BICYCLE BELL

Abstract

The bicycle bell includes a bell body, a thumb-operated clapper or lever adapted to strike the bell body in order to produce a sound, a frame element holding the bell body and the thumb-operated clapper or lever, and a mounting mechanism carrying the frame element. The mounting mechanism includes a mounting shoe having at least one abutment surface adapted to abut a flat surface of an object and a permanent magnet arranged in the mounting shoe, and the at least one abutment surface of the mounting shoe spans at least a distance corresponding to a third of a largest dimension of the bell body.

Claims

1. A bicycle bell including a bell body, a thumb-operated clapper or lever adapted to strike the bell body in order to produce a sound, a frame element holding the bell body and the thumb-operated clapper or lever, and a mounting mechanism carrying the frame element, wherein the mounting mechanism includes a mounting shoe having at least one abutment surface adapted to abut a flat surface of an object and a permanent magnet arranged in the mounting shoe, and in that the at least one abutment surface of the mounting shoe spans at least a distance corresponding to a third of a largest dimension of the bell body.

2. A bicycle bell according to claim 1, wherein the mounting shoe includes a ring-formed element forming the at least one abutment surface, and wherein the permanent magnet is inserted into the ring-formed element flush with the at least one abutment surface of the mounting shoe.

3. A bicycle bell according to claim 2, wherein the ring-formed element is produced from a metal plate in a stamping operation, and wherein an inner edge of the ring-formed element is bent to conform to an edge of the permanent magnet.

4. A bicycle bell according to claim 3, wherein the mounting shoe includes a conical element having a narrow top end and a wide bottom end, wherein the conical element is produced from a metal plate in a stamping operation, and wherein the frame element is attached to the narrow top end and the at least one abutment surface is arranged at the wide bottom end.

5. A bicycle bell according to claim 4, wherein an outer edge of the ring-formed element is bent about an outer edge of the wide bottom end of the conical element.

6. A bicycle bell according to claim 4, wherein the narrow top end of the conical element has a bent-in edge abutting a recess of a pin forming part of or forming the frame element.

7. A bicycle bell according to claim 1, wherein the mounting shoe includes a conical element having a narrow top end and a wide bottom end, and wherein the frame element is attached to the narrow top end and the at least one abutment surface is arranged at the wide bottom end.

8. A bicycle bell according to claim 7, wherein the bell body has a longitudinal axis arranged coaxially with the conical element, wherein the bell body has a largest diameter, and wherein the wide bottom end of the conical element has a diameter larger than ⅓, preferably larger than ½, of the largest diameter of the bell body.

9. A bicycle bell according to claim 7, wherein the frame element has the form of a pin, a first end of which is attached to a centre of the bell body, and a second end of which is attached to narrow top end of the conical element.

10. A bicycle bell according to claim 9, wherein a thumb-operated clapper is spring-mounted to the pin forming the frame element.

11. A bicycle bell according to claim 5, wherein the narrow top end of the conical element has a bent-in edge abutting a recess of a pin forming part of or forming the frame element.

12. A bicycle bell according to claim 2, wherein the mounting shoe includes a conical element having a narrow top end and a wide bottom end, and wherein the frame element is attached to the narrow top end and the at least one abutment surface is arranged at the wide bottom end.

13. A bicycle bell according to claim 3, wherein the mounting shoe includes a conical element having a narrow top end and a wide bottom end, and wherein the frame element is attached to the narrow top end and the at least one abutment surface is arranged at the wide bottom end.

14. A bicycle bell according to claim 4, wherein the mounting shoe includes a conical element having a narrow top end and a wide bottom end, and wherein the frame element is attached to the narrow top end and the at least one abutment surface is arranged at the wide bottom end.

15. A bicycle bell according to claim 5, wherein the mounting shoe includes a conical element having a narrow top end and a wide bottom end, and wherein the frame element is attached to the narrow top end and the at least one abutment surface is arranged at the wide bottom end.

16. A bicycle bell according to claim 6, wherein the mounting shoe includes a conical element having a narrow top end and a wide bottom end, and wherein the frame element is attached to the narrow top end and the at least one abutment surface is arranged at the wide bottom end.

17. A bicycle bell according to claim 8, wherein the frame element has the form of a pin, a first end of which is attached to a centre of the bell body, and a second end of which is attached to narrow top end of the conical element.

Description

[0015] The invention will now be explained in more detail below by means of examples of embodiments with reference to the very schematic drawing, in which

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bicycle bell according to the invention, seen from below;

[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bicycle bell of FIG. 1, seen from above;

[0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bicycle bell of FIG. 1, seen from another angle from below;

[0019] FIG. 4 is a side view of the bicycle bell of FIG. 1;

[0020] FIG. 5 is a perspective, exploded view of the bicycle bell according to the invention, seen from below;

[0021] FIG. 6 is a perspective, exploded view corresponding to that of FIG. 5, seen from above; and

[0022] FIG. 7 is an exploded side view of the bicycle bell according to the invention.

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a bicycle bell 1 including a bell body 2, a thumb-operated clapper 3 or lever adapted to strike the bell body 2 in order to produce a sound, a frame element 4 holding the bell body and the thumb-operated clapper or lever, and a mounting mechanism 5 carrying the frame element.

[0024] The illustrated bicycle bell 1 is of a quite simple type, with a spring-mounted external clapper that produces a “ding-ding” sound when the clapper is pulled with a finger and released. However, the present invention is equally applicable to other types of bells, such as the more traditional type, wherein the bell is actuated by a thumb-operated lever that is geared to rapidly rotate two loosely slung metal discs inside the bell housing. Said discs repeatedly rattle and strike the bell to produce a sound not unlike that of an electric bell. This known type of bell is mounted on handle bars of bicycles.

[0025] As seen in the figures, according to the present invention, the mounting mechanism 5 includes a mounting shoe 6 having at least one abutment surface 7 adapted to abut a flat surface of an object and a permanent magnet 8 arranged in the mounting shoe 6, and the at least one abutment surface 7 of the mounting shoe spans at least a distance d corresponding to a third of a largest dimension D of the bell body 2.

[0026] The mounting shoe 6 includes a ring-formed element 9 forming the at least one abutment surface 7, and the permanent magnet 8 is inserted into the ring-formed element 9 flush with the at least one abutment surface 7 of the mounting shoe.

[0027] The ring-formed element 9 is produced from a metal plate in a stamping operation, and an inner edge 10 of the ring-formed element is bent to conform to an edge 11 of the permanent magnet 8.

[0028] The mounting shoe 6 includes a conical element 12 having a narrow top end 13 and a wide bottom end 14. The conical element is produced from a metal plate in a stamping operation, and the frame element 4 is attached to the narrow top end 13 and the at least one abutment surface 7 is arranged at the wide bottom end 14.

[0029] An outer edge 20 of the ring-formed element 9 is bent about an outer edge of the wide bottom end 14 of the conical element 12. Thereby, a solid connection between the ring-formed element 9 and the conical element 12 may be achieved.

[0030] The narrow top end 13 of the conical element 12 has a bent-in edge 15 abutting a recess 16 of a pin forming part of or forming the frame element 4.

[0031] The mounting shoe 6 includes a conical element 12 having a narrow top end 13 and a wide bottom end 14, and the frame element 4 is attached to the narrow top end 13 and the at least one abutment surface 7 is arranged at the wide bottom end 14.

[0032] According to the invention, the bell body 2 has a longitudinal axis arranged coaxially with the conical element 12, the bell body has a largest diameter D, and the wide bottom end 14 of the conical element 12 has a diameter larger than ⅓, preferably larger than ½, of the largest diameter D of the bell body.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the wide bottom end 14 of the conical element 12 has a diameter d corresponding to approximately 0.6 times the largest diameter D of the bell body.

[0034] The frame element 4 has the form of a pin, a first end 17 of which is attached to a centre of the bell body, and a second end 18 of which is attached to narrow top end 13 of the conical element 12, preferably by means of a press fitting.

[0035] In the illustrated embodiment, the thumb-operated clapper 3 is spring-mounted 19 to the pin forming the frame element 4.