WO1986005457A1

WO1986005457A1 - Improvements to bicycle frames

Info

Publication number: WO1986005457A1
Application number: PCT/SE1986/000122
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lennart Ohlin
Original assignee: Lennart Ohlin
Priority date: 1985-03-22
Filing date: 1986-03-21
Publication date: 1986-09-25
Also published as: SE8501435D0; AU5660586A; SE8501435L; EP0215896A1

Abstract

Apparatus in a bicycle frame for making possible the placement of the saddle (16) of the bicycle as good as vertically above the pedal crank hub (7) of the bicycle, the bicycle frame having at least one forward frame section (10) and one rear frame section (13) which are interconnected by means of the pedal crank hub (7), and the forward frame section (10) having a handlebar hub member (4), the rear frame section (13) being, moreover, substantially duplicated, with a further rear frame section (12) either ahead of or behind the ordinary rear frame section (13).

Description

IMPROVEMENTS TO BICYCLE FRAMES

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an improvement to a bicycle frame which makes possible the placement of the saddle of the cycle as good as vertically above the pedal crank hub of the cycle, the frame having at least one forward frame section and one rear frame section, these being interconnected at their bottom by the inter¬ mediary of the pedal crank hub, the forward frame section being pro¬ vided at the top with a handlebar hub portion. BACKGROUND ART

The prevailing state of this Art may, to a certain degree, be considered as set forth by the disclosures of USPS 2,333,642. Thus, it is previously known from this USPS to manufacture a spring frame for bicycles. The technical problem structure and its technical sol¬ ution as illustrated in this specification are clearly based on the task of realising, in as advantageous a manner as possible, a spring bicycle frame construction which is suitably to be of substantially elliptical form in order to provide the maximum possible degree of resilient flexibility. A saddle is mounted on the upper region of this prior art spring frame construction, the saddle being shiftable thereon to any optional position on the frame. The patent spe- cification is completely silent as to which placing of the saddle is most appropriate and, as a result, the problem structure of saddle placement cannot be considered as having been disclosed through this USPS. The frame disclosed in this USPS is of a highly peculiar con¬ struction which, moreover, is not to be found among many of today's available bicycles or bicycle constructions. In order to realise more effective cycling, there would undoubtedly appear to be a se- rious need in this Art for realising, in fundamentally conventional bicycle frame constructions, a modification which allows for relo- cation of the saddle in such a manner that it is located substan¬ tially vertically above the pedal crank hub of the cycle without such modification altering the actual overall appearance of the cycle frame. Moreover, this solution should not be restricted solely to mens' bicycles, but should also be applicable to ladies' bi¬ cycles. OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The task forming the basis of the present invention is to meet the above-outlined needs. SOLUTION

This task is solved according to the present invention in that the apparatus disclosed by way of introduction is characterised in that the rear frame section is substantially duplicated, the further rear frame section being located ahead of, or behind, the - in a word - ordinary rear frame section. The two rear frame sections ex¬ tend in parallel to one another and are interconnected by means of substantially horizontal frame bars. The saddle is placed in the forwardmost of the two rear frame sections. The pedal crank hub is placed at the lower end of the rearmost of the two rear frame sec¬ tions. ADVANTAGES

An apparatus according to the present invention makes for a placement of the cycle saddle substantially straight above the pedal crank hub, by means of a relatively simple modification of the cycle frame which, moreover, in all essentials retains its conventional form. Relocation of the saddle provides for considerably more ef¬ fective cycling. Nor is the apparatus realised according to the pre¬ sent invention restricted solely to mens¹ bicycles, but may just as well be applied to ladies' bicycles. The more effective cycling as contemplated herein will be at¬ tained according to the present invention in that greater force and strength is liberated during cycling because of the fact that the saddle is placed substantially on the vertical line through the pe- dal crank hub. The position of the saddle corresponds approximately to the bodily position of the cyclist during stand-up cyling. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING

One embodiment of the present invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying Drawing which shows a highly schematic representation of an embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As is apparent from the Drawing, an apparatus according to the present invention will have no appreciable effect on the appearance of a conventional bicycle. The bicycle shown on the Drawing is a mens' cycle and has a front wheel 1 and a rear wheel 2. The front wheel 1 is rotatably journalled in a front wheel fork 3 which, in a per se conventional manner, extends through a handlebar hub member 4 and is provided, at the top, with a handlebar and steering mechanism 5. The rear wheel 2 is rotatably journalled in a rear wheel fork 6 which extends substantially horizontally to a pedal crank hub 7. Furthermore, a strut 8 extends from the hub of the rear wheel 2 up to the upper portion of the cycle frame. A parcel carrier rack 9 is further disposed above the rear wheel 2, the horizontal portion of the rack extending to the upper portion of the cycle frame and the angled portion of the rack extending down to the hub of the rear wheel 2.

The cycle frame has a forward frame section 10 which extends from the handlebar hub member 4 down to a level with the rear wheel fork 6 and is connected to the pedal crank hub by the intermediary of a horizontal frame bar 11. The cycle frame has, furthermore, a rear frame section 12 and a rear frame section 13. These extend sub¬ stantially in parallel with one another and are interconnected, at the bottom, by means of the horizontal frame bar 11, and, at the top, by means of a horizontal frame bar 14. The embodiment of a bicycle provided with an apparatus ac¬ cording to the present invention as shown on the Drawing is, clea¬ rly, a mens' cycle, the horizontal frame bar 14 being connected to the handlebar hub member by means of a further horizontal bar 15. A saddle 16 is mounted in the end of the rear frame section 12 and will be placed substantially vertically above the pedal crank hub 7. The frame sections and members 11, 12, 13 and 14 make a paral¬ lelogram and it will be readily appreciated by the skilled reader of this specification that the modification according to the present invention will have no unsuitable effects whatsoever on the con¬ ventional bicycle, but will instead afford considerable advantages.

Claims

WHAT I CLAIM AND DESIRE TO SECURE BY LETTERS PATENT IS:

1. An apparatus in a bicycle frame for making possible the placement of the saddle (16) of the bicycle as good as vertically above the pedal crank hub (7) of the cycle, said bicycle frame ha- ving at least one forward frame section (10) and one rear frame sec¬ tion (13) which are interconnected, at the bottom, by means of the pedal crank hub (7), the forward frame section (10) being provided with a handlebar hub member (4), characterised in that the rear frame section (13) is substantially duplicated, the further rear frame section (12) being located ahead of or behind the ordinary re¬ ar frame section (13).

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the two rear frame sections (12, 13) extend in parallel to one an¬ other and are interconnected by means of substantially horizontal frame sections (11, 14).

3. The apparatus as claimed in claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the saddle (16) is placed in the forwardmost (12) of the two rear frame sections (12, 13).

4. The apparatus as claimed in claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the pedal crank hub (7) is placed at the lower end of the rear¬ most (13) of the two rear frame sections (12, 13).