Bicycle Frame Internal Storage Using Flexible Bladder and Stiffening Collar
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bicycle storage systems face challenges in efficiently utilizing the internal frame space for storing items like water, tools, and spare parts while maintaining aerodynamics and ease of access.
Innovation Solution
A flexible bladder storage system integrated within the bicycle frame, utilizing a stiffening member and a collar with a cover mechanism for secure and accessible storage, where the stiffening member also serves as a drinking tube, and the bladder's design allows for alignment with non-parallel axes to optimize space usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a flexible bladder is used for storage, then the storage system can be compact and aerodynamic, but the bladder is difficult to insert into the frame member
Solution Approach 1:
The insertion process is divided into two stages: first inserting the rigid collar through the opening, then inserting the flexible bladder through the collar. This segmentation allows each component to be inserted in its optimal form - the rigid collar first provides a guide, then the flexible bladder follows more easily through the established path.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid collar serves as an intermediary component that facilitates the insertion of the flexible bladder. By first positioning the collar through the opening, it creates a guided pathway that makes subsequent bladder insertion easier, solving the difficulty of inserting flexible material through a narrow opening.
2Volume of moving object
If the bladder is made flexible for compact storage, then space utilization is improved, but the bladder lacks structural support for proper positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid collar and flexible bladder are merged into a single integrated assembly where the collar provides structural support and positioning while the bladder provides flexible storage. The collar acts as both a structural element and a mounting mechanism, combining support and containment functions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the storage system have different mechanical properties: the collar is rigid to provide structural support and maintain positioning, while the bladder is flexible to maximize storage volume and conform to available space. This local differentiation of material properties optimizes both structural support and space utilization.
3Volume of moving object
If the bladder extends along non-parallel axes to optimize frame space, then storage capacity is improved, but the bladder geometry becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The collar serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, acts as a mounting interface for the bladder, serves as a guide during insertion, and maintains the bladder's positioning within the frame. This multi-functionality simplifies the overall design despite the complex bladder geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The bladder is designed as a flexible shell that can conform to complex three-dimensional paths including non-parallel axes. The flexibility of the thin-walled bladder allows it to follow the complex geometry of the frame interior without requiring rigid structural elements, thereby maximizing storage capacity within available space.
Data Source
AI summary
A bicycle including a front wheel, a rear wheel, and a frame supported on the front and rear wheels. The frame includes a hollow frame member having a wall with an opening, and a flexible bladder positioned in the hollow frame member. A stiffening member is positioned along at least a portion of the bladder to facilitate insertion of the bladder through the opening and into the frame member. The bicycle further includes a collar coupled to the open end of the bladder with at least a portion of the collar being positioned on an outer surface of the frame member. The bladder includes a first portion adjacent the open end and generally aligned with a first axis and a second portion distal to the open end and generally aligned with a second axis that is non-parallel to the first axis.