Abstract:
A quick release apparatus for a bicycle tire or tube is provided, which reduces time and effort spent in changing the tire or tube. A main wheel frame and a sub wheel frame are provided. These two frames with rim respectively can be assembled to construct a complete wheel frame set. When said main wheel frame connects with the sub wheel frame, it provides a complete rim with two walls for containing the tube. When said main wheel frame leaves said sub wheel frame, it generates a gap between these two frames for removing the tube easily.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to a quick release apparatus, especially a quick release apparatus on the rim of the bicycle wheel for a bicycle tire or tube, used to directly remove the tire of bicycles from the frame without using tire spoons or deflating air from the tube in advance. 
         [0003]    Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Quick release mechanisms are widely used on bicycles, including the wheels, seats or several parts of bicycles. These quick release mechanisms basically aim to disconnect parts of the bicycles without extra tools. Among them, the quick release apparatus used for removing the front wheel from the front forks of bicycles is now one of the most common types of quick release mechanism. This apparatus is usually designed to remove the bicycle wheel for more compact storage, prevent the wheel from being stolen, or replace the tire or the tube quickly. 
         [0005]    However, without using a tire spoon or deflating air from the tube in advance, it is still a hard work to remove the tire and the tube from the rim of bicycles. Therefore, an object of present invention is to provide a structure and a simple and straightforward quick release mechanism on the rim of the bicycle wheel which enables removal of the tire or tube directly without tools, saving both time and effort. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a quick release apparatus on the rim of the bicycle wheel for removing a bicycle tire or tube which saves both time and effort for replacing or repairing a tire or tube. 
         [0007]    To achieve the aforementioned purpose, this invention of a quick release apparatus for a bicycle tire or tube comprises a main wheel frame and a sub wheel frame. These two frames with rims respectively can be assembled to construct a complete wheel frame set. The quick release apparatus for bicycle tire or tube changing further comprises an inner spring, an outer spring, a sleeve tube and a quick release hub axle. These are the parts which allow the user to adjust the status of attachment among the main wheel frame and the sub wheel frame. When said main wheel frame leaves said sub wheel frame, a gap is created between these two frames. Since the tire of the bicycle is no longer locked by both the tube full with air and the fixed structure of the rim, said tire is easily removable. 
         [0008]    Said main wheel frame comprises a tunnel pipe which is hollow and has two opens. There is a flange set on the outside of the tunnel pipe which divides the tunnel pipe into two sections which can be seen from the appearance. The flange is a disk which has multiple spokes extended for connecting a main rim of said main wheel frame. From the vertical section view of said main rim, the main rim comprises a first tire wall which is connected to an edge of a tube containing bed, which looks similar to the shape of letter “L” from the vertical section view. This provides an open space for containing the tube of the wheel. Another edge of said tube containing bed, which is the bottom right edge of the letter “L” from its appearance, is a first connecting surface. 
         [0009]    Said sub wheel frame comprises a ring in its center which is attached with multiple spokes which extend to connect a sub rim. From the vertical section view of said sub rim, the sub rim comprises a second tire wall which looks like the shape of letter “I.” The second connecting surface is a surface on the side of the second tire wall, which is roughly on the bottom of a side of the letter “I.” 
         [0010]    A section of said tunnel pipe can be inserted through said ring for assembling the main wheel frame and the sub wheel frame. When said flange attaches to the ring of the sub wheel frame, said first connecting surface also connects to said second connecting surface, which makes the L-shape connect with the I-shape and then constructs a shape similar to letter “U” from the vertical section view of the rim. The hollow space of said U-shape is the space in which the tube of the wheel is located. When said flange moves alongside the tunnel pipe and is no longer attached with the ring of the sub wheel frame, said first connecting surface also leaves said second connecting surface in the instance, and the U-shape rim is now separated apart for generating the gap between L-shape and I-shape. This provides a space for the user to remove the tire then the tube from the wheel more easily. 
         [0011]    Said main rim further comprises multiple corresponding matching sockets. These matching sockets are set alongside the first connecting surface of the main rim. Said matching sockets are mainly set next to where the spokes of the main wheel frame connect to the main rim. The spokes of the sub wheel frame are set into these matching sockets, so that when said main rim is pulled to leave said sub rim, the matching sockets would block the spokes of the sub wheel frame for constraining them in a pre-set range. This determines the patterns of assembling for the main connecting surface and the sub connecting surface, in order to strengthen the solidity and make the entire rim assemble correctly. 
         [0012]    Moreover, there is an inner spring set between the flange of the main wheel frame and the ring of the sub wheel frame, making said ring able to arrange positions on that section of said tunnel pipe. When compressing said inner spring, said flange can reach the ring of the sub wheel frame. When said inner spring is released, the flange separates from the ring of the sub wheel frame and also separates the main connecting surface from the sub connecting surface. 
         [0013]    The present invention also comprises a sleeve tube. Said sleeve tube mounts on said section of the tunnel pipe and attaches to said ring of the sub wheel frame. The combination of said sleeve tube and the ring of the sub wheel frame covers said section of the tunnel pipe but leaves an opening on a cap for connecting the inside hollow space of said tunnel pipe. The whole combination part of said sleeve tube and the ring of the sub wheel frame can arrange positions on the section of the tunnel pipe as well. 
         [0014]    The apparatus also contains a quick release hub axle, which is used to control the apparatus of the present invention. The quick release hub axle has two ends. A first end of the quick release hub axle is inserted into said tunnel pipe from the side without the sleeve tube, penetrates the cap of the sleeve tube, and exposes from another side. A quick release lever is set on said another second end of the quick release hub axle. A bicycle fork set usually has two forks. The first fork is set to catch the quick release hub axle on the location between said quick release lever and said tunnel pipe. 
         [0015]    Furthermore, the first end of the quick release hub axle sets with a bar cap. A blocking ring is set onto the quick release hub axle outside said cap, making said cap located between the tunnel pipe and the blocking ring. The second fork of the bicycle forks set is set onto the quick release hub axle between said blocking ring and said bar cap. An outer spring is set between the second end of the fork and the bar cap. 
         [0016]    When said quick release lever is fastened, the outer spring is compressed to make said flange attach to the ring of the sub wheel frame, which makes said main connecting surface attach to said sub connecting surface as well. When said quick release lever is released, both of the outer spring and the inner spring extend for separating said main connecting surface and said sub connecting surface, which pushes said gap between the flange and the ring of the sub wheel frame. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the wheel frame set  3  in which said main wheel frame  1  and said sub wheel frame  2  are separated. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the wheel frame set  3  in which said main wheel frame  1  and said sub wheel frame  2  are assembled. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3A  shows the circumstance of the rims of the wheel frame set  3  under the released form. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3B  shows the circumstance of the rims of the wheel frame set  3  under the attached form. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the rim quick release apparatus for bicycle tire or tube changing with all parts separated. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the rim quick release apparatus for bicycle tire or tube changing with all parts assembled. 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view through the central axle of the quick release apparatus for bicycle tire or tube after assembling in an attached state. 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view through the central axle of the quick release apparatus for bicycle tire or tube after assembling in a released state. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    To provide better understanding of the quick release apparatus for bicycle tire or tube of the present invention, several preferred embodiments of present invention are shown in this section. 
         [0026]    Firstly, please refer to  FIG. 1 , which displays the perspective view of the wheel frame set  3  in which said main wheel frame  1  and said sub wheel frame  2  are separated. 
         [0027]    The main wheel frame  1  comprises the main rim  10 , the tunnel pipe  12 , the flange  14 , and several spokes  16 . The flange  14  surrounds the tunnel pipe  12  which is located in the center of the wheel and divides the tunnel pipe  12  in to a left section and a right section from the appearance. The openings of both two ends of tunnel pipe  12  are still connected from the inside. Multiple spokes  16  extends from the flange  14  to reach and connect the inner side of the circle of said main rim  10 . 
         [0028]    The sub wheel frame  2  comprises the sub rim  20 , the ring  24 , and multiple spokes  26 . Said spokes  26  connect the ring  24  in the center with the outer circle-shaped sub rim  20 . 
         [0029]    Secondly, please see  FIG. 2 , which shows the perspective view of the wheel frame set  3  in which said main wheel frame  1  and said sub wheel frame  2  are assembled. The right section of the tunnel pipe  12  is inserted into the ring  24 , which allows the ring  24  to move upon the right section of the tunnel pipe  12 . When the ring  24  is pushed to the bottom of the right section of the tunnel pipe  12 , the ring  24  attaches to the flange  14  without a gap between them. This also drives the main rim  10  to attach with the sub rim  20 , so that the wheel frame set  3  is now under the attached form. When the wheel frame set  3  is under the released form, the ring  24  is pulled to leave the bottom of the right section of the tunnel pipe  12  and there is a gap between the ring  24  and the flange  14 . This also generates a gap between the main rim  10  and the sub rim  20 . 
         [0030]    Next, please refer to  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B  for sectional views of the rims of the wheel frame set  3  under the released form or the attached form.  FIG. 3A  shows the circumstance of the rims of the wheel frame set  3  under the released form. This figure only displays part of the main wheel frame  1 , in which the main rim  10  connects to a spoke  16 . The main rim  10  comprises the tube containing bed  100 , the first tire wall  104 , the first connecting surface  106 , and one of the matching sockets  108 . The sectional view is set along the spokes of both the main wheel frame  1  and the sub wheel frame  2 . An edge of the containing bed  100  connects to the first tire wall  104  vertically and another edge of the containing bed  100  is the first connecting surface  106 , which creates a tube containing space for the tube of the bicycle to be placed. The matching socket  108  is set alongside the main rim  10  right next to the spoke  16 . Furthermore, the figure also shows a part of the sub wheel frame  2 , where a spoke  26  of the sub wheel frame  2  extends through the matching socket  108  to connect with the sub rim  20 . The matching socket  108  blocks the spoke  26  in this instance for constraining the release range since the sub wheel frame  2  is no longer attached to the main wheel frame  1 . The sub rim  20  further comprises a second tire wall  204  which has a second connecting surface  206  on one side. A gap is generated between the second connecting surface  206  and the first connecting surface  106 , which makes the tire of the bicycle no longer locked by the rims. 
         [0031]      FIG. 3B  shows the circumstance of the rims of the wheel frame set  3  under the attached form. The main rim  10  attaches to the sub rim  20  by connecting the first connecting surface  106  with the second connecting surface  206 . The first tire wall  104 , the tube containing bed  100  and the second tire wall  204  together form a U-shape space which is used to place the tube of the wheel. 
         [0032]      FIG. 4  provides a perspective view of the whole quick release apparatus for bicycle tire or tube with all parts separated. The quick release apparatus for bicycle tire or tube comprises the wheel set  3  which contains the main wheel frame  1  and the sub wheel frame  2 , the sleeve tube  4 , the quick release hub axle  5 , the bicycle fork set  6 , the inner spring  41 , and the outer spring  55 . The inner spring  41  should be set between the ring  24  and the flange  14 , and the outer spring  55  should be set on the quick release hub axle  5  and locates on the outer side of the bicycle fork set  6 . When the whole rim quick release apparatus is assembled, please see  FIG. 5 , in which the sleeve tube  4  is connected to the ring  24  of the sub wheel frame  2  and mounted onto the right section of the tunnel pipe  12 . The quick release hub axle  5  is the axle which should be inserted through both of the sleeve tube  4  and the tunnel pipe  12  for combining said quick release apparatus for bicycle tire or tube. 
         [0033]    Then, please refer to  FIG. 6  for the sectional view through the central axle of the quick release apparatus for bicycle tire or tube after assembling under the attached form. The sleeve tube  4  is connected to the ring  24  of the sub wheel frame  2  and mounted onto the right section of the tunnel pipe  12 , and there is an inner spring  41  set between the ring  24  of the sub wheel frame  2  and the flange  14  of the main wheel frame  1 . The releasing of the inner spring  41  can provide the power to push the ring  24  from the flange  14 . The main structure of said quick release hub axle  5  has two ends. One first end of the quick release hub axle  5  is inserted from the opening of the left section into the tunnel pipe  12 . The quick release lever  57  is set on another second end of said quick release hub axle  5 . 
         [0034]    Said first end of said quick release hub axle  5  passes through the inner space of the tunnel pipe  12  and the sleeve tube  4  then exposes from another side of the tunnel pipe  12 . On this end sets with a bar cap  53 , there is a blocking ring  54  set on the quick release hub axle  5  in a certain distance from the bar cap  53 , which aims to block the range of moving for the sleeve tube  4 . An outer spring  55  is set between the bar cap  53  and the blocking ring  54  which provides the power for pushing the quick release hub axle  5  when being released. There is a bicycle fork set  6  which contains two forks. One fork  61  connects to the quick release hub axle  5  on the section between said tunnel pipe  12  and said quick release lever  57 , and another fork  62  connects to the quick release hub axle  5  in the other end on the section between said blocking ring  54  and said outer spring  55 . 
         [0035]    When the quick release lever  57  is locked, it compresses both the outer spring  55  and the inner spring  41 , so that said wheel frame set  3  is under attached form. When the quick release lever is released, both the inner spring  41  and the outer spring  55  are released as well, and said wheel frame set  3  now changes to released form. This can be seen from the  FIG. 7 , which is a sectional view through the central axle of the quick release apparatus for bicycle tire changing after assembling under the released form. 
         [0036]    To conclude, comparing the present rim quick release apparatus for bicycle tire or tube with previous systems and technologies, this invention provides a new solution which enables people to easily remove the tube or tire on the wheel, without requiring tire spoons or deflating the tube in advance. Therefore, the present invention accelerates the process of tire/tube removing or repair.