BICYCLE TRAINER

Abstract

A bicycle trainer for removably loading with a bicycle that is at least provided with a back wheel, which bicycle trainer comprises a floorstanding frame with a wheel supporting roller at its rear end and a fork supporting unit at its forward end, wherein the fork supporting unit is pivotally supported by the frame enabling it to move back-and-forth. The fork supporting unit and the frame connect to each other with a hinge enabling back-and-forth movement of the fork supporting unit in a longitudinal direction of the frame, wherein the fork supporting unit is spring-loaded with a spring at or near the hinge to provide the fork supporting unit with a preferential upright position at square angles with the frame so as to arrange that in use whenever the bicycle is moved forward or backward, said bicycle is inclined to return to an average position on the bicycle trainer wherein the fork support unit is perpendicular to the horizon.

Claims

1. A bicycle trainer for removably loading with a bicycle that is at least provided with a back wheel, which bicycle trainer comprises a floorstanding frame with a wheel supporting roller at its rear end and a fork supporting unit at its forward end, wherein the fork supporting unit is pivotally supported by the frame enabling it to move back-and-forth, characterized in that the fork supporting unit and the frame connect to each other with a hinge enabling back-and-forth movement of the fork supporting unit in a longitudinal direction of the frame, wherein the fork supporting unit is spring-loaded with a spring at or near the hinge to provide the fork supporting unit with a preferential upright position at square angles with the frame so as to arrange that in use whenever the bicycle is moved forward or backward, said bicycle is inclined to return to an average position on the bicycle trainer wherein the fork support unit is perpendicular to the horizon.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The accompanying drawing, which is incorporated into and forms a part of the specification, illustrates one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serves to explain the principles of the invention. The drawing is only for the purpose of illustrating one or more embodiments of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention. In the drawing:

[0018] FIG. 1 is an exemplary schematic figure of a bicycle trainer according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] According to the invention a bicycle trainer is proposed for removably loading with a bicycle that is at least provided with a back wheel, which trainer comprises a floorstanding frame with a wheel supporting roller at its rear end and a fork supporting unit at its forward end, wherein the fork supporting unit is pivotally supported by the frame enabling it to move back-and-forth, and wherein the fork supporting unit and the frame connect to each other with a hinge enabling back-and-forth movement of the fork supporting unit in a longitudinal direction of the frame, wherein the fork supporting unit is spring-loaded with a spring at or near the hinge to provide the fork supporting unit with a preferential upright position at square angles with the frame so as to arrange that in use whenever the bicycle is moved forward or backward, said bicycle is inclined to return to an average position on the bicycle trainer wherein the fork support unit is perpendicular to the horizon.

[0020] With this surprisingly simple bicycle trainer the essence of outdoor cycling is closely simulated. Particularly when higher forces are applied to the pedals and the speed at which the pedals are rotated is accelerated, the inertia of the roll or rollers on which the back wheel of the bicycle is resting causes that the bicycle will move forward on the bicycle trainer. When pedaling is relaxed the bicycle can then automatically return and move backward to its average position on the bicycle trainer. Likewise, an initial backward movement will occur due to the inertia of the roll or rollers on which the back wheel of the bicycle is resting, when the user suddenly reduces its training effort. The user will then experience a fallback as if he loses driving power when cycling uphill.

[0021] In the drawing of FIG. 1, a side view of a bicycle 2 positioned on a bicycle trainer 1 according to the invention is shown. The bicycle 2 is at least provided with a back wheel 3 and is removable from the bicycle trainer 1.

[0022] The bicycle trainer 1 comprises a floorstanding frame 4 with a wheel supporting roller 5 at its rear end and a fork supporting unit 6 at its forward end that is equipped to support a fork end part 7 of the bicycle 2. As the FIGURE shows, the front wheel 9 of the bicycle 2 can be present, but this is not essential—the front wheel 9 can also be removed. The fork supporting unit 6 is pivotally supported by the frame 4 enabling it to move back-and-forth as indicated with the arrows a and b near to the fork end part 7 of the bicycle 2.

[0023] The fork supporting unit 6 and the frame 4 connect to each other with a hinge 8 enabling back-and-forth movement of the fork supporting unit 6 according to the arrows a and b in a longitudinal direction of the frame 4. Further the fork supporting unit 6 is spring-loaded with a spring 10 at or near the hinge 8 to provide the fork supporting unit 6 with a preferential upright position at square angles with the frame 4 so as to arrange that in use whenever the bicycle 2 is moved forward or backward, said bicycle 2 is inclined to return to an average position on the bicycle trainer 1 wherein the fork support unit 6 is essentially or substantially perpendicular to the horizon. This is indeed the situation shown in the FIGURE.

[0024] Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the bicycle trainer of the invention, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiment shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claim strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiment is merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claim without intent to limit the claim to this exemplary embodiment. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claim only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claim shall be resolved using this exemplary embodiment.