Patent Publication Number: US-2011062200-A1

Title: Handlebar attachment for bicycle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a handlebar attachment for bicycle, and more particularly to a handlebar attachment including an article carrier for receiving various objects and for easily and quickly attaching to a handlebar of the bicycle, and for allowing the various objects to be easily obtained by the user when the user is riding the bicycle. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Typical handlebars for bicycles comprise a horizontal tube attached to top of a vertical tube or steering tube, and a handlebar attached to the horizontal tube for being grasped or held by the user, particularly when the user is riding the bicycle. 
     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,865 to Oskam, U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,757 to Bigall, U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,900 to Marui, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,104 to Chen disclose four of the typical handlebars for bicycles each also comprising a horizontal stem attached to top of a vertical tube or steering tube, and a handlebar attached onto the front portion of the horizontal stem for being grasped or held by the user. 
     However, the vertical tube or steering tube is designed and provided for attaching or supporting the horizontal stem and may not be used or provided for attaching or supporting the other objects. Normally, a carrying case or bag is required to be provided and attached to the rear carrier rack of the bicycle for receiving various objects. However, the objects received in the carrying case or bag are disposed on the rear carrier rack of the bicycle and may not be easily obtained by the user, particularly when the user is riding the bicycle. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional handlebar attachments for the bicycles. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a handlebar attachment including an article carrier for receiving various objects and for easily and quickly attaching to a handlebar of the bicycle, and for allowing the various objects to be easily obtained by the user when the user is riding the bicycle. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a handlebar attachment comprising an attaching device, a handlebar attached to the attaching device, and an article carrier including two housing members having front portions coupled together with a connecting panel for forming a space between the housing members and for receiving and engaging with the attaching device and for attaching the housing members of the article carrier to the attaching device, and the article carrier including two fastening devices attached to rear portions of the housing members respectively for engaging with the handlebar and for attaching the housing members to the attaching device, and the article carrier including two carrying straps attached to the housing members respectively for carrying the housing members of the article carrier when the housing members of the article carrier are disengaged from the attaching device. 
     The article carrier includes a pouch attached to the front portion of the article carrier for receiving the mobile phones or the like. The pouch includes an upper portion pivotally attached to the front portion of the article carrier with a hinge, and includes a lower portion coupled to the front portion of the article carrier with an extendible member for allowing the lower portion of the pouch to be selectively tilted relative to the article carrier and for allowing the mobile phones to be easily obtained by the user when the user is riding the bicycle. 
     The article carrier includes two fixing devices attached to the pouch and the front portion of the article carrier respectively for allowing the lower portion of the pouch to be selectively secured to the front portion of the article carrier with the fixing devices. 
     The article carrier includes two casings provided in the housing members respectively for receiving the carrying straps respectively. 
     The article carrier includes a cover openably attached to each of the housing members with a securing device. The article carrier includes an auxiliary bag attached to each of the covers for receiving the other objects. 
     The article carrier includes two fixing devices attached to the rear portions of the housing members respectively and engageable with each other for securing the rear portions of the housing members together. 
     Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a partial exploded view of a handlebar attachment in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial front perspective view illustrating the operation of the handlebar attachment for the bicycle; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating the operation of the handlebar attachment for the bicycle; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial side plan schematic view of the handlebar attachment for the bicycle; and 
         FIG. 5  is another partial side plan schematic view similar to  FIG. 4 , illustrating the operation of the handlebar attachment for the bicycle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, and initially to  FIGS. 1-3 , a handlebar attachment  1  in accordance with the present invention comprises a horizontal tube or attaching device  10  to be attached to or disposed on top of a steering tube or vertical tube  11  of a bicycle, and a handlebar  12  attached to the horizontal tube or attaching device  10  for being grasped or held by the user. The above-described attaching structure of the handlebar  12  to the horizontal tube or attaching device  10  is typical and will not be described in further details. 
     The handlebar attachment  1  further comprises an article carrier  30  including two bags or housing members  31 ,  32  for receiving various objects therein and having a front portion  33  coupled together with a connecting panel  34  for forming a space  35  between the housing members  31 ,  32  and for receiving or engaging with the attaching device  10  and/or the vertical tube  11  and for easily and quickly attaching the housing members  31 ,  32  of the article carrier  30  onto the attaching device  10  and/or the vertical tube  11 . 
     The article carrier  30  further includes one or more fastening straps or devices  40  mounted or attached to the rear portion  36  of each of the housing members  31 ,  32  for engaging with the handlebar  12 , and for further quickly and solidly attaching or securing the housing members  31 ,  32  of the article carrier  30  to the attaching device  10  and/or the handlebar  12  with buckles  41 . The article carrier  30  may include one or more compartments or covers  37  openably attached to each of the housing members  31 ,  32  with a securing device  38 , such as zippers  38 , and may include one or more auxiliary bags  39  attached to the side portion of each of the housing members  31 ,  32  or attached to the cover  37 . 
     In operation, as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the housing members  31 ,  32  of the article carrier  30  may be easily and quickly attached to the attaching device  10  and/or the handlebar  12  by engaging the attaching device  10  into the space  35  between the housing members  31 ,  32 , and/or by engaging the fastening straps or devices  40  with the handlebar  12 , and the housing members  31 ,  32  of the article carrier  30  will be supported in front of the user such that the various objects received in the housing members  31 ,  32  of the article carrier  30  and/or in the auxiliary bags  39  may be easily and quickly obtained by the user when the user is riding the bicycle. 
     The article carrier  30  may further include another anchoring strap or device  43  mounted or attached to one of the housing members  32  ( FIG. 3 ) and having hook and loop engaging or locking or fastening members  44  for further firmly attaching or mounting the housing members  31 ,  32  onto the vertical tube  11 , and may further include two hook and loop or fixing straps or devices  45 ,  46  mounted or attached to the housing members  31 ,  32  respectively ( FIG. 3 ), in which the fixing straps or devices  45 ,  46  may be engaged with each other for fixing or securing the rear portions  36  of the housing members  31 ,  32  together when required. 
     The article carrier  30  may further include a compartment or casing  47  formed or provided in or on the inner portion of each of the housing members  31 ,  32  for receiving a carrying strap  50 ,  51  ( FIG. 3 ) which may be removed or extended out of the casing  47  and coupled together with the female and the male buckles  52 ,  53 , for allowing the housing members  31 ,  32  of the article carrier  30  to be easily or suitably carried by the user with the carrying straps  50 ,  51  and the female and the male buckles  52 ,  53  when the housing members  31 ,  32  of the article carrier  30  are disengaged from the attaching device  10  and/or the handlebar  12  and/or the vertical tube  11 . 
     The article carrier  30  may further include a pocket or pouch  60  attached to the front portion  33  or the connecting panel  34  of the article carrier  30  ( FIGS. 1-2 ,  4 - 5 ) for receiving various objects, such as mobile phones (not shown), for example, the pouch  60  includes one end or one side or an upper portion  61  pivotally or foldably attached or coupled to the front portion  33  or the connecting panel  34  of the article carrier  30  with a hinge  62 , and includes the other end or the other side or a lower portion  63  coupled to the front portion  33  or the connecting panel  34  of the article carrier  30  with an extendible or foldable member  64  for allowing the lower portion  63  of the pouch  60  to be selectively tilted relative to the article carrier  30  ( FIG. 5 ) and for allowing the mobile phones to be easily and quickly reached or obtained by the user when the user is riding the bicycle. 
     The article carrier  30  may further include two hook and loop or fixing straps or devices  65  mounted or attached to the pouch  60  and the housing members  31 ,  32  or the front portion  33  or the connecting panel  34  of the article carrier  30  respectively for allowing the lower portion  63  of the pouch  60  to be selectively coupled or secured to the front portion  33  or the connecting panel  34  of the article carrier  30  with the hook and loop or fixing straps or devices  65  ( FIG. 4 ). 
     Accordingly, the handlebar attachment in accordance with the present invention includes an article carrier for receiving various objects and for easily and quickly attaching to a handlebar of the bicycle, and for allowing the various objects and/or the mobile phones to be easily obtained by the user when the user is riding the bicycle. 
     Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.