Longtail-Lastenfahrrad

Abstract

Cargo bicycle (2) with: • a rear wheel (8) driven by means of two pedal cranks (6) with a tire smaller than 26 inches; • a front wheel (10) rotatably mounted about a front axle with a tire smaller than 20 inches; and • a frame (14) to which, in the direction of travel from front to rear, the following are attached: ◯ the front wheel rotatable about a front axle and steerable about a steering axle; ◯ a first loading device (20) at least partially between the front wheel (10) and the handlebar (16); ◯ a handlebar (16) rotatable about a handlebar axle; ◯ a bottom bracket axle with the pedal cranks (6); ◯ a saddle (18); ◯ a second loading device (66) at least partially behind the saddle (18); and ◯ the rear wheel (8) rotatably mounted on a rear axle; and • a steering gear (26) that transmits the steering rotation of the handlebar (16) to the fork (12) transmits their rotational motion,where the distance between the bottom bracket axle (60) and the rear axle (62) is greater than 44 cm, 50 cm, or 55 cm.

Description

The invention relates to the improvement of a cargo bicycle with a rear wheel driven by means of two pedal cranks and a front wheel rotatably mounted and steerable about a front axle and a frame to which, in the direction of travel from the front to the rear, the following are attached: the front wheel, a first loading device at least partially between the front wheel and a handlebar, the handlebar, a bottom bracket with the pedal cranks, a saddle, a second loading device at least partially behind the saddle and the rear wheel rotatably mounted about a rear axle, as well as with a steering gear that transmits a steering rotation movement of the handlebar to the front wheel. Bicycles are a well-known and extremely widespread means of transportation worldwide. Bicycles with a so-called diamond frame typically have luggage racks for carrying loads, usually mounted above the rear wheel, but also, as is common, above the front wheel. Cargo bikes, especially those used by mail carriers, have long featured a very sturdy, large luggage rack above the front wheel. To transport even heavier loads, cargo bikes became popular and are now very common, equipped with loading devices integrated into and / or mounted on the frame behind the front wheel and in front of the handlebar pivot point (from front to back in the direction of travel).As with the diamond frame, a saddle is located behind the handlebars above the bottom bracket, along with the pedal cranks. A rider seated on the saddle typically uses these cranks to drive the rear wheel via a chain or belt drive. Steering is accomplished with a steering mechanism, for example, a pushrod or two cables, which transmits the rotational movement of the handlebars (via a lever on the handlebar axle) to the fork (also via a lever) as its rotational movement. The bicycle according to the invention can also possess these features as described above. An advantage of positioning the cargo area primarily between the front wheel and the handlebars is the ability to place the cargo area, and consequently its load, very low – thus also lowering the center of gravity of both the load and the bicycle. This has a positive effect on stability and maneuverability. A disadvantage of existing cargo bikes of this design is their considerable length. Furthermore, the volume of the cargo area in front of the handlebars' pivot point is often still insufficient, especially when heavy and particularly large loads or small children are to be transported at the front, and when multiple loads, and possibly even larger children, are to be carried simultaneously. The present invention is based on the objective of creating a cargo bike that is improved with regard to its payload while maintaining the best possible maneuverability. This problem is solved according to the invention by a cargo bike with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims. The cargo bicycle according to the invention has a rear wheel driven by a bottom bracket with two pedal cranks, in particular by means of a chain, belt, or cardan drive. Its front wheel is rotatably mounted about a front axle, particularly in a fork (or, for example, a kingpin steering system). Within its frame, from front to rear in the direction of travel, the front wheel, a handlebar, the bottom bracket with the pedal cranks, a saddle (particularly above and slightly behind the bottom bracket), and the rear wheel are rotatably mounted about a rear axle. A steering mechanism (for example, with a steering linkage or two cables) transmits the steering rotation of the handlebar to the fork – as its steering movement – ​​in order to align the fork and the rotatably mounted front wheel with respect to the rear wheel by correspondingly deflecting the handlebar. A first loading device is located at least partially between the front wheel and the handlebars on the frame. A second loading device, similar to a luggage rack, is preferably positioned as close as possible above the rear wheel and / or at least partially behind the saddle (and, in the bicycle's intended position, lower than the saddle), and particularly preferably extending rearward to behind the rear axle. For seating, especially for children, on this second loading device, a footrest is preferably arranged on each side, to the left and right, at the same (possibly adjustable) height next to the rear wheel. The distance between the seat and footrest is preferably not arbitrarily small. The footrests are particularly preferably positioned quite low (preferably almost 60 mm below the rear axle) to ensure sufficient legroom despite the low center of gravity. According to the invention, the cargo bike is characterized in that the front wheel has a tire smaller than 20 inches, particularly preferably a 16-inch tire. This can, for example, be a tire with the dimensions 16 x 2.00 inches and / or a wheel with a rim of the ETRTO 50-305 standard. According to the invention, the rear wheel also has a tire smaller than 26 inches, preferably smaller than 24 inches, particularly preferably a 20-inch tire. This can, for example, be a tire with the dimensions 20 x 2.0 inches and / or a wheel with a rim of the ETRTO 50-406 standard. The steering tube (in which the axle element of the handlebar is rotatably arranged) is (in the intended orientation of the bicycle, namely when riding straight ahead on horizontal ground) particularly preferably oriented vertically. Thus, the cargo bike according to the invention already has an extremely compact design. This has a particularly positive effect on maneuverability. Last but not least, parking in bicycle racks, in public squares, in bicycle cellars, and in public transport carriages such as subways, commuter trains, buses, or trains is also significantly easier according to the invention – at least compared to conventional "long johns" with larger wheels. Particularly preferred is the cargo bicycle according to the invention designed such that the overall length of the bicycle is no greater than 2.20 m, in particular 2.15 m. Thus, according to the invention, its overall length can be only 30 cm or even only 20 cm longer than that of a conventional bicycle (for example, with a diamond frame and / or 26-inch or 28-inch tires).This length advantage and the associated improvement in maneuverability and transportability arises according to the invention with a "longtail" design of the cargo bike according to the invention, in particular with a distance between the bottom bracket axle and the rear axle that is greater than 44 cm, or preferably 50 cm or particularly preferably 55 cm - which, for example, is a longer distance than necessary to safely position the tread of the rear wheel behind a seat tube on which the saddle is preferably mounted on a seat post, when the rear wheel size is less than 26 inches (as mentioned, preferably less than 24 inches and particularly preferably 20 inches).However, this arrangement of the rear wheel further back than is usual for a rear wheel smaller than 26 inches, or especially 24 inches (for example, on the rear wheel assembly of a diamond frame designed for a rear wheel of the same size), advantageously allows for a second loading device, particularly in the form of a so-called rear wheel rack, to be unusually long, preferably extending rearward above the rear end of the rear wheel assembly, and including a mudguard. Heavy loads, and especially one or two children, can be transported stably (and not just in terms of riding dynamics) on such a second loading device. The second loading device is particularly preferably a non-removable part of the frame (i.e., specifically welded in place, but also, for example, bolted in place). This also applies to a pair of footrests or horizontal running boards extending lengthwise along the frame in the direction of travel below the second loading device (approximately) at the level of the rear axle (in the intended orientation of the bicycle). Preferably, a backrest and / or one or more handgrips are provided, extending upwards onto the second loading device in the intended orientation of the bicycle (for example, by screwing them in place). This is particularly possible on the preferably horizontal loading surface of the second loading device (which may be designed as a seat), especially preferably on its two parallel longitudinal beams, if it is preferably designed with these (and, for example, several crossbeams, each made of, for example, round tubing and / or sheet metal). Alternatively, the backrest and / or handgrip(s) may be, for example, a non-removable part of the frame (i.e., particularly welded in place). The first loading device according to the invention, with its low center of gravity in the inventive construction, together with the second loading device according to the invention, with its great length and with the rear wheel shifted to the rear (compared to a conventional bicycle with a similar basic construction with regard to the first loading device), enables a surprisingly large payload, especially with the small wheels according to the invention, and, because of the even distribution of the (high) load weight in front of and behind the saddle possible according to the invention, with the user and his own weight, a literally more balanced driving behavior to a surprising extent. The first loading device preferably has a left and a right lateral limiting cheek, which can be pivoted laterally outwards from a folded, space-saving storage position into a loading position. Preferably, the limiting cheeks are held in the storage position by a locking device in which they abut against a stop and are locked by means of a spring-loaded latch. The locking device can be attached to a tube of the frame in which the axis of rotation (as an imaginary construction line) and / or the axle element (as an axle component) of the steering handle is located. Preferably, a child seat can be installed in the loading device in the loading position (in particular, positively locking, by providing a child seat device with suitable fastening elements that can be hooked, latched, snapped, and / or otherwise secured into matching counterparts on the frame). Preferably, the child seat device is provided with a suspended seat surface and a backrest from which the seat surface is suspended (similar to a hammock), and / or the child seat device is designed to be installed in the loading device in the loading position with the seat facing either forward or backward. Further aspects, features, and technical advantages of the invention are described below with reference to the figures. The figures show embodiments of the invention in which the features depicted therein and described here are also in accordance with the invention individually, independent of the respective illustrated embodiment. Specifically, Fig. 1 shows a side view of a cargo bicycle according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows a side view of a prior art cargo bicycle, Fig. 3 shows two three-dimensional views from a top oblique angle of the cargo bicycle according to the invention from Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 shows a three-dimensional cutaway view of the cargo bicycle from Fig. 1 with the rear wheel and second loading device cut away and a first loading device with a child seat device according to preferred embodiments of the invention, mounted (Fig. 4A) and exploded to the side (Fig. 4B), as well as only the exploded child seat device from Fig. 4B folded together (Fig. 4C).According to Figures 1, 2, 3 to 4, a cargo bicycle 2 has a rear wheel 8 driven by a chain or toothed belt drive (not shown) in a bottom bracket 4 with two pedal cranks 6. Its front wheel 10 is rotatably mounted in a fork 12. In its frame 14, from front to rear in the direction of travel, the fork 12, a handlebar 16, the bottom bracket 4 with the pedal cranks 6, and the rear wheel 8 are rotatably mounted. A saddle 18 is attached above the bottom bracket 4 with the two pedal cranks 6 behind the handlebar 16, and a first loading device 20 is located entirely between the front wheel 8 and the handlebar 16 on the frame 14.A steering pushrod 26 transmits the rotational movement of the steering bracket 16 (by means of a lever 27 on the axle element 34 of the steering bracket 16) to the fork 12 (also by means of a lever 27) - as its rotational and steering movement, in order to align the fork and the rotatably mounted front wheel 10 for steering relative to the rear wheel 8 by correspondingly deflecting the steering hill 16. The front wheel 10 has a 16-inch tire 28, and the rear wheel a 20-inch tire 30. The steering tube 32 (in which the axle element 34 of the handlebar 16 is rotatably arranged) is oriented vertically (when traveling straight ahead on horizontal ground 36 – this is the “intended orientation” of the bicycle). This results in an extremely compact design for the cargo bicycle 2 according to the invention. This has a particularly positive effect on maneuverability. Furthermore, the cargo bicycle 2 is designed such that the overall length L of the bicycle is 2.15 m (between the verticals along the outer circumference of the rear wheel 8 and the front wheel 10). This results in an overall length of only about 30 cm more than that of a conventional bicycle (not shown) with a diamond frame and 28-inch tires. The first loading device 20 preferably has a left and a right lateral boundary side 38 with removable side panel 39, which can be pivoted laterally outwards from a folded space-saving storage position (not shown) into a loading position (Fig. 2). Preferably, a child seat 48 can be installed in the first loading device 20 in the loading position (specifically, in a form-fitting manner, by providing a child seat device 48 with suitable fastening elements 50 to engage and hook into corresponding counterpart elements 52 on frame elements 54 of the loading device 20). The child seat device, with a suspended seat surface 56 and a backrest 58 from which the seat surface 56 hangs (approximately in the manner of a hammock), is designed to be installed in the loading device 20 in the loading position (Fig. 4) with the seat facing either the direction of travel (Fig. 4A) or against the direction of travel (not shown). Referring again to Fig. 1 (especially in comparison with Fig. 3 as the prior art), the bicycle 2 according to the invention has a distance between the bottom bracket axle 60 and the rear axle 62 that is greater than 44 cm, 50 cm, and even 53 cm, namely 55 cm. While this is a longer distance than necessary to securely position the tread of the rear wheel 8 behind the seat tube 64, given the rear wheel size of 20 inches, this arrangement of the rear wheel 8 further rearward than is usual for a 20-inch rear wheel (for example, on a rear wheel assembly with the proportions of a diamond frame for a 20-inch rear wheel – like the rear wheel assembly on the bicycle according to Fig. 3) advantageously allows for a second loading device 66, in the form of a rear wheel luggage rack 66, to be unusually long, extending rearward above the rear end of the rear wheel assembly, including a mudguard 68 there.On such a second loading device 66, heavy loads and in particular one or two children or an adult, especially up to a weight of about 75 kg (not shown), can also be transported in a dynamically stable manner. The second loading device 66 is a non-removable, namely screwed-on part of the frame 14. This also applies to a pair of footrests 70, namely a pair of horizontal footboards 70 extending lengthwise on both sides of the frame 14 in the direction of travel below the second loading device below the height of the rear axle 62 (in the intended orientation of the bicycle 2). A backrest and two hand grips are also clearly visible, designed to be screwed onto the second loading device 66 in the illustrated intended orientation of the bicycle 2, extending upwards. This is possible on the horizontal loading surface of the second loading device 66, specifically on its two parallel longitudinal beams, if the second loading device 66 is designed as shown with longitudinal beams and several transverse beams, each made of round tubing. The first loading device 20 with its low center of gravity in the illustrated construction, together with the second loading device 66 with its great length and with the rear wheel 8 shifted to the rear (compared to a conventional bicycle - according to Fig. 3 - with a similar basic construction with regard to the first loading device 20), enable a surprisingly large payload, especially with the small wheels 8, 10 according to the invention, and because of the uniform distribution of the (high) load weight in front of and behind the saddle 18 possible according to the invention with the user (not shown) and his own weight, a literally more balanced driving behavior to a surprising extent. Reference symbol list 2 Cargo bike 4 Bottom bracket 6 Pedal cranks 8 Rear wheel 10 Front wheel 12 Fork 14 Frame 16 Handlebar 18 Saddle 20 First loading device 12 Steering axle, pivot axis 22 of the front fork 16 Handlebar axle, pivot axis 24 of the handlebar 26 Steering pushrod 27 Lever 28 Front tire 30 Rear tire 32 Steering tube 16 Axle element 34 of the handlebar 36 Floor 38 Side panel 39 Side panel 48 Child seat device 50 Fastening elements 52 Counter elements 20 Frame elements 54 of the loading device 56 Seat surface 58 Backrest 60 Bottom bracket axle 62 Rear axle 14 Seat tube 64 of the frame 66 Second loading device 68 Mudguard 70 Footrest 2 Total length L of the bicycle

Claims

Cargo bicycle (2) with: • a rear wheel (8) driven by means of two pedal cranks (6) with a tire smaller than 26 inches; • a front wheel (10) rotatably mounted about a front axle with a tire smaller than 20 inches; and • a frame (14) to which, in the direction of travel from front to rear, the following are attached: ◯ the front wheel rotatable about a front axle and steerable about a steering axle; ◯ a first loading device (20) at least partially between the front wheel (10) and the handlebar (16); ◯ a handlebar (16) rotatable about a handlebar axle; ◯ a bottom bracket axle with the pedal cranks (6); ◯ a saddle (18); ◯ a second loading device (66) at least partially behind the saddle (18); and ◯ the rear wheel (8) rotatably mounted on a rear axle; and • a steering gear (26) that transmits the steering rotation of the handlebar (16) to the fork (12) as transmits their rotational motion,where the distance between the bottom bracket axle (60) and the rear axle (62) is greater than 44 cm, 50 cm, or 55 cm. Cargo bicycle (2) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the front wheel (8) has a 16-inch tire and / or the rear wheel (8) has a 20-inch tire. Cargo bike (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the total length (L) of the bike (2) is not greater than 2.20 m. Cargo bicycle (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a non-removable or screwed or welded part of the frame is the second loading device and / or a pair of footrests below the second loading device. Cargo bicycle (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a backrest and / or a handrail are provided to be attached to the second loading device in the intended orientation of the bicycle extending upwards or are a non-removable part of the frame there. Cargo bike (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first loading device (20) has a left and a right lateral boundary side (38) which can be pivoted laterally outwards from a folded space-saving storage position into a loading position. Cargo bicycle (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one child seat can be installed in the loading device (20) in the first loading position, with a hanging seat surface (56) and / or a backrest (58) on which the seat surface (56) hangs, and / or with a seating direction with and / or against the direction of travel. Cargo bicycle (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rear wheel (8) is driven by means of the two pedal cranks (6) by a cardan, belt or chain drive (4) and / or by means of an electric motor. cargo bicycle (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the steering gear (26) has a push rod or a pull rope or a belt as a transmission element for the steering rotational movement. Cargo bicycle (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the steering axis is vertical in the intended orientation of the bicycle.

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