Collapsible Bicycle Frame Rotational Folding Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional bicycles are bulky and difficult to store or transport due to their size, resulting in high freight costs and logistical challenges.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible bicycle frame design that allows the front frame to be rotated rearward relative to the seat tube, using a combination of removable connectors, locking clips, and rotation brackets to reduce the overall dimensions for easier storage and transportation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If traditional bicycle design is used, then structural strength and stability are maintained, but storage space requirements increase and transportation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The bicycle frame is divided into separable components including the seat tube assembly, down tube, and rear frame section. These segments can be disconnected at the bottom bracket shell interface, allowing the frame to be folded into a compact configuration while maintaining structural integrity when assembled
Solution Approach 2:
The seat tube incorporates rotatable upper and lower tubes that can change orientation relative to each other. This dynamic mechanism allows the front frame to rotate rearwardly of the seat tube, enabling the bicycle to transition between an extended riding position and a compact folded position
2Ease of operation
If the bicycle frame is made rigid and stable, then riding performance is improved, but ease of folding and compact storage is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The frame includes pre-positioned locking mechanisms such as locking clips and locking pins that are ready to engage specific positions on the rotatable tubes and tube interfaces. These preliminary arrangements ensure that when the frame is folded or assembled, the components automatically lock into stable configurations without requiring additional stabilization steps
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom bracket shell serves as an intermediary component that connects the separable frame sections. It includes a stem with flanges and alignment structures that facilitate precise reconnection of the down tube, ensuring stable assembly while enabling easy disconnection and folding
3Volume of moving object
If removable connectors and locking mechanisms are added to enable folding, then ease of storage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into single components: the bottom bracket shell simultaneously serves as a structural frame member, a connection interface for the down tube, and a positioning mechanism with alignment flanges. The seat tube combines the functions of structural support, rotation joint, and locking mechanism housing, reducing the number of separate parts needed
Solution Approach 2:
The locking clips and locking pins serve multiple purposes: they secure the rotatable tubes in fixed positions, they enable quick release for folding, and they provide adjustable positioning for different riding configurations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanisms for each function
Data Source
AI summary
A bicycle frame including a down tube that is releasably connected to a bottom bracket shell, and a top tube that is selectively rotatable about a portion of the seat tube. The bicycle can selectively be placed into a ridable position when the front portion of the frame aligns with the rear portion of the frame, or selectively rotated into a collapsed position by disconnecting the down tube from the bottom bracket shell and rotating the top tube about the seat tube.