Bicycle Transport Lock with Adjustable Spacer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transport locks for bicycle wheels are inadequate in protecting the dropouts from mechanical stress during transportation, especially when wheels are removed, as they fail to provide universal compatibility and effective protection against compression damage due to varying dropout spans and lack of secure fastening mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A transport lock with a variable-length spacer and two fastening elements, featuring projections and holes for positive locking, allows for secure attachment to both dropouts, providing a cushioning effect and stability against external forces, and can be adjusted to fit different wheel mounts with varying dropout distances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional transport securing devices are used with fixed-length spacers, then they can protect dropouts for a specific wheel mount, but they cannot accommodate different dropout spans across various wheel mounts
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer is designed with a telescopic mechanism that allows its length to be dynamically adjusted. The first and second spacer elements can slide relative to each other along the longitudinal axis, enabling the spacer to adapt to different dropout spans while maintaining a simple single-component structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The transport securing device serves multiple functions: it protects dropouts for various wheel mount types (screw axles, quick-release, thru-axles) using a single universal spacer design. The adjustable length and universal fastening elements enable one device to replace multiple specialized spacers.
2Adaptability or versatility
If cable ties or rubber bands are used to secure spacer elements, then they can accommodate different distances, but the separate components are easily lost
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening elements are integrated directly into the spacer structure rather than being separate components. The first and second fastening elements are permanently attached to the first and second spacer elements, eliminating the risk of loss while maintaining adjustability through the telescopic mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening elements act as intermediaries that securely connect the spacer to the dropout. They feature holes that receive the dropout axle, providing reliable mechanical engagement without requiring separate cable ties or rubber bands.
3Reliability
If thru-axles are reinstalled without wheels, then the axle can be secured to the dropout, but the dropouts remain vulnerable to compression damage
Solution Approach 1:
The transport securing device is installed before transportation to prevent compression damage. The spacer is positioned between the dropouts and secured with fastening elements that extend beyond the dropout ends, creating preliminary protection against external compression forces during shipping.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening elements are designed to extend beyond the dropout ends, providing a cushioning effect that absorbs and distributes compression forces. This beforehand cushioning prevents direct transmission of external pressures to the dropout surfaces.
4Device complexity
If the spacer is made fixed in length, then the structure is simpler, but it cannot fit varying dropout distances across different wheel mounts
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer incorporates a telescopic mechanism allowing dynamic length adjustment through sliding of spacer elements, achieving versatility without excessive structural complexity. The mechanism uses simple guide surfaces and positioning features.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer is divided into multiple elements (first and second spacer elements) that can move relative to each other. This segmentation enables length adjustment while keeping each individual element structurally simple and easy to manufacture.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a transport lock for protecting dropouts of a wheel hub of a bicycle in which there is no wheel, wherein the transport lock has a spacer for arrangement between the dropouts, wherein the spacer is designed to be variable in length and the transport lock has two fastening elements for attaching the transport lock to each of the dropouts.