Patent Application
20100199801
This application claims the benefit of the Taiwan Patent Application No. 097142389, filed Nov. 3, 2008.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a handlebar assembly for a bicycle, more particularly to an aerodynamically configured handlebar assembly which is provided with armrests.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
An object of the present invention is to provide an aerodynamically configured handlebar assembly for use in a bicycle, which can be firmly secured to a front fork of the bicycle, which can minimize headwind resistance, which has a robust structure for supporting a rider's arms, and which permits smooth steering of the bicycle.
According to this invention, the aerodynamically configured handlebar assembly includes a mounting head which includes a front aerodynamic body that extends forwardly to terminate at a nose end, and a rear clamping body that is adapted to clamp a steering stem of a bicycle front fork so as to cantilever the front aerodynamic body. Left and right mounting bars respectively extend from opposite sides of the front aerodynamic body to terminate at leftmost and rightmost ends. Left and right handgrips are respectively disposed on the leftmost and rightmost ends. An aerodynamic bracket member is disposed beneath the nose end, is shaped to minimize headwind resistance, and has a crosspiece which is disposed to be secured to a crotch segment of the bicycle front fork by a fastening unit such that the aerodynamic bracket member helps support weight of the cantilevered front aerodynamic body.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring to
The aerodynamically configured handlebar assembly according to this embodiment is shown to comprise amounting head 3, a handlebar body, an aerodynamic bracket member 5, and a fastening unit 4.
The mounting head 3 includes a front aerodynamic body 33 that extends forwardly to terminate at a nose end 331, and a rear clamping body 31 that is opposite to the front aerodynamic body 33 in a longitudinal direction. The rear clamping body 31 is in the form of a split clamp, and has left and right jaws 311 which extend rearwardly from the front aerodynamic body 33 and toward each other, which cooperatively define a bore 312 shaped and sized to permit insertion of the upper end 225 of the steering stem 221, and which respectively terminate at left and right tightening ends 313 that confront each other in a direction transverse to both the longitudinal direction and the upright direction. A plurality of tightening bolts 6 are disposed to tighten the left and right tightening ends 313 to each other to thereby secure the rear clamping body 31 to the upper end 225 and to thereby cantilever the front aerodynamic body 33.
The handlebar body includes left and right mounting bars 34, left and right mounting handgrips 35, left and right extensions 36, and left and right armrests 37. The left and right mounting bars 34 respectively extend from opposite sides of the front aerodynamic body 33 to terminate at leftmost and rightmost ends 341, respectively. The left and right handgrips 35 are respectively disposed on the leftmost and rightmost ends 341 and extend forwardly in the longitudinal direction. The left and right extensions 36 extend respectively and forwardly from the left and right mounting bars 34. The left and right armrests 37 are respectively disposed on the left and right extensions 36 proximate to the left and right mounting bars 34, respectively.
The aerodynamic bracket member 5 includes a front ridge portion 51, left and right lateral wall segments 52, and a crosspiece 53. The front ridge portion 51 is rounded, and has left and right junctures 511 that are opposite to each other in the transverse direction, that are disposed beneath the nose end 331, and that are spaced apart from the crotch segment 223 in the longitudinal direction. The left and right lateral wall segments 52 extend respectively and rearwardly from the left and right junctures 511, are disposed to diverge from each other so as to minimize headwind resistance, and terminate at left and right rear edges 521, respectively. The crosspiece 53 spans between the left and right rear edges 521, and is disposed to confront the crotch segment 223 in the longitudinal direction.
The fastening unit 4 includes a plurality of screw bolts 42 which extend in the longitudinal direction through holes 224 in the crotch segment 223 and which are threadedly engaged with a plurality of screw holes 531 in the crosspiece 53 so as to secure the crosspiece 53 to the crotch segment 223.
In this embodiment, the aerodynamic bracket member 5 is made from aluminum alloy, is integrally formed with the rear clamping body 31 of the mounting head 3, and is threadedly secured to the front aerodynamic body 33 of the mounting head 3. Alternatively, the mounting head 3 may be integrally formed with the aerodynamic bracket member 5 to cooperatively form a mount unit.
As illustrated, by means of the secure engagement between the rear clamping body 31 and the upper end 225 of the steering stem 221, and by means of the secure engagement between the crosspiece 53 and the crotch segment 223, the aerodynamic bracket member 5 can better support the weight of the handlebar body so as to effectively withstand the pressing forces applied to the extensions 36 when the rider's arms are rested on the armrests 37. Thus, the steering operation of the handlebar body can be smooth and safe. Furthermore, by virtue of the configuration of the aerodynamic bracket member 5, the handlebar assembly according to this invention, which is adapted to be secured to the front fork 22 of the bicycle 2, has a robust structure, and headwind resistance is minimized so that the bicycle 2 equipped with the handlebar assembly according to this invention is suitable for racing at a high speed.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.
