BICYCLE STEERING INCLUDES A HANDLEBAR AND A FORK FOR A BICYCLE, AS WELL AS A STABILIZER

Description

Field of invention

[0001] The invention relates to bicycle steering systems that are stabilized by means of a stabilizer. Background of the invention

[0002] Caster is the distance between the projection point of the steering axis and the contact point of the front wheel on the road surface. A bicycle's steering axis corresponds to the axis of the bicycle's head tube.

[0003] The caster increases the flatter the head angle, the smaller the fork bend and the larger the wheel radius.

[0004] The bicycle steering angle is the angle between the bicycle's steering axis and the road surface. The fork deflection of a bicycle steering fork is the distance between the wheel axis and the extension of the steering axis.

[0005] The impeller radius is the radius of a wheel.

[0006] Apart from extreme designs, a caster of approximately 50 to 60 mm is considered favorable.

[0007] A favorable caster value with a medium steering angle results in sufficiently direct, easily controllable steering behavior (approx. 70° steering angle, approx. 55 mm caster, with a wheelbase of approximately 1100 mm). The wheelbase is the distance between the hubs of the two wheels of a two-wheeled vehicle.

[0008] A large caster with a tendency toward a flatter steering angle leads to increasingly sluggish steering characteristics. Another factor influencing steering characteristics is the steering forces. They increase with increasing caster. In practice, however, this only becomes noticeable at steering angles below approximately 70° in conjunction with large caster values.

[0009] A small amount of caster with a tendency towards a steeper steering angle results in steering behavior that becomes increasingly direct and even unstable (approx. 75° steering angle, approx. 50 mm caster, with a wheelbase of approx. 1000 mm).

[0010] A bicycle with a frame that causes this kind of steering behavior is suitable for experienced amateurs and professionals in road racing (breakaway maneuvers). If frames with this geometry are also sold to recreational cyclists, it can lead to accidents due to inexperience.

[0011] Caster creates a torque when the steering wheel is turned, which counteracts the steering movement. This causes the rolling wheel to steer itself back to the straight-ahead position. A large amount of caster results in good straight-ahead stability, but also causes high steering forces. A small amount of caster makes the bike easier to steer, but also makes it more unstable with increasing speed due to the reduced straight-ahead stability.

[0012] In addition to the stability of the bicycle's steering caused by caster, the force exerted on the bicycle handlebars by the cyclist's weight must also be taken into account. The resultant force, which runs parallel to the steering axis, also has a projection point on the road surface. The distance between the contact point of the front wheel and the projection point of the aforementioned resultant force on the road surface also generates a torque, which we refer to here as the handlebar torque.

[0013] Like the caster torque, the grip torque can have a stabilizing effect if the resulting force acting on the bicycle handlebars, parallel to the steering axis, is located in front of the steering axis in the direction of travel. However, the distance between the contact point of the front wheel and the projection point of the rider's resulting weight force on the road surface can lead to further steering instability even without the theoretical assumption of parallelism to the steering axis, but rather due to an actual force resultant that is projected onto the road surface much further behind the contact point of the front wheel, viewed in the direction of travel.

[0014] A bicycle lock ensures that the handlebars remain essentially centered when parked. This provides greater stability when parking the bike, especially when using a double stand (also called a center stand or two-legged stand) with the front wheel raised off the ground.

[0015] In combination with a well-filled bicycle basket, handlebar bag or handlebar child seat, the bicycle can easily fall over if the handlebars tip over due to the heavy weight or are turned too sharply when parking.

[0016] DE202009007528U1 discloses a steering damper or steering stop for a bicycle. It comprises a coupling part that can be securely attached to a bicycle handlebar fork and a longitudinally resilient tension part made of rubber or a rubber-like plastic. The tension part is connected to the coupling part on one side and secured to a frame part of a bicycle on the other.

[0017] The disadvantage of such bicycle steering dampers is that they provide the least or no damping when driving straight ahead, where a lot of damping is desired, and the force required for steering turns becomes greater the further the handlebars are deflected, although with a deflected handlebar either no damping at all or only little damping is desired.

[0018] (https: / / www.louis.de / produkte / motorrad-lenkungsdaempfer / 348, advertisement May 12, 2020) Motorcycle steering dampers work hydraulically or pneumatically and prevent handlebar wobble.

[0019] Fluids are forced through baffles, which then create flow resistance. The baffles act as energy converters, converting (or dissipating) the fluids' kinetic energy into heat energy. The fluids can be gases or liquids. The stiffer the frames and the more extreme the steering geometry of motorcycles become, the greater the risk of vibrations building up in the chassis due to uncontrolled riding. A steering damper suppresses precisely these vibrations and ensures stability during high-speed riding. The advantage of a motorcycle steering damper is the constant damping, which pays off when driving straight ahead.

[0020] This type of damper is too large and bulky for a bicycle application, which is why the motorcycle steering damper has not gained serious acceptance for bicycles.

[0021] DE202014002521U1, GB267303A, US20180043960A1, and JPH11-129968A disclose steering dampers for bicycles. These dampers are based on the friction between two surfaces rotating against each other under a preload. The disadvantage of these dampers is that they are always present, both when driving straight ahead and when the steering is turned. However, the fact is that damping is primarily needed when driving straight ahead. Furthermore, the aforementioned steering dampers cannot be used simultaneously as steering dampers.

[0022] Document GB267303A shows the preamble of claim 1.

[0023] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a stabilizer for a bicycle steering system that provides the greatest damping when traveling straight ahead (at high speeds) and little to no damping when steering. Furthermore, the stabilizer according to the invention should function as an impact stop when parking the bicycle. Description

[0024] This object is achieved by a stabilizer for a bicycle steering system according to the invention. The stabilizer comprises at least two bodies in contact with each other, which, through a spring force, generate a resisting torque against the deflection of the front bicycle wheel. This resisting torque is referred to here as damping.

[0025] The special feature of the invention is that the bicycle steering angle range at which the damping is to take effect can be predetermined, limited and adjustable.

[0026] Theoretically, the angular range in which the damping takes place can be reduced to a small value, almost zero.

[0027] The stabilizer for a bicycle steering according to the invention comprises a first body with a base surface having a recess with a contact surface and a second body with a counterpart having a preloading means.

[0028] The counterpart has a contact body with a friction surface facing the contact surface of the first body.

[0029] The contact surface of the first body and the friction surface of the counterpart are at least partially in contact with each other under a predetermined preload.

[0030] The first body and the second body are mounted coaxially and rotatably about an axis XX.

[0031] The first body is expediently designed in a ring shape or as a ring segment and is arranged coaxially and rotatably with the second body.

[0032] The bodies can also have interlocking surfaces of revolution. Shapes such as cylinders with essentially straight, bent, or bulbous (curved) surfaces, as well as conical surfaces, are possible.

[0033] Although the bodies can rotate relative to each other, the bent or bulbous shape of the shells can advantageously promote cohesion of the bodies because the bend on the circumference of one body engages with the bend on the circumference of the other body.

[0034] One of the bodies is attached to the handlebars or fork of a bicycle and the other body is attached to the frame of the bicycle.

[0035] The resisting torque of the stabilizer bar has a stabilizing effect here. Therefore, the presence of the damping preload, created by a spring-loaded preload device, is particularly important when driving straight ahead, because the speed is generally higher when driving straight ahead than when cornering, where the steering wheel is deflected. The unwanted vibrations are particularly noticeable at higher speeds when driving straight ahead. Therefore, it is also important that there is little or no friction between the two stabilizer bars after steering.

[0036] Therefore, the bodies must have effective surfaces that preferably only exert a spring force against each other when the handlebar is in the straight-ahead position and, when deflected, either rub against each other with a slight frictional force or have no contact with each other at all.

[0037] The effective spring force acting as a resistance against the deflection of the steering wheel is the lateral component of the spring force acting against the displacement of the counterpart of the second body from the recess of the first body.

[0038] To meet this requirement, a first body must have a base surface with a recess and the second body must have a counterpart with a prestressing means.

[0039] The preloading element can be a spring, e.g., a compression spring, or a spring-loaded thrust piece. When driving straight ahead, the counterpart is inserted into the recess.

[0040] Without a preloading device, such as a spring, one of the two bodies must act as the preloading device. This means that at least one body must be elastic in order for the elastic body to generate a preload.

[0041] If the second body is formed as a solid body with a convex elevation (as a counterpart), the generation of a prestress can still be achieved by an elastic region in the vicinity of the convex elevation.

[0042] In order to actually have the damping effective when driving straight ahead or at smaller deflections, e.g. approx. ≤ 1°, ≤ 2°, ≤ 3°, ≤ 4°, ≤ 5°, ≤ 6°, ≤ 7°, ≤ 8°, ≤ 9°, or ≤ 10°, and to have lower or no damping at all at a deflection of ≥ 1°, ≥ 2°, ≥ 3°, ≥ 4°, ≥ 5°, ≥ 6°, ≥ 7°, ≥ 8°, ≥ 9°, or ≥ 10°, the friction between the first body and the counterpart must be kept small.

[0043] The friction force can be determined by multiplying the normal force acting on the road surface due to the weight by the coefficient of friction between the bicycle tire and the road surface. To determine the damping torque, the trailing distance is multiplied by the friction force.

[0044] With a small amount of caster, the damping torque must be calculated using the preload force of the stabilizer's preload device and a mean radius extending from the steering axis to the effective axis of the preload device. The damping torque can be predetermined and adjusted using a preload device. The values ​​can be calculated as described and / or determined experimentally on the bicycle's steering system. For example, weights are attached to the handlebar grips and a deflection force on the bicycle handlebar is measured using a spring balance.

[0045] To further limit the effective range of the damping effect and ensure that it is only effective when traveling straight ahead, the contact body of the counterpart may only partially penetrate the recess of the first body. This can be achieved by making the contact body of the counterpart larger than the opening of the recess of the first body. It is advisable to chamfer or round the edge of the recess to make it easier for the contact body to exit the recess. Another advantage of the rounded edge is that wear between the contact body and the recess can be avoided or minimized.

[0046] In this case, the rotational resistance is related to both the spring force of the preloading device and the friction value of the contacting bodies and counterpart.

[0047] The frictional force in the stabilizer bar can be reduced by carefully selecting the coefficient of friction. This can be achieved by pairing metal with metal, metal with plastic, or plastic with plastic. It is also possible to select ceramic instead of metal or plastic.

[0048] The material pairing must enable reduced frictional resistance, thus achieving friction-free steering. Table 1 provides some example friction values ​​for various material pairings. Table 1 Metal materials lubrication Friction value Steel - Steel dry 0,15 Steel - Steel lubricated 0,10 Steel - Polyamide dry 0,30 Steel - PTFE dry 0,04 Steel - PTFE lubricated 0,04

[0049] Lower friction values ​​for the material pairings also allow for lower frictional resistance. The advantage of lower frictional resistance is reduced wear between the components of the stabilizer. To reduce or even eliminate wear, commercially available spring-loaded thrust pieces can be used for the counterpart.

[0050] A spring loaded plunger is a machine component and consists of a threaded sleeve with an internal spring that presses on a ball.

[0051] The spring force is designed for the intended use. The ball can be made of plastic, steel, or ceramic.

[0052] More generally, the spring pressure piece can have any other type of rolling element, e.g. rollers, barrels, needles or cones, instead of a ball.

[0053] In order to keep wear to a minimum, the first body can be made of steel and the second body can have a spring-loaded pressure piece with a rolling element, e.g. a ball made of plastic, steel or ceramic.

[0054] The stabilizer according to the invention comprises a first body with a base surface facing the second body, which has a local depression, and a second body with a counterpart in which a resilient pressure piece is installed, the rolling element of which presses on the depression of the first body.

[0055] If the shape of the rolling element precisely matches the shape of the recess in the first body, then very good locking is achieved when driving straight ahead, but when cornering, the steering wheel can only be knocked over with great force. Therefore, the recess can be shallower than that of the rolling element of the spring-loaded pressure piece. Or, even more effectively, the rolling element of the spring-loaded pressure piece only partially penetrates the recess in the first body.

[0056] The recess in the protrusion of the friction surface of the first body, combined with the convex elevation or the resilient pressure piece of the second body, makes it possible to hold the bicycle handlebars stably in the straight-ahead position, so that the stabilizer according to the invention can be used both as a damper for straight-ahead travel and as a turn stopper when the bicycle is parked. The preload can be increased or even raised to a maximum value for the "turn stopper" function. This is achieved, for example, by means of a screw adjustment, wedge adjustment, or eccentric adjustment. An eccentric ring can be used to clamp the counterpart and the first body together, thereby transforming the stabilizer into a turn stopper.

[0057] To ensure the appropriate damping force, it is essential to set an appropriate preload force for compressing the counterpart with the first body.

[0058] The preload force can be varied by determining the distance between the counterpart and the first body. For example, the counterpart at the connection point to the handlebars or frame of the bicycle can be adjusted closer to the first body using an adjustment device. Examples of adjustment options include wedge, eccentric, and screw adjustment.

[0059] In a wedge adjustment, a wedge is pushed back and forth between the part to be adjusted and a fixed base with the help of an adjusting device or a sliding device, e.g. a screw, thus causing a distance adjustment.

[0060] An eccentric adjustment works in a similar way, whereby with the help of an adjusting means or a rotating means, e.g. a screw connected to an eccentric, an eccentric rotates between the part to be adjusted and a fixed base and thus a distance adjustment can be effected.

[0061] The distance between the part to be adjusted and a fixed base can also be adjusted directly using a screw. Spring-loaded plungers with screw adjustment options are commercially available. The plunger, for example, has an external thread on the casing and a slot (for a screwdriver) on the base.

[0062] In the case of a wedge or eccentric adjustment, the corresponding adjustment means can be operated from a direction perpendicular to the adjustment direction, i.e., parallel to a parting surface of the first body to the counterpart, whereas in the case of a screw adjustment, the screw must generally be operated along the adjustment line and perpendicular to the said parting surface.

[0063] The advantage of the wedge or eccentric adjustment is that even if a stabilizer is built into the bicycle frame, the adjustment device can still be easily reached and operated.

[0064] When the stabilizer is used as an impact stopper, the recess in the first body combined with the counterpart (e.g. with the spring pressure piece of the second body) can be locked with a maximum preload force by means of the adjustment means of the wedge adjustment or eccentric adjustment.

[0065] The adjustment means of the wedge adjustment and the eccentric adjustment can be operated in a locking and securing manner for a parking, stop or travel position.

[0066] As long as the stabilizer bar is easily accessible, any type of distance adjustment can be used to adjust the preload in the stabilizer bar.

[0067] The stabilizer can also be integrated directly into the headset of a bicycle handlebar. This means that the bearing shell is the first body with a recessed base surface facing the cone. The cone is the second body and contains a counterpart (e.g., a built-in spring-loaded thrust piece) whose rolling elements press against the base surface of the first body (the bearing shell).

[0068] The distance adjustment between the bodies for adjusting the preload force should be made at the counterpart of the second body in the fixed cone of the headset. An opening must then be created in the bicycle frame for access to the adjustment device for the wedge or eccentric adjustment in the cone, which can be closed with a plug to prevent contamination.

[0069] As already described above, a spring plunger is a machine component that consists of a threaded sleeve with an internal spring that presses on a ball.

[0070] The threaded sleeve can be preset directly using a socket wrench or a screwdriver within a threaded hole in the bearing shell. Lateral adjustment of the preload force is possible using a wedge or eccentric adjustment. For this purpose, a wedge or eccentric is located within the sleeve of the spring-loaded pressure piece between the spring and the sleeve base. Even though the design for the wedge or eccentric adjustment is more complex than with a simple spring-loaded pressure piece, the advantage of the wedge or eccentric adjustment is obvious because the adjustment of the preload force of the stabilizer within a bicycle headset can also be made retrospectively directly on the bicycle.

[0071] In all versions of the stabilizer, it should be noted that the combination of the first body with the counterpart does not inhibit maximum steering of the bicycle handlebars by the stabilizer. Brief description of the figures

[0072] Examples of the stabilizer for a bicycle steering system are described in the following drawings. It shows: Fig. 1 a schematic side view of a stabilizer with a first body having a recess and a counterpart with a convex elevation on a second body, Fig. 2 a schematic side view of a stabilizer having a counterpart with a resilient prestressing means (bolt) on the second body, Fig. 3 a schematic side view of a stabilizer having a counterpart with a resilient preloading means (rolling body) on the second body, Fig. 4 a schematic side view of a stabilizer with the first body and the second body each designed as an elastic plate strip, Fig. 5a schematic side view of a stabilizer with a first body having a recess and a counterpart with a convex elevation on a second body integrated in a headset, Fig. 6 a schematic side view of a stabilizer having a counterpart with a resilient preloading means (rolling body) on the second body integrated in a headset, Fig. 7 a schematic side view of a stabilizer with a grooved first body and a counterpart with a resilient preloading means (rolling element) on the second body for integration in a headset, Fig. 7a a detailed side view of a spring preloading device (rolling element) from the Fig. 7 , Fig. 7b a detailed side view of a spring preloading device (bolt) from the Fig. 2 and Fig. 7 , Fig. 8a schematic side view of a stabilizer with a grooved first body and a counterpart with a resilient preloading means (contact body, rolling body) on the second body integrated in a headset, Fig. 9 a schematic side view of a stabilizer as in Fig. 8 however, the contact body is no longer in contact with the recess. Fig. 10 a schematic plan view of the stabilizer as shown in Fig. 8 and 9 , Fig. 11 a schematic side view of a stabilizer with a grooved first cylindrical body and a counterpart with a resilient preloading means (rolling element) on the second body for integration in a headset, Fig. 12 a schematic side view of a stabilizer with a grooved first cylindrical body and a counterpart with a resilient preloading means (rolling element) on the second body integrated in a headset, Fig. 13a schematic representation of a bicycle headset according to the state of the art, Fig. 14k a schematic representation of a wedge adjustment according to the state of the art, Fig. 14E a schematic representation of an eccentric adjustment according to the prior art, Fig. 115a a schematic side view of a stabilizer with a cylindrical first body and with a cylindrical second body and with a pretensioning means (without representation of the recess and the counterpart), Fig. 115b a schematic side view of a stabilizer as in Fig. 15a However, the shells of the bodies are bent, Fig. 115c is a schematic side view of a stabilizer as in Fig. 15a however, the coats of the bodies are bulbous (curvy). Detailed description of the embodiments

[0073] The stabilizer 1 according to the invention for a bicycle steering ( Fig. 1-3 , 7-12), comprises a first body 10, 210 with a base surface 11 having a recess 12, 212 with a contact surface 11i, and a second body 20, 220 with a counterpart 22, 130, 140 having a biasing means.

[0074] The counterpart 22, 130, 140 has a contact body 21, 30, 40 with a friction surface 21i, 31i, 41i, which faces the contact surface 11i of the first body 10, 210.

[0075] The contact surface 11i of the first body 10, 210 and the friction surface 21i, 31i, 41i of the counterpart 22, 130, 140 are at least partially in contact with each other under a predetermined prestress.

[0076] The first body 10, 210 and the second body 20, 220 are mounted coaxially and rotatably with each other about an axis XX.

[0077] When the stabilizer 1 is used as an attachment, the first body 10, 210 is attached to the handlebar or fork of the bicycle and the second body 20, 220 is attached to the frame of the bicycle ( Fig. 1-3 ).

[0078] When the stabilizer 1 is used as an installation part for a headset 200, the first body 10, 210 is designed as a bearing shell 208, 210 of the headset 200 and the second body 20, 220 as a cone 209, 220 of the headset 200 ( Fig. 7-13 ).

[0079] In a particular embodiment of the invention, the contact body 30, 40 of the counterpart 130, 140 can be aligned with the recess 212 such that the contact body 30, 40 can only partially penetrate into the recess 212. This means that the contact body 30, 40 is stopped at the edge of the recess 212 and cannot penetrate deeper ( Fig. 8 ).

[0080] This is achieved in that a width of the projection 30b, 40b of the contact body 30, 40 of the counterpart 130, 140 is greater than a width of the recess 212b, so that the contact body 30, 40 can only partially penetrate into the recess 212 ( Fig. 7a, 7b ).

[0081] This has the advantage that there is no positive connection between the contact body 30, 40 of the counterpart 130, 140 and the recess 212, so that the bicycle handlebar can only be deflected against a small stabilizing spring force.

[0082] The function of the counterpart 22, 130, 140 is to exert a force on the base surface 11 with a predetermined preload, which forces the contact body 21, 30, 40 to penetrate or snap into the recess 12, 212 when the steering is in the straight-ahead position. The preload force is applied by means of a preloading means of the counterpart 22, 130, 140 ( Fig. 1-3 , 8) or by means of an inherent elasticity of the first

[0083] body 10s or / and the second body 20s ( Fig. 4 ). For example, the first body 10s or the second body 20s is each designed as an elastic plate strip. A sensible combination of the aforementioned elasticities is possible. For example, the elastic second body 20s, together with a prestressing means 100, which can be a spring, can achieve even more possibilities for providing a prestressing force.

[0084] The contact bodies 21, 30, 40 of the counterparts 22, 130, 140 are designed differently. The contact body 21 of the counterpart 22 is a convex elevation with a friction surface 21i ( Fig. 1 ). The advantage of the convex elevation is that it can be individually adapted to the recess 12 as required.

[0085] The contact body 40 of the counterpart 140 is a bolt with a friction surface 41i ( Fig. 2). The advantage of the contact body 40, which is designed as a bolt, is that the counterpart can be inexpensively obtained as a commercially available spring pressure piece.

[0086] The contact body 30 of the counterpart 130 is a rolling body with a friction surface 31i ( Fig. 3 ). Another advantage of the contact body 30, which is designed as a rolling element, is that the counterpart can be inexpensively obtained as a commercially available resilient pressure piece. Furthermore, the rolling element has a lower friction value than a convex protrusion or a bolt.

[0087] The bodies are preferably designed in a ring shape or as a ring segment and are arranged coaxially and rotatably to each other ( Fig. 10 ). The bodies can be arranged perpendicular to the axis of rotation. This is the case when two disc-shaped bodies lie on top of each other in a rotatable manner ( Fig. 1-3 ). The bodies can also have interlocking surfaces of revolution ( Fig. 15a-15c ). Shapes such as cylinders with essentially straight, bent or bulbous (curved) shells, as well as conical shells, are possible.

[0088] For a disc-shaped first body 10, it is advisable to use a sphere or a cone as the contact body 30.

[0089] For a conical first body, it makes sense to use a sphere or a cone as the contact body. A sphere can always be used as the contact body.

[0090] For better guidance of the contact body and in particular of the rolling body 30, a groove 11r can be provided on the base surface 11 of the first body 210. The groove 11r lies on the base surface 11, on a circular path and overlaps the recess 212, so that when the bicycle handlebar is deflected from the straight-ahead position, the contact body is guided out of the recess 212. When the bicycle handlebar is deflected into the straight-ahead position, the contact body is guided into the recess 212 and the contact body snaps into the recess 212 under the spring force of the spring 36 ( Fig. 7-12 ).

[0091] The components of the stabilizer 1 can be made of any material. When selecting and matching the material, attention should be paid to the wear resistance and low coefficient of friction of the parts in contact with each other. The present invention solves the problem of rotational damping of the bicycle handlebar by easily fixing the bicycle handlebar in the straight-ahead position. This fixing is achieved by preloading the contact body of the counterpart against the first body using a preloading means. However, as soon as the contact body is moved out of the fixed position when the bicycle handlebar is deflected, the friction between the contact body and the base surface of the first body must be kept low. Therefore, the materials for the contact body and the base surface must be selected for low friction.

[0092] Examples of this are given in Table 1.

[0093] The material for the first body 10, 210, the second body 20, 220, or the contact body 21, 30, 40 of the counterpart 22, 130, 140 can be made of plastic, ceramic, metal, or metal alloy. The metal can be steel, and the metal alloy can be a steel alloy.

[0094] The adjustment of the preload of the counterpart (22, 130, 140) against the first body (10, 210) can be carried out by a wedge adjustment 300 known from the prior art, an eccentric adjustment 400 or a screw adjustment.

[0095] For example, the wedge adjustment 300 and eccentric adjustment 400 are each carried out by means of an adjustment means 304, 308, 408 which is arranged parallel to a contact plane between the counterpart 22, 130, 140 and the first body 10, 210.

[0096] With the adjustment means 304, 308, 408, for example, two positions, namely a damping position and a clamping position, can be selected by means of the wedge adjustment 300, the eccentric adjustment 400 or screw adjustment, wherein for the damping position the preloading means 100, 130, 140 is set to a predetermined preload ( Fig. 14k, 14E ).

[0097] A ring eccentric (not shown) can also force the preloading means 130 against the first body 210.

[0098] For the clamping position, the preload device 100, 130, 140 is set to a higher preload than in the damping position or to the maximum preload. This turns Stabilizer 1 into a steering stop for the bicycle handlebar.

[0099] The stabilizer 1 described here can also be implemented for a bicycle headset 200 ( Fig. 5-13 ).

[0100] In Fig. 14Ka schematic representation of a wedge adjustment 300 according to the prior art is shown.

[0101] The wedge adjustment 300 comprises a housing 305 for accommodating the driven wedge 306 and the lifting wedge 307, which are slidably in contact with one another on an inclined plane 302. The wedge 306 can be driven and moved along the housing bottom in the direction of movement T. The drive can take place by means of a screw adjustment means 308 which is articulated to the wedge 306. The screw adjustment means 308 can be rotated in a thread in the housing 305 by means of a rotary knob 309 or a screwdriver in conjunction with a screw slot 310 in the direction R in order to thereby cause a translational movement of the wedge 306 in the direction T. This allows the wedges 306 and 307 to move along the inclined plane 302, causing a stroke of the wedge 307 in the direction H.

[0102] As previously described for the screw adjustment, the wedge 307 can now effect the preload between the first body 10, 210 according to the invention and the counterpart 22, 130, 140.

[0103] The translational movement of the wedge 306 in the direction T can also be effected alternatively by a push-pull button 301 and a slide adjustment means 304 connected to the push-pull button 301 and the wedge 306, which is slidably mounted in the housing 305.

[0104] It is useful to note, after an initial adjustment of the desired preload or damping, that position on the adjustment device 304 or 308 can be recorded as "Ride." The bicycle can be ridden with the indicator set to "Ride" with a stable handlebar. In this case, the stabilizer 1 functions as a damper.

[0105] A second position can be held on the adjusting means 304 or 308 as a "stop", in which the preload is increased or even increased to a maximum value.

[0106] The bicycle can be parked with the handlebars in a straight-ahead position with the indicator set to "Stop." In this case, the stabilizer 1 acts as an impact stop.

[0107] In Fig. 14E a schematic representation of an eccentric adjustment 400 according to the prior art is shown.

[0108] The eccentric adjustment 400 comprises a housing 405 for receiving an adjustment means 408, which is rotatably mounted as a rotary shaft in the housing 405. An eccentric 406 is connected to the adjustment means 408. A lifting part 407 is displaceably mounted in the housing 405. A translational movement of the lifting part 407 in the direction H can be effected by an eccentric 406 connected to the adjustment means 408.

[0109] The adjusting means 408 can be rotated in the direction R by means of a rotary knob 409 or a screwdriver in conjunction with a screw slot 410 in order to thereby effect a lifting movement of the lifting part 407 in the direction H. The eccentric 406 is in contact with the lifting part 407 on the contact surface 402 of the lifting part 407.

[0110] After an initial adjustment of the desired preload or damping, the set position can be saved on the adjustment means 408 as "Ride." The bicycle can be ridden with the indicator set to "Ride" with a stable handlebar. In this case, the stabilizer 1 functions as a damper.

[0111] A second position can be held on the adjusting means 408 as a "stop", in which the preload is increased or even increased to a maximum value.

[0112] The bicycle can be parked with the handlebars in a straight-ahead position with the indicator set to "Stop." In this case, the stabilizer 1 acts as an impact stop.

[0113] In Fig. 13 A schematic representation of a headset 200 for a bicycle according to the prior art is shown. The headset includes a threaded fork stem 201 with a thread 207, a plurality of bearing balls 203, a head tube 205, a clamping wedge 206, an upper bearing cup 208, a cone 209 (cone nut), a lower bearing cup 210, a lock nut 211, a stem 212, a clamping screw 213, and a cone 220 (fork cone). The bearing cups 210 and 208 are clamped against the head tube 205 by means of a plurality of bearing balls 203, the fork cone 220, and the cone nut 209.

[0114] For this purpose, the conical nut 209 is tightened in conjunction with the thread 207 against the threaded fork shaft 201.

[0115] For the damping solution according to the invention, the following parts of a headset 200 for a bicycle are particularly relevant: the fork cone 220 and the lower bearing shell 210 or alternatively the cone nut 209 and the upper bearing shell 208. In the following embodiments, only the fork cone 220 and the lower bearing shell 210 are mentioned for the sake of simplicity and representativeness.

[0116] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the stabilizer 1 described above is incorporated into a commercially available headset 200 ( Fig. 5-13 ).

[0117] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the first body of the stabilizer 1 is designed as a bearing shell 210 of the headset 200 and the counterpart 130, 140 of the stabilizer 1 is integrated in a fork cone 220 of the headset 200 ( Fig. 7-8 ).

[0118] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the stabilizer 1 integrated in the headset 200 has an adjusting means 304, 308 or 408 for setting the predetermined preload, in which one can select between two positions, namely "drive" and "stop" of the wedge adjustment 300 or eccentric adjustment 400.

[0119] In the "Ride" position, a first setting of the desired preload for the damping is set. The bicycle can be ridden with the indicator on "Ride" with a stable handlebar. In the "Stop" position, a second setting of the desired preload for the parking position is set. The preload can be increased for "Stop" or even increased to a maximum value. In this case, the lifting wedge 307 or lifting part 407 presses on the counterpart 22, 130, 140 ( Fig. 1-3 ) or on the pre-tensioning means 100 ( Fig. 5 ). List of reference symbols

[0120] 1 Stabilizer 10 First body 10 First body as elastic plate strip 11 Contact surface on depression of the first body 11 Base surface of the first body 11 Groove on the first body 12 Depression 20 Second body 20 Second body as elastic plate strip 21 Friction surface of the contact body 21 Contact body 22 Counterpart 30 Rolling element 30b Width of projection of the rolling element 31 Friction surface of the rolling element 35 Housing of a resilient preloading device 36 Spring of the preloading device 40 Bolt 40b Width of projection of the bolt 41 Friction surface of the bolt 10 Preloading device 130 Counterpart, resilient preloading device with rolling element 140 Counterpart,Spring preload device with bolt 200Headset 201Threaded fork steerer tube 203Bearing ball 205Head tube 206Clamping wedge 207Thread on the fork steerer tube 208Upper bearing cup 209Cone cone nut 210Lower bearing cup 211Lock nut 212Cylindrical recess 212bWidth of recess 213Clamping screw 214Stem 220Cone fork cone 300Wedge adjustment 301Push-pull knob 302Inclined plane 304Adjustment device slider 305Housing 306Driven wedge 307Wedge stroke 308Adjustment device screw 309Turn knob for adjustment device screw 310Slot 400Eccentric adjustment 402Contact surface 405Housing 406Eccentric 407Lifting part 408Adjusting means, rotary shaft 409Rotary knob for adjusting means, rotary shaft 410Slot HDirection of stroke movement RDirection of rotation TDirection of translational movement XXCommon axis,

Claims

1. Stabilizer (1) for a bicycle steering for a predetermined steering angle range, comprising: a first body (10, 210) with a base surface (11); a second body (20, 220) with a counterpart (22, 130, 140) having a prestressing (preloading) means; wherein the counterpart (22, 130, 140) comprises a contact body (21, 30, 40) with a friction surface (21i, 31i, 41i), wherein the friction surface (21i, 31i, 41i) of the counterpart (22, 130, 140) faces the first body (10, 210), wherein the first body (10, 210) and the second body (20, 220) are mounted coaxially and rotatably about an axis (XX), characterized in that, the base surface (11) having a depression (12, 212) with a contact surface (11i), wherein the contact surface (11i) is designed to be at least partially in contact with the friction surface (21i, 31i, 41i) under a predetermined prestress, wherein the first body (10, 210) is attached to a handlebar or a fork of a bicycle and the second body (20, 220) is attached to the frame of the bicycle, or wherein the first body (10, 210) is designed as a bearing shell (208, 210) of a headset (200) and the second body (20, 220) is designed as a cone (209, 220) of the headset (200).

2. Stabilizer (1) according to claim 1, wherein a width (30b, 40b) of the contact body (30, 40) of the counterpart (130, 140) is greater than the width of the depression (212b) and wherein the contact body (30, 40) can only partially penetrate into the depression (212).

3. Stabilizer (1) according to claim 1, wherein the direction of a force exerted on the counterpart (22, 130, 140) for generating the predetermined prestress is substantially perpendicular to the base surface (11), and wherein the prestressing force being producible by means of a prestressing means and / or by means of an inherent elasticity of the first body (10s) and / or the second body (20s), wherein the first body (10s) and / or the second body (20s) is each designed as an elastic plate strip.

4. Stabilizer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact body (21) of the counterpart (22) is a convex elevation (21) with a friction surface (21i) or the contact body (30) of the counterpart (130) is a rolling element with a friction surface (31i) or the contact body (40) of the counterpart (140) is a bolt with a friction surface (41i).

5. Stabilizer (1) according to claim 4, wherein the first body (210) has a groove (11r) on its base surface (11) facing the counterpart (130) for guiding the rolling element (30) of the counterpart (130), wherein the groove (11r) lies on a circular path, and wherein the groove (11r) and the depression (212) overlap.

6. Stabilizer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least the first body (10, 210), the second body (20, 220) or the contact body (21, 30, 40) of the counterpart (22, 130, 140) is made of plastic, ceramic, metal or metal alloy.

7. Stabilizer (1) according to claim 6, wherein at least the first body (10, 210), the second body (20, 220) or the contact body (21, 30, 40) is made of steel.

8. Stabilizer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first body (10, 210) is formed as a flat disk, a cylindrical shell or a conical shell.

9. Stabilizer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the prestressing of the counterpart (22, 130, 140) against the first body (10, 210) can be carried out by at least one wedge adjustment (300) and / or eccentric adjustment (400) and / or screw adjustment, wherein the wedge adjustment (300) and eccentric adjustment (400) can each be carried out by means of an adjustment means (304, 308, 408) which is arranged parallel to a contact plane between the counterpart (22, 130, 140) and the first body (10, 210).

10. Headset (200) for a bicycle with a built-in stabilizer (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9.

11. Headset (200) with a built-in stabilizer (1) for a bicycle with a bicycle steering according to claim 9, wherein two positions, namely damping position and clamping position, can be selected for the adjusting means (304, 308, 408) by means of the wedge adjustment (300) or the eccentric adjustment (400), wherein for the damping position the prestressing means (100, 130, 140) is set to a predetermined prestress, and wherein for the clamping position the preloading means (100, 130, 140) is set to a higher preload than in the damping position or to the maximum prestress.