Storage system for a bicycle

Abstract

The invention relates to a storage system for a bicycle with a fork stem. This storage system should be easy for the user to mount and dismount on the bicycle, easily accessible during use, and lightweight yet highly stable.This is achieved according to the invention in that the storage system further comprises: a sleeve body (1, 10) which is designed to be mounted in the hollow space of the steerer tube so as to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the steerer tube, a clamping means acting on the sleeve body mounted in the steerer tube, comprising a ramp body (2, 20) with a conical outer contour which is movable by means of a first screw drive (3, 30) by rotating the sleeve body linearly and parallel to a longitudinal axis (L) of the sleeve body (1, 10), and an expansion means (4, 40) which is designed to be expandable against an inner wall of the steerer tube by means of this linear movement of the ramp body (2, 20) with expansion of its outer circumference, and a storage means (5, 50) which can be screwed into the storage system by means of a second screw drive (6, 60).

Description

The invention relates to a storage system for a bicycle having a head tube.The fork stem of a bicycle is a component of the front fork of the bicycle and serves for connecting the front wheel to the handlebar of the bicycle. In this case, the handlebar of the bicycle is connected to the fork stem via a so-called "front part", wherein the front part is fastened to the fork stem by means of a clamping connection.To enable steering movements, the front fork is mounted with its fork stem rotatably in the head tube of the bicycle frame. Between the upper end face of the control tube and the clamping connection of the front part on the fork stem, a headset cover and additional spacers (so-called "spacers") are usually arranged for increasing the distance between the control tube and front part. The play-free position of the fork shank in the control tube is usually effected by means of a tension screw which clamps the headset cover against an impact claw or claw nut placed in the interior of the fork shank tube (so-called "star groove"). In the case of fork stem tubes made of non-metallic materials, the driving claw is replaced by a clamping mechanism which can be expanded against the inner wall of the fork stem tube by means of the threaded drive of the tension screw.Although the interior cavity of the head tube is thus generally filled by components essential for the function of the bicycle, there has been a need for some time to make this interior of the head tube additionally usable for the storage of small parts, such as, for example, in particular tools for the repair of bicycles.Generic storage systems, by means of which such small parts can be stored in the fork tube of a bicycle, are therefore known from the prior art. For example, storage systems with a sleeve- or tube-like storage container are known, which can be screwed directly into a thread introduced into the inner wall of the fork stem tube. However, the production of such a thread directly on the inner wall of the fork stem tube is complicated and entails the risk of damage to the fork stem tube. In the case of fork stem pipes made of non-metallic materials, such as carbon fibers, the introduction of such an internal thread is extremely complex and generally even fundamentally to be avoided in order to avoid structural damage to the fork stem pipe.Alternatively, DE 20 20 2019 104 727 U1 discloses a storage sleeve which can be inserted into a fork tube and which, when inserted into the fork tube, can be placed against a first end face of the fork tube by means of a collar running around in a ring shape and can be screwed against a clamping cover placed on the second end face of the fork tube opposite it, so that the storage sleeve is clamped between the two distal ends of the fork tube. However, such a storage system extends over the entire length of the fork tube and is supported exclusively at its two distal ends against the fork tube, so that it has only a low stiffness. In addition, the fork tube of bicycles have extremely different lengths, so that such a storage system must either be produced and marketed in a wide variety of lengths, which is less economical, or must be adaptable to the real length of the fork tube by means of a plurality of compensating elements, which additionally increases the instability of this storage system and impairs its serviceability. A further substantial disadvantage of this prior art is that in many types of bicycle frames the two distal ends of the fork tube differ significantly from one another in terms of shape and dimension. In some frame designs, e.g. carbon frame racing bicycles, the lower end of the head tube is even often closed. In such frames, the storage system known from DE 20 20 2019 104 727 U1 is either not installed at all or is installed only with great difficulty.In a similar manner to this, storage systems are also known in which the storage containers are screwed in the longitudinal direction of the head tube against a driving claw or claw nut inserted in the interior of the head tube. However, the length of the storage container is limited by the depth dimension of the installation position of the claw nut in the fork stem tube. Solely for manufacturing considerations, the claw nut cannot be arranged anywhere deep in the interior of the fork stem tube. Furthermore, the depth of the installation position of the claw nut is limited in that very many fork stem tubes expand in their downwardly directed region with an increase in the inner diameter and thus a claw nut cannot be stably anchored in inner diameters expanded in this way. All this leads to the storage containers of such storage systems being dimensioned only very small or short. In addition, this already very small volume of the storage container is reduced even further by the fastening screw penetrating the interior of the storage container.The object of the present invention is thus to provide a storage system for a bicycle with a steerer tube which overcomes the aforementioned problems. In particular, the storage system should be easy for the user to mount or disassemble on the bicycle, be easily accessible during use, and be light in weight with high stability at the same time.This object is achieved in that the storage system further comprises: a sleeve body which is configured for mounting in the cavity of the fork tube so as to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the fork tube,▪ a clamping means acting on the sleeve body mounted in the fork stem tube, comprising a ramp body with conical outer contour, which can be moved by means of a first threaded drive by rotational movement of the sleeve body linearly and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sleeve body, and an expansion means, which is designed to be expandable against an inner wall of the fork stem tube by means of this linear movement of the ramp body while expanding its outer circumference, and a storage means which can be screwed into the storage system by means of a second threaded drive.The sleeve body and the clamping means form a holder device of the storage system, into which the storage means can be screwed. The clamping means is in turn formed from ramp body and expansion means. A ramp body, which according to the invention is a component of the clamping means, is to be understood in the context of the invention as an annular sleeve which engages around the sleeve body in the circumferential direction and extends over at least a partial section of the length of the sleeve body in a longitudinal direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve body.The basic idea of the invention is to realize the fastening of the storage means with respect to the fork stem tube by means of two mutually independent mechanical operative connections. By means of a first drivable threaded drive, the holding device of the storage system is clamped against the inner wall of the fork stem tube. By means of a second drivable threaded drive, the mounting of the storage means takes place in the holding device of the storage system. Both screw drives can be driven independently of one another by means of a rotational movement about the longitudinal axis of the fork tube, wherein both screw drives are configured for applying the rotational movement by a user of the storage system from the same end face of the fork tube. In a storage system installed in the fork tube, the longitudinal axes of the sleeve body, the ramp body and the expansion means coincide and are congruent with the longitudinal axis of the fork tube.In this way, both mechanical operative connections or fixing means can be optimized independently of one another. In particular, the invention enables a very stable attachment of the storage system in the fork stem tube and a very easy-to-operate and at the same time stable attachment of the storage means in the storage system.In addition, both mechanical operative connections or fixing means can be actuated by the user of the storage system from a single end face of the fork stem tube. The storage system can be introduced from one end face of the fork stem tube into the interior or cavity thereof and can be fixed by means of an operating action, which can likewise be carried out from the same end face, for actuating the first threaded drive from the inside against the inner wall of the fork stem tube. Thus, both the insertion and the clamping of the storage system are made possible by manually easily performable actuation actions from a single end side of the fork tube without further actuation actions having to be carried out for this purpose at the opposite distal (or second) end of the fork tube. This facilitates the manual operation of the storage system by the user and improves ease of use. Furthermore, the storage means can be fixed in the storage system or removed therefrom in a simple manner by means of an operating action which can be carried out from the same end face, without the mechanical operative connection between the storage system and the fork stem pipe having to be released for this purpose or the storage system as such having to be removed from the fork stem pipe.In this way, a storage system is realized which enables mounting of the entire storage system from a single end side of the fork stem tube without any structural modifications or subsequent machining of conventional fork stem tubes, such as cutting an internal thread into the fork stem tube, being required for this purpose. Compared to first known storage systems, the storage containers of which are screwed directly into an internal thread of the fork stem tube, the advantage of the invention is that it is possible to dispense with such a thread which has a negative effect on the structure and mechanical strength of the fork stem tube, which makes it possible to use the storage system according to the invention in the case of fork stem tubes made of nonmetallic materials, in particular those made of carbon fiber-based materials.Compared to second previously known storage systems, the storage containers of which are clamped between the upper and lower end faces of a fork tube that are distal in the longitudinal direction, the advantage of the invention is to enable the storage means to be easily mounted and actuated by the user thereof from only a single end face, namely the end face of the fork tube that is oriented upward and faces the user, and moreover to enable a uniform structural embodiment, which is nevertheless suitable for a wide variety of designs and structural lengths of fork tube. Compared to third known storage systems, the storage containers of which are screwed against a claw nut driven into the interior of the head tube, the advantage of the invention lies in a significantly greater length of the storage means. In addition, the interior of the storage container of a storage system according to the invention is not impaired by a screw arranged there for fastening the storage means against the claw nut.To simplify the insertion of the storage system into the fork stem tube, the sleeve body can have an annular projection on the end side remote from the clamping means, which projection forms a stop surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve body, which stop surface corresponds to an end surface of the fork stem tube and delimits the insertion path of the sleeve body into the fork stem tube in the manner of an axial stop. This facilitates the positioning of the storage system when it is manually fixed against the fork tube of the bicycle.The invention further provides that the storage means has, on the end side remote from the clamping means, a shoulder projecting beyond the outer contour of the sleeve body. In a position of the storage system fixed in the fork tube, this shoulder forms an annular contact surface which protrudes with respect to the outer contour of the sleeve body and by means of which a front part of the bicycle handlebar can be clamped against the control bearing in the longitudinal direction of the fork tube for the purpose of setting the fork tube free of play. In this way, the functionality of the play-free position can be realized by means of the storage system according to the invention and the use of conventional devices for play-free position of the fork tube against the control bearing can be dispensed with. This is advantageous since the storage system according to the invention can also be removed again very easily, which represents a distinct advantage compared to the prior art. A claw nut or a claw driven into the head tube once is either not removable at all or can only be removed again from the head tube with considerable effort.Furthermore, it is provided that the end face of the sleeve body and / or of the storage means remote from the clamping means has an internal toothing. In this way, the force required for actuating the first and / or second screw drive can be applied to the sleeve body or the storage means in a simple manner by means of tools which are known and widely used per se. In this case, an inner toothing suitable for engaging a cassette puller known (taken per se) from the prior art is provided in a particularly preferred manner. Alternatively, however, other end-face means for positively transmitting an actuating force to the sleeve body or the storage means are also conceivable, such as an external hexagon. This enables simple and efficient fixing of the storage system in the fork tube or of the storage means in the storage system by means of customary tools which are widely used by cyclists.According to a first particularly preferred embodiment of the basic idea according to the invention, the first threaded drive is designed as an internal thread of the sleeve body and the second threaded drive is designed as an internal thread of the ramp body. The ramp body is designed as a sleeve with a first cylindrical threaded section, which has an external thread that is in engagement with the sleeve body in the first threaded drive and an internal thread that is in engagement with the storage means in the second threaded drive, as well as a second section adjoining the latter in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the ramp body, the outer surface of which forms a truncated cone surface with an outer circumference that tapers conically in the direction of the threaded section, on which a conical inner surface of the expansion means corresponding thereto is supported in a slidingly displaceable manner. In the event of a rotational rotational movement of the sleeve body about the common longitudinal axis of the storage system, the ramp body experiences a linear displacement in a direction parallel to this longitudinal axis via the first threaded drive. This linear movement is transmitted via the second section of the ramp body to the expansion means, which is supported by means of its aforementioned conical inner surface on the frustoconical outer surface of this second section of the ramp body. In the longitudinal direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the storage system, the expansion means abuts on the end face against the sleeve body acting as a stop, so that the expansion means of the longitudinal axis-parallel force component acting on the expansion means by the linear movement of the ramp body cannot yield by a separate linear displacement, but instead is expanded under the action of the force component perpendicular thereto in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the storage system, i.e. in the direction towards the inner wall of the fork stem tube.This preferred embodiment further provides that the expansion means comprises a plurality of segments of an annular sleeve which are separated from one another and which are held against one another by at least one ring held in a form-fitting manner on the outer circumferential surface of the segments and the inner surfaces of which bear with in each case at least one subsection on the outer contour of the ramp body. The separation is preferably oriented in a direction parallel to the common longitudinal axis of the storage system. Such a segmentation on the one hand enables a uniform change of the outer circumference over the entire circumference of the annular sleeve in the event of a relative displacement between the ramp body and the annular sleeve of the expansion means. Furthermore, the individual segments of the annular sleeve are secured in their relative alignment with one another by the at least one ring which surrounds the segments on their outer surfaces. Such a ring encompassing the segments of the annular sleeve ensures that all segments slide over the frustoconical surface of the ramp body in an approximately synchronous manner during linear relative movement of the expansion means with respect to the ramp body. An expansion means embodied according to the invention in this way ensures a uniform distribution of the contact pressure against the inner wall surface of the fork stem tube over the entire outer circumference.This above-mentioned, particularly preferred first embodiment is distinguished by extremely compact dimensions and a very low weight. The aforementioned rings of the expansion means can be provided with a particularly sharp-edged contoured outer contour, whereby not only a surface contact pressure of the expansion means against the inner wall of the fork stem tube is made possible, but also an penetration of the sharp-edged contour elements into the material of the fork stem tube is made possible, which makes an application of this first embodiment particularly advantageous in connection with carbon tubes.According to a second embodiment of the invention, which is alternative to this, the first threaded drive is designed as an external thread of the sleeve body and the second threaded drive is designed as an internal thread of the sleeve body. The ramp body is designed as a sleeve-like ring, which has an internal thread which is in engagement with the sleeve body in the first threaded drive, and an outer surface with an outer circumference which widens conically in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the ramp body and on which an inner surface of the expansion means, which inner surface corresponds thereto, is supported in a slidingly displaceable manner. In the event of a rotational rotational movement of the sleeve body about the common longitudinal axis of the storage system, the ramp body experiences a linear displacement in a direction parallel to this longitudinal axis via the first threaded drive. This linear movement is transmitted to the expansion means, which is supported by means of a first conical inner surface on the outer surface of the ramp body which is inversely conical thereto. By suitable structural means, such as, for example, an end-face stop against the sleeve body on the second end face of the expansion means distal to the first conical inner surface, the expansion means is prevented from deviating the longitudinal axis-parallel force component acting on the expansion means by means of a separate linear displacement by means of the linear movement of the ramp body, but instead is expanded by means of the force component perpendicular thereto in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the storage system, i.e. in the direction towards the inner wall of the fork stem tube. According to a preferred embodiment variant, the expansion means has, in the region of the second end face distal to the first conical inner surface, a second conical inner surface which is supported in a slidingly displaceable manner on an inversely conical outer surface of a second ramp body fixed in position with respect to the sleeve body, i.e. in particular not displaceable in the longitudinal direction. A force acting on the expansion means in the region of this second ramp body causes-analogously in the region of the first conical inner surface-the expansion means to spread open in the direction of the inner wall of the fork stem tube under the action of a force component perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.This alternative second embodiment of the inventive idea enables a large contact surface of the expansion means against the inner wall of the fork stem tube and thus a particularly uniform distribution of the contact pressure force against the fork stem tube or only very slightly pronounced pressure load peaks.The expansion means of this second alternative embodiment is designed as a slotted sleeve, the inner surface of which rests with at least one subsection on the outer contour of the ramp body. The at least one slot of the sleeve is preferably oriented in a direction parallel to the common longitudinal axis of the storage system. An expansion means embodied in this way is simple and cost-effective to produce.Furthermore, the invention provides friction coefficient-increasing contour elements on the outer surface of the expansion means. Such contour elements can be designed in such a way that, on the one hand, although they reduce the contact surface between the expansion means and the inner wall surface of the fork stem tube, they simultaneously increase the surface pressure between the two surface elements and thus greater pressing forces act between the two surface elements.Preferably, these contour elements can also have sharply contoured outer edges. These can penetrate into the surface of the inner wall of the fork stem tube with a sufficiently high surface pressure and thus, in addition to an increase in coefficient of friction, also bring about a positive connection between expansion means and fork stem.In a particularly preferred manner, the outer contour of the ring provided according to the aforementioned first alternative embodiment also has at least one such friction coefficient-increasing and / or positively acting contour element.The idea of the invention is effectively supported in that the storage means is constructed from a first part body having the second threaded drive and a second part body forming a storage container, wherein the first and second part bodies are connected to one another in a mechanically detachable manner. This enables particularly cost-effective production of the storage system. While the function of the first part-body as a mechanically highly stressed hollow screw makes particular requirements on the material to be used for its manufacture, a comparatively simple configuration as a dust- and liquid-tight plastic molded body is completely sufficient with respect to the second part-body. This applies all the more strongly, as proposed above, if the storage means has, on the end side remote from the clamping means, an extension projecting beyond the outer contour of the sleeve body, by means of which extension a front part of the bicycle handlebar can be clamped against the control bearing by rotational rotation or tightening of the hollow screw of the storage means for the purpose of setting the fork stem tube free of play in the longitudinal direction of the fork stem.The present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to second exemplary embodiments and associated drawings. They show in each case a perspective view: FIGS. 1 and 2 : longitudinal section through a storage system according to the invention according to a first embodiment variant FIGS. 3 and 4 : longitudinal section through a storage system according to the invention according to a second variant embodimentFIGS. 1 and 3 show the first and second variant embodiments of a position not clamped in the fork stem tube, respectively. In FIGS. 2 and 4, on the other hand, the two embodiments are each shown in the clamping position, i.e. in a position fixed or clamped in a fork stem tube ( 8, 80). This enables a direct comparison between the unclamped position and the clamped position, as a result of which the relative operative relationships of the individual components of a storage system according to the invention during the transition between these two positions are made clear and can be more easily understood.The first embodiment variant of the storage system according to the invention, which is illustrated in the assembled position in FIG. 1, is formed from a sleeve body (1) having a smooth outer surface and an internal thread,▪ a ramp body (2), comprising a first threaded section (21) which is designed as a cylindrical annular sleeve with in each case an external thread which forms a first threaded drive (3) interacting with the internal thread of the sleeve body (1) and an internal thread, and a second conical section (22) adjoining the latter in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the ramp body and which is designed as a frustoconical annular sleeve whose conical outer surface forms an external circumference tapering in the direction of the first section,▪ an expansion means (4) consisting of a plurality of segments (41) of an annular sleeve separated from one another, which are held together by two rings (42) held in a groove on the outer circumferential surface of the segments (41) in each case in a positive-locking manner, wherein each segment (41) comprises a first section, which is designed as a cylindrical annular sleeve with a smooth inner wall, and a second bearing subsection (43), the inner surface of which has a conical contour corresponding to the conical outer surface of the second section (22) of the ramp body (2) and is supported in a slidingly displaceable manner on this conical outer surface of the ramp body (2), and a storage means (5) which is formed from a first part body (53) which is designed as a cylindrical hollow screw with an external thread which forms a second threaded drive (6) which interacts with the internal thread of the ramp body (2), and a second part body which is designed as a sleeve which is closed at one end in the longitudinal direction with a base and forms the actual storage container (54) for receiving small parts or tools.All the aforementioned components of the storage system are designed rotationally symmetrical and thus each have a longitudinal axis. In an assembled state embodying the storage system according to the invention, the storage system has a longitudinal axis (L) common to all the aforementioned components. This is at the same time identical to the longitudinal axis of the fork stem tube (8). In FIG. 1, the fork tube is not shown for reasons of better clarity. FIG. 2 shows the aforementioned first embodiment variant in a position clamped in the fork stem tube ( 8).The sleeve body (1) has a smooth outer surface, the outer diameter of which substantially corresponds to the inner diameter of the fork stem tube (8) (i.e. there is only a small clearance between the fork stem tube (8) and the sleeve body (1) inserted into the fork stem tube (8)). Thus, the sleeve body (1), taken alone, is configured for mounting in the cavity of the fork tube (8) rotatably about the longitudinal axis of the fork tube (8) (and thus also about the longitudinal axis (L) of the storage system).Furthermore, the sleeve body (1) has an annular projection (11) on a first end face, which forms a stop surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (L) of the storage system or to the outer surface of the sleeve body (1). This stop surface corresponds to the edge of that end face of the fork tube (8) from which the storage system according to the invention is introduced into the fork tube (8) during assembly, and delimits the insertion path of the sleeve body into the fork tube (8) in the manner of an axial stop acting against the aforementioned end face of the fork tube (8). This facilitates the positioning of the storage system during the mounting in the fork tube (8) of a bicycle.Furthermore, the sleeve body (1) has an internal face toothing of the projection (11) suitable for the engagement of a commercially available cassette puller. In this way, the force required for actuating the first threaded drive (3) can be applied to the sleeve body (1) in a simple manner by means of a tool which is known per se and is widely used by cyclists. This allows the sleeve body (1) to be braced against the fork tube (8) of the bicycle in a simple and efficient manner for each user.In a first mounting position, shown in FIG. 1, in which the storage system can be inserted into the fork stem tube or removed therefrom, the ramp body (2) is turned out of the sleeve body (1) in the first threaded drive (3) to such an extent that the second support sub-sections (43) of the expansion means (4) rest on the tapered region of the conical section of the ramp body (2). In this mounting position, the segments (41) of the expansion means (4) have virtually no play with respect to one another, and the two rings (42), which respectively engage around all segments (41), are held only comparatively loosely in their respective grooves on the outer surfaces of the segments (41). Furthermore, in this first mounting position, the first section of each segment ( 41) of the expansion means ( 4) bears on the end face against an end face of the sleeve body ( 1).When a rotational rotational movement is applied to the sleeve body (1) about the longitudinal axis (L) (for example by means of an actuating tool inserted into the aforementioned front-side internal toothing of the sleeve body (1), the ramp body (2) experiences a linear displacement via the first threaded drive (3) in a longitudinal direction parallel to this longitudinal axis (L). This linear movement is transmitted via the second section of the ramp body (2) to the second sections (43) of the segments (41) of the expansion means (4), which are each supported on the conical outer surface of the second section of the ramp body (2). Due to the aforementioned end-face stop of each segment (41) acting in the longitudinal direction against the sleeve body (1), the segments (41) cannot yield the force components acting by the linear movement of the ramp body (2) and parallel to the longitudinal axis (L) by a separate linear displacement in the longitudinal direction, but instead are spread open under the action of the force components perpendicular thereto in a spatial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (L), i.e. in the direction towards the inner wall of the fork stem tube (8). In this case, the gaps between the segments (41) of the expansion means and the outer periphery of the expansion means (4) increase until at least the rings (42) bear with their respective outer contours against the inner wall of the fork stem tube (8). In this way, the storage system can be braced against the fork stem tube (8). To increase the holding force effective between the fork tube (8) and the storage system, both rings (42) each have a sharply contoured outer contour which not only increases the coefficient of friction between the ring (42) and the inner wall of the fork tube (8), but also permits "digging" of the sharp outer contour of each ring (42) into the material of the inner wall of the fork tube and thus also a positive connection between the two when a sufficient force is introduced into the ramp body (2) via the first threaded drive (3).In the design of the storage system according to the invention, it must therefore be ensured that the maximum outer circumference of each of the two rings (42) is dimensioned such that it does not fall below the maximum inner diameter of the fork tube (8) into which the storage system is to be mounted. Otherwise, an excessively narrow outer circumference of a ring (42) would block the expansion of the segments (41) at an early stage before the expansion means (4) or its rings (42) come into clamping contact with the fork stem tube (8).In a second clamping position visualized in FIG. 2, in which the storage system is fixed clampingly in the fork stem tube (8), the ramp body (2) is screwed in the first threaded drive (3) in the direction of the sleeve body (1) to such an extent that the bearing subsection (43) or at least one ring (42) of the expansion means (4) is brought into self-locking contact against the inner wall of the fork stem tube (8) via the conical section (22) of the ramp body (2). In the clamping position, the sleeve body (1) and the ramp body (2) are in mutual engagement over a greater number of threads than in the unclamped position in the region of the first threaded drive (3).The first partial body (53) and the storage container (54) of the storage means (5) are connected to one another in a releasable manner by means of a form-fitting connection. The first part-body ( 53) is designed as a hollow screw with an external thread, to the end face of which, in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis (L), the likewise cylindrical storage container ( 504) is connected via a mechanical latching mechanism. Furthermore, the storage means ( 5) has, on the second end face distal thereto, an extension ( 51) projecting beyond the outer contour of the annular projection ( 11) of the sleeve body ( 1) in the radial direction. When the storage system is installed in the fork tube (8), this forms an annular contact surface which protrudes with respect to the outer contour of the sleeve body (1) and via which a front part (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 for reasons of clarity) of the bicycle handlebar can be clamped against the control bearing for the purpose of setting the fork tube (8) free of play in the longitudinal direction of the fork tube.Furthermore, the storage means (5) has an internal face toothing (52) of the extension (51) suitable for the engagement of a commercially available cassette puller. In this way, the force required for actuating the second threaded drive (6) can be applied to the storage means (5) in a simple manner by means of a tool which is known per se and is widely used by cyclists. This enables the storage means ( 5) to be fixed in the storage system in a simple and efficient manner for each user. In a manner analogous and identically motifd to this, the end face of the sleeve body ( 1) oriented outwards in the assembly position also has such an internal toothing.FIG. 3 illustrates a second embodiment variant of the storage system according to the invention in the mounted position, wherein the storage system is formed from▪ a sleeve body (10), comprising a first cylindrical section with a first outer diameter and with an internal thread, as well as a second cylindrical section adjoining the first cylindrical section in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the sleeve body (10) and forming a radial shoulder (102) with a second outer diameter and with an external thread, wherein the second outer diameter is smaller than the first outer diameter,▪ a ramp body (20) which is designed as an annular sleeve having an internal thread which forms a first threaded drive (30) which interacts with the external thread of the sleeve body (10), and a conical outer surface having an outer circumference which tapers in the direction of the first section of the sleeve body (10),▪ an expansion means (40), consisting of an annular sleeve slotted in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the storage system, having a first bearing subsection (403), the inner surface of which has a conical contour corresponding to the conical outer surface of the ramp body (20) and is supported in a slidingly displaceable manner on this conical outer surface of the ramp body (20), and a second bearing subsection (404), the inner surface of which has a conical contour with an inverse or opposite gradient to the conical contour of the first bearing subsection (403) and is supported on a conical outer surface of a counter-ring (201), which bears against the shoulder (102) on the second section of the sleeve body (10) in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis (L), and a storage means (50), which is formed from a first part body (503), which is designed as a cylindrical hollow screw with an external thread, which forms a second threaded drive (60), which interacts with the internal thread of the sleeve body (10), and a second part body, which is designed as a sleeve, which is closed at one end in the longitudinal direction with a base, and forms the actual storage container (504) for receiving small parts or tools.All the aforementioned components of the storage system are designed rotationally symmetrical and thus each have a longitudinal axis. In an assembled state embodying the storage system according to the invention, the storage system has a longitudinal axis (L) common to all the aforementioned components. This is at the same time identical to the longitudinal axis of the fork stem tube (80). In FIG. 3, the fork tube is not shown for reasons of better clarity. FIG. 4 shows the aforementioned second embodiment variant in a position clamped in the fork stem tube ( 80).The first cylindrical section of the sleeve body (10) has smooth outer surfaces, the maximum outer diameter of which substantially corresponds to the inner diameter of the fork stem tube (80) (i.e. there is only a small clearance between the fork stem tube (80) and the sleeve body (10) inserted into the fork stem tube (80)). Thus, the sleeve body (10), taken alone, is configured for mounting in the cavity of the fork tube (80) rotatably about the longitudinal axis of the fork tube (80) (and thus also about the longitudinal axis (L) of the storage system).Furthermore, the sleeve body (10) has an annular projection (101) on a first end side delimiting the first cylindrical section, said projection forming a stop surface perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (L) of the storage system or to the outer surface of the first cylindrical section of the sleeve body (10).This stop surface corresponds to the edge of that end face of the fork tube (80) from which the storage system according to the invention can be introduced into the fork tube (80) during assembly, and delimits the insertion path of the sleeve body into the fork tube (80) in the manner of an axial stop acting against the aforementioned end face of the fork tube (80). This facilitates positioning the storage system during assembly in the head tube (80) of a bicycle.Furthermore, the sleeve body (10) has an internal face toothing of the projection (101) suitable for the engagement of a commercially available cassette puller. In this way, the force required for actuating the first threaded drive (30) can be applied to the sleeve body (10) in a simple manner by means of a tool which is known per se and is widely used by cyclists. This allows the sleeve body (10) to be braced against the fork tube (80) of the bicycle in a simple and efficient manner for each user.In a first assembly position, in which the storage system can be inserted into the fork stem tube (80) or removed therefrom, the ramp body (20) is spaced apart or turned out from the shoulder (102) of the sleeve body (10) in the first threaded drive (30) to such an extent that the first bearing subsection (403) of the expansion means (40) rests on the tapered region of the conical outer contour of the ramp body (20). In this mounting position, the slot ( 408) of the annular sleeve of the expansion means ( 40) is almost closed.When a rotational rotational movement is applied to the sleeve body (10) about the longitudinal axis (L) (for example by means of an actuating tool inserted into the aforementioned front-side internal toothing of the sleeve body (10)), the ramp body (20) experiences a linear displacement via the first threaded drive (30) in a longitudinal direction parallel to this longitudinal axis (L). This linear movement is transmitted via the conical outer contour of the ramp body (20) to the support subsection (403) of the expansion means (40), which is supported on the ramp body (20) by means of a likewise conical inner surface. The annular sleeve of the expansion means (40) has, at a second end distal to the first support subsection (403) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (L), a second support subsection (404), the inner surface of which has a conical contour with an inverse or opposite gradient to the conical contour of the first support subsection (403) and is supported on a conical outer surface of a mating ring (201) which abuts against the shoulder (102) in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis (L). Due to this end-face abutment of the counter-ring (201) on the shoulder (102), which abutment acts in the longitudinal direction, the annular sleeve of the expansion means (40) of the force component acting by the linear movement of the ramp body (20) in the region of the first support subsection (403) and parallel to the longitudinal axis (L) cannot yield by its own linear movement in the longitudinal direction, but instead is expanded or widened under the action of the force component perpendicular thereto in a spatial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (L), i.e. in the direction towards the inner wall of the fork stem tube (80). In this case, the slot ( 408) in the annular sleeve of the expansion means ( 40) widens and the outer circumference thereof increases until the outer contour of the annular sleeve of the expansion means ( 40) bears against the inner wall of the fork stem tube ( 80). In this way, the storage system can be braced against the fork stem tube (80). To increase the holding force effective between the fork tube (80) and the storage system, the outer surface of the annular sleeve of the expansion means (40) has a plurality of sharply contoured contour elements (407) (for example in the form of the bands which are shown in FIG. 3 and which annularly encompass the annular sleeve), which not only increase the coefficient of friction between the expansion means (40) and the inner wall of the fork tube (80), but also make possible a positive "digging" of the contour elements (70) into the material of the inner wall of the fork tube (80) when the force is sufficiently introduced into the ramp body (20) via the first threaded drive (30).In the design of the storage system according to the invention, it must therefore be ensured that the maximum outer circumference of the annular sleeve of the expansion means (40) is dimensioned such that it does not fall below the maximum inner diameter of the fork tube (80) into which the storage system is to be mounted. Otherwise, the expansion of the ferrule would be blocked at an early stage before the expansion means (40) comes into clamping contact with the head tube (80).In the second clamping position, in which the storage system is fixed in a clamping manner in the fork stem tube (80), the ramp body (20) is screwed in the first threaded drive (30) in the direction of the shoulder (102) of the sleeve body (10) to such an extent that the bearing subsection (403) of the expansion means (40) rests in the thickened region of the conical outer contour of the ramp body (20).The first partial body ( 503) and the storage container ( 504) of the storage means ( 50) are connected to one another in a releasable manner by means of a form-fit connection. The first part-body ( 503) is designed as a hollow screw with an external thread, into the inner cylindrical cavity of which the likewise cylindrical storage container ( 504) is inserted. Furthermore, the storage means (50) has, on the end side remote from the base of the storage container (504), a shoulder (501) projecting in the radial direction beyond the outer contour of the annular projection (101) of the sleeve body (10). When the storage system is installed in the fork tube (80), this forms an annular contact surface which protrudes with respect to the outer contour of the first section of the sleeve body (10) and via which a front part (not shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 for reasons of clarity) of the bicycle handlebar for the clearance-free position of the fork tube (80) can be clamped against the control bearing in the longitudinal direction of the fork tube.Furthermore, the storage means (50) has an internal face toothing (502) of the extension (501) suitable for the engagement of a commercially available cassette puller. In this way, the force required for actuating the second threaded drive (60) can be applied to the storage means (50) in a simple manner by means of a tool which is known per se and is widely used by cyclists. This enables the storage means ( 50) to be fixed in the storage system in a simple and efficient manner for each user.List of reference characters1, 10 Sleeve body 11, 101 annular projection of the sleeve body (1, 10) 102 radial shoulder of the sleeve body (10) 2, 20 ramp body 21 threaded section of the ramp body (2) 22 conical section of the ramp body (2) 201 counter-ring of the ramp body (20) 3 offset in the longitudinal direction, 30 first threaded drive 4, 40 expansion means 41 segments of the expansion means (4) 42 ring of the expansion means (4) 43, 403 bearing subsection of the expansion means (4, 40) 404 second bearing subsection of the expansion means (40) 407 contour elements 408 slot 5, 50 storage means 51, 501 annular shoulder of the storage means (5, 50) 52, 502 internal toothing of the storage means (5, 50) 53, 503 part-body of the storage means (5, 50) with second threaded drive (6, 60) 54, 503, 504 storage container of the storage means (5, 50) 6, 60 second screw drive 8, 80 fork stem tube L longitudinal axis of the storage systemReferences included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedDE 20 2019 104 727 U1

[0006]

Claims

Storage system for a bicycle with a fork stem tube, characterized in that the storage system further comprises: ▪ a sleeve body (1, 10) which is configured for mounting in the cavity of the fork stem tube in a manner rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the fork stem tube, ▪ a clamping means acting on the sleeve body mounted in the fork stem tube, comprising • a ramp body (2, 20) with a conical outer contour which can be moved by means of a first threaded drive (3, 30) by rotational movement of the sleeve body linearly and parallel to a longitudinal axis (L) of the sleeve body (1, 10), • and an expansion means (4, 40) which is configured such that it can be spread by means of this linear movement of the ramp body (2, 20) against an inner wall of the fork stem tube, widening its outer circumference, ▪ and a storage means (5, 50) which is configured such that it can be spread by means of a second threaded drive (6, 50), 60) can be screwed into the storage system.Storage system according to claim 1, characterised in that the storage means (5, 50) has, on the end side remote from the clamping means, a shoulder (51, 501) projecting beyond the outer contour of the sleeve body (1, 10).Storage system according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the end face of the sleeve body (1, 10) and / or of the storage means (5, 50) remote from the clamping means has an internal toothing (52, 502).Storage system according to one of Patent Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first threaded drive (3) is designed as an internal thread of the sleeve body (1) and the second threaded drive (6) is designed as an internal thread of the ramp body (2).Storage system according to claim 4, characterised in that the expansion means (4) comprises a plurality of segments (41) of an annular sleeve which are separated from one another and which are held together by at least one ring (42) held positively on the outer circumferential surface of the segments (41) and the inner surfaces of which bear with in each case at least one subsection (43) on the outer contour of the ramp body (2).Storage system according to one of Patent Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first threaded drive (30) is designed as an external thread of the sleeve body (10), and the second threaded drive (60) is designed as an internal thread of the sleeve body (10).Storage system according to claim 6, characterised in that the expansion means (40) is designed as a slotted sleeve, the inner surface of which rests with at least one subsection (403) on the outer contour of the ramp body (20).Storage system according to one of Patent Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the outer surface of the expansion means (40) has contour elements (407) which increase the coefficient of friction and / or act in a positively locking manner.Storage system according to claim 5, characterised in that the outer contour of the ring (42) has at least one contour element which increases the coefficient of friction and / or acts in a positively locking manner.Storage system according to one of Patent Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the storage means (5, 50) is constructed from a first part-body (53, 503) which has the second threaded drive (6, 60) and from a second part-body which forms a storage container (54, 504), wherein the first and second part-bodies are connected to one another in a mechanically detachable manner.

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