JP7489611B2 - Bicycle, saddle mounting kit and seat post - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a bicycle equipped with a seat post mounting member attached to a seat post and a saddle mounting member attached to a saddle, a saddle mounting member set equipped with a seat post mounting member and a saddle mounting member, and a seat post equipped on a bicycle.

Patent Document 1 discloses an electric bicycle with an anti-theft device. The electric bicycle described in Patent Document 1 includes a saddle that is supported on the seat post so as to be rotatable between a service state and a parking position in which the saddle seat surface is inclined, and a locking device that holds the saddle in the parking position. A saddle support base plate is fixed to the upper end of the seat post. A saddle mounting member is fixed to the saddle. One end of the saddle mounting member is pivotally supported on one end of the saddle support base so as to be rotatable.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-157474

In the electric bicycle described in Patent Document 1, the saddle support base plate is fixed to the seat post so that the saddle support base plate is located above the seat post. As a result, the axis of the pivot shaft that pivots the saddle mounting member on the saddle support base plate is necessarily located above the upper end of the seat post, which means that the saddle is positioned higher than the seat post.

This disclosure was made in light of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a bicycle, saddle attachment member set, and seat post that make it easy to keep the saddle low relative to the seat post.

A bicycle according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a seat post, a saddle, a seat post mounting member attached to one end of the seat post in the longitudinal direction, and a saddle mounting member attached to the saddle. The saddle mounting member is connected to the seat post mounting member so as to be rotatable about a central axis. The central axis is located on the other end side of the one end of the seat post in the longitudinal direction.

The saddle mounting member set according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes the seat post mounting member and the saddle mounting member that are provided on the bicycle.

The seat post according to one aspect of the present disclosure is provided on the bicycle, and the two leads are arranged inside the seat post so that they each extend in the longitudinal direction.

The bicycle, saddle attachment member set, and seat post of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure make it easy to keep the saddle low relative to the seat post.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a bicycle according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the control system of the above. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bicycle saddle. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the upper end portion of the seat post and the seat post mounting member of the bicycle. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the bicycle saddle mounting member. 6A and 6B are front and cross-sectional views of the seat post upper end, seat post mounting member, and saddle mounting member of the bicycle in the saddle use position; 7A and 7B are front and cross-sectional views of the seat post mounting member and the saddle mounting member of the bicycle in the saddle raised position; FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the reed switch of the bicycle.

(1) Embodiment (1.1) Overview A bicycle according to this embodiment includes a seat post 3, a saddle 4, a seat post mounting member 5 attached to one end of the seat post 3 in the longitudinal direction, and a saddle mounting member 6 attached to the saddle 4. The saddle mounting member 6 is connected to the seat post mounting member 5 so as to be rotatable about a central axis 50. The central axis 50 is located on the other end side of the one end of the seat post 3 in the longitudinal direction of the seat post 3.

The saddle mounting member set according to this embodiment includes a seat post mounting member 5 and a saddle mounting member 6 that are attached to the bicycle.

The seat post 3 according to this embodiment is mounted on a bicycle, and two leads 33, 33 are arranged inside the seat post 3, each extending in the longitudinal direction of the seat post 3.

The bicycle, saddle mounting member set, and seat post 3 according to this embodiment make it easy to keep the position of the saddle 4 low relative to the seat post 3.

(1.2) Details (1.2.1) Overall Configuration The bicycle according to this embodiment will now be described in detail.

The bicycle according to this embodiment is a three-wheeled bicycle 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the three-wheeled bicycle 1 is an electrically assisted bicycle, and is equipped with a motor unit 12 that outputs rotational power to at least one of the front and rear wheels 111 and 112 that make up the wheels 11. In this disclosure, an "electrically assisted bicycle" refers to a bicycle equipped with a motor unit 12 that supplements the user's pedaling force (hereinafter referred to as "pedal force") with a drive auxiliary output. Therefore, in this disclosure, an "electrically assisted bicycle" includes not only legally regulated electrically assisted bicycles, but also bicycles equipped with a motor unit 12 that are not legally regulated as electrically assisted bicycles. In this disclosure, "drive auxiliary output" refers to the rotational output that the motor 121 (see FIG. 2) provides to the wheels 11.

The three-wheeled bicycle 1 according to this embodiment is an electrically assisted bicycle, but in this disclosure, the bicycle may have a separate drive system (human-powered drive system) that powers the wheels 11 with pedaling force and a separate drive system (motor-driven system) that powers the wheels 11 with a motor 121 (a bicycle that can run on the motor 121 alone). Here, the term "electric bicycle" refers to bicycles that include bicycles with independent human-powered and motor-driven systems and electrically assisted bicycles. Note that the "three-wheeled bicycle" referred to in this disclosure does not have to be an electrically assisted bicycle, and may be a bicycle with only a human-powered drive system that does not have a motor unit 12.

The users of the three-wheeled bicycle 1 according to this embodiment are primarily elderly people, people with weak legs and hips, people who have difficulty maintaining balance, people with disabilities, etc. However, in this disclosure, the users are not limited to any particular type, and may be young people, middle-aged people, able-bodied people, etc.

Here, in this disclosure, the direction in which the three-wheeled bicycle 1 moves along the running surface 100 is defined as the "forward direction," and the opposite direction is defined as the "rearward direction." In addition, the two directions, the forward direction and the rearward direction, are defined as the "forward-rear direction," and the two directions perpendicular to the forward-rear direction and along the horizontal plane are defined as the "left-right direction." In this embodiment, the running surface 100 is described as a horizontal plane. However, in reality, the running surface 100 is not necessarily a horizontal plane, and may be, for example, an uneven surface, an inclined surface with a gradient relative to the horizontal plane, a curved surface, a spherical surface, etc. The definitions of these directions are not intended to limit the manner in which the three-wheeled bicycle 1 can be used. Furthermore, the arrows indicating each direction in the drawings are merely shown for explanatory purposes and do not have any substance.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the three-wheeled bicycle 1 includes a frame 2, one front wheel 111, two rear wheels 112, a handlebar 13, a saddle 4, a pair of crank arms 142, a pair of pedals 141, a battery device 15, a motor unit 12, and a motor bracket 120. The three-wheeled bicycle 1 also includes a brake device that brakes at least one of the front wheel 111 and the rear wheel 112, a speed sensor 19, and a control unit 16 (see FIG. 2).

(1.2.2) Wheels The front wheels 111 and rear wheels 112 constituting the wheels 11 support the frame 2 on the running surface 100. Each of the front wheels 111 and the rear wheels 112 includes a tire 113, a wheel 114, and a hub 115.

A front wheel axle 116 passes through the hub 115 of the front wheel 111, and the front wheel 111 is rotatably attached to the front fork 26 of the front frame 21 by the front wheel axle 116. The rotation axis of the front wheel 111 is the same as the central axis of the front wheel axle 116 and is approximately parallel to the left-right direction.

The two rear wheels 112 are rotatably attached to the rear frame 28 included in the frame 2. The two rear wheels 112 are separated in the left-right direction. A rear wheel axle 117 passes through the hub 115 of the rear wheels 112, and the rear wheels 112 are rotatably attached to the rear frame 28 by the rear wheel axle 117. The rotation axis of the rear wheels 112 is the same as the central axis of the rear wheel axle 117 and is approximately parallel to the left-right direction. In the three-wheeled bicycle 1 according to this embodiment, one of the two rear wheels 112 is a drive wheel and the other is a driven wheel.

(1.2.3) Frame The frame 2 is a framework to which at least one front wheel 111 and two rear wheels 112 are attached. In this embodiment, the frame 2 is made of an aluminum alloy containing aluminum as a main component. However, in this disclosure, the frame 2 is not limited to an aluminum alloy, and may be made of iron, chrome molybdenum steel, high tensile steel, titanium, magnesium, or the like. In addition, the frame 2 according to this disclosure is not limited to a metal, and may be made of carbon, wood, bamboo, fiber reinforced synthetic resin (e.g., CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics)), or the like. In this embodiment, the frame 2 includes a front frame 21 and a rear frame 28, as shown in FIG. 1 .

The front frame 21 constitutes the front portion of the frame 2. In this embodiment, the front wheel 111, the battery device 15, the handlebars 13, the saddle 4, the motor bracket 120, the motor unit 12, the crank arm 142, and the pedals 141 are attached to the front frame 21.

The front frame 21 is composed of multiple pipes. In this embodiment, the front frame 21 includes a front fork 26, a head pipe 24, a down tube 22, and a seat tube 23. The front frame 21 also includes a seat stay 25 and a battery bracket 27.

In this disclosure, a "pipe" refers to a thin, hollow member. The cross-sectional shape of a pipe according to this disclosure may be, for example, circular (including a perfect circle, an oval, and an ellipse), rectangular (including a square), hexagonal, octagonal, etc.

The front fork 26 supports the front wheel 111. The front fork 26 includes a pair of legs 261, a crown 262 connecting the upper ends of the pair of legs 261, and a steering column 263 protruding from the crown 262. The front wheel 111 is rotatably attached to the pair of legs 261 via a front wheel axle 116 that passes through a hub 115. The axis of rotation of the front wheel 111 is approximately parallel to the running surface 100 and is the same as the central axis of the front wheel axle 116 that supports the front wheel 111. The protruding direction (longitudinal direction) of the steering column 263 is inclined with respect to the running surface 100 so that it goes rearward as it goes upward from the crown 262.

The head pipe 24 supports the front fork 26. The central axis of the head pipe 24 is inclined with respect to the riding surface 100 so that it moves rearward as it moves upward. The steering column 263 is passed through the head pipe 24 so that the central axis of the head pipe 24 and the central axis of the steering column 263 coincide with each other. This allows the head pipe 24 to rotatably support the steering column 263. In this embodiment, the rotation axis of the steering column 263 is the same as the central axis of the head pipe 24.

The down tube 22 connects the head pipe 24 and the seat tube 23.

The seat tube 23 holds the saddle 4. The lower end of the seat tube 23 is connected to the rear end of the down tube 22. The seat tube 23 is formed in a straight line, and the central axis of the seat tube 23 is inclined with respect to the riding surface 100 so that it moves rearward as it goes upward. The seat tube 23 is located between the front wheel 111 and the rear wheel 112 in the fore-and-aft direction. The saddle 4 is attached to the seat tube 23 so as to be movable along the direction along the central axis of the seat tube 23 (longitudinal direction).

The saddle 4 is attached to one end of the seat post 3 in the longitudinal direction. The longitudinal direction of the seat post 3 faces the up-down direction. Here, the longitudinal direction of the seat post 3 facing the up-down direction means that the longitudinal direction of the seat post 3 includes at least a vertical component. In other words, the longitudinal direction of the seat post 3 may be vertical or may be inclined relative to the vertical direction, but is not horizontal. In this embodiment, the one end of the longitudinal direction of the seat post 3 is the upper end of the seat post 3. The seat post 3 protrudes downward from the part of the saddle 4 where the user sits. In this embodiment, the seat post 3 is inclined with respect to the riding surface 100 so that it goes forward as it goes downward. The seat post 3 is passed through the seat tube 23 along the central axis of the seat tube 23. The seat post 3 and the saddle 4 will be described later.

The battery device 15 is attached to the battery bracket 27. The battery bracket 27 is attached to the longitudinal rear end of the down tube 22.

The seat stays 25 reinforce the seat tube 23. In this embodiment, the seat stays 25 connect the seat tube 23 to the battery bracket 27.

The rear frame 28 constitutes the rear portion of the frame 2. The rear wheel 112 is attached to the rear frame 28. The rear frame 28 is disposed rearward of the front frame 21 in a plan view. The rear frame 28 and the front frame 21 are connected via a connecting member 29.

Although not specifically shown, the brake device has a brake main body, a brake lever 132, and a brake interlocking member. The brake main body is a so-called brake caliper, and has a wire adjustment screw and a brake block. The brake lever 132 is arranged to be aligned with the grip 131 of the handle 13. The brake interlocking member is interlocked between the brake main body and the brake lever 132, and is composed of a so-called brake wire.

A rear sprocket (not shown) is fixed to one of the rear wheel shafts 117. Therefore, the rotation axis of the rear sprocket is the same as the rotation axis of the rear wheel shaft 117. The rear sprocket is connected to the drive sprocket 17 via the power transmission body 18. As a result, the rotational power output from the drive sprocket 17 is transmitted to the rear sprocket via the power transmission body 18, rotating one of the rear wheels 112.

(1.2.4) Handle The handle 13 controls the direction of the front wheels 111. In this embodiment, the handle 13 is formed in a substantially U-shape when viewed from the front. The handle 13 has a grip 131 at its tip. The handle 13 is fixed to the upper end of a steering column 263.

(1.2.5) Battery Device The battery device 15 is a device that supplies power to at least the motor 121. The battery device 15 includes an attachment portion 151 and a battery 150.

The mounting section 151 is the portion where the battery 150 is mounted. The battery 150 is removably attached to the mounting section 151. The mounting section 151 is fixed in a resting state on the battery bracket 27.

The battery 150 is a secondary battery that stores electrical energy to be supplied to the motor 121. The battery 150 has one or more built-in cells. The battery 150 is electrically connected to the attachment portion 151. This allows the battery 150 to supply power to the motor 121.

In the present disclosure, the battery device 15 may be configured to supply power only to the motor unit 12, or may be configured to supply power to the motor unit 12 as well as, for example, the headlights, an ON/OFF control unit for the motor 121, etc.

(1.2.6) Motor unit/motor bracket The motor unit 12 outputs a force that supplements the pedaling force input from the pedal 141. When the user pedals the pedal 141 and a pedaling force (external force) is input to the crankshaft via the crank arm 142, the crankshaft rotates. When the crankshaft receives the pedaling force and rotates, the motor unit 12 according to this embodiment detects the rotation speed of the crankshaft and the torque generated in the crankshaft, and outputs a force according to the detection results. In short, the motor unit 12 according to this embodiment can output a force that is the sum of the pedaling force and the drive supplement output.

The motor unit 12 according to this embodiment includes a drive sprocket 17 on which the power transmission body 18 is hung, a motor 121 (see FIG. 2), a reduction gear mechanism (not shown), and a pedaling force detection sensor 122.

The drive sprocket 17 includes a first drive sprocket 170 that is rotated by the pedaling force, and a second drive sprocket (not shown) that is rotated by the motor 121. In short, the motor unit 12 according to this embodiment is a two-shaft motor unit that transmits the pedaling force and the auxiliary drive output separately to the power transmission body 18.

However, in this disclosure, the motor unit 12 may be a single-shaft motor unit 12 that transmits the pedaling force transmitted via the pedal 141 and the crank arm 142 and the output of the motor 121 to the drive sprocket 17, and then transmits the power to the power transmission body 18.

The motor 121 outputs rotational power. The motor 121 includes a rotor and a stator. An output shaft is attached to the rotor, and the rotor and the output shaft are fixed to each other. Teeth are formed on the outer periphery of the output shaft.

The reduction gear mechanism is arranged around the output shaft and has multiple gears that mesh with the teeth. When the rotor of the motor 121 rotates, the power is transmitted to the reduction gear mechanism, which rotates the drive sprocket 17 and transmits an assist force to the rear wheel 112.

The pedaling force detection sensor 122 detects the pedaling force input from the pedal 141 connected to the crankshaft. In this modified example, the pedaling force detection sensor 122 detects torque as the pedaling force. This torque detection is performed, for example, by a magnetostrictive torque sensor detecting strain generated in the crankshaft. Note that the rotation of the crankshaft around its axis may also be detected by a rotation sensor as the pedaling force detection. The detection result detected by the pedaling force detection sensor 122 is output to the control unit 16. The control unit 16 controls the motor 121 to rotate based on the detection result of the pedaling force detection sensor 122.

A crank arm 142 and a pedal 141 are attached to each end of the crank shaft of the motor unit 12. In short, a pair of crank arms 142 and a pair of pedals 141 are disposed on the right and left sides of the frame 2. In this embodiment, the pedal 141 drives at least one of the two rear wheels 112.

In the embodiment, the power transmission body 18 is a chain, but this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the power transmission body 18 may be a belt, a wire, etc.

The motor unit 12 is attached to the frame 2 via a motor bracket 120. The motor bracket 120 is attached to the down tube 22.

(1.2.7) Control Unit The control unit 16 (see FIG. 2) is composed of a control board 160. In this embodiment, the control board 160 is a printed circuit board. The control unit 16 is mainly composed of a microcontroller having one or more processors and one or more memories. That is, the functions of the control unit 16 are realized by the processor of the microcontroller executing a program recorded in the memory of the microcontroller. The program may be pre-recorded in the memory, or may be provided by being recorded on a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card. The motor 121, the pedaling force detection sensor 122, the speed sensor 19, and the reed switch 32 of the motor unit 12 are connected to the control unit 16.

The speed sensor 19 detects the traveling speed of the three-wheeled bicycle 1. In this disclosure, "traveling speed" refers to the speed at which the three-wheeled bicycle 1 travels on the riding surface 100.

(2) Saddle and Seat Post The saddle 4 is attached to one end of the seat post 3 in the longitudinal direction via a seat post mounting member 5 and a saddle mounting member 6. The three-wheeled bicycle 1 includes the seat post mounting member 5 and the saddle mounting member 6. The seat post mounting member 5 and the saddle mounting member 6 form a saddle mounting member set.

(2.1) Saddle As shown in Fig. 3, the saddle 4 has a curved plate-shaped base 41, a cushion 42 attached to the upper side of the base 41, a naval line 43 attached to the lower side of the base 41, and a spring 44 disposed between the lower surface of the base 41 and the naval line 43. The saddle 4 used in the three-wheeled bicycle 1 of this embodiment can be any of a variety of known saddles as appropriate, and is not particularly limited. In particular, a general saddle having a naval line 43 is preferably used as the saddle 4.

(2.2) Seat Post As shown in Figure 4, the seat post 3 is cylindrical. The upper end of the seat post 3 is a small diameter section 31 that is smaller in diameter than the portion below the upper end. The seat post 3 used in the three-wheeled bicycle 1 of this embodiment is not particularly limited and may be any of a variety of known seat posts as appropriate. A seat post mounting member 5 is attached to the upper end of the seat post 3 (the small diameter section 31 in this embodiment).

(2.3) Seatpost mounting member The seatpost mounting member 5 is formed as a separate member from the seatpost 3. The seatpost mounting member 5 is attached to one end (upper end) of the seatpost 3 in the longitudinal direction so as to be detachable (separable) from the seatpost 3. The seatpost mounting member 5 is mainly made of metal. As the metal constituting the seatpost mounting member 5, iron (including steel) or SUS is preferably used, but it may be made of other metals such as aluminum, and is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the seatpost mounting member 5 may include both metal and non-metal. The seatpost mounting member 5 has a tubular portion 51 and a fastening portion 52.

The tubular portion 51 is cylindrical, but the tubular wall is not formed around the entire circumference. In other words, the tubular portion 51 is not annular, but is partially divided in the circumferential direction, and a gap is formed between the ends in the circumferential direction. The inner diameter of the tubular portion 51 is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the small diameter portion 31 of the seat post 3. The tubular portion 51 can be deformed so that the distance between the divided ends in the circumferential direction of the tubular portion 51 changes slightly. As a result, the inner diameter of the tubular portion 51 can change to some extent depending on the outer diameter of the small diameter portion 31 of the seat post 3.

The fastening portion 52 has fastening pieces 521, 521 that protrude radially outward from each end of the tubular portion 51, which is divided in the circumferential direction. Both fastening pieces 521, 521 face each other. Both fastening pieces 521, 521 are formed with through holes 53, 53 near the end closest to the tubular portion 51, through which the bolts 54 that constitute the fastening members pass.

To attach the seat post attachment member 5 to the small diameter portion 31 of the seat post 3, first, the cylindrical portion 51 is placed over the small diameter portion 31 from above, and the small diameter portion 31 is fitted into the cylindrical portion 51. Next, the bolt 54 is passed through the through holes 53, 53 of both fastening pieces 521, 521, and the nut 55, which constitutes a fastening member together with the bolt 54, is fitted onto the bolt 54 and tightened.

The fastening pieces 521, 521 are formed with through holes 57, 57 through which the shaft member 56 that connects the seat post mounting member 5 and the saddle mounting member 6 passes. Nut 59 is fastened to the shaft member 56.

The seat post mounting member 5 is formed with a hook portion 58 onto which the hook portion 75 of the use position holding portion 7, which will be described later, hooks. The hook portion 58 is formed by cutting and raising a part of the side wall of the cylindrical portion 51 at the lower part of the rear end of the cylindrical portion 51.

(2.4) Saddle Mounting Member As shown in FIG. 5, the saddle mounting member 6 (so-called yagura) is formed as a separate body from the saddle 4. The saddle mounting member 6 is attached to the saddle 4 in a detachable (separable) manner. The saddle mounting member 6 is mainly formed of metal. As the metal constituting the saddle mounting member 6, iron (including steel) or SUS is preferably used, but other metals such as aluminum may also be used, and there is no particular limitation. The saddle mounting member 6 may also include both metals and non-metals. The saddle mounting member 6 has a main body portion 61 and a saddle mounting portion 62.

The main body 61 is formed in a U-shape (or C-shape) that opens downward and has a horizontal piece 63 and left and right vertical pieces 64, 64. The vertical pieces 64, 64 extend downward from both left and right ends of the horizontal piece 63 located at the upper end. The shape of the main body 61 largely determines the shape of the entire saddle mounting member 6.

The horizontal piece 63 has a through hole formed as an attachment portion 631 for attaching the magnet 34 that constitutes the reed switch 32.

The vertical pieces 64, 64 are formed with through holes 641, 641 and chrysanthemum seats 642, 642 for mounting the saddle mounting parts 62, 62. The chrysanthemum seats 642, 642 are irregularities with triangular wave-shaped cross sections that extend radially from the through holes 623, 623. The through holes 641, 641 are rectangular in shape, through which the threaded part 662 of the saddle mounting shaft 66, which will be described later, passes and which fits into the square part 661.

Connecting pieces 65, 65 that constitute the saddle mounting part 62 extend forward from the front ends of the vertical pieces 64, 64. The horizontal piece 63 is not located in the portion corresponding to the connecting pieces 65, 65. The connecting pieces 65, 65 have through holes 651, 651 through which the shaft member 56 passes.

The vertical pieces 64, 64 are formed with through holes 643, 643 through which the shaft member 74 passes to rotatably connect the use position holding portion 7 to the saddle mounting member 6.

The saddle mounting parts 62, 62 have first clamping pieces 621, 621 (so-called chrysanthemum seat members) and second clamping pieces 622, 622 (so-called one-ring pieces) that clamp the ship line 43 of the saddle 4. The first clamping pieces 621, 621 are formed with through holes 623, 623 through which the threaded portion 662 of the saddle mounting shaft 66 passes. The second clamping pieces 622, 622 are formed with through holes 624, 624 through which the threaded portion 662 of the saddle mounting shaft 66 passes.

The first clamping pieces 621, 621 are formed with chrysanthemum seat portions 625, 625 having projections and recesses that fit into the projections and recesses of the chrysanthemum seat portions 642, 642 of the vertical pieces 64, 64.

The saddle mounting shaft 66 has a rectangular section 661 in the middle in the axial direction. The saddle mounting shaft 66 also has threaded sections 662, 662 at both ends in the axial direction. Nuts 663, 663 are fitted onto the threaded sections 662, 662.

The saddle mounting member 6 has a use position holding part 7 that holds the saddle mounting member 6 in the saddle use position, and a release part 8 (release lever 80) that releases the use position of the saddle held by the use position holding part 7. The use position holding part 7 and the release part 8 will be described later.

6A and 6B , the saddle mounting member 6 is connected to the seat post mounting member 5 so as to be rotatable about a central axis 50. In this embodiment, the seat post mounting member 5 and the saddle mounting member 6 are connected to each other so as to be rotatable about the central axis 50 via a shaft member 56 located at the position of the central axis 50.

This allows the saddle mounting member 6 to rotate between the saddle use position and the saddle jump-up position. The saddle use position is the position of the saddle mounting member 6 when the rotating end 60 on the opposite side to the side on which the central axis 50 of the saddle mounting member 6 is located is located at one end of the rotation range, as shown in Figures 6A and 6B. In this embodiment, when the saddle mounting member 6 is in the saddle use position, the rotating end 60 of the saddle mounting member 6 is located at the lower limit of the rotation range.

As shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the saddle jump position is the position of the saddle mounting member 6 when the rotating end 60 of the saddle mounting member 6 is located at the other end of the rotation range.

As shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the position of the central axis 50 for rotatably connecting the saddle mounting member 6 to the seat post mounting member 5 is lower than the upper end 30 of the seat post 3. In addition, at least a portion (lower end) of the saddle 4 is also lower than the upper end 30 of the seat post 3. This prevents the axis of the pivot shaft of the saddle support base from being located above the upper end of the seat post, which would cause the saddle to be positioned higher relative to the seat post, as in the conventional electric bicycle described in the Background Art section.

When the saddle mounting member 6 is in the saddle use position, it contacts the upper surface of the seat post mounting member 5. Specifically, when the saddle mounting member 6 is in the saddle use position, the lower surface of the horizontal piece 63 of the saddle mounting member 6 is placed on and supported by the upper surface of the tubular portion 51 of the seat post mounting member 5. The upper surface of the tubular portion 51 of the seat post mounting member 5 becomes a restricting portion on the one end side that restricts the movement of the rotation end portion 60 so that it is one end (lower limit) of the rotation range. As a result, the weight of the user applied to the saddle mounting member 6 via the saddle 4 is received by the upper surface of the tubular portion 51 of the seat post mounting member 5, so that the weight of the user is prevented from being concentrated on the shaft member 56 that connects the seat post mounting member 5 and the saddle mounting member 6.

As shown in FIG. 7B, when the saddle mounting member 6 is in the saddle-spring position, it contacts the seat post mounting member 5 via the shaft member 56, and also contacts the seat post mounting member 5 at a location other than the location where it contacts the seat post mounting member 5 via the shaft member 56. To explain in detail, the saddle mounting member 6 always contacts the seat post mounting member 5 via the shaft member 56. In addition, when the saddle mounting member 6 is in the saddle-spring position, it also contacts the seat post mounting member 5 at another location. In this embodiment, when the saddle mounting member 6 is in the saddle-spring position, the saddle mounting shaft 66 contacts the upper part of the rear end of the cylindrical portion 51 of the seat post mounting member 5. The upper part of the rear end of the cylindrical portion 51 of the seat post mounting member 5 becomes the other end side restriction portion that restricts the movement of the rotating end portion 60 so that it becomes the other end (upper limit) of the rotation range.

This prevents the weight of the tricycle 1 from concentrating on the shaft member 56 connected to the saddle 4 when the user tries to lift the saddle 4, which is in the saddle-spring position. To explain in more detail, when the user pushes the tricycle 1 with the saddle 4 in the saddle-spring position, the user normally grasps the grip 131 of the handlebars 13 to push the tricycle 1, but when climbing up a step, the user lifts the tricycle 1 as appropriate. At this time, when attempting to lift the tricycle 1 by lifting the saddle 4, which is in the saddle-spring position, there is a risk that the weight of the tricycle 1 will be concentrated on the shaft member 56 connected to the saddle 4.

The shaft member 56 is simply a member for restricting the movement (rotation) of the saddle mounting member 6 relative to the seat post mounting member 5. When the user sits on the saddle 4 and drives the tricycle 1 (when the saddle mounting member 6 is in the saddle use position), the lower surface of the horizontal piece 63 of the saddle mounting member 6 is supported by being placed on the upper surface of the tubular portion 51 of the seat post mounting member 5. At this time, the weight of the user is supported by the seat post mounting member 5 without passing through the shaft member 56. For this reason, it is economically undesirable to make the strength of the shaft member 56 strong enough to support the weight of the user, and the strength of the shaft member 56 is designed not to be high. It is undesirable for the load of the tricycle 1 to be concentrated on this shaft member 56, but the saddle mounting shaft 66 also comes into contact with the upper part of the rear end of the tubular portion 51 of the seat post mounting member 5, making it easier to distribute the load of the tricycle 1 applied to the saddle mounting member 6.

(2.6) Use position retaining part The use position retaining part 7 retains the state in which the saddle mounting member 6 is positioned in the saddle use position. The use position retaining part 7 is mainly made of metal. As the metal constituting the use position retaining part 7, iron (including steel) or SUS is preferably used, but other metals such as aluminum may also be used, and there is no particular limitation. Furthermore, the use position retaining part 7 may include both metals and non-metals.

As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment, the use position holding portion 7 is configured by a hook 71 having a recess 72 between one end and the other end. One end side of the hook 71 is connected to the saddle mounting member 6 so as to be rotatable about a second central axis 70. Specifically, a through hole 73 is formed in the upper end portion, which is the one end side, and a shaft member 74 is passed through the through hole 73.

A hook portion 75 is formed on the other end of the hook 71 to hook onto the latch portion 58 of the seat post mounting member 5. The hook portion 75 is a pointed portion on the other end of the hook 71.

A spring 76 is arranged on the shaft member 74 to apply force to the hook 71 in the direction opposite to the direction in which the hook portion 75 hooks onto the latch portion 58 (i.e., the direction in which the saddle mounting member 6 rotates from the saddle use position to the saddle jump-up position).

When the saddle mounting member 6 is in the saddle use position, the catch portion 75 of the hook 71 catches on the latch portion 58 of the seat post mounting member 5, thereby maintaining the saddle use position.

When the saddle mounting member 6 is in the saddle jump position, the hook 75 of the hook 71 is not hooked on the latch portion 58 of the seat post mounting member 5, so the hook 71 can rotate around the second central axis 70. If the hook 71 rotates significantly and the hook 75 is located directly above the seat post mounting member 5, the hook 75 will hit the seat post mounting member 5 and will not rotate even if the rotating end 60 that positions the saddle mounting member 6 in the saddle use position is rotated downward. For this reason, in this embodiment, a part of the saddle mounting member 6 is inserted into the recess 72 and contacts the hook 71, so that the hook 75 is not located directly above the seat post mounting member 5. To explain further, the saddle mounting shaft 66 of the saddle mounting member 6 is inserted into the recess 72 of the hook 71, and the saddle mounting shaft 66 contacts the inner surface of the recess 72, restricting the movement of the hook 71. The movement of the hook 71 is restricted by the saddle mounting shaft 66, so that the hook portion 75 is not positioned directly above the seat post mounting member 5. This makes it easier for the user to position the saddle mounting member 6, which is in the saddle raised position, into the saddle use position.

(2.7) Releasing Unit The releasing unit 8 releases the holding of the saddle in the use position by the use position holding unit 7. The releasing unit 8 is mainly made of resin, but may be made of metal or the like, and is not particularly limited in material. In this embodiment, the releasing unit 8 is constituted by a release lever 80.

One longitudinal end of the release lever 80 is rotatably connected to the saddle mounting member 6. Specifically, a through hole 81 is formed at one end, and the shaft member 74 passes through the through hole 81. The other end of the release lever 80 rotates around the second central axis 70 (the center of the shaft member 74) on one end side of the release lever 80 so as to move upward (towards one longitudinal end of the seat post 3).

A long hole 83 is formed in the release lever 80, and the pin 77 protruding from the hook 71 is inserted into the long hole 83. When the release lever 80 rotates and moves the pin 77 by the end of the long hole 83, the hook 71 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the release lever 80.

Between one end and the other end of the release lever 80, a recess 82 is formed that is recessed downward and opens upward to allow the saddle 4 to escape. The formation of the recess 82 makes it easier to rotate the other end of the release lever 80 upward with a large stroke while allowing the saddle 4 to escape.

(2.8) Reed Switch The tricycle 1 is equipped with a reed switch 32. The reed switch 32 detects whether the saddle 4 is in the saddle use position or the saddle raised position. Information detected by the reed switch 32 is sent to the control unit 16 via a cable 35. The reed switch 32 has a pair of reeds 33, 33 and a magnet 34.

As shown in FIG. 8, within the seat post 3, the contacts 331, 331 of each lead 33, 33 are arranged so as to be aligned in a direction intersecting (perpendicular to) the longitudinal direction of the seat post 3. In other words, each pair of leads 33, 33 is arranged so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the seat post 3.

The magnet 34 is attached to the mounting portion 631 formed on the horizontal piece 63 of the saddle mounting member 6 by a fastener 341 such as a screw.

The pair of reeds 33, 33 are arranged in the seat post 3 so that they each extend in the longitudinal direction of the seat post 3, thereby stabilizing detection by the reed switch 32. In other words, even if the seat post 3 rotates relative to the seat post mounting member 5, the relative positions of the pair of reeds 33, 33 to the magnet 34 remain almost unchanged, so the detection of the magnetic force of the magnet 34 is almost constant, and detection by the reed switch 32 is stable.

(3) Modifications The above embodiment is merely one of various embodiments of the present disclosure. The above embodiment can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved.

Below, we list some modified examples of the embodiment. The modified examples described below can be combined as appropriate. The bicycle according to the present disclosure is not limited to the three-wheeled bicycle 1 as in the above embodiment. The bicycle may of course be a two-wheeled bicycle, or a bicycle with four or more wheels.

The small diameter portion 31 does not have to be formed at the upper end of the seat post 3.

The usage position retaining portion 7 does not have to be provided on the saddle mounting member 6, but can be provided anywhere on the bicycle.

The release unit 8 does not have to be provided on the saddle mounting member 6, but may be provided anywhere on the bicycle. Also, the release unit 8 does not have to be configured as a release lever 80, and may be configured as a push button or the like, and is not particularly limited.

The position of the rotating end 60 of the saddle mounting member 6 when the saddle mounting member 6 is in the saddle use position does not have to be at the lower limit of the rotation range. Also, the position of the rotating end 60 of the saddle mounting member 6 when the saddle mounting member 6 is in the saddle jump-up position does not have to be at the upper limit of the rotation range.

Instead of the reed switch 32, the bicycle may be equipped with a tact switch, a limit switch, or a switch using a relay. Also, the bicycle does not have to be equipped with the reed switch 32, the tact switch, the limit switch, or a switch using a relay.

When the saddle is in the raised saddle position, the saddle mounting member 6 may contact the seat post mounting member 5 via the shaft member 56 and may also contact the seat post 3.

(4) Aspect As described above, the bicycle according to the first aspect comprises the seat post 3, the saddle 4, a seat post mounting member 5 attached to one end of the seat post 3 in the longitudinal direction, and a saddle mounting member 6 attached to the saddle 4. The saddle mounting member 6 is connected to the seat post mounting member 5 so as to be rotatable about a central axis 50. The position of the central axis 50 is on the other end side of the one end of the seat post 3 in the longitudinal direction of the seat post 3.

The first aspect prevents the position of the saddle 4 from becoming too high relative to the seat post 3.

The bicycle according to the second aspect comprises a seat post 3, a saddle 4, a seat post mounting member 5 attached to one end of the seat post 3 in the longitudinal direction, and a saddle mounting member 6 attached to the saddle 4. The saddle mounting member 6 is connected to the seat post mounting member 5 so as to be rotatable about a central axis 50. At least a portion of the saddle 4 is located on the other end side of the one end of the seat post 3 in the longitudinal direction of the seat post 3.

The second aspect prevents the position of the saddle 4 from becoming too high relative to the seat post 3.

The third aspect is realized by combining with the first or second aspect. In the third aspect, the seat post mounting member 5 is detachably attached to the seat post 3.

According to the third aspect, the seat post mounting member 5 can be attached to an existing seat post 3, thereby increasing versatility.

The fourth aspect is realized by combining with any one of the first to third aspects. In the fourth aspect, the saddle mounting member 6 is rotatable between a saddle use position where the rotating end 60 on the opposite side to the central axis 50 is located at one end of the rotation range, and a saddle jump-up position where the rotating end 60 is located at the other end of the rotation range.

According to the fourth aspect, the position of the saddle mounting member 6 when the rotating end 60 is located at one end of the rotation range can be set as the saddle use position, and the position of the saddle mounting member 6 when the rotating end 60 is located at the other end of the rotation range can be set as the saddle jump-up position.

The fifth aspect is realized by combining with the fourth aspect. In the fifth aspect, the seat post mounting member 5 and the saddle mounting member 6 are connected rotatably around the central axis 50 via a shaft member 56 located at the position of the central axis 50. When the saddle mounting member 6 is in the saddle raised position, it contacts the seat post mounting member 5 via the shaft member 56, and also contacts the seat post mounting member 5 at a location different from the location where it contacts the seat post mounting member 5 via the shaft member 56.

According to the fifth aspect, when a user tries to lift the saddle 4 that is in the saddle lift position, the weight of the bicycle is prevented from concentrating on the shaft member 56 connected to the saddle 4.

The sixth aspect is realized by combining with the fourth or fifth aspect. In the sixth aspect, the saddle mounting member 6 contacts the surface of the seat post mounting member 5 at one end of the seat post 3 in the longitudinal direction when the saddle is in the use position.

According to the sixth aspect, it becomes easier to distribute the weight of the user applied to the saddle mounting member 6 via the saddle 4.

The seventh aspect is realized by combining with any of the fourth to sixth aspects. In the seventh aspect, the bicycle has a use position retaining part 7 that retains the saddle mounting member 6 in the saddle use position.

According to the seventh aspect, the saddle mounting member 6 can be maintained in the saddle use position.

The eighth aspect is realized by combining with the seventh aspect. In the eighth aspect, the bicycle is provided with a release lever 80 that releases the use position of the saddle held by the use position holding part 7. One end of the release lever 80 is rotatably connected to the saddle mounting member 6, and the other end is rotated so as to move toward one end of the seat post 3 in the longitudinal direction, thereby releasing the hold of the saddle in the use position. Between one end and the other end, the release lever 80 has a recessed portion 82 that is recessed toward the other end of the seat post 3 in the longitudinal direction to allow the saddle 4 to escape.

According to the eighth aspect, it becomes easier to rotate the other end of the release lever 80 upward with a large stroke.

The ninth aspect is realized by combining with the seventh or eighth aspect. In the ninth aspect, the use position retaining portion 7 is configured by a hook 71, one end of which is connected to the saddle mounting member 6 so as to be rotatable about the second central axis 70, the other end of which has a hook portion 75 that hooks onto the seat post mounting member 5, and which has a recess 72 between one and the other end. A part of the saddle mounting member 6 is inserted into the recess 72 and comes into contact with the hook 71, so that the hook portion 75 is not positioned on the one end side of the seat post mounting member 5 in the longitudinal direction of the seat post 3.

According to the ninth aspect, the user can easily position the saddle mounting member 6, which is located in the saddle lift position, to the saddle use position.

The tenth aspect is realized by combining with any one of the first to ninth aspects. In the tenth aspect, the two reeds 33, 33 constituting the reed switch 32 are arranged in the seat post 3 so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the seat post 3.

According to the tenth aspect, detection by the reed switch 32 is stable.

The eleventh aspect is realized by combining with any one of the first to tenth aspects. In the eleventh aspect, the saddle mounting member set includes a seat post mounting member 5 and a saddle mounting member 6 that are provided on a bicycle according to any one of the first to tenth aspects.

According to the eleventh aspect, a saddle mounting member set can be constructed that prevents the saddle 4 from being positioned too high relative to the seat post 3.

The twelfth aspect is realized by combining it with the tenth aspect. In the twelfth aspect, the seat post 3 is provided on the bicycle of the tenth aspect, and two leads 33, 33 are arranged inside the seat post 3 so that they each extend in the longitudinal direction of the seat post 3.

According to the twelfth aspect, detection by the reed switch 32 is stable.

The bicycle according to the thirteenth aspect includes a seat post 3, a saddle 4, a seat post mounting member 5 attached to one end of the seat post 3 in the longitudinal direction, and a saddle mounting member 6 attached to the saddle 4. The saddle mounting member 6 is connected to the seat post mounting member 5 so as to be rotatable about a central axis 50. The saddle mounting member 6 is rotatable between a saddle use position in which a rotation end portion 60 on the opposite side to the central axis 50 is located at one end of the rotation range, and a saddle jump position in which the rotation end portion 60 is located at the other end of the rotation range. The seat post mounting member 5 and the saddle mounting member 6 are connected to be rotatable about the central axis 50 via a shaft member 56 located at the position of the central axis 50. When the saddle mounting member 6 is in the saddle jump position, it contacts the seat post mounting member 5 via the shaft member 56, and contacts the seat post mounting member 5 or the seat post 3 at a location other than the location where the saddle mounting member 6 contacts the seat post mounting member 5 via the shaft member 56.

According to the thirteenth aspect, when a user tries to lift the saddle 4 that is in the saddle lift position, the weight of the bicycle is prevented from concentrating on the shaft member 56 connected to the saddle 4.

1. Tricycle (bicycle)
3 Seat post 30 Upper end (one end in the longitudinal direction)
32 Reed switch 33 Reed 331 Contact 4 Saddle 5 Seat post mounting member 50 Central axis 56 Shaft member 6 Saddle mounting member 7 Usage position retaining portion 70 Second central axis 71 Hook 72 Recess 75 Hook portion 80 Release lever 82 Relief portion

Claims (11)

Seat post and
a saddle having a base to which a ship line is attached;
a seat post attachment member attached to one end side of the seat post in a longitudinal direction;
a saddle mounting member attached to the saddle and rotatably connected to the seat post mounting member between a saddle use position and a saddle raised position about a central axis line,
When the saddle mounting member is in the saddle use position, the central axis is located on the front side and a rotating end portion is located on the rear side,
The saddle use position is such that the rotation end portion is located at one end of a rotation range,
The saddle jump position is such that the rotation end portion is located at the other end of the rotation range,
The saddle mounting member has a clamping piece that clamps the ship line,
a position of the central axis is located on the other end side of the one end of the seat post in the longitudinal direction;
When the rotating end portion is located in the saddle use position, the clamping piece is located on the other end side of the seat post relative to the central axis in a vertical direction of a horizontal riding surface. Seat post and
a saddle having a base to which a ship line is attached;
a seat post attachment member attached to one end side of the seat post in a longitudinal direction;
a saddle mounting member attached to the saddle and rotatably connected to the seat post mounting member between a saddle use position and a saddle raised position about a central axis line,
When the saddle mounting member is in the saddle use position, the central axis is located on the front side and a rotating end portion is located on the rear side,
The saddle use position is such that the rotation end portion is located at one end of a rotation range,
The saddle jump position is such that the rotation end portion is located at the other end of the rotation range,
The saddle mounting member has a clamping piece that clamps the ship line,
At least a portion of the saddle is located on the other end side of the one end of the seat post in the longitudinal direction,
When the rotating end portion is located in the saddle use position, the clamping piece is located on the other end side of the seat post relative to the central axis in a vertical direction of a horizontal riding surface. The bicycle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the seat post attachment member is releasably attached to the seat post. the seat post mounting member and the saddle mounting member are connected to each other so as to be rotatable about the central axis via a shaft member located at the position of the central axis,
The bicycle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the saddle mounting member is in the saddle raised position, the saddle mounting member contacts the seat post mounting member via the shaft member, and contacts the seat post mounting member at a point different from the point at which the saddle mounting member contacts the seat post mounting member via the shaft member. The bicycle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the saddle mounting member contacts a surface of the seat post mounting member at one end in the longitudinal direction of the seat post when the saddle is in the using position. The bicycle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an in-use position retaining portion that retains the saddle attachment member in the in-use position. a release lever for releasing the holding of the saddle in the use position by the use position holding part,
The release lever is
One end side is rotatably connected to the saddle mounting member, and the other end side is rotated so as to move toward the one end side in the longitudinal direction, thereby releasing the holding of the saddle in the use position,
The bicycle according to claim 6, further comprising a recess between the one end and the other end, the recess being recessed toward the other end in the longitudinal direction to allow the saddle to escape. The use position holding portion is constituted by a hook,
one end of the hook is connected to the saddle mounting member so as to be rotatable about a second central axis, the other end of the hook has a hook portion that hooks onto the seat post mounting member, and a recess is provided between the one end of the hook and the other end of the hook;
8. The bicycle according to claim 6 or 7, wherein a portion of the saddle mounting member is inserted into the recess and comes into contact with the hook, so that when the saddle mounting member is in the saddle raised position, the hook portion is not positioned on one end side of the longitudinal direction of the seat post mounting member. The bicycle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein two reeds constituting a reed switch are disposed within the seat post so as to extend in the longitudinal direction. A saddle mounting member set comprising the seat post mounting member and the saddle mounting member provided on the bicycle according to any one of claims 1 to 9. A seat post provided to the bicycle according to claim 9, wherein the two leads are disposed inside the seat post so as to extend in the longitudinal direction.

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