This application claims the benefit of priority to Hungarian patent application P1400562, filed Nov. 28, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.
This disclosure relates generally to human-powered vehicles and more particularly to safety systems for children's bicycles.
When teaching a child to ride a bicycle or other human-powered vehicle, there is a stage of such teaching where the child is sufficiently able to ride that they can leave the parent's immediate reach but are not sufficiently in control that they can avoid all obstacles or other dangers. As a result, there is the possibility that the child can drive into a dangerous intersection, for example, if they have not yet mastered braking, or if they are not aware of approaching cross-traffic, such that the parent has no way of preventing it.
Some remote-controlled braking systems have been proposed in the past, which permit the parent to remotely brake the bicycle so as to prevent such occurrences. However, some such systems suffer from certain deficiencies.
For example, in some systems, braking entails driving a shoe into engagement with a tire of one of the bicycle wheels. However, it can occur (especially in case of insufficiently inflated tires) that the shoe becomes wedged into the tire whereby such wedging causes excessive deformation that is beyond the extent required for braking, which can result in too much force which can harm the tire and the braking device.□ A further disadvantage is that following the braking process the shoe in the wedged position has to be reset to its original home position by hand. It can happen that this manual resetting of the shoe does not position the shoe properly, which can result in unintended braking by the shoe when no braking command was transmitted to the braking device, or non-actuation of the shoe when a braking command is received.
It would be beneficial to provide a remote-controlled brake for children's bicycles and vehicles, which at least partially mitigates the problems noted above.
In an aspect, a remote-controlled brake for children's bicycles and vehicles is provided, which can be mounted on the structure of children's vehicles and which contains a shoe that presses against the one of the vehicle's wheels, but which can be adjusted to inhibit damage to the tire and the braking device during actuation. The brake includes an electronic reception unit that is operated by a remote controller. The brake may have a hydraulic arrangement that holds the shoe and that drives the shoe as a consequence of the signal received from the remote controller.
In an aspect, a brake is provided for a children's bicycle, which is able to move a brake shoe in two directions (both towards and away from a braking position), and is able to avoid excessive wedging of the shoe thereby making the braking process possible with appropriate safety. Beyond the above mentioned advantages, the invention optimizes the mechanical support structure as far as size and costs are concerned.□ In order to provide a solution to the above challenge, we created a remote-controlled brake for children's bikes and for vehicles designed for children which can be adjusted and mounted on the vehicle's steel structure and that contains a shoe that presses on the vehicle's wheel to be braked, an electronic reception unit that can be operated with a remote controller, the tilting structure holding the shoe, the tilting motion of which is induced by the signal received from the remote controller, and the tilting shackle constituting the tilting structure around the knuckle which is linked through a flexible element to the motor operated by the electronic signal reception unit and the motor moves the tilting shackle towards the wheel to a great angle which is limited but sufficient for moving the tilting shackle with a certain speed to set the shoe in a braking position and at the end of the track of the movement towards the tilting shackle there is an anti-collision element preventing excessive pressure by the shoe but allowing sufficient force to enable the braking process.□ The brake solution constructed this way really solves the problem since power-driven movement is reliable and comfortable in both directions and at the same time the appropriate collision prevents excessive deformation of the braked tire.
By way of moving the power driven motor (e.g. a pacer or servo motor) driven shoe we can prevent the sudden wedging of the shoe to the wheel and the disadvantages described above can be avoided. Gradual braking makes it possible to provide a smooth transition and the curve of force increase becomes less steep□ In case of an advantageous design the motor moves on a turnable plate and is joined to the tilting shackle through a fibre spring, this link is not self-enclosing, that is, the tilting shackle can be moved away from the wheel by hand following the operation of the motor.
It is favourable for the structural design to create a T-profile support for this brake, where one of the ends is bent to both sides and can be linked to the bike structure and can be released at any time, the top of the T-profile is relatively horizontal, the collision plate at the back of the bike structure and on the vertical structure or in the surroundings there is a longitudinal gap on the majority of the shaft, the vertical shaft of the support structure being surrounded by the upper section of the U-profile support shackle (closed at the bottom) at both sides of which the upper edge is supported by the collision plate, and where the upper part of the support shackle which is near the structure continues in an almost vertical stem, there is borehole a at the upper section of the support shackle, and through this a fixing screw is mounted which has the task of setting the position of the support shackle, and the tilting shackle is joined to the stems of the support shackle through knuckles.
Moreover, it constitutes an advantage if a slanted motor support plate is joined to one of the sides of the support shackle which is placed at a distance from the side of the support shackle which makes it possible to allow free movement for the tilting shackle and the motor is mounted on the motor plate with the plate facing backwards and almost parallel to the level of the support shackle.□ The tilting shackle is practically composed of two plates linked together and having a gap between each other, the gap is loosely adjusted to the width of the support shackle and surrounds it, there is a borehole at one of the ends of the tilting shackle which can be linked with the borehole at the stem of the support shackle allowing the tilting movement, and at the opposite end of the plates where the boreholes are positioned there is an inlay linking the plates, the shoe is linked to the inlay with a joint that can be released.□ Moreover, it is favourable if a moving plate reaching out sideways is joined to the shaft of the motor and if there is a facilitating gap at the middle part of the tilting shackle and the flexible element is constituted by a fibre spring, one end of which is linked to the facilitating gap, the other into the end of the moving plate.
In case of a favourable design, the plates of the tilting shackle are linked together with a peg in the middle range which limits the tilting track of the tilting shackle through the collision to the front edges of the support shackle's stems.
In case of a further model, the children's bike brake has a two-part casing that covers the appliance at the sides and can be fixed to the support shackle at the sides. In case of this design, the electronic signal reception unit launching the operation of the motor is placed on the opposite side of the motor, the communication between them is established through a remote controller.□ The invention provides a solution to the challenges and tasks set by the brake, fosters a safe braking process, it is easy to handle, its structural design is optimal.□
In another aspect, a remote-controlled brake for a human-powered vehicle is provided and includes a support structure that is mountable to a frame of the vehicle, a shoe that is pivotable between a braking position and a non-braking position, a motor, and a local controller. In the braking position the shoe is abutted with a wheel of the vehicle to stop forward rolling of the wheel, while permitting backward rolling of the vehicle. In the non-braking position the shoe permits forward and backward rolling of the wheel. The motor is operatively connected to the shoe to move the shoe to and from both the braking and non-braking position. The local controller includes an electronic reception unit that is configured to receive signals from a remote controller, wherein the local controller is programmed to control operation of the motor based on the signals.
In yet another aspect, a remote-controlled brake for a human-powered vehicle, which includes a support structure that is mountable to a frame of the vehicle, a shoe that is pivotable between a braking position and a non-braking position, a motor and a local controller. In the braking position the shoe is abutted with a wheel of the vehicle to stop forward rolling of the wheel. In the non-braking position the shoe permits forward and backward rolling of the wheel. The motor is operatively connected to the shoe to move the shoe between the braking and non-braking position. The local controller includes an electronic reception unit that is programmed to receive signals from a remote controller, wherein the local controller is programmed to control operation of the motor, wherein the electronic reception unit is programmed to operate the motor to move the shoe to the braking position in at least one event selected from the events consisting of: a determination by the electronic reception unit that a distance between the electronic reception unit and the remote controller exceeds a selected range; a battery on the remote-controlled brake for powering the motor falls below a selected battery level; and a selected amount of interference occurs between the electronic reception unit and the remote controller.
The foregoing and other aspects of the disclosure will be more readily appreciated by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
A support shackle (16) is presented in
Two links 81 and 82 (e.g. rivets or screws) can be fixed in each of the boreholes 21 and 22 in the side 30 direction (not illustrated in the drawing) by pinning or brimming, their task is to hold the casing (27) covering the structure in position (
A third support structure of the remote-controlled brake (1) is the tilting shackle (28), an example of which is presented in
The space created this way loosely fits the distance between the external plates forming the support shackle (16). In other words, the tilting shackle 28 can be placed on the support shackle (16) from the outside. There are two boreholes (30, 31) and a facilitator (32) on the tilting shackle (28) as illustrated in
The assembly of the structural components of the brake (1) are presented in
At the end of the moving plate (37) there is a fibre spring (39) (e.g. an elastomeric elongate member) hooked into a small borehole on the moving plate 37 and the other end of the fibre spring 39 connects to the tilting shackle 28 (e.g. the other end may fit into the longitudinal borehole (32) of the tilting shackle (28)). The motor (25) moves in the direction of the arrow 38 up or down as a result of the appropriate instruction from a local controller 90 (
The local controller 90 includes a processor 90a and a memory 90b, which communicate with an electronic reception unit 41 as described further below. As a result, movement of the shaft of the motor (25) and the moving plate (37) is not self-closing. In other words, the moving plate (37) can be lifted by an external force and the motor (25) does not interfere with that, only slightly brakes it. The operation of the motor (25) turns the plate (37) up or down and this turns the tilting shackle (28) through a fibre spring (39) around the knuckle point up or down. The above mentioned mechanical torque is evidently greater than that is required for the turning of the tilting shackle (28).
The casing 40 (also referred to as a housing 40) shown in
In
In a default setting the shoe (35) and the tilting shackle (28) are at their uppermost or most distal position from the wheel 42 of the vehicle. During installation of the brake 1 on the vehicle, the support structure 10 may be positioned on the frame 11 and the support shackle 16 may be positioned on the support structure 10 such that in the braking position for the tilting shackle (28), the shoe (35) presses against the tire (shown at 42a) of the wheel 42, with a suitable pressure to stop forward rolling of the wheel 42. It will be noted, however, that, as can be seen in
When the tilting shackle 28 is in the distal (non-braking) position, the wheel 42 is permitted to roll forwards and backwards.
If the parent holding the remote controller (43) realizes some kind of danger, he or she can operate the remote controller (43) to send a braking command to the local controller 90, which is received by the electronic reception unit (41). Upon receipt of the instruction, the local controller 90 may set the motor (25) in motion and through the fibre spring (39) the tilting shackle (28) is moved downwards with a certain speed to bring the tilting shackle 28 and the shoe (35) to the braking position at which the shoe 35 engages the tire (42a). Upon engagement, the direction of rotation of the wheel 42 causes greater engagement of the wheel 42 and the shoe 35 (a wedging action) until a latching or braking force emerges between the shoe (35) and the tire (42a) until the vehicle stops. The limiter, however, prevents the tilting shackle 28 from pivoting so much that the shoe 35 wedges so deeply into the tire 42a that the tire can 42 can become damaged. In other words, the tilting shackle 28 is prevented from damaging the tire from overengagement due to the aforementioned wedging action.
Safe operation can be ensured with appropriate codes and protection against faulty signals.
The motor 25 may be bidirectional and so, after the braking event, the parent can operate the remote controller (43) to send a signal to the local controller 90 to drive the motor (25) to lift the shoe (35) and move the shoe 35 and the tilting shackle 28 to the non-braking position (thereby removing the shoe 35 from the tire (42a)) thereby permitting the vehicle to be driven by the child again.
The local controller 90 may include a position sensor 92 (or may simply detect a spike in the current to the motor (25) when the tilting shackle reaches the distal most position and abuts something) at which point the local controller 90 can record that the motor 25 has driven the shoe 35 and the tilting shackle 28 to the non-braking positions. Thus it will be noted that the motor 25 is used to drive the shoe 35 to and from both the braking and the non-braking positions.
In some embodiments, the local controller 90 is programmed to control operation of the motor 25 to move the shoe to the braking position in at least one event selected from the events consisting of: a determination by the electronic reception unit that a distance between the electronic reception unit and the remote controller exceeds a selected range; a battery on the remote-controlled brake for powering the motor falls below a selected battery level; and a selected amount of interference occurs between the electronic reception unit and the remote controller. The selected range may be a range in between, for example, 10 m and 200 m. In some embodiments, the remote controller 43 may be programmed to transmit a selected number of signals to the electronic reception unit 41 over a selected period of time (e.g. 8 signals per second). The local controller 90 may be programmed to operate the motor to move the shoe 35 to the braking position upon receipt of less than a selected lower threshold number of signals over the selected period of time.
The embodiments of the children's bike brake 1 provides a safe braking process since the shoe (35) is pressed against the wheel (42) appropriately by the motor (25) and the peg (34) and limiter prevents the shoe (35) from pressing too heavily against the tire 42a. The described configuration has a relatively low number of components and a simple manufacturing process, while still providing a large force due to the wedging action, and while being resistant to static and dynamic wear. Additionally, the brake 1 is easy to mount and easy to adjust.
Those skilled in the art will understand that a variety of other modifications may be effected to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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P1400562 | Nov 2014 | HU | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2015/078112 | 11/30/2015 | WO | 00 |