Patent Publication Number: US-2005120823-A1

Title: Handlebar of electrically powered vehicle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is related to a handlebar of an electrically powered vehicle, comprising a front fork unit, a connector bar unit, and a handle unit wherein the front fork unit having a coupling section protruding at the top thereof is engaged with the connector bar unit having a retaining block adapted therein, and the handle unit is joined to an engaging cavity of the connector bar unit; whereby, via a top and a bottom quick-release units and a retaining teeth facet of the retaining block in meshing engagement with an adjusting teeth facet of the front fork unit, the handle unit is easily adjusted up or down, or swung back and forth into an angle to form a two-stage handlebar adjustment structure, flexibly adjusting the position of the handle unit relative to that of a saddle thereof to match the length of hands and legs of a rider to provide a comfortable handlebar for the rider in the best riding posture.  
      A conventional handlebar for an electrically powered vehicle usually can be adjusted up or down according to the height of a rider. But with respect to the distance between the handlebar and a saddle of the vehicle, it can&#39;t be properly adjusted according to the length of hands and legs of a rider to provide a comfortable handlebar structure. Most of the time, the rider must either stretch stiffly or arched uncomfortably both arms to hold onto the handlebar thereof. Thus, the conventional saddle for an electrically powered vehicle can&#39;t fit to riders of different ages and sizes, failing to provide a comfortable handlebar structure for riders in the best riding posture.  
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
      It is, therefore, the primary purpose of the present invention to provide a handlebar of an electrically powered vehicle, comprising a front fork unit, a connector bar unit, and a handle unit wherein, via a retaining block having a spring element adapted therein and a retaining teeth facet defining one bottom side thereon to be securely meshed with an adjusting teeth facet of the front fork unit thereof, the handle unit joined to an engaging cavity of the connector bar unit can not only be adjusted up or down, but also swung back or forth into an angle to provide a two-stage adjustment handlebar structure, flexibly adjusting the position of the handle unit relative to that of a saddle of the electrically powered vehicle to match the length of hands and legs of a rider to provide a comfortable handlebar for the rider in the best riding posture.  
      It is, therefore, the secondary purpose of the present invention to provide a handlebar of an electrically powered vehicle wherein, via a top and a bottom quick release units and the retaining teeth facet of the retaining block thereof in meshing engagement with the adjusting teeth facet of the front fork unit thereof, the handle unit is precisely adjusted with ease and speed.  
      It is, therefore, the third purpose of the present invention to provide a handlebar structure for an electrically powered vehicle wherein, via a locating pin adapted at a support bar of the handle unit therein and limited by the top quick-release unit thereof, the handle unit is securely adjusted at the engaging cavity of the connector bar unit therein without been detached there-from to mar brake wires when improperly pulled upwards by undue force, securely protecting the handlebar structure thereof.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective exploded view of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the present invention in assembly.  
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the present invention in adjusting operation. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Please refer to  FIG. 1 . The present invention is related to a handlebar structure of an electrically powered vehicle, comprising a front fork unit  10 , a connector bar unit  20 , and a handle unit  30 . The front fork unit  10  is made up of a coupling section  11  protruding at the top thereof, two arc guide facets  12  symmetrically indented at both lateral sides of the coupling section  11  thereof, an arc single direction adjusting teeth face  13  defining one top side of the coupling section  11  thereof, and an axial through hole  14  disposed at the middle section thereof. The connector bar unit  20  has an engaging cavity  21  disposed at the upper section thereof, a clamping recess  22  opened at one side of the engaging cavity  21  thereof, and a pair of clamping flanges  23  symmetrically extending at both sides of the clamping recess  22  thereof. A pivoting hole  231  is disposed at the upper section of the clamping flanges  23  thereof for a screw rod  241  of a top quick-release unit  24  to be led there-through and registered with an upper screw nut  242 . The connector bar unit  20  also includes an inverted U-shaped limiting slot  25  defining the lower section thereof, two pivoting plates  26  extending downwards at both sides of the limiting slot  25  thereof, and a pivoting pin hole  261  disposed at the lower section of each pivoting plate  26  thereof for a pivot pin  262  to be led and engaged therewith. The upper section of the limiting slot  25  thereof has a securing plane  251  disposed at one side thereon, an inner annular sleeve groove  2511  indented at one side of the securing plane  251  thereon, and an outer annular sleeve groove  2512  communicating with the inner annular sleeve groove  2511  via a step-wise through hole  2513  through which a screw bolt  241 ′ of a bottom quick-release unit  24 ′ is led there-through to be registered with a lower screw nut  242 ′. A retaining block  27 , properly matched to the securing plane  251  thereof, is provided with a step-wise retaining hole  271  for a spring element  28  to be adapted therein, and an arc single direction retaining teeth facet  272  defining the bottom side thereof. The handle unit  30  is made up of a support bar  31  having a fixing through hole  311  disposed at the lower section thereon for a locating pin  32  to be adapted and engaged therewith.  
      Please refer to  FIG. 2 . In assembly, the spring element  28  is adapted to the inner annular sleeve groove  2511  by one end and engaged therewith before the step-wise retaining hole  271  of the retaining block  27  is registered with the other end of the spring element  28  for the retaining block  27  thereof to be abutted against the securing plane  251  of the limiting slot  25  thereof. The screw bolt  241 ′ of the bottom quick-release unit  24 ′ is axially applied from the outer side of the retaining block  27  and consecutively led through the step-wise retaining hole  271 , the inner annular sleeve groove  2511 , the step-wise through hole  2513 , and the outer annular sleeve groove  2512  thereof in a sequence to be securely screwed up to the lower screw nut  242 ′, pressing tight the securing block  27  thereof so as to compress the spring element  28  adapted therein. The limiting slot  25  of the connector bar unit  20  is led from top to bottom to be engaged with the coupling section  11  of the front fork unit  10  with the pivoting pin holes  261  of the pivoting plates  26  thereof correspondingly matched and juxtaposed with the axial through hole  14  thereof for the pivot pin  262  to be led there-through and pivotally fixed thereto via a screw. Thus, the retaining teeth facet  272  of the retaining block  27  is fixedly meshed with the adjusting teeth facet  13  of the coupling section  11 , sustaining the connector bar unit  20  thereof to extend upright at the front fork unit  10  thereon. The support bar  31  of the handle unit  30  is then adapted to the engaging cavity  21  of the connector bar unit  20  therein in sleeve engagement till the locating pin  32  thereof abutted against the bottom side of the clamping recess  22  thereon. The screw rod of the top quick-release unit  24  is led through the pivoting holes  231  of the two clamping flanges  23  and securely fixed to the upper screw nut  242  thereof, clamping tight the support bar  31  at the engaging cavity  21  therein for location thereby to complete the assembly of the present invention.  
      Please refer to  FIG. 3 . In adjusting operation thereof, the top quick-release unit  24  is released for the support bar  31  of the handle unit  30  to be moved up or down at the engaging cavity  21  therein to adjust the height of the handle unit  30  thereof. Besides, the top quick-release unit  24  attached to the connector bar unit  20  thereof can also be pulled upwards to release the compressed spring element  28 , bouncing outwards the retaining block  27  thereof and detaching the retaining teeth facet  272  thereof from the meshing engagement with the adjusting teeth facet  13  thereof. The connector bar unit  20  can then be bent either back or forth with the pivoting plates  26  thereof swung along the arc guide facets  12  of the front fork unit  10  thereof to slant the handle unit  30  thereof into an angle therewith. Thus, no matter adjusted high or low, the handle unit  30  can also be adjusted into an angle relative to the position of a saddle of the vehicle so as to properly match the length of hands and legs of a rider to provide a comfortable handlebar structure for the rider in the best riding posture. When the bottom quick-release unit  24 ′ is securely screwed up again, the retaining block  27  thereof will abut tight against the securing plane  251  thereof, compressing the spring element  28  and relocating the retaining teeth facet  272  to be securely meshed with the adjusting teeth facet  13  thereof in an easy and fast manner. Moreover, the handle unit  30  is adjusted up or down at the engaging cavity  21  therein via the locating pin  32  limited by the screw rod  241  of the top quick-release unit  24 . When the handle unit  30  is improperly pulled upwards by undue force, the locating pin  32  will be stopped by the screw rod  241  thereof, preventing the handle unit  30  from detaching from the connector bar unit  20  and ripping off brake wires of the vehicle thereof, effectively protecting the handlebar structure thereof.