NL2004228A - Safety quick-release vertical tube. - Google Patents

Description

QglCKe-RELMSE TOTI € AL TUBE Description

The present invention relates to an improved vertical tube or bicycle, in particular to a safety quick-release vertical tube capable of adjusting angles or a handlebar and a head tube as well as adjusting the quick-release tightness.

Prior Art

In general, a vertical tube is soldered onto the top edge of a head tube or a bicycle, and a handlebar is fixed into a sheathing hole at a front end of the vertical tube. Therefore, the angles of the vertical tube and the head tube cannot be adjusted at all. In other words, the vertical tube cannot be adjusted vertically up and down, such that the height of the handlebar is installed into the sheathing hole at the front end of the vertical tube cannot be adjusted to fit a grip or the handlebar by riders of different heights , and the riders cannot ride the bicycle in a comfortable way. Furthermore, the handlebar cannot be rotated, and its angle cannot be adjusted.

With reference to FIG. 1 for a schematic view of a conventional quick-release vertical tube structure of a bicycle, the structure comprises a vertical tube 10, a head tube 30, and two quick-release structures. The vertical tube 10 includes a sheathing hole 11, 12 formed at both ends of the vertical tube 10 separately for holding a handlebar 20 and a pivot shaft 19, and the pivot shaft 91 is installed at the top of the head tube 30. The vertical tube 10 defines two long grooves 13.14, and an end of the long groove 13 is interconnected with one of the sheathing holes 11, and another end of the long groove 13 is penetrated through an upper wall of the vertical tube 10, and includes a pull bar 15 passed and installed onto a body between both sides of the long groove 13, and an end of the pull bar 15 is locked into the vertical tube 10 directly, and another end of the pull bar 15 is extended out of the vertical tube 10 and pivotally coupled to a cam wrench 17, and an end of another long groove 14 is interconnected with another sheathing hole 12; and another end of the other long groove 14 is penetrated the lower wall of the vertical tube 10 and includes a pull bar 16 passed and installed on a body between both sides of the long groove 14, and an end of the pull bar 16 is locked into the vertical tube 10 directly, and another end of the pull bar 16 is extended out of the vertical tube 10 and pivotally coupled to a cam wrench 18.

If a user wants to adjust the angle or position of the handlebar 20, the user turns the cam wench 17 towards an open direction (or turns the cam wrench 17 upward to an erect position), such that the sheathing hole 11 is at a loosened state, and the handlebar 20 can be rotated. Similarly, if the user wants to adjust the angle of the vertical tube 10, the user simply turns the cam wrench 18 towards an open direction (or turns the cam wrench 18 downward to an erect position), such that the sheathing hole 12 is at a loosened state, and the vertical tube 10 can be rotated. With the conventional quick-release vertical tube structure, users can adjust the angle of the vertical tube as well as the angle of the handlebar at the same time. However, two quick release structures are required for adjusting the angle of the handlebar and the angle of the vertical tube, not only requiring a complicated structure, but also taking two steps to complete an adjustment of the vertical tube and the handlebar.

Summary of the Invention

Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a quick-release vertical tube capable of adjusting angles or a handlebar and a head tube simultaneously, as well as adjusting the tightness of the safety quick-release vertical tube.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the present invention provides a safety quick-release vertical tube including a first sheathing hole formed at an end of a body and provided for passing a handlebar, a second sheathing hole formed at another end of the body for coupling a binding rod, a first open-end slot formed around the periphery of the first sheathing hole, a pair of first lugs released at the first open-end slot and aligned towards the body at a side of a distal end of the vertical tube, a second open-end lock formed around the periphery of the second sheathing hole, a pair of second lugs disposed at the second open-end lock and aligned towards the body at a side of a distal end of the vertical tube, and a pull bar coupled between the first and second lugs. In addition, an eccentric shaft arranged at the position of the first lug is provided for pivotally coupling the pull bar, the first lug and a wrench, and pivotally coupled with the second lug by a shaft pin. By the action of the wrench and the pull bar, both angles or the handlebar and the head tube can be adjusted simultaneously.

The pull bar coupled to an end of the second lug includes a long slotted hole for passing the shaft pin, and an adjusting screw screwed to an end of the pull bar, and passed through the long slotted hole to about the shaft pin, such that the level of locking the adjusting screw into the long slotted hole can be used for controlling the tightness of the wrench to provide a more stable and reliable overall structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 2 to 4 for a safety quick-release vertical tube of the present invention, the safety quick-release vertical tube comprises a vertical tube 40, a pull bar 50, and a wrench 60.

The vertical tube 40 includes first and second sheathing holes 411, 412 formed at both ends of a body of the vertical tube 40, respectively, the first sheathing hole 411 is provided for passing a handlebar 20 of a bicycle, and the second sheathing hole 412 is provided for coupling a binding rod 30 of the bicycle, and a first open-end lock 421 is formed around the first sheathing hole 411, and a pair of first lugs 431 are disposed around the first open-end lock 421 and aligned towards a body at a side of a distal end of the vertical tube 40, a second open-end slot 422 is formed around the second sheathing hole 412 and a pair of second lugs 432 are arranged around the second open-end slot 422 and aligned towards a body at a side of a distal end of the vertical tube 40, and the binding rod 30 is coupled to the second sheathing hole 412 by a pivot shaft 73. In the preferred embodiment as shown in the figures, the pivot shaft 73 is sheathed into the second sheathing hole 412, and an end of the binding rod 30 is secured onto the pivot shaft 73, and an elastic hook bracket 44 is protruded from a body of the vertical tube 40.

The pull bar 50 is connected between a first lug 431 and a second lug 432 or the vertical tube 40, and an end of the pull bar 50 is connected pivotally coupled to the first lug 431 through an eccentric shaft 71, and an end of the pull bar 50 connected to the second lug 432 is pivotally coupled to the second lug 432 through a shaft pin 72, and the pull bar 50 connected to an end of the second lug 432 has a long slotted hole 51 for passing the shaft pin 72, and an adjusting screw 52 is screwed onto a distal end of the pull bar 50, and passed through the long slotted hole 51 to abut the shaft pin 72.

The wrench 60 is pivotally coupled to the first lug 431 or the vertical tube 40 through the eccentric shaft 71, and the eccentric shaft 71 can be rotated with the wrench 60 to drive the pull bar 50, such that when a user turns the wrench 60 towards a closed direction, the pull bar 50 is driven to move, and the bodies on both sides of the first open-end slot 421 of the first sheathing hole 411 are abutted with each other to compress the first sheathing hole 411 so as to fix the handlebar 20 onto the vertical tube 40, while the bodies on both sides of the second open-end slot 422 of the second sheathing hole 412 are abutted with each other to compress the second sheathing hole 412 to clamp and fix the pivot shaft 73, so as to fix the angle of the vertical tube 40 with respect to the binding rod 30. With reference to FIG. 5 at the same time, the level of locking the adjusting screw 52 into the long slotted hole 51 can be controlled for adjusting the tightness of the wrench 50 as well as the size of the first and second open-end slots 421,422, so that the first sheathing hole 411 can clamp the handlebar 20 securely, and the second sheathing hole 412 can clamp the pivot shaft 73 securely to improve the feasibility and practicability of the overall safety quick-release vertical tube.

The vertical tube further comprises at least one safety switch installed between the vertical tube and the wrench for controlling an open state and a closed state of the wrench. In a preferred embodiment as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the safety switch includes at least one elastic hook bracket 44 and an indentation 61, and the elastic hook bracket 44 is installed onto a body of the vertical tube 40, and the indentation 61 is installed onto a body of the wrench 60 , and the indentation 61 is provided for latching the elastic hook bracket 44. If the wrench 60 is at a closed state (which is a state of having the handlebar 20 fixed onto the vertical tube 40), the elastic hook bracket 44 on the body or the vertical tube 40 will be latched into the indentation 61 on the body of the wrench 60 to prevent the wrench 60 from being opened freely, so that the overall structure becomes more stable and reliable. If a user wants to adjust the angle of the handlebar 20 and the angle of the head tube, the user simply applies a slight force onto the elastic hook bracket 44 at the body of the vertical tube 4 to separate the body of the wrench 60 from the indentation 61, so as to turn the wrench 60 towards an open direction easily, and facilitate the user to make adjustments to the angles of the handlebar and the head tube.

Alternatively, the safety switch includes at least one safety buckle 81 and a resilient element 82 as shown in FIG. 7, the safety buckle 81 is fixed onto the body of the wrench 60 by a fixing screw 83. In FIG. 8 A, the safety buckle 81 includes a control portion 811 and a latch portion 812, and the control portion 811 is exposed from the wrench 60, and the latch portion 812 is linked by the control portion 811 and extended into orseparated from the bottom of the pull bar 50. If the wrench 60 is at a closed state (which is a state of having the handlebar 20 fixed onto the vertical tube 40), the latch portion 812 or the safety buckle is extended into the bottom of the pull bar 50 to prevent the wrench 60 from being opened freely, so that the overall structure can be more stable and reliable. With the action of the resilient element 82, the safety buckle 81 drives the latch portion 812 to the bottom of the pull bar 50 normally, so that the wrench 60 is normally situated at a closed state. If a user wants to adjust the angles of the handlebar and the head tube, the user simply applies a slight force onto the control portion 811 as shown in FIG. 8B to separate the latch portion 812 from the bottom of the pull bar 50, so as to turn the wrench 60 towards an open direction easily to facilitate the user to make adjustments to the angles of the handlebar and the head tube.

In FIGS. 2 to 4, the vertical tube 40 includes a pad 45 having a serration 451 and installed to the first sheathing hole 411 for enhancing the effect of fixing the handlebar 20, and the pivot shaft 73 includes a variety of serrations 731 released at the external periphery or the pivot shaft 73, and at least one pad 45 having a serration 451 and installed to the second sheathing hole 412 or the vertical tube 40 for enhancing the effect or fixing the pivot shaft 73.

It is noteworthy to point out that the present invention has the following advantages about the prior art: 1. The handlebar and the head tube of the present invention can be connected and fixed by the wrench and the pull bar, and the angle of the handlebar and the angle of the head tube can be adjusted simultaneously. 2. The present invention provides the adjusting screw for controlling the tightness of the wrench to provide a more stable and reliable overall structure.

While the invention has been described by means of specific expired, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

LETTER DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view or a conventional quick-release vertical tube or a bicycle in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a structure including a vertical tube, a pull bar and a wrench in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a structure including a vertical tube, a binding rod and a pivot shaft of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a safety quick-release vertical tube or the present invention; FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion or a long slotted hole or a pull bar in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view or a safety switch of the present invention; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of another safety switch in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8A is a schematic view of a wrench at a closed state in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 8B is a schematic view of a wrench at an open state in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Numbers used in drawings are listed as follows: 10 Vertical tube 17 Cam wrench 11.12 Sheathing hole 18 Cam wrench 13.14 Long groove 19 Pivot shaft 15 Pull bar 20 Handlebar 16 puUbar 30 Binding rod 40 Vertical tube 52 Adjusting screw 411 First sheathing hole 60 Wrench 412 Second sheathing hole 61 Indentation 421 First open-end lock 71 Eccentric shaft 422 Second open-end lock 72 Shaft pin 431 First lug 73 Pivot shaft 432 Seconding 731 Serration 44 Elastic hook bracket 81 Safety buckle 45 Pad 82 Resilient element 451 Serration 83 Fixing screw 50 Pull bar 811 Control portion 51 Long slotted hole 812 Latch portion

Claims (9)

CLAIMS 1. A quick-release safety control pin, comprising: a control pin arm provided with a first and a second clamping hole formed at both ends of a body of the control pin arm, a first open-ended slot formed around the circumference of the first clamping hole, a pair of first cams arranged at the first open-ended slot and aligned in the direction of the body on a distal side of the stem arm, a second open-ended slot formed around the circumference of the second clamping hole, and a pair of second cams arranged at the second open-ended slot and aligned in the direction of the body on a distal side of the stem arm; a drawbar coupled between the first and second cams of the stem arm, the end of the drawbar coupled to the first cams pivotably coupled to the first cams through an eccentric shaft, while the end of the drawbar is coupled to the second cams, pivotably coupled to the second cams via an axle pin, the end of the tie rod coupled to the second cams having an elongated slot for receiving the axle pin and an adjusting screw in the distal end of the drawbar is screwed and guided through the elongated slot to engage the shaft pin; a lever pivotally coupled by means of the eccentric shaft to the first cams of the control pin arm, the eccentric shaft rotating together with the lever to set the drawbar in motion. 2. Quick-release safety control pin according to claim 1, further provided with a lining provided with a toothing at the location of the first clamping hole. Quick-release safety control pin according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first clamping hole is intended for installing a handlebar bend and wherein the second clamping hole is intended for connection to a steering pin tube. Quick-release safety control pin according to claim 3, wherein the control pin tube is coupled to the second clamping hole via a pivot axis. Quick-release safety steering pin according to claim 4, wherein the pivot axis around its outer circumference is provided with a number of teeth. 6. Quick-release safety control pin according to claim 5, further provided with at least one covering with a toothing arranged at the location of the second clamping hole. The quick-release safety lashing pin as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising at least one safety latch arranged between the control arm and the lever for controlling the opening or closing of the lever. The quick-release safety control pin according to claim 7, wherein the safety lock is provided with at least one elastic lock hook and a recess, wherein the elastic lock hook is mounted on the body of the handlebar arm and the recess is formed in the body of the lever. The quick-release safety lashing device according to claim 7, wherein the safety latch is provided with at least one safety button and a resilient element, the safety button being attached to the body of the lever and the safety button having a control section and a latch section, the control portion protrudes from the lever and the locking portion is coupled to the control portion to extend into or exit from the bottom of the drawbar.