JPH021192Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a lever locking device for a fixing device for a folding frame of a bicycle such as a portable sports car.

The present applicant had previously proposed a folding bicycle frame (Japanese Patent Application No. 1982) and a fixing device for a folding bicycle frame (Utility Application No. 1983), which are as shown in Figures 1 to 4. It is something.

In the figure, 1 is the front wheel of the bicycle, 2 is the rear wheel, 3 is the front fork, 4 is the head pipe, 5 is the handle, 6 is the upper pipe, 7 is the lower pipe, 8 is the crankshaft, 9 is the crank arm, 10 is the chain stay, 11 is a vertical pipe, 12 is a buckhawk, 13 is a seat post,
14 is a saddle.

Then, a substantially vertical center pipe 15 is provided in the middle part of the bicycle frame, and this center pipe 1
Upper center pipe 16 that fits on the top and bottom of 5, respectively.
A lower central pipe 17 is provided, and the rear end of the upper pipe 6 is connected to the upper part of the central pipe 15.
The rear end of the lower pipe 7 is connected to the lower part of the center pipe 15 to form a front half frame A of the bicycle.

Also, the upper center pipe 16 and the lower end of the vertical pipe 11 are connected, the upper part of the vertical pipe 11 and the upper end of the back hawk 12 are connected, and the lower central pipe 17
The front end of a chain stay 10 having a hanger pipe 20 at the front part is connected to the rear surface as shown in FIG. A frame B is formed.

Further, as shown in detail in FIGS. 2 to 4, continuous chevron teeth 24 arranged radially are formed in a ring shape on the end faces of the upper flange portion 22 and lower flange portion 23 of the center pipe 15, respectively.

Continuous angular teeth 24 that mesh with the continuous angular teeth 24 are also formed on the end face of the lower flange portion 25 of the upper center pipe 16, and the cylindrical portion 26 that fits into the center pipe 15 and the cylindrical portion 26 are continuous below the cylindrical portion 26. An apertured cylindrical portion 2 having a smaller diameter than the cylindrical portion 26 integrally formed with
7 protrudes below the upper central pipe 16, and furthermore, an upper cover 28 having bolt insertion holes is fixed to the upper part of the central pipe 16.

Further, the end face of the upper flange portion 29 of the lower central pipe 17 is also formed with continuous chevron-shaped teeth 24 that mesh with the continuous chevron-shaped teeth 24 provided on the lower end face of the central pipe 15, and a cylindrical portion that fits into the central pipe 15. 3
A substantially half-moon-shaped hole 31a is provided in the center of an inner lid 31 provided inside the cylindrical portion 30, and a cylindrical portion 27 integral with the upper center pipe 16 is provided. A lower cover 34 is provided at the lower end of the lower cover 34, and a bolt insertion hole 34a is provided at the center of the lower cover 34.

Then, the coil spring 35 is inserted in a compressed state between the inner cover 31 integrated with the lower center pipe 17 inserted into the center pipe 15, and the lower cover 34 integrated with the upper center pipe 16, and the coil spring 35 is inserted in a compressed state. 36 on one side so as to fit into the half-moon-shaped hole 31a.
A bolt 36 with a flat notch a is inserted from below the inner lid 31 through several spring washers 37 through the hole 31a, the coil spring 35 and the bolt insertion hole 34a, and the bolt 36 is inserted into the upper end of the bolt 36. A connecting nut 38 is screwed together.

It also has a bolt insertion hole 39a in the vertical direction in the center, and ear shafts 39b protruding from both left and right sides.
Furthermore, each screw hole 39c is located at the center of the ear shaft 39b.
The bolt 40 is inserted into the upper center pipe 16 through the hole 39a of the lever pivot tool 39 and the hole of the upper cover 28 of the upper center pipe 16, and the connection It is connected to the bolt 36 by screwing it into a nut 38.

Eccentric cams 42 integrally formed with the arms 41 are fitted into the ear shafts 39b of the lever pivot 39, and rings 43 are rotatably fitted onto the outer periphery of each eccentric cam 42. The outer periphery of 43 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the upper lid 28.

Further, a bushing 45 is fitted into a hole 44a provided at the base of a lever 44 having a U-shaped cross section, and a screw 46 is screwed into the threaded hole 39c of the ear shaft 39b through the bushing 45. The arm 41 and the lever 44 are connected to each other by passing a screw 47 through a hole 44b provided at the end of the arm 41 and a hole 41a provided at the end of the arm 41.

Next, the operation of the frame fixing device configured as described above will be explained.

1 and 3 show a state where the lever 44 is tilted forward and the front half frame A and the rear frame B of the folding bicycle are fixed linearly. In this case, the ring 43 is fixed by the action of the eccentric cam 42. Since the connecting bolts 40 and 36 are pulled up through the spring 35, the upper center pipe 16 and the lower center pipe 17 are drawn toward each other against the spring 35, and are pressed against the center pipe 15, respectively. Note that the pressing force against this center pipe 15 is created by several disk springs 37.
It is determined by the repulsive force of Therefore, in order to make this contact pressure appropriate, the length of the bolts 40 and 36 connected by the connecting nut 38 may be adjusted in advance to an appropriate length.

If an appropriate pressure force is applied between the center pipe 15 and the upper and lower center pipes 16 and 17 as described above, the continuous chevron teeth 24 on each joint surface will mesh completely, so that the first half frame A and the second half frame B is definitely fixed.

Note that when the lever 44 is brought down to the fixed position shown in FIGS.
In order to prevent it from returning due to the spring force of 37,
The center point of the eccentric cam 42 must be set at a position slightly beyond the bottom dead center (to the left in the figure).

Next, to fold the bicycle, the lever 44 in FIGS. 1 and 3 is pulled in the direction of arrow D. When the lever 44 is raised, the arm 41 is also rotated via the screw 47 from the state shown in FIG. 3 to the state shown in FIG. Therefore, the eccentric cam 42 integrated with the arm 41 rotates about the shaft 39b from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 4. For this reason, the upper center pipe 16, which was in pressure contact with the ring 43 via the upper cover 28, rises with respect to the center pipe 15 due to the action of the coil spring 35, and the lower center pipe 17 rises due to the action of the coil spring 35. It descends relative to the center pipe 15, and the meshing of the chevron teeth 24 is released as shown in FIG. Therefore, in this state, as shown in Figure 1, the bicycle can be folded by rotating the front half frame A about the center line L in the direction of arrow E, and how to fix it in the folded state. All you have to do is push down the lever 44.

That is, according to this fixing device, by folding the lever 44, the front half frame A and the rear half frame B of the bicycle can be fixed via the chevron teeth 24,
Further, by raising the lever 44, the fixation can be released.

However, since the lever 44 of the above-mentioned fixing device does not have a locking device, if the lever 44 operates in the direction of arrow D for some reason while the vehicle is traveling in the state shown in FIG. It is extremely dangerous because it will be released.

The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to prevent the frame from being inadvertently unlocked while the bicycle is running by providing a locking device on the lever 44. It is.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 5 to 9. In the figure, the same reference numerals as the above-mentioned reference numerals indicate equivalent parts.

In this embodiment, a center pipe 15 and an upper and lower center pipe 1 are provided at the middle part of the folding bicycle frame.
6 and 17, in which the continuous chevron teeth 24, which are provided facing each other at the rotating parts thereof, are fastened or released by a lever 44 with a cam, the top pipe 6 of the frame is in contact with the tip of the lever 44 when fastened.
A hook-shaped locking fitting 50 is provided in a protruding manner. The head 50a of this locking fitting 50 is round, and the jaw portion 50b
should face downward.

Further, a rectangular opening 44c is provided on the top surface of the tip end of the lever 44, and holes 44d are provided on both side walls of the opening 44c.

Also, a protrusion 5 that protrudes upward from the opening 44c.
1a, and is integrally formed with an opening 51b in the middle portion which penetrates from front to back and into which the jaw portion 50b of the locking metal fitting 50 fits and engages. Holes 51c are provided through both side walls of 51b. Note that 51b' is the bottom of the opening 51b, and 51d is the bottom of the locking member 51, which is formed into a curved surface that causes the locking member 51 to rotate clockwise in FIG. 6 when engaged with the head 50a of the locking fitting 50. It has been done. Further, 51e is a protrusion for a stopper. This locking member 51 is inserted into the tip of the lever 44, and the screws 52 for the pivot shaft are inserted into the holes 44d and 51c, so that the locking member 51 is pivotably supported relative to the lever 44, and further The spring 53 is fitted into the screw 52 in the opening 51b to bias the locking member 51 so that it always engages with the locking fitting 50.

That is, one end 53a of the spring 53 engages with the inner surface of the lever 44 as shown in FIG.
The other end 53b of 3 engages with the locking member 51,
In FIG. 6, the lock member 51 is urged to rotate in the direction of arrow F.

Next, the operation of the lock device constructed as described above will be explained. Lever 44 equipped with this locking device
When tilting forward, first the bottom surface 51d of the locking member 51
comes into contact with the head 50a of the locking fitting 50, and when the lever 44 is further pushed down, the locking member 51 is moved to the sixth position.
In the figure, it descends while rotating in the direction of arrow G, and the bottom surface 51b' of the opening 51b is aligned with the jaw portion 50 of the locking fitting 50.
At the moment when the lock member 51 moves beyond the point b, the lock member 51 rotates as shown by the arrow F in FIG. 6 due to the action of the spring 53.
It engages with the locking metal fitting 50 as shown in the figure. Therefore, the lever 44 is connected to the locking member 51 and the locking fitting 5.
As long as the engagement with 0 is not released, there is no risk of returning as shown by arrow H.

To release the locked lever 44, as shown in FIG.
By pressing the locking member 51, the locking member 51 is rotated clockwise against the spring 53, and the locking member 51 is rotated clockwise against the spring 53.
0 and pull up the lever 44 in the direction of arrow I.

Since the device of the present invention is as described above, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) The locking device can be activated automatically by simply pushing the lever forward, and since this locked lever cannot be released unless the locking member is operated, there is no possibility that the lever may be accidentally released while the bicycle is riding. This eliminates the risk of the folding bicycle frame being unlocked.

(2) When the locking device operates, the spring makes an operating sound, so this sound makes it easy to confirm the operation of the locking device.

(3) Since the locking device will not be released unless the protrusion on the locking member is pressed, the bicycle can be lifted and carried by holding the locked lever as shown in Figure 9. Therefore, the lever of the device of the present invention is convenient because it also functions as a handle for transportation.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a side view showing the entire bicycle with a folding frame, Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the center of the frame, Fig. 3 is a side view partially showing the assembled state of the main parts, Fig. 4 is an explanation diagram of its operation,
Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the locking device of the present invention;
The figure is a side view partially showing the locked state of the locking device, FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the lever in FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is a side view for explaining the operation of releasing the locking device, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a side view showing a state in which the bicycle is lifted up by holding the lever of the locking device. A...First half frame, 4...Head pipe, 6
... Upper pipe, 7 ... Lower pipe, B ... Second half frame, 10 ... Chain stay, 11 ... Vertical pipe, 12 ... Back hawk, 15 ... Center pipe, 16 ... Upper center pipe, 17 ... Lower part Center pipe, 20...Hanger pipe, 24...Continuous chevron teeth, 31...Inner lid, 32...Bolt, 33...
...Nut, 34...Lower lid, 35...Coil spring,
36... Bolt, 37... Belleville spring, 38... Connection nut, 39... Lever pivot, 40... Bolt, 41... Arm, 42... Eccentric cam, 43...
...Ring, 44...Lever, 44c...Opening, 4
4d... Hole, 46, 47... Screw, 50... Locking metal fitting, 51... Lock member, 51a... Protrusion, 5
1b...opening, 51c...hole, 52...shaft (screw), 53...spring.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A rotating part provided in the middle of a folding bicycle frame is fastened or released by a lever with a cam, and a hook-shaped locking fitting is provided protruding from the frame that the tip of the lever comes into contact with when fastening. A lock member is provided with an opening in the upper surface of the lever, has a protrusion projecting upward from the opening, and has an opening in the middle that penetrates from front to back and engages with the locking fitting, and is connected to both side walls of the lever. A folding bicycle frame is provided with a spring that is swingably supported on a lever by a shaft passing through an opening in the member and that always biases the lock member to engage with a locking metal fitting. Locking device for the lever for the fixation device.