Bicycle Hinge Clamp With Removable Handle and Protected Spring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hinge clamps in folding structures, such as bicycles, are inefficient due to frustrating operation, potential theft, and issues like bolt loss or deformation, as they lack quick and secure tightening mechanisms and are prone to misalignment and damage from springs.
Innovation Solution
A clamp design featuring an eyelet to position and protect a retraction spring, a counter-bore in the V-plate, and a finger loop for easy operation, along with a removable bolt handle to prevent theft, ensures secure and efficient clamping by preventing spring entrapment and allowing easy handle repositioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional wing bolt is used for tightening the clamp, then the bolt can be turned by hand, but it requires dexterity and multiple hand realignments making operation frustrating and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual wing bolt turning mechanism with a pedal-operated mechanical system. The pedal applies force to a lever arm that rotates the bolt through a larger mechanical advantage, substituting manual finger dexterity with foot-powered mechanical motion. This resolves the contradiction by making operation easier (foot power vs. finger dexterity) while reducing time (continuous pedal motion vs. incremental hand turns).
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a spatial dimension to the tightening operation by introducing a pedal that moves in an arc rather than requiring rotational dexterity in a confined space. The pedal's larger radius of motion in a different dimensional plane (foot motion vs. finger rotation) makes the operation easier and faster, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and time loss.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the clamp plate is allowed to rotate freely, then the mechanism has mobility, but the plate may rotate into the path of the closing hinge preventing closure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by providing a stop that prevents the clamp plate from rotating into the hinge closure path before the problem occurs. The stop is positioned to limit the plate's rotation range, proactively preventing interference with hinge closure while still allowing necessary mobility for clamping operation. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining adaptability within safe limits while ensuring reliable hinge closure.
Solution Approach 2:
The stop acts as an intermediary element between the clamp plate and the hinge closure path. It mediates the plate's mobility by allowing rotation within a controlled range while blocking rotation that would prevent hinge closure. This intermediary structure maintains both mobility and reliability simultaneously, resolving the contradiction.
3Ease of operation
If the bolt is made unconstrained to allow full travel, then the bolt can be tightened fully, but vibration in transit can work the bolt out of its bore causing deformation or loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing a retention feature (such as a counterbore or recess) that is prepared in advance to capture and hold the bolt head. This preliminary structural preparation ensures that when the bolt reaches full travel, it is automatically retained and cannot be worked out by vibration during transit, while still allowing full tightening travel during operation. This resolves the contradiction between full travel and retention reliability.
4Ease of operation
If springs are provided around the bolt to urge the clamp plate away, then the plate retracts automatically, but springs may be caught between the leaves causing damage and preventing secure joint
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the spring mechanism from the potential hazard zone between the clamp plate and hinge leaves. By positioning the springs in a location where they cannot be caught during tightening (such as in a recess or behind a retaining structure), the invention maintains automatic retraction functionality while eliminating the risk of spring entrapment that would compromise joint security. This resolves the contradiction by separating the beneficial retraction function from the harmful entrapment risk.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enhances the security and ease of use by preventing bolt loss, reducing the risk of theft, and providing a durable and efficient clamping mechanism that maintains structural integrity during use and transport.
Implementation Method 1
The hole in the clamp plate is counter-bored on the 'V' side to accommodate a spring, which surrounds the bolt. The bolt is inserted into a flanged tube, or eyelet, with the flange between the tube and the spring
Implementation Method 2
Friction keeps the structure together despite the jarring conditions of a bicycle ride
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge clamp adapted to clamp a hinge assembly with an eyelet to position and protect a retraction spring, a counter-bore in the V-plate to accommodate the spring, and a finger loop to position the user's finger during operation. In some aspects the clamp may have a removable bolt tightening handle, the release of which enables the handle to be removed to avoid damage and to prevent theft. The handle may be removable over the head of the bolt in a first rotary configuration, and be constrained under the head of the bolt in a second rotary configuration. The hole in the clamp plate is counter-bored on the “V” side to accommodate a spring, which surrounds the bolt.