WO2008047131A1

WO2008047131A1 - Pedal powered vehicle with auxiliary seat for a child

Info

Publication number: WO2008047131A1
Application number: PCT/GB2007/003980
Authority: WO
Inventors: Charles Gordon
Original assignee: Loct Ltd
Priority date: 2006-10-18
Filing date: 2007-10-18
Publication date: 2008-04-24
Also published as: GB2443086B; GB2443086A; GB0720407D0

Abstract

A pedal powered vehicle has a frame (41) including a head tube (42) and a seat tube (43) mounting a seat post (44) supporting a saddle. A head set cooperates with the head tube (42). A linkage system comprises one or more elongate struts (48) defining a longitudinal direction. A first fitting (53) couples the linkage system to one of the head tube (42) and head set. A second fitting (54) couples the linkage system to one of the seat tube (43) and the seat post (44). Each of said first and second fittings (53,54) is coupled to the elongate strut or struts (48) in a manner allowing pivoting motion of the fitting relative to the longitudinal direction. The linkage system allows continuous sliding adjustment of the one or more struts (48) to accommodate changes in the separation of the first fitting (53) from the second fitting (54) in the longitudinal direction. An auxiliary seat (45) for a child is mounted to the linkage system.

Description

PEDAL POWERED VEHICLE WITH AUXILIARY SEAT FOR A CHILD

Background

The present disclosure relates to pedal powered vehicles. As will become apparent from the detailed description below, the teachings of the present disclosure are of particular value when applied to bicycles and more particularly, but not necessarily exclusively, to mountain bikes.

Most bicycles are designed to carry a single person. When an adult cyclist wishes to bring a child with them, they must either mount an auxiliary seat on their bicycle or affix a trailer. The safest position for mounting an auxiliary child's seat is intermediate the handlebars and the adult's saddle approximately over the centre of gravity of the bicycle and riders together, where the adult's arms may extend on either side of the seated child when the adult grasps the handlebars. There are numerous proposals in the patent literature, of which EP 1604890 of 6319009 Canada Inc., WO 01/68438 of Centric-Safe Haven Inc., US 5330215 of Bishaf et aL GB 520010 of Thomas Patrick and US 2005/001460 of Starodoj et al are examples, for achieving such mountings.

However, the present Inventors have found that none of these mounting systems is suitable for use with a mountain bike. While the exemplified prior mounting kits may incorporate a degree of adjustability so that they may be adapted to bicycles of different sizes, they are each designed, when mounted on a particular bicycle, to provide a rigid structure conferring additional strength and stiffness to the bicycle to ensure that the auxiliary child's seat is rigidly supported from the bicycle frame.

In addition, most prior mounting systems are primarily designed for carrying very young children (typically 1-3 years in age). However, if such prior systems were in fact to be employed on a mountain bike to carry such a young child, there would be a severe danger of causing so-called "Shaken Child Syndrome" damaging their young brains. Many modern cycles, and in particular mountain bikes are deliberately designed so that there may be some compliance in the frame. As a result, heretofore, adults riding a mountain bike, wishing to share the experience with a child (typically of 2 to 5 years in age), have had to mount an auxiliary seat over the rear wheels or over the handlebars, neither of which position is satisfactory as the bicycle becomes unstable, or to resort to a trailer, which is cumbersome and difficult to manage on tight country trails.

Summary

In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a kit for mounting a child's auxiliary seat to a pedal powered vehicle of the kind comprising a frame including a seat tube mounting a seat post supporting a saddle and a head tube cooperating with a head set to mount an assembly comprising handlebars and a front fork; the kit comprising a linkage system adapted to mount said auxiliary child's seat between one of the seat tube and seat post and one of the head tube and head set; the linkage system comprising: one or more elongate struts defining a longitudinal direction, means mounting the auxiliary seat to the longitudinal strut(s), a first fitting adapted for coupling the linkage system to one of the head tube and head set, and a second fitting adapted for coupling the linkage system to one of the seat tube and the seat post; each of said first and second fittings being coupled to said elongate strut(s) in a manner allowing pivoting motion of the said fitting relative to the said longitudinal direction about an axis which, when said kit is mounted to a said pedal powered vehicle, extends at right angles to the plane including the axes of the seat post and of the head tube; and the linkage system allowing continuous sliding adjustment of the one or more struts to accommodate changes in the separation of said first fitting from said second fitting in said longitudinal direction due to compliance of the frame in use of the vehicle.

In one arrangement, the first fitting comprises a clamp adapted for clamping to the head tube of the frame. In an alternative arrangement, the first fitting comprises a ring provided with an inner annular bearing and adapted to cooperate with the headset for steering rotation of said assembly relative to and within the bearing. Preferred embodiments include one or more of the following features: each of the one or more struts is telescopic in form, comprising a first strut member and a second strut member, one end of the second strut member being received telescopically within one end of the first strut member. The one or more struts is(are) hingedly connected to the first and second fittϋngs. There are two struts, and a mounting block for the auxiliary seat is clamped between the two struts. The mounting block is clamped between the said one ends of the first strut.

In an alternative embodiment, sliding adjustment is provided in a different fashion. Specifically, one end of the or each strut is pivotally coupled to one said fitting while the other end of the or each said strut is slidably received within a member pivotally coupled to the other said fitting.

In a second and alternative aspect of this disclosure, a pedal powered vehicle comprises: a frame including a head tube and a seat tube mounting a seat post supporting a saddle; a head set cooperating with the head tube to mount an assembly comprising handlebars and a front fork; a linkage system comprising one or more elongate struts defining a longitudinal direction, a first fitting coupling the linkage system to one of the head tube and head set, and a second fitting coupling the linkage system to one of the seat tube and the seat post, each of said first and second fittings being coupled to said elongate strut(s) in a manner allowing pivoting motion of the said fitting relative to the said longitudinal direction about an axis which extends at right angles to the plane including the axes of the seat post and of the head tube, and the linkage system allowing continuous sliding adjustment of the one or more struts to accommodate changes in the separation of said first fitting from said second fitting in said longitudinal direction due to compliance of the frame in use of the vehicle; and an auxiliary seat for a child mounted to the linkage system at a position intermediate the seat tube and head tube.

Brief Description of the Drawings

A number of embodiments are described hereinbelow by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig. 1 is a partial exploded view of an embodiment of kit for mounting an auxiliary child's seat to a pedal powered vehicle, the Figure showing a clamp, for coupling to a head tube, and associated components;

Fig. 2 is a partial exploded view of the same embodiment of kit, showing a clamp, for coupling to a seat post or seat tube, and associated components;

Fig. 3 is a further partial exploded view of the kit of Figs. 1 and 2, intermediate the views of Figs. 1 and 2, showing how a child's seat is coupled to the remaining components;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of kit coupled between a head tube and seat post of a bicycle and mounting a child's auxiliary seat;

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the kit of Fig. 4 and parts of the bicycle;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged exploded view of the head tube and associated parts of the kit as shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a similar enlarged view of the seat tube and associated parts of the kit as shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of child's auxiliary seat and foot support that may be used with a kit of the kind shown in Figs. 4 to 7;

Fig. 9 is an exploded view of parts of another alternative kit, with the leg supports omitted from this view; Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of part of Fig. 9 to better illustrate mounting of the saddle to a saddle mounting tube;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view illustrating how foot supports are adjustably mounted to the saddle mounting tube shown in Figs. 9 and 10;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the kit of Figs. 9-11, in flattened configuration for packaging, transport or display; and

Fig. 13 is an axial sectional view of a head set fitting.

Description of Preferred Embodiments

Referring first to Fig. 1, a clamp 1 comprises two portions 2, 3 of a clamping ring adapted to fit round the head tube of a bicycle such as a mountain bike. The respective clamp portions 2 and 3 include semi-cylindrical members 4 and apertured flanges 5 enabling the clamp portions 2, 3 to be fastened around the head tube by fixing means, suitably comprising nuts 6 and bolts 7 that extend through the apertures in flanges 5. Welded to clamp portion 3 is a cylindrical tube 8. A first strut 9 is provided with a portion 10 at one end thereof that extends at right angles to the general elongate direction of strut 9 and is dimensioned for slidable and pivotable receipt within bore 11 of tube 8. A second strut 12 has a hollow tubular portion 13 at one end thereof extending at right angles to the general longitudinal direction of the second strut, tubular portion 13 also being sized for slidable and pivotable receipt within bore 11 of tube 8. A bolt 14 has a shank 15 that passes through hollow tubular portion 13 and is received within a threaded axial opening 16 in portion 10. As shown, clamp portion 3 may be provided with a sleeve 17 adapted to over- lie and bear against a portion of a top tube or other structure of the frame of the bicycle. When clamp 1 is clamped to the head tube or head set of a bicycle, the structure illustrated in Fig. 1 will allow relative pivoting of the struts 9 and 12 relative to the clamp.

Turning now to Fig. 2, a second clamp 18 comprises two portions 19, 20 of a second clamping ring, each clamping portion comprising a semi-cylindrical member 21 and a pair of apertured flanges 22. Second clamp 18 is adapted to clamp to the upper end of a seat tube of a bicycle frame or to a saddle-mounting seat post mounted in the seat tube, the two portions 19, 20 of second clamp 18 being fastened together by respective nuts 23 and bolts 24. A tube 25 is welded to clamp portion 19. A cylindrical member 26 is freely slidably received within tube 25 and is free to pivot about the axis thereof. Cylindrical member 26 is longer than tube 25 so that when assembled its ends 27 extend beyond the ends of tube 25. Those ends 27 are each provided with a through bore 28 the axis of which is at right angles to the axis of the cylindrical member 26. Each through bore 28 is dimensioned so that end portions 29 of struts 9 and 12 may be freely slidably received through the through bores 28. Although cylindrical member 26 is here tubular, it will be understood that it could be formed as a solid cylindrical rod with the through bores 28 machined therethrough.

It will readily be appreciated that the structure illustrated in Fig. 2 allows for relative longitudinal sliding adjustment of struts 9 and 12 in the through bores 28 due to compliance or flexure of the bicycle frame causing adjustments in the separation between the head tube and seat post while at the same time providing a pivotal connection between the struts 9, 12 and the second clamp 18.

Fig. 3 illustrates schematically one manner in which an auxiliary child's seat may be mounted to the struts 9, 12 at a position intermediate the ends of the struts. The seat comprises a saddle 30 fixed to a mounting block 31 adapted to fit between the respective struts 9, 12. A co-operating channel member 32 comprises a plate 33 and flanges 34 extending at right angles to the plate. The separation between flanges 34 is slightly greater than the separation between the struts 9, 12 so that flanges 34 effectively embrace struts 9, 12. Each of saddle 30, mounting block 31 and plate 33 is apertured so that fixing means, here comprising a screw 35, may be received through these apertures for co-operation with a nut 36. Welded to each flange 34 is an elongate leg 37 provided with a series of apertures 38 allowing a foot rest 39 to be mounted to leg 37 at a selected distance from the saddle by a threaded member 40 passing through a selected aperture 38 into an end of foot rest 39.

Figs. 4 to 7 illustrate an alternative embodiment. A modern mountain bike frame 41, only part of which is illustrated in these figures, comprises a head tube 42 for the handlebars (not illustrated) and a seat tube 43 for a seat post 44 mounting a conventional saddle (omitted for clarity), but remaining portions of frame 40 are of non-tubular form Mountain bikes are designed to travel over very uneven terrain and their frames are deliberately designed to allow for compliance or flexure to accommodate stresses. As a result, the axes of the head tube 42 and the seat post 44 will not necessarily remain parallel, as in more conventional bicycles, and the distance between points on the seat post and head tube may change as the bicycle travels due to the flexure of the frame.

Fig. 4 shows an auxiliary child's saddle 45 and adjustable foot supports 46 mounted between the seat post 43 and head tube 41, and Fig. 5 shows the saddle and foot supports and a linkage system 47 adapted for mounting the saddle and foot supports intermediate the seat post and head tube of the bicycle, all in exploded view. Linkage system 47 comprises two struts 48 each of which comprises a first strut member 49 and a second strut member 50. Each such strut is telescopic. Thus, end 51 of each first strut member 49 is adapted to be telescopically slidable within end 52 of a corresponding second strut member 50. The opposite ends of the first and second strut members are hingedly coupled to respective fittings 53 and 54 as explained in more detail below.

As best shown in the enlarged view of Fig. 6, head tube fitting 53 comprises a split collar 55, which may be formed of nylon or of elastomeric material, and is adapted to fit loosely about head tube 42 and to be clamped thereto by a clamping ring 56 formed in two portions 57 and 58 which are pivoted to each other via a pivot pin 59 on one side of the head tube 42 and which may be tightened together at the other side of head tube 42 by means of a tightening screw 60 which passes through one clamping ring portion 57 and is received threadedly in the other portion 58. Portion 58 also includes an extension 61 to which is mounted a short tubular portion 62. It will readily be appreciated that as an alternative to clamping fitting 53 to the head tube, if formed slightly smaller, it may cooperate with the head set coupling an assembly comprising the front fork and fork tube and the handlebars and handlebar stem rotatably within and to the head tube of the frame. In this case split collar 55 serves as an annular bearing and is preferably formed of nylon, and ring 56 replaces a spacer within the head set.

The ends of first strut members 49 opposite ends 51 are formed with bosses

63 at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the strut members, one 64 of which bosses is formed with a through bore, while the other 65 of which has a blind threaded bore. A sleeve 66 is slidably received in bore 67 of tubular portion 62, and a threaded bolt 68 (Fig. 5), which serves as a pivot pin for the resultant structure, extends through boss 64 and sleeve 67 to be threadedly received in the blind bore of boss 65, thereby completing a hinge between the first strut members and the head tube fitting with the hinge axis at right angles to the plane containing the axes of the seat post and head tube.

Seat post fitting 54 is similarly formed to head tube fitting and is hingedly coupled in a similar fashion to second strut members 50. Thus, as best shown in the enlarged view of Fig. 7, seat post fitting 54 comprises a split collar 69, which may also be formed of nylon or elastomeric material, and is adapted to fit loosely about seat post 44 and to be clamped thereto by a clamping ring 70 formed in two portions 71 and 72 which are pivoted to each other via a pivot pin 73 (Fig. 5) on one side of the seat post 44 and which may be tightened together at the other side of seat post 44 by means of a tightening screw 74 which passes through one clamping ring portion 71 and is received threadedly in the other portion 72. Portion 72 also includes an extension 75 to which is mounted a short tubular portion 76.

As an alternative to the arrangements illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, in which the two portions of rings 56 and 70 are pivoted together via pivot pins, the portions could be entirely separate with a second tightening screw replacing the pivot.

The ends of second strut members 50 opposite ends 52 are formed with bosses 77 at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the strut members, one 78 of which bosses is formed with a through bore, while the other 79 of which has a blind threaded bore. A sleeve 80 is slidably received in bore 81 of tubular portion 76, and a threaded bolt 82 (Fig. 5), which serves as a pivot pin for the resultant structure, extends through boss 78 and sleeve 80 to be threadedly received in the blind bore of boss 79, thereby completing a hinge between the second strut members and the seat post fitting, with the hinge axis at right angles to the plane containing the axes of the seat post and head tube.

The axes of the seat post and of the head tube of the bicycle will lie in a common plane. The longitudinal direction defined by the telescopic struts 48 will lie in the same plane. The hinged coupling between struts 48 and the fittings 53 and 54 allows for pivotal adjustment between that longitudinal direction and the axes of the seat post and head tube as the compliant frame flexes slightly in use of the bicycle, particularly when the bicycle is a mountain bike on uneven terrain. At the same time, as the frame flexes, the distance between head tube and seat post may vary slightly, and the telescopic arrangement of the first and second strut members will compensate for this. Thus the illustrated linkage continuously accommodates minor changes in the geometry of the bicycle in its medial plane in use without unduly adding to its stiffness and thus negating the benefits of a degree of compliance. The hinged connections between the fittings and the struts and the telescopic adjustment in the struts will also allow the same embodiment of kit to be used to mount an auxiliary child's seat to bicycles with frames of different sizes and geometry.

Saddle 45 and adjustable foot supports 46 are mounted on a box section mount 83, as explained below. Mount 83 has through openings 84 allowing the mount to slide on to the first strut members or the second strut members. It is positioned by a locking member 85, here shown U-shaped with openings 86 in each leg of the U, but which could be formed as a similarly apertured block. Locking member fits within the box section of mount 83, with one of the strut members passing through openings 86. An adjusting screw 87 in locking member 85 is then tightened to bring the edge of openings 86 of lock member against the side of the strut to fix the position of mount 83 relative to the strut member. Mount 83 should not interfere with the telescopic adjustment of the strut members. Mount 83 includes two eyes 88 to which are fixed brackets 89 fitted to the underside of the saddle 45. The adjustable foot supports are mounted from threaded projections 90 welded to the ends of the box sections of mount 83. Each foot support 46 comprises a foot post 91 mounted to the end of a leg member 92 with a stirrup strap 93 and grip surface sleeve 94 mounted over the post and held in place by a fastener 95 (Fig. 4). It will be noted that stirrup strap 93 has several openings 96 allowing adjustment of the strap. Leg member 92 slides within a second leg member 97, which in turn slides within an outer protective sleeve 98. Fastenings 99 hold the leg members and sleeve together. Leg member 92 has a plurality of openings 100 enabling adjustment in the distance between saddle and foot post.

As an addition to or an alternative to locking member 85, a spring loaded quick lock/release mechanism may be provided. Thus a knob 101 is attached to the end of a spring-loaded plunger 102 (spring omitted from Fig. 5) biased towards a strut. The strut may have a plurality of openings (not shown in the drawings) spaced along its length for receipt of the distal end of plunger 102. The seat may be adjusted longitudinally of the strut by pulling out the plunger, sliding mounting block 84 to a new position and releasing the plunger to be received in a said strut opening. Whether this quick adjustment system is employed or the more permanent locking provided by member 85, the seat is best placed as close as possible to the combined centre of gravity of the bicycle and riders. Provision is also desirably provided to allow tilting of the saddle to the best angle for the child, for example because the kit has been transferred to a different bicycle with different geometry or because of a change from steep ascent to steep descent. In the arrangement of Figs. 4 to 7, tilting is achieved by making the rearward of openings 103 in fixing brackets 89 in the form of a slot rather than a simple opening.

Fig. 8 shows an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of saddle and adjustable foot supports making use of an alternative mount 104. Only the foot support on one side is shown, and it will be understood that a similar mirror image foot support will be provided on the other side of the saddle. Mount 104 fits loosely over the two struts (not shown in this Figure), being provided with curved surfaces 105 that match the outer profile of the struts. Saddle 45 is fastened to mount 104, which has an opening 106 for receiving a fastening for this purpose. Upper end 107 of second leg member 93 has a first opening 108 and a second slot 109. A fastener (not shown) passes through first opening 108 and is received in threaded opening 110 of mount 104. A second fastener, suitably a bolt (not shown), passes through slot 109, through an opening 111 below opening 110, and then beneath the struts to be received through an opening 111' on the other side of the mount, and then through a slot in an upper end of a second leg member in the other adjustable foot support, to co-operate with a nut (not shown). When tightened, this bolt clamps mount 104 to the struts. The slot allows for some pivotal movement of the leg relative to the mount so that the foot post can be adjusted slightly forward and back. The mounting between stirrup, foot post and leg member 92 in the arrangement of Fig. 8 also differs slightly from Figs. 4 and 5, but this is not of significance.

While all the above embodiments employ struts in the form of tubes of circular cross-section, it will readily be appreciated that these struts could be replaced by struts in the form of box section tubing, or in the form of channel members, preferably generally U- or V-shaped channel members, provided that provision is still made for continuous sliding adjustment, for example in the manner of Fig. 2 or by the struts being telescopic, as in the arrangements of Figs. 4 to 8. The safest position for the child is close to the combined centre of gravity of bicycle and riders, the "sweet-spot". Adjustable location of the seat longitudinally of the struts allows adjustment forwardly and rearwardly. Provision is also made for adjustment vertically in the arrangements of Figs. 4 to 8. As can readily be seen in Figs. 4 to 7, the respective extensions 61 and 75 are each angled upwardly out of the plane defined by their respective rings 56 and 70. Reversing one or both rings so that the extension is angled downwardly rather than upwardly, will lower the position of the seat.

Mountain bike riders will often raise or lower their own saddle while on the trail, depending on whether they are ascending or descending. With the kit clamped to the seat post, the pivoting and continuous sliding adjustment provided by all the described embodiments will allow a rider to adjust that seat post in the seat tube for ascent or descent, without having to remove the child seat kit. For a young child, typically of three years in age and normal weight, this rider's seat post adjustment can be made even without having to dismount the child.

Referring now to Figs. 9 to 12, which show a currently preferred embodiment of kit, it will be seen that this embodiment, while generally similar to that of Figs. 4 to 7 has variations in the respective fittings for the head tube and the seat post, and, more particularly, a different mode of mounting the saddle for the child's auxiliary seat and the foot supports. As explained below, these changes in the mounting of the saddle and foot supports enable the kit, in generally assembled form to be flat-packed for transport and for display in a cycle shop.

A linkage system 112 comprises two parallel struts 113 each of which comprises a first strut member 114 and a second strut member 115. Each such strut is telescopic. In use, each first strut member 114 extends through aligned openings 116 on opposite sides of a saddle mounting tube 117 to be received telescopically within a corresponding second strut member 115. The opposite ends of the first and second strut members are hingedly coupled to respective fittings 118 and 119 for respectively coupling to the head tube or head set and to the seat post of the bicycle. Fitting 118 comprises a two-part ring 120, which is fastened together and tightened by turning, as with an Allen key, hexagonal headed bolts 121 that pass through apertured bosses 122 on one part of the ring to cooperate with threaded bosses 123 on the other part. When fastened around a handlebar stem or fork tube of a front assembly of the vehicle, a suitable annular bearing, for example a split nylon ring (not shown), is interposed. The nylon ring may be split horizontally into an upper and a lower ring, each with a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the handlebar stem or fork tube of the assembly. When fitting 118 replaces a spacer of the head set, axial loading of the head set will clamp the two halves of the nylon ring together causing it to deform slightly to complete an annular bearing in contact with the outer surface of the handlebar stem or fork tube in the front assembly, while still allowing rotation of that assembly within the bearing.

While seat post fitting 119 has a similar geometry to fitting 118, as shown here, it serves as a clamp to the seat tube of the frame or to the seat post associated with the rider's saddle.

The struts 113 are hingedly connected to the fittings 118 and 119 in substantially the same manner as in the embodiment of Figs. 4 to 7. Since the axes of the seat tube and of the head tube of the bicycle will lie in a common plane, the longitudinal direction defined by the telescopic struts 113 lies in the same plane, and the hinge axes of the hinged coupling between struts 113 and the fittings 118 and 119 extend perpendicularly to this common plane, the hinged couplings allow for pivotal adjustment between the said longitudinal direction and the axes of the seat tube and head tube as the compliant frame of a mountain bike flexes slightly in use of the bicycle, particularly when the bicycle is a mountain bike on uneven terrain, while the telescopic struts accommodate for any variation in distance between head tube and seat tube. This adjustability ensures that the same embodiment of kit may be used to mount an auxiliary child's seat to bicycles with frames of different sizes and geometry.

The underside of saddle 124 is provided with a profiled mounting block 125. Saddle and mounting block may be integrally moulded. Block 125 has a first part- cylindrical recess 126 sized to correspond to the external curved surface of mounting tube 117 and aligned crosswise, and two norther smaller radius part-cylindrical recesses 127 intersecting crosswise recess 126. The profile of block 125 is chosen so that, with the mounting tube 117 mounted to recess 126 by a bolt 128 extending through aligned apertures 129 in the tube into a threaded aperture 130 in the block 125, first strut members 114 are received in recesses 127.

Sliding clamps 131 are inserted into opposite ends of tube 117 before first strut members 114 are inserted through openings 116. The clamp is formed from two members, namely a box shaped member 132 with a curved surface 133, the radius of which is slightly greater than that of a strut member 114, and having a nut 134 fixed to a wall 135 opposite curved surface 133, and a bolt 136 that cooperates with nut 134. A strut member 114 is made to pass through box shape member 132 as it is pushed through tube 117 from one opening 116 to another such opening on the opposite side of the tube 117. If bolt 136 is then tightened to bring curved surface 133 tight up against strut member 114, this will clamp strut member 114 to the mounting tube 117.

The foot support structure is omitted from Figs. 9 and 10 in order to show the sliding clamp structure, but is shown in Fig. 11 together with the mounting tube 117. Each foot support structure 137 is rotatably mounted on an end of mounting tube 117, and includes a foot post 138 mounted to distal end 139 of a leg member 140, here formed in two telescopically slidable sections 141, 142 to allow adjustment for children with different lengths of leg. In practice there will be an additional strap 143 (See Fig. 12) in effect forming a stirrup for a child's foot. The two leg sections 141, 142 have a plurality of apertures 144 that cooperate with fixings (not shown) to hold the two leg sections together with a selected leg length.

Proximal end 145 of leg member 140 is formed with a cylindrical boss 146 which fits over the end of mounting tube 117 and cooperates with a fitting 147 internally of tube 117. As can be seen from Fig. 11, boss 146 has a through aperture 148, mounting tube 117 has a slot 149, and fitting 147 has an aperture 150. Through aperture 148, slot 149 and aperture 150 are aligned and a boss securing bolt (not shown) inserted from the outside to be tightened in aperture 150. Slot 149 preferably extends over an arc of about 60° around the circumference of tube 117, allowing adjustment fore-and-aft in the position of the foot post 138, while the bolt, even if slightly loosened in an accident, serves with the extremes of the slot 149 to limit movement of the foot post in an accident. When the boss securing bolt is at extreme end 151 of slot 149, the leg member 140 extends generally parallel and alongside the struts 113 (Fig. 12). Accordingly, by placing the legs 140 in the position shown in Fig. 12 and telescoping each first strut member 114 fully into its cooperating second strut member 115, an extremely compact arrangement illustrated in Fig. 12 is achieved. This allow the kit to be effectively flat-packed or sealed in transparent plastic and displayed on a rack. The head tube fitting 118 forms a convenient opening for a display hook or bracket. A major advantage of this arrangement is that even in the packed display configuration of Fig. 12, the kit is substantially, if not fully, assembled. There need be no loose parts to be separately packed, which may be lost by a user. Detailed assembly instructions need not be required. Where adjustment is provided, it will generally be intuitive or may be explained in simple diagrams.

It will be appreciated that, rather than forming fitting 118 in two halves to be fastened about the handlebar stem or fork tube of the front assembly, as shown in Fig. 9, it may comprise a simple closed ring 152, shown in axial section in Fig. 13, into which upper 153 and lower 154 rings forming the two halves of a horizontally split nylon bearing ring 155 may be inserted from opposite sides of closed ring 152. The upper and lower rings each having a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the handlebar stem or fork tube of the assembly. Closed ring 152 with the upper and lower nylon bearing rings replaces one or more spacers of a head set, completing the assembly of handlebars and front fork and mounting this assembly rotatably and axially to the head tube of the frame. Axial loading of the head set will clamp the two halves of the nylon bearing ring together causing it to deform slightly to complete an annular bearing in contact with the outer surface of the handlebar stem or fork tube in the assembly, while still allowing rotation of that assembly within the bearing.

Claims

1. A kit for mounting a child's auxiliary seat to a pedal powered vehicle of the kind comprising a frame including a seat tube mounting a seat post supporting a saddle and a head tube cooperating with a head set to mount an assembly comprising handlebars and a front fork; the kit comprising a linkage system adapted to mount said auxiliary child's seat between one of the seat tube and seat post and one of the head tube and head set; the linkage system comprising: one or more elongate struts defining a longitudinal direction, means mounting the auxiliary seat to the longitudinal strut(s), a first fitting adapted for coupling the linkage system to one of the head tube and head set, and a second fitting adapted for coupling the linkage system to one of the seat tube and the seat post; each of said first and second fittings being coupled to said elongate strut(s) in a manner allowing pivoting motion of the said fitting relative to the said longitudinal direction about an axis which, when said kit is mounted to a said pedal powered vehicle, extends at right angles to the plane including the axes of the seat post and of the head tube; and the linkage system allowing continuous sliding adjustment of the one or more struts to accommodate changes in the separation of said first fitting from said second fitting in said longitudinal direction due to compliance of the frame in use of the vehicle.

2. A kit according to Claim 1, wherein the first fitting comprises a clamp adapted for clamping to the head tube of the frame.

3. A kit according to Claim 1, wherein the first fitting comprises a ring provided with an inner annular bearing and adapted to cooperate with the headset for steering rotation of said assembly relative to and within the bearing.

4. A kit according to Claim 1, wherein there are two struts, and wherein a mount for the auxiliary seat is clamped between the two struts.

5. A kit according to Claim 1, wherein each of the one or more struts is telescopic in form, comprising a first strut member and a second strut member, one end of the second strut member being received telescopically within one end of the first strut member.

6. A kit according to Claim 1, wherein the one or more struts is(are) hingedly connected to the first and second fittings.

7. A kit according to Claim 4, wherein the mount comprises a mounting block to which the seat is fixed, the mounting block being clamped between the said one ends of the first strut.

8. A kit according to Claim 1, wherein one end of the or each strut is pivotally coupled to one said fitting while the other end of the or each said strut is slidably received within a member pivotally coupled to the other said fitting.

9. A kit according to Claim 4, wherein a pair of foot supports are each mountable to the said mount to provide support for the foot of a child seated in the auxiliary seat.

10. A kit according to Claim 9, wherein each foot support comprises a leg member, preferably adjustable in length; a distal end of said leg member mounting a foot post, and optionally a strap defining a stirrup; and a proximal end of said leg member being coupled to said mount.

11. A kit according to Claim 10, wherein the mount comprises a mounting tube coupled to the saddle, the mounting tube having an axis extending at right angles to the plane including the axes of the seat post and of the head tube; and wherein each said proximal end comprises a boss mountable to an end of said mounting tube.

12. A kit according to Claim 11, wherein each leg member is rotatable about the axis of the mounting tube from at least one operative position in which the leg posts are disposed in use below the plane defined by the struts to a stored position for transport or display in which the leg members extend parallel to and substantially in the same plane as the struts.

13. A pedal powered vehicle comprising: a frame including a head tube and a seat tube mounting a seat post supporting a saddle; a head set cooperating with the head tube to mount an assembly comprising handlebars and a front fork; a linkage system comprising one or more elongate struts defining a longitudinal direction, a first fitting coupling the linkage system to one of the head tube and head set, and a second fitting coupling the linkage system to one of the seat tube and the seat post, each of said first and second fittings being coupled to said elongate strut(s) in a manner allowing pivoting motion of the said fitting relative to the said longitudinal direction about an axis which extends at right angles to the plane including the axes of the seat post and of the head tube, and the linkage system allowing continuous sliding adjustment of the one or more struts to accommodate changes in the separation of said first fitting from said second fitting in said longitudinal direction due to compliance of the frame in use of the vehicle; and an auxiliary seat for a child mounted to the linkage system at a position intermediate the seat tube and head tube.