Sports bicycle

Abstract

Provided is a sports bicycle that incorporates a rear-wheel steering system, can switch between stem control and free-turning mode at the rear wheel, and combines riding and pushing operation performance. 【Solution means】The sports bicycle of the present invention includes a frame set 1, a seat member, two moving front wheels, a drive pedal, at least one steering rear wheel 3, a protective cover 31, a steering assembly 4, and a switching assembly 5. The steering assembly includes a steering member 41, a first linkage shaft 42, an adapter member 43, and a second linkage shaft 44. The switching assembly includes a positioning portion 51 and an adjustment member 52. With the above structure, the user sits on the seat member and steps on the drive pedal to control the moving front wheels to move forward, and moves the steering rear wheel by the steering member of the steering assembly to turn. Since the turning radius is relatively small, it can be maneuvered more easily.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sports bicycle that enhances the maneuverability of turning by using the rear wheels, and can switch between stem control and free turning mode with the rear wheels, and has both riding and pushing control performances.

Background Art

[0002] Currently, there are multi-purpose bicycles on the market that have functions such as sports, riding, rehabilitation, and walking assistance. Usually, they have both the characteristics of pedal drive and pushing operation as a wheelchair, so they are suitable for people with physical disabilities and users who need rehabilitation training. However, there are still many technical defects in the existing designs, which affect the convenience and maneuverability in actual use.

[0003] First of all, most of these vehicles are designed based on wheelchairs, and due to the relatively large width of the vehicle body, the operation in narrow spaces and sharp turning corners is restricted, the turning radius is too large to be easily maneuvered, or the inner wheel difference affects the stability. Especially in scenes where frequent direction changes are required, such as indoor passages and crowded places, it is difficult to meet the need for maneuverability with the existing designs.

[0004] In addition, these vehicles usually have both the function of being operated by the user himself and the function of being pushed by an assistant. However, most of the existing vehicle stems are only used for the operation by the user, and when the assistant pushes and moves the vehicle, the direction cannot be controlled through the stem, and it is difficult to adjust the direction of the vehicle in the pushing mode. Although the assistant can push and move the vehicle, it lacks the maneuverability of direction control, is difficult to maneuver, and the agility and safety when pushing and moving are reduced.

[0005] Among the improved designs, some attempt to improve maneuverability by increasing the number of wheels or adopting a highly flexible frame structure. However, these solutions often involve problems such as an increase in vehicle body weight and a complication of the structure. When incorporating a four-wheel steering function, it is possible to solve the problems of the turning radius and direction control in the push mode. However, in the four-wheel steering design, when riding with pedal drive, the user cannot accurately control the direction with the stem, which affects the normal operation of the pedal drive mode. This point has become a major bottleneck in the current technology.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The main object of the present invention is to incorporate a rear-wheel steering system, use a steering assembly to link the steered rear wheels, reduce the turning radius, enhance the sensitivity of operation, and also, through the design of an adapter member and an adjustment member, enable switching between stem control and free-turning mode with the rear wheels, and provide a sports bicycle that combines the steering performance of riding and pushing.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The exercise bicycle of the present invention includes a frame set, a seat member, two movable front wheels, drive pedals, at least one steering rear wheel, a protective cover, a steering assembly, and a switching assembly. The steering assembly includes a steering member, a first linkage shaft, an adapter member, and a second linkage shaft. The switching assembly includes a positioning portion and an adjusting member. Among them, the seat member is installed on the frame set, each of the movable front wheels is installed on both sides of the seat member, the drive pedals are connected to the movable front wheels to drive them, the steering rear wheel is installed on the side of the frame set opposite to the drive pedals, the protective cover is pivotally installed above the steering rear wheel and turns in synchronization, the steering assembly is connected to the protective cover to steer the steering rear wheel, the steering member is used for control by the user, the first linkage shaft is pivotally installed within the frame set, the adapter member is fixed to one end of the first linkage shaft and is linked to the steering member, one end of the second linkage shaft is pivotally installed on one side of the first linkage shaft, and the other end is fixed on the protective cover. The adjusting member and the positioning portion are correspondingly coupled.

[0008] Under general circumstances, the user sits on the seat member and controls the movement of the movable front wheels by stepping on the drive pedals to move forward, and moves the steering rear wheel to turn by means of the steering member of the steering assembly. Since the turning radius is relatively small, it can be maneuvered more easily. And due to the design using the adapter member, when the first linkage shaft selectively links the second linkage shaft and the adjusting member of the switching assembly is coupled to the positioning portion, the second linkage shaft and the first linkage shaft rotate synchronously, realizing the stem control mode. When the adjusting member is disengaged from the positioning portion, the second linkage shaft rotates freely, and the protective cover and the steering rear wheel can rotate freely, making it easier for the assistant to push and move. It can be used for multiple purposes such as exercise, riding, rehabilitation, and walking assistance.

Effects of the Invention

[0009] By the above-mentioned technology, the present invention breaks through the problems existing in the conventional multi-purpose bicycles, such as the turning radius being too large and difficult to maneuver, and the stem being in the front, making it difficult to control when pushed by an assistant, and can achieve the above-mentioned advantages, and has practicality and progressiveness.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

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Figure 8

Figure 9

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

Embodiment

[0011] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the exercise bicycle of the present invention includes a frame set 1, a seat member 2, two moving front wheels 21, drive pedals 22, at least one steering rear wheel 3, a protective cover 31, a steering assembly 4, and at least one switching assembly 5. The seat member 2 is installed on the frame set 1. The two moving front wheels 21 are installed on both sides of the seat member 2. The drive pedals 22 are connected to the respective moving front wheels 21 to drive them. The at least one steering rear wheel 3 is installed on the side of the frame set 1 opposite to the drive pedals 22. The protective cover 31 is pivotally installed above the steering rear wheel 3 and changes direction synchronously. The steering assembly 4 is connected to the protective cover 31, steers the rear steering wheel 3, and changes the traveling direction. The steering assembly 4 includes a steering member 41 used by a user for control, at least one first linkage shaft 42 pivotally provided in the frame set 1, an adapter member 43 fixed to one end of the first linkage shaft 42 and interlocked with the steering member 41, and a second linkage shaft 44 having one end pivotally provided on one side of the first linkage shaft 42 and the other end fixed on the protective cover 31. The at least one switching assembly 5 is installed on one side of the adapter member 43 and includes a positioning portion 51 and an adjusting member 52 coupled to the positioning portion 51. When the adjusting member 52 is coupled to the positioning portion 51, the second linkage shaft 44 is rotated synchronously with the first linkage shaft 42. When the adjusting member 52 is disengaged from the positioning portion 51, the second linkage shaft 44 is rotated freely.

[0012] Among them, an elastic member 521 is installed on the adjusting member 52 to strengthen the coupling state between the positioning portion 51 and the adjusting member 52 by using an elastic force. On one side of the adapter member 43, a sleeve portion 431 used for movably installing the adjusting member 52 is provided. Two groove portions 432 are formed on the sleeve portion 431, and protruding portions 522 coupled to the respective groove portions 432 are provided on the adjusting member 52.

[0013] Among them, the frame set 1 is a metal framework, including a seat frame 11 used for installing the seat member 2 and a wheel frame 12 used for installing the front moving wheels 21 and the steering rear wheels 3. The seat member 2 includes a seat part 23 installed on the seat frame 11 and a backrest part 24 installed on the seat frame 11 and disposed on one side of the seat part 23. In this embodiment, the seat part 23 and the backrest part 24 are attached to the seat frame 11 by elastic belts. The two front moving wheels 21 are jointly pivotally installed on one drive shaft 211 and are disposed on both sides of the wheel frame 12. The drive pedal 22 is a common pedal for a bicycle and is pivotally installed on a portion extending forward of the wheel frame 12 and is located in front of the seat part 23. The number of the steering rear wheels 3 is two, and taking the example that they are pivotally installed on a portion extending rearward of the wheel frame 12 and are located behind the seat part 23, and using the link bar 412 and the triangular swing arm 413, they swing synchronously. The protective cover 31 takes the example of a U-shaped sheet-like body installed above the steering rear wheels 3, both ends are pivotally installed on the shafts of the steering rear wheels 3, and the upper surface is fixed to the second linkage shaft 44. The steering assembly 4 refers to all the linkage structures connected from the stem 411 to in front of the steering rear wheels 3. Therefore, the steering member 41 of the steering assembly 4 is defined as a combination of a T-shaped stem 411, a link bar 412, a swing arm 413, and a drive rod 414. The number of the first linkage shafts 42 is also two, the same as that of the steering rear wheels 3. The first linkage shaft 42 and the second linkage shaft 44 are installed vertically above the steering rear wheels 3 as an example. The first linkage shaft 42 is fixed to the adapter member 43, and the second linkage shaft 44 is fixed to the protective cover 31. And this fixing operation may be any one of screwing, fitting and fixing, adhesive fixing, and welding fixing. The adapter member 43 takes the example of a sheet-like body installed between the first linkage shaft 42 and the second linkage shaft 44. Installed between the two shafts refers to the period during the linkage operation. This embodiment takes the example of including the positional relationship at the same time. The switching assembly 5 has a fitting, snap, or insertion structure. This embodiment takes the insertion structure as an example. Among them, the positioning part 51 is a recessed groove or a through hole. This embodiment takes the recessed groove integrally formed on the protective cover 31 as an example.The adjusting member 52 is exemplified by a movable pin on the adapter member 43. The elastic member 521 is exemplified by a tension spring installed in the sleeve portion 431. The groove portion 432 is exemplified by two grooves with different depths at the end portion of the sleeve portion 431. The protruding portion 522 is exemplified by a rib on the side of the adjusting member 52.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the frame set 1 of the present invention has an appearance substantially in the form of a wheelchair and includes a seat portion 23, a backrest portion 24, front moving wheels 21, and a steering rear wheel 3. At the same time, it has multiple functions such as exercise, riding, rehabilitation, and walking assistance. Further, a drive pedal 22 and a steering assembly 4 are installed. Of course, the overall appearance does not necessarily have to be in the form of a wheelchair. For example, the seat member 2 may only be the seat portion 23 without the backrest portion 24. The installation of the backrest portion 24 is for the user to ride more comfortably and safely and does not affect the implementation of subsequent functions.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 4, when the user uses the present invention for riding or exercise purposes, the user sits on the seat member 2 and steps on the drive pedal 22 to interlock the drive shaft 211, control the front moving wheel 21 to move forward, and utilize the stem 411 of the steering member 41 to move the link bar 412, swing arm 413, drive rod 414, adapter member 43, first linkage shaft 42, second linkage shaft 44, protective cover 31, and steering rear wheel 3 in sequence to achieve the purpose of turning with the steering rear wheel 3. Among them, for the part where the steering member 41 moves the link bar 412, swing arm 413, and drive rod 414, since it can be a mechanism for synchronously steering the front wheels of a four-wheeled vehicle with a general steering wheel, the description of its operation process is omitted. In the stem 411 control mode where the adjustment member 52 is coupled to the positioning portion 51, since the end of the drive rod 414 is pivotally attached to the adapter member 43, the adapter member 43 can be swung and rotated. At this time, since the first linkage shaft 42 is pivotally provided within the frame set 1, when the adapter member 43 rotates about the first linkage shaft 42, the position of the first linkage shaft 42 can be regulated using the frame set 1, and it will not be displaced due to being pulled by the drive rod 414. Also, since the positioning portion 51 on the protective cover 31 and the adjustment member 52 on the adapter member 43 are in a fixed state, when the adapter member 43 is pulled by the drive rod 414, the protective cover 31 can be rotated via the switching assembly 5. Since the protective cover 31 is directly pivotally provided above the steering rear wheel 3, moving the protective cover 31 is equivalent to moving the steering rear wheel 3. Thereby, the steering rear wheel 3 is controlled using the steering member 41, and the purpose of rear-wheel steering is realized. The design of rear-wheel steering has a relatively small turning radius, making it easy for the user to make large turns, so it is less affected by vehicle stacking and restrictions in narrow environments.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 5 to Fig. 6, when the user uses the present invention for the purpose of walking assistance or rehabilitation, the user does not need to control the vehicle to move it, but the caregiver pushes it from behind. At this time, if the switching assembly 5 is adjusted to the free turning mode, the steering member 41 and the steering rear wheel 3 are disconnected, and the steering rear wheel 3 can be freely turned, so that the caregiver can push it conveniently. To explain this switching operation, the adjustment member 52 is removed from the positioning part 51 mainly to release the coupling state between the adjustment member 52 and the positioning part 51, but since the protrusion 522 on the side of the adjustment member 52 is also fitted into the deeper groove part 432, the caregiver needs to resist the pulling force of the elastic member 521, pull the adjustment member 52 up and rotate it, and move the protrusion 522 above the shallower groove part 432. When the caregiver releases the adjustment member 52, the elastic member 521 automatically pulls the adjustment member 52 down and fits into the shallower groove part 432. Since the groove 432 is relatively shallow, the upper end of the adjustment member 52 protrudes from the sleeve portion 431, i.e., the lower end of the adjustment member 52 is released from the positioning portion 51. Moreover, due to this release effect, the adapter member 43 cannot move the protective cover 31, and the connection between the steering member 41 and the steered rear wheel 3 is cut off. At the same time, the second interlocking shaft 44 is only pivoted on one side of the first interlocking shaft 42 and is not directly interlocked with the first interlocking shaft 42, i.e., the second interlocking shaft 44 is pivoted on the adapter member 43 or in the frame set 1 due to its positional relationship. As a result, the protective cover 31 and the steered rear wheel 3 can rotate around the second interlocking shaft 44, and when the caregiver pushes them, they swing and change direction, so the caregiver does not need to control the front steering member 41 to perform steering, and the steered rear wheel 3 does not have to swing freely and is not difficult to control the direction. In this way, by utilizing the design of the steering assembly 4 and the switching assembly 5, the steering rear wheel 3 can be switched between the stem 411 control mode and the free turning mode, thereby combining the controllability of both riding and pushing.Moreover, due to the design of the sleeve portion 431, when the adjusting member 52 moves up and down or rotates, it can be stably position - regulated within the sleeve portion 431, the acting force of the elastic member 521 can be made more stable, it will not be subjected to unnecessary lateral forces and accelerated fatigue, and the adjusting member 52 can be reliably inserted into the positioning portion 51, or the protruding portion 522 can be reliably fitted into the shallower groove portion 432, thus avoiding unexpected mode switching. At the same time, it provides a collision - prevention function and can extend the service life of the switching assembly 5. Also, the design of the elastic member 521, the groove portion 432, and the protruding portion 522 simplifies the operation of the switching assembly 5 and can avoid the problem that improper manual operation makes the fitting unreliable.

Embodiment

[0017] The main differences between the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 and the above - mentioned embodiment are that the structure and operation mode of the switching assembly 5 are changed, and the steering rear wheel 3 is changed to one. At the same time, in order to avoid the instability of the vehicle body due to having only one wheel, auxiliary wheels 32 are installed on both sides of the steering rear wheel 3 to enhance the safety during use. For the switching assembly 5, an example is that the positioning portion 51 is a convex body provided on one side of the adapter member 43, and the adjusting member 52 is a U - shaped buckle that can perform a reversing operation on the protective cover 31. It replaces the design that uses structures such as elastic members, sleeve portions, groove portions, and protruding portions to perform mode switching. Thus, when the adjusting member 52 on the protective cover 31 is reversed to both sides of the positioning portion 51, the rotation of the adapter member 43 is restricted by the adjusting member 52 due to the presence of the positioning portion 51, and the adjusting member 52 and the protective cover 31 are rotated synchronously. Moving the protective cover 31 is equivalent to moving the steering rear wheel 3. Similarly, the steering rear wheel 3 is controlled using the steering member 41, and the purpose of rear - wheel steering is realized. When adjusting the switching assembly 5 to the free - rotation mode, if the adjusting member 52 is reversed to release the connection state with the positioning portion 51, the connection between the steering member 41 and the steering rear wheel 3 is disconnected, and the purpose of freely rotating the steering rear wheel 3 is realized. This explains that while simplifying the overall structure, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the structural relationship and operation mode of the switching assembly 5 are not limited.

Embodiment

[0018] The main difference between the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 9 and the above-described embodiment is that a function of being able to remove and adjust the position of the sheet member 2 is added, and the seat frame 11 is designed to be removably installed on the wheel frame 12. This embodiment is implemented by a method of installing at least one quick release assembly 13 between the seat frame 11 and the wheel frame 12. Specifically, the quick release assembly 13 is a quick lever clamp installed on the wheel frame 12, and the rod 111 at the bottom of the seat frame 11 can be covered inside and clamped and fixed by a clamping method. Thereby, the seat frame 11 can be quickly and easily removed and installed. When not in use by the user, the seat frame 11 and the wheel frame 12 can be separated to reduce the space occupied by the whole, and it can be stored more conveniently. Alternatively, further, at least one anti-misoperation device 112 is provided between the seat frame 11 and the quick release assembly 13 to prevent the seat frame 11 from being attached in the reverse direction or in a displaced state. The anti-misoperation device 112 of this embodiment is exemplified by screws installed corresponding to both sides of the quick release assembly 13 at the bottom of the seat frame 11. When the installation by the user is inappropriate, the anti-misoperation device 112 contacts the quick release assembly 13, and the seat frame 11 cannot be placed into the clamp seat 131 of the quick release assembly 13, so that accurate installation can be ensured during installation. At the same time, the quick release assembly 13 is restricted between the screws on both sides, and the axial position restricting effect of the rod 111 of the seat frame 11 by the quick release assembly 13 can be assisted, and the safety in use can be indirectly enhanced.

[0019] In addition, two slide rail portions 121 are provided on the wheel frame 12, a fixed sliding seat body 7 that is movably installed on the slide rail portion 121 and is used for installing the seat frame 11, and a control member 71 used for fixing the fixed sliding seat body 7 are provided. Among them, the fixed sliding seat body 7 is provided with two rollers 72 on both the upper and lower sides of the slide rail portion 121, and a sliding method using two rails and two rollers provides a stable sliding effect. At the same time, the clamping effect of the upper and lower rollers 72 is utilized to prevent the displacement and detachment of the fixed sliding seat body 7. The control member 71 takes an L-shaped rod as an example, and the end portion of the control member 71 is located inside the fixed sliding seat body 7 and is provided with a stopper portion 73 that can increase the resistance between the fixed sliding seat body 7 and the slide rail portion 121. For example, the stopper portion 73 may be a cam or an eccentric wheel at the end of the control member 71, or a rubber body for pressing with the control member 71. When the control member 71 is moved and its end portion is rotated inside the fixed sliding seat body 7, the cam can be brought into contact with the slide rail portion 121, or the end portion of the control member 71 can push the stopper portion 73 downward. Thereby, a relatively large torque can be provided by utilizing the L-shaped design, the force required for the fixing operation can be reduced, and a strong resistance can be easily provided by the stopper portion 73, providing a simple and stable control effect. Furthermore, through the front-back adjustment function of the fixed sliding seat body 7, the position of the seat member 2 is adjusted according to the length of the user's legs, so that it can be adjusted to a comfortable position and the drive pedal 22 can be stepped on.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0020] 1 Frame Set 11 Seat Frame 111 Rod 112 Anti-Pinch 12 Wheel Frame 121 Slide Rail Portion 13 Quick Release Assembly 131 Clamp Seat 2 Seat Member 21 Movable Front Wheel 211 Drive Shaft 22 Drive Pedal 23 Sheet part 24 Backrest part 3 Steering rear wheel 31 Protection cover 32 Auxiliary wheel 4 Steering assembly 41 Steering member 411 Stem 412 Link bar 413 Rocking arm 414 Drive rod 42 First linkage shaft 43 Adapter member 431 Sleeve part 432 Groove part 44 Second linkage shaft 5 Switching assembly 51 Positioning part 52 Adjusting member 521 Elastic member 22 Protrusion 5 7 Fixed sliding seat body 71 Control member 72 Roller 73 Stopper part

Claims

1. An exercise bicycle, comprising: a frame set; a seat member; two moving front wheels; a drive pedal; at least one steerable rear wheel; a protective cover; a steering assembly; and a switching assembly; The sheet member is installed on the frame set, The two moving front wheels are installed on both sides of the seat member, the drive pedal is coupled to each of the moving front wheels to drive them; the at least one steered rear wheel is located on an opposite side of the frame set to the drive pedal; The protective cover is pivotally mounted above the steered rear wheels and turns synchronously with the steered rear wheels; The steering assembly is connected to the protective cover and steers the steered rear wheel to change the traveling direction, the steering assembly including a steering member used by a user for control, at least one first interlocking shaft pivoted in the frame set, an adapter member fixed to one end of the first interlocking shaft and interlocked with the steering member, and a second interlocking shaft having one end pivoted to one side of the first interlocking shaft and the other end fixed on the protective cover, the switching assembly is installed on one side of the adapter member, and includes a positioning portion and an adjustment member that is coupled to the positioning portion, the second interlocking shaft is rotated synchronously with the first interlocking shaft when the adjustment member is coupled to the positioning portion, and the second interlocking shaft is freely rotated when the adjustment member is detached from the positioning portion.

2. 2. The exercise bicycle according to claim 1, characterized in that an elastic member is installed on the adjustment member, and an elastic force is used to strengthen the connection between the positioning part and the adjustment member, a sleeve part is provided on one side of the adapter member for movably installing the adjustment member, two grooves are formed on the sleeve part, and protrusions are provided on the adjustment member to be connected to each of the grooves.

3. 2. The exercise bicycle according to claim 1, wherein the frame set comprises a seat frame for mounting the seat member, and a wheel frame for mounting each of the moving front wheels and the steering rear wheels, the seat frame being removably mounted on the wheel frame via at least one quick release assembly, and at least one error proofing device being installed between the seat frame and the quick release assembly.

4. 2. The exercise bicycle according to claim 1, wherein the frame set comprises a seat frame for installing the seat member, and a wheel frame for installing each of the moving front wheels and each of the steering rear wheels, and further comprises two slide rail parts on the wheel frame, a fixed sliding seat body movably installed on the slide rail parts and used for installing the seat frame, and a control member for fixing the fixed sliding seat body.

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