Faltrad

Abstract

The folding wheel [2], characterized in that it has no clamping element (8), no bracket (9) and no tensioner (7) and the tube (3) consists of two parts with a large cross-section and / or a greater wall thickness, while the sliding sleeve (11) has a U-shaped profile, on one side of which there are holes for the pivot axis (14) of the connector (13), and on the other side the middle part of the U-shaped profile is extended and bent so that it forms a new wall (12) which stiffens the U-shaped profile, and also limits the movement of the sliding sleeve (11) by means of the limiting screw (15), and moreover plays the role of the lock in the working state of the frame, the rod (17) which is fastened with the limiting screw (15) and an additional screw (16), or by welding to the part of the tube (3) in which the sliding sleeve (11) is located,and on the second end of the rod (17) in the hole there is a small captive screw (18) with a head that is easy to handle, and this screw (18) can be screwed into the threaded hole (18a) in the other part of the tube (3), but this is only when both parts of the frame tube (3) are on the sleeve (4) and touching each other.

Description

The invention relates to a folding wheel.A folding bicycle according to patent [2] DE 10 2013 108 488 B4 is known from the prior art, which is based on patent [1] DE 10 2012 019 325 B4 (folding bicycle). In this known folding wheel a frame tube (3) is used which consists of two parts and has a non-rotationally symmetrical cross section, for example a square.A tube sleeve (4) is provided for connecting the two frame parts. In order to maintain the required frame strength, a clamping element ( 8), which is for example a cable or a plastic tape, is used instead of a second frame tube. This clamping element (8) is fastened to a clamp (7) attached to the seat tube (2). The other end of the clamping element (8) is attached to the steering column (1).In the operating state of the folding wheel, the clamping element (8) acts at the same time as a locking mechanism which fixedly connects the two parts of the frame tube (3) to one another.In the folding wheel known from patent [2] a new folding unit is used, in which both parts of the frame tube (3) are connected by a tube sleeve (4) to form a single frame tube (3). The external dimensions and the shape of the tube sleeve ( 4) correspond to the internal dimensions and the shape of the frame tube ( 3).One part of the tube sleeve (4) is rigidly connected to one part of the frame tube (3), while the other part of the tube sleeve (4) can slide freely in the other part of the frame tube (3). The tubular sleeve (4) takes over the external loads that occur during the movement of the folding wheel in this case.For the folding process, an additional folding device is provided in the case of the folding wheel known from patent [2]. This consists of a connecting plate (13) which is pivotably connected on the one hand to the tubular sleeve (4) and on the other hand to a sliding sleeve (11). In the working position of the folding wheel, a part of the tube sleeve (4), the connecting plate (13) and the sliding sleeve (11) are located in the second part of the frame tube (3).For collapsing the bicycle, the slidable part of the tube sleeve (4), the connecting plate (13) and the sliding sleeve (11) are successively pulled out of the second part of the frame tube (3). The outward movement of the sliding sleeve (11) is limited by a screw (15) which is screwed into the second part of the frame tube (3) and can move in a longitudinal groove (12) of the sliding sleeve (11). Only then can the bicycle be folded further.This construction of the folding device serves to reduce the overall weight of the folding wheel.The construction of the folding wheel known from the prior art, however, has several disadvantages: 1. the tensioner (7) used for tensioning the tensioning element (8) has a not inconsiderable dead weight, which is contrary to the main task of reducing the weight of the bicycle. 2. the use of the clamping element (8) requires additional manual manipulations when folding the folding wheel in and out, which impairs the operating comfort and can cause negative emotions on the user.The object of the invention is therefore to eliminate the disadvantages mentioned in the known folding wheel construction and in particular to provide a lighter and more user-friendly folding device without impairing the structural strength of the frame.To achieve this object, it is proposed to remove the clamping element (8) completely together with the tensioner (7) and the fastening element (9) for the clamping element on the steering tube (1). In order to compensate for the possibly reduced frame strength as a result, the individual frame tube ( 3) is structurally reinforced-for example by increasing its cross section and / or by increasing the wall thickness, as is also customary in other folding wheels. The previously known folding unit is in principle retained in this case.The omission of the clamping element ( 8) simultaneously eliminates its locking function. There is thus the need to integrate an alternative lock solution. If conventional folding locks are used for this purpose, however, the weight of the folding wheel rises again, which conflicts with the aim. It is therefore proposed to utilize a constructional feature of the folding mechanism--namely the linear movement at the beginning of the folding operation, in which the two parts of the frame tube (3) move away from one another.To block this movement, it is proposed to use a strip (17) which is firmly connected to a part of the frame tube (3) - for example by screws (15, 16) or by welding. At the other end of the strip (17) a captive screw (18) is attached. This screw (18) is screwed into a threaded hole (18a) provided in the opposite part of the frame tube (3).The captive screw (18) has a head which is easily rotatable with the fingers. To fold the bicycle, the user can loosen the screw (18) and thus remove the two parts of the frame tube (3) from each other. This allows the bicycle to be folded completely. The proposed lock solution is characterized by a small size and a low weight.It is also proposed to simplify the construction of the sliding sleeve (11). Although this construction is not particularly complex, it is necessary to provide a longitudinal slot (12) in the sliding sleeve (11). For simplification, the sliding sleeve (11) has a U-shaped profile. On one side of this profile there are holes for the rotation axis (14) of the connector (13). On the opposite side, the central part of the U-shaped profile is extended and bent, so that a new wall (12) is obtained. This wall (12) contributes to the rigidity of the U-shaped profile and limits the movement of the sliding sleeve (11) which has previously been limited by the longitudinal slot (12). This solution also makes it possible to reduce the length of the sliding sleeve (11).In Patent [2], it has been proposed to use industrial folding pedals to further reduce the size of a foldable bicycle in the folded state. However, no solution has been offered in connection with the steering wheel. In the case of folding wheels with small wheel sizes, such as the known bicycles from Brompton Bicyclic Ltd [3], the distance between the handlebar and the frame is relatively large. In such cases, a folding unit is usually used which performs practically the same function as the folding mechanism of the frame. However, for a large number of other folding wheels [4], this distance is smaller. In this case, the size of the folded bicycle can be further reduced only by folding the handlebar grips.A similar folding mechanism for the handlebar is also used with scooters [5], such as scooters [6] sold by the company "Hudora" over the Internet. These links are equipped with a tension cable (27) which is tensioned over the entire link-between the sleeves (29) of the link handles. These sleeves (29) are in the form of a cylindrical glass which can slide within the handle grip (21). They have a hole in the bottom and a flange, the diameter of which corresponds to that of the handle (21) and which bears against the outer end of the sleeve. The tension cable (27) is fastened to the ends of the sleeves (29), the thickening (28) being used at the ends of the tension cable (27) and possible additional elements which serve for fastening the cable (not shown here).To fold this handlebar, the button (23) must be pressed into the recess (24) in the middle part (19) of the handlebar and the handlebar grip (21) must be pulled out to overcome the resistance of the tension cable (27). The same procedure must also be carried out with the other handle (21). In addition, the steering tube (1) has a plastic holder which is used to fix the steering handles (21) in the folded state.It is proposed to fold the link (21) in the same manner as in the known scooters. However, in order to fix the handle handles (21) in the folded state, the plastic holder is not used, but symmetrical notches (20) are provided at both ends of the central portion (19) of the handle. These notches have a width slightly exceeding the thickness of the tension cable (27) and a length at least half as large as the diameter of the handle grip (21).When the handle grip (21) is pulled out, the tension cable (27) is inserted into the notch (20), and the handle grip (21) is fixed by this tension cable (27).In this construction of the handlebar, bushings (22) are also used, which are rigidly fixed in the handlebar handles (21) and can enter the middle piece (19) of the handlebar. The outer diameter of the central part (19) of the handlebar and the outer diameter of the handlebar grip (21) are identical (as is customary in bicycles). However, this is not absolutely necessary and a construction can also be chosen, as is used in some scooters, in which the steering handles (21) do not have bushes (22) and are inserted directly into the central piece (19), which has a correspondingly larger diameter. FIG. 1 shows a sketch of the new sliding sleeve (11), in which the new wall (12) takes over the function of the previous longitudinal groove (12). This wall (12) limits the outward movement of the sliding sleeve (11). FIG. 2 shows the device of the folding mechanism of the folding wheel (top view of the frame tube ( 3) with section) using the new sliding sleeve ( 11):• a) in the working position,• b) in the position ready for folding,• c). FIG. 3 shows the folding mechanism of the steering handles (21):• a) in the working position,• b) ready for folding,• c).The notch (20) is an innovation because it eliminates the need for additional elements to secure the handlebar in the collapsed state.List of reference numbers:1 Head tube 2 Seat tube 3 Frame tube with two parts 4 U-shaped bushing 5 Screw of the fastening 6 Line of the coupling of the two parts of the frame tube (3) 7 Sliding U-shaped bushing 8 Boundary plane (wall) of the bushing (11) 13 Coupling unit 14 Axis of rotation 15 Boundary stop (screw) 16 Additional screw 17 Resilient clamping strip 18 Screws 18a Hole for screws (18) 19 Central part of the link 20 Notch for fixing the link handle (21) in the folded state 21 Link handle 22 Cylinder insert of the link handle (21) 23 Holder of the link handle (21) 24 Incision of the holder (23) in the central part (19) of the link 25 Spring of the holder (23) 26 Screw for fastening the cylinder insert of the link handle (21) 27 Clamping cable 28 nodes of the tension cable (27) 29 bushingThus, this invention aims to improve the prototype [2], which simplifies the design and manufacture of a folding wheel and optimizes its use.

Claims

The folding wheel [2], characterized in that it does not comprise a tightening element (8), a support (9) and a tightening element (7), and the tube (3) is made of two parts with a large cross-section and / or a greater wall thickness, while the sliding sleeve (11) has a U-shaped profile, on one side of which there are holes for the rotation axis (14) of the connector (13), and on the other side the central part of the U-shaped profile is extended and bent so as to form a new wall (12) stiffening the U-shaped profile and also limits the movement of the sliding sleeve (11) due to the limiting screw (15), and moreover plays the role of the lock in the working state of the frame the rod (17) fixed with the limiting screw (15) and an additional screw (16), or by welding to the part of the pipe (3) in which the sliding sleeve (11) is located and on the second end of the rod (17) in the hole there is a small captive screw (18) with a head which is easy to handle and this screw (18) can screw into the threaded hole (18a) in the other part of the pipe (3), but this is only when both parts of the frame pipe (3) are on the sleeve (4) and contact each other.The folding wheel according to claim 1, wherein industrial folding pedals are used, as well as a folding handlebar - as in industrial scooters, consisting of three parts inside which there is a tension cable (27) connecting these parts and the ends of which attach steering wheel handles (21) to the ends by means of bushes (29), while in the middle of the steering wheel (19) there are attachment knobs (23) with springs (25), which attach the handles (21) in the working state of the steering wheel, and on the steering wheel tube (1) a plastic holder securing the handlebar (21) in the folded state of the handlebar, characterized in that there is no plastic holder on the rudder tube (1) and the cutouts (20) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the middle part (19) of the folding handlebar, The width thereof is slightly larger than the thickness of the used tension rope (27) and the length is not less than half the diameter of the handle (21) of the handlebar, and the handlebar (21) has the same length as a conventional bicycle.

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