Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SPECIFICATIO~
(Case No. 83,756)
Title of the Invention:
MOU~ D~VICI~ ~OR L~[G~l~IG D~VICE5 l?OR BICYCLE
Background of the Invention
This invention relates to a mounting device for a lighting device for a bicycle
or like vehicle and more particularly, to a mounting device which has an inner
effective circumferential dimension adjustment mechanism for various diameters
of pipes of the bicycle handlebar on which the mounting device is mounted.
In a preferred embodiment~ the mounting device for a lighting device for a
bicycle comprises a base having a horizontally fixed portion and a pair of vertical
portions extending from opposing sides OI the horizontally fixed portion, each
vertical portion having a horizontal bearing slot in opposing relation, the base being
fixed to the lighting device, the base including an upright member fixed between
the vertical portions, the upright member ¢ontaining a through hole; a slidable
shaft member bridged between the be~ring slots of the vertical portions of the
base, the slidable shaft member being freely movable in horizontal direction; a
slider having a threaded hole and end portions, the end portions cooperating with
the slidable shaft member so that the slider is held perpendicular to and between
the vertical portions; an adjustment screw inserted into the through hole oE the
upright member on the base so that its end may be adjustably en~aged with the
threaded hole of the slider, the adjustment screw having a head; a first eastening
arm having one end which is inserted between the screw head of the adjustment
screw and the through hole of the upright member on the base; and a second
fastening arm having one end rotat~bly fixed on the slidable shaft member and the
other end ~orming a retaining mechanism with the other end of the first fastening
arm~ The mounting device also includes a positioning pin having both ellds fixed
between lower end portions of the vertical portions of the base for abutting against
an inner face of the second fastening arm when assembled.
There is known a mounting device for a lighting device for a bicyele in which
a part of pipe of the bicycle handlebar is clamped by a pair of arcuate arm
members. lIowever, such mechanism is not appropriate for a bicycle having a
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handlebar pipe which is of extremely small or extremely large diameter. The
present invention contemplates a mounting device useful for a wide range of
diameters of handlebar pipe.
Summary of the Invention
In view of the above-noted defects, an object of the present invention is to
provide a rnounting device for a lighting deviee for a bicycle which has an
adjustment mechanism for an inner effective cireumferential dimension for en-
abling the mounting of the device onto the pipe of bicycle handlebar having a wide
range of diameters. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will
10 beeome more apparant hereinafter.
Brief Descriptioll of the Drawin~s
There is shown in the attached drawing a presently preferred embodiment of
the present invention~ wherein like numerals refer to like elements in the various
views and wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the mounting device aceording to the
invention (upside down);
FIGUR~ 2 is a front view of the mounting device shown in Figure 1;
~ IGURE 3 is a side view of the mounting device shown in Pigure 1, with parts
broken away for clarity;
FIGURE 4 is a rear view of the mounting device shown in Figure 1; and
~ IGUR~ 5 is a perspective view of the molmting device shown in l?igure 1
mounted on a bicycle handlebar pipe.
Detail Descri tion of the Preferred Embodiments
P ~
The present invention will now be described with reference to the
accompanying drawings. The present invention, however, should not be restricted
to the embodiment.
A base denoted by a reference numeral 1 and made of a U-shaped metal
plate, for example, iron or steel, is comprised of a horizontally fixed portion 2 and
vertieal portions 3, 3 extending vertically from opposite sides of the horizontally
30 fixed portion 2. A lower surface of the horizonta~ly fixed portion 2 (which is an
upper surfaee in the assembled state~ is fixed to a buttom surface of a lighting
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device so that the fastening device is mounted integrally with the lighting device.
An uprigh~ member 5 having therein a through hole 4 is mounted fixedly on the
base 1 perpendicularly to the vertical portions 3, 3. The top of member 5 abuts the
horizontal portion 2 and the ends OI the member 5 abut the inner surfaces of
vertical portions 3.
A pair of horizontal elongated bearing slots 6, 6 are formed in the vertical
portions 3, 3 in a -facing relation. Each end of slidable shaft member 7 is slidably
inserted into a bearing slot 6. Bent fixed portions 8, 8 of a slider 9 are fixed inside
lthe slidable shaft member 7 with respect to the bearing slots 6, 6. The slider 9 is
10 disposed between the vertical portions 3, 3 and is constructed and arranged so as to
slide in a direction perpendicular to the vertieal portions 3, 3. The slider 9 moves
longitudinally of base 1. The slider 9 is horizontally moved together with the
slidable shaft member 7 and thereby adjusted relative to the fixed member 5. The
slider 9 is then retained fixed in its selected adjusted position. The bent fixed
portions 8, 8 of the slider 9 allow both ends of the slidable shaft member 7 to be
stably received in the bearing slots 8, 6. In addition, a threaded hole 10 is provided
in the middle of the slider 9.
E~eference numeral 11 denotes an adjustment screw, which is inserted from
the through hole 4 of the upright member 5 on the base 1. The end of the
20 adjustment screw 11 is threadedly engaged with the threaded hole lû in the slider
9. Rotation of the adjustment screw 11 within the threaded hole 10 vYill cause
movement OI the slider 9 and hence adjustment of the slider 9 relative to upright
member 5.
ReIerence numerals 12 and 13 denote first and second fastening arms
respectively. The inner surfaces of the fastening arms 12, 13 are formed to
conform with a pipe configuration of the bicysle handlebar. A through hole 14 is
provided at the end of the first fastening arm 12 and is positioned between the
upright member 5 containing the through hole 4~ through which the adjustment
screw 11 is driven, and the screw head 15 of the adjustment screw 11. One end of
30 the second fastening arm 13 is bifurcated into two cylinderical bearing portions 16.
In assembly, a part of the slîdable shaft member 7 between the bent fixed
portions 8 and 8 of the slider 9 is inserted into the cylindrical bearing portions 16.
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The first and second fastening arms 12 and 13 are respectively provided with
retaining portion 17 and retained portion 18 forming one-touch engaging
mechanism hitherto known. Portion 18 may comprise a hook portion on pin 13 and
portion 17 may comprise a latch on the end of pin 12. Members 17 and 18 comprise
means for retaining the first and second fastening arms 12 and 13.
A positioning pin 19 is provided between the upper end portions of the
vertical portions 3, 3 of the base 1 (at the lower end portions when assembled).
That is, the pin 19 is fixedly bridged between the vertical portions 3, 3 and
proximate the ends of the bearing slots 6 on the side of the base 1, opposite to the
screw head 15 of the adjustment screw 11. Further, the pin 19 is joined to the
lower end portions of vertical portions 3 relatively close to the end surfaces
remote from fixed portion 2. The positioning pin 19 serves to position the second
fastening arm 13 while abutting against the inner side of the second fastening arm
13 when the device is assembled on the pipe of the bicycle handlebar.
1 he adjustment mechanism with the adjustment screw 11 will now be
described in detail.
A temporary mounting is first carried out by placing the first and second
fastening arms 12 and 13 onto the pipe of the bicycle handlebar. At this time,
judgment is made to whether the space between the fastening aPms 12 and 13
should be widened or narrowed. In case the space should be narrowed, the
adjustment screw 11 is threadely advanced, whereby the end of adjustment screw
11 is advanced ~nd projeeted through the slider 9, and slider 9 is moved closer to
upright member 5. Upon assembly, the screw head 15, the end of the first
fastening arm 12 having a hole through which screw 11 extends~ and the upright
member 5 are in abutment with each other. The slider 9 is moved, as the
adjustment screw 11 is inserted threadedly into the threaded hole 10, towards the
above described three abutment members, together with the second faseening arm
13. As a result, the space between the upper ends of the fastening arms 12 and 13
is narrowed. An inner circumferential dimension of the thus assembled mounting
deviee corresponds to the sum of the inner circumferential dimensions of the
fastening arms 12 and 13 and space between the fastening arms 12 and 13.
Accordingly, as the adjustment screw 11 is threadedly advanced to narrow the
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space between the fastening arms 12 and 13, the mounting inner effective circum-ferential dimension decreases.
On the other hand, to widen the effective inner circumferential dimension,
the adjustment screw 11 is rotated in a reverse direction to increase the space
between the upper ends of fastening arm 12 and 13. Upon mounting the mounting
device onto the pipe of the bicycle handlebar, arcuate portions 2a formed on upper
peripheral portions of the vertical portions 3~ 3 of the base 1 are applied eromabove the pipe of the bicycle handlebar to conform therewith~ In this eondition,the pin 19 is brought into contact with the inner surface of the second fastening
arm 13 so that the pipe of the bicycle handlebar is aligned with the moun-ting
device.
As shown in Figure 5, the lighting device 22 is mounted on the pipe 21 of the
bicycle handlebar in a well-balanced condition. Arcuate portions 20 on the end
surfaces of the vertical portions 3 substantially conform to the pipe 21 and arms
12,13 are properly adjusted and locked together as shown in Figure 3, for example,
to retain the lighting device 22 on the pipe 21 of the bicycle handlebar.
The first fastening arm 12 Oe the mounting device may be rotated around the
adju~tment screw ~1 to bring it to horizontal to the base 1 for compact packaging
for transportation.
As has been deseribed, according to the present invention, there has been
provided a mounting device for a lighting deviee ~apable o affi~ing the lighting
device to a wide range of diameters OI the pipe of a handlbar onto which the
mounting device for the lighting device is to be mounted. The mounting means is
advantageously adjusted by means of an adjustment screwO The mounting device
has not only adjustment eapability9 but also the construction allows the lighting
device $o be mounted in a well-balanced condition on the pipe of the bieycle
handlebarO The latter function is attained in part by utilizing the positioning pin
for the second fastening arm. ~urthermore, when the lighting device is packaged9the eirst fastening arm may be positioned horiæontal (or parallel to the base~
thereby reducing the size eor packaging.
While a presently preferr2d embodiment has been disclosed, it will be
apparant that the imrention may be otherwise embodied within the s~ope of the
claims.
