Wheel mounting member having damping structure and stamping frame including the same

Abstract

A wheel mounting member having a damping structure may include a dropout in which an axle insertion groove is formed at one side of a lower portion thereof, wherein a guide slot may be formed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined distance from the axle insertion groove; a bracket in which a protrusion inserted into the guide slot is formed at a lateral surface thereof; and an elastic member that is inserted into the guide slot and elastically supports the protrusion, wherein the elastic member may absorb impact transmitted to the dropout.

Claims

1. A wheel mounting member having a damping structure, comprising: a dropout in which an axle insertion groove is formed at a first side of a lower portion of the dropout, wherein a guide opening is formed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined distance from the axle insertion groove; a bracket in which a protrusion slidably inserted into the guide opening is formed at a lateral surface of the bracket; and an elastic member that is configured to be inserted into the guide opening and to elastically support at least one side of the protrusion, wherein the elastic member is configured to absorb impact transmitted to the dropout.

2. The wheel mounting member having the damping structure of claim 1, wherein the elastic member includes a plurality of elastic members which is respectively disposed at a first opposite side and a second opposite side of the guide opening based on the protrusion.

3. The wheel mounting member having the damping structure of claim 1, wherein the guide opening is formed at a predetermined angle with respect to an imaginary horizontal line.

4. The wheel mounting member having the damping structure of claim 3, wherein the predetermined angle is in a range of about 70 degrees to about 90 degrees.

5. The wheel mounting member having the damping structure of claim 1, wherein the bracket is disposed on a first surface of the dropout, and a cap is disposed on a second surface of the dropout and is fastened to the protrusion.

6. The wheel mounting member having the damping structure of claim 5, wherein a guide rail is formed along the guide opening in the second surface of the dropout, and the cap is slid on the guide rail.

7. The wheel mounting member having the damping structure of claim 5, wherein a guide rail includes a plurality of guides formed along a first side and a second side of the guide opening in the second surface of the dropout, and the cap is slid on the guide rails.

8. A stamping frame including the wheel mounting member of the claim 1 having the damping structure, comprising: a stamping frame that is formed by stamping-forming first and second panels and then bonding the first and second panels to each other and in which the wheel mounting member is disposed at a first side of the stamping frame.

9. A wheel mounting member having a damping structure, comprising: a dropout in which an axle insertion groove into which an axle disposed at a rotational center portion of a wheel is configured to be inserted is formed at a first side of a lower portion of the dropout and in which a protrusion is formed at a first surface of the dropout; a bracket in which a guide opening into which the protrusion is configured to be slidably inserted is formed; and an elastic member that is configured to be inserted into the guide opening and to elastically support at least a side of the protrusion, wherein the elastic member is configured to absorb impact transmitted to the dropout.

10. The wheel mounting member having the damping structure of claim 9, wherein the dropout is disposed on a first surface of the bracket, and a cap is disposed on a second surface of the bracket and is fastened to the protrusion.

11. The wheel mounting member having the damping structure of claim 10, wherein a guide rail is formed along the guide opening in the second surface of the dropout, and the cap is slid on the guide rail.

12. The wheel mounting member having the damping structure of claim 10, wherein a guide rail includes a plurality of guides formed along a first side and a second side of the guide opening in the second surface of the dropout, and the cap is slid on the guide rails.

13. The wheel mounting member having the damping structure of claim 9, wherein the elastic member includes a plurality of elastic members which are respectively disposed at a first opposite side and a second opposite side of the guide opening based on the protrusion, the guide opening is formed at a predetermined angle with respect to an imaginary horizontal line, and the predetermined angle is in a range of about 70 degrees to about 90 degrees.

14. A stamping frame including the wheel mounting member of the claim 9 having the damping structure, comprising: a stamping frame that is formed by stamping-forming first and second panels and then bonding the first and second panels to each other and in which the wheel mounting member is disposed at a first side of the stamping frame.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a stamping frame according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a wheel mounting member having a damping structure mounted on a frame according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 illustrates a detailed side view of a wheel mounting member having a damping structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded side and perspective view of a wheel mounting member having a damping structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 5 illustrates an exploded side and perspective view of a wheel mounting member having a damping structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of an assembly sequence of a wheel mounting member having a damping structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of an assembly sequence of a wheel mounting member having a damping structure according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(8) It may be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particularly intended application and use environment.

(9) In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

(11) Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(12) However, the size and thickness of each component illustrated in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for ease of description and the present invention is not limited thereto, and the thicknesses of portions and regions are exaggerated for clarity.

(13) In addition, parts that are irrelevant to the description are omitted to clearly describe the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification.

(14) In the following description, dividing names of components into first, second, and the like is to divide the names because the names of the components are the same, and an order thereof is not particularly limited.

(15) FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a stamping frame according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(16) Referring to FIG. 1, a wheel mounting member 105 is provided at a rear end portion of the stamping frame 100. The stamping frame 100 is formed to be provided with flanges at opposite end portions thereof through a stamping press forming process so that two trim-formed panels are symmetrical to each other, and it is welded and fixed along edge portions of respective flange of the two panels. A head tube, a seat tube, and a sprocket hub may be interposed and welded between the two panels to be integrally or monolithically manufactured. A rear wheel is mounted on the wheel mounting member 105.

(17) The structure and the manufacturing method of the stamping frame 100 and the structure of the rear wheel are known technologies, thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

(18) In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, by applying a damping structure to the wheel mounting member 105 mounted on the stamping frame 100, it is possible to absorb impact transmitted to the rear wheel, and by realizing the damping structure without separating the frames, it is possible to minimize a weight increase and to reduce cost.

(19) FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a wheel mounting member having a damping structure mounted on a frame according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(20) Referring to FIG. 2, the wheel mounting member 105 includes a fixing bracket 200 fixed to the stamping frame 100 and a dropout 210 combined with the fixing bracket 200.

(21) An axle insertion groove 215 on which an hub axle is mounted is formed in a lower portion of the dropout 210, and the axle insertion groove 215 has an opened lower structure and a structure that is inclined at a predetermined angle in a front direction.

(22) A guide slot 220 is formed at the dropout 210 in a predetermined direction (vertical direction), and a protrusion 225 protruding from the fixing bracket 200 is inserted into the guide slot 220.

(23) An elastic member 230 elastically supporting an upper or lower portion of the protrusion 225 is provided inside the guide slot 220. The elastic member 230 may include a lower elastic member provided at a lower portion of the guide slot 220 to upwardly support the protrusion 225, and an upper elastic member provided at an upper portion of the guide slot 220 to downwardly support the protrusion 225.

(24) Accordingly, the dropout 210 may move up and down by a predetermined angle through the protrusion 225 and the guide slot 220, and in the instant case, it is possible to absorb impact transmitted to the rear wheel through tension compression of the elastic member 230.

(25) FIG. 3 illustrates a detailed side view of a wheel mounting member having a damping structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(26) Referring to FIG. 3, in a state in which the fixing bracket 200 and the dropout 210 are fastened, the guide slot 220 is formed at a predetermined angle (a).

(27) Specifically, when an imaginary horizontal line is formed, the predetermined angle (a) may range from about 70 degrees to about 90 degrees with respect to the imaginary horizontal line.

(28) Accordingly, in a state in which the dropout 210 is fastened to the fixing bracket 200, the dropout 210 moves along the guide slot 220 to absorb impact, and stably maintains tension of a chain between a sprocket and a crank.

(29) FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded side and perspective view of a wheel mounting member having a damping structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(30) Referring to FIG. 4, the wheel mounting member 105 may include the dropout 210, the axle insertion groove 215, the elastic member 230, the guide protrusion 225, and the fixing bracket 200.

(31) The fixing bracket 200 may be fixed to the stamping frame 100 with a fixing bolt or by welding, and the guide protrusion 225 protrudes from one surface of the fixing bracket 200.

(32) The guide slot 220 is formed to have a predetermined angle in the dropout 210, one surface of a front end portion of the dropout 210 is disposed on one side of the fixing bracket 200, and the protrusion 225 is inserted into the guide slot 220.

(33) The elastic members 230 are respectively disposed at an upper portion and a lower portion of the guide slot 220, and they are elastically supported at a top portion and a bottom portion of the protrusion 225.

(34) FIG. 5 illustrates an exploded side and perspective view of a wheel mounting member having a damping structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(35) In FIG. 5, parts that are different from those of FIG. 4 will be described. Referring to FIG. 5, the wheel mounting member 105 includes the dropout 210, the axle insertion groove 215, the guide protrusion 225, the elastic member 230, and the fixing bracket 200.

(36) The guide protrusion 225 protrudes from one surface of a front end portion of the dropout 210 made of porcelain, and the guide slot 220 is formed in the fixing bracket 200 to have a predetermined angle.

(37) The guide protrusion 225 of the dropout 210 is inserted into the guide slot 220, and the elastic member 230 is disposed inside the guide slot 220 to be elastically supported at a bottom portion of the guide protrusion 225.

(38) When the dropout 210 moves upwardly, the elastic member 230 may be compressed, and when the dropout 210 moves downwardly, the elastic member 230 may be stretched.

(39) FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of an assembly sequence of a wheel mounting member having a damping structure according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Compared with FIG. 6 and FIG. 5, differences will be described.

(40) Referring to FIG. 6, the fixing bracket 200 and the dropout 210 are combined with each other so that the protrusion 225 of the fixing bracket 200 is positioned in a center of the guide slot 220, and the elastic member 230 is inserted into an upper portion and a lower portion of the protrusion 225, respectively.

(41) Then, a cap 600 is fastened to the protrusion 225. An external diameter of the cap 600 is greater than an internal diameter of the guide slot 220, and the cap 600 prevents the dropout 210 from being detached from the fixing bracket 200.

(42) FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of an assembly sequence of a wheel mounting member having a damping structure according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Compared with FIG. 7 and FIG. 6, differences will be described.

(43) Referring to FIG. 7, guide rails 700 are provided at opposite sides of the guide slot 220 in one surface of the dropout 210.

(44) The fixing bracket 200 and the dropout 210 are fastened to each other, and then the cap 600 and the protrusion 225 are fastened to each other. Thus, the cap 600 is slid in the guide rails 700, realizing a stable sliding structure between the dropout 210 and the fixing bracket 200.

(45) For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms upper, lower, internal, outer, up, down, upper, lower, upwards, downwards, front, rear, back, inside, outside, inwardly, outwardly, internal, external, internal, outer, forwards, and backwards are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures.

(46) The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.