Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02364369 2001-12-05
s
TITLE: MINI-BIKE FOLDING STRUCTURE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mini-bike folding structure, and more
s particularly, to one that allows folding of the frame for effective saving
of storage
space, and securely retaining of the shock absorber to prevent it from
disengagement.
(b) Description of the Prior Art:
As the bicycle presents excellent mobility, the design of a bicycle is
i o compact and easy portability oriented. A mini-bike of the prior art though
having a lower, shorter and lighter frame, it prevents from being carried
along
when a rider has to take a bus or other public transportation means upon
trying a
longer distance travel or transportation.
Furthermore, as a mini-bike, it is also provided with a shock absorber.
i s Therefore, a quick-release connector to the shock absorber must be first
removed
to facilitate folding the mini-bike; similarly, the quick-release connector
must be
mounted to the shock absorber before re-assembling the mini-bike for riding.
After repeated removal and re-assembly as years go by, the quick-release
connector is vulnerable to accidental disengagement. Therefore, a safety
2 o structure must be designed for the quick-release connector, thus for the
shock
absorber.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a mini-bike
folding structure comprising a frame, a shock absorber, a quick-release
connector,
Zs a retaining unit, a head tube and a handlebar for saving storage space and
easy
removal and re-assembly of the mini-bike. To achieve the purpose, a handlebar
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is connected below to a handlebar tube. A first tube fastener is used to
connect
the lower end of the handlebar tube to the head tube and a second pipe
fastener is
used to connect the lower end of the head tube to a front tube. Said head tube
is
divided into two sections and connected by the second tube fastener. A
pivoting
structure is provided at where meets the lower end of the upper section and
the
upper end of the lower section of the head tube and said pivoting structure is
hidden inside the front tube when the head tube is stretched up. A crossbar
extending backwards from the front tube is connected to a seat tube. A bracket
is
provided at the bottom portion of the seat tube for the quick-release
connector to
io pivot the top of the shock absorber. The bottom of the shock absorber is
pivoted
to the rear fork by means of a pivoting member. A hole is provided on the top
of
the bracket to receive insertion of a retaining unit. The retaining unit
includes a
stopper provided with a spring. A retaining wall provided at the bottom of the
stopper to prevent the shock absorber from disengagement.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 2 is a partially exploded view (including a shock absorber and a
retaining unit) showing the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
zo Fig. 3 is a partially perspective view (including the shock absorber and
the
retaining unit) showing an assembly of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 4 is a partial side view (including the shock absorber and the retaining
unit) of the assembly of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
2 5 Fig. 5 is a view showing operation of the retaining unit of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the partial assembly of the preferred
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embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 7 is a view showing that the preferred embodiment of the present
invention is in its folded status (the handlebar tube is folded); and
Fig. 8 is another view showing that the preferred embodiment of the
present invention is in its folded status (the rear fork is folded).
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to Fig. 1, a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises
a frame (1), a shock absorber (2), a quick-release connector (3), a retaining
unit
(4), a head tube (S) and a handlebar (6). The handlebar (6) is connected below
s to a handlebar tube (61 ) with the lower end of the handlebar tube (61 )
connected
to the head tube (5) by a first tube fastener (53). A second tube fastener
(52) is
used to connect a front tube ( 16) of the frame ( 1 ) to the head tube (5).
The head
tube (5) is divided into two sections connected to each other by the second
tube
fastener (52). A pivoting structure (S 1 ) is provided at where meets the
lower
1 o end of the upper section and the upper end of the lower section of the
head tube
(5). The pivoting structure (S 1 ) is hidden inside the front tube ( 16) when
the
head tube (5) is stretched up. [The pivoting structure (51 ) for not being a
characteristic for claim in this application, only its structural profile is
illustrated
in Fig. 4 without further description]. The lower section of the head tube (5)
is
i5 fixed to a front fork (54) when passing through the front tube (16) of the
frame
(1 ). A front wheel (55) is pivoted to the front fork (54). A crossbar of the
frame ( 1 ) extending backwards from the front tube ( 16) is connected to a
vertical
seat tube ( 11 ). A seat ( 12) is connected to the top end of the seat tube (
11 ). As
illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the shock absorber (2) is pivoted to a bracket
(13)
2 o connected to the bottom portion of the seat tub ( 11 ). The bracket ( 13 )
has a
flat top (not marked). A rear fork ( 14) is coupled to a bracket on the rear
end of
the crossbar of the frame ( 1 ) to receive a rear wheel thereat ( 15). The
bottom
end of the shock absorber (2) is secured to the rear fork ( 14) by means of a
pivoting member (21 ) and seated on a reinforcement member (22). The
2 ~. reinforcement member (22) is a plate having a retaining concave to attach
to the
bottom end of the shock absorber (2) with the retaining concave facing upward.
The top of the shock absorber (2) is pivoted to the bracket (13) of the seat
tube
( 11 ) by means of the quick-release connector (3).
A serrate slot ( 131 ) is each provided on both sides of the bracket ( 13 ) of
the
3 o seat tube ( 11 ). A notch ( 132) extending from the center of the slot (
131 ) to the
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edge of the bracket (13) permits insertion of the quick-release connector (3).
When the quick-release connector (3) is removed, the top end of the shock
absorber (2) loosens from the slot ( 131 ) of the bracket ( 13). A hole ( 133)
is
provided on the top of the bracket (I3) to receive insertion of the retaining
unit
s (4).
The retaining unit (4) includes a stopper (41 ), a spring (42), a sleeve (43),
and a blocking member (44). The stopper (4I ) is inserted into the spring (42)
and passing through the hole (133) of the bracket (13) into the sleeve (43) to
expose to the top end of the stopper (4I ) out of the sleeve (43) to fix to
the
1 o blocking member (44). A retaining wall (411 ) in diameter larger than that
of the
stopper (41 ) is provided at the bottom of the stopper (41 ) that is inserted
into the
bracket ( 13 ). The end of the retaining wall (411 ) is rounded. The stopper
(4 I )
of the retaining unit (4) has the retaining wall (411 ) vertically extended
and held
in position to form a safety retainer of the shock absorber (2).
Z 5 Whereas the bottom of the shock absorber (2) is pivoted to the rear fork
( 14) and held in position with the support from the reinforcement member
(22),
where the bottom of the shock absorber (2) pivoted to the rear fork ( 14)
operates
as the support to rotate the rear fork ( I 4) in relation to the bracket ( I 3
) when the
frame (1) is stretched as illustrated in Fig. 4. During assembly of the shock
2 a absorber (2), the stopper (4 I ) by its rounded end of the retaining wall
(411 ) is
lifted up to compress the spring (42) inside the sleeve (43) for the stopper
(41) to
retreat from its original position. Once the top of the shock absorber (2)
passes
through the stopper (4I) and enters into the bracket (l3) as illustrated in
Figs. 5
and 6, the stopper (41 ) by taking advantage of the return force of the spring
(42)
Zs extends once again. Then the quick-release connector (3) at the top of the
shock
absorber (2) inserts into the notches ( 132) respectively provided on both
sides of
the bracket (13). As the quick-release connector (3) compresses against both
sides of the bracket ( 13), the shock absorber (2} is fixed to where between
the
bracket (l3) and the rear fork (14) to provide absorption effect. Once the
3o quick release connector (3) is released to free the shock absorber (2), the
stopper
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(41 ) consistently provides a stopping effect. Therefore, the shock absorber
(2)
is restricted in the bracket (13) for safety protection even the shock
absorber (2)
is not compressed by the quick-release connector (3).
When folded as illustrated in Fig. 7, the first tube fastener (53) on the head
s tube (5) is first loosened for the upper section of the head tube (5)
connected to
the Lower section of the head tube (5) retreats into the head tube (5) to
reduce its
length. Then the second tube fastener (52) on the front tube ( 16) is released
to
draw out the head tube (5) and to expose the pivoting structure (51 ) to the
head
tube (5) out of the top of the front tube (16). The handlebar (6), the
handlebar
1 o tube (61 ) and the head tube (5) rotate to be folded to rest on one side
of the frame
( I ) with the pivoting structure (51 ) as the rotation center. As illustrated
in Fig.
8, the blocking member (44) is pulled upwardly to cause the stopper (41 )
holding
against the spring (42) inside the sleeve (43) for the stopper (4I ) to loosen
the
shock absorber (2) before removing the quick-release connector (3). The shock
absorber (2) is disengaged from the notch ( 132) of the bracket ( 13 ) on the
seat
tube ( 11 ). Once the shock absorber (2) is completely retreated from the
bracket
(13), the blocking member (44) is freed for the stopper (41) to retreat to its
original position due to the return force from the spring (42). The rear fork
(14)
having the bracket ( 13 ) as the pivoting center rotates downwards for the
shock
2 o absorber (2) to move to the stored position when the rear fork ( 14) is
folded.
Finally, both of the rear fork ( 14) and the frame ( 1 ) are folded for space
saving
purpose.
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