WO2005066016A1 - Foldable bicycle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a foldable bicycle. A saddle-supporting stub is fixedly attached to a main tube of bicycle frame, upon the bicycle is upfolded, the saddle­-supporting stub is adapted to seat on a lower brace of bicycle frame so as to support a saddle tube of bicycle, thereby improving the strengths of frame on the longitudinal direction and lateral direction, also omiting a link from the frame of bicycle. Thus the foldable frame of bicycle can be reenforced and simplified. In the inventive foldable bicycle, the main tube of frame is also provided with a tail bracket fixed on thereon, the tail bracket is pivotally connected the upper end of a rear fork of frame and the lower end of saddle tube. With this structure, either the conventional fork without shock-absorption mechanism or the fork with cushioning mechanism can be applied to the frame of bicycle, thereby improving the structural flexibility of bicycle.

Description

 Shrink Bicycle

 The present invention relates to the technical field of bicycles, and in particular, to a folding bicycle. Background technique

 At present, Chinese patent 98224211.5 discloses a collapsed suspension bicycle, which is provided with multiple links, and the seat tube is directly connected to the cross tube. The seat tube and the flat fork are connected by a link, and the seat tube and the flat fork are connected. The distance is longer, and the seat tube is inclined backwards, so the force that the saddle can bear is relatively small, which will cause hidden dangers during riding and give more disturbing factors to the ride. At the same time, the existing shrink car has a complicated structure, tedious operation, poor safety, self-heavy weight, high cost, and low load capacity. Summary of the invention

 It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved shrink bicycle which can overcome some of the disadvantages of the prior art.

 In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a folding bicycle, which mainly includes: a front wheel and a rear wheel; a front forklift handlebar tube connected to the front wheel, and a handlebar folder is provided on the handlebar tube; and A vertical fork and a flat fork connected to the rear wheel; a tube hinged to the vertical fork, a saddle mounted on the upper end of the seat tube through a saddle reversing mechanism; a horizontal tube connecting the vertical fork and the handlebar tube, the horizontal tube A lower support tube is connected; a link connecting the seat tube and the lower support tube; the lower support tube is hinged with the flat fork, and a crank is rotatably installed at the hinge point, and the crank constitutes a part of the driving mechanism of the bicycle, and is characterized by: : The bottom tube is fixedly connected to the bottom of the horizontal tube. The bottom tube is suitable for engaging with the lower support tube when the bicycle is in the unfolded state.

 Preferably, a tail bracket is fixed on the horizontal pipe, and the upper end of the standoff and the lower end of the seat tube are hinged with the tail bracket.

 Preferably, the tail bracket has a groove shape, and has two opposite side walls and a rear wall. Each of the two side walls is provided with two corresponding connection holes for receiving two pins, and the upper end of the vertical fork. And the lower end of the seat tube are hinged to the tail bracket through these two pins.

Preferably, the tail bracket has a groove shape, and has two opposite side walls and a rear wall. Each of the two side walls is provided with a corresponding connection hole for receiving a pin, the upper end of the vertical fork and Lower end of seatpost It is hinged to the tail bracket through the same pin.

 Preferably, the rear lower part of the tail bracket is open, and is suitable for accommodating the upper end of a suspension stand with a suspension device.

 Preferably, the bottom of the bottom card tube is made into a concave shape corresponding to the shape of the lower support tube.

 Preferably, the bottom of the bottom card tube is provided with a protrusion, and the lower support tube is provided with a hole for receiving the protrusion.

 When the bicycle is deployed, the bottom tube and the bottom support tube provided at the bottom of the cross tube are engaged with each other, so that the support for the seat tube is strengthened, and the lateral and longitudinal strength of the entire bicycle is strengthened, and at the same time, the bicycle can be saved. Go for a connecting rod. Therefore, through the bottom card tube of the present invention, not only the strength of the frame can be improved, but also the structure of the folding bicycle can be simplified, so that the bicycle becomes lighter, the folding operation is simple, and the cost is reduced.

 In addition, the folding bicycle of the present invention is provided with a tail bracket. One end of the tail bracket is connected to the cross tube, the other end of the tail bracket is hinged to the seat tube, and the tail bracket is hinged to one end of the standoff. The provision of such a tail bracket can realize a stronger connection between the transverse tube, the fork and the seat tube, which is beneficial to further improving the structural strength of the bicycle. Moreover, by using such a tail bracket structure, the shrink bicycle of the present invention can be adapted to be installed with a normal stand without a shock absorbing device and a shock stand with a shock absorbing device (such as a shock spring), thereby improving the bicycle. Installation flexibility. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

 FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a shrink bicycle according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

 FIG. 2 is a schematic enlarged structure diagram of a peripheral portion of a bottom card tube according to the present invention, FIG.

 FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a deflated bicycle according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a deflated process, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a deflated bicycle according to a first embodiment of the present invention after being deflated,

 FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged structure diagram of a modification of the bottom card tube of the present invention.

 FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a shrink bicycle according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

 FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged structural schematic view of a tail portion of a cross tube in a folded bicycle according to a second embodiment of the present invention,

 FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a folding bicycle according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged structure diagram of a tail portion of a transverse tube in a folded bicycle according to a third embodiment of the present invention. detailed description

 The invention is further described below with reference to the drawings and preferred embodiments.

 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of a folding bicycle according to the present invention. The folding bicycle includes a front wheel 14 and a rear wheel 15. The axle of the front wheel 14 is rotatably mounted on a handlebar tube 1 of a front fork, and the axle of the rear wheel 15 is rotatably mounted on a vertical fork 4 and a flat fork 5. The hinge point E, the fork 4 and the fork 5 can be relatively pivoted around the hinge point E. A handlebar folder 9 is provided on the handlebar tube 1 for folding the handlebar at the folder 9. The handlebar folder is shown, for example, in Chinese Patent No. 98224188.7.

 The front forklift handlebar tube 1 is fixedly connected to one end of a horizontal tube 7 at a position below the handlebar folder 9, and the other end of the horizontal tube 7 is fixedly mounted with a tail bracket 11, which is approximately perpendicular from the horizontal tube 7 Extend up and extend upward. The transverse pipe 7 is hinged to the hinge point B at one end of the lower pipe 6 at the middle position, and the other end of the lower pipe 6 is hinged to the hinge point 0 at the other end of the flat fork 5 with respect to the hinge point E. A crank 8 is rotatably installed at the hinge point D of the flat fork 5 and the lower support tube 6. The crank 8 is provided with two pedals, and the pedals are preferably foldable relative to the crank 8. Like a conventional bicycle, the crank 8 and its related components (such as a drive sprocket, a drive chain, etc.) constitute a drive mechanism of a shrink bicycle according to the present invention.

 The fork 4 is hinged to the hinge point G at the other end opposite to the hinge point E with the tail bracket 1 1. A saddle 12 is mounted on the upper end of a tube 2 through a saddle reversing mechanism (not specifically shown). The saddle reversing mechanism allows the saddle 12 to be reversed relative to the seat tube 2 (that is, counterclockwise in the figure). (Rotate) so that the saddle 12 is pivoted substantially in line with the seat tube 2. The lower end of the seat tube 2 is hinged to the hinge point F with the tail bracket 11. In addition, the seat tube 2 is also hinged to a hinge point A with one end of a link 3 near the lower end, and the other end of the link 3 is hinged to a hinge point C with a substantially middle position of the lower support tube 6.

 Thus, the above-mentioned seat tube 2, connecting rod 3, upright fork 4, flat fork 5, lower support tube 6, and cross tube 7 constitute a multi-link mechanism, allowing the bicycle to be transformed from the unfolded state shown in FIG. 1 to the figure. 4 collapsed state as shown.

In addition, according to the present invention, the cross tube 7 is fixedly connected with a bottom clamp tube 13 near its tail end, and the bottom clamp tube 13 extends downward from the cross tube 7 substantially in a direction opposite to the tail bracket, and is used for When deployed, it engages with the lower support tube to enhance the longitudinal and lateral strength of the bicycle. The bottom of the bottom pipe 13 is made with a concave surface or protrusion. When the bottom of the bottom clamp tube 13 is made into a concave surface 13A that matches the shape of the lower support tube 6, as shown in FIG. 2, the concave surface can catch the lower support tube 6. In this way, when the bicycle is deployed, the bottom concave surface 13A of the bottom card tube 13 can be engaged with the outer diameter surface of the lower support tube 6, so that it can play a role of retaining limit. In addition, a plastic sleeve (not shown) may be provided at the bottom of the bottom card tube 13, and the plastic sleeve may be provided so that the bottom card tube 13 does not scratch the paint on the bottom tube 6 when it is caught, and at the same time, it It also plays a certain buffering role to the load pressure on the seatpost. When the bottom of the bottom clamping tube 13 is made with a protrusion, for example, a protruding pin 13B as shown in FIG. 5, the bottom protruding pin 13B can be extended into the inside of the lower support tube 6 to be locked, for example, it can be supported on the lower support. A hole (not shown) is provided on the tube 6 at a position corresponding to the protruding pin 13B to be engaged with the protruding pin 13B.

 The tail bracket 11 of the present invention is approximately slot-shaped, as shown in FIG. 2. In the first embodiment, the tail bracket 11 is provided with two opposite side walls 11A and a rear wall 11B. These side walls and the rear wall form a substantially U-shaped structure. The tail bracket 11 is fixed to the cross pipe 7 substantially perpendicularly so that the rear wall 11B is substantially perpendicular to the cross pipe 7. The two side walls 11A are provided with two corresponding connection holes 11C and 11D (corresponding to the hinge points G and F in FIG. 1 respectively). A pin (not shown) can be inserted into the upper connection hole 11C, so that the upper end of the fork 4 and the tail bracket 11 are hinged. Similarly, a pin (not shown) can be inserted into the lower connection hole 11D, so that the lower end of the seat tube 2 is hinged with the tail bracket 11. The rear wall 11B can limit the pivoting extreme position of the seat tube 2 about the hinge point F.

 Another form of tail bracket is shown in the second embodiment shown in Figs. The tail bracket 11 'has two opposite side walls 11A' and a rear wall 11B '. These side walls and the rear wall form a substantially U-shaped structure. A corresponding connecting hole 11C '(corresponding to the hinge point F' in FIG. 6) is provided on each of the two side walls 11A ', and a pin 16 is inserted into the connecting hole 11C' to connect the stand 4 'and the seat tube 2 At the same time, it is hinged at the hinge point F '. That is, compared with the tail bracket 11 of the first embodiment, a hinge point is omitted in the second embodiment. The tail bracket 1 is fixed to the transverse pipe 7 in a generally inclined shape, but the rear wall 11B 'is still substantially perpendicular to the transverse pipe 7 and the rear lower part thereof is placed in a sloping shape. The upper end of the suspension stand 4 ′ is inserted into the tail bracket 11 ′ from the lower back, so as to be hinged with the tail bracket 11 ′ together with the lower end of the seat tube 2 through the pin 16. Similarly, the rear wall 11B 'also restricts the pivot limit position of the seat tube 2 about the hinge point F'.

 In the third embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the shock absorbing fork 4 ′ of the second embodiment is replaced by a common fork 4 ″, and the upper end of the common fork 4 ″ is seated with a pin 16. The lower ends of the tubes 2 are hinged with the tail bracket 11 'together.

In the implementation, when the bicycle is fully deployed, since the bottom card tube 13 and the lower support tube 6 are engaged with each other at the rear and the bottom of the cross tube 7, the lower end of the seat tube 2 is locked into the groove-shaped tail bracket 11 (11, and It is inclined backward, and most of the gravity is supported by the grooved tail bracket when riding, which is both safe and reliable. Link 3 also lifts To the effect of stabilizing the frame, the collapsed frame at this time is completely in a stable state. The connecting rod 3 plays a linkage role in the expansion and contraction process, such as in the process of shrinking the bicycle (see FIG. 3), reverse the saddle 12 and apply force forward and downward through the link 3 drives the four-link device consisting of the lower support tube 6, the flat fork 5, the vertical fork 4 (4 'or 4 ") and the cross tube 7. At the same time, the rear wheel 15 is driven to the front wheel 14 Approaching, the articulation point B also gradually moves towards the line between articulation points A and C. When ABC becomes a straight line as a dead point, if you continue to apply force downward, the triangle ABC will become an inverted triangle ACB, a four-link vehicle The frame is in a self-locking state. In this case, when the saddle is carried upwards, the rear wheels will not fall down due to gravity.

Claims

Claim 1. A folding bicycle, which mainly comprises: a front wheel (14) and a rear wheel (15); a front forklift handlebar tube (1) connected to the front wheel (14), and a front forklift handlebar tube (1) A handlebar folder (9); a fork (4, 4 ', 4 ") and a flat fork (5) connected to the rear wheel (15); a tube (2) hinged to the fork ), A saddle (12) is installed on the upper end of the seat tube through a saddle reversing mechanism; a cross tube (7) connecting the stand (4, 4 ', 4 ") and the handlebar tube, and the cross tube is connected with a lower support A tube (6); a connecting rod (3) connecting the seat tube (2) and the lower support tube (6); the lower support tube (6) is hinged with the flat fork (5), and is rotatably installed at the hinge point There is a crank (8), which constitutes a part of the driving mechanism of the bicycle, and is characterized in that: the cross tube (7) is fixedly connected with a bottom clamping tube (13), which is adapted to be connected with the lower support tube ( 6) Phases are engaged.  2. The folding bicycle according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross tube (7) is fixed with a tail bracket (11, 11 '), the upper ends of the risers (4, 4', 4 ") and The lower end of the seat tube (2) is hinged with the tail bracket (11, 11 ').  3. The folding bicycle according to claim 2, characterized in that the tail bracket (11) has a groove shape, and has two opposite side walls (11A) and a rear wall (11B) on the two side walls. Each has two corresponding connecting holes (11C, 11D) for receiving two pins, the upper end of the fork (4) and the seat tube The lower end of (2) is hinged to the tail bracket (11) through the two pins.  4. The folding bicycle according to claim 2, characterized in that the tail bracket (11 ') has a groove shape and has two opposite side walls. (ΙΙΑ') and a rear wall (ΠΒ '), A corresponding connecting hole (11C) is provided on each of the two side walls for receiving a pin (16), and the upper end of the fork and the lower end of the seat tube are connected to each other through the one pin (16). The tail bracket (11 ') is hinged.  5. The fold-down bicycle according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the rear lower part of the tail bracket (11, 11 is open), and is adapted to accommodate a shock-absorbing stand with a shock-absorbing device (4A '). The upper end of a fork (4 ') or the upper end of a common stand (4 ").  The fold-down bicycle according to claim 1, characterized in that the bottom of the bottom pipe (13) is made with a concave surface (13A) adapted to the shape of the lower support pipe (6).  7. The folding bicycle according to claim 1, characterized in that the bottom of the bottom pipe (13) is made with a protrusion (13B), and the lower supporting pipe (6) is provided to receive the protrusion. Hole for protrusion (13B).