Bicycle Crank Arm Coupling Aid With Adjustable Support Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
Coupling and separation of bicycle crank arms require excessive force, leading to operator fatigue and potential abrasion, with existing designs also suffering from friction-related wear and limited portability.
Innovation Solution
A coupling-assist device featuring a main body with a handle and adjustable support frame, allowing easy positioning and fastening of a crank arm with minimal force, and a galvanized surface to prevent corrosion, while being designed for compact storage and simple assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the crank arm is held directly by the operator during coupling and separation, then the operation can be performed, but excessive force is required leading to operator fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a coupling-assist device as an intermediary tool between the operator and the crank arm. This device includes a main body that receives the crank arm, support means to hold it, and a handle member for applying force. The device acts as a mechanical mediator that amplifies the operator's input force through leverage, reducing the direct force requirement on the crank arm coupling portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies mechanical advantage by extending the force application dimension through the handle member. Instead of applying force directly to the short crank arm, the operator applies force to the extended handle, creating a longer moment arm. This dimensional extension in the force application path reduces the required force through torque multiplication.
2Productivity
If excessive force is applied during coupling and separation, then the operation can be completed, but abrasion of the coupling portion occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling-assist device serves as a protective intermediary that interfaces with the crank arm through designated coupling holes rather than directly on the coupling portion. This mediation prevents direct contact and abrasion between the operator's tools and the critical coupling surfaces, while still enabling effective force transmission for assembly and disassembly operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses uniform galvanized material for the coupling-assist device components that contact the crank arm, ensuring consistent friction characteristics and preventing galvanic corrosion. The galvanized surface provides homogeneous protective properties across all contact points, reducing variable friction and abrasion during repeated coupling operations.
3Ease of operation
If the coupling-assist device is designed with full functionality, then it provides comprehensive support, but the volume increases reducing portability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the coupling-assist device with nested components where the support frame can be positioned inside the main body cavity, and the handle member can be stored within the device structure. This nesting arrangement allows the fully functional device to collapse into a compact form factor for portable storage, reducing the volume when not in use while maintaining all operational capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates adjustable and movable components in the coupling-assist device, such as the position-adjustable support frame and movable support means. These dynamic elements allow the device to adapt its configuration during use for optimal support, then collapse or retract to a minimal volume for storage. The dynamic nature enables the device to provide full functionality during operation while minimizing space requirements during storage.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a coupling-assist device for a bicycle crank arm, comprising: a main body open through upper and lower portions, the main body having a space formed to receive a crank arm to be inserted; a handle member extending from a lower portion of the main body; a support frame including a fixing part formed on a lower portion thereof and coupled with the upper portion of the main body, and a position adjusting hole that is open through to allow a tool to be passed therethrough and connected to the crank arm, wherein the position adjusting hole enables adjustment of position of the tool in up and down directions; and a support means.