Patent Publication Number: US-7896380-B2

Title: Top cover for headset of bicycle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a bicycle, and more specifically to a top cover for a headset of a bicycle, which can enhance convenience of assembly and disassembly of the bicycle and prevent losing parts of the headset. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
       FIG. 1  shows a conventional headset  1  for a bicycle, which is configured between a steering tube  4  and a head tube  5  for enabling a front fork  6  to be rotatable relative to the head tube  5 , comprising an upper set  2  and a lower set  3 . A handlebar stem  7  is mounted on a top end of the steering tube  4 . The upper set  2  is located between the handlebar stem  7  and the head tube  5  such that the parts of the upper set  2  is fastened. 
     In order to carry or store the bicycle conveniently, the handlebar stem  7  needs to be disassembled from the steering tube  4 . Once the handlebar stem  7  is dismounted, the upper set  2  and the lower set  3  can&#39;t be retainable. Therefore, a user has to draw the steering tube  4  from the head tube  5  to allow the separation of the front fork  6  and the bicycle frame. The upper set  2  and the lower set  3  have to be disassembled, preventing from getting lost. In other words, although the user just takes the handlebar stem  7  apart, the front fork  6  and the headset  1  have to be disassembled together with the handlebar stem  7  due to the structural design of the headset  1 , resulting in inconvenience of assembly and disassembly of the bicycle, and rising the risk of losing components of the headset  1 . 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above-noted circumstances. It is one objective of the present invention to provide a top cover for a headset of a bicycle, which can enhance the convenience of assembly and disassembly of the bicycle, and prevent components of the headset from getting lost. 
     To achieve this objective of the present invention, the top cover comprises a bottom ring, a side wall, a C-shaped clip and a fastening unit. The side wall extends upwards from the bottom ring. The C-shaped clip extends upwards from a top end of the side wall and having a through hole at each of two distal ends thereof. The fastening unit passes through the through holes of the C-shaped clip for tightening the C-shaped clip. 
     Accordingly, the top cover of the present invention can enhance convenience of assembly and disassembly of the bicycle, and prevent losing parts of the headset. 
     Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a partially exploded view of a bicycle according to a prior art; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of a top cover according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the top cover according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the top cover assembled in a bicycle according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the top cover according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the top cover according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of the top cover according to a forth preferred embodiment of the present invention, and 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view of the top cover assembled in a bicycle according to a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , a top cover  10  for a headset in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a bottom ring  20 , a side wall  24 , a C-shaped clip  30  and a fastening unit  36 . 
     The bottom ring  20  has a tapered shape in which the diameter of the bottom ring  20  is gradually reduced from the bottom to the top. The side wall  24  extends upwards from the right-side circumference of the bottom ring  20 . The C-shaped clip  30  extends upwards from the top end of the side wall  24  and has a through hole  32  at each of two distal ends thereof. The fastening unit  36  passes through the through holes  32  of the C-shaped clip  30  for tightening the C-shaped clip  30 . 
     In fact, one of the through holes  32  of the C-shaped clip  30  has internal threads  34 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The fastening unit  36  includes a bolt  38  that passes through the through holes  32  of the C-shaped clip  30  and is threaded with the threads  34  of the through hole  32  so as to tighten the C-shaped clip  30 . When the headset  40  is configured on a vehicle, such as a bicycle, a scooter, or a tricycle, as shown in  FIG. 4 , an upper set  42  can be fixed between a head tube  52  and a steering tube  50  in such a way that the steering tube  50  is constricted by the C-shaped clip  30  of the top cover  10 . Therefore, the upper set  42  doesn&#39;t get loose even though a handlebar stem  54  that is connected with a top end of the steering tube  50  is disassembled from the steering tube  50 . As a result, it is not necessary for a user to take a front fork  51  apart after the handlebar stem  54  is disassembled, so the convenience of assembly and disassembly of the bicycle can be enhanced, and the risk of losing components of the headset  40  can be reduced by means of the top cover  10  of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  further shows the structural relationship between the top cover  10  and the upper set  42  of the headset  40 . The headset  40  comprises the upper set  42  and a lower set  48 , both of which are disposed between the head tube  52  and the steering tube  50 . The handlebar stem  54  is mounted on a top end of the steering tube  50 . 
     The upper set  42  includes an upper cup  43 , a bearing  45 , a compression ring  46  and the top cover  10 . The upper cup  43  is disposed on the top end of the head tube  52  and provided with an accommodation space  44  therein. The bearing  45  is received in the accommodation space  44  and has an outer periphery abutted against the upper cup  43 . The compression ring  46  is abutted against an inner periphery of the bearing  45  and tightened onto the steering tube  50 . The top cover  10  covers the upper cup  43  in such a manner that the bottom ring  20  is abutted against the top of the compression ring  46 , and the C-shaped clip  30  is tightened onto the steering tube  50  through the fastening unit  36 . The lower set  48  has similar structure with the prior art and isn&#39;t connected with the top cover  10 , so no further detailed description thereof is necessary hereinafter. 
     By means of the aforesaid design, when the handlebar stem  54  is dismounted from the steering tube  50 , the upper set  42  doesn&#39;t get loose due to the top cover  10 , thereby eliminating the drawback of headset according to the prior art. 
     The top cover can be made with various kinds of design on the basis of the spirit of the present invention. For example, the extending height of the side wall  24  can be changeable subject to the actual need, and the fastening unit  36  has a lot of alternative structures. As shown in  FIG. 5 , a top cover  60  in accordance with the second preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a C-shaped clip  62  having two through holes  64  without internal threads, and a fastening unit  66  having a bolt  68  and a nut  69 . The bolt  68  passes through the through holes  64  of the C-shaped clip  62 , and the nut  69  is threaded onto the bolt  68  for tightening the C-shaped clip  62 . Thus, the top cover  60  and the steering tube (not shown) are connected together. 
       FIG. 6  shows a top cover  70  in accordance with the third preferred embodiment of the present invention, comprising a fastening unit  72  that is embodied as a well-known quick release unit. 
       FIG. 7  shows a top cover  80  in accordance with the forth preferred embodiment of the present invention, comprising a bottom ring  82  having a suspension arm  84 . The suspension arm  84  has a through hole  86  at a distal end thereof for penetration of brake cables (not shown) of the bicycle, thereby providing the function of retaining the brake cables. 
     Besides, the top cover of the present invention can be cooperated to different kinds of upper set. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the top cover  90  of the present invention is fitted to an upper set  92  that comprises a bearing  93  received in an accommodation space  96  located at a top of the head tube  95 , and a compression ring  94  abutted against the bearing  93  and tightened onto the steering tube  97 , but eliminates the upper cup mentioned in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.