Chain storage structure

Abstract

To provide a chain storage structure capable of achieving simple and easy detachment of a pedal unit without removing a rear wheel from a frame.SOLUTION: A chain storage structure, in an automobile 10 capable of detaching a pedal unit, includes: a chain 18 engaging with a sprocket 17 integrally rotating with a driving wheel; and a chain case 22 storing the chain 18 and the sprocket 17 with the chain 18 wound around the sprocket 17 along the circumference thereof. The chain case 22 has a pair of shell members 23, 24 formed in a semicircular shape in side view of a bicycle 10 having a storage part for storing the chain 18.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a chain storage structure for storing a chain attached to a bicycle having a pedal attachment / detachment unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, bicycles for training equipped with detachable pedal units have been developed and used. These have a structure in which the unit body, including the chain wheel and pedal cranks, can be attached and detached to the bicycle body with bolts or the like, and the pedal unit can be fixed and released with bolts and nuts.

[0003] Patent Document 1, for example, discloses an example of a bicycle equipped with a pedal attachment / detachment unit. This bicycle for practice riding has a connecting part protruding from a bracket unit that supports a pedal crank and that is detachably attached to a tubular part extending downward from the main frame of the vehicle body, the connecting part having a vertically elongated slit cut out at the lower end of the tubular part so as to extend along the longitudinal direction of the tubular part, a through hole on the main body side formed in the tubular part above the slit, a protrusion formed in the connecting part of the bracket unit that is fitted into the slit and engages with the inner surface of the slit so that it is in contact with the inner surface of the slit in the vertical direction, and a through hole on the bracket unit side formed in the connecting part of the bracket unit at a position that coincides with the through hole on the main body side when the slit and the protrusion are engaged, and the connecting part of the bracket unit is detachably fixed to the tubular part by a bolt and nut that are inserted through the through hole on the main body side and the through hole on the bracket unit side.

[0004] According to Patent Document 1, it is possible to provide a bicycle for riding practice that allows the bracket unit that supports the pedal crank to be attached and detached easily and quickly and that has excellent strength and durability. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-062259 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in bicycles with detachable pedal units, such as the riding practice bicycle of Patent Document 1, when attaching the pedal unit, the rear wheel must be removed from the frame in order to attach the chain at the same time, which requires adjustment of the brakes. This work requires skill, so it is generally necessary to ask a bicycle shop or the like to do the work, which is costly and time-consuming.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and has an object to provide a chain storage structure that allows the pedal unit to be attached and detached simply and easily without removing the rear wheel from the frame. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a chain storage structure for a bicycle to which a pedal unit can be detached, comprising a chain that meshes with a sprocket that rotates integrally with a drive wheel, and a chain case that stores the chain and the sprocket with the chain wound around the circumference of the sprocket. The chain case may have a pair of shell members that are semicircular in shape when viewed from the side of the bicycle and have a storage section that stores the chain.

[0009] In addition, the pair of shell members may be joined to each other by a hinge portion at one end and connected to each other by a connecting portion provided at the other end, thereby forming a circular shape with the chain housed therein.

[0010] The chain case may be designed such that the width of the storage section narrows toward the center of the semicircular shape, and the stored chain is pressed from both sides. Furthermore, the chain case may have a sponge member provided on the circumferential portion of the semicircular shape of the storage section. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a chain storage structure that allows the pedal unit to be simply and easily attached and detached without removing the rear wheel from the frame. Note that the effects described here are not necessarily limited to those described herein, and may be any of the effects described in this disclosure. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a bicycle according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2 is an enlarged schematic view showing a rear wheel of a bicycle according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a chain storage structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a chain storage structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 5] 5A to 5C are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of the chain storage structure according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 5A to 5C are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of the chain storage structure according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 5A to 5C are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of the chain storage structure according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 5A to 5C are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of the chain storage structure according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment described below is an example of a typical embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the scope of the present invention, and various combinations, modifications, and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0014] <Bicycle configuration example> First, a configuration example of a bicycle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a bicycle according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is an enlarged schematic diagram showing a rear wheel of the bicycle according to this embodiment.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, a bicycle 10 according to this embodiment includes, as an example, a bicycle body 11, a handlebar 12 attached to the front upper part of the bicycle body 11, a saddle 13 attached to the upper part near the center of the bicycle body 11, and a front wheel 14 and a rear wheel 15 rotatably connected to the front and rear lower parts of the bicycle body 11, respectively.

[0016] Bicycle 10 also includes pedals 16 attached to the lower part near the center of bicycle body 11, a rear sprocket 17, a chain 18, a separable chain cover 19, a crank 20 that supports the pedals, and a chain ring 21. In this embodiment, the pedals 16, chain cover 19, crank 20, and front chain ring 21 make up a pedal unit. Bicycle 10 is configured so that the pedal unit is detachable.

[0017] 2, the rear wheel 15 is connected to the rear lower part of the bicycle body 11 via a plurality of spokes so as to be rotatable about the rear wheel axle 21. The front wheel 14 is also connected to the front lower part of the bicycle body 11 via a plurality of spokes so as to be rotatable about the front wheel axle.

[0018] The chain 18 is attached between a front chain ring 21 and a rear sprocket 17 attached to the rear wheel axle 21, and transmits power from the pedals 16 to the rear wheel 15. A chain case 22 that stores the chain 18 can be attached around the rear sprocket 17 to the bicycle 10.

[0019] <Example of chain storage structure configuration> Next, a configuration example of a chain storage structure according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 2 to Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a part of a chain case of the chain storage structure according to this embodiment is open. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a chain case of the chain storage structure according to this embodiment is closed.

[0020] The chain storage structure according to this embodiment, for a bicycle 10 to which a pedal unit can be detached, includes a chain 18 that meshes with a rear sprocket 17 that rotates integrally with the rear wheel 15, which is the drive wheel, and a chain case 22 that stores the chain 18 and the rear sprocket 17 with the chain 18 wound around the circumference of the rear sprocket 17. The drive wheel is not limited to the rear wheel 15, and may be the front wheel 14. In this case, the chain case stores the chain and the front sprocket.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3, the chain case 22 is formed in an overall disk shape and has a pair of shell members, a first shell member 23 and a second shell member 24, each of which is formed in a semicircular shape when viewed from the side of the bicycle 10, and has a storage section for storing the chain 18.

[0022] The first shell member 23 and the second shell member 24 have a first connecting portion 25 and a second connecting portion 26 formed at one end, respectively. The first shell member 23 and the second shell member 24 have the other ends connected to each other by a hinge portion 27.

[0023] As one example, the first connection portion 25 is formed with two screw receivers arranged in the circumferential direction of the first shell member 23. As one example, the second connection portion 26 is formed with two screw holes arranged in the circumferential direction of the second shell member 24 and corresponding to the screw receivers of the first connection portion 25. In the chain case 22, the connection portion can be formed by the screw holes, the screw receivers, and the screws.

[0024] When closing one end of the chain case 22, the first connection part 25 and the second connection part 26 are overlapped, the screw receivers are aligned with the screw holes, and screws are then passed through the screw holes and screwed into the screw receivers. As a result, the first connection part 25 and the second connection part 26 are double-locked to each other with two screws, so that even if one of the screws loosens, the connection between the two parts will not come undone, allowing the chain case 22 to be used safely. Note that the number of screw receivers and screw holes is not limited to two each, and three or more may be formed, and they may be formed in either the first shell member 23 or the second shell member 24.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 3, one end of the first shell member 23 and the second shell member 24 can be opened by releasing the joint between the first connecting portion 25 and the second connecting portion 26. Also, as shown in Fig. 4, one end of the first shell member 23 and the second shell member 24 can be closed by joining the first connecting portion 25 and the second connecting portion 26.

[0026] In this way, the pair of shell members, the first shell member 23 and the second shell member 24, are joined to each other at one end by the first connecting portion 25 and the second connecting portion 26, and are connected to each other by the hinge portion 27 provided at the other end, thereby forming a circular shape while accommodating the chain 18.

[0027] Additionally, the chain case 22 is designed so that the housing section that houses the chain 18 narrows as it approaches the center of the semicircular shape of the first shell member 23 and the second shell member 24, and is configured to press the housed chain 18 from both sides. This makes it possible to suppress noise caused by the housed chains 18 colliding with each other.

[0028] Furthermore, the chain case 22 has a sponge member provided on the semicircular circumferential portion of the housing portion that houses the chain 18. This makes it possible to absorb sound within the housing portion and prevent oil from leaking from the housing portion.

[0029] <Example of chain storage structure operation> Next, an example of a chain storage operation of the chain storage structure according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 5 to Fig. 8. Fig. 5 to Fig. 8 are schematic diagrams showing an example of a chain storage operation of the chain storage structure according to this embodiment.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 5, when storing the chain 18 of the bicycle 10 in the chain case 22, as an example, the chain 18 is first removed from the chain ring 21 and then wrapped around the rear sprocket 17 located at the center of the frame 31 of the rear wheel 15.

[0031] Next, as shown in FIG. 6, while holding down the chain 18 wound around the rear wheel axle 21, the housing portion of the first shell member 23 or the second shell member 24 is placed over the chain 18 so as to cover the outer periphery of the chain 18.

[0032] 7, as an example, first, the housing portion of the second shell member 24 is placed over the chain 18. Alternatively, the first shell member 23 may be placed over the chain 18 first, and then the housing portion of the second shell member 24 may be placed over the chain 18.

[0033] Next, as shown in FIG. 8, while holding down the second shell member 24 that is placed over the chain 18, the container portion of the first shell member 23 is placed over the exposed side of the chain 18.

[0034] Then, the first shell member 23 and the second shell member 24 are double-locked to each other at a first connecting portion 25 and a second connecting portion 26 formed on one end of the first shell member 23 and the second shell member 24 that are placed over the chain 18, thereby joining the first shell member 23 and the second shell member 24. This allows the first shell member 23 and the second shell member 24 to form a circular shape with the chain 18 housed therein.

[0035] As described above, according to the chain storage structure of this embodiment, the pedal unit can be attached and detached from the bicycle 10 without removing the rear wheel 15, making it easy to install and eliminating the need to adjust the brakes of the bicycle 10. Therefore, there is no need to ask a bicycle expert such as a bicycle shop to attach and detach the pedal unit. In this way, according to the chain storage structure of this embodiment, it is possible to simply and easily attach and detach the pedal unit without removing the rear wheel from the frame. Also, since there is no need to specially design the frame for attaching and detaching the chain, there is more freedom in the design of the frame.

[0036] In addition, the chain can be left attached even when the pedal unit is removed and the bike is used as a balance bike, and there is no need to attach a chain later when the pedal unit is attached and the bike is used as a bicycle, eliminating the need to remove and attach the rear wheel, which significantly reduces the effort and cost.

[0037] It should be noted that the effects described in this specification are merely examples and are not limiting, and other effects may also be obtained. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 10. Bicycles 11 Bicycle body 12 Handle 13. Saddle 14 Front wheel 15 Rear wheel 16 Pedals 17 Rear sprocket 18 Chain 19 Chain cover 21 Rear wheel axle 22 Chain case 23 First shell member 24 Second shell member 25 First connection part 26 Second connection part 27 Hinge part

Claims

1. For bicycles with detachable pedal units, A chain that meshes with a sprocket that rotates together with the drive wheel; a chain case that stores the chain and the sprocket in a state where the entire chain is wound around the circumference of the sprocket; A chain storage structure comprising:

2. 2. The chain storage structure according to claim 1, wherein the chain case has a pair of shell members formed in a semicircular shape when viewed from the side of the bicycle, the shell members having a storage portion for storing the chain.

3. 3. The chain storage structure according to claim 2, wherein the pair of shell members are joined to each other at one end by a hinge portion and connected to each other by a connecting portion provided at the other end, thereby forming a circular shape with the chain stored therein.

4. 4. The chain storage structure according to claim 2, wherein the storage section of the chain case is designed to narrow toward the center of the semicircular shape, and presses the stored chain from both sides.

5. 5. The chain storage structure according to claim 2, wherein the chain case has a sponge member provided inside the semicircular circumferential portion of the housing portion.

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