Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fender for a
bicycle where that fender is telescopic to vary lenyth of
the fender.
BAOKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Up until the last few years, substantial~y all
lQ bicycles were built with fenders. However, with the recent
strong trend towards racing and sports bicycles there has
been an ever increasing demand to decrease weight of the
bicycle and provide the bicycle with a much sportier
appearance. This has resulted in the elimination of fenders
15 on most bicycles. However, by eliminating the fenders a
bicycle can be very uncomfortable to ride in wet weather
where the tires and in particular, the rear tire, throws
water up along the back of the rider.
2û SUM~ARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention provides a telescopic bicycle
fender designed to meet the esthetic requirements of an up
to date bicycle while at the same time providing an
25 effective fender in wet riding conditions.
More particularly, the telescopic bicycle fen~er of
the present invention comprises at least two interconnected
fender sections which are slideably engaged with one another
30 to vary length of the fender from a minimum length equal to
that of one of the fender sections to an extended length
greater than that of any one of the sections.
According to the present invention the fender can
35 therefore be collapsed to a very short length or extended to
a length provlding an efFective water guar~ around a goo~
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part of the tire of the bike.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above as well as other advantages and features
of the present invention will be described in greater detail
according to the preferred ernbodiments of the present
invention in which;
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bicycle fitted
with a telescopic fender in a collapsed position according
to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a further perspective view of the rear
15 half of the bicycle showing the fender of Figure 1 in an
extended position.
:
Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view from front
to back of the fender of Figure 1.
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Figures 4 and 5 are side sectional views of a very
: basic fender arrangement according to preferred embodiment
of the present invention.
Figure 6 is a front to back sectional view through
a fender section according to a preferred embodiment of the
; : present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION ACCORDING TO THE PREFERRED
: 3û EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION:
Figure 1 shows a bicycle generally indicated at C
having a rear fork gcnerally indicated at F to which is
fitted a telescopic fender generally indicated a 1. Fender
1 is as best seen in Figure 3 of the drawings formed by a
plurality of individual fender sections comprising a center
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SJ-7837-89 - 4 - 2664B/0089
or intermediate fender section 3, a top fender section 11
and a bottom fender section 19~ All of these fender
sections are telescopically engaged with one another and
move from a collapsed relatively short lenyth posltion shown
in Figure 1 to the extended length position shown in Figure
2 of the drawings. As will be appreciated the fender
sections can also be varied to many different length
settings between the most compact setting of Figure 1 and
the most extended setting of Figure 2.
The key to the present invention is that in its
collapsed form, it assumes a minimal length equal to that of
the longest fender section. In this case, all of the fender
sections are of the same length and are vertically stacked
15 relative to one another when collapsed.
When collapsed the fender does little if anything
in detracting from the blcycles neat and sporty appearance
and only provide a very limited coverage around the tire.
20 These qualities allow the fender to be fitted on today's
modern up to date bicycles.
When the fender is extended to its Figure 2
position, it provides, as shown, a substantial coverage
25 around the outer surface of the tire and therefore, is very
functional in preventing water picked up from the tire from
b~ing sprayed up onto the back of the rider.
The actual operation of the fender is best seen
30 having reference to Figures 2 through 5 of the drawings.
Note that Figures ~ and 5 simply show in section, the top
part of each of the fender sections with the downwardly
curving sides of each of the fender sections being removed
for clarity purposes.
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The entire fender is mounted to the bicycle fork F
by means of a mounting bolt 31 which threads up into the
fork as shown in Figure 3. Mountiny bolt 31 extends through
all three of the fender sections.
As best seen in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings,
the center fender section 3 does not move relative to bolt
31 while each of the fender sections 11 and 19 telescopes
relative to the fixed fender section 3. Fender section 11
10 slides atop the center fender section 3 while fender section
19 slides from benea-th the fixed center fender section.
In order to accomodate the sliding action, the
upper fender section 11 includes an open ended slot 15 while
15 the lower fender section 19 includes an open ended slot 25.
The upper and lower fender sections slide along their slots
relative to mounting bolt 31. The slots extend a distance
substantially equal to half of that of the upper and lower
fender sections so that when the fender sections are
20 collapsed, they neatly fit to the Figure 1 collapsed
position as determined by the inner blind ends of the slots
in the upper and lower fender sections. In this collapsed
position and because all of the fender sections are the same
length, the entire fender collapses to a length equal to
25 that of any one of the individual fender sections.
As will be seen in Figure 2 of the drawings, the
top or upper fender section 11 slides in one direction
relative to the fixed fender section 3 while the lower
3~ fender section 19 slides in the opposite direction relative
to the fixed intermediate fender section 3.
Figures 4 and 5 show that the intermediate fender
section 3 includes a downwardly directed stop 7 at its one
35 end and an upwardly directed stop 9 at its other end. The
upper fender section 11 includes a downwardly directed stop
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17 at its one end while the lower or bottorn -fender section
19 includes an upwardly directed stop 23 at its one end.
Stop 23 of the bo-ttoM fender section engages with stop 7 of
the intermediate fender section while stop 17 of -the top
fender sec~ion engages with stop 9 of the intermediate
fender sec-tion when the fender is in its maximum extended
length with the stops maintaining an interconnection between
all of the fender sections. Note that the stops are locate~
in an up and down alternating pattern which does not
10 interfere with the telescopic action of the fender.
The movement of the fender sections is guided by a
number of different means. Firstly, the center mounting
bolt 31 which fits in the slots of the upper and lower
15 fender sections helps to guide their sliding action.
Secondl\J, channel-like guide tracks are formed between all
of the fender sections. More particularly, the intermediate
fender section 3 is provided with an outwardly extending rib
6 running along each side of the intermediate fender
20 section. The top fender section 11 has a double legged
channel shaped lower end 13 at each of its sides with the
legs on end 13 fitting to opposite sides of ribs 6 of fender
section 3. Therefore, rib 6 of the intermediate fender
section fits into and guides the length adjustment of the
25 top fender section-
The intermediate fender section 3 further inclu~esa T-shaped lower end 21 at opposite sides of the
intermediate fender section. The lower fender section 19
30includes a channel shaped lower end 21 at its opposite sides
which wraps around the lower end 5 of the intermediate
fender section. This interfitting of the intermediate and
bottom fender sections again guides the telescopic movement
of the bottom fender sectionO
The fender is provided with pressure pro~ucing
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members which maintain a tight fit between each o-~ the
fPnder sections. This allows the fender seckions to be set
to a desired length and to then maintain the set length.
More particularly, an upper spring member 33 is provided
between the bike fork F and -the top fender section 11. A
further spring member 35 is provided between fender section
11 and fender section 3 and spring me~ber 37 is provided
between the lower fender section 19 and the intermediate
fender section 3. These spring members put pressure on all
10 of the fender sections to hold a set length regardless of
whether that is a maximum or minimum setting or any setting
in between. Furthermore, the spring members also help to
prevent any rattling of the fender sections relative to one
another.
Figure 6 shows a further preferred embodiment
fender section l9a substantially the same as fender section
19 and having a slot 25a to allow adjustment of the fender
section. Fender section 19a is additionally provided witn a
20 flexible, preferably rubber, skirt 27a which substantially
closes the slot while allowing sliding movement of the
fender section relative to the mounting bolt. Therefore,
even when fender section l9a is in an extended position
little, if any water will come up through the adjustment
25 slot past the guard skirt.
It will now be seen from the above how a telescopic
fender made in accordance with the present invention can be
collapsed to a short length having a neat and sporty
30 appearance to fit on a modern bicycle. At the same time,
the telescopic fender can be extended to a length effective
in preventing water from spraying up off of the bicycle tire
when riding in we-t weather conditions.
Although various preferred embodiments of the
invention have been described in detail, it will be
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appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations may
be made without departing from -the spirit of the invention
or the scope o~ the appended claims.
,
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