Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING
FLASHLIGHTS TO BICYCLES
Technical Field
This invention relates to methods and
apparatuses for mounting lamps such as flashlights to
bicycles.
Baclcground of the Invention
-
Apparatuses have heretofore been developed
for mounting dry cell battery powered flashlights to
bicycles in various manners. For example, some
mounting devices have been developed for mounting
flashlights to bicycles to provide oscillatory types of
safety lamps. Exemplary of these are those disclosed
in U.S. Patent Nos. 2,788,763 and 2,811,633.
Apparatuses have also been developed or mounting
flashlights to the rears of bicycles to provide
taillights. U.S. Patent No. 2,728,824 exemplifies these
types of mounts. Still other apparatuses have been
devised for mounting flashlights to bicycles to provide
headlights as exemplified by those disclosed in U.S.
Patent Nos. 1,449,509 and 4,170,337. The present
invention specifically relatès to the last mentioned
type of mounting devices.
The prior art apparatuses used in
- mounting bicycle headlights have ~ad a number of
deficiencies. For example, being secured as with nuts
and bolts to the bicycles, they have required the use
of tools such as pliers to mount them. In addition,
those to which flashlights are not permanently mounted,
like that shown in U.S. Patent 4,170,337, have also
required the manipulation of other fastening means,
such as wing nuts and the like, to mount the
flashlights securely to the mounts once the mounts
themselves have been mounted t and to dismount the
flashlights from the mounts. Thus, even when the
flashlights are dismounted the mounts typically remain
on the bicycles. Not only are such naked mounts
unsightly but they provide dead weight.
lS The stability of the prior art mounting
apparatuses has also been lacking. Once mounted the
flashlights have often not been located along a fore
and aft axis of the bicycle, being in the plane in
which the bike wheels lie when mutually aligned. With
the advent of modern light-weight, high-speed bicycles
the mounting of relatively heavy flashlights, fully
loaded with batteries, off of thelr fore and aft axes
has provided an adverse imbalance that is clearly
discernable by discriminating riders. In addition to
~5 being off-axis they have also been mounted at some
distance from the axes of the upright front wheel
steering stems thereby creating moments of inertia
about the stem axes each time the bicycles strike bumps
or depressions in the roadway. This has tended to
loosen the flashlights from their mounts as well as the
mounts from the bicycles.
In addition to the foregoing, the flashlight
mounting apparatuses of the prior art have not
possessed the capabillty of enabling a rider to alter
flashlight tilt readily while ridiny so as to effect
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changes in beam angle. Some of the devices have also been
lacking in versatility with regard to their ability to mount
flashlights of different shapes and sizes without having to
interchange mount parts. Still others have also had a tendency
to scratch or mar the bicycles. Accordingly, it is to the
provision of appara-tuses and methods of mounting flashlights
to bicycles which overcome these deficiencies of the prior
art to which the present invention is primarily directed.
Summary of the Invention
The invention in one aspect compr~hends apparatus
for mounting a flashlight to a bicycle having a steering stem
formed with a neck and with a collar through which handlebars
extend. The apparatus comprises an elongate support of a
selected support length having a bottom surface contoured to
be mated against the bicycle steering stem neck adjacent the
collar and a concave upper surface in which a flashlight may
be nestled, and a flexible strap secured to the support. The
strap is of a sufficient length as to be wrapped over a
flashlight nestled in the support concave upper surface and
under the bicycle stem neck atop which -the support is mated
with one strap portion overlapping and fastened to another
strap portion by fastening means whereby the strap is the sole
essential element attaching the support to the bicycle and
the flashlight to the support.
Another aspect of the invention comprehends apparatus
for mounting a flashlight to a bicycle along a bicycle axis
comprising an elongated base having a bottom surface contoured
to be seated snugly atop the bicycle steering stem neck with
a rear base end located adjacent the stem and with a forward
base end located adjacent the neck collar. An elongated cradle
~2~ 32
has a concave top surface, in which a flashlight may be nestled,
pivotably mounted atop the base along a pivot axis located
adjacent the base forward end and a forward end of the cradle.
Means are provided for adjusting the height of the cradle rear
end with respect to the base rear end whereby the angle of
tilt of a flashlight nestled atop -the cradle may be altered.
Binding means are provided for binding the base snugly to the
bicycle stem neck and a flashlight snugly to the cradle.
The height adjustment means preferably includes a
threaded post mounted atop the base upon which a thumbscrew
is threaded between the cradle and the base, the binding means
applying pressure to the thumbscrew and hold it in a preset
position.
Still fur-ther the invention comprehends apparatus
for mounting a flashlight to a bicycle of the type having a
neck that extends from an upright steering stern to a neck collar
through which handlebars extend. The apparatus comprises a
support having a trunk and a crossarm with the bottom surface
of the trunk being contoured to be seated flush atop the bicycle
neck in mating contact therewith and with the bot-tom surEace
of the crossarm being contoured to be seated flush atop the
bicycle handlebars. A self-fastening elastic strap is mounted
at one end to the support and is of a length sufficient to
encircle the support. A flashlight is mounted atop the support
and there is a bicycle neck atop which the support is mounted
whereby the strap is the sole essential element a-ttaching the
support to the bicycle and the flashlight to the support.
Brief Description of the Drawing
Fig. 1 is a disassembled view, in
~l~2~
_ perspective, of a steering portion of a bicycle,
flashlight ~ounting apparatus embodying principles of
the present invention, and a flashligh~.
Fig. 2 is an ~ssembled ~iew, in perspective,
of the devices illustrated in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the
flashlight mounting apparatus depicted in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the 1ashlight
mounting apparatus shown in Fig. l.
Fig. 5 is ~ bottom view of the flashlight
mounting apparatus shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the
assembly shown in Fig. 2 taken along the plane 6-6
identified in Fig. 5, appearing with Figs. l and 2.
D_tailed Description
Referring now in detail to the drawillg, there
is shown apparatus indicated generally at 10 for
mounting a flashlight 12 to a bicycle 14 along a front
20 to rear axis lying within the vertical plane in which
the bicycle wheels lie when aligned and along which
plane the bicycle tubular frame member 15 also lies.
The bicycle is seen to have a steering column 16 from
which emerges a steering stem 17 that is formed with a
25 neck 18 that terminates with a collar or clamp 19 from
which handlebars 11 laterally extend. The mounting
apparatus is essentially a T-shaped support. More
specifically, it comprises an elongated cradle 20 of a
generally T-shaped configuration having an elongated
trunk 21 formed with a concave upper surface 22 which
trunk merges with a laterally extending crossarm 24
having convex upper surfaces 25 that straddle a concave
upper surface 22' that merges with trunk surface 22.
The degree of curvature of surfaces 22 and 22' is made
to match generally that of the surface of
6 ~2~
casing 13 of the flashlight 12 which casing is normally
cylindrical. The surfaces 22 and 22' are preferably
covered with a resilient pad 26. The cradle is also
formed with two side wings 27 whose upper sur~aces are
5 also concave so as to merge laterally with the concave
upper sur~ce 22. The bottom surface of the crossarm
portion of the cradle, as shown in Fig. 5, has a
concave central portion 29 and two other concave
portions 30 that straddle portions 29. The portion 29
lO is contoured to match generally the surface of the
bicycle neck collar 19 while portions 30 are contoured
to match generally that of handlebars 11. The bottom
surfaces of the crossarm 24 are also covered with a
resilient pad 32. These various pads, which are
15 secured to the cradle by adhesive, are not shown in
Figs. 4 and 5, for clarity of explanation.
With continued reference to the drawing the
apparatus is seen also to include a base indicated
generally at 35 which, like the cradle, is preferably
20 formed of plastic. The base 35 is pivotably mounted to
the cradle by a pivot pin 36. The bottom surface 37
of the base is concave and covered with a resilient
pad 38 that also is not shown in Fig. 5. A tang 40 is
rigidly mounted to the rear end 41 of the base which
~5 has a reentrant projection or lip 42 which overlays a
step 43 formed in the rear end 44 of the cradle. This
construction enables the lip 42 to serve as a stop in
limiting pivotable movement of the cradle rear end away
from the base rear end. A thumbscrew 46 is threaded
30 upon a post 47 w~lose bottom end is rigidly mounted to
the base 35 and whose upper end extends in~o a recess
~ormed in the cradle 20, as shown in Fig. 3. The
thumbscrew provides means for changing the elevation
and the rear end of the cradle 20 with respect to the
35 base 35 by pivotable movement about pivot pin 36.
7 12~
Again, such pivotal movement is limited by the stop
action of the lip 42 of tang 40.
With contin~ed reference to the drawing the
mounting apparatus is further seen to include a strap
indicated generally at 50 which has one end 51 secured
as by adhesive to one wing 27 of the cradle. This
permanently attached end 51 of the strap is formed with
a self-fastening material as is its opposite, free
end 52. Preferably, mating VelcroMstrips are used ~or
lO self fastening materials. So constructed, the two
strap ends may be releasably fastened by merely
pressing them flushly together. Velcr~ as is well
known, is formed of two mating strips of fibrous
material with one being composed of a mass of hook-like
15 fibrous anchors and the other of matting material. The
two strap ends 51 and 52 are connected by an elastic
section 54. The length oE the entire strap is
sufficient to enable it to encircle the cylindrical
casing 13 of the flashlight 12, the bicycle stem neck
20 18 as well as the mounting apparatus itself, and the
two strap ends 51 and 52 to be overlaid and releasably
fastened together as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. It should
be noted that when this is done the strap not only
encircles the assembly but does so in almost continuous
25 contact therewith as shown in Fig. 6.
Finally, the apparatus is seen to include a
screw 60 having a head 61 formed on an end of a
threaded shank 62. A portion of the head 61 is
located above the bottom of the upper concave surface
30 22 of the cradle to provide an adjustable stop for the
front end of the flashlight 12, as shown in ~ig. 2.
In use the apparatus is placed ~lush atop the
bicycle neck 18, the neck collar 19 and the
handlebars 11. This is done quite securely since the
35 bottom surface 37 of the base is contoured to fit
A
snugly atop the upper surface of the neck 18 and the
bottom surfaces 29 and 30 of the cradle crossbar
contoured to fit snugly atop the bicycle neck collar 19
and handlebars 11, respectively. Slight size
differences in bicycle necks and neck collar d~ameters
matter little in view of the provision of the pads.
The flashlight 12 may contemporaneously or before or
afterwards be placed atop the cradle 20 with its
cylindrical casing 13 nestled snugly within the concave
lO surfaces 22 and 22' of the cradle and with the front
end of the flashlight butted against screw head 61.
The stop may then be adjusted to position the center of
gravity c.g. of the flashlight along the axis 68 of
bicycle stem 17 that projects upwardly out of the
lS steering column 16. Again, slight mismatches between
flashlight casing and cradle sizes are compensated by
the pad 26.
Next, the strap 50 is wrapped tautly over the
upper surface of the flashlight casing 13, wing 27,
20 around the boktom of neck 18 and the strap end 52
pressed against and thereby fastened to strap end 51.
The flashlight is now securely mounted to the bicycle
as shown in Figs. 2 and 6 with the strap almost
continuously flush against the flashlight, mount and
~5 bicycle stem since the side walls of cradle wings 27
extend tangentially to the ~lashlight casing and the
stem. To dismount the flashlight and the mounting
apparatus the strap end 52 is merely peeled from strap
end 51 and unwrapped from under the bottom of the
30 bicycle neck and flashlight whereupon both the mounting
apparatus as well as the flashlight are dismounted from
the bicycle.
~ t thus is seen that a unique method and
apparatus is now provided for mounting a flashlight to
3S a bicycle. The apparatus is of relatively simple,
9 ~2~Z~
economical and light-weight constructlon. It, as well
as the flashlight which it holds, may be readily
mounted and dismounted to a bicycle with manual
facility and without the use of ancillary tools. Once
s mounted the flashlight is positioned along a fore and
aft axis of the bicycle whereby translational
equilibrium is not disrupted by the weights of the
mount and of the flashlight being laterally off-axis.
~urthermore, as the center of gravity of the flashlight
is located upon the stem axis moments of inertia do not
tend to be created that would tend to pitch the
flashlight as the bicycle encounters depressions and
bumps in the roadways over which it is driven. Its
construction also provided a very high degree of
15 stability of both the mounting apparatus as well as the
flashlight once mounted to a bicycle with virtually no
chance of the mount or the flashlight becoming loosen
or falling from the bicycle unless the mount or
flashlight itself is actually struck by some object.
It should, of course, be understood that the
just described embodiment merely illustrates principles
of the invention in one preferred form. Many
modifications, additions and deletions may be made
thereto without departure from the spirit and scope of
25 the invention as set forth in the following claims.
