Patent Publication Number: US-2023159132-A1

Title: Vibration absorbing handlebar of bicycle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a bicycle handlebar, and more particularly to a vibration absorbing handlebar which is mounted on a steering system. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A conventional bicycle has a front wheel and a rear wheel respectively installed on a front side and a rear side of a frame of the conventional bicycle. The frame further has a pair of pedals pivotally connected thereto. By stepping on the pair of pedals, a sprocket is driven and drives the rear wheel to rotate via a chain. Furthermore, a steering module is disposed at the front side of the frame and includes a headset which is connected to a stem and a front fork. The stem is connected with a handlebar, and the front fork is connected with the front wheel. Thereby, when the handlebar swings, the front wheel may change its direction because the front fork as well as the stem are swung by the handlebar. 
     To facilitate a user to hold the handlebar and steer the front wheel, the handlebar is usually made of a hard material such as a steel tube. That is, a middle portion of the hard steel tube is fixed with the stem, and two ends of the steel tube may be bended to form specific shapes in favor of the user&#39;s holding. As the ground is normally bumpy, the conventional bicycle vibrates during a ride on such ground. After transmitted by the wheels, the frame, the steering module, and the handlebar, vibrations eventually reach the user&#39;s hands and body, making the user feel uncomfortable. Especially when the user rides for a long distance or time, discomforts become more obvious. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main objective of the present invention is to provide a vibration absorbing handlebar of a bicycle having elastic components thereon that are capable of absorbing most vibrations. As a result, a user may feel more comfortable when taking a ride. Also, the vibration absorbing handlebar provides the user to exercise under suitable situations. 
     The vibration absorbing handlebar of a bicycle has a steering module, a left handle, and a right handle. The steering module has a stem. The left handle has a bar, and a first elastic component having two ends. One of the two ends of the first elastic component is connected with an end of the bar, and the other one of the two ends of the first elastic component is connected with the stem. The right handle has a bar, and a second elastic component having two ends. One of the two ends of the second elastic component is connected with an end of the bar, and the other one of the two ends of the second elastic component is connected with the stem. 
     Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of an embodiment of a vibration absorbing handlebar of a bicycle in accordance with the present invention assembled to a bicycle; 
         FIG.  2    is an exploded perspective view of the vibration absorbing handlebar in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view of a left handle of the vibration absorbing handlebar in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  4    is an operational view of the vibration absorbing handlebar in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  5    is a top view of the vibration absorbing handlebar in  FIG.  1   , showing the left handle and a right handle adjusted at different angles; 
         FIG.  6    is a top view of the vibration absorbing handlebar in  FIG.  1   , showing the left handle and the right handle providing bending movement; and 
         FIGS.  7  to  10    are perspective views of vibration absorbing handlebars in accordance with the present invention with handles thereof having different shapes. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to  FIGS.  1  to  4   , the present invention is a vibration absorbing handlebar of a bicycle, wherein the vibration absorbing handlebar is installed at a front side of a frame of a bicycle, i.e. a stem of the frame is connected with a middle portion of the vibration absorbing handlebar. The vibration absorbing handlebar includes elastic components located between the middle portion and two ends of the vibration absorbing handlebar. Specifically, in an embodiment, the vibration absorbing handlebar comprises a steering module  10 , a left handle  20 , a right handle  30 , and a fixing knob  40 . 
     The steering module  10  has an axle  11  and a stem  12 . The axle  11  is rotatable with respect to the frame, and one of two ends of the axle  11  is connected with a front wheel of the bicycle with a front fork. The stem  12  is connected to the other one of the two ends of the axle  11 , and has an adjusting post  13  having two ends. One of the two ends of the adjusting post  13  is fixed to the stem  12  and forms a polygonal columnar portion, and the other one of the two ends of the adjusting post  13  has an outer thread. As shown in  FIG.  2   , the polygonal columnar portion of the adjusting post  13  is octagonal. The polygonal columnar portion may also be hexagonal, dodecagonal, or in other polygonal shapes. 
     With reference to  FIG.  3   , the left handle  20  has a bar  21 , a left adjusting socket  22 , and a first elastic component  23 . The bar  21  can be properly bended to form a specific shape upon demand. The left adjusting socket  22  has a post portion protruding from a side of the left adjusting socket  22 . The first elastic component  23  is made of a hollow rod rolled up spirally and has multiple helical turns, and two adjacent said helical turns abut each other. One of two ends of the first elastic component  23  is connected with the bar  21 , and the other one of the two ends of the first elastic component  23  is connected with the post portion of the left adjusting socket  22 . 
     The left adjusting socket  22  comprises a socket body  221 , a left adjusting hole  222 , and a toothed portion  223 . The left adjusting hole  222  is disposed through the socket body  221 . The toothed portion  223  has multiple teeth protruding from an upper surface of the socket body  221  and surrounding the left adjusting hole  222 . The left adjusting hole  222  is a polygonal hole. With reference to  FIG.  2   , in the present embodiment, the left adjusting hole  222 , corresponding to the adjusting post  13 , is an octagonal hole. The left adjusting hole  222  may also be hexagonal, dodecagonal, or in other polygonal shapes in accordance with the adjusting hole  13 . Furthermore, the left adjusting socket  22  has a groove  224  recessed from the upper surface of the socket body  221 , and the left adjusting hole  222  is disposed through a bottom of the groove  224  of the left adjusting socket  22 . 
     The right handle  30  has basically the same structure with the left handle  20 . The right handle  30  has a bar  31 , a right adjusting socket  32 , and a second elastic component  33 . The right adjusting socket  32  has a post portion protruding from a side of the right adjusting socket  32 . The second elastic component  33  is made of a hollow rod rolled up spirally and has multiple helical turns, and two adjacent said helical turns abut each other. One of two ends of the second elastic component  33  is connected with the bar  31 , and the other one of the two ends of the second elastic component  33  is connected with the post portion of the right adjusting socket  32 . Also, the right adjusting socket  32  comprises a socket body  321 , a right adjusting hole  322 , and a toothed portion  323 . The right adjusting hole  322  is disposed through the socket body  321 . The toothed portion  323  has multiple teeth protruding from a lower surface of the socket body  321  and surrounding the right adjusting hole  322 . The right adjusting hole  322  is a polygonal hole, which is also identical with the left adjusting hole  222 . The right adjusting hole  322  also corresponds to the adjusting post  13  and is octagonal. The right adjusting hole  322  may be hexagonal, dodecagonal, or in other polygonal shapes in accordance with the adjusting hole  13  as well. Furthermore, the right adjusting socket  32  has a groove  324  recessed from the lower surface of the socket body  321 , and the right adjusting hole  322  is disposed through a bottom of the groove  324  of the right adjusting socket  32 . 
     With reference to  FIG.  2   , the fixing knob  40  has a threaded hole  41  recessed or disposed through a center of the fixing knob  40 . The threaded hole  41  is threaded with the outer thread of the adjusting post  13 . 
     When being assembled, the left handle  20  is mounted to the stem  12  by the left adjusting hole  222  of the left adjusting socket  20  sheathed on the polygonal columnar portion of the adjusting post  13 , and the right handle  30  is mounted to the stem  12  by the right adjusting hole  322  of the right adjusting socket  30  sheathed on the polygonal columnar portion of the adjusting post  13 . Due to the left adjusting hole  222  and the right adjusting hole  322  both being polygonal, with reference to  FIG.  5   , a user may choose at which angles the left adjusting socket  20  and the right adjusting socket  30  are sheathed and positioned on the adjusting post  13 . Afterwards, the threaded hole  41  of the fixing knob  40  is threaded with the outer thread of the adjusting post  13 , making the left adjusting socket  22  and the right adjusting socket  32  abut against each other and form a specific angle with the stem  12  of the steering module  10 . With reference to  FIG.  4   , the left handle  20  and the right handle  30  are diametrically aligned. 
     When the left adjusting socket  22  of the left handle  20  and the right adjusting socket  32  of the right handle  30  abut against each other, the teeth of the toothed portion  223  of the left handle  20  are engaged with the teeth of the toothed portion  323  of the right handle  30 . Thereby, the left handle  20  and the right handle  30  can be maintained in certain shape and position. 
     With reference to  FIG.  2   , the vibration absorbing handlebar of the present invention further comprises an elastomer  50  located between the groove  224  of the left adjusting socket  22  and the groove  324  of the right adjusting socket  32  and sheathed on the adjusting post  13 . Two ends of the elastomer  50  abut against the two grooves  224 ,  324 , respectively. When the fixing knob  40  is mounted on the adjusting post  13  and the left adjusting socket  22  and the right adjusting socket  32  abut against each other, the elastomer  50  is compressed. Conversely, when the fixing knob  40  is loosened from the adjusting post  13 , the elastomer  50  utilizes its restoring force to push away the right adjusting socket  32  and the left adjusting socket  22  for completely separating the teeth of the toothed portion  223  of the left handle  20  from the teeth of the toothed portion  323  of the right handle  30 . Thereby, the user may conveniently operate adjustment. 
     With reference to  FIG.  5   , the left handle  20  and the right handle  30  can form an angle with respect to the frame according to the user&#39;s demand. As shown in  FIG.  5   , the angle of the left handle  20  and the right handle  30  is adjusted and positioned toward the user. 
     With reference to  FIG.  6   , since the left handle  20  has said first elastic component  23  and the right handle  30  has said second elastic component  33 , the user may hold the left handle  20  and the right handle  30  and force the first elastic component  23  and the second elastic component  33  to bend and deform with two hands under suitable timing and occasion, so as to reach efficacy of body training. With reference to  FIG.  7   , the left handle  20   c  and the right handle  30   c  are assembled on the stem  12  of the steering module  10  with the fixing knob  40 , wherein the left handle  20   c  and the right handle  30   c  extend outwardly and backwardly. With reference to  FIG.  8   , the left handle  20   d  and the right handle  30   d  are assembled on the stem  12  of the steering module  10  with the fixing knob  40 , wherein the left handle  20   d  and the right handle  30   d  are forwardly bended and each form an angle of approximately 90 degrees. With reference to  FIG.  11   , the left handle  20   e  and the right handle  30   e  are assembled on the stem  12  of the steering module  10  with the fixing knob  40 , wherein the left handle  20   e  and the right handle  30   e  extend downwardly and each form an arc. With reference to  FIG.  10   , the left handle  20   f  and the right handle  30   f  are assembled on the stem  12  of the steering module  10  with the fixing knob  40 , wherein the left handle  20   f  and the right handle  30   f  are bended upwardly and then bended backwardly. 
     With the aforementioned technical characteristics, the vibration absorbing handlebar has the first elastic component  23  between the left handle  20 ,  20   c ,  20   d ,  20   e ,  20   f  and the stem  12 , has the second elastic component  33 ,  33   a  between the right handle  30 ,  30   c ,  30   d ,  30   e ,  30   f  and the stem  12 , so while the user is taking a ride, vibrations of the frame are absorbed by the first elastic component  23  and the second elastic component  33 ,  33   a  before transmitted to the left handle  20 ,  20   c ,  20   d ,  20   e ,  20   f  and the right handle  30 ,  30   c ,  30   d ,  30   e ,  30   f . Therefore, improved comfort in riding is provided. Furthermore, the first elastic component  23  and the second elastic component  33  are configured to provide resistance. When stopped by traffic signals, the user may use the left handle  20 ,  20   c ,  20   d ,  20   e ,  20   f  and the right handle  30 ,  30   c ,  30   d ,  30   e ,  30   f  to exercise. Also, the left handle  20 ,  20   c ,  20   d ,  20   e ,  20   f  and the right handle  30 ,  30   c ,  30   d ,  30   e ,  30   f  may be assembled in aligned positions or at adjusted angles upon the user&#39;s demand, providing an advantage and effect of better flexibility in use. 
     Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.