US20060105887A1

US20060105887A1 - Decoration case for stationary bicycles

Info

Publication number: US20060105887A1
Application number: US10/986,092
Authority: US
Inventors: Kuo-Wu Hao
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-11-12
Filing date: 2004-11-12
Publication date: 2006-05-18

Abstract

A decoration case for a stationary bicycle includes two portions which are respectively connected to a front end and a rear end of two connection plates which are connected to two sides of the bicycle and the bottom bracket extends through the two connection plates. The two portions covers the driving mechanism located between a top bar and an I-shaped frame of the bicycle. Only one of the two portions needs to be removed when in maintenance.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a decoration case for a stationary bicycle and the case is easily to be assembled and disassembled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional stationary bicycle 70 is disclosed in FIG. 7 and generally includes an I-shaped frame including front and rear transverse bars 740, 74 and a connection rod 72 is connected between the two bars 74. A top bar 71 extends from the from the front transverse bar 740 and is located above the connection rod 72. A driving mechanism 80 is located between the top bar 71 and the connection rod 72. A post 75 extends from the top bar 71, a control panel 77 and a handle 78 are respectively connected to a top of the post 75. A seat post 76 extends from the top bar 71 and a seat 79 is connected to the seat post 76. The driving mechanism 80 includes a bottom bracket 881 and a sprocket is mounted to the bottom bracket 81. c. Two side decoration cases 84 are respectively connected to the stationary bicycle by extending bolts through holes in the decoration cases 84 and connected to lugs 73 extending from the top bar 71 and the connection rod 72. Each of the decoration cases 84 includes an aperture 85 through which the bottom bracket 81 extends and is connected to cranks 82. Each crank 82 has a pedal 83 connected thereto. When the driving mechanism needs to be maintained, the cranks 82 have to be disconnected from the bottom bracket 81, and the two decoration cases 84 are then removed by unscrewing the bolts one by one. Even when only the disk and/or the chain need to be maintained, rather than the sprocket and the bottom bracket, all the parts mentioned above have to be removed. This takes a lot of time.
The present invention intends to provide a decoration case for a stationary bicycle and the case includes at least two portions which are easily disassembled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a stationary bicycle that comprises an I-shaped frame including a front transverse bar, a rear transverse bar and a connection rod connected between the front transverse bar and the rear transverse bar. A top bar extends from the front transverse bar and located above the connection rod so that a driving mechanism is located in a space between the top bar and the connection rod. A post extends from the top bar and a handle is connected to the post. A seat post is connected to the top bar and a seat is connected to the seat post. The driving mechanism includes a sprocket with a bottom bracket extending therethrough and two connection plates connected to two sides of the driving mechanism. Each connection plate has a hole through which the bottom bracket extends and two cranks with a pedal are connected to two ends of the bottom bracket. A wheel is located beside the sprocket and a chain/belt is connected between the sprocket and the wheel. A decoration case includes two portions which are respectively connected to a front end and a rear end of the connection plates to cover the driving mechanism.
The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view to show the stationary bicycle of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view to show a first embodiment of the decoration case of the present invention;
FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the decoration case of the present invention;
FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the decoration case of the present invention;
FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the decoration case of the present invention;
FIG. 6 shows a fifth embodiment of the decoration case of the present invention, and
FIG. 7 is an exploded view to show a conventional decoration case.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the decoration case of the present invention is used to cover the driving mechanism 20 for a stationary bicycle 10 which includes an I-shaped frame including a front transverse bar, a rear transverse bar 13 and a connection rod 12 connected between the front transverse bar and the rear transverse bar 13. A top bar 11 extends from the front transverse bar and located above the connection rod 12. The driving mechanism 20 is located in the space between the top bar 11 and the connection rod 12. A post 14 extends from the top bar 11 and a handle 17 and a control panel 16 are connected to the post 14. A seat post 15 is connected to the top bar 11 and a seat 18 is connected to the seat post 15.
The driving mechanism 20 includes a sprocket with a bottom bracket 21 extending therethrough and two connection plates 30 are connected to two sides of the driving mechanism 20. Each connection plate 30 has a hole 31 through which the bottom bracket 21 extends and two cranks 22 are connected to two ends of the bottom bracket 21 and respectively connected to two pedals 23. A wheel is located beside the sprocket and a chain/belt is connected between the sprocket and the wheel.
A decoration case including two portions which are respectively connected to a front end and a rear end of the connection plates 30 to cover the space between the top bar 11 and the connection rod 12. Each of the two portions is composed of two halves 40, 42 which are respectively connected from two sides of the stationary bicycle. Each of the halves 40, 42 has holes 41 and 43 so as to be connected to the holes 32 of the connection plates 30, lugs 19 on the top bar 11 and the connection rod 12 by screws 44.
As shown in FIG. 3, the two portions can be made to be two U-shaped members 50/52 which are conveniently engaged with the front and rear ends of the connection plates 30 from an underside of the I-shaped frame and from a rear end of the bicycle 10. The U-shaped members 50, 53 have holes 51 for the screws 54 extending therethrough and connected to the holes 32 of the connection plates 30, lugs 19 on the top bar 11 and the connection rod 12.
FIG. 4 shows that the connection plates 30 in the previous embodiments are omitted and the two U-shaped members 60, 62 each have a recess 61, 63 which are matched with each other to form a hole through which the bottom bracket 21 extends.
FIG. 5 shows that the two halves 42 in FIG. 2 can be amended to be halves 66 and each of the halves 66 includes a lip 67 extending from a lower edge thereof. Two cooperation plates 68 extend from the connection rod 12 so as to be engaged with the lips 67.
FIG. 6 shows that the two halves 65 and 66 of the two portions each include a groove 671 defined in a lower edge thereof and two cooperation plates 68 extend from the connection rod 12 so that the cooperation plates 68 are inserted in the grooves 671 of the two halves 66. The two halves 65 and 66 of the two portions each include also an aperture 661 defined in a top edge thereof and two insertions 191 extend from the top bar 11 so that the two insertions 191 are inserted in the apertures 661 of the two halves 66.
While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A stationary bicycle comprising:

an I-shaped frame including a front transverse bar, a rear transverse bar and a connection rod connected between the front transverse bar and the rear transverse bar, a top bar extending from the front transverse bar and located above the connection rod, a post extending from the top bar and a handle connected to the post, a seat post connected to the top bar and a seat connected to the seat post, a driving mechanism located between the top bar and the connection rod, the driving mechanism having a sprocket with a bottom bracket extending therethrough and two connection plates connected to two sides of the driving mechanism, each connection plate having a hole through which the bottom bracket extends and two cranks connected to two ends of the bottom bracket, two pedals connected to two cranks, a wheel located beside the sprocket and a chain/belt connected between the sprocket and the wheel, a decoration case including two portions respectively connected to a front end and a rear end of the connection plates to cover a space between the top bar and the connection rod.

2. The decoration case as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the two portions is composed of two halves respectively connected from two sides of the stationary bicycle.

3. The decoration case as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the halves is connected to the connection plates, lugs on the top bar and the connection rod by screws.

4. The decoration case as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two halves of one of the two portions includes a lip extending from a lower edge thereof and two cooperation plates extend from the connection rod so as to be engaged with the lips.

5. The decoration case as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two halves of one of the two portions includes a groove defined in a lower edge thereof and two cooperation plates extend from the connection rod so that the cooperation plates are inserted in the grooves of the two halves.

6. The decoration case as claimed in claim 5, wherein the two halves of one of the two portions includes an aperture defined in a top edge thereof and two insertions extend from the top bar so that the two insertions are inserted in the apertures of the two halves.

7. The decoration case as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two portions are two U-shaped members which are connected to the front and rear ends of the connection plates.