Patent Application
20180194426
Embodiments of the invention relate to a bike, and more particularly to a foldable bike that is capable of standing and being pulled after folded.
Recently, foldable bikes or foldable electrical bikes have became more popular, which are designed to be foldable that rider can easily carry out or house in the corner. There are more people that willing buy and ride bikes to work or to shopping. Some cities' mass transportation systems such bus, MRT and train which allow people to take their own bikes, regardless is foldable or non-foldable, on the car.
However, the conventional bike can not stand on its own; the owner of the bike needs to hold the bike during the trip on the car or against it to the wall. Moreover, due to the volume of the bike, the person sometimes needs to lift the bike up in the mass transportation system, and thus may not be easy for children or women.
Therefore, there is a need for an approach to provide a foldable bike that is not only foldable to occupy smaller volume, but also can stand and being pulled after folded.
These and other needs are addressed by the invention, wherein an approach is provided a foldable bike that is capable of standing and being pulled after folded.
According to one aspect of an embodiment of the invention, a front fork, a top tube, a down tube, a pivot hinge, a seat and a supporter. The front fork has a first end and a second end. The first end of the front fork is connected to a handle, and the second end of the front fork is coupled to a front wheel. The down tube has a first end and a second end. The second end of the down tube is coupled to a rear wheel. The pivot hinge is connected to the first end of the front fork, a second end of the top tube and the first end of the down tube. The first end of the top tube is pivotally connected to the pivot hinge. The seat is mounted on a second end of the top tube. The supporter is connected between the top tube and the down tube respectively.
The pivot hinge allows the front fork and the top tube to be folded toward the down tube. The auxiliary wheels against the ground when the bike is folded, which is capable of standing and being pulled by a person.
The invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:
A foldable bike is disclosed. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiment of the invention. It is apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details or with an equivalent arrangement.
With reference to
The front fork 10 has a first end and a second end. The first end of the front fork 10 is connected to a handle 11. The second end of the front fork 10 is coupled to a front wheel 12. The down tube 30 has a first end and a second end. The second end of the down tube 30 is coupled to a rear wheel 31. The pivot hinge 40 is connected to the first end of the front fork 10, a second end of the top tube 20 and the first end of the down tube 30. The seat 50 is mounted on a second end of the top tube 20. A first end of the top tube 20 is pivotally connected to the pivot hinge 40. The supporter 60 is connected between the top tube 20 and the down tube 30 respectively, which is configured for supporting the seat 50 on the top tube 20 horizontally from the down tube 30.
The handle 11 comprises a handle bar 110 and a handle post 111. The handle post is installed and lever attached to a steered tube of the front fork 10. The handle bar 110 is connected to the handle post 111.
In one embodiment, the bike of the present invention is an electric bike, and the circuits, wires, batteries and other required for electrically driving components are disposed inside the down tube 30.
With further reference to
As shown in
With reference to
The locking assembly 43 comprises a notch 430 and a locker 431. The notch 430 is formed on the first member 41 and the second member 42, and has a first hole 432 and a second hole 433. The locker 431 penetrates the notch 430, is movable between the first hole 432 and the second hole 433 of the notch 430, and is selectively locked in the first hole 432 and the second hole 433. The locker 431 provides a pivot point that allows the first member 41 and the second member 42 to rotate. The rotation of the first member 41 and the second member 42 will make the front fork 10 fold toward the down tube 30. When the locker 431 is released and is moved from the first hole 432 to the second hole 433, the front fork 10 is able to fold toward the down tube 30.
With further reference to
When the front fork 10 is folded toward the down tube 30, the steered tube of the front fork 10 turns the front wheel 12 that allows the protrusion 33 being snapped inside the concave 32. Furthermore, the concave 32 may further comprises a magnetic element or itself is made from a magnetic material, which attracts and holds the protrusion 33.
It is noted that like other conventional foldable bikes which the front fork can be folded when is not in the riding operation, without the structure of the concave 32 and the protrusion 33 indicated in the present invention, the front wheel 12 may flip all the time when a person pull the folded bike.
With reference to
When the front fork 10 and the top tube 20 are folded with the down tube 30, as shown in
With reference
With reference to
In this embodiment, the battery 70 is located on the down tube 30 which is able for a person to replace new battery easier. The bike further comprises a gear assembly 71 and a second buffer 72. The second buffer 72 is disposed between the rear wheel 31 and the down tube 30.
The gear assembly 71 comprises a first chain ring 710, a second chain ring (not shown), a chain 712. The first chain ring 710 is mounted on a side of down tube 30 underneath the seat 50, and has two crank arms 713 and two pedals 714. The two crank arms 713 are connected to the sides of the first chain ring 710, and each crank arm 713 connects the corresponding pedals 714.
The second chain ring is located with the rear wheel 31. The chain 712 is engaged between the first chain ring 710 and the second chain ring, which transfer power from the pedals 714 to the rear wheel 31 (driven by the second chain ring).
Accordingly, the embodiment of
While the invention has been described in connection with a number of embodiments and implementations, the invention is not so limited but covers various obvious modifications and equivalent arrangements, which fall within the purview of the appended claims. Although features of the invention are expressed in certain combinations among the claims, it is contemplated that these features can be arranged in any combination and order.
