Patent Publication Number: US-2017349235-A1

Title: Quick-release device of bicycle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a quick-release device for a bicycle. 
     Description of the Prior Art 
     A common quick-release device as disclosed in TWM412120 at least includes a connecting axial tube and an abutting mechanism, one of two ends of the connecting axial tube has an exterior threaded section which can be screwed with a frame, the other end of the two ends of the connecting axial tube has the abutting mechanism, the abutting mechanism at least has an axial rod, a restricting block and a toggling handle, the axial rod is connected to the connecting axial tube and disposed through the restricting block, and the toggling handle is pivotable and abuts against the restricting block. 
     However, the above-mentioned quick-release device needs to be screwed to a fork arm, so it takes more time to assemble the quick-release device. In addition, if the quick-release device is disassembled for too many times, the exterior threaded section can be easily abraded and needs to be replaced. Therefore, how to prevent the exterior threaded section from being abraded and save a usage cost are the goals that the industry needs to work toward. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The major object of the present invention is to provide a quick-release device of a bicycle which can save a time of the quick-release device being assembled on a frame, effectively prolong a service life and reduce a usage cost. 
     To achieve the above and other objects, a quick-release device of a bicycle is provided for being connected to a first fork arm and a second fork arm of a frame and includes a rod member, an abutting unit and a screwing unit. The rod member is for being disposed through the first and second fork arms. The abutting unit is arranged on one of two ends of the rod member and for optionally tightly abutting against the first fork arm. The screwing unit is arranged on the other of the two ends of the rod member for being adjustably positioned on the second fork arm and has a first threaded section, and a thread pitch of the first threaded section is at least greater than or equal to 2 mm. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment(s) in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a stereogram of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a breakdown view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are drawings showing an assembling operation; 
         FIG. 5  is a partially-enlarged view of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a partially-enlarged view of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an assembly drawing of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is an assembly drawing of a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will be clearer from the following description when viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     Please refer  FIGS. 1 to 6  for a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. A quick-release device of a bicycle is provided for being connected to a first fork arm  61  and a second fork arm  62  of a frame, and the quick-release device of the bicycle includes a rod member  1 , an abutting unit  2  and a screwing unit  3 . 
     The rod member  1  is for being disposed through the first and second fork arms  61 ,  62 . The abutting unit  3  is arranged on one of two ends of the rod member  1  and for optionally tightly abutting against the first fork arm  61 . The screwing unit  3  is arranged on the other of the two ends of the rod member  1  for being adjustably positioned on the second fork arm  62  and has a first threaded section  51 , and a thread pitch P of the first threaded section  51  is at least greater than or equal to 2 mm. 
     In the first embodiment, the first threaded section  51  is for being engaged with the second fork arm  62 , and the second fork arm  62  has a second threaded section  52  which is engaged with the first threaded section  51 . In addition, the thread pitch P of the first threaded section  51  is 3 mm for assembling convenience. It is understandable that the first threaded section can be manufactured through different processing ways, for example but not limited to, turnery manufacturing, powder metallurgy or metal injection. Preferably, a number of loops of a thread of the first threaded section  51  is between 1 to 3 for different assembling requirements and engaging strength. In the first embodiment, the number of the loop of the thread of the first threaded section  51  is 2.5 so that the quick-release device and the frame can be preferably engaged. 
     Preferably, the first threaded section  51  includes a thread having a trapezoid cross-section so that the thread has a stronger structural strength and is more abrasion-resistant. In addition, the threaded section includes the thread having the trapezoid cross-section so that the rod member  1  contacts the two fork aims  62  in more area to elevate the engaging strength and to prevent the rod member  1  and the two fork arms  62  from loosing off from each other. A greater contact area can prevent stress concentration to keep a structural integrity of the first threaded section  51 . In other words, the threaded section including the thread having the trapezoid cross-section provides a preferable engaging effect and a longer service life, and when the thread of the first threaded section  51  is abraded, a user can adjust a corresponding nut to continue to use the first threaded section  51 . In the first embodiment (as shown in  FIG. 6 ), a crest width T of the first threaded section  51  is substantially 1.098 mm, a root width B of the first threaded section  51  is substantially 0.968 mm, a thread height H of the first threaded section  51  is substantially 1.75 mm, and a thread angle D of the first threaded section  51  is substantially 30 degrees. 
     When the screwing unit  3  is engaged with and positioned on the second form arm  62 , the user can operate the abutting unit  2  to tightly connect the screwing unit  3  to the frame. The abutting unit  2  includes an operating handle  21 , a blocking member  22  and a link-up rod  23 , the link-up rod  23  is disposed through the blocking member  22  and connected with the rod member  1 , the operating handle  21  is pivotably connected to the link-up rod  23 , the operating handle  21  and the blocking member  22  are arranged on an outer side of the first fork arm  61 , and the operating handle  21  is operable to press the blocking member  22  so as to urge the blocking member  22  to abut against the first fork arm  61 . 
     Furthermore, the screwing unit  3  further has an engaging member  32 , and a surface of the engaging member  32  has the first threaded section  51  and is releasably assembled on the other of the two ends of the rod member  1 . When the first threaded section  51  is abraded and unusable, the user only needs to replace the engaging member  32 . In addition, it is convenient and economic that the user can change the engaging member  32  according to a dimension of the second form arm. In the first embodiment, the engaging member  32  has a radially-enlarged section  321  and a radially-reduced section  322 , the first threaded section  51  is arranged on the radially-enlarged section  321 , and the radially-reduced section  322  has an exterior threaded section  42 . Specifically, the other end of the two ends of the rod member  1  has a through hole  11  and an interior threaded section  41  which is on an inner wall of the through hole  11 , the radially-reduced section  322  is inserted into the through hole  11 , the exterior threaded section  42  is engaged with the interior threaded section  41 , and the radially-enlarged section  321  abuts against the rod member  1 . 
     Specifically, the quick device of the bicycle further includes a bolt member  33 , the bolt member  33  is adjustably disposed between the rod member  1  and the engaging member  33 , and the bolt member  33  is configured to abut against the engaging member so as to make sure that the engaging member will rotate due to unexpected force; that is, the engaging member  32  can be fixedly positioned. 
     Preferably, when the bolt member  33  abuts against the engaging member  32 , the bolt member  33  also abuts the rod member  1  toward the abutting unit  2  so that the rod member  1 , the bolt member  33  and the engaging member  32  can be in a balance and restricted and positioned by each other. In the first embodiment, the bolt member  33  is arranged in the rod member  1 , specifically, the engaging member  32  further has a communicating portion  323  for a tool (for example, a hexagonal wrench) to be disposed therethrough, the rod member  1  further has an abutting engaging member  12  which communicates with the communicating portion  323 , and the bolt member  33  is partly connected to the engaging member  32  and abuttable against the abutting engaging portion  12 . An inner wall of the abutting engaging portion  12  is plane, and the abutting engaging portion  12  is greater than the communicating portion  323  in radial dimension. It is understandable that the bolt member  33  has a connecting hole  331  for being assembled to the tool, and the user can stretch the tool into the communicating portion  323  to be engaged with the connecting hole  331  and further to adjust a position of the bolt member  33 . 
     Specifically, in the first embodiment, the bolt member  33  is screwed with the engaging member  32  so that the position of the bolt member  33  can be continuously and slightly adjusted. More specifically, a fourth threaded section  54  is arranged on an inner wall of the engaging member  32 , a surface of the bolt member  33  has a fifth threaded section  55  which is engaged with the fourth threaded section  54 , the abutting engaging portion  12  is greater than the bolt member  33  in radial dimension, and the bolt member  33  is adjustably and positionably disposed through the communicating portion  323  and an interior of the abutting engaging portion  12 . 
     Of course, a dimension and a mode of the abutting engaging portion  12  is not limited as above-mentioned description. Please refer to a second embodiment of  FIG. 7 , specifically, the inner wall of an abutting engaging portion  12 A has a sixth threaded section  56  circumferentially, a surface of a bolt member  33 A has a fifth threaded section  55 A circumferentially which is engaged with the sixth threaded section  56 , and the bolt member  33 A is adjustably and positionably disposed through the an interior of the abutting engaging portion  12 A. More specifically, the bolt member  33 A has a first abutting face  332 , the engaging member  32 A has a second abutting face  324 , and the bolt member  33 A is operable to urge the first abutting face  332  to tightly abut against the second abutting face  324 . 
     In addition, the quick-release device of the bicycle may be in other modes. Please refer to a third embodiment of  FIG. 8 . A screwing unit  3 B further ha an abutting member  31 , the abutting member  31  has a third threaded section  53  which is engaged with the first threaded section  51 , the first threaded section  51  is disposed through and projects out of a second form arm  62 B and screwed with the abutting member  31 , and the abutting member  31  is for abutting against the second fork aim  62 B for being configured on the second fork arm in different dimensions. 
     In addition, a rod member  1 B further has a tube  13  which communicates with a communicating portion  323 B and a stopping member  14 , the tube  13  is equal to the communicating portion  323 B in radial dimension, a fourth threaded section  54 B is arranged on an inner wall of the engaging member  32 B, a seventh threaded section  57  is arranged in the tube  13  and continuously connected to the fourth threaded section  54 B, the stopping member  14  is fixedly disposed in the tube  13  and neighboring to the seventh threaded section  57 , a surface of the bolt member  33 B has a fifth threaded section  55 B circumferentially which is engaged with the fourth and seventh threaded sections  54 B,  57 , and the bolt member  33 B is adjustably and positionably projects through the communicating portion  323 B and into the tube  13  to abut against the stopping member  14 . 
     The quick-release device of the bicycle can be quickly assembled to the first and second fork arms, and the threaded section including the thread having the trapezoid cross-section provides the stronger structural strength to ensure a preferable service life. In addition, when the thread of the threaded section including the thread having the trapezoid cross-section is abraded, the user can use the corresponding nut to adjust a fitness of the threaded section and the nut so that the threaded section can continue to be used. The threaded section including the thread having the trapezoid cross-section is arranged on the engaging member, and when the threaded section including the thread having the trapezoid cross-section is unusable or used on the form arm in different dimensions, the user only needs to replace the engaging member. 
     While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.