Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
HANDLEBAR ALIGNMENT TOOL
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[001] The invention relates generally to bicycle tools, and more specifically,
to bicycle
alignment tools.
BACKGROUND
[002] A common technique for aligning bicycle handlebars involves visually
aligning the
stem with the front wheel. However, this method is inaccurate, it requires a
concentrated
effort, and it can result in uncertainty about whether a handlebar is aligned.
A compact
and easy-to-use tool that enables accurate handlebar alignment would be useful
for people
who adjust bicycles.
SUMMARY
[003] The present invention provides a handlebar alignment tool particularly
suitable for
bicycles. The handlebar alignment tool is designed to be mounted to a fork of
a bicycle
with a front wheel. An alignment gauge is attached to the handlebar alignment
tool, and
this alignment gauge has a rotation axis about which an elongated part of the
alignment
gauge rotates. The handlebar alignment tool comprises:
1. a rigid member with an attachment point for the alignment gauge, and
2. one or more movable jaws,
3. wherein the movable jaws engage with the fork to fix the rigid member to
the fork
such that the rotation axis of the alignment gauge is substantially
perpendicular to
the axis of the front wheel.
1
Date recue / Date received 2021-11-01
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[004] In the drawings:
[005] FIG. 1 is an enlarged isometric view of the handlebar alignment tool
mounted to a
bicycle in accordance with a first embodiment;
[006] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the handlebar alignment tool in
accordance with the
first embodiment; and
[007] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the handlebar alignment tool in
accordance with
the first embodiment.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
___ handlebar alignment tool 24 __ second movable jaw
11 ___ bicycle 25 __ rigid member
12 ___ stem 26 __ T-slot extrusion
13 ___ handlebar 27 __ extension
14 ___ front wheel 28 __ threaded hole
___ fork 29 __ center plane
16 ___ steering axis 30 __ actuation screw
17 ___ steerer tube 31 __ movable jaw mounting surface
18 ___ first fork leg 32 __ rigid member mounting surface
19 ___ second fork leg 33 __ bushing
___ alignment gauge 34 __ actuation screw mount
21 __ alignment gauge axis 35 __ hand wheel
22 ___ actuation mechanism 36 __ end cap
23 ___ first movable jaw 37 __ loop
2
Date recue / Date received 2021-11-01
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[008] In the figures, an embodiment of a handlebar alignment tool of the
present
disclosure is referred to in general as 10.
[009] FIG. 1 illustrates a bicycle 11 to which is mounted the handlebar
alignment
tool 10 in accordance with the exemplary embodiment. The rear part of the
bicycle 11 is
not shown. While the bicycle 11 is illustrated as a mountain bike, the
handlebar alignment
tool 10 can be used with road bikes or any other type of bicycle. The bicycle
11 can have
a different configuration of components than that shown in the figures.
[010] The bicycle is equipped with a stem 12, a handlebar 13, a front wheel
14, and a
fork 15 with a steering axis 16. The front wheel 14 needn't be present for the
handlebar
alignment tool 10 to be used. The handlebar 13 can be equipped with brake
levers, gear
shifters, grips, etc. The fork 15 can be either a suspension fork or a rigid
fork. Irrespective
of its shape or configuration, the fork 15 of the present disclosure has a
steerer tube 17, a
first fork leg 18, and a second fork leg 19. The first and second fork legs
18, 19 are
located on opposite sides of the front wheel 14 and are attached at their most
forward end
to the front wheel 14 which rotates about a front wheel axis. In the
illustrated
embodiment, the fork 15 is a suspension fork and the handlebar alignment tool
10 is
attached to the stanchion (or cylindrical sliding member) of each of the fork
legs 18, 19.
[011] The stem 12 forms a rigid connection between the steerer tube 17 and the
handlebar 13. The stem 12 and steerer tube 17 are configured such that the
stem 12 can
be fixed relative to the fork 15 in various rotational positions around a
steering axis 16.
The stem 12 and handlebar 13 are rotated together about the steerer tube 17 to
align the
handlebar 13 in a known manner with the front wheel 14.
[012] Referring to FIG. 1, the handlebar alignment tool 10 is mounted to the
fork 15,
and an alignment gauge 20 is mounted to the handlebar alignment tool 10. The
alignment
gauge 20 is shown as a derailleur alignment gauge (or a derailleur hanger
alignment tool)
but other types of alignment gauges can be used. The alignment gauge 20 has an
3
Date recue / Date received 202 1-1 1-01
alignment gauge axis 21 about which an elongated part of the alignment gauge
20 rotates.
The alignment gauge 20 can have an adjustable touch-off point that is
adjustable in a
direction parallel to the alignment gauge axis 21.
[013] Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which is an isometric view of the
handlebar
alignment tool 10, and to FIG. 3, which is a cross-sectional view of the
handlebar
alignment tool 10. The handlebar alignment tool 10 has an actuation mechanism
22,
movable jaws 23, 24, and a rigid member 25 with an attachment point for the
alignment
gauge 20, all of which are described in greater detail below.
[014] In the exemplary embodiment, the rigid member 25 consists of a T-slot
extrusion 26 and an extension 27. The extension 27 is in threading engagement
with the
T-slot extrusion 26 so that it is fixed to the T-slot extrusion 26. The
extension 27 has a
threaded hole 28 into which a part of the alignment gauge 20 is fastened. The
axis of this
threaded hole 28 is perpendicular to the axis of the front wheel 14 when the
handlebar
alignment tool 10 is mounted. The T-slot extrusion 26 and the extension 27 are
made of
aluminum alloy or any other suitable material for rigidly connecting the
alignment
gauge 20 to the fork 15.
[015] For the purpose of describing the handlebar alignment tool 10, a center
plane 29 is
defined as intersecting the attachment point for the alignment gauge 20 while
being
perpendicular to the axis of the front wheel 14 when the handlebar alignment
tool 10 is
mounted as shown in FIG. 1. The center plane 29 is indicated by line 29 in
FIG. 3 and is
orthogonal with respect to the plane of the drawing of FIG. 3.
[016] In the exemplary embodiment, the actuation mechanism 22 includes an
actuation
screw 30 with opposing threads on opposite sides of the center plane 29. In
other words,
there is a right-hand thread on one side and a left-hand thread on the other
side. Both of
these threads share a common axis. The actuation screw 30 is in threading
engagement
with a first movable jaw 23 and a second movable jaw 24. Rotation of the
actuation
screw 30 in a first direction causes the movable jaws 23, 24 to move outward
from the
center plane 29 along the axis of the actuation screw 30, and rotation of the
actuation
screw 30 in a second direction causes the movable jaws 23, 24 to move inward
toward the
4
Date recue / Date received 202 1-1 1-01
center plane 29 along the axis of the actuation screw 30.
[017] In the example shown, the movable jaws 23, 24 have movable jaw mounting
surfaces 31 that are angled relative to the center plane 29, and the rigid
member 25 has
rigid member mounting surfaces 32 that are perpendicular to the center plane
29. When
the handlebar alignment tool 10 is mounted to the fork 15, the first and
second fork
legs 18, 19 are wedged between the movable jaws 23, 24 and the rigid member
25. This
fixes the handlebar alignment tool 10 to the fork 15.
[018] The movable jaws 23, 24 have a T-shaped feature that slides in the T-
slot of the
T-slot extrusion 26. As a result, the torsional forces from the fork 15 on the
movable
jaws 23, 24 are transferred to the T-slot extrusion 26 and not to the
actuation screw 30.
The forces applied by the actuation screw 30 on the movable jaws 23, 24 are
primarily
along the axis of the actuation screw 30. In other embodiments, the T-slot of
the rigid
member 25 could instead be a dovetail slot or any other type of slot for
guiding the
movable jaws 23, 24.
[019] The actuation screw 30 is supported so that it can rotate with respect
to the
stationary rigid member 25. In the exemplary embodiment, there is one bushing
33 (or
plain bearing) pressed onto each side of the actuation screw 30 on opposite
sides of the
center plane 29. The bushings 33 rotate inside cylindrical bores in actuation
screw
mounts 34. The actuation screw 30 could instead be in direct rotational
contact with the
actuation screw mounts 34. Each actuation screw mount 34 is fixed to the T-
slot
extrusion 26 by two flat-head bolts that pass through holes in the T-slot
extrusion 26 and
thread into the actuation screw mount 34. Axial motion of the actuation screw
30 relative
to the actuation screw mounts 34 is prevented by contact between the actuation
screw
mounts 34 and a shoulder on each side of the actuation screw 30. Furthermore,
the
actuation screw 30 includes a knurled hand wheel 35 to aid the process of
installing the
handlebar alignment tool 10 onto the fork 15 by hand.
[020] The actuation mechanism 22 can be considered a self-centering mechanism
because
it centers the handlebar alignment tool 10 and the alignment gauge axis 21
between the
fork legs 18, 19 (in other words, it makes the center plane 29 and the plane
of the front
Date recue / Date received 202 1-1 1-01
wheel 14 co-planar). It's not necessary for the alignment gauge 20 to be
centered between
the fork legs 18, 19; however, this can simplify the handlebar alignment
operation. If the
alignment gauge 20 is centered, this avoids the need for adjusting the
alignment gauge 20
when rotating its elongated part for gauging the second side of the handlebar
13. If the
alignment gauge 20 isn't centered, this adjustment of the alignment gauge 20
can be
needed to compensate for a difference between the distance from the alignment
gauge
axis 21 to the point on the first side of the handlebar that is gauged and the
distance from
the alignment gauge axis 21 to the point on the second side of the handlebar
that is
gauged.
[021] The handlebar alignment tool 10 has an end cap 36 at each end of the T-
slot
extrusion 26. The end caps 36 are made of plastic or any other soft material,
and they
prevent the hard edges at the end of the T-slot extrusion 26 from damaging the
fork 15
during mounting of the handlebar alignment tool 10. Furthermore, there is a
loop 37
integrated into one of the two end caps 36; this loop 37 enables the handlebar
alignment
tool 10 to be hung on hooks in workshops.
[022] The movable jaws 23, 24, the actuation screw 30, and the actuation screw
mounts 34 are made of plastic or any other suitable material. The bushings 33
are made
of metal or any other suitable material. In the example shown in the figures,
the rigid
member mounting surfaces 32 are adhesive-backed rubber pads (or tape) applied
to the
T-slot extrusion 26 for preventing damage to the fork 15. If the movable jaws
23, 24 were
made of metal or another abrasive material instead of non-abrasive plastic,
the movable
jaws 23, 24 could also have rubber pads for preventing damage to the fork 15.
Operation of the handlebar alignment tool
[023] The operation of the handlebar alignment tool 10 consists of mounting
the
handlebar alignment tool 10 to the fork 15, mounting the alignment gauge 20 to
the
handlebar alignment tool 10, determining the alignment of the handlebar 13 and
adjusting
the alignment if needed, then detaching the alignment gauge 20 and dismounting
the
handlebar alignment tool 10.
6
Date recue / Date received 202 1-1 1-01
[024] For the exemplary embodiment, the handlebar alignment tool 10 is mounted
to the
fork 15 with the following procedure. The actuation screw 30 is rotated so
that the
movable jaws 23, 24 are sufficiently inward for fitting between the fork legs
18, 19. Then,
the rigid member 25 is placed against the fork 15, and the actuation screw 30
is rotated to
actuate the movable jaws 23, 24 outward until the fork legs 18, 19 are clamped
between
the movable jaws 23, 24 and the rigid member 25.
[025] In the illustrated embodiment, the alignment gauge 20 is a derailleur
alignment
gauge, and it's fastened into the threaded hole 28 of the rigid member 25 (or
more
specifically, of the extension 27). With the handlebar alignment tool 10
mounted to the
fork 15 and the alignment gauge 20 mounted to the handlebar alignment tool 10,
handlebar alignment can proceed.
[026] Handlebar alignment is achieved as follows. The user first determines
the distance
between the handlebar 13 and a point on the alignment gauge 20 such as the
touch-off
point, and then the user rotates the alignment gauge 20 around the alignment
gauge
axis 21 to determine the distance between the opposite side of the handlebar
13 and the
same point on the alignment gauge 20. When the handlebar 13 is positioned
relative to
the steerer tube 17 such that the two aforementioned distances are the same,
the
handlebar 13 is aligned.
Other exemplary embodiments
[027] (a) The handlebar alignment tool 10 could include one or more straps on
each side
of the center plane 29 for attaching the handlebar alignment tool 10 to the
fork
legs 18, 19. The straps could wrap around the fork legs 18, 19 and be
adjustable to
account for variation in the circumference of the fork legs 18, 19 of
different forks 15. For
the purpose of this disclosure, such straps can be considered a form of
movable jaws.
[028] (b) The movable jaw mounting surfaces 31 can be perpendicular to the
center
plane 29, and the rigid member mounting surfaces 32 can be angled relative to
the center
plane 29 (the opposite is true in the first embodiment). Also, the movable jaw
mounting
7
Date recue / Date received 202 1-1 1-01
surfaces 31 and the rigid member mounting surfaces 32 can both be angled
relative to the
center plane 29.
[029] (c) In the exemplary embodiment, the movable jaws 23, 24 are actuated
along the
axis of the actuation screw 30 and perpendicular to the center plane 29.
However, the
movable jaws could be actuated in any other direction, such as a direction
parallel to the
alignment gauge axis 21. In that particular example, the movable jaws would
move toward
the T-slot extrusion 26 rather than along the T-slot extrusion 26. Different
forks can have
a different distance between their fork legs. Therefore, the movable jaws
could first move
along to the axis of the front wheel 14 to account for variation in the
distance between fork
legs 18, 19, before then being moved in a different direction for fixing the
handlebar
alignment tool 10 to the fork 15. Indeed, many configurations of the movable
jaws are
possible.
[030] (d) In the exemplary embodiment, there are two movable jaws 23, 24, but
there
can instead be any other number of movable jaws. For example, there could be
two
movable jaws on each side of the center plane 29 for a total of four movable
jaws. Also,
there could be a single movable jaw, and this single movable jaw could be
actuated along
the alignment gauge axis 21.
[031] (e) The actuation screw 30 can be in the T-slot of the T-slot extrusion
26. With
this configuration of the actuation screw 30, the hand wheel 35 can be at the
end of the
actuation screw 30 instead of being between the two opposing threads of the
actuation
screw 30.
[032] (f) Instead of or in addition to the hand wheel 35, the actuation screw
30 could be
rotated with a manual tool, such as a wrench, or a power tool, such as a
drill.
[033] (g) The actuation of the movable jaws 23, 24 could be reversed from that
of the
first embodiment so that they would move toward each other when mounting the
handlebar
alignment tool 10 to the fork 15. This configuration could enable the
handlebar alignment
tool 10 to be compatible with a wider range of distances between fork legs 18,
19.
However, this configuration might also make the handlebar alignment tool 10
less compact.
8
Date recue / Date received 202 1-1 1-01
[034] (h) Instead of the movable jaws 23, 24 sliding in a slot of the rigid
member 25, the
rigid member 25 can include one or more linear rails (or rods) on which the
movable
jaws 23, 24 slide. For example, the rigid member 25 could include two
cylindrical linear
rails, with the movable jaws 23, 24 each having two cylindrical holes that
slide on the
cylindrical linear rails.
[035] (i) Instead of or in addition to an actuation screw 30, the movable jaws
23, 24 can
be actuated by a quick-release mechanism. This quick-release mechanism could
include one
or more levers operated by hand. If used in conjunction with a quick-release
mechanism,
the actuation screw 30 could serve as an adjustment mechanism to account for
variation in
the circumference and spacing of fork legs 18, 19, and the quick-release
mechanism would
produce the clamping force for fixing the handlebar alignment tool 10 to the
fork 15.
[036] (j) In certain additional embodiments, the front wheel 14 is removed
from the
fork 15, and the handlebar alignment tool 10 is mounted to the fork 15 at the
mounting
point for the front wheel 14. The handlebar alignment tool 10 can be fixedly
mounted to
the fork 15, or it can be rotatably mounted to the fork 15 for rotation around
the axis of
the front wheel 14 (were the front wheel 14 to be mounted). If the handlebar
alignment
tool 10 is rotatably mounted to the fork 15, its angular position about the
axis of the front
wheel 14 should be the same when gauging on either side of the handlebar 13.
This can be
achieved with a rest feature or a clamp feature in the handlebar alignment
tool 10 for it to
rest on the fork or clamp the fork to fix the angular position of the
handlebar alignment
tool 10. These additional embodiments can provide more adaptability for
different forks,
such as road bike forks. However, these additional embodiments may also make
the
handlebar alignment tool 10 less compact.
[037] (k) The movable jaws 23, 24 can be actuated by one or more spring (or
biasing
elements). The springs can produce an increasing amount of restoring force
when the
movable jaws 23, 24 are moved away from their position of engagement with the
fork
legs 18, 19.
9
Date recue / Date received 202 1-1 1-01
Scope
[038] In understanding the scope of the present invention, the term
"comprising" and its
derivatives, as used herein, are intended to be open-ended terms that specify
the presence
of the stated features, elements, components, groups, integers, and/or steps,
but do not
exclude the presence of other unstated features, elements, components, groups,
integers,
and/or steps. The foregoing also applies to words having similar meanings,
such as the
terms "including", "having", and their derivatives. Also, the terms "part",
"section",
"portion", "member", or "element" when used in the singular can have the dual
meaning of
a single part or a plurality of parts unless otherwise stated.
[039] Also, it will be understood that although the terms "first" and "second"
may be
used herein to describe various components, these components should not be
limited by
these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from
another. Thus,
for example, a first component discussed above could be termed a second
component and
vice versa without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. The
term
"attached" or "attaching", as used herein, encompasses configurations in
which: (I) an
element is directly secured to another element by affixing the element
directly to the other
element; (2) configurations in which the element is indirectly secured to the
other element
by affixing the element to the intermediate member(s) which in turn are
affixed to the
other element; and (3) configurations in which one element is integral with
another
element, i.e. one element is essentially part of the other element. This
definition also
applies to words of similar meaning, for example, "joined", "connected",
"coupled",
"mounted", "bonded", "fixed", and their derivatives. Finally, terms of degree
such as
"substantially", "about", and "approximately" as used herein mean an amount of
deviation
of the modified term such that the end result is not significantly changed.
[040] While only selected embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the
present
invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
changes and
modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the
invention as
defined in the appended claims. For example, unless specifically stated
otherwise, the size,
shape, location, or orientation of the various components can be changed as
needed and/or
Date recue / Date received 2021-11-01
desired so long as the changes do not substantially affect their intended
function. Unless
specifically stated otherwise, components that are shown directly connected or
contacting
each other can have intermediate structures disposed between them so long as
the changes
do not substantially affect their intended function. The functions of one
element can be
performed by two, and vice versa, unless specifically stated otherwise. The
structures and
functions of one embodiment can be adopted in another embodiment. It is not
necessary
for all advantages to be present in a particular embodiment at the same time.
Every
feature which is unique from the prior art, alone or in combination with other
features, also
should be considered a separate description of further inventions by the
applicant,
including the structural and/or functional concepts embodied by such
feature(s). Thus, the
foregoing descriptions of the embodiments according to the present invention
are provided
for illustration only, and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as
defined by the
appended claims and their equivalents.
11
Date recue / Date received 2021-11-01
