Abstract:
A bicycle frame assembly including a seat tube having first and second end portions (wherein the seat tube second end portion includes a bend and terminates in a first open end facing a first direction), a down tube having first and second end portions (wherein the down tube first end portion is mounted to the seat tube first end portion, and the down tube second end portion includes a bend and terminates in a second open end facing a second direction opposite to the first direction), and a top tube having first and second end portions (wherein the top tube first end portion is mounted to the seat tube second end portion and terminates in a third open end facing the first direction, and the top tube second end portion is mounted to the down tube second end portion and terminates in a fourth open end facing the second direction).

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/067,818, filed Oct. 23, 2014 and PCT Patent Application No. US2015/057008, filed on Oct. 22, 2015. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to bicycles, and more particularly to a bicycle that merges basic frame functionality with integrated accessories (also referred to a Merge or Merge Bike). 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A conventional bicycle is shown in  FIG. 1 . The frame of the bicycle includes, among other things, a seat tube  2 , down tube  3  and top tube  4  welded to each other and generally oriented in an inverted triangle. The bottom ends of seat and down tubes  2  and  3  are welded together at the point where the pedal crankset  5  is rotatably mounted. From this point, seat and down tubes  2  and  3  extend up in a V-shape. The other end of seat tube  3  is open, through which the seat post  6  inserts. One end of the top tube  4  is welded to the seat tube  2 . The other ends of the top and down tubes  4  and  3  are welded to the head tube  7 , through which the steering post  8  of the handle bars  11  extends. All ends of the seat, down and top tubes  2 ,  3 ,  4  are welded closed except for the open end of the seat tube  2  which receives the seat post  6 . 
         [0004]    Accessories such as a rear rack  9 , water bottle holders  10 , lighting, electrical generation, etc. must be externally mounted onto the frame. Because such mounting can be difficult or cumbersome, such accessories are either permanently left mounted (which is not aesthetic and can increase wind drag), or manually removed by the user which is time consuming and runs the risk that the user will unexpectedly need an accessory that had been previously removed elsewhere. There is also a need to make such accessories more functional and aesthetically pleasing, to reduce wind drag when such accessories are not in use, and make the bicycle less bulky and more compact and maneuverable. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The aforementioned problems and needs are addressed by a bicycle frame assembly that includes a seat tube having first and second end portions (wherein the seat tube second end portion includes a bend and terminates in a first open end facing a first direction), a down tube having first and second end portions (wherein the down tube first end portion is mounted to the seat tube first end portion, and the down tube second end portion includes a bend and terminates in a second open end facing a second direction opposite to the first direction), and a top tube having first and second end portions (wherein the top tube first end portion is mounted to the seat tube second end portion and terminates in a third open end facing the first direction, and the top tube second end portion is mounted to the down tube second end portion and terminates in a fourth open end facing the second direction). 
         [0006]    A bicycle frame assembly includes a seat tube having first and second end portions, a down tube having first and second end portions (wherein the down tube first end portion is mounted to the seat tube first end portion), and a top tube having first and second end portions (wherein the top tube first end portion is mounted to the seat tube second end portion and the top tube second end portion is mounted to the down tube second end portion). At least one of the seat tube second end portion and the top tube first end portion terminates in an open end. A rack assembly includes a central bar, and a plurality of bars each rotatably mounted to the central bar and rotatable between a first position extending laterally away from the central bar and a second position extending longitudinally along the central bar. The rack assembly is slidably mounted to the open end, and is slidable between an extended position in which the central bar extends out from the open end and the plurality of bars are in the first positions and disposed outside of the open end, and a retracted position in which the plurality of bars are in the second positions and are disposed inside one of the seat tube and the top tube. 
         [0007]    Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent by a review of the specification, claims and appended figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a conventional bicycle. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the bicycle of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 3-4  are front perspective views of the bicycle, illustrating the front light source and the charging port. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of the bicycle, with the front light source activated. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 6 and 7A  are rear perspective views of the bicycle, with the rear rack in its extended position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7B  is a rear perspective view of the bicycle, with the rear rack partially collapsed and between its extended and retracted positions. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7C  is a rear perspective view of the bicycle, with the rear rack completely collapsed and between its extended and retracted positions. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8A  is a rear perspective view of the bicycle, with the rear light source activated and the rack in its retracted position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8B  is a rear perspective view of the bicycle, with the rear light source activated and the rack in its extended position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8C  is a side view illustrating the side facing apertures for the rear light source. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  are rear perspective views illustrating the retractable fender in its extended position. 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a rear perspective view illustrating the lock cable in its partially extended position. 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is a side view illustrating the spring loaded cord for securing packages on the rack. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    The present invention is an improved bicycle design which utilizes open ended pipe framing to house accessories that can be hidden from view and reduce wind resistance when not in use, and to make the bicycle less bulky, more compact and more maneuverable. The design is generally shown in  FIG. 2 , and includes a triangular shaped main frame having a seat tube  22  and down tube  24  extending up from a common point (i.e., a V-shape) at which the ends of tubes  22 / 24  are mounted together where the pedal crankset  25  mounts. Seat tube  22  extends up and terminates in a large radius bend  26  with an open end  28  facing rearward. Down tube  24  extends up and terminates in a large radius bend  30  with an open end  32  facing forward. A top tube  34  is mounted to the large radius bends of seat tube  22  and down tube  24 , with a first open end  36  facing forward and positioned over open end  32 , and a second open end  38  facing rearward and positioned over open end  28 . A head tube  40 , through which the steering post  42  that connects the handle bars  44  to the front wheel forks  46 , passes through (i.e., traverses through) both the top tube  34  and the down tube  24 . This configuration is both stylish as well as functional, as there are two forward facing open tube ends  32  and  36  and two rearward facing open tube ends  28  and  38  to accommodate accessories, and allow users access to the inside of the frame. A seat post  48  (with seat  50  thereon) is mounted to the top tube  34 . The front wheel  52  mounts to the front wheel forks  46 , and the rear wheel  53  mounts to where the pair of seat stays  51   a  and chain stays  51   b  meet. The other ends of seat stays  51   a  and chain stays  51   b  are mounted to the seat tube  22 . 
         [0022]    One of the wheels (preferably the front wheel  52 ) includes a dynamo hub  54 , which is a well-known device for generating electricity on bicycles. Specifically, the dynamo hub  54  is a small electrical generator built into the hub of a bicycle wheel, which generates electricity from the rotational movement of the wheel, and has traditionally been used to power lights mounted to the frame or handle bars. The dynamo hub  54  can be a dynamo which generates DC voltages or a low-power magneto that generates AC voltage. The dynamo hub  54  in the bicycle of the present invention is used to power the accessories found in the forward and rearward facing tube open ends  28 ,  32 ,  36  and/or  38  of the frame  20 . 
         [0023]    Various accessories can be provided on the open ends  28 ,  32 ,  36  and  38 . For example, open tube end  36  provides a first access point in the forward facing open end of the top tube  34 , and includes a USB charging port  56  for charging USB user devices, as best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The USB charging port  56  receives its power from the dynamo hub  54 , which is electrically connected to the USB charging port  56  with wires running through the bicycle&#39;s frame  20  (and therefore hidden from view). The USB charging port  56  provides a convenient power connection to the dynamo hub  54 . 
         [0024]    Open tube end  32  provides a second access point in the forward facing open end of the down tube  24 , and includes a front light source  58  for forward facing illumination during night time riding and/or forward facing safety light for daytime riding, as best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 . For added safety, the same forward facing light source  58  is also visible from the side of the bicycle, passing through a pattern of side facing apertures  60  in down tube  24  (e.g. formed by laser cutting). The front light source  58  receives its power from the dynamo hub  54 , which is electrically connected to the front light source  58  with wires running through the bicycle&#39;s frame  20  (and therefore hidden from view). 
         [0025]    Open tube end  38  provides a third access point in the rearward facing open end of the top tube  34 , and includes a retractable rack  62  with integrated lighting as shown in  FIG. 6 . The rack  62  includes spring loaded bars  64  that extend out from a central bar  66  during use in the rack&#39;s extended position. The spring loaded bars  64  collapse toward the central bar  66  when the rack  62  is slid into the open end  38  of top tube  34  (i.e., slid from its extended position to its retracted position where the rack is mostly or entirely disposed inside of top tube  34 ), as illustrated in  FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C . An end bar  64   a  can be rotatably mounted to the distal ends of the bars  64  so that the set of bars  64  rotate together when the first bar  64  engages the end of top tube  34 . In a preferred embodiment, the central bar  66  includes channels  68  into which the bars  64  fold upon collapse. Upon extraction from open end  38  of top tube  34 , the rack  62  automatically expands back to its expanded configuration shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7A  under the resilient force of springs  70 . The central bar includes a tab  67  with a finger hole  67   a  to allow the user to extract the rack  62  from its retracted position. 
         [0026]    The rack  62  includes a rear light source  72  for rearward facing illumination (preferably red in color). The rear light source  72  receives its power from the dynamo hub  54 , which is electrically connected to the rear light source  72  with wires running through the bicycle&#39;s frame  20  (and therefore hidden from view). The rear light source  72  is visible no matter if the rack is in its retracted position (i.e., inside the top tube  34 ) as shown in  FIG. 8A , or in its extended position (i.e. extending out from the top tube  34 ) as shown in  FIG. 8B . With the rack in either of its extended or retracted position, the rear light source  72  is always at the rear most point of this portion of the bicycle frame so it is never blocked). For added safety, with the rack in the retracted position, the same rear facing light source  72  is also visible from the side of the bicycle, passing through a pattern of side facing apertures  74  in top tube  34  (e.g. formed by laser cutting). 
         [0027]    Open tube end  28  provides a fourth access point in the rearward facing open end of the seat tube  22 , an can include one of many possible accessories. For example, the fourth access point can include a retractable fender  76  that can be extended during wet conditions to protect the rider from water being sprayed up by the rear wheel  53 , as shown in  FIGS. 9A and 9B , and retracted into the seat tube  22  during dry weather to reduce wind resistance and make the bicycle more compact and maneuverable. The fourth access point can include a lock cable  78  for locking the bicycle to protect against theft as shown in  FIG. 10 , or a bungee cord (elasticized rope)  80  for attaching cargo to the rack  62  as shown in  FIG. 11 . 
         [0028]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment(s) described above and illustrated herein, but encompasses any and all variations falling within the scope of the appended claims. For example, references to the present invention herein are not intended to limit the scope of any claim or claim term, but instead merely make reference to one or more features that may be covered by one or more of the claims. Materials, processes and numerical examples described above are exemplary only, and should not be deemed to limit the claims. The use of “seat” in “seat tube,” “down” in “down tube,” “top” in “top tube” and “head” in “head tube” in the claims mean nothing more than simply distinguishing between and providing subsequent antecedent basis for different tubes (i.e. a “seat tube” means nothing more than a “first tube” and so on). Any of the accessories shown and described in one of the open ends  28 ,  32 ,  36 , and  38  could instead be in any of the other open ends. Lastly, it should be noted that, as used herein, the term “mounted to” inclusively includes “directly mounted to” (no intermediate materials, elements or space disposed there between) and “indirectly mounted to” (intermediate materials, elements or spaced disposed there between).