Abstract:
Disclosed is an apparatus for rotating a handle frame of a bicycle. In order to facilitate the manipulation of a brake lever or a gear shift lever and further improve the convenience of the product, the apparatus for rotating the handle frame is mounted on the handle frame of the vehicle to allow the handle frame to rotate in a rotation direction identical to that of a handle and at a rotation angle identical to that of the handle, so that the handle frame rotates according to road conditions. A rider is protected from impact occurring according to the road conditions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for rotating a handle frame of a bicycle. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for rotating a handle frame of a bicycle, capable of easily manipulating a brake and changing the speed of the bicycle by rotating the handle frame according to riding conditions. 
         [0002]    2. Description of the Related Art In general, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a bicycle includes front and rear wheels  11  and  12  for running, a handle frame  20  linked with the front wheel  11  to adjust the forwarding direction of the front wheel  11 , and a body frame  30  to support all of the handle frame  20 , the rear wheel  12 , a seat  40 , and a pedal  50 . Accordingly, when a rider seated on the saddle  40  rotates the pedal  50 , power is transmitted to the rear wheel  12 , so that the bicycle runs forward. In addition, when the rider turns handles  21  of the handle frame  20 , the direction of the front wheel  11  is changed. 
         [0003]    Meanwhile, various kinds of bicycles have been designed by taking into consideration riders&#39; riding postures. In addition to the most popular bicycles, stunt bicycles, racing bicycles, such as those ridden in velodromes, and those used for racing on the road, and mountain terrain bicycles (M.T.B) may be representatively listed. 
         [0004]    A brake device is provided on the handle  21  of the bicycle and includes a brake, a wire, and a brake lever. The brake device of the bicycle may be applied only when the rider presses a brake lever by using fingers in a state in which the rider grips the handle  21 . 
         [0005]    In particular, when a rider rides on the mountain terrain bicycle, the stunt bicycle, or a motorcycle and grips the handles  21  of the handle frame  20  extending linearly, the elbow of the rider is bent outward, and the waist of the rider is bowed in half. A posture in which the rider bows the waist approximately in half is the best posture to prevent impact. 
         [0006]    However, when the rider climbs up or down a mountain on a bicycle, the rider may have various postures according to the conditions of the road which are different to the posture in which the rider bows the waist approximately in half. Accordingly, the rider rides in a state in which the wrist may be seriously bent as shown in  FIG. 2 , so that impact may be applied to the wrist of the rider. If the rider presses the lever of the brake device or a gear shift lever by using fingers in this inconvenient posture, the rider may feel discomfort. 
         [0007]    Therefore, an additional device, in which the handle frame is rotated upward or downward according to the conditions of the riding road, has been required. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for rotating a handle frame of a bicycle, in which the apparatus for rotating the handle frame is mounted on the handle frame of a vehicle to allow the handle frame to rotate in a rotation direction identical to that of a handle and at a rotation angle identical to that of the handle, so that the handle frame rotates according to a road state, thereby facilitating the manipulation of a brake lever or a gear shift lever and further improving convenience of the product. 
         [0009]    In order to accomplish the object of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for rotating a handle frame of a bicycle. The apparatus is installed at a central portion of the handle frame such that the handle frame rotatably moves upward or downward as handles installed at both sides of the handle frame rotate. The includes a handle frame fixing member to fix the handle frame thereto, and a rotating member installed at a central portion of the handle frame fixing member to rotate the handle frame fixing member. 
         [0010]    The handle frame fixing member comprises Two fixing housing, a through hole for engaging two fixing housings, a fixing unit for inserting the handle frame into the through hole and then coupling both sides of the fixing housing, and a protrusion part installed at one side of the fixing housing to guide the handle frame fixing member according to the rotation of the rotating member. 
         [0011]    The rotating member includes a rotating housing installed at an outer central portion of a fixing housing of the handle frame fixing member, and a guide groove engaged with a protrusion of the handle frame fixing member to guide the handle frame fixing member in a direction determined according to intention of a rider and at an angle determined according to the intention of the rider. The guide groove restricts a movement angle of the handle frame fixing member within a predetermined angle range. 
         [0012]    The apparatus further includes an elastic member fixedly installed at an inside of the rotating housing of the rotating member and an outer side of the fixing housing of the handle frame fixing member to return the handle frame fixing member to an original state thereof. 
         [0013]    The apparatus further includes a stopper engaged with the handle frame fixing member and the rotating member at predetermined positions of the rotating housing and the fixing housing such that the rotating member is fixed to the handle frame fixing member. 
         [0014]    As described above, the apparatus for rotating the handle frame is mounted on the handle frame of a vehicle to allow the handle frame to rotate in a rotation direction identical to that of a handle and at a rotation angle identical to that of the handle, so that the handle frame rotates according to a road state, thereby facilitating the manipulation of a brake lever or a gear shift lever and more improving the convenience for a product. In addition, a rider can be protected from impact occurring according to the road conditions. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a view showing the structure of a typical bicycle; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a view showing the position of a wrist of a rider of the bicycle of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a view showing a handle frame fixing member mounted on a bicycle according to the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a view showing a rotating member installed in the handle frame fixing member of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a view showing the structure of the rotating member of  FIG. 4  in detail; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view showing the rotating member and the handle frame fixing member according to the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a view showing the operating state of the rotating member when the handle frame according to the present invention moves upward; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a view showing the operating state of the rotating member when the handle frame according to the present invention moves downward. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to accompanying drawings. A bicycle will be described as an example according to one embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is applicable to two-wheeled vehicles such as an auto-bicycle. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a view showing an apparatus  100  for rotating a handle frame  10  mounted on a bicycle according to the present invention, and  FIG. 4  is a view showing a rotating member  120  of  FIG. 3  fixedly mounted on a handle frame  10 .  FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the structure of the rotating member of  FIG. 3 , and  FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view showing the rotating member  120  of  FIG. 3  and a handle frame fixing member  110 .  FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the rotating member  120  of  FIG. 3  mounted on the handle frame fixing member  110 . 
         [0025]    In other words, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the apparatus  100  for rotating a handle frame  10  includes the handle frame fixing member  110  to fix the handle frame  10  thereto and a rotating member to rotate the handle frame fixing member  110 . 
         [0026]    The handle frame fixing member  110  is configured in such a manner that a through hole  115  is formed by engaging two fixing housings  111  and  113  with each other, the handle frame  10  is inserted into the through hole  115 , and then both sides of the fixing housing  111  and  113  are coupled with by using a bolt  117  to fix the handle frame  10 . 
         [0027]    The handle frame fixing member  110  includes a protrusion part  119  installed at one side of the fixing housing  111  to guide the handle frame fixing member  110  according to the rotation of the rotating member  120 . 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the rotating member  120  is provided at an outer central portion of the handle frame fixing member  110  to rotate the handle frame fixing member  110  in a direction determined according to the intention of a rider and at an angle determined according to the intention of the rider. 
         [0029]    In other words, the rotating member  120  is coupled with an outer portion of the housing  111  of the handle frame fixing member  110  by using a bolt. 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the rotating member  120  includes rotating housings  121  and  122  installed at the outer portion of the fixing housing  111  of the handle frame fixing member  110  and a guide groove  123  engaged with the protrusion  119  of the handle frame fixing member  110  to guide the protrusion  119  such that the handle frame fixing member  110  is moved in the direction determined according to the intention of the rider or at the direction determined according to the intention of the rider. The guide groove  123  includes a fixture member  123 A to prevent the handle frame  10  from moving at a predetermined angle or more. 
         [0031]    The apparatus for rotating the handle frame  10  further includes a stopper engaged with the handle frame fixing member  110  and the rotating member  120  at a predetermined position such that the handle frame fixing member  110  can be fixed to the rotating member  120 . 
         [0032]    If the handle of the handle frame  10  is rotated upward due to a driving force corresponding to the extent that a fixing ball  131 B of the stopper is separated from a fixing groove  131 A, the protrusion  119  moves along the guide groove  123  provided at the outer portion of the rotating housing  121  of the rotating member  120 . In this case, the rotation angle is restricted by the fixture member  123 A of the guide groove  123 . As the rotating member  120  rotates upward, the handle frame fixing member  110  rotates upward. 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the housing  121  of the rotating member  120  is provided therein with an elastic member  125  to return the handle frame  10  moved along the guide groove  123  to the original position thereof. The elastic member  125  has one side coupled with the housing  111  of the handle frame fixing member  110  by using a screw, and has an opposite side fixed to the housing  121  of the rotating member  120 . Therefore, if the handle frame  10  is rotated upward according to the intention of the rider, the elasticity force of the elastic member  125  is generated as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0034]    However, if the handle frame  10  is rotated downward according to the intention of the rider, the handle frame fixing member  110  returns to the original position thereof according to the elasticity force of the elastic member  125  as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0035]    In other words, if the handle  21  of the handle frame  10  is rotated upward according to the intention of the rider when the rider pedals the bicycle along an inclined mountain road, the handle frame fixing member  110  is moved along the guide groove  123  of the rotating member  120 . 
         [0036]    Therefore, the handle frame  10  is moved upward, so that the wrist of the rider is positioned as if the rider is pedaling the bicycle on a flat area as shown in  FIG. 10 . Accordingly, the rider can easily manipulate a gear shift lever or a brake lever by using fingers, and impact applied to the wrist of the rider can be reduced, so that rider fatigue can be reduced. 
         [0037]    Meanwhile, if the handle  21  of the handle frame  10  is rotated downward according to the intention of the rider, the handle frame fixing member  110  returns to the original position thereof by the elasticity force of the elastic member  125 . 
         [0038]    As described above, the apparatus  100  for rotating the handle frame  10  of the bicycle according to the present invention is fixedly installed at the central portion of the handle frame  10  to rotate in the direction identical to the rotation direction of the handle of the handle frame and at the angle identical to the rotation angle of the handle of the handle frame, so that the handle frame is rotated according to the road conditions. Accordingly, the rider can easily manipulate the brake lever or the gear shift lever. 
         [0039]    Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described, it is understood that the present invention should not be limited to these exemplary embodiments but various changes and modifications can be made by one ordinary skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the present invention as hereinafter claimed. 
         [0040]    The handle frame is rotated according to road states, so that the brake lever or the shift lever can be easily manipulated, and the convenience of the product can further improved. To this end, the apparatus for rotating the handle frame is mounted on the handle frame of a vehicle to rotate in the direction identical to the rotation direction of the handle of the handle frame and at the angle identical to the rotation angle of the handle of the handle frame. Accordingly, the apparatus for rotating the handle frame not only has sufficient sale or business possibilities, but can be actually realized. Therefore, the apparatus for rotating the handle frame has industrial applicability.