JP7042534B1 - bicycle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a bicycle from falling when stopped in a bicycle provided with two wheels parallel to each other in the width direction of the vehicle body and having a swing function in the width direction of the vehicle body. SOLUTION: A pair of wheel support members 60, 60 that rotatably support two wheels W, W parallel to each other in the width direction of a vehicle body, and a pair of side posts that support the pair of wheel support members 60, 60, respectively. 50, 50, a first link mechanism 10 provided between the pair of side posts 50, 50 and the center post 4 of the frame 1, and arranged between the side posts 50, 50 and the center post 4. A suspension mechanism 30 is provided, and the first link mechanism 10 includes an upper link bar 11 and a lower link bar 12 that connect the pair of side posts 50 and 50, and a swing that oscillates them to the center post 4. The bicycle is provided with connecting portions 11a and 12a and a lock mechanism 20 for locking the relative movement of the upper link bar 11 and the lower link bar 12 in the vehicle body width direction. [Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

The present invention relates to a bicycle having two wheels parallel to each other in the width direction of the vehicle body, on the front wheels and / or the rear wheels.

There are front two-wheeled bicycles having two wheels parallel to each other in the width direction of the vehicle body on the front wheels, and rear two-wheeled bicycles having two wheels parallel to each other in the width direction of the vehicle body on the rear wheels.

For example, in the front two-wheeled bicycle of Patent Document 1, the steering shaft 27 connected to the steering handle 28 is rotatably supported by the handle post 21. The left and right side posts 29L and 29R are connected to the handle post 21 via a link mechanism 45. The left and right front forks 30L and 30R that rotatably support the left and right front wheels WFL and WFR are connected to the lower ends of the left and right side posts 29L and 29R. same.).

The link mechanism 45 is composed of a four-bar link mechanism, and is arranged below the upper link 35U, which is connected to the left and right front forks 30L and 30R, and both ends are pin-coupled to the left and right side posts 29L and 29R. The left and right side posts 29L and 29R are provided with a lower link 35D whose both ends are pin-coupled. The central portion of the upper link 35U and the central portion of the lower link 35D are rotatably connected to the handle post 21. Further, the left and right side posts 29L and 29R are arranged so as to be inclined so that the distance between the left and right side posts 29L and 29R becomes smaller toward the upper side.

Further, the front two-wheeled bicycle of Patent Document 2 includes a handle shaft 7 rotatably supported by the frame post 2 and left and right hawk bars 11L and 11R rotatably supporting the left and right front wheels 9L and 9R, respectively. The upper and lower link bars 12U and 12D that connect the left and right hawk bars 11L and 11R to form a four-bar link mechanism (parallel link), and the handle shaft 7 can be swung freely to the center of each of the upper and lower link bars 12U and 12D. The connecting portions 19 and 22 to be connected and the spring means 13L and 13R provided between the parallel link and the handle shaft 7 to apply a restoring force in a direction to prevent a change in the height position between the left and right front wheels 9L and 9R shafts. It is composed of including.

JP-A-2002-337779 (see claim 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 9, etc.) JP-A-2010-042710 (see claim 1, FIG. 1, FIG. 2, etc.)

The bicycle described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 is provided with a four-section link mechanism between a fork member that supports the left and right wheels or a side post that supports the fork member and a handle post that supports the steering wheel. As a result, it is possible to swing the vehicle body together with the wheels in the width direction (left-right direction) of the vehicle body. Further, the bicycle of Patent Document 2 has a suspension function for alleviating an impact acting on the vehicle body from the road surface, in addition to a swing function in the width direction of the vehicle body.

However, a bicycle equipped with a swing function as described above can run smoothly by inclining the vehicle body when passing through an intersection or a curve. However, in a bicycle equipped with a swing function, for example, if the driver loses his / her balance while the driver has one foot stopped on the ground, the vehicle body may tilt significantly and fall.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent a bicycle from tipping over when the bicycle is stopped, in which two wheels parallel to each other in the width direction of the vehicle body are provided on the front wheel, the rear wheel, or both, and the bicycle has a swing function in the width direction of the vehicle body. That is.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention presents a frame, a center post provided on the frame, and a vehicle body in a bicycle having two wheels parallel to each other in the width direction of the vehicle body on the front wheels, the rear wheels, or both of them. A pair of wheel support members that rotatably support the two wheels parallel to each other in the width direction of the bicycle, and a pair of wheel support members provided between the pair of wheel support members and the center post to exert a swing function in the width direction of the vehicle body. The first link mechanism comprises a first link mechanism and a suspension mechanism provided between the pair of wheel support members and the center post and provided with an elastic member that is arranged between the wheels and cushions the impact from the wheels to the frame. Is a swing that swingably connects the upper link bar, the lower link bar provided below the upper link bar, the central portion of the upper link bar, and the central portion of the lower link bar to the center post, respectively. A bicycle equipped with a dynamic connecting portion and a lock mechanism for stopping the swing function by locking the relative movement of the upper link bar and the lower link bar in the vehicle body width direction is adopted.

Here, a pair of side posts that support the pair of wheel support members is provided, and both ends of the upper link bar and the lower link bar are pin-coupled between the pair of side posts. be able to.

Further, the center post is a handle post that rotatably supports a handle shaft that supports a steering handle, and is a second link that exerts a steering function between the pair of side posts and the handle shaft. A configuration including a mechanism can be adopted.

A receiving member arranged between the upper link bar and the lower link bar and swingably connected to the center post is provided, and the elastic member is arranged between the lower link bar and the receiving member. The locking mechanism is a coil spring, and the locking mechanism can adopt a configuration provided between the center post and the receiving member.

In each of these embodiments, the center post is provided with a detachable central member, and the central portion of the upper link bar and the central portion of the lower link bar are swingably connected to the central member by the swing connecting portion. Can be adopted.

Further, the upper link bar can be composed of a first upper link bar arranged on one side in the vehicle body width direction with the center post interposed therebetween and a second upper link bar arranged on the other side.

The elastic member is provided at both ends of the lower link bar, and the receiving member is a member that is continuously provided between the pair of side posts along the lower link bar. Can be done.

In a bicycle provided with two wheels parallel to each other in the width direction of the vehicle body on the front wheel, the rear wheel, or both, and having a swing function in the width direction of the vehicle body, it is possible to prevent the bicycle from tipping over when the bicycle is stopped.

Enlarged perspective view of the main part showing the first embodiment of the present invention. Front view of FIG. Right side view of FIG. Top view of FIG. A plan view showing a state in which the steering wheel is turned to the left in the traveling direction from the state of FIG. Front view showing the state when there is a height difference between the road surface on which the left and right wheels are placed Cross-sectional view showing the locked state of the lock mechanism Cross-sectional view showing the unlocked state of the lock mechanism Bottom view showing the locked state of the lock mechanism of the modified example Side view showing the locked state of the locking mechanism of the modified example Front view showing the locked state of the lock mechanism of the modified example An exploded perspective view showing the operation unit of the lock mechanism. Sectional drawing which shows operation part of a lock mechanism Sectional drawing which shows operation part of a lock mechanism Front view showing a modified example of the first link mechanism Cross-sectional view showing how to attach / detach the wheel support unit to / from the frame of the bicycle. Cross-sectional view showing how to attach / detach the wheel support unit to / from the frame of the bicycle. Side view showing how to attach / detach the wheel support unit to / from the bicycle frame Top view showing how to attach / detach the wheel support unit to / from the frame of the bicycle. Overall view of the bicycle Enlarged plan view of the main part showing the second embodiment of the present invention. Front view of FIG. 21 Right side view of FIG. 22 Enlarged plan view of the main part showing the third embodiment of the present invention. Front view of FIG. 24 Right side view of FIG. 25

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 21 show a first embodiment and a modified example thereof, FIGS. 22 to 23 show a second embodiment, and FIGS. 24 to 26 show a third embodiment. In the first embodiment, the present invention will be described by taking as an example a front two-wheeled bicycle provided with two wheels W, W parallel to the front wheel F in the width direction of the vehicle body, and in the second and third embodiments, the rear wheel R will be used. The present invention is described by taking as an example a rear two-wheeled bicycle provided with two wheels W and W parallel to each other in the width direction of the vehicle body.

As shown in FIG. 20, the basic configuration of the bicycle 80 is a frame 1 extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, wheels W (front wheels F) attached to the front end of the frame 1 via a wheel support unit 70, and front-rear to the frame 1. It is equipped with a saddle 5 that can be freely moved up and down via a seatpost in the middle of the direction, a wheel W (rear wheel R) that is attached to the rear end of the frame 1, and the like.

A cylindrical center post 4 extending in the vertical direction is provided at the front end of the frame 1. The center post 4 is provided so as to project from the bottom bracket portion that rotatably supports the crank shaft provided with the pedal to the front end of the main frame provided so as to incline upward toward the front. A handle shaft 3 having a circular cross section is inserted through the center post 4, and the handle shaft 3 is supported so as to be rotatable around an axis via a bearing. A steering handle 2 is connected to the upper end 3a of the handle shaft 3 by a clamp member. The driver grips and operates the grip portions 2a at both ends of the steering handle 2. Further, brake levers for adjusting the braking force applied to the front wheels F and the rear wheels R are provided at both ends of the steering handle 2. Hereinafter, in this first embodiment, the center post 4 is referred to as a handle post 4.

In a general bicycle 80, the handle shaft 3 projects downward from the handle post 4, and a fork member 60 that rotatably supports the wheel W is attached to the lower portion thereof. The general fork member 60 has a structure in which the handle shaft 3 side is composed of one shaft, the wheel W side is bifurcated, and both ends of the hub shaft of the wheel W are supported by the tip thereof. On the other hand, in the present invention, in order to attach the wheel W to the frame 1 via the wheel support unit 70, the handle shaft 3 is composed of a short member up to the vicinity of the lower end of the handle post 4.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the wheel support unit 70 of the first embodiment includes a central member 14 that is fitted and fixed to the handle post 4. In this embodiment, the central member 14 is a member separate from the handle post 4, and the central member 14 is detachable from the handle post 4. However, when the central member 14 is not detachable, the central member 14 and the handle post are detachable. The handle post 4 may be formed of a member integrated with the 4 by welding or the like, or the handle post 4 itself may be used as the central member 14.

Further, the wheel support unit 70 includes a pair of wheel support members 60, 60 that rotatably support two wheels W, W parallel to each other in the width direction of the vehicle body, a pair of wheel support members 60, 60, and a central member 14. A first link mechanism (swing mechanism) 10 provided between the pair of wheel support members 60, 60 and the handle post 4 and exerting a swing function in the vehicle body width direction, and a pair of wheel support members. It is provided with a suspension mechanism 30 which is arranged between the 60, 60 and the handle post 4 and includes an elastic member 31 which cushions the impact from the wheels W, W to the frame 1. In this embodiment, fork members are adopted as the pair of wheel support members 60 and 60, respectively. The fork member has a structure in which the upper side is composed of one shaft and the wheel W side is bifurcated and the tip of the fork member supports both ends of the hub shaft of the wheel W, as in the general case described above. ..

The upper ends of the pair of wheel support members 60, 60 are inserted into the pair of cylindrical side posts 50, 50, respectively, and are supported by the pair of side posts 50, 50. The left wheel support member 60 is rotatably supported by the left side post 50, and the right wheel support member 60 is rotatably supported by the right side post 50. The rotation center surface of the left and right wheels W and the surface including the widthwise center line of the rim portion that holds the tire are located at a position including the axis of each of the left and right side posts 50, or at a position parallel to the axis of the side post 50. Have been placed. The axes of the left and right side posts 50, 50 may be parallel to each other, or may have a slightly cambered structure so as to gradually approach each other upward.

The first link mechanism 10 has a central member 14 including an upper link bar 11, a lower link bar 12 provided below the upper link bar 11, and a central portion of the upper link bar 11 and a central portion of the lower link bar 12, respectively. That is, by locking the relative movements of the swing connecting portions 15 and 16 which are swingably connected to the handle post 4 and the upper link bar 11 and the lower link bar 12 in the vehicle body width direction, the swing is performed. It is provided with a lock mechanism 20 for stopping the function.

In this embodiment, both ends of the upper link bar 11 and the lower link bar 12 are pin-coupled between the pair of side posts 50, 50, respectively, and the connection portion is swingable around the axis of the pin. The upper link bar 11 and the side posts 50 and 50 are connected via pins 17, respectively. Further, the lower link bar 12 and the side posts 50 and 50 are connected via pins 18, respectively. The axes of the pins 17 and 18 are set so as to face the front-rear direction of the vehicle body and to be orthogonal to the axes of the side posts 50 and 50. Further, the swing connecting portions 15 and 16 for swingably connecting the central portion of the upper link bar 11 and the central portion of the lower link bar 12 to the central member 14, respectively, are also composed of pins, and the swing connection thereof is formed. The axial directions of the pins of the portions 15 and 16 are arranged parallel to the pins 17 and 18.

A second link mechanism (steering mechanism) 40 that exerts a steering function is provided between the pair of side posts 50, 50 and the steering wheel shaft 3. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the second link mechanism 40 is provided on a laterally extending central connecting piece 46 connected to the lower end 3b of the handle shaft 3 and a front end portion 41 of the central connecting piece 46. It is provided with a vertical connection shaft 41a. The handle shaft 3 and the central connecting piece 46 are fitted and fixed, and as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the handle shaft 3 is provided by a cylindrical fixing member 45 used for fixing the central member 14 to the handle post 4. And the central connection piece 46 are fixed so as to be tightened from the outside.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, a connecting piece 44 projecting forward is provided at the upper end of the pair of wheel support members 60, and a vertical support shaft 44a is provided at the front end of the connecting piece 44. .. The support shaft 44a of the connection piece 44 extending from the wheel support member 60 on the right side when viewed from the driver and the connection shaft 41a of the central connection piece 46 are connected by a steering link bar 42. Further, the support shaft 44a of the connection piece 44 extending from the wheel support member 60 on the left side when viewed from the driver and the connection shaft 41a of the central connection piece 46 are also connected by a steering link bar 43. Both ends of the steering link bars 42 and 43 are swingable around the axes of the support shaft 44a and the connection shaft 41a, respectively. When the driver turns the steering handle 2 from the state shown in FIG. 4 to the state shown in FIG. 5, the left and right wheel support members 60 rotate around the axis of the side post 50 due to the function of the second link mechanism 40. The wheels W and W rotate in the same direction. The steering angles of the wheels W and W in the straight-ahead direction can be adjusted by the turning amount of the steering handle 2. This makes it possible to turn when passing through intersections and curves. The chain line in FIG. 5 shows a turning state to the left, but it is also possible to turn to the right in the opposite direction.

The suspension mechanism 30 is arranged between the upper link bar 11 and the lower link bar 12, and includes a receiving member 13 that is swingably connected to the central member 14, that is, swingably connected to the center post 4. The elastic member 31 is composed of a coil spring arranged between the lower link bar 12 and the receiving member 13. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower end of the elastic member 31 is held in contact with both ends of the lower link bar 12, and the upper end of the elastic member 31 is held in contact with both ends of the receiving member 13. ing. In the figure, reference numeral 32a indicates an upper spring receiver, and reference numeral 32c indicates a lower spring receiver. The recess shown by reference numeral 32b is a relief portion for preventing interference with the upper link bar 11.

In this embodiment, the upper link bar 11 has a first upper link bar 11a arranged on one side (right side when viewed from the driver) in the vehicle body width direction with the central member 14 interposed therebetween, and the other side (from the driver). It is divided into a second upper link bar 11b arranged on the left side when viewed), which is composed of one continuous member over the entire length, for example, as shown in the modified example of FIG. You may. Similarly, the lower link bar 12 is also divided into a first lower link bar 12a arranged on one side in the vehicle body width direction with the central member 14 interposed therebetween and a second lower link bar 12b arranged on the other side. However, as shown in the modified example of FIG. 6, it may be composed of one continuous member over the entire length. Since the elastic members 31 are arranged on both the left and right sides of the receiving member 13, it is desirable that the receiving member 13 is composed of one continuous member over the entire length without dividing the members on the left and right sides.

As shown in FIG. 6, the lock mechanism 20 is provided between the central member 14 and the receiving member 13. FIG. 6 shows a state in which there is a height difference between the road surfaces on which the left and right wheels W and W are placed, and the axial direction of the handle shaft 3 with respect to the road surface direction connecting the lower ends of the left and right wheels W and W. Indicates a substantially tilted swing state. The lock mechanism 20 includes a lock piece 22 provided in the central portion of the receiving member 13 so as to project downward, an engagement hole 22a provided in the lock piece 22, and an advancing / retractable engaging member provided in the central member 14. It is equipped with (engagement pin) 21 and the like.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the engaging pin 21 is housed in a casing 26 provided in the central member 14. Further, a wire 23 is connected to the engaging pin 21, and the wire 23 is guided to an operation portion 25 provided near the grip portion 2a of the steering handle 2 as shown in FIG. The retaining portion (ball) 23a at the front end of the wire 23 is inside the accommodating recess 21a of the engaging pin 21 to prevent it from coming off. Further, in the casing 26, an engaging elastic member 24 made of a coil spring that urges the engaging pin 21 in the direction of projecting toward the lock piece 22 is housed. When the driver operates the operation unit 25 to pull the wire 23, the engagement pin 21 is pulled into the casing 26 against the urging force of the engagement elastic member 24 (see FIG. 8). When the driver operates the operation unit 25 to release the pull of the wire 23, the engaging pin 21 protrudes out of the casing 26 by the urging force of the engaging elastic member 24 (see FIG. 7).

The lock piece 22 is fixed so that its orientation does not change in the left-right direction connecting both ends of the receiving member 13. In this embodiment, the lock piece 22 faces downward with respect to the left-right direction connecting both ends of the receiving member 13 (in the embodiment, the lock piece 22 engages with the axis of the pin 19 which is the fixing portion of the lock piece 22 in the left-right direction. It is fixed in the direction in which the direction connecting to the center of the joint hole 22a is orthogonal to the downward direction). Therefore, in the normal straight-ahead state shown in FIG. 2, the left-right direction of the receiving member 13 is orthogonal to the axial direction of the central member 14 (the axial direction of the handle post 4), and the engagement hole of the lock piece 22 is formed. The positions of the engaging pins 21 on the central member 14 side coincide with those of the 22a. Therefore, if the engaging pin 21 protrudes and the engaging pin 21 enters the engaging hole 22a of the lock piece 22, the swing function is stopped and the vehicle body does not tilt. Further, when the engaging pin 21 is retracted and the engaging pin 21 is disengaged from the engaging hole 22a of the lock piece 22, the swing function can be exhibited. Therefore, the angle formed by the receiving member 13 in the left-right direction with respect to the axial direction of the central member 14 (the axial direction of the handle post 4) changes according to the load transfer of the driver and the actual running state (other than orthogonal). It is possible to tilt the car body (by being in a state). FIG. 2 shows a swing prohibition state in which the engagement pin 21 has entered the engagement hole 22a of the lock piece 22. FIG. 6 shows a swingable state in which the engaging pin 21 is disengaged from the engaging hole 22a of the lock piece 22.

9 to 11 show a modification of the lock mechanism 20. In this modification, as the engaging member 21 on the central member 14 side, an engaging piece 21 that can swing around the axis is adopted instead of the engaging pin 21 that can move forward and backward. The engaging piece 21 is housed in a casing 26 provided in the central member 14, and is swingable around the axis of the swing shaft 21c supported by the casing 26. Further, the engaging piece 21 is urged in a direction of projecting toward the lock piece 22 by an engaging elastic member 24 made of a torsion coil spring. Further, the retaining portion (ball) 23a at the front end of the wire 23 is located in the accommodating recess 21a of the engaging pin 21 to prevent the wire 23 from coming off. When the driver operates the operation unit 25 to pull the wire 23, the engaging piece 21 is pulled into the casing 26 against the urging force of the engaging elastic member 24 and is separated from the engaging hole 22a (FIG. FIG. See chain line state of 10). When the driver operates the operation unit 25 to release the pull of the wire 23, the engaging pin 21 protrudes out of the casing 26 by the urging force of the engaging elastic member 24 and enters the engaging hole 22a (broken line in FIG. 10). See status). The configuration of the lock mechanism 20 for switching between the swing prohibited state and the swingable state is not limited to the example of the lock piece 22 and the engaging member 21 (engaging pin 21 and engaging piece 21) engaged with the lock piece 22 shown in the embodiment. Various other forms can be adopted.

12 to 15 show the operation unit 25 of the lock mechanism 20. The operation unit 25 includes three annular members, a first member 25a, a second member 25b, and a third member 25c, which are inserted into the steering handle 2 in the vicinity of the grip portion 2a. The first member 25a is a dial member that is rotated by the driver. The first member 25a is fitted on the outer periphery of the second member 25b and is integrally rotatable along the circumferential direction. The second member 25b is arranged so as to be axially adjacent to the third member 25c. The third member 25c is fastened and fixed to the steering handle 2 by bolts 25j.

The first member 25a and the second member 25b are rotatable relative to the third member 25c along the circumferential direction. The retaining portion (ball) 23b at the rear end of the wire 23 is inside the accommodating recess 25f of the second member 25b and is prevented from coming off. Further, the wire 23 is pulled out from the second member 25b to the lock mechanism 20 side via the third member 25c. If the first member 25a and the second member 25b are rotated relative to one side in the circumferential direction with respect to the third member 25c (in the figure, if the driver turns the dial member toward the front), the wire 23 is pulled (. See FIG. 14). Further, if the first member 25a and the second member 25b are rotated relative to the other side in the circumferential direction with respect to the third member 25c (in the figure, if the driver turns the dial member forward), the wire 23 is pulled. Is released (see FIG. 13). The relative rotation between the second member 25b and the third member 25c is guided by the protrusion 25d provided on the second member 25b moving in the circumferential groove 25e provided on the third member 25c, and the protrusion 25d rotates. The range of relative rotation is restricted by hitting the end wall of the directional groove 25e. Further, by arranging a ball plunger mechanism composed of an elastic body 25 g made of a coil spring and a ball 25h and two spherical recesses 25i between the second member 25b and the third member 25c, the second member 25b and the third member 25b and the third member 25c are arranged. Positioning of relative rotation with the member 25c is made. As a result, when the relative orientation between the second member 25b and the third member 25c reaches the swing prohibited state or the swing possible state, the ball 25h enters any of the spherical recesses 25i, so that the driver can obtain the driver. It can be grasped by the clicking sound and the vibration of the member.

FIG. 15 shows an example of a state in which the wire 23 is routed from the lock mechanism 20 to the operation unit 25. In FIG. 15, the length of the receiving member 13 in the left-right direction is slightly shortened, and the position of the elastic member 31 is changed slightly inward from both ends of the lower link bar 12. In this way, the position of the elastic member 31 can be freely set.

The lock mechanism 20 of this embodiment has a configuration provided between the central member 14 (handle post 4) and the receiving member 13, but the lock mechanism 20 has an upper link bar 11 and a lower link bar 12. Any embodiment other than this embodiment may be adopted as long as the swing function is stopped by locking the relative movement in the vehicle body width direction. For example, the lock piece 22 may be fixed upward (preferably in a direction orthogonal to the same upward direction) with respect to the left-right direction connecting both ends of the receiving member 13. Further, the lock mechanism 20 may be provided between the central member 14 (handle post 4) and the upper link bar 11, or between the central member 14 (handle post 4) and the lower link bar 12. Specifically, the lock piece 22 may be provided in the central portion of the upper link bar 11, or the lock piece 22 may be provided in the central portion of the lower link bar 12. At this time, when the lock piece 22 is provided on the upper link bar 11, the protruding direction thereof is upward (preferably a direction orthogonal to the same upward direction) or downward (preferably in the direction orthogonal to the same upward direction) with respect to the left-right direction connecting both ends of the upper link bar 11. The direction orthogonal to the same downward direction is desirable). When the lock piece 22 is provided on the lower link bar 12, the protruding direction thereof is upward (preferably a direction orthogonal to the same upward direction) or downward (same as above) with respect to the left-right direction connecting both ends of the lower link bar 12. The direction orthogonal to the downward direction is desirable). However, since it is desirable that the engagement hole 22a provided in the lock piece 22 is located between the upper link bar 11 and the lower link bar 12, the lock piece 22 when provided in the upper link bar 11 projects downward. When the lock piece 22 is provided on the lower link bar 12, it is desirable that the lock piece 22 protrudes upward.

Further, in this embodiment, since the central member 14 of the wheel support unit 70 is detachably attached to the handle post 4, the front one-wheel bicycle can be remodeled into a front two-wheel bicycle. As shown in FIGS. 16 to 19, the central member 14 can be fitted and fixed to the cylindrical handle post 4. As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the central member 14 has a shape in which the upper part of the cylindrical member is partially cut out. The central member 14 is a C-shaped cross-sectional portion 14e having a cylindrical portion 14d extending over the entire circumference at the lower portion and an opening 14c at the rear side in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body at the upper portion. The cylindrical portion 14d of the central member 14 is fitted from below with respect to the lower end of the handle post 4, and then the C-shaped cross-sectional portion 14e is fitted so as to be pressed toward the handle post 4 while lifting the central member 14. The central connection piece 46 of the second link mechanism 40 connected to the lower end of the central member 14 is fitted into the lower end 3b of the handle shaft 3 via the tubular sleeve 45. Then, the wheel support unit 70 is addressed to the handle post 4 from the rear side with respect to the front-rear direction of the vehicle body. The wheel support unit 70 includes a main body block 71 having a through hole 71a extending in the front-rear direction, and a bolt 72 and a nut 73. The central member 14 is fixed to the handle post 4 by inserting the bolt 72 inserted into the through hole 71a of the main body block 71 into the bolt hole 14b of the support portion 14a on the central member 14 side and tightening the nut 73. Further, the wheel support unit 70 is provided with rotation stopping means 77. As shown in FIGS. 17 and 19, the rotation stopping means 77 is composed of two screw holes 74 provided in the main body block 71 and bolts 75 screwed into the screw holes 74, respectively. The bolt 75 is screwed into the screw hole 74, and the tip of the bolt 75 protruding downward from the main body block 71 sandwiches the main frame of the frame 1 from both the left and right sides immediately behind the handle post 4, thereby preventing the central member 14 from rotating. It is carried out.

The second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 21 to 23. This embodiment is an application of the present invention to a rear two-wheeled bicycle. Hereinafter, the difference from the first embodiment will be mainly described. In the wheel support unit 70 of the second embodiment, the steering function is not required for the rear wheels. Therefore, the handle post 4 of the first embodiment is read as the center post 4. The center post 4 is provided at one position in the center of the width direction of the vehicle body in the vicinity of the rear end of the frame 1. Further, the second link mechanism 40 that exerts a steering function is omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the pair of side posts 50 are arranged symmetrically behind the center post 4 with the vehicle body center line in between. The wheel support member 60 is not a so-called fork member, but holds the hub axle A of the wheel W from the inside (from the vehicle body center line side) with a cantilever. Reference numeral 6 in the figure is a rear sprocket. The rear sprocket 6 is provided only on the axle A of one of the left and right wheels W and W, and the driving force is transmitted to only one wheel W. Further, reference numeral 7 in the figure is a brake disc (brake pads, brake calipers, etc. are not shown). Brake discs 7 are provided on the axles A of both wheels W and W, respectively.

Similarly in this embodiment, the upper link bar 11 has the first upper link bar 11a arranged on one side (right side when viewed from the driver) in the vehicle body width direction with the central member 14 interposed therebetween, and the other side (viewed from the driver). Although it is divided into a second upper link bar 11b arranged on the left side), this may be composed of one continuous member over the entire length in the left-right direction. Similarly, the lower link bar 12 is also divided into a first lower link bar 12a arranged on one side in the vehicle body width direction with the central member 14 interposed therebetween and a second lower link bar 12b arranged on the other side. However, this may be composed of one member which is continuous over the entire length in the left-right direction. This also applies to the third embodiment described later. Since the elastic members 31 are arranged on both the left and right sides of the receiving member 13, it is desirable that the receiving member 13 is composed of one continuous member over the entire length without dividing the members on the left and right sides. Since the first link mechanism 10, the lock mechanism 20, the suspension mechanism 30, and other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment described above, the description thereof will be omitted.

The third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 24 to 26. In each of the above embodiments, both ends of the upper link bar 11 and the lower link bar 12 are pin-coupled between the pair of side posts 50, 50, respectively. However, in this embodiment, the installation of the side post 50 is omitted. Therefore, it is easier to apply to the rear wheel R which does not require the steering function than the front wheel F which requires the steering function. In the third embodiment, the elastic member 31 constituting the suspension mechanism 30 is composed of a coil spring, and the coil spring is interposed at both ends of the upper link bar 11 and both ends of the lower link bar 12 via pins 32 and 33, respectively. It is connected so that it can swing freely.

As described above, in the general bicycle 80, the handle shaft 3 projects downward from the handle post 4 and a fork member 60 that rotatably supports the wheel W is attached to the lower portion thereof. On the other hand, in the present invention, the fork member 60 is not connected to the lower end of the handle shaft 3, and the handle shaft 3 is composed of a short member up to the vicinity of the lower end of the handle post 4. Therefore, when the existing front one-wheel bicycle is converted into a front two-wheel bicycle by using the wheel support unit 70 of the present invention, the handle shaft 3 provided with the fork member 60 and the handle shaft 3 not provided with the fork member 60 are used. It will be exchanged for.

As described above, in the first embodiment, the present invention will be described by taking as an example a front two-wheeled bicycle provided with two wheels W and W parallel to the front wheel F in the width direction of the vehicle body, and the second and third embodiments will be described. Then, the present invention has been described by taking as an example a rear two-wheeled bicycle provided with two wheels W and W parallel to the rear wheel R in the width direction of the vehicle body. However, the wheel support unit 70 of each embodiment can be applied to both the front wheels F and the rear wheels R. However, the wheel support unit 70 used for the front wheel F needs to be provided with a second link mechanism (steering mechanism) 40 that is interlocked with the rotation of the steering wheel shaft 3. Further, in order to apply the wheel support unit 70 to the rear wheel R, a center post 4 is required near the rear end of the frame 1. When the existing rear one-wheeled bicycle is converted into a rear two-wheeled bicycle, if there is no center post 4 near the rear end of the frame 1, the center post 4 can be attached to the frame 1 by welding or the like.

1 Frame 2 Steering handle 3 Handle shaft 4 Center post 10 First link mechanism (swing mechanism)
11 Upper link bar 11a First upper link bar 11b Second upper link bar 12 Lower link bar 13 Receiving member 14 Central member 15, 16 Swing connection part 20 Lock mechanism 21 Locking member (engagement pin, engagement piece)
22 Lock piece 30 Suspension mechanism 31 Elastic member 40 Second link mechanism (steering mechanism)
50 Side post 60 Wheel support member (fork member)
70 Wheel support unit 80 Bicycle

Claims (6)

In a bicycle equipped with two wheels (W, W) parallel to the front wheel (F) in the width direction of the vehicle body.
A pair of wheel support members (1) that rotatably support the frame (1), the center post (4) provided on the frame (1), and the two wheels (W, W) parallel to each other in the width direction of the vehicle body. 60, 60), a first link mechanism (10) provided between the pair of wheel support members (60, 60) and the center post (4), and exerting a swing function in the vehicle body width direction. An elastic member (31) arranged between the pair of wheel support members (60, 60) and the center post (4) to cushion the impact from the wheels (W, W) to the frame (1) is provided. With a suspension mechanism (30)
The first link mechanism (10) includes an upper link bar (11), a lower link bar (12) provided below the upper link bar (11), and a central portion of the upper link bar (11). A swinging connecting portion (15, 16) for swingably connecting the central portion of the lower link bar (12) to the center post (4), the upper link bar (11), and the lower link bar (11). A lock mechanism (20) that stops the swing function by locking the relative movement in the vehicle body width direction with 12) is provided.
A pair of side posts (50, 50) each supporting the pair of wheel support members (60, 60) are provided, and both ends of the upper link bar (11) and the lower link bar (12) are each of the pair. It is located in front of the side posts (50, 50) and pinned between the pair of side posts (50, 50).
The elastic member (31) is arranged in the vertical direction in front of the pair of side posts (50, 50), and the lower end thereof is in contact with both ends of the lower link bar (12) . The center post (4) is a handle post that rotatably supports the handle shaft (3) that supports the steering handle (2), and the pair of side posts (50, 50) and the handle shaft ( The bicycle according to claim 1, further comprising a second link mechanism (40) that exerts a steering function between the bicycle and the bicycle. A receiving member (13) arranged between the upper link bar (11) and the lower link bar (12) and swingably connected to the center post (4) is provided.
The elastic member (31) is a coil spring arranged between the lower link bar (12) and the receiving member (13).
The bicycle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lock mechanism (20) is provided between the center post (4) and the receiving member (13). The center post (4) is provided with a removable central member (14).
A claim that the central portion of the upper link bar (11) and the central portion of the lower link bar (12) are swingably connected to the central member (14) by the swing connecting portions (15, 16). The bicycle described in any one of 1 to 3. The upper link bar (11) includes a first upper link bar (11a) arranged on one side in the vehicle body width direction with the center post (4) interposed therebetween, and a second upper link bar (11b) arranged on the other side. ) And the bicycle according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The elastic member (31) is provided at both ends of the lower link bar (12), and the receiving member (13) is attached to the pair of side posts (50, 50) along the lower link bar (12). The bicycle according to claim 3, which is one member continuously provided between the bicycles.

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