Device for fastening an energy accumulator to a vehicle frame - Patents.com

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for fastening an energy accumulator (101) to a vehicle frame. The device has a guide groove (203) and one or more grooved blocks (201) configured for form-fitting engagement in the guide groove (203). The device comprises one or more clamping means (205). The clamping means (205) are at least partially arranged in the guide groove (203) and are each elastically deformable by contact with the grooved blocks (201).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The invention relates to a device as claimed in the preamble of claim 1. [Background technology]

[0002] Devices for fastening a battery to a bicycle frame are known from the prior art. In these devices the battery can be fixed to the bicycle frame in a form-fitting manner. By means of a guide groove the energy accumulator can be inserted into a correspondingly formed holder. Such a device is disclosed in FR 3091690 A1.

[0003] The form-fitting connection of the guide groove must be as free from play as possible so that the energy accumulator does not rattle in the bicycle frame, which in turn makes it difficult to move or gets stuck if there are unavoidable tolerance-related dimensional deviations in the bicycle frame. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] FR3091690A1 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The object of the invention is to provide a rattle-free fastening of an energy accumulator to a vehicle frame. This object is achieved by a device according to claim 1. Advantageous developments are contained in the dependent claims and emerge from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The device according to the invention serves to fasten an energy accumulator to a vehicle frame, preferably a bicycle frame, and is preferably designed as a battery, i.e. a rechargeable electric energy accumulator, which supplies drive energy to an electric auxiliary motor.

[0007] The device includes a guide groove, which is an elongated depression in the surface, which is characterized in comparison to other depressions in the surface by the fact that its cross section does not change along the path of the groove, and thus the cross section is invariant in comparison to a cut surface oriented perpendicular to the curve describing the path of the groove.

[0008] The guide groove is adapted to receive one or more fastening means, called grooved blocks, the cross sections of the guide groove and the grooved blocks being adjusted to one another such that there is a form-fitting connection between the guide groove and the grooved blocks.

[0009] The form-fitting connection between the guide groove and the grooved block prevents any relative movement between the guide groove and the respective grooved block perpendicular to the curve describing the path of the guide: the guide groove and the grooved block are movable relative to one another in the direction of the curve.

[0010] Preferably, the grooved blocks form a negative shape of the groove in cross section. Also preferably, at least one part of each grooved block, adapted to engage in and form-fittingly connect with the guide groove, is formed as a cylinder, the base surface of which corresponds to the cross section of the groove.

[0011] According to the invention, the device also comprises one or more clamping means, which are at least partially, preferably completely, arranged in the guide groove, such that the clamping means respectively come into contact with the grooved block as the latter moves in the guide groove.

[0012] The clamping means are at least partially elastically deformable. This leads to the clamping means being elastically deformed when they come into contact with the grooved blocks. By means of the elastic deformation, the clamping means exerts a force on the respective grooved block, whereby the clamping means is clamped between the respective grooved block and the guide groove. Any play that may exist between the guide groove and the grooved block is thus eliminated. This allows the energy accumulator to be fixed without rattle.

[0013] In a preferred development, the clamping means each consist of an elastomer, which has the advantage that elastomers are relatively cost-effective and allow a simple construction of the clamping means.

[0014] The guide groove can be part of the vehicle frame, while the grooved block is attached to or part of the energy accumulator. However, preferably, the guide groove is part of the energy accumulator, while the grooved block is fixed to or part of the vehicle frame.

[0015] According to a preferred development, a rail is provided on which the grooved blocks are fixed, whereby the grooved blocks are also fixed to the vehicle frame. Fixing with rails according to further developments is particularly advantageous for thin-walled vehicle frames for reasons of stability. It is also possible to pre-assemble the grooved blocks to the rails and to mount the rails with grooved rails in a pre-assembled state on the vehicle. Tolerance-related dimensional deviations of the vehicle frame thus do not affect the position of the grooved blocks relative to one another.

[0016] Preferably, the clamping means are constructed in such a way that the clamping means can be deformed by the respective grooved block perpendicular to the path of the guide groove or to the curve describing the path of the guide groove. The direction of deformation of the respective clamping means and the curve are thus oriented perpendicular to one another. As a result, the force resulting from the deformation of the respective clamping means also acts perpendicular to this curve. This force therefore does not lead to a movement of the grooved block in the guide groove. Instead, there is a frictionally coupled connection between the clamping means and the respective grooved block. This frictionally coupled connection prevents the clamping means from moving in the guide groove.

[0017] Advantageously, the device is expansively configured with at least one ejector and stop cam, which is at least partially arranged in the guide groove. By ejector and stop cam is meant a means constituting a stop for the first grooved block. The stop limits the movement possibilities of the first grooved block and thus also the movement possibilities of the remaining grooved blocks in the guide groove in the first direction. This means comprises a slope, i.e. a non-orthogonal and non-parallel surface, relative to the path of the guide groove or the curve describing the path of the guide groove. This surface is configured to slide the second grooved block, which is different from the first grooved block, at least partially orthogonal to the direction of movement and thus at least partially orthogonal to the path of the groove or the curve describing the path of the groove when moving in the opposite direction in the guide groove, i.e. opposite to the first direction. This surface can in particular be a flat surface.

[0018] By means of the ejector and stop cam in a further development, the energy accumulator is fixed in the end position when the grooved block moves in a first direction relative to the guide groove. When the energy accumulator is moved in the opposite direction from the end position, the slope of the ejector and stop cam comes into contact with the second grooved block, so that the energy accumulator slides perpendicular to the direction of movement. This makes it easier to remove the energy accumulator.

[0019] Preferably, the clamping means are arranged in such a way that the elastic deformation according to the invention occurs in the end position, so that the energy accumulator is fixed in the end position without any rattle. Furthermore, the energy accumulator is preferably electrically contacted in the end position, so that the motor, in particular the abovementioned auxiliary motor, is supplied with electrical energy.

[0020] In a further development, at least one ejector and stop cam is integrated in one piece with the clamping means, which results in a particularly simple construction.

[0021] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a bicycle battery having guide rails. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a diagram of the eject and stop cam. [Figure 4] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The battery 101 shown in Figure 1 can be fixed to the bicycle frame using a fixing device 103. Fixing is performed by inserting the battery 101 into the fixing device 103 and moving it to the right as viewed in Figure 1.

[0024] The fixing device 103 includes a grooved block 201 shown in the partial view of Fig. 2. To fix the battery 101 to the bicycle frame, the grooved block 201 engages with a guide groove 203 defined by the battery 101. The grooved block 201 is movable inside the guide groove 203.

[0025] The clamping means 205 are arranged at the base of the guide grooves 203. They are elastically deformable when in contact with the grooved blocks 201. The distance between the grooved blocks 201 and the base of the guide grooves 203 is less than the height of the clamping means 205 relative to the base of the guide grooves 203, respectively, by an amount D1. This allows the aforementioned elastic deformation of the clamping means 205 to occur when the grooved blocks 201 are pressed onto the respective clamping means 205 or the clamping means 205 are pressed below the respective grooved blocks 201.

[0026] The grooved block 201 is fixed to a rail 207 .

[0027] The clamping means 301 shown in Fig. 3 is formed integrally with the eject and stop cam 303. In Fig. 3, two grooved blocks 201 are furthermore shown. If the battery 101 is moved to the right as viewed in Fig. 3, the grooved block 305 shown on the right as viewed in Fig. 3 frictionally connects with the clamping means 301. As a result, the clamping means 301 comes into contact with the first grooved block 305 and is elastically deformed. The stop formed by the eject and stop cam 303 then abuts against the first grooved block 305 and prevents the battery 101 from moving further to the right.

[0028] When moving to the left, the slope of the eject and stop cam 303 abuts against the second grooved block 307 shown on the left. This slope then causes the eject and stop cam 303 to slide on the second grooved block 307. As a result, the battery 101 is ejected from the fixing device 103 perpendicular to the direction of movement.

[0029] Figure 4 shows the stop cam 401, which constitutes a stop for the first grooved block 305. If the battery 101 is inserted into the fixing device 103 in the wrong position, as shown in Figure 4, the stop cam 401 abuts against the first grooved block 305. The stop cam 401 makes it possible to prevent the battery 101 from being pushed into the fixing device 103 from this position. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 101 Battery 103 Fixation device 201 Grooved Block 203 Guide groove 205 Clamping means 207 Fixed 301 Clamping means 303 Eject and Stop Cam 305 Grooved Block 307 Grooved Block 401 Stop Cam

Claims

1. A device for fastening an energy accumulator (101) to a vehicle frame, the device having a guide groove (203) and one or more grooved blocks (201) configured for form-fitting engagement in said guide groove (203), 1. An apparatus comprising one or more clamping means (205), said clamping means (205) being at least partially arranged in said guide groove (203) and each being elastically deformable by contact with a grooved block (201).

2. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said clamping means (301) each consist of an elastomer.

3. 3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a rail (207), and the grooved block (201) is fixed to the rail (207).

4. 3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, 4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said clamping means (301) are deformable by means of each said grooved block (201) perpendicular to the path of said guide groove (203).

5. 3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, comprising: At least one eject and stop cam (303) disposed in the guide groove (203); said eject and stop cam (303) constitutes a stop for the first grooved block (201, 305), said stop limiting the possibility of said first grooved block (201, 305) moving in said guide groove (203) in a first direction; The eject and stop cam (303) comprises a ramp, the ramp being configured to cause a second grooved block (201, 307) to slide at least partially perpendicular to the direction of movement as it moves in the opposite direction within the guide groove (203).

6. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, 4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said eject and stop cam (303) is integrally integrated with said clamping means.

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