NZ513075A - Quick latch for attaching training wheels to bicycle - Google Patents

Abstract

A bracket 22 is held to the rear wheel axle 26 of a bicycle as the wheel nut 24 is tightened and the end of the bent trainer wheel arm 52 is slipped into the sleeve formed in the bracket and fixed to the bracket by a pair of pins projecting under the bias of a spring 40 through the holes 56 in the arm end. Pushing the button 30 allows the pins to be retracted from the holes so that the trainer wheel can be readily attached to or removed from the bike.

Description

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 7 JUL 2001 RECEIVED NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 No: Date: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION TRAINING WHEEL ASSEMBLY We, PACIFIC DUNLOP LIMITED, an Australian company of Level 3, 678 Victoria Street, Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: (followed by page la) CD/003852629v10.doc R t H 7ir ~la- ^ I iJ / VJ TRAINING WHEEL ASSEMBLY Field of the invention The invention relates to training wheel assemblies, particularly but not exclusively of the type used on children's bicycles.

Background of the invention There exist various techniques for attaching auxiliary side wheels to bicycles. Most typically, a pair of small side wheels is attached to a bicycle near the rear wheel, with one side wheel located on each side of the rear wheel. In this case, the pair of wheels is often referred to as "training wheels", and is used by 10 novice riders not yet confident of their balance when cycling.

The side training wheels are located near the rear wheel close to the grease and debris collected by the chain and sprocket. As a result, it can be difficult to attach, detach or adjust the side training wheels without the possibility of one's hands or clothes becoming soiled, for example, with oil which stains. It can 15 also be an inconvenience to remove the rear wheel when it is necessary to fit or remove the training wheels as usually a spanner or similar tool is required, and there may be many other components located near the training wheels which may obstruct removal and/or be inadvertently damaged or displaced when affixing or removing training wheels. Regular affixing or removing training wheels may be 20 required during the process of learning to ride a bicycle to test progress and avoid reliance on the training wheels. Further, training wheels of this type can work loose and are thus dangerous if not properly fitted.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to alleviate, at least in part, these and other limitations of the existing art.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 7 JAN 2003 R E C -£ IV E D The inventive concept resides in a recognition that attachment and detachment of side training wheels from bicycles is advantageously facilitated by the use of a release mechanism that avoids the need for screwing or unscrewing the training wheel arm to and from the frame or on an axle of the bicycle, thus obviating the requirement for disassembling the rear wheel holding mechanism of the bicycle.

Accordingly, a first aspect of the invention provides a bicycle side wheel apparatus including bracket means fastenable to a bicycle, the bracket means including sleeve means; an arm having a distal end portion that includes means for mounting a side wheel, a proximal end portion receivable in said sleeve means, and an intermediate portion that extends outwardly and downwardly from said proximal end portion to said distal end portion so that said side wheel engages the ground when the proximal end portion is engaged in the sleeve means; and releasable engagement means on said bracket means and said proximal end portion co-operable for releasably and securely engaging the proximal end portion in the sleeve means, said releasable engagement means including a plurality of spaced elements releasable by finger actuated displacement thereof to allow ready disengagement of the arm from the bracket means.

In its first aspect, the invention provides a side wheel assembly comprising the aforementioned apparatus, wherein said arm portion is releasably engaged -with said bracket means.

A second aspect of the invention provides, in combination, a bicycle and the aforementioned bicycle side wheel apparatus wherein the said bracket means is fastened to the bicycle.

At least preferably, releasable engagement is achieved using one or more pins carried on the bracket means that can be selectively disengaged when required from corresponding bores in the arm with which they are ordinarily engaged. The engagement means is preferably biased or spring-loaded in the engaged position.

E J Vi Summary of the invention The bracket means contains a sleeve accommodating an end of the arm. Preferably, when said bracket means and said arm are engaged, the end of said arm is retained in said sleeve of said bracket means by interengagement of said pins and said bores. When engaged, said pins are preferably biased by a biasing element to remain engaged with said bores.

Preferably, said pins can be disengaged from said corresponding bores by manually acting against said biasing action of said biasing element. Preferably said biasing element is a helical spring.

In another at least preferred embodiment, the arm may include cut-out portions extending from the bores to an end of the arm, each said cut-out portion having a width less than the diameter of the bores.

The pins may, for instance, pass through the bracket means whereby an abutment means on an end of each pin opposes the biasing element by abutting the bracket means. Preferably, a first portion of the pin which engages the bores has a width less than the diameter of the bores and greater than the width of the cut-out portion, while a second portion of each pin has a width less than the width of the cut-out portion.

The arm may be disengaged from the bracket portion by manually acting against the biasing action of the biasing element, thereby moving the first portion of each pin out of engagement with the bores and the second portion to the bores and allowing the arm to be released from the bracket means.

A locating plate adapted to receive the bracket portion is further included to prevent unwanted movement of the side wheel assembly. The locating plate may include a base with raised parallel side walls spaced to receive the bracket in a close fitting and one or more protuberances on the opposite side of the base to the side walls. The or each protuberance is adapted to frictionally engage a recess or cut-out in the frame of the bicycle, thereby securing the bracket and arm against unwanted movement relative to the bicycle frame.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 7 JAN 2003 CD/003852629v11.doc Description of drawings ^ i 3 0 J <3 Fig. 1 is a drawing of a side wheel assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention when secured to a bicycle.

Fig. 2 is a drawing of the side wheel assembly of Fig. 1 with a user 5 removing the training wheel arm from its bracket.

Fig. 3 is a drawing of the side wheel assembly of Fig. 1 with the side wheel arm removed from its bracket.

Fig. 4 is a drawing of the two primary components of the side wheel assembly of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a further drawing of the two primary components of the side wheel assembly of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the bracket of the side wheel assembly of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a drawing of the side wheel assembly of Fig. 1 when not secured to a bicycle.

Fig. 8 is a drawing of the side wheel assembly as depicted in Fig. 7, as the side wheel arm is removed from its bracket.

Fig. 9A-9D illustrate front, side and end perspectives of the bracket in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention. Fig. 9B shows the bracket portion without engaging pins.

Fig. 10A and 10B depicts front and side perspectives of the arm portion in accordance with the second embodiment.

Fig. 11A-11C show front, side and end perspectives of the locating plate.

Fig. 12A and 12B illustrate a pin and spring for biasing the pin.

CD/00385252 9v10.doc Description of embodiments >' J— I In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention a side training wheel assembly 10 is variously illustrated in the drawings. In Fig. 1, the assembly 10 is shown when attached to the frame of a bicycle. The assembly 10 consists of two 5 primary components - an arm portion 50 and a bracket portion 20. An engagement means is provided by various components shared by the arm portion 50 and bracket portion 20, as described below.

The arm portion 50 includes an arm 52 which, at one end, has a wheel 60 attached to the arm 52 by means of the nut 64 and bolt 66 arrangement in a 10 conventional manner. At the other end, the arm 52 has a slot 54 cut into the arm 52. To the side of the slot 54 there are two holes 56, one on each side of the slot 54. The arm 52 is bent as indicated in the drawings.

The bracket portion 20 includes a body 22, which is secured to the bicycle also using a nut 24 and bolt 26 arrangement. In attaching the body 22 to the 15 bicycle, the existing bolt which is used to attach the rear bicycle wheel to the frame of the bicycle may be replaced by a longer bolt 26 which is able to pass through the body 22 and be secured to the frame of the bicycle using the existing nut 24. In typical use, training wheel assemblies are used on both sides of the bicycle frame, and accordingly, the bolt 26 is designed to be long enough to 20 accommodate a body 22 on both sides of the bicycle frame. A tab 40 is integrally formed at the rear of the body 22 to assist in screwing the body 22 to the frame of the bicycle. The body 22 resists rotation as the nut 24 is tightened as the tab 40 will press against the frame of the bicycle.

Once the body 22 is securely in place, the arm portion 50 can be quickly, 25 conveniently and safely attached and detached from the body 22 to apply and remove the training wheels as follows. Figs. 2 and 3 demonstrate the process which occurs to remove the arm portion 50. The arm 52 can be held with the fingers as indicated, and the thumb depresses button 30 to release the arm portion 50 from the body 22. The arm portion 50 is similarly attached by the 30 reverse operation. In the described embodiment, the button 30 must be depressed CD/003852629v10.doc 6 II 4 f ^ ■ t to attach or detach the arm portion 50.

The end of the arm portion 50 which engages the body 22 is shown in Fig. 3, as well as in successive drawings Figs. 4 to 6. This end of the arm portion includes a slot 54 which extends around an inch or so down the middle of the arm 5 52. The innermost part of the slot has a semi-circular profile which accommodates the bolt 26 which secures the body 22 to the frame of the bicycle. The slot 54 is provided in the arm 52 to allow the arm 52 to be inserted and removed from the body 22 without interference with the bolt 26.

Two bores are provided in the arm 52 to allow the arm 52 to be secured 10 within the body 22. This interengagement between the arm portion 50 and the body 22 is illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8 and is described in detail below.

The body 22 has a sleeve 28 which accommodates the end of the arm 52 as indicated in Figs. 1 to 4. Partly within the sleeve 28 of the body 22 there is located an engaging element having a stem 38 which terminates at one end with 15 the button 30, and at the other with a cross-bar 32 from which depend, at either end, two pins 36 as indicated in Fig. 5. The button extends from the front face of the body 22, which the cross-bar 32 extends from the rear face of the body 22.

As indicated in Fig. 5, the diameter of the stem 38 is less than that of the button 30. This provides an annular shoulder 34. This shoulder 34 allows a helical 20 spring 40 to be located around the stem 38, so that ends of the spring 40 are able to respectively engage the rear wall of the internal sleeve 24, and the annular shoulder 34. The action of the spring biases the cross-bar 32 against the outer surface of the rear wall of the body 22, and the button 30 in a configuration protruding from the front face of the body 22.

When the engaging element 42 is biased in this position by the helical spring 40, the pins 36 can engage the corresponding holes 56 in the arm 52 to secure the arm portion 50 with the body 22. However, when the button 30 is depressed, the engaging element 42 is no longer biased in this position, and accordingly the pins 36 retract from the sleeve 24 and are thus unable to engage CD/003852629v10.doc %, f! £ •*? . r ^ / fcj ^ V' # ? rr it • corresponding holes 56 of the arm 52. This mechanism allows the arm portion 50 to be readily attached and detached to and from the body 22, as earlier described. The mechanism also provides a clear indication that the arm portion 50 is properly engaged with the body 22, avoiding any concern (for example, on the part of 5 parents) that the arm portion 50 and the body 22 may disengage in use.

According to a second embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figures 9 to 12, the side wheel assembly includes a bracket portion in the form of bracket 53 with a sleeve 70 for receiving an arm portion 58 and pins 69 biased by a biasing element, in the form of springs 57, for releasably engaging bores 59 in the arm 10 portion 58. The arm portion 58 includes cut-out portions 60 extending from the bores 59 to an end of the arm portion, whereby each cut-out portion 60 has a width less than the diameter of the bores 59. The side wheel assembly further includes a locating plate 61 with side walls 63 and one or more protuberances 62. The locating plate is fitted between the bracket 53 and frame to prevent unwanted 15 movement of the side wheel assembly.

Referring to Figures 9A to 9D, the bracket 53 includes a sleeve 70 through which two pins 69 are mounted. Although the pins 69 appear horizontally aligned in Figures 9A, 9C and 9D, they may equally be arranged in vertical alignment. The bracket also includes an elongated aperture 55 through which the bolt 26 passes 20 whereby the nut 24 can be tightened on the bolt 26 to secure the bracket 53 to the bicycle. The elongated aperture 55 additionally allows the bracket 53 to be shifted to a desired position along the axis of the elongated aperture 55, thereby adjusting the proximity of the side wheel to the ground when fully assembled.

The pins 69 have abutting elements 64 on each end and have a length 25 consisting of an upper pin portion 65 and a lower pin portion 66. Both pin portions 65,66 have a constant radius but the lower pin portion 66 has a radius larger than the upper pin portion 65.

As shown in Figure 9C, the pins are biased into an engagement position by biasing means in the form of helical springs 57. In the engagement position the lower pin portion 66 is retained inside the sleeve 70 by the spring 57 and abutting CD/003852629v10.doc 8 5 t - elements 64.

According to Figure 10A and 10B, the arm portion 58 includes an aperture 64 for mounting a side wheel (not shown) and bores 59 with corresponding cut-outs 60. The cut-outs 60 have a width adapted to allow the upper pin portion 5 65 to pass through. The bores 59 are shaped to receive the lower pin portion 66 in close fitting. The diameter of the lower pin portion 66 is adapted to closely fit inside the bores 59 but be greater than the width of the cut-outs 60.

Releaseable engagement of the arm portion 58 with the bracket 53 operates by manually pressing on each pin 69, as shown by the arrow in Figure 10 9D, to move the upper pin portion 65 inside the sleeve 70. As upper pin portions 65 have a smaller width than the cut-outs 60, the end of the arm portion 58 with the cut-outs 60 may be moved inside the sleeve 70 whereby each cut-out 60 receives a respective upper pin portion 65. Further movement of the arm portion 58 into the sleeve 70 causes the cut-outs 60 to move past the pins 69. Once the upper pin portions 65 are surrounded by respective bores 59 the pressure on the pins 69 and the springs 57 may be released thereby moving the lower pin portions 66 into engagement with the corresponding bores 59 in the arm portion 58. In this arrangement the arm portion is releasably engaged by the pins 69 in the bracket 53.

As the pins 69 are biased to remain in the engagement position, with the lower pin portions 66 being retained inside corresponding bores 59, the arm portion 58 and attached side wheel are securely held by the bracket. Accordingly, a learning bicycle rider will be supported by the side wheel via the arm portion 58 and bracket 53.

The arm portion 58 may easily be disengaged from the bracket 53 by manually pressing the pins 69 against the springs 57 to move the upper pin portions 65 into the sleeve 70. The width of the upper pin portions 65 being less than the width of the bores 59 and cut-outs 60 enables the arm portion 58 to be moved out of engagement with the pins 69 and removed from the sleeve 70.

Thus, the arm portion and side wheel can be attached or removed from the bicycle at will with little risk of a user's hands or clothes becoming soiled by grease from the bicycle or the necessity of having to dissemble the rear wheel of the bicycle.

The side wheel assembly further includes a locating plate 61 which is 5 adapted to fit between the bicycle frame and the reverse side of the bracket 53 shown in Figure 9A. The plate 61 has side walls 63 which define a broad U-shaped channel as depicted in Figure 11C. An upper portion 68 of the bracket 53 is received in the U-shaped channel while the side walls 63 guide slidable movement of the bracket 53 in the U-shaped channel, thereby accommodating the 10 adjustable positioning of the bracket 53 by virtue of the elongated aperture 55.

As the locating plate 61 only covers the upper bracket portion 68, the movement of the pins 69 will be uninhibited even where the bracket 53 is adjusted so that the bolt 26 abuts the lowest edge of the elongated aperture 55.

An aperture 67 is further included in the locating plate 61 which the bolt 26 15 passes through. Additionally, the plate 61 has protuberances 62 which engage with a cut-out or other feature in the bicycle frame to secure the plate 61 against movement relative to the bicycle frame. The locating plate 61 is similarly held in position by the nut 24 being tightened on the bolt 26.

As the locating plate 61 is secured relative to the bicycle frame, the bracket 20 53 held by the locating plate 61 is also prevented from moving in an unwanted manner. Accordingly, the side wheel assembly provides a safe, secure and releasable side wheel attachment.

If a body 22 or bracket 53 is secured to both sides of the frame of a bicycle, a set of training wheels can be attached and removed as many times as required 25 without the need to use tools, in the conventional manner, to ensure that the training wheels are attached or removed. This may be desirable, for example, if a particular bicycle is shared by two cyclists (such as younger and older siblings) one of whom requires training wheels, and the other of whom does not. Also, cyclists can readily experiment riding for short periods without training wheels CD/003852629v10.doc i % y & without having to commit to actually removing the wheels in the conventional manner, and subsequently replacing the wheels.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the 5 individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention. 11

Claims (24)

1. A bicycle side wheel apparatus including: bracket means fastenable to a bicycle, the bracket means including sleeve means; an arm having a distal end portion that includes means for mounting a side wheel, a proximal end portion receivable in said sleeve means, and an intermediate portion that extends outwardly and downwardly from said proximal end portion to said distal end portion so that said side wheel engages the ground when the proximal end portion is engaged in the sleeve means; and releasable engagement means on said bracket means and said proximal end portion co-operable for releasably and securely engaging the proximal end portion in the sleeve means, said releasable engagement means including a plurality of spaced elements releasable by finger actuated displacement thereof to allow ready disengagement of the arm from the bracket means.

2. A bicycle side wheel apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the releasable engagement means on said bracket means includes the spaced elements, the spaced elements being releasable when required from the co-operable releasable engagement means on said proximal end portion with which the spaced elements are engageable.

3. A bicycle side wheel apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the spaced elements are biased to an engaged position.

4. A bicycle side wheel apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the spaced elements are biased by a spring.

5. A bicycle side wheel apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each spaced element comprises a pin passing through the bracket means. 13989-1 INTELLECTUAL PRCl^R OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 7 JAN 2003 RECEIVE 12

6. A side wheel apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each pin includes an abutment means, the abutment means being on an end of each pin to oppose the bias toward the engaged position by abutting the bracket means.

7. A side wheel apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the engagement means on the proximal end portion comprises bores.

8. A bicycle side wheel apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the releasable engagement means on the proximal end portion includes cut-out portions extending from the bores to a free end of the proximal end portion, each said cut-out portion having a width less than the diameter of the bores.

9. A bicycle side wheel apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each pin has a first portion with a width less than the diameter of the bores and greater than the width of the cut-out portions, and a second portion with a width less than the width of the cut-out portions.

10. A bicycle side wheel apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the arm is releasable from the bracket means by finger actuated displacement of each pin against the bias to move the first portion of each pin out of engagement with the corresponding bores and the second portion into the bores, thereby to release the proximal end portion from the sleeve means and free the arm from the bracket means.

11. A bicycle side wheel apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein the bracket means includes a bracket portion and a locating plate for receiving the bracket portion and preventing unwanted movement of the bracket portion relative to a frame of the bicycle. 13989-1 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 7 JAN 2003 RECEIVED 13

12. A bicycle side wheel apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the locating plate includes a base with parallel sides spaced to receive the bracket portion therebetween in a close fit.

13. A bicycle side wheel apparatus according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the locating plate includes one or more protuberances on the opposite side of the base to the side walls, the or each protuberance frictionally engages a recess or cut-out in the bicycle frame to secure locating plate and bracket portion received therein against unwanted movement relative to the bicycle frame.

14. A bicycle side wheel apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further including a side wheel mounted to the arm.

15. A bicycle side wheel assembly comprising apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein said arm portion is releasably engaged with said bracket means.

16. In combination, a bicycle and bicycle side wheel apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 15 and wherein said bracket means is fastened to the bicycle.

17. The bicycle and bicycle side wheel apparatus combination according to claim 16, wherein the bracket means is fastened adjacent to the rear wheel of the bicycle.

18. The bicycle and bicycle side wheel apparatus combination according to any one of claims 16 or 17, wherein the bracket means is fastened to the axle of the rear wheel of the bicycle.

19. A bicycle and bicycle side wheel apparatus combination according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the bracket means includes a bracket portion and INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ,3989., OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 7 JAN 2003 14 a locating plate for receiving the bracket portion and preventing unwanted movement of the bracket portion relative to a frame of the bicycle.

20. A bicycle and bicycle side wheel apparatus combination according to claim 19, wherein the locating plate includes a base with parallel side walls spaced to receive the bracket portion in a close fit.

21. A bicycle and bicycle side wheel apparatus combination according to claim 20, wherein the locating plate includes the one or more protuberances on the opposite side of the base to the side walls, the or each protuberance being frictionally engageable with a recess or cut-out in the bicycle frame of the bicycle to secure the bracket and arm releasably engaged therewith against unwanted movement relative to the bicycle frame.

22. A bicycle side wheel apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying figures.

23. A bicycle side wheel assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying figures.

24. A bicycle and bicycle side wheel apparatus combination substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying figures. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY | OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 7 JAN 2003 REGSIVtilJ BW—WB—II jumm' I'lu.'wq.y il