Bicycle Cargo Pack Stiffening Structure to Prevent Bulging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Soft cargo packs for bicycles often bulge beyond their normal dimensions, leading to potential contact with moving parts or the rider, causing irritation and abrasion.
Innovation Solution
A cargo pack with an outer casing of flexible material and internal stiffening elements, including elongate battens and additional stiffeners, to maintain shape and prevent bulging, combined with mounting blocks for secure attachment to the bicycle frame.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If soft cargo packs are used for bicycle touring, then the packs are flexible and can be easily attached, but they bulge beyond their normal dimensions and can contact moving parts or the rider causing irritation and abrasion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible outer casing made of soft material that maintains the pack's flexibility for easy attachment while incorporating internal stiffening elements to prevent excessive bulging. This combination allows the pack to adapt to the bicycle frame while maintaining a controlled shape that prevents contact with the rider.
Solution Approach 2:
The pack is divided into multiple structural components including the flexible outer casing, internal stiffening elements, and mounting blocks. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the casing provides flexibility, the stiffening elements prevent bulging, and the mounting blocks secure the pack to the frame.
2Ease of manufacture
If soft cargo packs are used for bicycle touring, then the packs are easy to manufacture and attach, but they cannot maintain their shape and may come into contact with moving parts
Solution Approach 1:
The outer casing is made from flexible soft material that is easy to manufacture using conventional fabricating techniques. This flexible shell provides the base structure while internal stiffening elements are added to maintain shape without complicating the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The pack combines flexible soft material for the outer casing with rigid internal stiffening elements to create a composite structure. This composite approach maintains shape while keeping the overall manufacturing process simple and cost-effective.
3Shape
If stiffening elements are added to maintain pack shape, then the pack maintains its shape and prevents contact with rider, but the pack structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire pack rigid, stiffening elements are strategically placed in specific locations where shape maintenance is most critical. This localized approach maintains shape where needed while keeping the overall structure simple and flexible in other areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The pack structure is segmented into distinct functional components - the flexible outer casing, internal stiffening elements, and mounting blocks. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
There is described a cargo pack for attachment to a bicycle. The pack comprises an outer casing of a flexible material. The outer casing has: an opening for loading the pack, oppositely disposed side walls, an attachment wall extending between the side walls and intended to lie adjacent a frame member of the bicycle, and elongate internal stiffening elements fitted to each side wall and to the attachment wall. There is also described a method of assembling a cargo pack for attachment to a bicycle.