, (what else), and they. It has been found that it can be used for vehicles other than bicycles, such as the combination of. In such cases, the dimensions of the reflector may be reduced or increased accordingly. Thus, in one embodiment of the specification, the vehicle is a bicycle wheel as described herein, or a plurality of bicycle wheels as described herein, or from about 2 to about 4 bicycle wheels. , Or about 2 to about 3 bicycle wheels, or about 2 bicycle wheels. In one embodiment of the specification, the vehicle is a bicycle.

In some cases, the reflectors herein may be sold with a vehicle, or bicycle, or bicycle wheel. In other cases, the reflectors herein may be sold in a kit that is added to the vehicle, or bicycle, or bicycle wheel as a post-factory modification.

With reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the reflector 10 according to an embodiment of the present specification. The reflector 10 includes an air valve attachment 12 and a reflective surface 14 attached to the air valve attachment 12 and distal to the air valve attachment 12. The reflective surface 14 has a disc shape that includes the reflective material 16.

The air valve attachment 12 extends through the vertical surface 20 and is separated from the reflective surface 14 by a stem 18 terminating at the upper end 22. The stem 18 includes a stem shaft AA extending over the length of the stem 18 from the air valve attachment 12 to the upper end 22. The vertical surface 20 is perpendicular to the stem axes AA. The upper end 22 grips the reflector 10, which is useful, for example, when attaching the reflector 10 to an air valve (see 36 in FIG. 2) and / or removing the reflector 10 from the air valve (see 36 in FIG. 2). Sometimes.

In FIG. 1, a vertical surface 20 is attached to the stem 18 to form a surface B. In this case, the first surface 24 of the vertical surface 20 is flat and becomes the first plane 26. The vertical plane 20 thus includes a first plane 26 distal to the air valve attachment 12 and a second plane 28 opposite the first plane 26. The first plane 26 includes a first reflecting surface 30, while the second plane 28 includes a second reflecting surface 32. The second reflective surface 32 is closer to the air valve attachment 12 than the first reflective surface 30. In FIG. 1, the first reflective surface 30 reflects light in a first reflective color, eg, red, while the second reflective surface 32 reflects light in a second reflective color, eg white.

FIG. 2 shows a partial side view of the reflector 10 of one embodiment described herein and the wheel 34 of a bicycle. The air valve attachment 12 of the stem 18 includes stem shafts AA. The stem shafts AA are arranged so as to be coaxial with the air valve 36 when viewed from the point C. In this case, the air valve attachment 12 is designed so that the normal air valve cap (not shown) is completely replaced by the air valve attachment 12 and screwed into the thread 38 of the air valve 36. The air valve 36 protrudes from the hole 40 of the metal rim 42. A tubular tire 44 surrounds the rim 42.

The reflective surface 14 is formed from a reflective material 16 permanently inmolded onto the vertical surface 20 by a method well known in the art. The first surface 24 is flat, while the curved surface 46 forms a second surface 48 on the opposite side of the first surface 24. The first surface 24 is distal to the air valve 36, while the second surface 48 is proximal to the air valve 36.

FIG. 3a shows a side view of the reflector 10 according to the embodiment of FIG. The reflector 10 has a stem 18 that begins at the air valve attachment 12, extends through the vertical plane 20 and terminates at the upper end 22. The vertical surface 20 includes a reflective surface 14 on each side surface.

FIG. 3b shows a side view of a reflector 10 according to another embodiment of the present specification, which does not include an upper end but instead terminates in a first plane 26 of a vertical plane 20.

FIG. 3c shows a side view of the reflector 10 of another embodiment having curved surfaces 46 on both side surfaces of the vertical surface 20. As described above, the first surface 24 is a curved surface 46 such as the second surface 48 on the opposite side of the first surface 24. The curved surface 46 is a partially spheroid in shape and then includes a reflective surface 14 containing a reflective material 16.

FIG. 3d shows a side view of the reflector 10 of another embodiment lacking a stem. The reflector 10 includes an air valve attachment 12 that does not protrude from the vertical surface 20 and is actually in the same plane as the vertical surface 20. The reflective surface 14 including the reflective material 16 is present on both the first reflective surface 30 and the opposite second reflective surface 32.

FIG. 3e shows a cross-sectional view of the reflector 10 according to the embodiment of FIG. 3b, in which the female screw 38 of the reflector 10 is visualized. The air valve attachment 12 of the stem 18 includes a set of female threads 38 that complement the threads (see 38 in FIG. 2) on the air valve (see 36 in FIG. 2).

FIG. 4a shows a top view of the reflector 10 of FIG. 3b having a first circular surface corresponding to the circular reflecting surface shape 50. The reflective surface 14 faces the viewer, while the stem 18 faces the opposite side of the viewer.

FIG. 4b shows a top view of the reflector 10 of the embodiment having the reflecting surface shape 50 of the arrow. The first surface 24 has the shape of an arrow, and the reflective surface 14 covers the entire first surface 24. The stem 18 is on the opposite side of the viewer.

FIG. 4c shows a top view of the reflector 10 of the embodiment having a rectangular reflecting surface shape 50. The first surface 24 has a rectangular shape, and the reflecting surface 14 is divided into two reflecting surfaces 14 and 14'. The reflective surface 14 reflects a first reflective color, such as red, while the reflective surface 14'reflects a second reflective color, eg green. The stem 18 is on the opposite side of the viewer.

FIG. 5 shows a front view of the vehicle 52 including the reflector 10 of the present specification. The vehicle 52 is a bicycle 54, and the reflective surface 14 of the first surface 24 is visible to the viewer. The bicycle wheel 34 has a tubular tire 44, which also has a tire width TW, and the reflective surface 14 has a reflective surface width RW. To be seen by the driver, the reflective surface width RW needs to be greater than the tire width TW, as described herein. This is because the reflector 10 is attached to the inside of the bicycle wheel 34 and the inside of the tubular tire 44. In this way, the tubular tire 44 partially blocks the area where the reflective surface 14 can be seen. However, since the reflective surface width RW is larger than the tire width TW, it is assumed that at least a portion of the reflective surface 14 is at the light source (driver's position), even if the light source is directly in front of or behind the bicycle / vehicle. ) Can be used to reflect light back.

In this embodiment, the shape of the reflective surface is symmetrical with respect to the plane formed by the bicycle tire. In addition to this, the reflector 10 includes both a first reflective surface (see 26 in FIG. 1) and a second reflective surface (see 28 in FIG. 1). Therefore, the driver blinks four times for each rotation of the bicycle wheel, that is, a pair of blinks from the first reflective surface to the left and right sides of the bicycle wheel, and from the second reflective surface to the left and right sides of the bicycle wheel. You will see a pair of blinks on the side.

The bicycle wheel 34 will generally include a hub 56 connected to the bicycle frame 58 by a pair of forks 60 on each side of the bicycle wheel 34. The distance between the forks 60 is the fork width FW. It is understood that the reflective surface width RW should be smaller than the fork width FW so as not to reduce the possibility of damage or collision between the reflective surface 14 and the fork 60 during use. This applies to both the front and rear forks of a bicycle. In one embodiment of the specification, the reflective surface width is narrower than the fork width, or the reflective surface width is about 10% to about 50% narrower than the fork width, or the reflective surface width is about 15% narrower than the fork width. About 45% narrower, or the reflective surface width is about 20% to about 40% narrower than the width of the fork.

It should be understood that the above merely illustrates and illustrates examples in which the present invention can be implemented and that modifications and / or modifications can be made to it without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For clarity, it should also be understood that the particular features of the invention, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, for brevity, the various features of the invention described in the context of a single embodiment may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination.

All references specifically cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. However, the citation or incorporation of such a reference need not be an endorsement of its suitability, citation availability, and / or availability as prior art to the present invention.

Claims (18)

A reflector for vehicle wheels or bicycle wheels,
A) Air valve attachment and
B) The reflective surface attached to the air valve attachment and
With
The reflective surface is a reflector having a portion perpendicular to the axis of the air valve attachment. With more vertical planes
The reflector according to claim 1, wherein the vertical surface includes the reflective surface. The reflector according to claim 2, wherein the vertical surface includes a plurality of reflecting surfaces. The vertical plane is
A first plane distal to the air valve attachment and provided with a first reflective surface,
A second plane opposite to the first plane and provided with a second reflective surface,
With
The reflector according to claim 3, wherein the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface are arranged so as to reflect light in opposite directions. The reflector according to claim 4, wherein the first reflecting surface reflects light with a first reflecting color, and the second reflecting surface reflects light with a second reflecting color. The reflector according to claim 5, wherein the first reflection color is the same as the second reflection color. The reflector according to claim 5, wherein the first reflected color is different from the second reflected color. With more stems
The reflector according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the stem connects the air valve attachment to the reflective surface. Reflective materials include retroreflective materials, diffuse reflector materials, mirrors, glass surfaces, plastic surfaces, resin surfaces, reflective fabrics and combinations thereof, or retroreflective materials, diffuse reflector materials, plastic surfaces, resin surfaces and theirs. The reflector according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which is selected from the group consisting of a combination or a retroreflective material and a combination thereof. The reflective surfaces are circles, arrows, triangles, rectangles, oval, pentagons, hexagons, octagons, and combinations thereof, or circles, arrows, triangles, rectangles, ellipses, pentagons, hexagons, octagons and them. The reflector according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a reflecting surface shape selected from the group consisting of a combination of. The reflector according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the reflecting surface has a curved surface. The reflector according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the reflective surface includes an adhesive backing. The reflective surface has a reflective surface width and has a reflective surface width.
The reflector according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the reflective surface width is about 10 mm to about 75 mm, or about 15 mm to about 70 mm, or about 20 mm to about 50 mm, or about 25 mm to about 45 mm. A bicycle wheel comprising the reflector according to any one of claims 1 to 13. The reflective surface has a reflective surface width and has a reflective surface width.
The reflective surface width is larger than the tire width, or the reflective surface width is about 10% to about 300% larger than the tire width, or the reflective surface width is about 25% to about 250% larger than the tire width. , Or the bicycle wheel according to claim 14, wherein the reflective surface width is about 50% to about 200% larger than the tire width. A vehicle comprising the wheels of the bicycle according to claim 14 or 15. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the vehicle is a bicycle. A kit for fitting a bicycle having the reflector according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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