Patent Application
20110121044
The present invention is a storage apparatus that can be mounted on a bicycle. The apparatus can be used for storing a standard water bottle and/or other fluid containers, as well as miscellaneous items such as spare parts, tools, medicine, food, personal identification, medical information (medical alert), and a cellular telephone.
In the sport of cycling, there is a need to carry supplies. Ideally, those supplies can be stored in a manner which does not interfere with the handling characteristics of the bicycle, provides rapid and convenient access to the stored items, and does not add substantial aerodynamic drag. In addition, it is preferred that the storage apparatus is generally light weight in order to reduce the weight being propelled by the cyclist. Furthermore, if the cyclist is competing in an organized competitive event, the supplies must be stored in a method which complies with the competitive event's governing body's rules. Various aspects of the needs that a cyclist may face are discussed further below.
1) The Need to Carry Supplies
a) In the field of bicycling, it may be the practice of cyclists to carry water or other beverages to quench thirst and rehydrate the body, especially during long rides or racing events. In addition, it may be the practice of cyclists to carry spare parts and tools. Spare parts include, for example, spare tire inner tubes and/or a tire inner tube patch repair kit. Tools include, for example, tire irons (sometimes called tire levers), used to remove the bicycle tire, and either an air pump or compressed gas canisters—typically referred to as “CO2 cartridges”—used to inflate the bicycle tire. It is common for cycling race events to have a rule which states that a competitor cannot accept any parts or help from non-competitors if they have to repair their bicycle. In other words, they must do the repair themselves with the parts and tools they carry with them. Failure to comply with this racing rule can result in disqualification. Because of this racing event rule, cyclists are compelled to carry spare parts and tools.
b) Some cyclists suffer from severe allergic reaction and for safety purposes, need to carry their medical supplies. This is to prevent going into anaphylactic shock if they are exposed to an allergen while cycling.
2) The Need for Rapid and Convenient Access
a) In the event that a cyclist with severe allergy is exposed to an allergen, he/she must be able to access and administer his/her medicine (Epinephrine) as quickly as possible. Typically the need is to access and administer the medicine within 30 seconds.
b) If the cyclist is competing in an organized competitive event and experiences a flat tire, there is a competitive advantage to being able gain access to their spare parts and tools in as little time as possible.
3) The Need for Aerodynamics
In cycling, as the bicycle speed increases, so does the aerodynamic drag. It has been established that once the bicycle surpasses the speed of 12.8 km/h, the aerodynamic drag of a bicycle and cyclist is greater than the rolling resistance. Therefore any improvement in aerodynamics will result in the reduction of aerodynamic drag and the ability to maintain the same speed with less effort, or the increase of speed for the same effort. This provides a competitive advantage to a competitive cyclist in a bicycle race including the cycling portion of a triathlon, or allows a cyclist to travel further and/or faster using the same energy.
To illustrate the impact aerodynamics play in cycling performance, a bicycle had its aerodynamic drag measured and the power required to maintain a speed of 30 mph in a wind tunnel (A2 Wind Tunnels in North Carolina).
The Testing Protocol: Compared the aerodynamics of a (a) typical race bicycle with saddle bag (used to store spare parts and tools) and standard water bottle cage with water bottle to that of the (b) same bicycle without any storage apparatus. Testing used a wind speed of 30 mph and yaw angles (cross winds) from 0° to 25°, in 5° increments.
4) The Need to Assure Bicycle Handing
Items stored on a bicycle can affect the bicycle's handling characteristics and the ability of the cyclist to control the bicycle. The higher and further from the bicycle's centre of gravity the stored items are, the greater the influence the stored items have due to weight and aerodynamic drag. Other facts include the strength of the wind and the angle in which it hits the bicycle (yaw or cross win). So that stored items have a minimum impact on a bicycle's handling, they need to be located as low as possible and as close as possible to the centre of gravity on the bicycle.
5) The Need for Weight Savings
The less weight a bicycle has, the faster it can accelerate and climb up a hill. Any apparatus that is added to a bicycle will add weight and have a negative affect on performance. Therefore, if an apparatus is required, there is value in assuring that it is as light weight as practical.
6) The Need to be Compliant
Because of the performance gains due to the application of aerodynamics, the governing bodies of cycling sport, primarily the UCI (International Cycling Union) and the ITU (International Triathlon Union), have rules outlining the application of aerodynamics which bicycles, bicycles parts and components, and cyclist clothing must comply with to be legal in their sanctioned events.
The present invention provides an aerodynamic storage apparatus which can be mounted on a bicycle. The storage apparatus can hold, for example, spare parts and tools, and can also include means for aerodynamically storing a fluid container, such as a water bottle. These items can be stored in the storage apparatus of the present invention, which is an aerodynamically optimized, fast access, and light weight apparatus which does not infringe on any known UCI and ITU rules. The invention can also be used for recreational use to store such parts or to store additional items, including medicine, food, personal identification, medical information (medical alert items), a cellular telephone, and other products.
A water bottle can be held in place on the top of the apparatus through the use of two curved structures that follow the contour of the water bottle and provide enough friction to prevent the water bottle from falling out and yet not too much friction as to prevent the cyclist from either inserting or extracting the water bottle. It is preferable that the water bottle is stored so that the water bottle length (the distance from its top to its bottom) is held in the horizontal plane. This allows the water bottle to present the smallest surface area to the wind as the bicycle is travelling in the forward direction. In addition, the water bottle held in a horizontal plane provides less drag in a cross wind.
The present invention provides storage apparatus for connection to the frame of a bicycle, said apparatus having an open and closed position, and comprising a driving wall, for connecting a side of the apparatus to the side of the bicycle having the gears and chain, said driving wall having an edge to be associated with the down tube of the frame and an edge to be associated with the seat tube of the frame; an opposing wall, which can be releasably fastened to the driving wall, and is associated with the side of the bicycle which does not have the gears and chains, fastening means associated with the driving wall and the opposing wall, for releasably securing the driving wall to the opposing wall, and a side wall extending perpendicularly from the driving wall to a length that does not substantially exceed the frame tube diameter, said side wall residing between the driving wall and opposing wall when the apparatus is in the closed position, wherein the apparatus in the closed position comprises a storage area between the driving wall and the opposing wall, and can be secured within a bicycle frame between the down tube and the seat tube.
The driving wall may further comprise a means to secure a portable fluid container. The driving wall and the opposing wall may secure a potable fluid container when the apparatus is in a closed position.
The fastening means may comprise an elastic mechanism, or a hook and loop mechanism, or a metal clasp system, or a spring mechanism.
The driving wall and the opposing wall may be adapted to releasably secure a piece of elastic material, wherein the elastic material may be a rubber band.
The driving wall may comprise at least one flange for connecting the apparatus to the frame, where in the flange may extend from the driving wall edge to be associated with the down tube. Additionally, the flange may be adapted to be secured to the down tube or may be adapted to be secured to the down tube with two-sided adhesive tape. The flange may additionally extend from the driving wall edge to be associated with the seat tube and may be adapted to be secured to the seat tube or may adapted to be secured to the down tube with two-sided adhesive tape.
The driving wall and the opposing wall may each comprise at least one flange which may allows the apparatus to fit securely between the down tube and the seat tube when the apparatus is in the closed position. The side wall may extend to a length just over half of the frame tube diameter.
The opposing wall may further comprise a second side wall which may extend perpendicularly therefrom to a length that does not substantially exceed the frame tube diameter. The second side wall may reside between the driving wall and opposing wall when the apparatus is in the closed position, and may be sufficiently offset from the location of the side wall such that the side wall and second side wall can overlap when the apparatus is in the closed position.
The apparatus may be at least partially manufactured from a composite materials, and/or thermoset plastics, or thermoplastics.
To illustrate the impact that the apparatus has on aerodynamics and the improvement over standard storage methods, wind tunnel testing was conducted (A2 Wind Tunnels, N.C.).
The Testing Protocol: Compare the aerodynamics of (a) a typical race bicycle with saddle bag (used to store spare parts and tools) and standard water bottle cage with water bottle to (b) the same bicycle with the apparatus storing the same items and (c) the same bicycle without any storage apparatus or items. Testing used a wind speed of 30 mph and yaw angles (cross winds) from 0° to 25°, in 5° increments.
The spare parts and tools can be stored in a container portion that is part of the apparatus underneath the water bottle holder structure. The storage space allows for the storage of items such as a spare tire tube, two compressed gas cartridges, multiple bicycle tire irons and an air chuck (an air chuck is a connector which couples a compressed gas cartridge to a bicycle tire tube valve stem). This storage space is not limited to the storage of the above items and can be used to store other items as well.
The apparatus allows for it's width to be adjustable. This allows the apparatus to be used in association with bicycles made by various manufacturers. With the width being adjustable and/or flexible, the spare parts and tools container can be the same thickness of the bicycle frame down tube and seat tube. By keeping the apparatus' spare parts and tools container within the thickness of the bicycle frame's tubes, the apparatus is sheltered from the wind as the bicycle is travelling in the forward direction.
The apparatus is to be fitted on the bicycle in the lower section of the bicycle frame between the down tube and the seat tube. This not only allows the apparatus to be positioned in an aerodynamically optimized position, but aids with the bicycle handling since it lowers the bicycle's centre of gravity.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the apparatus can consist of essentially two halves, with each half dedicated to a side of the bicycle. Half of the apparatus is attached to the drive side of the bicycle (the side which the drive gears and chain are located) and the other half, which is designed to fit on the non-drive side of the bicycle is attached to the affixed apparatus. The two halves can be secured using an elastic mechanism allowing the two halves the flexibility to contract or expand in width to accommodate bicycles of different frame tube diameters. In an embodiment of the invention, to open or close the apparatus, the elastic mechanism can have finger tabs moulded into it structure, thereby allowing it to be gripped by a cyclist with either greasy or sweaty fingers. In practice, the cyclist can grab the tabs in order to stretch the elastic mechanism over the hook/tabs that are part of the apparatus located on each of its three corners. Once the cyclist has “un-hooked” two of the three tabs, the apparatus will open. Closing the apparatus is the reversal of opening.
In accordance with the foregoing summary of the invention, the following presents a details description of a preferred embodiments of the invention. The following description of the preferred embodiments are merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.
In another embodiment, apparatus 1 can be mounted to the bicycle using the bicycle's water bottle cages bosses (two sets of threaded opening). In yet another embodiment, flanges or other securing devices need not be used if the shape of apparatus 1 allows it to sit sufficiently secured between down tube 2 and seat tube 3. or is secured using cable ties.
Driving wall 18 also comprises side wall 24, which extends generally perpendicularly from driving wall 18 and can be designed to be associated with corresponding side wall 26 of opposing wall 11 (discussed below) when apparatus 1 is in a closed position.
Further in
When apparatus 1 is in a closed position, side walls 24 and 26 define the periphery of storage container 16. However, variations of such a storage container fall within the scope of this invention. For example, either side wall 24 or 26 may be absent, while the remaining side wall can be extended to cover substantially or all of the distance between driving wall 18 and opposing wall 11. In other embodiments, side walls 24 and 26 may not be continuous, but rather appear at strategic points along the periphery of storage container 16, to provide, for example, support for apparatus 1. In another embodiment, side walls 24 and 26 may be absent entirely. However, in a preferred embodiment, a side wall or side walls generally are present in apparatus 1 to protect the stored items from rain and other elements.
The design of apparatus 1 allows for an aerodynamic profile when the bicycle is travelling in the forward direction and yet does not interfere with the cyclist legs while peddling. However, narrower or wider dimensions may be preferred where aerodynamics or storage capacities are overriding considerations.
Because of the variation in the angle formed by down tube 2 and seat tube 3, apparatus 1 has been designed to fit on the great majority of adult bicycles. Attention has been given to assure that it fits on time trial and triathlon bicycles since it is in these sports that aerodynamic provides a competitive advantage to the cyclist.
Apparatus 1 can be made of various materials, including composite materials such as carbon fibre, thermoset plastics and thermoplastics (in the use of injection moulding manufacturing).
Apparatus 1 can open in a variety of ways. One way, exemplified above, is for the use of a mechanism to be used with an elastic band or the like together with finger tabs 40.
The apparatus can be made in various sizes and shapes, provided that its size and shape are aerodynamically optimized and do not infringe on any known UCI and ITU rules. Where the apparatus is made for recreational use, compliance with UCI and ITU rules would be optional.
In one embodiment of the invention, the invention will be sold in association with the trademark, WEDGIE. In other embodiments of the invention, the invention may be sold in association with that, or various other, trademarks.
The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to unnecessarily limit the scope of the invention. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the present invention so that others skilled in the art may practice the invention. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, various modifications can be made within the scope of the aforesaid description.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/213,193, filed on May 15, 2009, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61213193 | May 2009 | US |
