Abstract:
A bicycle training device mountable to a conventional bicycle seat neck and operable by a non-rider to guide and control the actions of the bicycle. A mounting bar is attached to the seat neck and a clamping member is releasably attachable to the mounting bar in a first attached position. The non-rider may guide the bicycle and maintain the rider&#39;s balance. Once the rider has control of the bicycle, the clamping member is released from the mounting bar by the non-rider by moving the clamper member to a second release position.

Description:
This application claims priority to provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/163,209 filed Nov. 2, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a device for training novice bicyclists on how to maintain balance on the bicycle. The present invention provides a safe and easy transition from training wheels to unaided mastery of bicycling skills. 
     Numerous bicycle training devices are taught in the prior art. These include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,791,675; 5,338,204; 4,917,398; 4,903,975; 5,028,066; 5,395,130; 5,407,222; 5,176,395; 5,344,171; 5,303,944; 5,217,240, and others. The present invention offers a stable learning platform giving direct feedback to the parent/trainer on the readiness of the child/operator to ride unassisted. The parent/trainer has complete control over the bicycle and can run at speeds necessary to get passed the instability of slow speed. An additional design benefit of the present invention is that the child is unable to see the parent/trainer and actually has no idea if he/she is riding solo. This builds confidence quickly, thinking that he/she is riding all by him/herself expediting the learning curve. The most important benefit is no more painful crashes and happy kids. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a bicycle training device mountable to a conventional bicycle seat neck and operable by a non-rider (parent/trainer) to guide and control the actions of the bicycle. A T-shaped mounting bar is affixed to the seat neck. The leg of the T-shaped mount extends rearwardly behind the bicycle seat above the rear wheel. The two horizontal arms of the T-shaped mount extend outwardly to the left and right sides of the seat. A clamping member is releasably attached at a first end by a clasp member to the two outwardly extending arms. A release lever is attached to a second end of the clamping member at some distance behind the bicycle. Operation of the release lever causes the clasp member to engage or disengage from the arms, thereby releasing the non-riders control over the bicycle. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the present invention attached to a conventional bicycle seat neck. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a top plan view of the clamping member of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a rear view of the mounting bar showing the recessed notches in the arms. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates the rotation of the pivot joint in the mounting bar of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 shows a side elevation view of the T-shaped mounting bar attached to a conventional bicycle seat neck. 
     FIG. 6 shows a top plan view of the clasp and release mechanism of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 illustrates a detailed perspective view of the clasp in an open (released) position. 
     FIG. 8 is a detailed view of the clamping member in the open position attached to the T-shaped mounting bar. 
     FIG. 9 illustrates a detailed side view of the clasp in a closed position. 
     FIG. 10 shows a detailed perspective view of the clasp in a closed position attached to the mounting bar. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the training device  10  attached to a conventional seat neck bar  12  of a bicycle  14 . The device  10  has a T-shaped mounting bar  16  attached generally perpendicularly to the neck bar  12  and extending rearwardly beneath the seat  18  and above the rear wheel  20 . 
     The mounting bar  16  has a pivot joint  22  which allows for rotation in the horizontal plane (±40°). Attached to the mounting bar is the clamping member  24 . In the position shown in FIG. 1, a rider could be controlled and balanced by a non-rider guiding the bicycle  14  through the training device  10 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2, clamping member  24  has a generally cylindrical main shaft portion  26 . At a first end  28 , the clamping member has a forked section  30 . The forks are two, spaced-apart, generally parallel, tubes which provide stability to the device. One end of the fork has the junction of the two tubes and is attached to the main shaft  26 . The other end of the fork has opposed, spaced-apart, C-shaped yokes  32  which fit around the arms of the mounting bar  16  as will be described below. Also, at the second end  28  is a clasp member  34  which engages around the mounting bar arms upon operation of a spring-loaded release clamp  36 . 
     At a second end of the main shaft  26  is a handle bar  38  with spaced-apart grip portions  40   a  and  40   b . A grip closure lever  42  similar to the well-known bicycle hand brake is attached to the handle bar  38  at one of the grips. The lever  42  controls the opening and closing of the clasp member  34  via a cable  44  extending from the lever  42  to the spring-loaded release clamp  36 . 
     The main shaft  26  may be extended or shortened through a well-known telescoping action controlled by tightening collars  46 . Thus, the non-rider may control the distance the handle bar  38  is away from the clasping member and the distance from the rider. 
     The T-shaped mounting bar  16  is shown in FIG.  3 . An attachment collar  50  may be tightened around the seat neck bar  12 . The main leg portion  51  is divided by pivot joint  22  into front leg section  52  and rear leg section  53 . The pivot joint allows for rotation of the rear leg section from ±40° in a horizontal plane (see FIG.  4 ). At the end of the rear leg section  53 , opposite the collar  50 , is the horizontal arm  55  which has a left and right arm section ( 57  and  59 , respectively). 
     Each arm  57  and  59  has a recessed clasp notch  56  and  58 , respectively, along a length of each arm section. These notches receive, engage, and center C-shaped yokes  32  on the clamping member  24 . 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a side elevation view of the T-shaped mounting bar  16 . Pivot or swivel joint  22  is clearly shown. The leg is divided into a front leg section  52  and a rear leg section  53 . The horizontal arm portion  55  extends left and right of the seat. 
     A detailed top plan view of the second end  28  of the clamping member  24  is shown in FIG.  6 . At the end of the fork section  30  are the opposed and spaced-apart C-shaped yokes  32 . The clasp  34  is shown with spring-loaded release clamp  36  and activation cable  44 . 
     FIG. 7 shows the clasp  34  in the open position as pulled open by cable  44 . An adjustment screw system  70  and pivot  72 , well-known in the bicycle hand brake art, allows for closure adjustments to the clasp  34 . C-shaped yokes  32  shown in FIG. 7 engage around the recessed notches  56  and  58  in the arms  57  and  59 . Downwardly depending hooks  74   a  and  74   b  on clasp  34  wrap around the arms  57  and  59 , respectively, when engaged by the release mechanism at the handle bars on the opposite end of the clamping member. 
     FIG. 8 illustrates the clamping member  24  attached to the mounting bar  16 , but the clasp  34  is in the open or release position. In this position the bicycle could be released by the nonrider by allowing the bicycle to slide out of the yokes  32 . 
     FIG. 9 shows the clasp  34  closed, but not engaged with the mounting bar  16 . This figure simply illustrates how the hooks  74   a  and  74   b  may wrap around and form a closure about the arms. 
     In FIG. 10, it may be seen how the closed clasp  34  holds the clamping member  24  to the mounting bar  16  so that the non-rider has control of the bicycle. The yokes  32  are retained in the notches  56  and  58  and centered on the horizontal arm  55  by the shoulders  76  on arms  57  and  59 . 
     In operation the mounting bar or T-bar  16 , attaches to the seat neck  12 . The T-bar  16  becomes the center of gravity once the child sits on the bicycle. The T-bar  16  incorporates a pivot joint  22  that rotates approximately ±40° in the horizontal plane. This feature dampens out the pendulum effect once the device  10  is attached and allows for “true free riding feel” by the rider without being out of control. The ends or shoulders  76  of the T-bar  16  are rounded to provide added safety. On the T-bar horizontal arm  55  indentation guides (or recess notches)  56  and  58  are provided to eliminate side-to-side slippage of the clamping member  24 . 
     An essential feature of the system is the clamping member  24 . The design function is a controlling feedback device that secures the parent/trainer (non-rider) to the child (rider) learning to ride the bicycle. The clamping member  24  is approximately 4.5 feet long but may be varied by a telescoping action previously discussed. The clamping member  24  breaks down in two pieces for easy storage. This variable length ensures that the clamping member  24  safely clears the rear wheel  20  of the bicycle. With this clearance the parent/trainer can run behind the bicycle at full stride as necessary, thereby avoiding the unstable slow speed which results in crashes. 
     Another important feature of the clamping member  24  is the bicycle style fork section  30 . The fork section  30  attaches to the T-bar  16  at the C-shaped yokes  32  giving the parent/trainer the ability to prevent the child from falling sideways. The fork  30  also provides the strength to initially propel the rider to speeds that are comfortable. The fork  30  attaches to the T-bar  16  in the indentation portion (or recessed notches)  56  and  58  of the bar. The connection of the T-bar  16  and the clamping member  24  gives full rotation in the vertical making it comfortable to use for a short or tall person. 
     Another unique feature that makes the present invention  10  successful is the release mechanism  34 . This mechanism gives the invention a quick connect and disconnect capability. 
     The release mechanism is spring-loaded closed or opened with the conventional arrangement of a traditional brake handle  42 . Another important grappling feature is the full stopping control of the bicycle when attached in the closed position. This is the result of the hooks  74   a  and  74   b  in the release mechanism firmly securing over the horizontal arm  55  of the T-bar  16 . 
     The handle bar style clamping member  24  with fork  30  design gives the parent/trainer the fulcrum capability to overcome the momentum of falling sideways. This ability along with the stopping capability due to the release mechanism are significant reasons for the present invention being a complete success at teaching kids to transition away from training wheels. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. On the contrary, various modifications of the disclosed embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications, alternatives, and equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.