NL2010514C2

NL2010514C2 - Carrier bicycle and frame.

Info

Publication number: NL2010514C2
Application number: NL2010514A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Elmer Berg; Gijs Pieter Bouman
Original assignee: Elmer Berg; Gijs Pieter Bouman
Priority date: 2013-03-25
Filing date: 2013-03-25
Publication date: 2014-09-29

Description

CARRIER BICYCLE AND FRAME

The present invention relates to a frame and to a carrier bicycle having such frame a whereon a transport bin is mounted, according to claims 1 and 10 respectively.

Such frames and carrier bicycles are generally known. Manufacturing of such carrier bicycles possibly having three or four wheels normally starts from specific designs which take account of the mechanical requirements, which are tailored to prescribed sizes and must have suitable steering facilities particularly when the transport bin is filled with weight from goods or persons.

As understood JP S51 34144 U discloses the features of the preamble of claim 1. In addition the known frame has specific designs for the front wheel construction under the transport bin of the carrier bicycle and for the steering tube .

These specific designs have disadvantages in terms of achievable cost-prizes, which leads to a reduced market acceptance .

It is a goal of the present invention to stay as close as possible to normal bicycle designs and layouts when designing and manufacturing carrier bicycles and frames there for, not only to reduce cost-prize but also for broadening the market and improving acceptance by the general public of carrier bicycles.

Thereto the frame according to the invention has the features outlined in claim 1 and the carrier bicycle has the features outlined in claim 10.

It is an advantage of the frame according to the invention that at least part of an original bicycle frame can be used to assemble the frame for the carrier bicycle. In particular the rear frame part can be taken from an already normally available bike as a starting point to assemble a frame and carrier bicycle according to the invention. This leads to minimum starting and manufacturing costs.

It is further advantageous that the frame according to the invention allows for a separation and exchangeability of carrier frame parts. These frame parts are even reusable in another normal bicycle or in a frame for another carrier bicycle. Furthermore the coupling means for coupling the front and rear frame parts of the carrier bicycle are capable of clamping onto the upper and lower steering head ends thus allowing for a simple and effective coupling and uncoupling of the carrier frame parts on a first position.

In a further advantageous embodiment the coupling means which clamp the upper and lower ball head ends have a sectionally tapering adapter thus fitting in various types and diameters of standardized or not standardized ball head ends concerned. One can think of inner ball heads tubes of 1 inch, 1 1/8 inch, 25 mm, 1 1/4 inch such as for tandems or even 1 1/2 inch. Now all can be adapted too by only one such adapter .

An embodiment of the frame according to the invention which has the features of claim 4 has the advantage that a two-sided coupling, that is, also with further detachable coupling means can be realized. The rearwardly prolonged carrying element which is coupled to the first frame part at a second position on the crank axle carrier by means of further detachable coupling means provides additional mechanical stability. This embodiment is further practically specified by the embodying features of claim 5.

A preferred embodiment of the frame according to the invention has the features of claim 6.

A frame provided with such a mechanically stabile triangle provides increased stability to the whole frame and bicycle. In addition the sagging or bending of the at least one frame tube is reduced because of the reduced load thereon .

At present the frame and carrier bicycle according to the invention will be elucidated further together with their additional advantages while reference is being made to the appended drawing, wherein similar components are being referred to by means of the same reference numerals. In the drawings :

Fig. 1 shows a frame according to the invention having a rear frame part and a front frame part which are mutually detachably coupled by means not explicitly shown therein;

Figs. 2A and 2B schematically show a side view and a front view of the front frame part to be used in the frame according to fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 shows detailed lower half coupling means of figs. 2A and 2B.

Fig. 1 shows a frame 1 for a carrier bicycle having a rear frame part 2-1 and a front frame part 2-2. The front frame part 2-2 is for carrying thereon a transport bin -not shown- for transporting goods or for example children therein. The parts 2-1, 2-2 are mutually joined by detachable coupling means 14-1 or 14-1 and 14-2 to be described hereinafter .

The rear frame part 2-1 comprises: a crank axle carrier 4, in fig. 1 as shown two frame tubes 5-1 and 5-2, and a first steering tube carrying part 6-1 which is fixed to the crank axle carrier 4 through at least frame tube 5-1. The first steering tube carrying part 6-1 has an (upper) ball head end 7-1 (see figs. 2A and 2B). The frame 1 may at wish have one sturdy frame tube or as shown two frame tubes 5-1, 5-2 .

The front frame part 2-2 comprises front wheel 8 carrying means 9, a second steering tube carrying part 6-2, and a carrying element 10 which is at its rear end fixed to the second steering tube carrying part 6-2, and at its front end the element 10 has the means 9 for carrying the front wheel 8 or possibly front wheels. The carrying element 10 is for supporting the transport bin. The second steering tube carrying part 6-2 has an (lower) ball head end 7-2.

In assembled condition the first and second steering tube carrying parts 6-1 and 6-2 are in line with one another. These parts are hollow such that they may encompass a steering axle 11 fixed to vehicle handle bars 12. As best shown in fig. 1 the bottom end of the steering axle 11 is coupled here with a steering lever mechanism 13 running under the transport bin to the at least one front wheel 8.

The rear and front frame parts 2-1, 2-2 are joined at their first and second steering tube carrying parts 6-1, 6-2 by detachable coupling means 14-1 which in this case clamp the upper and lower ball head ends 7-1, 7-2. The clamping is effected as best shown in fig. 2B by for example two, three or four parallel threaded tension bars 15 running parallel to the through going steering axle 11, and the first and second steering tube carrying parts 6-1 and 6-2. The tension bars 15 press and hold the ball head ends 7-1, 7-2 together thus coupling the rear and front frame parts 2-1 and 2-2. The tension bars 15 are fixed to transverse elements 16-1 and 16-2 which elements are fixed to the ball head ends 7-1 and 7-2 respectively .

The lower detailed half of the coupling means 14-1 are shown in fig. 3. In assembled condition the means 14-1 clamp the upper and lower ball head ends 7-1, 7-2 each have a sectionally tapered adapter 3 fitting into the respective ball head end 7-1, 7-2. Consequently the coupling means 14-1 are generally applicable on various sizes and types of ball head ends concerned. The adapters 3 may be considered as possibly stepwise tapered or conical nuts which are fixedly pressed onto the ball head ends concerned.

In order to couple the frame parts 2-1, 2-2 in a mechanically stable way it is advisable to couple them in a second place too. Thereto the carrying element 10 is rearwardly prolonged in order to be coupled to the rear frame part 2-1 at the position of the crank axle carrier 4 by means of further detachable coupling means 14-2. In the embodiment as shown in the figures the coupling means 14-1 and the further coupling means 14-2 are each provided at ends of the at least one frame tube 5-1, 5-2.

For reasons of achieving mechanical stability and increased carrying capability a triangle (fig. 1) is formed embodied by the at least one frame tube 5-1, 5-2, the steering tube carrying part or parts 6-1, 6-2 concerned and the carrying element 10 which is rearwardly prolonged.

In case of two frame tubes 5-1 and 5-2 the rear frame part 2-1 comprises a saddle carrying tube 17. The upper frame tube 5-2 is then fixed between the first steering tube part 6-1 and the saddle carrying tube 17 for increased safety and mechanical reliability.

The carrier bicycle as a whole is very stabile if the transport bin is fixed preferably over the front wheel carrier means 9 against the front frame part 2-2 and to the first and/or second steering tube carrying part(s) 6-1, 6-2. This creates extra transport room in the transport bin above the front wheel 8.

Claims

Frame for a cargo bike with a rear frame part, a front frame part for carrying a transport bin to be mounted thereon, and coupling means for the two frame parts, wherein the rear frame part comprises: - a bottom bracket, - at least one frame tube, and one via the at least one frame tube first steering gear bearing portion connected to the bottom bracket carrier with an upper steering head end, the front frame part comprising: - supporting means for at least one front wheel, - a second steering gear bearing portion with a lower steering head end, and - a second steering gear bearing portion attached carrying element to which also the front wheel carrying means are attached, wherein first and second steering housing carrying parts are in line with each other, and wherein the rear and front frame parts are coupled via their first and second steering housing carrying parts clamping detachable coupling means engaging the upper and lower steering head ends characterized in that the coupling means covering the upper the lower and lower headset ends have a adapter that runs in cross-section and is universally suitable in the relevant headset end.

2. Frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adapter is a stepwise running nut to be pressed on the relevant headset end.

3. Frame according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the adapters at the upper and lower steering head ends are clamped to each other by the coupling means provided with thread ends running parallel to the steering housing.

4. Frame as claimed in any of the claims 1-3, wherein the bearing element is extended rearwards and is coupled to the rear frame part by further releasable coupling means at the location of the bottom bracket.

Frame according to any of claims 1-4, wherein the coupling means clamping the upper and lower headset ends and the further coupling means are each arranged at the ends of the at least one frame tube.

6. Frame as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the at least one frame tube, the two coupled steering housing support parts and the rear-extended support element form a mechanically stable triangle in the coupled state of the two frame parts.

7. Frame according to any of claims 1-6, wherein the first frame tube is stuck between the first steering housing part and the bottom bracket.

8. Frame according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rear frame part comprises two frame tubes.

9. Frame according to claim 8, wherein the rear frame part comprises a saddle support tube and the second frame tube is fixed between the first handlebar part and the saddle support tube.

A cargo bicycle, comprising a frame according to any one of the preceding claims, and a transport box mounted on the front frame part, preferably above the at least one front wheel, which part is secured against the first and / or second steering box bearing part.

A cargo bicycle as claimed in claim 10, wherein a steering rod coupled to a front-wheel steering mechanism runs through the first and second steering box support sections.

A cargo bike according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the steering mechanism for the at least one front wheel extends under the transport bin to the at least one front wheel.