Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02327451 2000-11-30
SIDE CAR FOR BICYCLE AND PIVOTAL
ATTACHMENT DEVICE THEREFOR
FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention relates to the general field of bicycle accessories and
is
particularly concerned with a side car for bicycles and a pivotal attachment
device
therefor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
Relatively recent trends towards improved fitness through exercise and towards
ecological modes of transportation have led to a concurrent resurgence in the
use of
bicycles.
The use of trailers behind bicycles is increasing as cyclists find better ways
of
increasing the utility and capacity of their bicycles. Bicycle trailers have
been
developed both for around town errands, such as carrying shopping and hauling
laundry and other loads. For bicycle tourists, trailers extend load capacity
beyond
conventional bags and panniers.
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Methods of connecting bicycle trailers to bicycles are various.
Some connections come off the bicycle feet, which provides attaclunent above
the center of gravity of the bicycle, and thus in an adversary way affects
braking power.
Some connections or hitches employ additional parts which attach at the rear
axle of
the bicycle and thus become a modification of the latter.
Other common bicycle trails ~ hitches attach to the rear most bicycle frame
members, normally referred to as "sa.ys" by means of bolted clamps which
encircle the
stays. The clamps themselves must withstand the stresses that the trailer
connection
provides with such stresses characteristically causing the clamps to slide
along the
stays and thus work themselves loose. Sliding clamps also mar the finish of
the
bicycle.
Furthermore, such conventional clamps are time consuming to attach and
remove, normally requiring tools.
Furthermore, different clamp configurations may be required as various sizes
of
stays are used on different bicycles and may even be found on the same
bicycle.
Likewise, the angle between the stays will vary with different bicycle designs
and sizes. In addition, on some bicycles the stays are not coplanar thus
requiring a
stay-clamping-hitch to be twisted for installation.
There also seems to be a relatively recent trend towards group activities and
more specifically towards activities performed with other members of the
family unit.
It has thus become increasingly frequent for a healthy adult to go for a
cycling
ride accompanied by a child, an elderly person or any other person having
limited
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physical capacities. Heretofore inventions for carrying infants or individuals
having
limited physical capacities on bicycles have presented many disadvantages.
Such
inventions are typically designed for carrying infants.
They typically include carrying slings or seats for carrying a child over the
handle bars or the front wheel, over the rear wheel, between the rider's leg
or in a
trailer pulled behind the bicycle.
Most such inventions position the child so that while the bicycle rider is
watching the road, the child is out of view and the rider is unable to
effectively
communicate with the child. Also, the prior art inventions have been
uncomfortable
for the child.
Indeed, when the carrying device is in the form of a soft sling, it gives the
child
insufficient support resulting in the child becoming cramped or twisted. On
the other
hand, when the carrying device is rigidly attached to the frame of the
bicycle, the child
is jarred by bumps in the road and thrown from side to side by the pedaling
efforts of
the rider.
Most prior art child carrying devices also do not offer reasonable safety for
the
infant rider.
Furthermore, most such devices do not provide adequate storage for the
paraphernalia that most parents desire to take with them on an outing with the
child.
Still further, most prior art devices do not provide a useful seat for the
child
when the bicycle is at rest and do not allow for use independent of the
bicycle.
Some of these problems have been recognized in the past and, consequently,
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side cars for bicycles have been proposed. Side cars for bicycles eliminate at
least
some of the hereinabove mentioned disadvantages.
However, most side cars heretofore proposed were based on concepts
developed for motorcycles with problems in mind that are only marginally
relevant.
Many of the prior art inventions have relied on an offset tricycle (two axle)
configuration which is impractical and unsafe because it is highly susceptible
to pitch
poling even at very low speed. This defect is found in US Pat. N°
4,378,121 to Runs
( 1983).
Typically, the attachments for side cars which have been designed for
motorcycles interfere with the pedaling motions required to operate a bicycle,
rendering them useless when attached to bicycles. Side cars incorporating
elaborate
torsion or other shock absorbing devices render them too heavy to be practical
for a
bicycle. This defect is found in US Pat. N° 4,614,352 to C;ervantes
(1986).
On the other hand, other approaches to flexibility renders the side car too
wobbly to be free standing when not in motion, to be safe for vulnerable cargo
or to
support mph ofthe load. This defect is found in US Pat. N°4,378,121 to
Runs (1983).
Furthermore, side cars designed to support very heavy loads or to adjust for
high speed cornering or to absorb road shocks associated with such support and
speed,
make no sense were the strength of the rider limits the ability of the vehicle
to carry a
load.
Also, prior art inventions often fail to compensate for the lighter weight
frame
of the bicycle so that when they are used with a bicycle such prior inventions
could
cause damage to the bicycle frame.
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Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved side car for bicycles and a
pivotal attachment device therefor.
Advantages of the present invention include that the proposed invention allows
for a bicycle rider to carry various types of cargo including children through
the use of
a side car specifically designed for use with bicycles.
The proposed side cars have a generally rigid yet light weight frame allowing
for carrying relatively heavy loads without inherently increasing the overall
weight to
be carried.
Also, the proposed side car is specifically designed so as not to interfere
with
pedaling of the bicycle or overstressing the bicycle frame not originally
designed for
such load carrying.
Still further, the proposed side car is designed so as to be either used
attached to
the bicycle or independently of the latter. It is provided with structures
enhancing its
ability to be free-standing when not in motion and to be useable when detached
from
the bicycle.
The proposed side car is also provided with a pivotal attachment device
therefor
allowing to be readily detachable and attachable so that the aforementioned
advantages
of the side car be enjoyed while still permitting use of the bicycle separate
from the
side car with the attendant improvement in maneuverability and handling on
occasions
when the advantages provided by a side are not needed.
The attachment device allows the side car to be mounted to different makes of
bicycles without requiring special tooling or manual dexterity and with
reduced risks of
damaging the bicycle frame or finish. The pivotal attachment device allows the
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bicycle side car and the bicycle frame to tilt independently in a manner that
increases
the overall maneuverability of the side car-bicycle combination. It also
reduces the
risk of the potential side car occupant to be jarred by bumps on the road and
from being
thrown from side to side by pedaling efforts of the rider.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
An embodiment of the present invention will now be disclosed, by way of
examples, in reference to the following drawings in which:
FIGURE 1: in a perspective view~with sections taken out, illustrates part of a
side car
for bicycles in accordance with m embodiment of the present invention with one
of its
side wheels removed therefrom and one of its optional front wheels shown in
phantom
lines;
FIGURE 2: in a partial elevational view with sections taken out, illustrates
part bf a
side car for bicycles in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention
attached to part of a bicycle (shown in phantom lines) by a pivotal attachment
device
also part of the invention;
FIGURE 3: in a partial top view with sections taken out, illustrates the side
car for
bicycles shown in Figures 1 and 2 attached to the rear portion of a bicycle
(shown in
phantom lines);
FIGURE 4: in a partial top view with sections taken out, illustrates a close-
up view of
the attachment between the bicycle and the side car shown in Figure 3;
FIGURE 5: in a partial elevational view with sections taken out, illustrates
part of the
attaclunent shown in Figure 4;
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FIGURE G: in a partial perspective exploded view, illustrates part of the
attaclunent
device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGURE 7: in a longitudinal cross sectional view taken along arrows VII VII in
Figure
4, illustrates a pivotal connection part of the pivotal attachment shown in
Figures 4
through 6;
FIGURE 8: in a close up partial top view with sections taken out, illustrates
some of
the components shown in Figure 8;
FIGURE 9: in a transversal cross sectional view taken along arrows IX IX of
Figure 7,
illustrates attachment components part of the pivotable attachment device
shown in
Figures 4 through 8;
FIGURE 10: in a partial perspective view with sections taken out, illustrates
an
abutment component part of the pivotable attachment device shown in Figures 4
through 9;
FIGURE 11: in a partial perspective view with sections taken out, illustrates
a front
segment part of the pivotable attachment device in accordance with an
embodiment of
the present invention;
FIGURE 12: in a partial top view with sections taken out, illustrates a clamp
component part of the front segment of the pivotable attachment device in
accordance
with the present invention;
FIGURE 13: in a longitudinal cross sectional view taken along arrows XIII XIII
of
Figure 14, illustrates some of the internal components part of the attachment
segment
shown in Figure 1 l;
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FIGURE 14: in a partial side view with sections taken out, illustrates some of
the
components part of the attachment segment shown in Figures 11 through 13.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION:
Referring to Figure 2, there is shown a side car for bicycles 10 in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention attached by a pivotal attachment
device
12 through a section of a conventional bicycle frame 14 (shown in phantom
lines).
The bicycle frame 14 typically includes an horizontal tube 16, a transversal
tube
18 and a seat tube 20. The seat tube 20 telescopically receives a seat post 22
for
supporting a conventional bicycle seat 34 (Figure 11). The bicycle also
includes a
drive means including drive pedals 24 and a drive gear sprocket assembly 26.
A bicycle rear wheel 28 is rotatably attached to the bicycle frame by a
bicycle
rear mounting assembly including a pair of seat stays 30 and a pair of chain
stays 32.
Each pair of corresponding seat and chain stays 30, 32 typically merge
together
in a plate conventionally called a "dropout 3:3." which is provided with an
attachment
slut for the rear axle of the rear bicycle wheel 28.
The herein above mentioned description of the bicycle frame 14 is quite
conventional and it should be understood that modifications and variations to
the
embodiment illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 11 could be made without departing
from
the scope of the present invention.
As shown more specifically in Figures 1 through 3, the side car 10 preferably
includes a tubular side car frame defining a generally open top box-like
enclosure.
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The tubular frame includes a generally rectanbular base section including a
set
of base struts 36. A set of four vertical spacing struts 38 extend generally
upwardly
from the base struts 36 adjacent the corner sections thereof A set of upper
strut
members 40 are rigidly attached to the vertical spacing struts 38 so as to
complete the
box-like enclosure.
A base plate 42 preferably made out of a polymeric resin or other suitable
material is attached to the base struts 36 using suitable attachment Means 45
such as;
screws, bolts, rivets or the like. The base plate 42 has a pair of axle
guiding tongues
44 depending integrally and generally perpendicularly therefrom on each side
thereof.
Each axle guiding tongues 44 is provided with an axle receiving slot 46 for
rotatably supporting a side car axle 48. The side car axle 48 which extends
transversally across the side car base rotatably supports a pair of side car
main wheels
50. A set of washer and nut assemblies 52 or other suitable means allows for
proper
mounting of the side car main wheels 50 on the side car axle 48.
A lateral side car frame extension 54 extends laterally from each side of the
side
car frame. Each lateral side car extension 54 preferably includes a generally
"C"-
shaped lateral strut 56 attached to a corresponding pair of vertically spacing
struts 38.
A reinforcement sleeve 58 is preferably mounted on the longitudinal segment of
each lateral strut 56.
The reinforcement sleeve 58 is abutted to provide structural reinforcement to
the lateral strut 56 and facilitate attachment of the pivotal attachment which
will be
hereinafter disclosed in greater details. A splash guard component 60 is
preferably
attached to the transversal segments 5 7 part of the lateral struts 56 so as
to generally
overlie the adjacent side car wheel S0.
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The side car 10 is preferably further provided with an auxiliary side car
wheel
G2 for facilitating support and maneuverability of the side car 10 when the
latter is not
attached to a bicycle. The auxiliary side car wheel 62 is preferably of the
caster type
and is preferably attached to a corresponding auxiliary wheel attachment
tongue 64
protruding from a frontward p°ripheral edge of the base plate 42. The
auxiliary side
car wheel G2 is rotatably mounted by an auxiliary wheel axle 66 to a forked
tines 68.
In turn, the forked tines 68 are rotatably mounted to the auxiliary wheel
mounting
toque G~ by an auxiliary wheel pivotal mounting knob 70.
The side car frame is also further preferably provided with a side car handle
72
mounted on a handle sleeve 74 attached to one of the upper struts 40. The side
car
handle 72 is adapted to facilitate handling and maneuverability of the side
car 10 when
the latter is not attached to a bicycle.
Referring now specifically to Figures 4 through 14, there is shown in greater
details the pivotal attachment device 12. The pivotal attachment device 12
includes a
chain stay section 76 illustrated in greater details in Figures 4 through 10
and a seat
stay attachment section 78 illustrated in greater details in Figures 11
through 14. The
chain stay attachment section 7G includes a chain stay attachment housing 80
adapted
to be attached to the attachment sleeve 58 part of the lateral frame extension
54 of the
side car 10 and to one of the chain stays 32 part of the bicycle frame 14. The
housing
8U is preferably attached to the chain stay 32 so that its pivotal connection
is positioned
adjacent the dropout plate 33.
As shown more specifically in Figure 6, the housing 80 is preferably attached
to
the attachment sleeve 58 using a pair of attachment flanges 82, 84 each having
a
generally "L"-shaped cross sectional configuration. The attachment flange 82
has a
top plate 86 provided with corresponding apertures for receiving attaclunent
pins 88
c.u.l an attaclunent bolt 90 having a bolt handle 92. Similarly, the
attacluuent flange
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84 is provided with attacliment apertures 94, 96 for respectively receiving
the
attachment pins 88 and the attachment bolt 90.
The attachment aperture 9G is provided with an internal thread for threadably
receiving the threads part of the attachment bolt 90.
The attachment flange 84 is further provided with auxiliary attachment pins 98
extending from a proximal plate 100 thereof.
The attachment sleeves 58 and the associated longitudinal segment of the
lateral
strut 56 are provided with corresponding attachment apertures 102 extending
therethrough for receiving the pins and bolt 88, 90 and 98.
The housing 80 preferably includes a housing flange 104 having a generally
elongated configuration and defining a generally substantially "U"-shaped
cross
sectional configuration.
As shown in greater details in Figure 10, the distal tip of the housing flange
104
is preferably bent integrally so as to define first and second abutment
tongues 1 OG, 108.
The abutment tongues l OG and 108 are configured, sized and positioned so as
to
abuttingly contact and at least partially encircle the corresponding chain
stay 32.
A conventional attachment component such as a U-bolt 110 is used to
releasably secure the attachment flange 104 to the chain stay 32 with the
abutment
tongues 106, 108 in abutment contact therewith. The U-bolt component 110 'is
adapted to extend through corresponding U-bolt apertures 112 formed in the
attachment flange 104 and to be attached to the chain stay 32 using
conventional nut-
type component 114.
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The housing 80 further includes a resilient and biasing pivotal connection 116
shown in greater details in Figures 7 through 9. The pivotal connection 116
includes
a cylindrical shaft 118 rotatably mounted within a shaft sleeve 120. A pair of
shaft
arms 122 preferably attached at distal ends of the shaft 118 by releasable
fastening
means such as screws 124 are solidly anchored to the proximal plate 100 part
of the
attaclunent flange 84.
The shaft sleeves 120 have a flattened segment 128 adapted to abuttingly
c~mtuct a segment of the flange 104 such as shown in Figure 9. A fixing
component
such a conventional U-type bolt 130 having corresponding U-bolt nuts 132 is
used for
securing the sleeve 120 to the flange 104 so as to prevent relative rotational
movement
therebetween.
A biasing means for biasing the shaft 118 and the shaft sleeve 120 in a
predetermined pivotal relationship relative to each other is further provided.
The
biasing means preferably takes the form of an helicoidal-type spring 126. The
lielicoidal-type spring 126 is attached at a first end thereof through the
shaft 118 by a
spring-to-shaft linking bolt 134. The other end of the helicoidal-type spring
126 is
attached to the sleeve 120 using corresponding spring-to-sleeve connecting
bol~:; 136.
The spring 126 thus allows relative pivotal movement between chain stay 32
and the side car 10 while resiliently biasing the latter towards a
predetermined angular
relationship relative to each other. The spring 126 is thus adapted to act as
a
suspension system. The compact format of the suspension system allows it to be
positioned adjacent the wheel mounting plates 33 part of the seat stays 32 and
thus to
be positioned substantially in line with the axle of the bicycle wheel 50 for
optimizing
the suspension characteristics.
Referring now more specifically to Figures 11 through 14, there is shown in
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greater details the seat stay attachment section pert of the pivotal
attaclunent device
included in the side car 10 part of the present invention. The seat stay
section 78
includes extension rod 7 5' slidably and telescopically inserted within the
handle sleeve
74.
The rod 75. is maintained in a predetermined longitudinal relationship
relative
to the sleeve 74 by a longitudinal locking means such as the locking pin 142.
A seat
stay pivotal connecting component 144 is releasable attached to the seat stays
30
preferably using a generally dome-shaped fixing plate 146 and a dome-bolt 148
threadably connected to a corresponding dome-bolt receiving segment 15 1' part
of the
seat stay p~v. otal connecting component 144. Tightening and loosening of the
dome-bolt 148 allows the seat stays 30 to be respectively sandwiched between
the
dome-plate 144 and the outer surface of the pivotal connecting component 144
for
selective release therefrom.
The pivotal seat stay connecting component 144 preferably has a generally
cylindrical outer casing 150 defining a corresponding longitudinal channel 152
therein.
A pivotal hinge mean preferably taking the form of a spherical pivotal link
component
154 is slidably and rotatably mounted within the channel 152.
Biasing components for biasing the pivotal link component 154 towards a
generally centered position within the sleeve channel 152 are provided. The
biasing
components preferably take the form of a pair of helicoidal-type springs 15G
each
abutting against a corresponding end plate 158 mounted at each end of the
sleeve
channel 152 and a pair of abutment plates 16o positioned in abutting
relationship with
the pivotal link component 154. The abutment plates 160 are provided with
plate
apertures 162 extending therethrough for receiving at least a section of the
outer
surface of the pivotal link component 154 so as to seat the latter. One of the
end plates
158, ~ namely the end plate 159 located proximal to the side car 10 is
provided with a
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rod slot 164 extending therethrough. The rod 138 is solidly anchored to the
pivotal
link component 154 and adapted to move angularly therewith as indicated by
arrows-
166 in Figure 13 as it slides through the plate slot 164 shown in Figure 14.
The seat stay attachment section part of the attachment device thus allows for
both angular and translational relative movement between the side car 10 and
the
bicycle frame 12 as indicated respectively by arrows 166 and 168 in Figure 13.
Furthermore, angular and translational movement between the side car 10 and
the bicycle frame 12 are biased towards a predetermined relationship
therebetween by
the helicoidal-type springs 126 and 156. Cargo, including children located
within the
side car 10 may thus enjoy a relatively smooth ride regardless of the
maneuvers of the
bicycle and of the road conditions.
Preferably, the base plate 42 is made out of an elastomeric material, the
tubing
part of the side car frame is made of aluminum while the reinforcement sleeves
58 and
74 are made out of stainless steel or the like. The various components are
preferably
welded or otherwise suitably assembled together.
z,~x
Signed: \ ~'~'
iego G. Ponce, Inventor.
CA 02327451 2000-11-30
LISTS OF SCE NU11~ALS
10- side car for bicycle
12- pivotal attachment device
14- bicycle frame
16- horizontal tube
18- transversal tube
20- seat tube
22- seat post
24- drive pedal
26- drive gear sprocket assembly
28- bicycle rear wheel
30- seat stays
32- chain stays
33- dropout
34- bicycle seat
36- base struts
38- vertical spancing struts
40- upper struts
42- base palate
44- axle guiding tongues
45- attachment means (screws, bolts, rivets)
46- axle receiving slot
48- side car axle
50- side car main wheel
52- washer and nut assemblies
54- side car frame extension
56- shaped lateral strut
57- transversal segment
58- reinforcement sleeve
CA 02327451 2000-11-30
60- splash guard component
62- auxiliary side car wheel
64- auxiliary wheel mounting tongue
66- auxiliary wheel axle
68- forked tines
70- auxiliary wheel pivotal mounting knob
72- side car handle
74- handle sleeve
75- extension rod
76- chain stay section
78- seat stay section
80- chain stay attachment housing
82- upper attachment flange
84- lower attachment flange
86- top plate of upper attachment flange
88- attachments pins of upper attachment flange
90- attachment bolt
92- bolt handle
94- attachments pins apertures
96- attachment bolt aperture with internal thread
98- attachments pins of lower attachment flange
100- plate of lower attachment flange
102- attachments pins apertures
104- housing flange of the chain stays device
106- first abutment tongue of housing flange
108- second abutment tongue of housing flange
l 10- U-bolt
112- U-bolt apertures
114- nut
116- pivotal connection device
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118- cylindrical shaft
120- shaft sleeve
122- shaft arms
124- screws
126- torsionning-type spring
128- flattened segment of the shaft sleeve
130- U-type bolt
132- nut
134- shaft linking bolt
136- sleeve connecting bolt
13 8- a title rod of pivotal link component
140- inside end of the extension rod
142- locking pin of handle sleeve
144- seat stay pivotal connecting component
146- dome - shaped
148- dome - bolt
150- cylindrical outer casing
151- dome - bolt receiving segment
152- longitudinal cylindrical channel
154- spherical pivotal link component
156- helicoidal - type spring
158- end plate of the cylidrical outer Gassing
159- end plate with rod slot
160- abutment plates
162- plate apertures
164- rod slot
166- arrow indicated the angular movement
168- arrow indicated the translational mouvement
