Bicycle stand

Abstract

To provide a bicycle stand capable of supporting a bicycle stably despite a simple structure.SOLUTION: A bicycle stand A that supports a bicycle includes grounding parts 14 and 24 that are grounded on a placement surface, a first support member 1 extending from the grounding part 14 upward in a first direction, a second support member 2 extending from the grounding part 24 upward in a second direction opposite to the first direction, a forward support part 12 that is formed at an upper end of the first support member 1 and bears a load when being fitted into a front end of a bicycle or externally engaged with a hub nut of a front wheel, and a backward support member 22 that is formed at an upper end of the second support member 2 and bears a load when being fitted into a rear end of the bicycle or externally engaged with a hub nut of a rear wheel.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bicycle stand, and more particularly to a bicycle stand that supports a bicycle at a distance from a mounting surface. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, bicycle stands are used to support (allow the bicycle to stand on its own) the entire bicycle while spaced apart from a surface such as the floor when washing, servicing, storing, displaying, etc. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a bicycle stand that includes an extendable support pole, a support member that is rotatably attached to the upper end of the support pole and supports the bicycle frame, and legs that are attached to the lower end of the support pole.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses a bicycle workbench that includes a pair of leg posts pivotally connected to each other so that they can be folded at their middles, an end fixing means attached to the top end of one of the leg posts, a hanger mounting base attached to the top end of the other leg post, and a holding means for holding both leg posts in an open position. With this bicycle workbench, the end of the bicycle's front fork is supported by the end fixing means, and the bicycle can be supported by placing the bicycle hanger (bottom bracket shell) on the hanger mounting base. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-069256 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 2-078483 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The inventions disclosed in the above-mentioned patent documents all support different parts of the bicycle, but all of them are able to hold the bicycle at a distance from the mounting surface. However, the bicycle stand in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a mechanism for restricting rotation of the support member when supporting the bicycle and a mechanism for restricting rotation of the front wheel, making the structure complex, large, and heavy. As a result, it is not very suitable for transporting bicycles, storing bicycles indoors, or washing bicycles in the bathroom, etc.

[0006] On the other hand, the bicycle workbench in Patent Document 2 can firmly support the front fork with an end fixing means, but this bicycle workbench also requires a holding means to maintain the position of the leg columns (open leg state), which again makes the structure complicated.As a result, the bicycle workbench in Patent Document 2 has the same issues as the bicycle stand in Patent Document 1.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a bicycle stand that can stably support a bicycle while having a simple structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the bicycle stand of the present invention for supporting a bicycle comprises a ground contact portion that contacts a mounting surface, a first support member that extends upward in a first direction from the ground contact portion, a second support member that extends upward from the ground contact portion in a second direction opposite to the first direction, a front support portion that is provided at the upper end of the first support member and supports the load by fitting into the front end of the bicycle or fitting externally onto the hub nut of the front wheel, and a rear support member that is provided at the upper end of the second support member and supports the load by fitting into the rear end of the bicycle or fitting externally onto the hub nut of the rear wheel.

[0009] With this configuration, the front support member attached to the upper end of the first support member and the rear support member attached to the upper end of the second support member fit into the front and rear ends of the bicycle, or fit over the hub nuts of the front and rear wheels, providing support and securing the bicycle stably. Furthermore, because the weight of the bicycle acts on two points widely separated, stability is enhanced.

[0010] In one preferred embodiment of the bicycle stand of the present invention, the first support member extends diagonally upward and forward from the ground contact portion, and the second support member extends diagonally upward and rearward from the ground contact portion, and the first support member and the second support member are pivotally supported so that the front support portion and the rear support portion move closer to and farther away from each other in the fore-and-aft direction.

[0011] With this configuration, the distance between the front support member and the rear support member can be varied by swinging the first support member and the second support member, making it possible to use it on bicycles with various wheelbases. Furthermore, the angle (opening angle) between the first support member and the second support member is fixed by fitting the front support member and the rear support member into the ends of the bicycle or fitting them onto the hub nuts of the front and rear wheels. Therefore, no additional structure is required to fix the opening angle, making for a simple structure.

[0012] In one preferred embodiment of the bicycle stand of the present invention, the first support member and the second support member are rod-shaped or tubular, and the grounding portion comprises a rod-shaped or tubular first leg extending from the end of the first support member on the side of the mounting surface, and a rod-shaped or tubular second leg extending from the end of the second support member on the side of the mounting surface, and the total number of first legs and second legs is three or more.

[0013] This structure allows for compact storage by making the main components rod-shaped or tubular. The use of tubular components in particular contributes to weight reduction. Furthermore, the total number of first and second legs serving as ground-contact parts is three or more, allowing for stable support of the bicycle's weight. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a bicycle stand according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are exploded perspective views of a bicycle stand according to an embodiment, showing (a) the vicinity of the tip of the second support member, (b) the vicinity of the tip of the first support member, and (c) the vicinity of the installation portion. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are a front view and a side view, respectively, of a bicycle stand in a folded state according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a side view of the bicycle stand of the present embodiment when in use. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a side view of a bicycle stand according to a first alternative embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a side view of a bicycle stand according to a first alternative embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a side view of a bicycle stand according to a first alternative embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] An embodiment of a bicycle stand according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bicycle stand according to this embodiment. In the following description, the right side of Fig. 1 will be referred to as the front (an example of the first direction in the present invention) and the left side as the rear (an example of the second direction in the present invention). The direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction and the direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Fig. 1 will be referred to as the width direction.

[0016] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bicycle stand A in this embodiment, and Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the same bicycle stand A. As shown in these figures, bicycle stand A comprises a rod-shaped or tubular first support member 1 that extends diagonally upward and forward, and a rod-shaped or tubular second support member 2 that extends diagonally upward and rearward.

[0017] A connecting member 11, which is generally rectangular and has a through-hole 11a formed at its upper end in the width direction, is attached to the upper end of the first support member 1. A rod-shaped member 12 (an example of a front support portion in the present invention) is supported by passing through the through-hole 11a of the connecting member 11. Small-diameter portions 12a are formed at both ends of the rod-shaped member 12. As will be described in detail later, these small-diameter portions 12a are fitted into the front end of the bicycle, so their diameter and the length between the two small-diameter portions 12a are adapted to the size of the front end of the bicycle. In this embodiment, the length and diameter of the rod-shaped member 12 are 111 mm and 14 mm, and the length and diameter of the small-diameter portions 12a are 5.5 mm and 5.2 mm.

[0018] A connecting member 21, which is generally rectangular and has a through-hole 21a formed at its upper end in the width direction, is attached to the upper end of the second support member. A rod-shaped member 22 (an example of a rear support portion in the present invention) is supported by passing through the through-hole 21a of the connecting member 21. Small-diameter portions 22a are formed at both ends of the rod-shaped member 22. As will be described in detail later, these small-diameter portions 22a are fitted into the rear end of the bicycle, and the length between the two small-diameter portions 22a is adapted to the size of the rear end of the bicycle. In this embodiment, the length and diameter of the rod-shaped member 22 are 141 mm and 14 mm, respectively, and the length and diameter of the small-diameter portions 22a are 5.5 mm and 5.2 mm, respectively.

[0019] A substantially L-shaped first connecting member 13 is provided slightly above the lower end of the first support member 1. An insertion hole is formed on the long side of the first connecting member 13 along its length, and the first support member 1 is inserted through it. In this embodiment, the portion of the first support member 1 that protrudes downward beyond the first connecting member 13 corresponds to the first leg and ground contact portion in the present invention, and therefore this portion will be referred to as the first leg 14 below. Note that the first leg may be separate from the first support member 1. Furthermore, a shaft support hole 13a is formed on the short side of the first connecting member 13, penetrating in the width direction.

[0020] A second connecting member 23, which is generally inverted Y-shaped, is provided slightly above the lower end of the second support member 2. The second support member 2 is connected to the non-branching side (upper side in the figure) of the second connecting member 23. Meanwhile, two leg members 24 (examples of the second leg and ground-contacting portion of the present invention, hereinafter sometimes referred to as the second leg 24) made of rod-shaped or tubular members are connected to the branching side (lower side in the figure) of the second connecting member 23. The two leg members 24 are pivotally supported around swing axes a1 and a2 and can move toward or away from each other. Hereinafter, the position in which they are close to each other will be referred to as the "closed position," and the position in which they are spaced apart will be referred to as the "open position." When the bicycle stand A is not in use, the two leg members 24 can be swung to the closed position, as shown in FIG. 3, for compact storage.

[0021] Additionally, a pivot hole 23a is formed on the branched side of the second connecting member 23, penetrating it in the width direction. When assembling the bicycle stand A, the pivot hole 13a of the first connecting member 13 is positioned between the two pivot holes 23a of the second connecting member 23, and a bolt or the like is inserted through them to connect the first connecting member 13 and the second connecting member 23 so that they can swing about the swing axis a3. This allows the first support member 1 and the second support member 2 to move toward or away from each other, allowing for compact storage as shown in FIG. 3. Furthermore, because the distance between the rod-shaped member 12 and the rod-shaped member 22 can be adjusted, the stand can be used with bicycles with different wheelbases (distance between the front end and rear end).

[0022] FIG. 4 is a side view showing bicycle B supported by bicycle stand A. Bicycle B includes a frame 6 and a front fork 7, both of which are made of pipe-shaped members, extending downward and forward from the end of frame 6. Frame 6 has a truss structure including a top tube 61 extending substantially horizontally, a down tube 62 extending downward and rearward from the front end of top tube 61, and a seat tube 63 extending between the rear ends of top tube 61 and down tube 62. A bottom bracket 64 is provided at the joint between down tube 62 and seat tube 63. A pipe-shaped bottom bracket shell (not shown) is inserted widthwise through bottom bracket 64. A crank axle is inserted through this bottom bracket shell, and cranks 68 are attached to both ends of the crank axle. Note that only one crank 68 is shown in the figure.

[0023] The front fork 7 is made up of two pipe-shaped members arranged side by side in the width direction from the middle downwards. Furthermore, a bifurcated front end 71 into which the axle of the front wheel is fitted is formed at the tip of each pipe-shaped member.

[0024] Seat stays 65 extend rearward and downward from the upper end of the seat tube 63. Chain stays 66 are also provided between the bottom bracket 64 and the lower ends of the seat stays 65. The seat tube 63, seat stays 65, and chain stays 66 also form a truss structure. A bifurcated rear end 67 is formed at the joint between the seat stays 65 and the chain stays 66, into which the rear wheel axle is fitted.

[0025] A handlebar 8 is attached via a column above the front fork 7. A saddle 9 is attached above the seat tube 63.

[0026] Next, a method for supporting a bicycle B having such a structure using the bicycle stand A according to the present invention will be described. The bicycle stand A can be used, for example, when washing, servicing, or carrying the bicycle B, but its uses are not limited thereto. Also, a method for supporting the bicycle B with the front and rear wheels removed will be described here.

[0027] First, the small diameter portion 22a of the rod-shaped member 22 is fitted into the rear end 67. Next, while adjusting the angle between the first support member 1 and the second support member 2 (hereinafter referred to as the "opening angle"), the small diameter portion 12a of the rod-shaped member 12 at the tip of the first support member 1 is fitted into the front end 71. This creates a truss-like structure between the bicycle stand A and the bicycle B, allowing the weight of the bicycle B to be stably supported. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2(c), the two leg members 24 are swung to an open position. As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, three points, namely the bottom end of the first support member 1 (first leg 14) and the bottom ends of the two leg members 24 (second leg 24), come into contact with the mounting surface, allowing the weight of the bicycle B to be stably supported.

[0028] Furthermore, because the front end 71 and rear end 67 are fitted into the small diameter portions 12a and 22a of the rod-shaped members 12 and 22, respectively, the opening angle remains fixed even when the weight of bicycle B acts on bicycle stand A. Therefore, there is no need to provide a mechanism to fix the opening angle. Furthermore, by changing the opening angle, the distance between the axes of rod-shaped members 12 and 22 can be changed. This distance corresponds to the wheelbase of bicycle B, so by changing the opening angle, bicycles with different wheelbases can easily be accommodated.

[0029] 4, the dashed line indicates the path C of the tip of crank 68 as it rotates. As can be seen from the figure, the lengths of first leg 14 and second leg 24 are adjusted so that the bottom end of path C does not come into contact with the placement surface.

[0030] Furthermore, if a member is provided that applies a force such as a biasing force from the outside to the inside of the ends (front end 71, rear end 67) into which the small diameter portions 12a, 22a of the rod-shaped members 12, 22 are fitted, the ends can be protected and misalignment of the ends can be prevented.

[0031] In the above embodiment, a configuration for supporting bicycle B with its wheels removed has been described, but bicycle B with its wheels attached can also be supported. In this case, instead of using rod-shaped members 12 and 22, a configuration for supporting bicycle B by fitting them onto the hub nuts of the front and rear wheels (corresponding to the front support member and rear support member in this invention) can be used. For example, the tip of the bicycle stand shown in Utility Model Registration No. 3041056 can be used as such a configuration.

[0032] Another embodiment of the bicycle stand A will be described below, but the same components as those in the above-described embodiment will be given the same reference numerals in the drawings to which they refer, and detailed description will be omitted. [Another embodiment 1] The other embodiment shown in FIG. 5 differs significantly from the above-described embodiment in that it includes a base 3 instead of first leg 14 and second leg 24 as ground contact portions, and does not include first connecting member 13 and second connecting member 23. The base 3 has a generally trapezoidal shape in side view, with the lower ends of the second support member 2 and the first support member 1 pivotally supported near the left and right ends of the upper edge. The first support member 1 can swing about a swing axis a4 perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. Meanwhile, the second support member 2 can swing about a swing axis a5 perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. Therefore, as indicated by the dashed-dotted arrows, the first support member 1 and the second support member can move toward or away from each other.

[0033] [Alternative embodiment 2] The other embodiment shown in FIG. 6 differs significantly from the above-described embodiment in that it includes a support wheel 5 instead of the first leg 14 and second leg 24 as the ground contact portion. The second support member 2 is connected to the support wheel 5, and a second connecting member 23 is provided near its lower end. Meanwhile, the first support member 1 is pivotally supported by the second connecting member 23 via the first connecting member 13 provided near its lower end. The first support member 1 can swing around a swing axis a4 perpendicular to the paper surface, and can move toward or away from the second support member 2, as indicated by the dashed-dotted arrow. Meanwhile, the second support member 2 can swing around a swing axis a5 perpendicular to the paper surface, and can move toward or away from a support surface such as the ground. An auxiliary foot 4 protruding downward is provided near the tip of the second support member 2. When the second support member 2 is swung toward the support surface, the auxiliary foot 4 comes into contact with the support surface. Therefore, the rod-shaped member 22 is in a floating state, and the rear end 67 can be prevented from coming into contact with the placement surface, that is, the rear end 67 can be prevented from coming into contact with the placement surface.

[0034] [Alternative embodiment 3] In another embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the shapes of the first connecting member 13 and the second connecting member 23 are different from those in the second embodiment. In this embodiment, the first connecting member 13 and the second connecting member 23 are pivotally supported so as to be able to swing relatively around a swing axis a3 perpendicular to the paper surface, and the support wheel 5 is supported so as to be able to rotate relative to the first connecting member 13 and the second connecting member 23. An arc-shaped guide groove 13b is formed on the side surface of the first connecting member 13. Meanwhile, a guide pin 24b that fits into the guide groove 13b is protruded from the side surface of the second connecting member 23. When the first support member 1 and the second support member 2 swing relatively, the guide pin 23b moves along the guide groove 13b, enabling smooth swinging.

[0035] As described above, the bicycle stand according to the present invention has a simple structure, yet can stably support a bicycle by supporting the front and rear ends or the front and rear hub nuts. Furthermore, because the bicycle's weight is supported at two widely separated points, the same distance as the bicycle's wheelbase, stability is further enhanced. Furthermore, by adopting the structure shown in the above-described embodiment, the bicycle stand can be adapted to bicycles with various wheelbases, and there is no need to fix the angle between the first support member 1 and the second support member 2. Furthermore, the stand can be stored compactly when not in use.

[0036] [Other embodiments] (1) In the above embodiment, the first support member 1 and the second support member 2 extend diagonally upward, but they may extend directly upward. In this case, by incorporating a structure that allows the distance between the first support member 1 and the second support member 2 to be variable, it is possible to apply the present invention to bicycles with different wheelbases, which is preferable. [Industrial Applicability]

[0037] The bicycle stand according to the present invention can be used to securely support bicycles for a variety of purposes, including washing, servicing, and transporting bicycles in vehicles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] A: Bicycle stand 1: First support member 11: Connection parts 12: Rod-shaped member (front support part) 12a: Small diameter part 13: First connecting member 14: 1st leg (grounding part) 2: Second support member 21: Connection member 22: Rod-shaped member (rear support part) 23: Second connecting member 24: Leg member (second leg, ground contact part)

Claims

1. A bicycle stand for supporting a bicycle, a grounding portion that is grounded on the placement surface; a first support member extending upward in a first direction from the ground contact portion; a second support member extending upward from the ground contact portion in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a front support portion provided at an upper end of the first support member, the front support portion being fitted into the front end of the bicycle or fitted onto the outside of a hub nut of a front wheel to support a load; A bicycle stand comprising: a rear support member provided at the upper end of the second support member and adapted to support a load by being fitted into the rear end of the bicycle or externally fitted onto the hub nut of the rear wheel.

2. the first support member extends obliquely upward and forward from the ground contact portion, the second support member extends obliquely upward and rearward from the ground contact portion, 2. The bicycle stand according to claim 1, wherein the first support member and the second support member are pivotally supported so that the front support portion and the rear support portion move toward and away from each other in the front-to-rear direction.

3. the first support member and the second support member are rod-shaped or tubular-shaped; the grounding portion includes a rod-shaped or tubular first leg portion extending from the end of the first support member on the side of the mounting surface, and a rod-shaped or tubular second leg portion extending from the end of the second support member on the side of the mounting surface, 3. The bicycle stand according to claim 2, wherein the total number of first legs and second legs is three or more.

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