Bicycle light device

Abstract

A bicycle light device (1) is provided. The bicycle light device comprises a light (20) arranged at a front side (11) of a housing (10) of the bicycle light device. The bicycle light device further comprises: a first control device (40) configured for switching the light between a plurality of lighting modes; and a second control device (50) configured for rotation about a rotation axis (R) of the second control device, thereby changing the intensity of the light to be emitted by the lamp. The second control device is arranged at a surface (13) of the at least one surface such that the axis of rotation of the second control device is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the lamp device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to bicycle light devices, and more particularly, to bicycle headlight devices configured for attachment to a handlebar of a bicycle. Background Art

[0002] For more than a century, bicycles have been provided with lights, and the first bicycle lights were fuel-powered. However, modern bicycle lights are electric. Further, modern bicycle lights typically utilize electric lighting, such as light-emitting diodes, LEDs, halogen lamps, high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps, or xenon lamps. Such electric lighting, especially LEDs, allows the size of bicycle lights to be greatly reduced. The reduced size increases the portability of bicycle lights and makes it easier to attach bicycle lights to bicycles. Therefore, many modern bicycle lights are intended to be attached to the bicycle during riding and therefore removed from the bicycle at the end of the ride. However, although the size and portability of bicycle lights have been improved, the usability of bicycle lights has remained essentially unchanged since their conception. The usability of bicycle lights may be even more important when bicycle lights are used for sport bicycles such as racing bicycles or mountain bikes that may be ridden during very rugged and / or difficult conditions. Summary of the invention

[0003] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a bicycle light device which provides improved usability and / or adjustability.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a bicycle light device is provided. The bicycle device includes a housing having a front side and a rear side. The rear side is arranged opposite to the front side. The housing further includes at least one surface between the front side and the rear side and extending along the longitudinal axis of the light device. The bicycle light device further includes: a lamp arranged at the front side of the housing; and a fastening device configured to fasten the bicycle light device to the handlebar of the bicycle so that the longitudinal axis of the bicycle light device is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handlebar. The bicycle light device further includes: a first control device configured to switch the lamp between multiple lighting modes; and a second control device configured to rotate around the rotation axis of the second control device, thereby changing the intensity of light to be emitted by the lamp. The second control device is arranged at a surface of the at least one surface so that the rotation axis of the second control device is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the light device.

[0005] Many modern bicycle lights include a switch for turning the light on. Further, the switch can be used to switch between operating modes, such as switching from an off mode to multiple light intensity levels. In addition, the light can include one or more flashing modes, in which the bicycle light can flash according to a predetermined pattern. Thus, the switch can be used to switch between a large number of operating modes, which can include five, six, or more operating modes. Further, the switch of many modern bicycle lights is used to cycle through the operating modes. Therefore, the user may have to cycle through all of the operating modes before arriving at the desired mode.

[0006] The present disclosure is based on the concept of controlling the illumination of a bicycle light using two separate control devices (i.e., a first control device and a second control device). By using two separate control devices, a user can quickly switch between different illumination modes without having to step through the different intensities of each mode. Thus, the desired illumination mode and intensity setting can be reached more quickly. Further, manipulating the second control device by rotating the second control device about its axis of rotation can be more ergonomic, easier and / or faster for the user than pressing a button or toggle switch. Specifically, the axis of rotation of the second control device is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the light device, which can provide further ease and speed of manipulation. Thus, the present disclosure can provide a bicycle light device that provides improved usability and / or adjustability.

[0007] The housing may alternatively be understood as, for example, a casing, a housing or an envelope. Further, the top side and the rear side may alternatively be understood as a front part and a rear part, respectively.

[0008] The light may be understood as a bicycle light or a lighting device. Further, the light may be a light emitting diode (LED) or include a light emitting diode. The bicycle light device may further include a battery for powering the light. The battery may be arranged in the housing. The battery may be a rechargeable battery that can be charged via a cable connected to the bicycle light device.

[0009] The fastening means may be configured as a strap, wherein the strap may be configured to fasten the bicycle light device by being arranged around the handlebars of the bicycle. Alternatively, the fastening means may be configured as a mount, wherein the mount may be configured to be connected to a holder arranged on the handlebars. The holder may further be configured to hold or mount other peripherals such as a bicycle computer. The mount may conform to a set of standard mounts, such as but not limited to a GoPro mount or a Garmin mount.

[0010] Alternatively, the term handlebar's longitudinal axis may be understood as the longitudinal extension of the handlebar, which may be defined as the extension or direction between, for example, two grips or handle grips of the handlebar. Further, the handlebar's longitudinal axis may be parallel to the rotation axis of the front wheel to which the handlebar of the bicycle is connected.

[0011] The bicycle light device having a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handlebar can be understood as the bicycle light device being oriented or aimed forward (relative to the bicycle), in particular the front side where the light is arranged is oriented or aimed forward.

[0012] It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the rotation axis of the second control device being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the lamp device. For example, the angle between the rotation axis of the second control device and the longitudinal axis of the lamp device can be between 45 degrees and 90 degrees, between 60 degrees and 90 degrees, or between 75 degrees and 90 degrees.

[0013] The rotational position of the second control means may control the intensity of light to be emitted by the lamp. Thus, the second control means may be configured to control the power supplied to the lamp. The second control means may, for example, comprise a potentiometer.

[0014] The second control device may further be configured to rotate between a plurality of positions. Alternatively, the plurality of positions may be understood as, for example, predetermined positions and / or different settings. Each of the plurality of positions may be configured as a groove, so that when the second control device is rotated, the second control device may snap into a groove of a corresponding position in the plurality of positions. The plurality of positions may be configured to provide tactile feedback to the user when being rotated, thereby providing an indication that the second control device has been rotated to a certain position in the plurality of positions. Thereby, the user may operate the second control device more easily and / or more quickly, and may, for example, be able to operate the second control device without looking at the bicycle light device.

[0015] Each of the plurality of positions may be associated with a different intensity of light to be emitted by the lamp. For example, the first position of the plurality of positions may be associated with the lowest intensity setting, while the last position of the plurality of positions may be associated with the highest intensity setting.

[0016] The plurality of positions may include a first position and a final position. The second control device may be configured to be rotatable only between the first position and a subsequent position. Accordingly, the second control device may be configured to be rotatable only between the final position and a previous position. In other words, the second control device may be configured to allow rotation from the first position to the final position (possibly via an intermediate position) and back again. Thus, a user rotating the second control device may know that the second control device has reached the first position or the final position, as the second control device may not be able to be rotated further in the rotation direction, thereby providing improved usability.

[0017] When the bicycle light device is fastened to the handlebar of the bicycle, the second control device may extend from a surface of the at least one surface in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the handlebar. Therefore, regardless of whether the bicycle light device is fastened to the top or below of the handlebar, the second control device may extend in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the handlebar (but in opposite directions). Therefore, regardless of whether the second control device is arranged at the top or below of the handlebar, the user can see the second control device when riding the bicycle, thereby improving usability. Further, when the second control device extends in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the handlebar, especially when the second control device is arranged below the handlebar, the user riding the bicycle can more easily rotate the second control device.

[0018] The second control device may be configured as a rotatable knob which may provide an improved grip, thereby making it easier for a user to adjust the light of the bicycle light device.

[0019] The plurality of lighting modes may include an on mode, an off mode, and at least one flashing mode. Manipulation of the first control device may switch the light between these modes according to a repeating pattern. Each of the at least one flashing mode may require the light to be turned on and off continuously according to a corresponding predetermined pattern (i.e., flashing). The plurality of lighting modes may include a plurality of flashing modes, wherein each of the plurality of flashing modes may require a different flashing pattern of the light. However, alternatively, the plurality of modes may consist of an on mode and an off mode.

[0020] The first control device may be configured as a button or a switch. The first control device configured as a button may be configured to switch between multiple lighting modes by pressing the button. Alternatively, the first control device configured as a switch may be configured to switch between multiple modes by switching the switch between multiple predetermined positions of the switch.

[0021] The fastening device may be arranged at a surface of the at least one surface.The first control device may be arranged at a surface of the at least one surface.

[0022] The fastening device and the first control device may be arranged at opposite sides of the housing of the bicycle light device.

[0023] The at least one surface may include at least three surfaces. Further, the at least one surface may include at least four surfaces. The housing including three surfaces may have a substantially triangular cross-section along the longitudinal axis of the bicycle light device. Accordingly, the housing including four surfaces may have a substantially square cross-section along the longitudinal axis, and the housing including eight surfaces may have a substantially octagonal cross-section along the longitudinal axis.

[0024] The fastening device and the first control device may be arranged at opposite surfaces of the housing of the bicycle light device.

[0025] The first control device, the second control device and the fastening device can be arranged at different surfaces of the at least three surfaces. However, the first control device and the second control device can be arranged at the same surface of the at least three surfaces, wherein the same surface is different from the surface where the fastening device is arranged.

[0026] The at least one surface may comprise one surface. Thus, the housing may have a cylindrical shape. Accordingly, the housing comprising one surface may have a substantially circular cross-section along the longitudinal axis. The fastening device, the first control device and the second control device may thus be arranged on the same single surface of the housing.

[0027] It should be noted that other embodiments using all possible combinations of the features recited in the embodiments, alternatives or examples described above may be envisaged. Thus, the present disclosure also relates to all possible combinations of the features mentioned herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Example embodiments will now be described in more detail with reference to the following drawings.

[0029] Figure 1 A bicycle light apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0030] Figure 2 A bicycle light apparatus is shown secured to a handlebar of a bicycle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] As shown in the figures, the sizes of elements and regions may be exaggerated for illustrative purposes and are therefore provided to illustrate the overall structure of the embodiments. Throughout, like reference numerals refer to like elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which presently preferred embodiments are shown. However, the present invention may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to achieve thoroughness and completeness, and to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0033] Figure 1 A bicycle light device 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0034] The bicycle light device 1 includes a housing 10 having a front side 11 and a rear side 12. The front side 11 and the rear side 12 are arranged opposite to each other. The housing 10 has an elongated rounded square shape. Therefore, the housing 10 includes four surfaces 13. The corners between the four surfaces 13 are rounded. The four surfaces 13 extend between the front side 11 and the rear side 12 and along the longitudinal axis L of the bicycle light device 1. The surface 13 can also be understood as the joining side of the housing 10. Further, the housing 10 is not limited to including four surfaces 13 or four sides, and can include substantially any number of surfaces 13 or any number of sides. These corners can be sharp or can be rounded to varying degrees.

[0035] The length of the housing 10 along the longitudinal axis L may be, for example, between 60 mm and 180 mm, or between 90 mm and 150 mm, or 120 mm +- 15%. The height and / or width of the housing 10 (i.e., the height and / or width of the front side 11 and the rear side 11) may be, for example, between 20 mm and 40 mm, or between 25 mm and 35 mm.

[0036] The front side 11 of the housing 10 houses a lamp 20. The lamp 20 is configured to switch between a plurality of lighting modes, such as an on mode and an off mode, and possibly one or more blinking modes.

[0037] The bicycle light device 1 further comprises a fastening device 30 configured for fastening the bicycle light device 1 to a handlebar (not shown; see Figure 2 ) so that the longitudinal axis L of the bicycle light device 1 is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis H of the handlebar. Figure 1 The fastening device 30 shown is configured as a mounting member that is configured to be fastened to a holder attached to the handlebar. It should be understood that the fastening device 30 is not limited to being configured as a mounting member and can be configured as a strap, for example. The fastening device 30 is arranged on a surface (not shown) of the housing 10 that is located at a position on the housing 10. Figure 1 The lowermost surface is shown in FIG.

[0038] The bicycle light device 1 comprises a first control device 40 which is configured for switching the light 20 between a plurality of lighting modes. Figure 1 The first control device 40 is configured as a button 40, but is not limited thereto. The button 40 is arranged at the uppermost surface 13 of the housing 10, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 Therefore, Figure 1 The button 40 and the fastening means 30 shown are arranged on opposite surfaces 13 of each other 10 .

[0039] The bicycle lamp device 1 further comprises a second control device 50. The second control device 50 is configured for rotating about a rotation axis R of the second control device 50. The intensity of the light to be emitted by the lamp 20 is changed by rotating the second control device 50. The second control device 50 is arranged at a surface 13 of the housing 10. The surface 13 on which the second control device 50 is arranged is arranged between the uppermost surface and the lowermost surface 13. The rotation axis R of the second control device 50 is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the bicycle lamp device 1.

[0040] The second control device 50 is configured as a rotatable knob. The second control device 50 includes a plurality of grooves 51a, 51b, wherein one of the grooves 51a may be a marking groove 51a. The marking groove 51a may provide an indication of the rotational position of the second control device 51a. Further, the surface 13 of the housing 10 on which the second control device 50 is arranged includes an indication device 52 for indicating a plurality of positions to which the second control device 50 is to be rotated. The indication device 50 is Figure 1 1 is shown as a marked circle on the surface 13. Thus, an intuitive and easy to see indication of the current setting of the second control device 50 is provided. Thus, the bicycle light device 1 provides improved usability.

[0041] The bicycle light device 1 may include a battery (not shown). The battery may be arranged in the housing 10. The bicycle light device 1 may further include wires (not shown) interconnecting the light 20, the first control device 40, the second control device 50 and / or the battery.

[0042] The battery may be a rechargeable battery. The bicycle light device 1 may include a charging port (not shown) for charging the rechargeable battery. The charging port may be, for example, but not limited to, a micro USB port or a USB-C port. The charging port may be covered by a sealing cover configured to protect the charging port from fluid when the sealing cover is closed (i.e., when the charging port is not in use). The charging port may be arranged at any surface in the surface 13 of the housing 10. For example, the charging port may be arranged on the surface 13, opposite to the second control device 50.

[0043] The bicycle light device 1 may include a latch (not shown) arranged at the rear side 12 of the housing 10. The latch may be threaded and may be configured to be screwed into the rear side 12 of the housing 10, which may include complementary threads. Opening the latch may allow access to the housing 10, which may house a battery and / or electrical wiring.

[0044] Figure 2 A bicycle light device 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown secured to a handlebar 555 of a bicycle (not shown). Figure 2 Including Figure 1 The features, elements and / or functions shown and described in the associated text. Therefore, for improved understanding, reference is also made to Figure 1 and descriptions associated with them.

[0045] Figure 2 The bicycle light device 1 shown is fastened to a handlebar 555 of a bicycle (not shown). The bicycle light device 1 is fastened to the handlebar 555 via a fastening device 30 of the bicycle light device 1. The fastening device 30 shown can be understood to be configured as a mounting member. The fastening device 30 is mounted on a holder 333 attached to the handlebar via a strap. Therefore, the bicycle light device 1 can be easily and quickly mounted on or removed from the handlebar 555. However, the fastening device 30 can be configured differently. For example, the fastening device 30 may include a strap configured to be tied around the handlebar 555, or may include a magnet for magnetically fastening the bicycle light device 1 to the handlebar 555.

[0046] Figure 2 The longitudinal axis L of the bicycle light device 1 is shown. Further, Figure 2 The longitudinal axis H of the handlebar 555 is shown displaced from the handlebar 555 to provide a better understanding of the present disclosure. The longitudinal axis H of the handlebar 555 is parallel to the longitudinal extension of the handlebar 555. The longitudinal axes L, H are substantially perpendicular to each other. Therefore, the bicycle light device 1 faces the direction in which the bicycle is traveling.

[0047] The present invention has been mainly described above with reference to several embodiments. However, as will be readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than those disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended patent claims. Further, although features and elements are described above in particular combinations, each feature or element may be used alone without the other features and elements, or in various combinations with or without the other features and elements.

[0048] Furthermore, other variations to the disclosed embodiments may be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain features are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these features cannot be used to advantage.

Claims

1. A bicycle light device (1), comprising: A housing (10) having a front side (11) and a rear side (12), wherein the rear side is arranged opposite to the front side, and at least one surface (13) extending between the front side and the rear side and along a longitudinal axis (L) of the bicycle light device; a lamp (20) arranged at the front side of the housing; a fastening device (30) configured to fasten the bicycle light device to a handlebar (555) of a bicycle such that a longitudinal axis of the bicycle light device is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (H) of the handlebar; a first control device (40) configured to switch the lamp between a plurality of lighting modes; A second control device (50) is configured to rotate about a rotation axis (R) of the second control device, thereby changing the intensity of light to be emitted by the lamp, and wherein the second control device is arranged at a surface (13) of the at least one surface so that the rotation axis of the second control device is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the lamp device.

2. The bicycle light device according to claim 1, wherein: The second control device is further configured to rotate between a plurality of positions (52), wherein each of the plurality of positions is associated with a different intensity of light to be emitted by the lamp.

3. The bicycle light device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The second control device extends from said surface of the at least one surface in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the handlebar when the bicycle light apparatus is fastened to the handlebar.

4. The bicycle light device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The second control device is configured as a rotatable knob.

5. A bicycle light device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The plurality of lighting modes include an off mode, at least one on mode, and at least one flashing mode.

6. A bicycle light device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The first control device is configured as a button or a switch.

7. A bicycle light device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The fastening device is arranged at a surface of the at least one surface.

8. A bicycle light device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The first control device is arranged at a surface of the at least one surface.

9. The bicycle light device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein: The fastening device and the first control device are arranged at opposite sides of the housing of the bicycle light apparatus.

10. A bicycle light device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The at least one surface includes at least three surfaces.

11. The bicycle light device according to claim 10, wherein: The first control device, the second control device and the fastening device are arranged at different surfaces among the at least three surfaces.

12. The bicycle light device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The at least one surface includes a surface.

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