A folding mechanism and a foldable bicycle

Abstract

The present application discloses a folding mechanism and a foldable bicycle. The folding mechanism includes: a first connecting seat, which is hollow inside to form a receiving cavity; a folding unit, which is movably arranged in the receiving cavity, and the folding unit has a pivot axis perpendicular to the axial direction of the first connecting seat; a second connecting seat, which is hollow inside to form a hollow cavity, and one end of the second connecting seat is inserted into the receiving cavity and connected to the folding unit; and a clamping unit, which is arranged in the hollow cavity and can be clamped with the first connecting seat, and the clamping unit is configured to enable the folding unit to have a storage state and an unfolded state; wherein, when the folding unit is in the storage state, the folding unit is completely received in the receiving cavity; when the folding unit is in the unfolded state, the pivot axis of the folding unit can move to the outside of the receiving cavity under the drive of the second connecting seat. By the above method, the present application has the advantages of compact structure, convenient operation, and beautiful appearance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of riding tools, and particularly to a folding mechanism and a foldable riding vehicle. Background Art

[0002] With the increase in vehicles, the traffic congestion situation has deteriorated day by day, and more people are willing to take public transportation such as subways as a means of travel. As a means of transportation for short-distance travel, foldable riding vehicles such as scooters, electric assist bicycles, balance bikes, and foldable riding vehicles are favored by many people because of their convenient carrying.

[0003] Existing foldable riding vehicles usually achieve the foldability of the riding vehicle's vertical pipe through a folding mechanism. For example, the foldable connection of two sections of the vertical pipe is achieved through the cooperation of components such as torsion springs, latches, and restraint members. However, the structure of the existing folding mechanism is relatively complex, resulting in a relatively complex operation process for folding and folding reset of the folding mechanism (referring to restoring the riding vehicle from the folded state to the normal use state). It may require multiple steps of operation, with poor convenience and low reliability. Moreover, each component of the folding mechanism will be exposed outside the riding vehicle's vertical pipe, occupying additional installation space and affecting the overall aesthetics of the riding vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application provides a folding mechanism and a foldable riding vehicle to simplify the folding and folding reset operations of the folding mechanism, improve the reliability of the folding mechanism, save installation space at the same time, and improve the overall simplicity and aesthetics of the riding vehicle.

[0005] To solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted in the present application is:

[0006] A folding mechanism includes: a first connection seat, which is hollow inside to form a receiving cavity; a folding unit, which is movably arranged in the receiving cavity, and the folding unit has a pivot axis perpendicular to the axial direction of the first connection seat; a second connection seat, which is hollow inside to form a hollow cavity, and one end of the second connection seat is inserted into the receiving cavity along the axial direction of the first connection seat and connected to the folding unit; and a clamping unit, which is arranged in the hollow cavity and can be clamped with the first connection seat, and the clamping unit is configured to enable the folding unit to have a storage state and an unfolded state; wherein, when the folding unit is in the storage state, the folding unit is accommodated in the receiving cavity; when the folding unit is in the unfolded state, the pivot axis of the folding unit can move to the outside of the receiving cavity under the drive of the second connection seat, and the second connection seat can rotate relative to the first connection seat around the pivot axis.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present application, the folding unit includes a folding base and a folding upper seat, the folding base and the folding upper seat are pivotally connected via the pivot shaft, and one end of the second connecting seat is connected to the folding upper seat.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present application, the folding upper seat and the second connecting seat are integrally formed.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present application, a chamfer is provided at the opening of the end of the first connecting seat close to the second connecting seat; and an elastic ring for matching with the chamfer is sleeved on the second connecting seat.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present application, a shoulder is provided on the outer side wall of the second connecting seat, and when the folding unit is in the storage state, the shoulder abuts against the end of the first connecting seat close to the second connecting seat; wherein, the elastic ring is provided at the shoulder, and when the folding unit is in the storage state, the elastic ring is pressed by the shoulder to the chamfer.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present application, a guide groove extending along the axial direction of the first connecting seat is formed on the cavity wall of the accommodating cavity for guiding the movement of the folding base; wherein a limiting protrusion engaged with the guide groove is provided on the outer wall of the folding base.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present application, a limiting support is provided in the groove body of the guide groove near the cavity opening of the accommodating cavity to prevent the limiting protrusion from detaching from the guide groove.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present application, a support boss distributed along the circumferential direction of the first connecting seat is formed at the end of the first connecting seat close to the second connecting seat, and a limit screw is provided on the support boss and partially extends into the guide groove along the radial direction of the first connecting seat.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present application, a support ear for limiting the rotation angle range of the first connecting seat is formed on the outer side wall of the supporting boss; wherein the limit screw passes through the support ear and extends into the guide groove.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present application, the snap-in unit includes a snap-in member and a trigger member that are arranged in linkage, and a snap-in portion is provided at the bottom of the snap-in member, and the snap-in portion can penetrate the second connecting seat and the folding unit along the radial direction of the first connecting seat and then snap-in with the first connecting seat, so that the folding unit is in the stored state; wherein, the trigger member is at least partially exposed to the outside of the second connecting seat, and when the trigger member is pressed along the radial direction of the first connecting seat, the snap-in portion of the snap-in member is disengaged from the first connecting seat, so that the folding unit is in the unfolded state.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present application, a snap-in is formed on the side wall of the first connecting seat for engaging with the buckle portion; a second through hole is formed on the side wall of the second connecting seat for allowing at least a portion of the trigger member to pass through the outside of the second connecting seat.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present application, the snap-in unit also includes a shell fixed in the hollow cavity of the second connecting seat and hollow inside, and a first elastic member arranged in the shell, and the snap-in member is arranged on the shell through the first elastic member so that the snap-in member has a translational freedom of movement along the radial direction of the first connecting seat; wherein the trigger member is arranged on the snap-in member so that the trigger member and the snap-in member are linked after forming an integral body.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present application, a second elastic member is further provided in the accommodating cavity. The second elastic member is provided between the cavity bottom of the accommodating cavity and the folding base, and is used to provide elastic force for the folding unit in the axial direction of the first connecting seat.

[0019] To solve the above technical problems, another solution proposed in this application is:

[0020] A foldable bicycle comprises: a folding mechanism; a head pipe, which is arranged at one end of the folding mechanism and connected to a front fork; and a vertical rod, which is arranged at the other end of the folding mechanism and connected to a handle; wherein the folding mechanism is the folding mechanism as described above, the folding mechanism is rotatably arranged on the head pipe and connected to the front fork, and is used to transmit the movement of the vertical rod to the front fork so that the vertical rod and the front fork keep rotating synchronously; the vertical rod comprises an upright state standing above the head pipe and a folded state capable of rotating relative to the head pipe, and the vertical rod changes from the upright state to the folded state in response to the change of the folding unit from the storage state to the unfolded state.

[0021] Using the implementation manners of the folding mechanism provided by the embodiments of the present application, through the cooperation of various units and components, the folding operation and the folding reset operation can be simplified. The folding reset only requires one-step operation, which is simple and fast. It can effectively simplify the folding operation and the folding reset operation of the folding mechanism and improve the reliability of the folding mechanism. In addition, when the folding unit is in the storage state (that is, when the bicycle is in the normal use state), it can be accommodated in the first connecting seat. In this state, the folding unit can be hidden in the first connecting seat, which can effectively save the installation space and improve the overall simplicity and aesthetics of the bicycle. Using the implementation manners of the foldable bicycle provided by the embodiments of the present application can effectively improve the portability, reliability, and safety of the bicycle and can effectively improve the user experience. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings. Among them:

[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the folding mechanism proposed in the first embodiment of the present application.

[0024] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a partial structural exploded view of

[0025] Figure 3 is Figure 1 an overall structural exploded view of

[0026] Figure 4 is Figure 1 a schematic cross-sectional view when the folding unit in

[0027] Figure 5 is Figure 1 a schematic cross-sectional structure view of the first connecting component in

[0028] Figure 6 is Figure 1 a schematic view when the folding unit in

[0029] Figure 7 is Figure 6 a schematic cross-sectional structure view of

[0030] Figure 8 is Figure 1 a schematic structural view of the upper folding seat in

[0031] Figure 9 isFigure 1 Schematic structural diagram of the folding base in

[0032] Figure 10 Schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of the folding mechanism proposed in the second embodiment of the present application.

[0033] Figure 11 is Figure 10 Schematic diagram when the first connecting seat rotates relative to the second connecting seat in

[0034] Figure 12 is Figure 10 Schematic structural diagram of the first connecting seat in

[0035] Figure 13 is Figure 10 Schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of the elastic ring in

[0036] Figure 14 Schematic structural diagram of the foldable bicycle proposed in the present application.

[0037] Figure 15 is Figure 14 Schematic cross-sectional diagram between the folding mechanism, the head tube, the vertical rod and the front fork in

[0038] Figure 16 is Figure 14 Exploded schematic diagram between the folding mechanism, the head tube, the vertical rod and the front fork in

[0039] Figure 17 is Figure 14 Schematic diagram of the positional relationship between the first connecting seat and the front fork in

[0040] Figure 18 is Figure 17 Schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of

[0041] Figure 19 is Figure 14 Exploded structural diagram of the first ball bowl set in

[0042] Figure 20 is Figure 14 Schematic structural diagram of the stop piece in

[0043] Figure 21 is Figure 14 Schematic structural diagram of the dust cover in Detailed implementation manner

[0044] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application, rather than to limit the present application. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only some structures related to the present application are shown in the accompanying drawings, rather than all structures. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0045] The terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product or device comprising a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0046] Reference to "embodiments" herein means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of the phrase in various locations in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It is explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0047] The bicycle described in the present application can be any type of foldable and rideable transportation vehicle such as a scooter, an electric scooter, an electric bicycle, an electric-assisted bicycle, a balance bike, etc. The folding mechanism of the existing foldable bicycle has a complex structure and an unreasonable setting. The folding mechanism destroys the integrity between the upright and the front fork, affecting the aesthetics of the foldable bicycle. Secondly, when the user folds it for use, due to space limitations, he can generally only use a single finger or the base of his wrist to bend the control arm, which is very difficult to be bent, resulting in the defect of inconvenient operation.

[0048] Embodiment 1:

[0049] In view of this, the present application provides a folding mechanism 100, see Figures 1 to 7, the folding mechanism 100 includes a first connection component 110, a second connection component 120 connected above the first connection component 110, and a fixing piece 130 disposed between the first connection component 110 and the second connection component 120. The above-mentioned up and down directions are consistent with the up and down directions in the drawings. The first connection component 110 includes a first connection seat 111 and a folding unit M disposed inside the first connection seat 111; the first connection seat 111 is provided with a hollow interior to form an accommodation cavity 114; the folding unit M is movably disposed inside the accommodation cavity 114 and has a pivot shaft 116 perpendicular to the axial direction of the first connection seat 111. The second connection component 120 includes a second connection seat 121 and a clamping unit 122 disposed inside the second connection seat 121; the second connection seat 121 is provided with a hollow interior to form a hollow cavity, and one end of the second connection seat 121 is inserted into the accommodation cavity 114 along the axial direction of the first connection seat 111 and connected to the folding unit M; the clamping unit 122 is disposed inside the hollow cavity and can be clamped with the first connection seat 111, and the clamping unit 122 is configured such that the folding unit M has a storage state and an unfolded state. Wherein, when the folding unit M is in the storage state, the folding unit M can be completely accommodated inside the accommodation cavity 114; when the folding unit M is in the unfolded state, the pivot shaft 116 of the folding unit M can be moved outside the accommodation cavity 114 under the drive of the second connection seat 121, and the second connection seat 121 can rotate relative to the first connection seat 111 around the pivot shaft 116.

[0050] In the above manner, the folding unit M of the present application can be completely housed inside the first connection seat 111 when in the storage state. In this state, the folding unit M can be hidden inside the first connection seat, having the advantages of a compact structure and an attractive appearance; when the folding unit M is in the unfolded state, the user can drive the pivot shaft 116 to move outside the accommodation cavity 114 through the second connection seat 121, so that the second connection seat 121 can rotate relative to the first connection seat 111 around the pivot shaft 116, having the advantage of convenient operation.

[0051] In the present application, please refer to Figure 3 and combine with Figure 8 and Figure 9, considering the convenience of installation and the problem of space layout, the folding unit M includes a folding base 112 and a folding upper seat 113, and the folding base 112 and the folding upper seat 113 are pivotally connected by a pivot shaft 116. Among them, when the clamping unit 122 is clamped with the first connecting seat 111, at this time, the folding unit M is in a stored state, and both the folding base 112 and the folding upper seat 113 are located in the accommodating cavity 114; when the clamping unit 122 is disengaged from the first connecting seat 111, at this time, the folding unit M is in an unfolded state, and the folding upper seat 113 and the pivot shaft 116 can be completely located outside the accommodating cavity 114 under the drive of the second connecting seat 121. Specifically, the folding upper seat 113 is formed with a cavity 1132 with an open top, one end of the second connecting seat 121 extends into the cavity 1132 and is connected to the folding upper seat 113 by a screw (not shown in the figure), the folding upper seat 113 is formed with a screw hole 1133 for the screw to pass through in the radial direction of the first connecting seat 111, and the bottom of the folding upper seat 113 is also provided with an upper pin hole 1134 for the pivot shaft 116 to pass through. The top of the folding base 112 is provided with a lower pin hole 1122 coaxially arranged with the upper pin hole 1134. When the folding unit M is in the stored state, the folding upper seat 113 abuts directly above the folding base 112. Among them, the bottom end surface of the folding upper seat 113 is a horizontal straight plane, and the top end surface of the folding base 112 is also a horizontal straight plane. The second connecting seat 121 includes a third matching part 1213, a second matching part 1212 and a first matching part 1211 connected in sequence in the direction from the folding upper seat 113 to the folding base 112. The first matching part 1211 is matched with the cavity 1132. A shoulder 1216 is formed at the connection between the third matching part 1213 and the second matching part 1212, and a shoulder 1218 is formed at the connection between the second matching part 1212 and the first matching part 1211. The end of the first connecting seat 111 close to the second connecting seat 121 is formed with supporting bosses 1114 distributed in the circumferential direction of the first connecting seat 111, and the supporting bosses 1114 are used to support the fixing piece 130 and the second connecting seat 121 above it. The fixing piece 130 is provided with an inner hole 132 for the first matching part 1211 and the second matching part 1212 to pass through. When the folding unit M is in the stored state, the shoulder 1218 is located in the accommodating cavity 114 and abuts against the top end surface of the folding upper seat 113, and the shoulder 1216 abuts against the top end surface of the fixing piece 130. The outer diameter of the shoulder 1216 is larger than the outer diameter of the second matching part 1212, the outer diameter of the second matching part 1212 is larger than the outer diameter of the first matching part 1211, and the shoulder 1216, the second matching part 1212 and the first matching part 1211 are coaxially arranged.

[0052] In order to make the connection between the first mating portion 1211 and the cavity 1132, and between the second mating portion 1212 and the receiving cavity 114 more stable and reliable, anti-rotation planes Z are provided on the cavity walls of the cavity 1132 and the receiving cavity 114. In this application, the cavity walls of the cavity 1132 and the receiving cavity 114 are surrounded by the anti-rotation planes Z and the arc surfaces H. Thus, it has the advantages of stable and reliable connection.

[0053] Considering the stability problem of the movement of the folding unit M, a guiding groove 1112 extending along the axial direction of the first connecting seat 111 is formed on the side wall of the receiving cavity 114. The guiding groove 1112 is used for guiding the movement of the folding base 112. A limiting convex block 1121 engaged with the guiding groove 1112 is provided on the outer side wall of the folding base 112. In this application, the cavity wall of the receiving cavity 114 is composed of a pair of anti-rotation planes Z and a pair of arc surfaces H, and the anti-rotation planes Z and the arc surfaces H are distributed alternately. The guiding groove 1112 is provided on the arc surface H, and the arc surface H and the guiding groove 1112 are arranged in one-to-one correspondence, and the pair of guiding grooves 1112 are arranged at an interval of 180°.

[0054] In order to prevent the limiting convex block 1121 from disengaging from the guiding groove 1112, a limiting support head 131 that bends towards the guiding groove 1112 and is clamped on the top of the guiding groove 1112 is formed on the hole wall of the inner hole 132 of the fixing piece 130. The limiting support head 131 is located in the groove body of the guiding groove 1112 near the cavity opening of the receiving cavity 114, and the limiting support head 131 is used to limit the movement stroke of the folding base 112 and the folding upper seat 113.

[0055] Furthermore, the clamping unit 122 includes a clamping member 1221 and a triggering member 1222 that are linked. A clamping portion 1223 is provided at the bottom of the clamping member 1221. The clamping portion 1223 can penetrate through the first mating portion 1211 of the second connecting seat 121 and the folding upper seat 113 of the folding unit M along the radial direction of the first connecting seat 111 and then be clamped with the side wall of the first connecting seat 111 to make the folding unit M in the stored state. Among them, the triggering member 1222 is provided on the clamping member 1221 so that the triggering member 1222 and the clamping member 1221 are integrated and linked. At least part of the triggering member 1222 is exposed outside the second connecting seat 121. When the triggering member 1222 is pressed along the radial direction of the first connecting seat 111, the clamping portion 1223 of the clamping member 1221 disengages from the first connecting seat 111 to make the folding unit in the unfolded state. The clamping unit 122 further includes a hollow shell 1224 fixed in the hollow cavity of the second connecting seat 121 and a first elastic member 1225 provided in the shell 1224. The clamping member 1221 is provided on the shell 1224 through the first elastic member 1225 so that the clamping member 1221 has a translational degree of freedom to move along the radial direction of the first connecting seat 111.

[0056] Specifically, a bayonet 1111 is formed on the side wall of the first connecting seat 111 for engaging with the buckle portion 1223. A third through hole 1215 is provided on the side wall of the first mating portion 1211 of the second connecting seat 121; a first through hole 1131 is provided on the side wall of the folding upper seat 113. Among them, the bayonet 1111, the first through hole 1131 and the third through hole 1215 are arranged at the same height to form a channel for the above-mentioned buckle portion 1223 to pass through. A second through hole 1214 is formed on the side wall of the third mating portion 1213 of the second connecting seat 121 for at least part of the trigger member 1222 to pass through to the outside of the second connecting seat 121.

[0057] Considering the convenience of user operation, a second elastic member 117 is further provided in the accommodating cavity 114. The second elastic member 117 is arranged between the bottom of the accommodating cavity 114 and the folding base 112 for providing an elastic force for the folding unit in the axial direction of the first connecting seat 111. Preferably, the second elastic member 117 is a compression spring compressed between the bottom of the accommodating cavity 114 and the folding base 112. During the operation, after the user presses the trigger member 1222, the buckle portion 1223 exits from the bayonet 1111. At this time, under the action of the elastic force of the second elastic member 117, the folding unit M moves toward the second connecting seat 121 side, thereby driving the second connecting seat 121 and the clamping unit 122 to move upward, which is used to assist the user to pull out the folding upper seat 113 from the accommodating cavity 114, having the advantage of convenient operation, especially suitable for female users with relatively small strength. It can be understood that under the action of the above-mentioned second elastic member 117, the buckle portion 1223 can be kept axially limited with the bayonet 1111 at all times, avoiding the up-and-down movement of the buckle portion 1223 when the folding mechanism 100 is impacted by an external force.

[0058] In order to further simplify the overall structure, the folding upper seat 113 and the second connecting seat 121 can also be integrally formed. Thus, the number of parts can be effectively reduced, making the overall structure more compact, with a low space occupancy rate and convenient installation.

[0059] Embodiment Two: Please refer to Figures 10 to 12 , the difference from Embodiment One is that the fixing piece 130 and the limiting support head 131 are not provided, and the movement stroke of the folding unit Ma is not limited by the limiting support head 131.

[0060] In this embodiment, the second connecting seat 121a is obtained by integrally forming the folding upper seat 113 and the second connecting seat 121 in Embodiment One. The folding unit Ma includes a folding base 112a. A pivot shaft 116a is provided at the top of the folding base 112a. One end of the second connecting seat 121a can be inserted into the accommodating cavity 114a along the axial direction of the first connecting seat 111a and is pivotally connected to the folding base 112a through the pivot shaft 116a.

[0061] In order to eliminate the gap generated between the first connecting seat 111a and the second connecting seat 121a due to process problems, an elastic ring 1217a is sleeved on the second connecting seat 121a, and a chamfer 1113a is provided at the opening of the end of the first connecting seat 111a close to the second connecting seat 121a side. The chamfer 1113a is used to cooperate with the elastic ring 1217a. Specifically, a shoulder 1216a is provided on the outer side wall of the second connecting seat 121a, and the elastic ring 1217a is arranged at the shoulder 1216a. When the folding unit Ma is in the storage state, the shoulder 1216a abuts against the end of the first connecting seat 111a close to the second connecting seat 121a side, and the elastic ring 1217a is pressed by the shoulder 1216a against the chamfer 1113a. Thus, the gap generated between the first connecting seat 111a and the second connecting seat 121a due to process problems can be effectively eliminated.

[0062] Specifically, please refer to Figure 13 , a tapered surface C that cooperates with the chamfer 1113a is provided on the outer ring of the elastic ring 1217a. When the folding unit Ma is in the storage state, an interference fit is formed between the elastic ring 1217a and the chamfer 1113a, which can squeeze the gap generated due to process problems, thereby eliminating the gap generated between the first connecting seat 111a and the second connecting seat 121a due to process problems. Preferably, the elastic ring 1217a is a rubber washer or a rubber sealing ring.

[0063] In this embodiment, a support boss 1114a distributed along the circumferential direction of the first connecting seat 111a is formed at the end of the first connecting seat 111a close to the second connecting seat 121a side. A limit screw 1115a that partially extends into the guide groove 1112a along the radial direction of the first connecting seat 111a is provided on the support boss 1114a. Specifically, the limit screw 1115a is screwed on the support boss 1114a, and a threaded hole that cooperates with the limit screw 1115a is provided on the support boss 1114a. The threaded hole is located at the top of the guide groove 1112a. The difference between the above support boss 1114a and the support boss 1114 in the embodiment is that the thickness of the support boss 1114a on the first connecting seat 111a is greater than the thickness of the support boss 1114. Thus, it is convenient to set the above limit screw 1115a on the support boss 1114a. An ear 1116a for defining the rotation angle range of the first connecting seat 111a is formed on the outer side wall of the support boss 1114a. Among them, the limit screw 1115a passes through the ear 1116a and then extends into the guide groove 1112a.

[0064] It can be understood that the folding mechanism 100 in the present application can be applied to different usage scenarios, which will be illustrated by examples below.

[0065] The folding mechanism 100 in this application can be applied to a foldable riding vehicle, which can be a folding bicycle or a folding electric scooter. Please refer to Figure 14 and Figure 16 , the foldable riding vehicle includes: a folding mechanism 100; a head tube 200 provided at one end of the folding mechanism 100 and connected to a front fork 400; and a vertical rod 300 provided at the other end of the folding mechanism 100 and connected to a handle 500; wherein, the folding mechanism 100 is the aforementioned folding mechanism 100, the folding mechanism 100 is rotatably provided on the head tube 200 and connected to the front fork 400, and is used to transmit the movement of the vertical rod 300 to the front fork 400, so that the vertical rod 300 and the front fork 400 rotate synchronously. The vertical rod 300 includes an upright state standing above the head tube 200 and a folding state capable of rotating relative to the head tube 200, and the vertical rod 300 changes from the upright state to the folding state in response to the change of the folding unit from the storage state to the unfolded state.

[0066] To facilitate understanding of the positional relationship and connection relationship among the folding mechanism 100, the head tube 200, the vertical rod 300, and the front fork 400, the folding mechanism 100 in Embodiment 1 will be used as an example for illustration. The vertical rod 300 is fixedly connected to the second connection seat 121 of the folding mechanism 100 by screws, and a pressing hole is provided on the side wall of the vertical rod 300 for the trigger member 1222 to extend to the outside of the vertical rod 300 for the user to press. A first ball bowl group 210 is provided at the top of the head tube 200, and a second ball bowl group 220 is provided at the bottom of the head tube 200. The head tube 200 is connected to the first connection seat 111 of the folding mechanism 100 through the first ball bowl group 210, and the head tube 200 is connected to the front fork 400 through the second ball bowl group 220. Thus, the folding mechanism 100 can rotate relative to the head tube 200, and the front fork 400 can rotate relative to the head tube 200.

[0067] Further, please refer to Figure 17 and Figure 18 , a connecting rod 410 extending along the axial direction of the first connection seat 111 and towards the direction of the first connection seat 111 is provided on the side of the front fork 400 close to the folding mechanism 100. The connecting rod 410 is hollow and is connected to the first connection seat 111. Specifically, the connection between the front fork 400 and the first connection seat 111 includes a connection in the axial direction and a limit in the circumferential direction. In the axial direction, please refer to Figure 5, a partition plate 115 is provided inside the first connecting seat 111. The partition plate 115 divides the accommodating cavity 114 of the first connecting seat 111 into upper and lower chambers in its axial direction. The upper chamber accommodates the folding unit M and the second elastic member 117, and the lower chamber is used to accommodate the top of the connecting rod 410. A first connecting screw 411 is provided on the partition plate 115. The first connecting screw 411 penetrates through the partition plate 115 along the axial direction of the first connecting seat 111 and then extends into the inside of the connecting rod 410. A sunflower nut 413 is provided inside the connecting rod 410. The sunflower nut 413 is used to connect with the first connecting screw 411, so as to realize the connection between the first connecting seat 111 and the front fork 400 in the axial direction. In the circumferential direction, a groove with a downward opening is provided at the bottom of the first connecting seat 111. A second connecting screw 412 is clamped in the groove. The second connecting screw 412 is screwed onto the connecting rod 410 along the radial direction of the first connecting seat 111, so as to realize the circumferential limit between the first connecting seat 111 and the front fork 400. Thus, the movement of the vertical rod 300 can be transmitted to the front fork 400, so that the vertical rod 300 and the front fork 400 rotate synchronously, having the advantages of stable and reliable connection.

[0068] In order to limit the rotation angle of the vertical rod 300, in the first embodiment, please continue to refer to Figure 3 and combine with Figures 17 to 20 , a stop piece 700 is also sleeved on the first connecting seat 111. The stop piece 700 is annular. A pair of second positioning blocks 720 are symmetrically provided on the outer ring of the stop piece 700. A limiting strip 211 that cooperates with the above-mentioned second positioning blocks 720 is provided on the first ball bowl group 210. The limiting strip 211 is located between a pair of second positioning blocks 720. A pair of first positioning blocks 710 are symmetrically provided on the inner ring of the stop piece 700. The first positioning blocks 710 are arranged at an interval of 180°. A clamping groove 1117 that cooperates with the first positioning blocks 710 is provided on the outer side wall of the first connecting seat 111. The top of the clamping groove 1117 extends to the supporting boss 1114. When the stop piece 700 is sleeved on the first connecting seat 111, the first positioning blocks 710 are clamped in the above-mentioned clamping groove 1117. Preferably, the outer side wall of the first connecting seat 111 is cylindrical, and the clamping groove 1117 extends along the generatrix direction of the outer side wall of the first connecting seat 111, that is, the clamping groove 1117 is distributed along the axial direction parallel to the first connecting seat 111. When the first connecting seat 111 drives the stop piece 700 to rotate, a pair of second positioning blocks 720 of the stop piece 700 will respectively abut against the above-mentioned limiting strip 211, thereby limiting the rotation angle range of the first connecting seat 111. In the second embodiment, an ear 1116a for limiting the rotation angle range of the first connecting seat 111a is formed on the outer side wall of the supporting boss 1114a. Therefore, in the second embodiment, there is no need to provide the stop piece 700, and the supporting boss 1114a has the function of the above-mentioned stop piece 700.

[0069] Further, please continue to refer to Figure 15 and in combination with Figure 21 , a dust cover 600 is also provided at the connection between the first connecting seat 111 and the head tube 200. The dust cover 600 is annular. The dust cover 600 is fastened to the top of the head tube 200 by screws to prevent external dust and debris from entering the first ball bowl set 210. Specifically, the first ball bowl set 210 is provided with a bowl base 212. The outer ring of the bowl base 212 has a limiting convex edge 2121 that abuts against the top of the head tube 200. The limiting strip 211 is arranged at the top of the limiting convex edge 2121 and is close to the inner edge of the limiting convex edge 2121. When the folding mechanism 100, the head tube 200, the first ball bowl set 210 and the dust cover 600 are assembled, the dust cover 600 surrounds the outer periphery of the shoulder 1216, the support boss 1114 and the stop piece 700. The limiting convex edge 2121 is clamped between the bottom end surface of the dust cover 600 and the top end surface of the head tube 200. The screw on the dust cover 600 passes through the dust cover 600 and the limiting convex edge 2121 in the axial direction of the first connecting seat 111 and then is connected to the head tube 200. Please continue to refer to Figure 3 , a countersunk hole 611 for the screw to pass through is formed on the dust cover 600. A hole column 610 is formed inside the dust cover 600 at the countersunk hole 611. Fins 133 that are engaged with the hole column 610 are formed on the outer ring of the fixing piece 130. One hole column 610 corresponds to two fins 133. The two fins 133 are respectively arranged on both sides in the radial direction of the hole column 610 to prevent the fixing piece 130 from rotating, further ensuring that the vertical rod 300 and the front fork 400 rotate synchronously, and having the advantages of stable and reliable connection.

[0070] The above are only the embodiments of the present application, and do not limit the patent scope of the present application. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made by using the content of the specification and drawings of the present application, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, shall be equally included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A folding mechanism, characterized in that, include: The first connecting seat is hollow inside to form a receiving cavity; A folding unit, movably disposed in the accommodating cavity, wherein the folding unit has a pivot axis perpendicular to the axial direction of the first connecting seat; A second connecting seat is hollow inside to form a hollow cavity, and one end of the second connecting seat is inserted into the accommodating cavity along the axial direction of the first connecting seat and connected to the folding unit; as well as A clamping unit, disposed in the hollow cavity and capable of being clamped with the first connecting seat, wherein the clamping unit is configured to enable the folding unit to have a stowed state and an unfolded state; When the folding unit is in the storage state, the folding unit is accommodated in the accommodating cavity; when the folding unit is in the unfolded state, the pivot axis of the folding unit can be moved to the outside of the accommodating cavity under the drive of the second connecting seat, and the second connecting seat and the clamping unit can rotate relative to the first connecting seat around the pivot axis; The folding unit comprises a folding base and a folding upper base, the folding base and the folding upper base are pivotally connected via the pivot shaft, and one end of the second connecting base is connected to the folding upper base; The clamping unit comprises a clamping member and a trigger member which are arranged in linkage, and a clamping portion is provided at the bottom of the clamping member, and the clamping portion can penetrate the second connecting seat and the folding unit in the radial direction of the first connecting seat and then be clamped with the first connecting seat, so that the folding unit is in the storage state; Wherein, the trigger member is at least partially exposed outside the second connecting seat, and when the trigger member is pressed along the radial direction of the first connecting seat, the buckle portion of the clamping member is disengaged from the first connecting seat, so that the folding unit is in the unfolded state; A bayonet is formed on the side wall of the first connecting seat, for engaging with the buckle portion; A second through hole is formed on the side wall of the second connecting seat, so as to allow at least a portion of the trigger member to pass through the outer side of the second connecting seat; The clamping unit further comprises a hollow shell fixedly arranged in the hollow cavity of the second connecting seat and arranged in the shell, and a first elastic member arranged in the shell, wherein the clamping member is arranged on the shell through the first elastic member so that the clamping member has a translational freedom of movement in the radial direction of the first connecting seat; Wherein, the trigger member is arranged on the clamping member, so that the trigger member and the clamping member are linked after being integrated; A second elastic member is also provided in the accommodating cavity. The second elastic member is provided between the cavity bottom of the accommodating cavity and the folding base, and is used to provide elastic force for the folding unit in the axial direction of the first connecting seat.

2. The folding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The folding upper seat and the second connecting seat are integrally formed.

3. The folding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: A chamfer is arranged at the opening of the end of the first connecting seat close to the second connecting seat; and an elastic ring for matching with the chamfer is sleeved on the second connecting seat.

4. The folding mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: A clamping shoulder is provided on the outer side wall of the second connecting seat, and when the folding unit is in the storage state, the clamping shoulder abuts against the end of the first connecting seat close to the second connecting seat; Wherein, the elastic ring is arranged at the clamping shoulder, and when the folding unit is in the storage state, the elastic ring is pressed by the clamping shoulder at the chamfer.

5. The folding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: A guide groove extending along the axial direction of the first connecting seat is formed on the cavity wall of the accommodating cavity for guiding the movement of the folding base; Wherein, a limiting protrusion engaged with the guide groove is provided on the outer side wall of the folding base.

6. The folding mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that: A limiting support is clamped in the groove body of the guide groove near the cavity opening of the accommodating cavity to prevent the limiting protrusion from escaping from the guide groove.

7. The folding mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that: A supporting boss distributed along the circumferential direction of the first connecting seat is formed at the end of the first connecting seat close to the second connecting seat, and a limiting screw is provided on the supporting boss and partially extends into the guide groove along the radial direction of the first connecting seat.

8. The folding mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that: A support ear for limiting the rotation angle range of the first connecting seat is formed on the outer side wall of the supporting boss; Wherein, the limiting screw passes through the supporting ear and then extends into the guide groove.

9. A foldable bicycle, characterized in that, include: Folding mechanism; A head pipe, disposed at one end of the folding mechanism and connected to a front fork; as well as A vertical rod, which is arranged at the other end of the folding mechanism and is connected to a handle; Wherein, the folding mechanism is the folding mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the folding mechanism is rotatably arranged on the head tube and connected to the front fork, and is used to transmit the movement of the upright to the front fork, so that the upright and the front fork keep rotating synchronously; The upright pole includes an upright state standing above the head pipe and a folded state capable of rotating relative to the head pipe. The upright pole changes from the upright state to the folded state in response to the change of the folding unit from the storage state to the unfolded state.

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