Patent Publication Number: US-2003234509-A1

Title: Bicycle folding device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention relates to bicycle frames, and particularly to a bicycle folding device of the bicycle frame which is positioned safely.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a prior art bicycle folding device comprises a first folding portion  1  connected to a front end  501  of a bicycle frame  5 ; a second folding portion  2  connected to a rear end  502  of the frame; a pivotal rod  3  and a quick-detaching unit  4 .  
       [0003] A groove  101  is formed at an inner surface of the first folding portion  1  for receiving the second folding portion  2 . A first axial hole  102  is positioned at the first inner end. A concave hole  103  is formed at a middle section of the outer end.  
       [0004] The second folding portion has a first inner end and a second outer end. The second folding portion has an inner axial hole  201  at a position with respect to the axial hole  102  of the first folding portion  1 . The pivotal rod  3  serves to pivot an outer axial tube  202  at the outer end with respect to the concave hole  103  of the first folding portion  20 . The quick-detaching unit  4  is placed in the outer axial tube  202 . The quick-detaching unit  4  has a threaded rod  402  with a spring  401  installed round the rod. The lower end of the threaded rod is connected to an interior actuating piece  403  in the outer axial tube  202 . A top end of the threaded rod  402  has a positioning block  404  and a handle  405 .  
       [0005] Thereby, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when the second folding portion  2  is pivotally rotated to couple the first folding portion  1 , a part of the threaded rod  402  of the quick-detaching unit  4  enclosing by the spring  401  is limited in the concave hole  103 . Then the handle  405  is moved. The lower end of the handle  405  has a cam structure. The positioning block  404  will be pressed and the handle  405  resists against the outer wall  104  of the first folding portion  1 . As a result, the first folding portion  1  is coupled to the second folding portion  2  and the front end  501  and rear end  502  of the bicycle frame  5  are assembled for being used.  
       [0006] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when it is desired to store the bicycle frame  5 , the handle  405  is moved so that the positioning block  404  releases from the outer wall  104  of the first folding portion  1 , namely, the first folding portion  1  and second folding portion  2  are decoupled so that the bicycle frame  5  is detached. Thereby, the front end  501  and rear end  502  are arranged in parallel.  
       [0007] In the prior art bicycle frame, the first folding portion  1  and second folding portion  2  are arranged at a middle section of the bicycle frame  5 , so that the bicycle frame can be folded as desired (referring to FIG. 3). Thereby, when the first folding portion  1  and second folding portion  2  are expanded, there is no positioning structure. When the bicycle frame  5  is transferred or the bicycle frame-S is carried, the front end  501  of the bicycle frame  5  is not fixed to the rear end  502  thereof. Thus, the bicycle frame  5  will shake and make noise. Not only the whole structure is not firmly secured, but also the front end  501  and rear end  502  are not arranged in order.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008] Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide to a bicycle folding device of the bicycle frame which is positioned safely by dual effects.  
       [0009] To achieve above objects, the present invention provides a bicycle folding device comprising a first folding portion connected to a front end of a bicycle frame; a second folding portion connected to a rear end of the frame. The first folding portion and second folding portion are connected by a pivotal unit and a quick-detaching unit.  
       [0010] The first folding portion has a first inner end and a first outer end. A groove at an inner surface of the first folding portion serves for receiving the second folding portion. A first axial hole is positioned at the first inner end. An axial arranged guide hole is at the first outer end. A buckling groove is positioned at one top lateral wall of the first inner end.  
       [0011] The second folding portion has a second inner end and a second outer end. The second folding portion has an inner axial hole at a position with respect to the first axial hole of the first folding portion. The pivotal unit serves to pivot the first folding portion with the second folding portion. An outer axial hole at an outer end of the second folding portion is arranged with respect to the guide hole of the first folding portion. The quick-detaching unit serves to position the second outer end.  
       [0012] A lever set is placed at a middle section between the second inner end and the second outer end. The lever set has a lever, a handle at a front end of the lever; and a key which is supported by an elastomer and is at a distal end of the lever set. When the second folding portion is pivotally rotated to be coupled with the first folding portion, the key is placed in a receiving groove of the second folding portion.  
       [0013] The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0014]FIG. 1 is an assembled view of a prior art bicycle folding device.  
     [0015]FIG. 2 is an expanding view of the prior art bicycle folding device.  
     [0016]FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the folding status of the prior art bicycle folding device.  
     [0017]FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view showing one preferred embodiment of the bicycle folding device of the present invention.  
     [0018]FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0019]FIG. 6 is an expanding plane view of the bicycle folding device of the present invention, wherein a lever set is actuated so that a key extends axially.  
     [0020]FIG. 7 is a top view of FIG. 6 showing positioning of a bicycle folding device of the present invention.  
     [0021]FIG. 8 is an assembled cross sectional view of the bicycle folding device of the present invention.  
     [0022]FIG. 9 is a top view of the bicycle frame of FIG. 8. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0023] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a preferred embodiment of the bicycle folding device of the present invention is illustrated. The bicycle folding device comprises a first folding portion  20  connected to a front end  11  of a bicycle frame  10 ; a second folding portion  30  connected to a rear end  12  of the frame  10 . The first folding portion  20  and second folding portion  30  are connected by a pivotal unit  40  and a quick-detaching unit  50 .  
     [0024] Referring to FIG. 5, the first folding portion  20  has an inner end  21  and an outer end  22 ; a groove  231  at an inner surface  23  of the first folding portion  20  for receiving the second folding portion  30 ; an axial hole  24  positioned at the inner end  21 ; an axial arranged guide hole  25  at the outer end  22  (the guide hole  25  has an opening  251  of the guide hole  25  facing the inner surface  23 ); and a-buckling groove  212  at one top lateral wall  211  of the inner end  21 . The guide hole  25  has a top surface  26  and a bottom surface  27  each of which is formed with a tapered surface  252 . Besides, one side of the guide hole  25  near the axial hole  24  is formed with a positioning hole  28  which is horizontally arranged with respect to the buckling groove  212 . The positioning hole  28  has a tapered surface  281  facing the top surface  26 . With reference to FIG. 5, the second folding portion  30  has an inner end  31  and an outer end  32 . The two ends of the inner end  31  are reduced for being placed with a washer  311  ( 312 ). The second folding portion  30  has an inner axial hole  33  at a position with respect to the axial holes  24  of the first folding portion  20 . The pivotal unit  40  serves to pivot the first folding portion  20  and the second folding portion  30 . Two sleeves  41  and two washers  311  and  312  serves to fix the first folding portion  20  and second folding portion  30 . An outer axial hole  34  at the outer end  32  of the second folding portion  30  is corresponding to the guide hole  25  of the first folding portion  20 . The quick-detaching unit  50  serves to position the outer end  32 . A receiving groove  36  near the inner end  31  and is opened at a top surface  35 . A lever set  60  is placed at a middle section  37  between the inner end  31  and the outer end  32 .  
     [0025] The lever set  60  has a lever  61 , a handle  62  at a front end of the lever  61 ; a spring  63  and a key  64  which are sequentially arranged in the receiving groove  36  of the second folding portion  30 . A middle section of the key  64  has a threaded hole  641 . When the key  64  is placed in the receiving groove  36 , the receiving groove  36  has a long hole  361  which is communicated with outer side. A pin  65  with a threaded distal end  651  passes through the long hole  361  and then inserts into the threaded hole  641  so that the pin  65  is perpendicularly combined to the key  64 . The elastic force of the spring  63  resists the pin  65  so that the key  64  presses the spring  63  to hid into the receiving groove  36 . Then the second folding portion  30  can be separated from the groove  231  of the first folding portion  20 . When the handle  62  is released, the spring  63  returns to drive the key  64  to protrude from the top surface  35  of the second folding portion  30 . Since the first folding portion  20  and second folding portion  30  have been expanded, the key  64  exactly resists against the buckling groove  212 . The front end  11  and rear end  12  of the bicycle frame  10  are parallelly arranged and folded. Since the buckling groove  212  and the key  64  are buckled to one another, the front end  11  and rear end  12  of the bicycle frame  10  are positioned firmly without loosing in transfer.  
     [0026] With reference to FIG. 6, when the bicycle frame  10  to be assembled again, the handle  62  must be pulled upwards. The distal end  613  of the lever  61  will drive the key  64  by the pin  65 . Thereby, the key  64  will press the spring  63  to hid in the receiving groove  36 . Then, the second folding portion  30  is coupled to the groove  231  of the first folding portion  20 . When the handle  62  is released, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the spring  63  returns so that the key  64  will protrude from the positioning hole  28  of the first folding portion  20 . Then the first folding portion  20  and second folding portion  30  are assembled with the bicycle frame  10 . By the key  64  to be inserted into the positioning hole  28 , the bicycle frame  10  is positioned. Then, the handle  51  is pressed further so that the tapered portions  532  of the two positioning blocks  53  of the quick-detaching unit  50  are matched to the tapered surface  252  of the first folding portion  20  again. As a result, the bicycle frame  10  is positioned again. In summary, the bicycle folding device of the present invention ahs the following advantages.  
     [0027] Since when the first folding portion  20  and second folding portion  30  are expanded, by the buckling groove  21 - 2  of the first folding portion  20  is buckled to the key  64  of the second folding portion  30 , the front end  11  and the rear end  12  of the folded bicycle frame  10  can be positioned firmly and no noise occurs in transfer.  
     [0028] In the present invention, after the first folding portion  20  and second folding portion  30  are expanded, by the key  64  to be positioned in the positioning hole  28 , the positioning operation can be achieved. Moreover, by pressing and positioning the quick-detaching unit  50 , the positioning effect is further enhanced. Moreover, the bicycle folding device of the present invention has an enhanced positioning effect.  
     [0029] If the quick-detaching unit  50  is used for a long time, since the positioning effect of the present invention is enhanced, so that even the parts are released or loosed, the bicycle frame  10  may be firmly secured to be retained in a safety condition.  
     [0030] The present invention is 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 present 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.