WO1999010223A1

WO1999010223A1 - Bicycle

Info

Publication number: WO1999010223A1
Application number: PCT/EP1998/005435
Authority: WO
Inventors: Walter Hunger
Original assignee: Walter Hunger
Priority date: 1997-08-27
Filing date: 1998-08-27
Publication date: 1999-03-04
Also published as: DE19737293A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a bicycle provided with a hydropneumatic spring and damping element i.e. a shock-absorbing strut (14) of a bicycle fork (10). The damping element is connected between two first structural members (19, 20) which are movable against one another during operation of the bicycle and contains a first air pressure chamber (39). An air pumping arrangement is connected between two second structural members (19, 20) which are movable against one another during operation of the bicycle. Said pumping arrangement includes a second air pressure chamber (25). The air pressure chambers (25, 39) can be joined with one another.

Description

bicycle

The invention relates to a bicycle with a hydropneumatic spring and damping element, which is connected between two first components of the bicycle that move against one another during operation of the bicycle and has a first air pressure chamber.

In this respect, however, the invention is not limited to bicycles in the conventional sense. It can also be used on mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles and similar vehicles, without thereby leaving the scope of the invention. DE 195 01 490 discloses a hydropneumatic shock absorber, in particular for a fork of a bicycle. From DE 195 24 789 a bicycle is known in which a hydropneumatic spring and damping element is arranged between the bicycle frame and the saddle.

In both cases, the hydropneumatic spring and damping element is provided with an air pressure chamber, which forms the pneumatic component of the damping element.

To produce the pressure in the pressure chamber, the pressure chamber is put under a mean pressure at the factory during manufacture of the damping element, which pressure corresponds to the average weight of a user of the bicycle. Before the bike is put into operation and later in operation, the pressure can now be varied depending on the rider's body weight. In a corresponding manner, the pressure can also be adjusted if the air pressure in the pressure chamber should have dropped as a result of a leak. For this purpose, a hand-held air pump can be used in the known arrangements.

From DE 31 06 122 a motorcycle is known in which the wheels have a telescopic suspension with a pneumatic shock absorber. In order to adjust a height adjustment of the shock absorber as a function of the respective driving speed of the motorcycle, an electric motor-operated pump is provided, with which a compressed gas can be generated in a high-pressure gas source and fed to the shock absorber arrangement.

An integrated bicycle air pump is known from DE 36 02 279 AI. The air pump is in the horizontal tube of the Integrated frame of a men's bike. The slider of the air pump is designed as a bush that runs on the horizontal tube.

Similarly, DE 40 02 827 Cl describes a men's bicycle with an integrated air pump. The air pump is also integrated in the horizontal tube of the frame in this known bicycle. The actuating rod of the air pump is, however, placed behind the saddle in an extension of the horizontal tube.

In both of the aforementioned cases, the integrated air pump must be operated by hand in the usual way. The pump is used to inflate the pneumatic tires in both cases. For this purpose, the bike must be stopped and a hose connection made between the air pump and the valve of the front or rear wheel.

DE 27 34 384 AI finally discloses a portable pump for inflating pneumatic tires. The known pump is provided with a pressure relief valve, the response threshold of which can be set manually. With this known air pump it is achieved that the pneumatic tires cannot be inflated beyond a predetermined pressure value.

A disadvantage of the two bicycles described at the outset according to DE 195 01 490 AI and DE 195 24 789 AI is that a separate pump must be carried in order to charge or recharge the pressure chamber in the hydropneumatic spring and damping element. In addition, there is no possibility of setting the pressure value exactly to a value that corresponds in particular to the body weight of the cyclist. It can therefore happen that a rider sets off on a bicycle and only notices after a few kilometers, for example when the route becomes uneven, that the damping element in the fork or in the seat post is not set correctly. If it is then determined that the manual air pump required to readjust the damping element has not been carried along by mistake, the driver must either turn around or make do with the incorrectly adjusted damping element for the rest of the journey.

The invention is therefore based on the object of avoiding disadvantages of the type mentioned above. In particular, it should be achieved that the required air pressure in the damping element is automatically adjusted at any time without the need for special measures.

This object is achieved according to the invention in the bicycle of the type mentioned in the introduction in that an air pump arrangement is connected between two second components of the bicycle which are movable relative to one another during operation of the bicycle and which comprises a second air pressure chamber, and in that the air pressure chambers can be connected to one another .

The object underlying the invention is thus completely achieved.

According to the invention, an integrated air pump is used instead of the separate and commercially available hand-operated air pumps provided in the generic state of the art, so that the carrying of separate elements is not necessary. Compared to the known air pumps further explained above, the are integrated into the frame of a bicycle, the invention has the advantage, however, that the movements which occur in the operation of the bicycle are used to actuate the air pump arrangement. Therefore, no special work needs to be done and the desired air pressure is generated, so to speak, by yourself when you ride your bike. This is possible and advantageous according to the invention because the elements to be supplied with the air pressure, namely the damping elements, are arranged at least with their one half fixed to the frame or fixed to the wheel axle, so that a continuous air supply is also possible when riding the bicycle, for example for pumping up the pneumatic tire of the bicycle cannot be made.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first components and the second components are the same.

This measure has the advantage that a particularly compact structure is possible because no separate assemblies of elements have to be switched on.

This applies in particular when the air pump arrangement is integrated in the damping element.

This measure has the advantage that no difference is noticeable on the outside and, in particular, that there are no bulky or otherwise disruptive arrangements on the bicycle.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the air pump arrangement is integrated in one end of the damping element, especially in the upper end in the normal operating position of the bicycle.

This measure has the advantage that the air pump arrangement is easily accessible from the outside, so that the required or desired connections to the outside can be made easily.

In embodiments of the invention, the air pump arrangement is connected between a first outer tube and a second outer tube of the damping element, the tubes telescoping into one another.

This measure has the advantage that a concentric arrangement is created in which the air pump arrangement can be integrated particularly well in the damping element.

This applies in particular to a further development of this variant, in which the first outer tube is axially rigidly provided with a piston section which runs tightly in a cylinder section of the second outer tube.

This measure has the advantage that an air pump arrangement can be implemented with very few components.

According to two alternative developments of this exemplary embodiment, the second outer tube can be thickened in the region of the cylinder section, but the piston section can also fill the second outer tube tightly. This measure has the advantage that the effective cross-section of the piston section or of the cylinder section can be set over a wide range, it should always be noted that this cross-section is dimensioned so that the pressure prevailing in the pressure chamber of the pneumatic spring element can be overcome.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the first air pressure space can be connected to the outside space via a pressure relief valve. The pressure relief valve is preferably adjustable with its pressure response value.

These measures, which are known per se, have the advantage that the pneumatic pressure in the damping element can be set to a certain value, which can be selected in particular as a function of the body weight of the driver. This measure is particularly important and advantageous in the present context, because, according to the invention, the air pump arrangement is constantly actuated when the bicycle is being driven, and the more difficult the terrain is, the more so. Then air pressure is constantly generated so that a setting to a preselected response value can take this into account in a special way.

In further exemplary embodiments of the invention, the first air pressure space can be connected to the outside space via a valve.

This measure has the advantage that the rider of the bicycle can relax the hydropneumatic spring and damping element in a simple manner by releasing the air pressure from the pneumatic spring element, which is otherwise not possible. If, for example, the damping element is mistakenly too hard If a bicycle has been adjusted or a bicycle is handed over from a rider with a high body weight to a rider with a low body weight and the pressure in the damping element was still set high, the driver can relax the damping element by actuating the valve and then relieve the pressure according to the current requirements to adjust.

In embodiments of the invention, the damping element is a suspension strut of a bicycle fork, in particular such that both suspension struts of the bicycle fork are provided with the air pump arrangement.

This measure has the advantage that when the bicycle fork is deflected, whether on the front wheel or on the rear wheel, the air pump arrangement is actuated. The large spring travel that occurs can advantageously be provided for actuating the air pump arrangement.

In this case, the two exemplary embodiments mentioned above can be combined, namely by connecting the air pressure spaces of the struts to one another and to the valve via a line.

This has the advantage that the two struts can be relaxed in a strictly symmetrical manner.

It is particularly preferred if the valve is arranged in the central axis of the bicycle fork and can be actuated manually by the rider due to its positioning. This measure has the advantage that the entire setting can also be made while driving. The driver will then first relax the two struts symmetrically by manually actuating the valve and then set the correct spring constant for his body weight by specifying the response pressure in the pressure relief valve.

Alternatively or additionally, however, it is also possible according to further exemplary embodiments of the invention to combine a damping element used as a seat post with the air pump arrangement.

Since in both cases there is the possibility of manually actuating the air pump arrangement even when the vehicle is stationary, in particular in that the bicycle handlebar is actuated in the vertical direction, the air pump arrangement can also be connected to other pressure spaces by means of a hose in further exemplary embodiments of the invention, for example. on pneumatic tires of the wheels of the bicycle.

Further advantages result from the description and the attached drawing.

It goes without saying that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the combination indicated in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own without departing from the scope of the present invention. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing and are explained in more detail in the following description.

Show it:

Figure 1 is a highly schematic front view of an embodiment of a bicycle fork, as it can be used in a bicycle according to the invention.

2 shows, on an enlarged scale, a section of a suspension strut of a bicycle fork, in a sectional view, to explain the invention; and

3 shows a variant of FIG. 2.

1 and 2, 1 designates a bicycle fork which is only partially shown, for example for a front wheel of a bicycle. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to a bicycle. Rather, it can also be used on mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles or the like. be used.

The bicycle fork 1 is provided at its upper end with a fastening rod 2 for the handlebar, which in turn has a threaded section 3. The fastening rod 2 is extended downwards at 4. At the lower end of the bicycle fork 1, two fastening flanges 5 can be seen which define a wheel axis 6, the wheel itself being indicated at 7.

The bicycle fork 1 is only partially shown in FIG. 2, its axis of symmetry is designated 11. A central flange 12 leads from the axis of symmetry 11 to both sides of the bicycle fork 1. It runs on both sides into a holding section 13 for a shock absorber, designated overall by 14.

The strut 14 is designed as a hydropneumatic damping element. Details on this can be found in DE 195 01 490 AI by the same applicant, to which reference may be made to avoid repetition. It should also be noted that the bicycle fork shown in the figure is to be understood only as an example. The invention can also be used in a very similar way with other hydropneumatic damping elements, such as those e.g. can be used as a seat post of a bicycle. Further details for this application can be found in DE 195 24 789 AI by the same applicant, to which reference may also be made for further details.

It should be noted for the present invention that the hydropneumatic spring and damping elements of interest here each comprise a first outer tube 19 and a second outer tube 20, which run into one another telescopically. The first outer tube 19 leads down to the wheel and therefore stands on the floor of the road. The second outer tube 20, however, is connected to the handlebar and the frame of the bicycle via the holding section 13 and the central flange 12. It therefore moves in the direction of the longitudinal axis 18 of the strut 14 when that Bike bounces and rebounds. This happens in particular when the driver runs over a depression or a bump on an uneven roadway.

A head part 21 is inserted into the second outer tube 20 at the top. The head part 21 has a longitudinal bore 22 along the axis 18. The longitudinal bore 22 is connected to the outside at its upper end via an adjustable pressure relief valve 23. The pressure relief valve 23 has, for example, a spring-loaded ball valve, wherein the force of the spring and thus the response value of the pressure relief valve 23 can be changed by means of a screw-in bolt. For turning the bolt e.g. a slot can be provided which can be gripped with a coin or the like.

The lower section of the head part 21, in which the longitudinal bore 22 is located, acts as a cylinder section 24. A first pressure chamber 25 is thus defined in the longitudinal bore 22.

The first pressure chamber 25 is also connected to a line 27. The line 27 leads via a first check valve 28 to an opening 29 which also leads to the outside. The first check valve 28 is preferably arranged next to the pressure relief valve 23 on the upper end of the head line 21.

In the first outer tube 19 there is an inner tube 35, which is surrounded by the oil pressure chamber 34 of the hydraulic damping element and which is rigidly connected in the axial direction to the first outer tube 19 along the axis 18. The inner tube 35 is designed as a piston section 36 at its upper end in the figure. forms. The piston section 36 runs in the cylinder section 24 of the head part 21, with corresponding seals being provided.

The piston portion 36 is from an axially extending channel

37 enforced. In the channel 37 is a second check valve

38 switched. The channel 37 connects the first pressure chamber 25 to a second pressure chamber 39 in the lower part of the inner tube 35. The second pressure chamber 39 is at the same time the pressure chamber of the hydropneumatic spring and damping element, not shown, for the further details thereof at the beginning of this description of the exemplary embodiment reference was made to two parallel published patent applications by the same applicant.

The mode of operation of the arrangement shown in FIG. 2 is as follows:

In the rebounding process indicated by solid arrows, the bicycle frame with the rider moves upward relative to the wheels of the bicycle, as indicated by an arrow 45 on the central flange 12. The cylinder section 24 therefore moves upward in the figure, as shown by arrows 46. Since the piston section 36 is stationary, the volume of the first pressure chamber 25 consequently increases, so that a negative pressure is created there. As a result of this negative pressure, the first check valve 28 opens in the line 27 and air can flow into the first pressure chamber 25 from the outside, as indicated by an arrow 47. When the bicycle fork 10 is subsequently deflected, it moves downward relative to the wheels of the bicycle, as indicated by the dashed arrows in the figure. Arrow 48 indicates the lowering of the central flange 12. Accordingly, the cylinder section 24 also moves downward in the figure, as indicated by arrows 49.

Since the piston section 36 is again to be assumed to be spatially fixed, the first pressure chamber 25 is reduced, so that the pressure therein increases. As a result, the first check valve 28 closes and the second check valve 38 opens. The excess pressure from the first pressure chamber 25 can now flow via the channel 37 into the second pressure chamber 39 and thus into the pneumatic working chamber of the damping element. If the pressure in the first pressure chamber 25 becomes too high, the excess pressure is blown off via the pressure relief valve 23.

Since the compression and rebound processes take place periodically, the response pressure set at the pressure relief valve 23 is always set and maintained in the second pressure chamber 39.

In the variant shown in FIG. 3, the conditions are somewhat modified in that the effective cross sections are changed.

In the variant according to FIG. 3, the head part 21a is provided with a radially flat underside 60, into which the line 27 and the adjustable pressure relief valve 23 open. The first pressure chamber 25a thus has an effective cross section that corresponds to the inner cross section of the second outer tube 20.

In contrast, the modified piston section 36a is firmly connected to a piston ring 61 which slides tightly on the inside of the second outer tube 20.

Furthermore, in the variant according to FIG. 3 it is shown that the second pressure chamber 39 of the pneumatic spring element is connected via a line 40 and an elbow 41 to a drain valve 42, via which the pressure in the second pressure chamber 39 can be released into the environment, such as indicated by an arrow 43.

Since the hydropneumatic spring and damping elements are preferably provided in both struts 14 of the bicycle fork 1, the bow 41 is preferably continued into the other strut so that the second pressure spaces 39 of both struts are even, i.e. can be relaxed symmetrically.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the bow 41 is mechanically protected by a bracket 44, the drain valve 42 being located in the axis of symmetry 11, in a position in which it can still be gripped and actuated manually by the driver.

Claims

claims

1. Bicycle with a hydropneumatic spring and damping element, which is connected between two first components (19, 20) of the bicycle that are moved relative to one another during operation of the bicycle and has a first air pressure chamber (39), characterized in that between two second ones , In the operation of the bicycle mutually movable components (19, 20) of the bicycle, an air pump arrangement is connected, which comprises a second air pressure chamber (25), and that the air pressure chambers (25, 39) can be connected to one another.

2. Bicycle according to claim 1, characterized in that the first components (19) and the second components (20) are the same.

3. Bicycle according to claim 2, characterized in that the air pump arrangement is integrated in the damping element.

4. Bicycle according to claim 3, characterized in that the air pump arrangement is integrated in one end of the damping element.

5. Bicycle according to claim 4, characterized in that the air pump arrangement is integrated in the normal operating position of the bicycle in the upper end of the damping arrangement.

6. Bicycle according to one or more of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the air pump arrangement between a first outer tube (19) and a second outer tube (20) of the damping element is connected, the tubes (19, 20) telescopically one inside the other to run.

7. Bicycle according to claim 6, characterized in that the first outer tube (19) is axially rigidly provided with a piston portion (36) which runs tightly in a cylinder portion (24) of the second outer tube (20).

8. Bicycle according to claim 7, characterized in that the second outer tube (20) is thickened in the region of the cylinder section (24).

9. Bicycle according to claim 7, characterized in that the piston section (36a) fills the second outer tube (20) tightly.

10. Bicycle according to one or more of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the first air pressure space (25) is connected to the outside space via a pressure relief valve (23).

11. Bicycle according to claim 10, characterized in that the pressure relief valve (23) is manually adjustable with its pressure response value.

12. Bicycle according to one or more of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the first air pressure space (39) via a valve (42) can be connected to the outside space.

13. Bicycle according to one or more of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the damping element is a shock absorber (14) of a bicycle fork (1).

14. Bicycle according to claim 13, characterized in that both struts (14) of the bicycle fork (1) are provided with the air pump arrangement.

15. Bicycle according to claim 12 and 14, characterized in that the air pressure chambers (39) of the struts (14) via a line (40, 41) with each other and with the valve (42) are connected.

16. Bicycle according to claim 15, characterized in that the valve is arranged in the central axis (50) of the bicycle fork (1) and can be actuated manually by the rider due to its positioning.

17. Bicycle according to one or more of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the damping element is a seat post.

18. Bicycle according to one or more of claims 1 to 117, characterized in that the air pump arrangement can be connected to further pressure spaces by means of a hose.