JP7060488B2 - Bicycle frame - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a bicycle frame.

Conventionally, for bicycles, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1 below, a handle support portion having a handle bar extending in the left-right direction at the upper end portion and a head tube into which the handle support portion is rotatably inserted. The frame is known.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-53363

However, in a conventional bicycle frame, a wire located close to the head tube, such as a brake wire, may be exposed to the outside of the head tube, resulting in poor appearance.
In particular, the wire located close to the head tube is pulled in accordance with the steering wheel operation and is generally loosened, so that it looks good if it is exposed to the outside of the head tube. There is a risk that the deterioration will be noticeable, and there is also the risk that the bicycle will be easily caught by the next bicycle at a bicycle parking lot.

The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a bicycle frame capable of preventing a wire located close to the head tube from being exposed to the outside of the head tube. And.

In order to solve the above problems and achieve such an object, the bicycle frame of the present invention has a handle support portion having a handle bar extending in the left-right direction at the upper end portion, and the handle support portion can rotate. A head tube inserted into the head tube, a seat tube having a saddle arranged at the upper end portion, a bottom bracket to which the lower end portion of the seat tube is connected, and an upper connecting portion connecting the head tube and the seat tube. A lower connecting portion, which is disposed below the upper connecting portion and connects the head tube and the bottom bracket, is provided in the head tube, in which the handle support portion is rotatably inserted and the upper connecting portion is connected. A main body cylinder to which each front end portion of the portion and the lower connecting portion is connected, and a cover cylinder disposed between the upper connecting portion and the lower connecting portion and continuous from the rear side with respect to the main body cylinder. The main body cylinder has a rear end wall portion and opens upward, and the cover cylinder has a front end wall portion connected to the rear end wall portion and penetrates the upper connecting portion in the vertical direction. A penetrating portion that opens inside the cover cylinder is formed, and the opening above the penetrating portion is arranged rearward from the opening above the main body cylinder, and the inside of the cover cylinder is formed in the lower connecting portion. An upper opening is formed that opens toward, and the wire is integrally inserted into each of the inside of the through portion, the cover cylinder, and the upper opening.

According to the present invention, the head tube includes a main body cylinder into which a handle support portion is rotatably inserted, and a cover cylinder which is connected to the main body cylinder from the rear side, and a wire is a penetrating portion of an upper connecting portion. The cover tube and the wires located close to the head tube are covered by the cover tube and are not exposed to the outside of the head tube because they are inserted integrally inside each of the upper opening of the cover tube and the lower connecting portion. be able to. Moreover, since the cover cylinder is arranged between the upper connecting portion and the lower connecting portion and is connected to the main body cylinder from the rear side, the cover cylinder can be made inconspicuous.
From the above, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the appearance of a bicycle, for example, even if the bicycle does not have a front cage and the entire front portion is exposed.

Here, the front end wall portion of the cover cylinder is formed integrally with the rear end wall portion of the main body cylinder, and among the wall portions defining the cover cylinder, other wall portions excluding the front end wall portion. At least a part of the above may be detachably arranged.

In this case, of the wall portions that define the cover cylinder, at least a part of the other wall portions other than the front end wall portion integrally formed with the rear end wall portion of the main body cylinder is detachably arranged. Therefore, the inside of the cover cylinder can be opened to the outside, and a finger or the like can be inserted into the inside of the cover cylinder to perform the work. Therefore, for example, when the connector is housed in the cover cylinder, it is possible to perform the attachment / detachment work of the connector with the inside of the cover cylinder open to the outside, and the maintainability can be improved.

Further, the cover cylinder has a C-shaped covering wall portion that opens forward in a cross -sectional view, and the front end opening of the covering wall portion is covered by the front end wall portion to cover the covering. The wall portion may be detachably arranged with respect to the front end wall portion.

In this case, since the covering wall portion is detachably arranged with respect to the front end wall portion, the entire inside of the cover cylinder is exposed to the outside by separating the covering wall portion from the front end wall portion. Therefore, maintainability can be reliably improved.

Further, a locked portion that is detachably locked to the locking portion formed on the front end wall portion may be formed on the inner surface of the covering wall portion.

In this case, since a locked portion that is detachably locked to the locking portion of the front end wall portion is formed on the inner surface of the covering wall portion, when an external force is applied to the covering wall portion, the locked portion is engaged. The covering wall portion is deformed so that the stop portion is pushed against the locking portion of the front end wall portion. Therefore, even if the covering wall portion is deformed by an unexpected external force applied to the covering wall portion, it is possible to prevent the covering wall portion from coming off from the front end wall portion.

Further, the lower connecting portion may be formed with a lower opening that opens downward and the inside communicates with the upper opening.

In this case, since the lower connecting portion is formed with a lower opening that opens downward and communicates with the upper opening on the inside, a brake brake element for front wheels, for example, located below the head tube is formed. Wires connected to the member can be inserted through the lower opening inside the lower connecting part, ensuring that wires located close to the head tube are not exposed to the outside of the head tube. Can be done.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the wire located close to the head tube from being exposed to the outside of the head tube.

It is a side view of the main part of the bicycle which has the frame for a bicycle shown as one Embodiment which concerns on this invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of the bicycle frame shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of the bicycle frame shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of the main part of the bicycle frame shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, and is the figure which shows the state which the wire is attached.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the bicycle frame 1 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.
In the following description, the front side of the bicycle 10 (right side in FIG. 1) is the front side, and the rear side of the bicycle 10 (left side in FIG. 1) is the rear side in accordance with the normal traveling direction of the bicycle 10 having the bicycle frame 1. explain. Further, a direction orthogonal to both the front-back direction and the up-down direction is referred to as a left-right direction.

The bicycle frame 1 includes a front fork 11, a head tube 12, a handle support portion 13, a seat tube 14, a bottom bracket 15, a chain stay 16, an upper connecting portion 17, and a lower connecting portion 18.

The front fork 11 extends in the vertical direction and is located at the front portion of the bicycle frame 1. A front wheel is rotatably attached to the lower end of the front fork 11 via an axle. An electric motor that generates a driving force to rotate the front wheels is attached to this axle. The rotation of the electric motor is decelerated by the deceleration mechanism and transmitted to the front wheels. The electric motor applies auxiliary torque to the front wheels. As the electric motor, for example, a brushless DC motor or the like can be used.
The head tube 12 extends upward from the upper end of the front fork 11. The handle support portion 13 is rotatably inserted into the head tube 12.

The lower end of the handle support 13 is connected to the upper end of the front fork 11. The handle support portion 13 projects upward from the head tube 12. A handlebar 22 extending in the left-right direction is attached to the upper end of the handle support portion 13. Grip portions G gripped by the driver are arranged at both ends of the handlebar 22 in the left-right direction. A brake lever 23 is attached to the handlebar 22 so as to be able to move forward and backward with respect to the grip portion G. A pair of left and right brake levers 23 are arranged.

A saddle 14a is arranged at the upper end of the seat tube 14. The saddle 14a includes a seatpost 14b extending downward, and the seatpost 14b is fitted in the seat tube 14 so as to be vertically movable. The seat tube 14 gradually extends rearward from the bottom to the top. A battery 31 is detachably attached to the rear portion of the seat tube 14. The battery 31 is electrically connected to the above-mentioned electric motor and supplies electric power to the electric motor. The battery 31 is made of, for example, a lithium ion secondary battery and can be used repeatedly by charging. If the electric motor is capable of generating regenerative power, it is also possible to charge the battery 31 with this regenerative power.
The lower end of the seat tube 14 is connected to the bottom bracket 15.

One end of the crank 24 is attached to the bottom bracket 15 via a sprocket (hereinafter referred to as "front sprocket"), and the pedal 25 is attached to the other end of the crank 24. The crank 24 is rotatably supported by the bottom bracket 15 around one end. The pedal 25 is rotatably supported at the other end of the crank 24 around a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction. A pair of left and right cranks 24 and pedals 25 are arranged. A chain stay 16 extending rearward is arranged at the rear end of the bottom bracket 15.

A rear wheel is rotatably attached to the rear end of the chain stay 16. A sprocket (hereinafter referred to as "rear sprocket") is mounted on the rear wheel so as to be coaxial with the rear wheel.
A chain is wound around the front sprocket and the rear sprocket. When a pedaling force such as a driver is applied to the pedal 25, the front sprocket rotates. The rotation of the front sprocket is transmitted to the rear sprocket via the chain to rotate the rear sprocket, and the rotation of the rear sprocket causes the rear wheels to rotate.

The upper connecting portion 17 connects the head tube 12 and the seat tube 14. The rear end portion of the upper connecting portion 17 is connected to the central portion in the vertical direction of the seat tube 14. The upper connecting portion 17 gradually extends downward from the front side toward the rear side. The upper connecting portion 17 is formed in a tubular shape. The upper connecting portion 17 may be formed in the shape of a solid rod.

The lower connecting portion 18 is arranged below the upper connecting portion 17 and connects the head tube 12 and the bottom bracket 15. The rear end of the lower connecting portion 18 is connected to the front end of the bottom bracket 15. The lower connecting portion 18 gradually extends downward from the front side toward the rear side. The lower connecting portion 18 is formed in a tubular shape. The lower connecting portion 18 may be formed in the shape of a solid rod.
A vertical gap is provided between the upper connecting portion 17 and the lower connecting portion 18. The central portions of the upper connecting portion 17 and the lower connecting portion 18 in the left-right direction coincide with each other.

Then, in the present embodiment, the head tube 12 has a main body cylinder 27 to which the handle support portion 13 is rotatably inserted and the front ends of the upper connecting portion 17 and the lower connecting portion 18 are connected, and the upper connecting portion. A cover cylinder 28, which is arranged between the 17 and the lower connecting portion 18 and is connected to the main body cylinder 27 from the rear side, is provided. The front end portion of the upper connecting portion 17 is connected to the upper end portion of the main body cylinder 27, and the front end portion of the lower connecting portion 18 is connected to the lower end portion of the main body cylinder 27.
As shown in FIG. 3, the upper connecting portion 17 is formed with a penetrating portion 17a that penetrates in the vertical direction and opens inside the cover cylinder 28, and the lower connecting portion 18 opens toward the inside of the cover cylinder 28. The upper opening 18a is formed.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, the wire W can be integrally inserted into each of the insides of the penetrating portion 17a, the cover cylinder 28, and the upper opening portion 18a. This wire W is connected to an operation member attached to the handlebar 22, such as an operation switch for electric assist, a brake lever 23, or a shift lever. Of these, for example, the wire W connected to the operation switch for electric assist is inserted into the inside of the lower connecting portion 18 through the insides of the penetrating portion 17a, the cover cylinder 28, and the upper opening 18a, and is inside the lower connecting portion 18. Is guided backward and connected to a control unit for electric assist operation (not shown). A connector C is arranged on the wire W, and the connector C is housed inside the cover cylinder 28.

In the present embodiment, the lower connecting portion 18 is formed with a lower opening 18b that opens downward and communicates with the upper opening 18a on the inside.
As a result, the wire W located below the head tube 12 and connected to a member such as a brake brake for front wheels or an electric motor can be inserted into the lower connecting portion 18 through the lower opening 18b. It is possible. The wire W connected to the electric motor is inserted into the inside of the lower connecting portion 18 through the lower opening 18b, and is guided rearward inside the lower connecting portion 18 to be connected to the battery 31. The wire W connected to the brake brake for the front wheels is integrally inserted into each of the lower opening 18b, the lower connecting portion 18, the upper opening 18a, the cover cylinder 28, and the penetrating portion 17a to the brake lever 23. Be connected.
When the headlight is arranged adjacent to the head tube 12, a wire for supplying electric power to the headlight may be inserted inside the lower connecting portion 18 through the lower opening 18b. ..

The penetrating portion 17a, the upper opening 18a, and the lower opening 18b face each other in the vertical direction. At least one of the penetrating portion 17a, the upper opening portion 18a, and the lower opening portion 18b may be arranged at a position not facing the other in the vertical direction.
The penetrating portion 17a is vertically connected to each bush B among the inside of the bush B fitted in each through hole formed in the upper wall and the lower wall of the upper connecting portion 17 and the inside of the upper connecting portion 17. It is composed of facing parts and parts. The upper opening 18a is formed by the inside of a bush B fitted in a through hole formed in the upper wall of the lower connecting portion 18. The lower opening 18b is formed by the inside of a bush B fitted in a through hole formed in the lower wall of the lower connecting portion 18.

Of the upper connecting portions 17, both ends in the front-rear direction and the intermediate portion in the front-rear direction are separate bodies. Of the lower connecting portion 18, the front end portion and the portion located behind the front end portion are separate bodies. The main body cylinder 27, the front end portion of the upper connecting portion 17, and the front end portion of the lower connecting portion 18 are integrally formed. The upper connecting portion 17 and the lower connecting portion 18 may be integrally formed over the entire length in the front-rear direction.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover cylinder 28 has a front end wall portion 28a integrally formed with the rear end wall portion 27a of the main body cylinder 27 and a C-shape that opens forward in a cross-sectional view. The front end opening is covered with a front end wall portion 28a, and the covering wall portion 29 is detachably arranged with respect to the front end wall portion 28a.
The covering wall portion 29 includes a pair of left and right side wall portions 29a extending rearward from the front end wall portion 28a, and a rear end wall portion 29b connecting the rear end portions of these side wall portions 29a. The side wall portion 29a extends substantially straight in the front-rear direction, and the rear end wall portion 29b is curved so as to be a protrusion toward the rear. The upper end opening edge of the covering wall portion 29 abuts or is close to the lower wall of the upper connecting portion 17, and the lower end opening edge of the covering wall portion 29 abuts or is close to the upper wall of the lower connecting portion 18. There is. The covering wall portion 29 is formed so as to be elastically deformable so that the pair of left and right side wall portions 29a approach and separate from each other. The covering wall portion 29 may be a rigid body that is not easily elastically deformed.

The rear surface of the front end wall portion 28a of the cover cylinder 28 is located at both end edges in the left-right direction, extends in both the vertical and horizontal directions, and faces the rear, and the pair of left and right step surfaces 28b and the pair of left and right step surfaces 28b. It is located between the two, and is composed of a main surface portion 28c formed in a curved shape with a protrusion toward the rear. The front end opening edge of the side wall portion 29a of the covering wall portion 29 is in contact with or close to the step surface 28b.

As shown in FIG. 2, on the inner surface of the covering wall portion 29, a locked portion 34 that is detachably locked to the locking portion 33 formed on the front end wall portion 28a is formed.

A plurality of locked portions 34 are formed on the inner surface of each side wall portion 29a of the covering wall portion 29 at intervals in the vertical direction. One locked portion 34 is arranged on the upper portion and one lower portion of the inner surface of the front portion of the side wall portion 29a. The locked portion 34 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a long rectangular shape in the left-right direction when viewed from the vertical direction and a long rectangular shape in the vertical direction when viewed from the front-rear direction. The inner end portion of the locked portion 34 in the left-right direction exhibits a curved shape of a protrusion toward the inside in the left-right direction when viewed from the vertical direction. On the front surface of the locked portion 34 facing forward, a plurality of ridge portions 34a projecting forward and extending in the left-right direction are formed at intervals in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, each connection portion between the main surface portion 28c and the pair of left and right step surfaces 28b on the rear surface of the front end wall portion 28a of the cover cylinder 28 protrudes rearward from the step surface 28b in the left-right direction. A block portion 35 including at least a first surface 35a facing outward from the main surface portion 28c, a second surface 35b protruding outward from the main surface portion 28c toward the outside in the left-right direction, connecting to the rear end edge of the first surface 35a, and facing rearward. , Multiple pieces are formed at intervals in the vertical direction. The block portion 35 is arranged one by one at the upper portion and the lower portion on the rear surface of the front end wall portion 28a.
A locking portion 33 is formed on the first surface 35a. The locking portion 33 is a recessed portion extending in the vertical direction. The locked portion 34 is detachably fitted to the locking portion 33. At least the ridge portion 34a and the rear surface of the locked portion 34 are in contact with the inner surface of the locking portion 33.

As described above, according to the bicycle frame 1 according to the present embodiment, the head tube 12 is a cover connected to the main body cylinder 27 in which the handle support portion 13 is rotatably inserted and the main body cylinder 27 from the rear side. The cylinder 28 is provided, and the wire W is integrally inserted inside each of the penetrating portion 17a of the upper connecting portion 17, the cover cylinder 28, and the upper opening 18a of the lower connecting portion 18, so that the wire W is close to the head tube 12. It is possible to prevent the wire W located so as to be covered by the cover cylinder 28 from being exposed to the outside of the head tube 12. Moreover, since the cover cylinder 28 is arranged between the upper connecting portion 17 and the lower connecting portion 18 and is connected to the main body cylinder 27 from the rear side, the cover cylinder 28 can be made inconspicuous.
From the above, for example, even if the bicycle 10 does not have a front basket and the entire front portion is exposed, deterioration of the appearance can be prevented.

Further, since the covering wall portion 29 is detachably arranged with respect to the front end wall portion 28a, the entire inside of the cover cylinder 28 is exposed to the outside by separating the covering wall portion 29 from the front end wall portion 28a. It will be exposed. Therefore, it becomes possible to easily attach / detach the connector C housed in the cover cylinder 28, and the maintainability can be surely improved.

Further, since the locked portion 34 detachably engaged with the locking portion 33 of the front end wall portion 28a is formed on the inner surface of the covering wall portion 29, an external force is applied to the covering wall portion 29. Then, the covering wall portion 29 is deformed so that the locked portion 34 is pushed against the locking portion 33 of the front end wall portion 28a. Therefore, even if the covering wall portion 29 is deformed by an unexpected external force applied to the covering wall portion 29, it is possible to prevent the covering wall portion 29 from coming off from the front end wall portion 28a.

Further, since the lower connecting portion 18 is formed with a lower opening 18b that opens downward and communicates with the upper opening 18a on the inside, the brake braking for the front wheels, for example, located below the head tube 12 is formed. The wire W connected to a member such as a child can be inserted into the inside of the lower connecting portion 18 through the lower opening 18b, and the wire W located close to the head tube 12 is the outside of the head tube 12. It can surely prevent it from being exposed to the wire.

The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the covering wall portion 29 is configured such that the rear end wall portion 29b is curved so as to be a protrusion toward the rear, but it may be formed in a planar shape extending substantially straight in the left-right direction. However, a configuration may be adopted in which the pair of left and right side wall portions 29a, which do not have the rear end wall portion 29b, gradually approach each other toward the rear and are connected via the top.

Further, as the cover cylinder 28, the entire covering wall portion 29 is arranged to be detachably arranged with respect to the front end wall portion 28a, but the front end wall portion of the wall portions defining the cover cylinder 28 is shown. A configuration may be adopted in which at least a part of the wall portion other than 28a is detachably arranged. For example, of the covering wall portion 29, only a part of the side wall portion 29a may be detachably arranged.
Even in such a configuration, the inside of the cover cylinder 28 can be opened to the outside, a finger or the like can be inserted into the inside of the cover cylinder 28, and the connector C inside the cover cylinder 28 can be attached / detached for maintenance. It is possible to improve the sex.

Further, a head tube in which the entire cover cylinder 28 and the main body cylinder 27 are integrally formed may be adopted.
Further, the cover cylinder 28 may be separated from the upper connecting portion 17 and the lower connecting portion 18 in the vertical direction.
Further, a recessed portion may be adopted as the locked portion 34 of the covering wall portion 29, and a protruding portion may be adopted as the locking portion 33 of the front end wall portion 28a.
Further, when the power modulator is arranged on the wire W connecting the brake lever 23 and the brake brake element, the power modulator may be accommodated inside the cover cylinder 28.

In the above embodiment, the two-wheeled electrically power assisted bicycle is shown as the bicycle, but the bicycle may be a bicycle that does not have an electric motor and a battery 31 and travels only by human power. Further, the bicycle is not limited to two wheels, and may be a bicycle having three or more wheels.

In addition, it is possible to appropriately replace the components in the above-described embodiment with well-known components without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the above-mentioned modifications may be appropriately combined.

1 Bicycle frame 12 Head tube 13 Handle support 14 Seat tube 14a Saddle 15 Bottom bracket 17 Upper connection 17a Penetration 18 Lower connection 18a Upper opening 18b Lower opening 22 Handlebar 27 Main body cylinder 27a Rear end wall of main body cylinder Part 28 Cover cylinder 28a Front end wall part of cover cylinder 29 Covered wall part 33 Locking part 34 Locked part W wire

Claims (5)

A handle support part with a handlebar extending in the left-right direction at the upper end,
A head tube into which the handle support portion is rotatably inserted, and
A seat tube with a saddle at the top and
With the bottom bracket to which the lower end of the seat tube is connected,
An upper connecting portion that connects the head tube and the seat tube,
A lower connecting portion, which is disposed below the upper connecting portion and connects the head tube and the bottom bracket, is provided.
The head tube is
A main body cylinder in which the handle support portion is rotatably inserted and the front end portions of the upper connecting portion and the lower connecting portion are connected to each other.
A cover cylinder, which is arranged between the upper connecting portion and the lower connecting portion and is connected to the main body cylinder from the rear side, is provided.
The main body cylinder has a rear end wall portion and is opened upward.
The cover cylinder has a front end wall portion connected to the rear end wall portion.
A penetrating portion that penetrates in the vertical direction and opens inside the cover cylinder is formed in the upper connecting portion.
The opening above the penetration is located posteriorly away from the opening above the body tube.
An upper opening that opens toward the inside of the cover cylinder is formed in the lower connecting portion.
A bicycle frame through which a wire is integrally inserted inside each of the penetration portion, the cover cylinder, and the upper opening. The front end wall portion of the cover cylinder is formed integrally with the rear end wall portion of the main body cylinder.
The bicycle frame according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the wall portion defining the cover cylinder, excluding the front end wall portion, is detachably arranged. The cover cylinder has a C-shaped covering wall portion that opens forward in a cross -sectional view.
The front end opening of the covering wall portion is covered by the front end wall portion, and is covered with the front end wall portion.
The bicycle frame according to claim 2, wherein the covered wall portion is detachably arranged with respect to the front end wall portion. The bicycle frame according to claim 3, wherein a locked portion that is detachably locked to a locking portion formed on the front end wall portion is formed on the inner surface of the covering wall portion. The bicycle frame according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a lower opening is formed in the lower connecting portion so as to open downward and the inside communicates with the upper opening.

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