Abstract:
A toy bicycle that is a scale model including frame, seat, handlebar, front and rear wheel assemblies and front and rear suspension systems comparable to a full-sized bicycle. The bicycle may also include various rear and front brakes such that the user may apply a downward force to either the front or rear end of the bicycle and stop the turning of the respective wheel. There are also included various finger-operated attachments that permit the user to more readily and easily control the toy bicycle with one or more fingers.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to toy bicycles, and more particularly to a finger-operated toy bicycle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Bicycles have long been a popular means of transportation for children and adults. Younger children although not old enough to ride a bicycle are very fascinated by bikes. Various small toy-like bicycles in the past typically do not provide younger children with a bicycle that truly resembles a real full moving bicycle. For example, expensive scale replica bicycles typically represent antique bicycles or motorcycles but are fragile and are not for younger children to play with. Also, other die-cast bicycles with figurines attached thereto may include freely rotatable wheels, however, the pedals, brakes and sprockets typically will not move. 
     Thus there has long been a need for a true-scale model of various bicycles. Also, the toy bike must be capable of being operated by ones fingers to allow the operator to move and control the bicycle, do wheelies and other tricks and movements one can do on a full-sized bicycle. 
     Some prior art references, which may be relevant to the present invention, are as follows: Applicants&#39; prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,237 to Rehkemper et al., discloses a toy finger operated bicycle that includes brake means in connection with the front and rear end and oversized pedals and pegs to facilitate finger operation of the bicycle. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,178 to Huneault discloses a seat brake system that is actuated when the bicycle seat tilts forwards and backwards and U.S. Pat. No. 2,568,374 to Thomas describes an axle and wheel assembly for a toy bicycle that permits easy removal and insertion of such assembly against the frame. The prior art however, fails to disclose, teach, motivate or suggest the invention disclosed herein. 
     Other die-cast toy bicycles, which provide a means to operate the bicycle with the operator&#39;s fingers, only provide limited control of the bicycles, because these other bicycles have rigid frames. When the bicycles travel over uneven terrain, or when turning, the user typically loses control over the bicycles. Therefore a need exists to provide an operator with greater control on various terrain surfaces. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention there is illustrated and disclosed a bicycle that in a preferred embodiment is essentially a toy size such as a {fraction (1/15)} th  scale version of a full-sized bicycle that is capable of being operated like a regular bicycle by ones fingers. It contains the basic parts of a bicycle such as front and rear tire wheels; pedals, sprockets, and a belt drive assembly for the rear wheel, seat, handle bars and frame so that one playing with the toy bike can do everything one riding a regular bicycle can do. The bicycle also includes a front and rear suspension system to increase control over the bicycle and to enhance the tricks one can perform while operating the bicycle. In addition, various attachments are provided herein to further enhance tricks and control over the bicycles. 
     Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A fuller understanding of the foregoing may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 a  is a plan side view of a finger-operated bicycle with front and rear suspension systems; 
     FIG. 1 b  is an exploded view of the front suspension system shown in FIG. 1 a;    
     FIG. 1 c  is an exploded view of the rear suspension system shown in FIG. 1 a;    
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the front end of the of the bicycle shown in FIG. 1 a;    
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bicycle of FIG. 1 a  being operated with a user&#39;s finger, while the bicycle is leaning into a turn; 
     FIG. 4 a  is a plan view of another embodiment of a finger-operated vehicle with a front and rear suspension system similarly configured to a real moto-cross bicycle; 
     FIG. 4 b  is an exploded view of the front suspension system shown in FIG. 4 a;    
     FIG. 4 c  is an exploded view of the rear suspension system shown in FIG. 4 a;    
     FIGS. 5 a - 5   d  illustrate various views of a single-finger control clip utilized to increase the control and enjoyment of the finger-operated toy bike; 
     FIGS. 6 a  and  6   b  illustrate various views of a single-finger control grip utilized to increase the control of the finger-operated toy bike; 
     FIGS. 7 a  and  7   b  illustrate various views of a multi-finger control stick utilized to increase the control of the finger-operated toy bike; 
     FIGS. 8 a  and  8   b  illustrate various views of a multi-finger control mechanism using finger gloves to control the handlebars of the finger-operated toy bike; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a key chain adapter that may be used by a user to carry the finger-operated toy bike; 
     FIGS. 10 a  and  10   b  are enlarged side views of bicycle in FIG. 1 a  including a front braking means; 
     FIGS. 11 a ,  11   b , and  11   c  are enlarged views of the bicycle in FIG. 1 a  including a rear braking means; 
     FIGS. 12 a  and  12   b  are side views of the moto-cross in FIG. 4 a  including a front braking means; 
     FIGS. 13 a  and  13   b  illustrate the moto-cross in FIG. 4 a  with a rear braking means; and 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a key chain adapter that represents a real bicycle lock; 
     FIG. 15 a  is a perspective view of another key chain/stand adapter representative of a rear bicycle lock; and 
     FIG. 15 b  is a side view of the key chain/stand adapter of FIG. 15 a  being used to keep a bicycle standing upright. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While the invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein, in detail, the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the spirit or scope of the invention and/or claims of the embodiments illustrated. 
     With reference to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is disclosed herein a finger-operated bicycle that provides more realistic suspension features attached to the front and/or rear wheels. The present invention as illustrated in FIG. 1 is approximately a {fraction (1/15)} th  scale replica of a bicycle having features for accommodating the fingers of the user in order to control the bike and perform tricks and/or stunts. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 1 a , a bike  10  is shown to be a scale replica of a mountain bike. The bike  10  consists of a main frame  15  that includes a tubular portion  20 , which is designed to slidably and frictionally receive one end of a seat post  22 . The other end of the seat post  22  securely receives a seat  24 . The seat  24  permits the user to place a Finger f thereon, such as shown in FIG. 1 a , to move the bike  10 . 
     The front end  28  of the bike  10  includes a tubular post  30  that pivotally secures a front fork  32 , shown in FIG. 2. A handlebar assembly  34  attaches to the top portion of the front fork  32  and is orientated to resemble the handlebars of a real mountain bike, including hand grips  36  and brake grips  38 , also shown in FIG.  3 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1 b  the front fork  32  includes a front suspension system  40 . The front suspension system  40  includes an upper post  42 , which is offset in front of the tubular post  30 , shown in FIG. 2, discussed in greater detail below. The upper post  42  includes a pair of upper shock arms  44  that slidably fit into corresponding shock sleeves  46  that define a lower post  48 . Positioned between each upper shock arm  44  and its corresponding lower shock sleeve  46  is a spring  50  which normally biases the two away from each other, thereby providing the bike  10  with a real working front suspension system typically found on real mountain bikes. The lower post  48  further includes a guard  52  that attaches between the two lower shock sleeves  46 . 
     Attached to each lower shock sleeve  46  is an extending mounting member  54 , which is offset in front of the lower shock sleeves  46 , shown in FIG.  2 . The mounting member  54  attaches to the front wheel axle  56 , which secures the wheel  58  and a tire  59  thereto. 
     The bike  10  also includes a rear suspension system  60  detailed in FIG. 1 c . The rear suspension system is attached between the rear end  62  of the frame  15  and the rear fork  64 . The rear suspension system  60  includes a rear spring  66  positioned between a projecting rod  68  on the rear end  62  and lever  70 . The lever  70  is attached on one end to the rear fork  64  and on the other end to an attachment means  72  on the rear end  62 . The rear fork  64  includes a drop out  74  that is pivotally secured to the rear end  62  by a lower support arm  76 . The drop out  74  further includes a means to receive a rear crank (not shown), a rear wheel  78  and a tire  59 , in a manner conventional to normal full sized mountain bikes. 
     A belt  79  is positioned around the rear crank and a drop link  75 , which is attached to the drop out  74 , and further connected around a pedal/crank/sprocket assembly  80  that is secured horizontally at the midsection of the frame  15 . The pedal/crank/sprocket assembly  80  includes oversized pedals  82 , which facilitate finger actuation. The pedals  82  are connected to a mid-crank  84 , which extends horizontally through the midsection of the frame  15 . The mid-crank  84  is drivingly connected to a sprocket  86  that drives the belt  79 . 
     Having now described the various structural components of the toy mountain bicycle, reference is made to FIGS. 2 and 3, in which disclosure of the operation of the bike  10  will be made. 
     An important aspect of the invention is included in the forward offset of the upper post  42  from the tubular post  30  creating a front fork axis β that is in front of a pivotal axis γ defined in the tubular post, shown in FIG.  2 . Moreover, the forward offset of the extending members  54  from the lower shock sleeves  46  creates a front wheel axle  56  that is forward from the front fork axis β. These forward offsets both independently and in combination with each other create a turning axis α that is in front of the front wheel axle  56 . By having a positive turning axis (or a turning axis which is in front of the front wheel axle), when the user leans the bike  10  in one direction, the bike  10  will turn opposite of the direction of the lean, illustrated in FIG. 3, more emulating a turn on a true-scale mountain bicycle. For example, on a real bicycle, a rider when turning will lean opposite of the turn to gain balance and control of the bicycle, this will also allow the rider to make sharper and quicker turns. In accordance therewith, the present invention also emulates this, when the operator of the bike  10 , leans a finger f in one direction, the bike  10  turns opposite the lean. 
     When operating the bike  10 , such as illustrated in FIG. 3, the user&#39;s Finger f is pushing the bike  10  in a forward direction. The rear wheel  78  is rotating which in turn will drive the rear crank and rotate the mid-crank  84  and turn the pedals  82 . Similarly, when the pedals  82  are operated with the user&#39;s Fingers, the mid-crank  84  drives the belt  79 , which in turn drives the rear crank and rotates the rear wheel  78 . When the user operates the bike  10  over uneven terrain the front and rear suspension systems  40  and  60  will function as true-scaled suspension systems in mountain bikes. 
     In addition, the bicycle  10  may include a front and/or rear means to brake. Shown in FIG. 10 a  and  10   b , the bicycle  10  includes a front brake  88 , which when the Finger f presses downwardly upon the front fork  32 , the front brake  88  will come into contact with the front tire  59 . While the front suspension system  40  acts to oppose such a force, the user can easily overcome the opposition offered by the front suspension spring  50  by applying a force greater than such opposition. 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 11 a ,  11   b  and  11   c  a rear braking means may also be included in the bicycle  10 . The rear braking means includes the projecting rod  68 , on the rear end  62 , which extends through a cylinder  71  that is in communication with a bore  69  in the lever  70 . When the operator pushes downwardly on the seat, the projecting rod  68  extends through the cylinder  71  and the bore  69  and comes into contact with the rear tire  59 , thereby braking or stopping the bicycle  10 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 4 a , a moto-cross bike  90  is shown to be a scale replica of a real moto-cross bike having features for accommodating the fingers of the user in order to control the bike and perform tricks and/or stunts. The bike  90  consists of a frame  92  decorative of a rear moto-cross bike, which includes a front and rear suspension system  94  and  96 , respectively. 
     The rear suspension system  96 , shown in FIG. 4 c , includes a rear projection  98  on the rear end of the bike  90 . The rear fork  100  includes a bore  101  sized to receive the rear projection  98  and includes an attachment means  102  such that the rear fork  100  may be attached to the rear end. The rear suspension system  96  further includes a rear spring  99  placed in the bore  101  between the projection  98  and the rear fork  100 , biasing the two away from each other. 
     The front suspension system  94 , FIG. 4 b , includes a pair of shocks  106  that attach to the front fork  104  by an upper attachment plate  107 . Each shock  106  includes a shock sleeve  108  that receives at the top end an upper end member  110 . Both upper end members  110  are further attached to a shock plate  109  that secures to the upper attachment plate  107 . Each shock sleeve  108  further receives a shock spring  112 , a lower end member  113  and a lower cap  114 . Positioned through the lower cap  114  and through the lower end member  113  is a shock arm  115 . When assembled, the shock spring  112  normally biases the shock arm  115  away from the shock plate  109 , emulating a pair of shocks on a real moto-cross bike. The other ends of the shock arms  115  are attached to a pair of end mounts  116  that secure to the front axle  118  and front wheel  119 . 
     The front braking means shown in FIGS. 12 a  and  12   b  includes a projection  95  that comes into contact with the front wheel  119  when a downward pressure is applied to the front fork  104  or the front end of the frame  92 . Similarly configured, the rear braking means, shown in FIGS. 13 a  and  13   b , includes a projection  97  that will come into contact with the rear wheel  119 , when a downward pressure is applied to the rear end of the frame  92 . Since the front and rear suspension systems  94  and  96  respectively, are designed to bias the front and rear wheels away from the frame  92 , the suspension systems will absorb some the downward pressure exerted by the user. Once the suspension systems are fully compressed, or at the end of their travel, the downward pressure exerted by the user will cause the braking means to come into contact with the wheel, slowing or stopping the wheel from rotating. As such the braking means will not engage the wheel until the suspension system is at the end of its travel. 
     Additional important features of the present invention include various finger attachment devices, illustrated in FIGS. 5-8, which help enhance the control of the finger-operated bikes. While the bikes provide an operator with the means to operate the bike with fingers, i.e. by the seat, handlebars, frame, peddles, etc., there still exists a need to further enhance the control over the bikes. The following finger attachment means permit the operator to control the bike either by the attachment means alone or with the above mentioned finger operator means. The following finger attachment means further increase the control over the bike by increasing the ability to control tricks, such as wheelies, jumps, spins, etc. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 5 a - 5   d , a single-finger attachment means is shown that increases the control and enjoyment of the toy bike  120 . A finger clip  130  is shown in FIG. 5 b  attached to the middle portion of the handlebar assembly  122 . The finger clip  130  includes a fastening means that frictionally engages the center section  124  of the handlebars  122 , illustrated in FIGS. 5 c  and  5   d . The fastening means includes two resilient members  132  that extend downwardly. A pair of lips  134  on the lower portion of the resilient members  132  further extends toward each other to define a cavity  135  that is sized to receive the handlebars  122 . Moreover, the resilient members  132  include a notch  136  to accommodate the center bar  125  of the handlebars  122 . When the finger clip  130  is being attached to the handlebars  122 , the resilient members  132  bend outwardly until the handlebars  122  pass the pair of lips  134  such that it rests in the cavity  135  of the fastening means. The finger clip  130  includes a pair of resilient semi-circular members  138  extending outwardly from the finger clip  130 . The user may insert a Finger f in between the semi-circular members  138 , shown in FIG. 5 a , which frictionally grip and hold the Finger f in place. While the user may control and operate the bicycle with only Finger f the user may also use Thumb t, or another finger, by resting upon the seat. As such, the user may now control the bike  120  with two fingers. 
     Another single-finger attachment means is illustrated in FIGS. 6 a  and  6   b . An elastic finger grip  140  is illustrated and includes an opening  142  on both ends of the finger grip  140 . The openings  142  are sized to receive the handgrips  126  of the handlebars  122 . The user&#39;s Finger f is frictionally held in place between the finger grip  140  and the handlebars  122  illustrated in FIG. 6 a.    
     In addition, other multi-finger attachment means are provided herein. Illustrated in FIGS. 7 a  and  7   b , a finger control stick  150  is illustrated and includes a base  152  similarly configured to the above-defined fastening means of the finger clip  130 . The base  152  frictionally engages either the frame  128  or the handlebars  122  of the bike  120 . The control stick  150  also includes a control rod  154  extending upwardly from the base, which includes an oversized end  156 , which permits a user to grip with two or more fingers. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 8 a  and  8   b , another multi-finger attachment means illustrated. A pair of finger gloves  160  that include an aperture  162 , which is sized to receive the handgrips  126  of the handlebars  122 , may be secured to the bike  120 , shown in FIG. 8 b . Each finger glove  160  also includes an opening  164  in which a user may insert a Finger f. The user by positioning a Thumb t on the seat of the bike  120 , shown in FIG. 8 a , and two Fingers f in the finger glove  160 , the user may retain an increased control over the bike with three fingers. 
     In addition, FIG. 9 illustrates a novel means for the user to carry the finger bike  120  around with them. A key chain adapter  170  is shown, which includes a base  172  similarly configured to the above-mentioned fastening means for the finger clip  130 . The base  172  further includes an opening for attaching a key ring  174 . As similarly described above, the base  172  is defined to frictionally engage either the frame  128  or the handlebars  122  of the bike  120 . 
     Alternatively, FIG. 14 illustrates another novel means for carry the finger bike  120  around with them. A key chain  180  is shown that is representative of a bicycle lock  182 . The bicycle lock  182  has a hook  184  that insets into a sleeve  186 . Once inserted, the hook  184  is held in place by a plunger  188  that may be release by pressing inwards. If the plunger  188  is pressed inwards, the hook  184  is released allowing the user to unlock the bike  120  and remove any keys attached thereto. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 15 a  and  15   b , the bicycle lock/key chain  180  may also include a pair of guides  190  that extend outwardly from the sleeve  186 . The guides  190  are spaced apart such that the front or rear wheel of the bicycle  120  may be positioned and held there between. As shown in FIG. 15 b , a portion of the front wheel  192  is positioned between the guides  190  and is held in place. The rest of the front wheel  192  is resting on a flat surface inside of the hook  184 , thereby providing the bike  120  with the means for keeping it standing upright. 
     From the foregoing and as mentioned above, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concept of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific methods and apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.