Bicycle or motorcycle frame and manufacturing method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bicycle or motorcycle frame that comprises a plurality of sections supporting a tube for the shaft of a front fork and its handlebar, and anchors for a rear wheel. The frame is characterised in that the sections include a lower section with lower parallel arms, and an upper leaf spring with upper parallel arms; the parallel arms being spaced apart by a distance greater than the width of the rear wheel, its hub and mechanical elements; wherein the lower section with lower parallel arms and the upper leaf spring with upper parallel arms are laminar parts with an oblong configuration. The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing said frame.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] FRAME FOR BICYCLE OR MOTORCYCLE AND MANUFACTURING PROCEDURE

[0003] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention relates to a frame for a bicycle or motorcycle, usable in the personal transport sector, and which improves comfort qualities at a reduced cost, and to its manufacturing process.

[0005] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Currently, bicycle or motorcycle frames are known that comprise a plurality of structural sectors that support a tube for the front fork seat post and its handlebar, anchors for the rear wheel, as well as a hub for a bottom bracket in the case of bicycles, or engine mounts in the case of motorcycles, comprising a support for a seat post or for an upper seat.

[0007] Within the existing bicycle frames, there are rigid frames without any type of suspension, and frames with suspension. In all cases, as in the case of motorcycles, their structural sections include a swingarm articulated to another rigid section of the frame, and a shock absorber or shock absorbers interposed between the swingarm and the rigid section of the frame. Therefore, the entire damping function in these cases is performed by the shock absorber, which not only has to cushion movements but also ensure the return to resting positions. Therefore, they work with high pneumatic pressures, and are parts with a certain expiration date and vulnerability.

[0008] Furthermore, in the case of bicycles, the fork can also be damped, a feature that has already been significantly improved and developed in the technical sector.

[0009] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The bicycle or motorcycle frame of the invention is of the type comprising a plurality of sectors supporting a tube for the seat post of a front fork and its handlebars, and anchors for a rear wheel. According to the invention, the sectors comprise a lower sector with lower parallel arms and an upper spring with upper parallel arms; the parallel arms are separated by a distance greater than the width of the rear wheel, its hub and transmission elements, and other mechanical elements to accommodate all of them between said arms. The seat or saddle is arranged above the upper spring.

[0011] In this way, the leaf spring acts as a shock-absorbing element that absorbs the unevenness of the terrain, thus preventing its transmission to the user. It also performs the function of returning to the initial position, making it unnecessary to use shock absorbers and thus ensuring that the element is free of breakdowns and therefore requires no repairs or replacements.

[0012] Another particular aspect of the invention is that the sectors, that is, the lower sector with lower parallel arms, and the upper spring with upper parallel arms are pieces or laminar profiles, specifically plates of oblong configuration, unlike the elements that form frames in a conventional way, which is from the use of tubes or tubular elements, and can be straight or curved.

[0013] Thus, the present invention aims to define a manufacturing process for a bicycle or motorcycle frame, a frame as previously defined, which comprises, as opposed to any other type of manufacturing process known to the applicant, the steps of: starting from a flat plate; stamping the plate into sectors with the shape of at least one sector with lower parallel arms, and an upper spring with upper parallel arms; bending the stamped sectors; and welding or fixing at least the joining points between a lower sector with lower parallel arms and an upper spring with upper parallel arms, to obtain the frame.

[0014] Compared to other manufacturing methods, sheets or plates are used instead of tubes. Furthermore, by bending the sectors, a complete frame can be obtained with a single weld at one end. This additional advantage allows the welding area to be selected based on the frame's required strength. In this sense, the frame ends can be welded if starting from two separate arc-shaped pieces, but it also allows for other additional joining methods, such as those proposed in the embodiments shown below, such as a hinge-like joint, either welded or riveted; the joint being articulated through the use of bushings or fittings, either riveted or welded.Another advantage of this process is the lower energy cost compared to conventional methods, given that the present invention bases the joint on a weld, which allows for a lower CO2 footprint. This is because the die-cut sections require a shorter weld bead length compared to traditional bicycles; that is, the flat-line welds are shorter than those on the perimeter of the tubes, which translates into lower electricity consumption per unit produced.

[0015] The present invention also allows it to be made from recycled and recyclable materials. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the frame sections are made from recycled steel.

[0016] Throughout the description and claims, it should be noted that the term “comprises” and its variants are not intended to exclude other technical features, benefits or additional elements.

[0017] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 shows a view of a frame of the invention, with a saddle support comprising a pillar with a shock absorber, which is connected to the lower leaf spring through a third joint, and passing through the upper leaf spring.

[0019] Figure 2 shows a view of a frame of the invention, where the saddle support comprises a tubular section supported only by the upper leaf spring.

[0020] Figure 3 shows a view of a vahante of the frame of the invention, where the lower sector is rigid and comprises a rear section with lower parallel arms and a front section attached to the steering tube.

[0021] Figure 4 shows a view of one of the arms of the frame of the invention, with shock absorbers interspersed between one or more of the leaf springs. Although in this figure they appear on the arms of the upper leaf spring, they can be arranged anywhere.

[0022] DESCRIPTION OF A PRACTICAL EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The frame (1) for a bicycle or motorcycle of the invention is of the type comprising a plurality of sectors that support a pipe (2) for the seat post of a front fork and its handlebar, and anchors (3) for a rear wheel, where according to the invention the sectors comprise a lower sector (6) with lower parallel arms (6a), and an upper leaf spring (7) with upper parallel arms (7a); the parallel arms (6a, 7a) being separated at a distance greater than the width of the rear wheel, its hub and usual mechanical elements, such as the transmission or brake disc.

[0024] In a vahante of the invention shown in fig 3, the lower sector (6) is rigid and comprises a rear section with lower parallel arms (6a) and a front section (6b) attached to the steering head (2). With this configuration it is possible to arrange in the lower sector (6) some extreme support elements (6c), where the ends of the upper parallel arms (7a) of the upper leaf spring (7) are supported, with the possibility of sliding, to absorb elasticity and variation of the arc of said upper leaf spring (7). In this vahante, applied to a bicycle, a hub (4) for a pedal bracket is arranged between the second arms (6a) and the front section (6b) of the lower sector (6).

[0025] In another variant of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the lower sector (6) is configured by a lower spring, and for the materialization of a bicycle, the hub (4) for the bottom bracket is arranged in the lower sector (6), that is, in said lower spring.

[0026] The upper leaf spring (7) and the lower section (6), configured in the form of a leaf spring, are preferably joined at their ends; ideally, the leaf springs are joined at the front at the pipe (2) and at the back at the anchors (3), since in this way the entire possible structural amplitude of the frame works with the desired damping performance.

[0027] One possibility is that the leaf springs (6, 7) are joined at their ends (see fig. 1) through a first joint (8) and a second joint (9), since this allows all the damping movement to be assigned to the effect of the leaf springs, since welds or unions materialized between the ends of the leaf springs would provide greater rigidity, however, the possible variant where the ends of the leaf springs are welded or joined, as seen in fig. 2, being included in the invention.

[0028] Other features of the invention include the possibility of arranging first shock absorbers (100) interspersed in one or more of the leaf springs (6, 7), as seen in Fig. 4.

[0029] For its part, the support (5) for the saddle, can comprise (see fig. 1) a pillar (50) with a second shock absorber (51), which is connected to the lower leaf spring (6) and passing through the upper leaf spring (7), or in another section of the invention (see figs. 2 to 4), a tubular section (55) with a blocker (55a) for the saddle, supported only on the upper leaf spring (7). In the section of fig. 1, the pillar (50) is connected to the lower leaf spring (6) through a third joint (53); the upper leaf spring (7) comprising a slide (70) for passage of the pillar (50), with inclination lockers (52), which allows adjusting the inclination of the seat post and therefore the position of the saddle with respect to the pedal bracket, for better adaptation to the anatomy and condition of the user's knees. The blocker (55a) is also incorporated into the pillar (50) of the vahante in Fig. 1.

[0030] Having sufficiently described the nature of the invention, as well as the manner of its implementation in practice, it should be noted that the provisions indicated above and represented in the attached drawings are susceptible to modifications in detail as long as they do not alter the fundamental principle.

Claims

CLAIMS 1.- Frame (1) for a bicycle or motorcycle, of the type comprising a plurality of sectors that support a pipe (2) for the seat post of a front fork and its handlebar, and anchors (3) for a rear wheel; characterized in that the sectors comprise a lower sector (6) with lower parallel arms (6a), and an upper leaf spring (7) with upper parallel arms (7a); the parallel arms (6a, 7a) being separated at a distance greater than the width of the rear wheel, its hub and mechanical elements.

2. -Frame (1) for bicycle or motorcycle according to claim 1, where the lower sector (6) is rigid and comprises a rear section with lower parallel arms (6a) and a front section (6b) attached to the steering pipe (2).

3. -Frame (1) for bicycle or motorcycle according to claim 2, where the lower sector (6) comprises extreme support elements (6c), where the ends of the upper parallel arms (7a) of the upper spring (7) are supported with the possibility of sliding.

4. -Frame (1) for a bicycle or motorcycle according to claim 2 or 3, comprising a hub (4) for a bottom bracket, arranged between the second arms (6a) and the front section (6b) of the lower sector (6) 5. -Frame (1) for bicycle or motorcycle according to claim 1, where the lower sector (6) is configured by a lower leaf spring.

6. -Frame (1) for bicycle or motorcycle according to claim 5, comprising a hub (4) for the bottom bracket arranged in the lower sector (6).

7. -Frame (1) for bicycle or motorcycle according to claim 5 or 6, where the upper leaf spring (7) and the lower sector (6) configured in the form of a leaf spring are joined at their ends.

8. -Frame (1) for bicycle or motorcycle according to claim 7, where the leaf springs are joined previously in the pipe (2) and subsequently in the anchors (3).

9. -Frame (1) for bicycle or motorcycle according to any of claims 7 or 8, wherein the leaf springs (6, 7) are joined at their ends through a first joint. (8) and a second joint (9).

10. -Frame (1) for a bicycle or motorcycle according to any of claims 5 to 9, comprising first shock absorbers (100) inserted in one or more of the leaf springs (6, 7).

11. -Frame (1) for bicycle or motorcycle according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a saddle support (5) comprising a pillar (50) with a second shock absorber (51), which is connected to the lower sector (6) and passing through the upper leaf spring (7), the pillar (50) comprising an upper blocker (55a).

12. -Frame (1) for a bicycle or motorcycle according to claim 11, wherein the pillar (50) is connected to the lower spring (6) through a third joint (53); the upper spring (7) comprising a slide (70) for passage of the pillar (50), with inclination locks (52).

13. -Frame (1) for bicycle or motorcycle according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the support (5) for the saddle comprises a tubular section (55) with a blocker (55a), supported on the upper leaf spring (7).

14. -Frame (1) for a bicycle or motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein the lower sector (6) with lower parallel arms (6a) and the upper leaf spring (7) with upper parallel arms (7a) are laminar pieces of oblong configuration.

15. Method for manufacturing a bicycle or motorcycle frame, according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of: starting from a flat plate, stamping the plate into sectors in the shape of at least a lower sector with lower parallel arms and an upper spring with upper parallel arms; bending the stamped sectors; and welding at least the joining points between a lower sector with lower parallel arms and an upper spring with upper parallel arms to obtain the frame.

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