ADDITIONAL SEAT STRUCTURE FOR ELECTRIC BICYCLES

Abstract

The present invention relates to an additional seat structure for electric bicycles (100) comprising a right main rod (200) and a left main rod (300), wherein each main rod (200, 300) comprises a first straight region (201, 301) and a second straight region (203, 303) with faces essentially parallel to each other, and between which there is at least one transition region (202, 302).

Claims

1. An additional seat structure for bicycles, characterized in that it comprises a right main rod (200) and a left main rod (300), wherein each main rod (200, 300) comprises a first straight region (201, 301) and a second straight region (203, 303) with faces essentially parallel to each other, and between which there is at least one transition region (202, 302).

2. The seat structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the main rods (200, 300) are joined at their upper ends to adjustment rails (601, 602) provided with straight oblong holes (603), wherein the set of rods (200, 300) and adjustment rails (601, 602) are arranged on a pad (500) with the upper adjustment rail (601) arranged on the lower adjustment rail (602), with the straight oblong holes (603) and the threaded hole (503) of the pad (500) aligned for the passage of a pad screw (501), screwed into a threaded hole (503) of the pad (500).

3. The seat structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the set of main rods (200, 300), upper (601) and lower (602) adjustment rails, fitting cylinder (800) and pad (500) are secured by a single pad screw (501).

4. The seat structure according to claim 3, characterized in that the fitting cylinder (800) comprises a through hole (810) with a larger diameter hole (811) and depth (812) and a smaller diameter hole (814) and depth (815), wherein in the region of passage between the larger diameter hole (811) and the smaller diameter hole (814) an annular seat (813) is formed, which provides the head abutment of the pad screw (501) and of one or more washers (502).

5. The seat structure according to claim 4, characterized in that the depth (812) is equivalent to a value between 40 and 70%, preferably between 50 and 60% of the total length (816) of the fitting cylinder (800).

6. The seat structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper adjustment rail (601) has downwardly curved flanges (605) that form guides to linearly drive relative movement between the adjustment rails (601, 602).

7. The seat structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the second straight regions (203, 303) is also different and preferably greater than the length of the first straight regions (201, 301).

8. The seat structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance between the second straight regions (203, 303) is different and preferably greater than the distance between the first straight regions (201, 301).

9. The seat structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the main rods (200, 300) may also be straight or continuous, free of transition regions (202, 302).

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0024] For a better understanding and visualization of the subject matter of the present invention, it will now be described with reference to the appended figures, representing the obtained technical effect, in which:

[0025] FIG. 1: shows a perspective view of an additional seat structure for electric bicycles according to the present invention;

[0026] FIG. 2: shows an exploded perspective view of the seat in FIG. 1;

[0027] FIG. 2a: shows a side view of a fitting cylinder, according to the present invention; and

[0028] FIG. 3: shows the seat in FIG. 1 installed on an electric bicycle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] The additional seat structure for electric bicycles (100) or simply structure (100), according to the present invention, comprises a right main rod (200) and a left main rod (300), essentially parallel to each other and connected at their lower ends to a lower shaft (400) provided with adjustment nuts (410) and at their upper ends to a pair of “L”-shaped adjustment rails, whereby an upper adjustment rail (601) and a lower adjustment rail (602) are each provided with at least one straight oblong hole (603) arranged on its sides parallel to the horizontal plane and arched oblong holes (604) on their sides (or sides parallel to the vertical plane).

[0030] The upper adjustment rail (601) has downwardly curved flanges (605) that linearly guide the relative movement between the adjustment rails (601, 602), whereby relative movement is possible only in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the oblong holes (603) and occurring without stacking, thus keeping the oblong holes (603) always aligned.

[0031] The upper ends of the main rods (200, 300) are fixed to the sides of the adjustment rails (601, 602) by fixing elements that can be, without limitation, mechanical fixing elements such as screws (610), washers (615), nuts (620), rivets, clamps, welds, and the like with robustness suitable for the application. The arched oblong holes (604) are curved, allowing for positional and angular adjustment of the side rods (200, 300). The present structure (100) therefore allows the adjustment of the saddle inclination (700) so that it is parallel to the ground through the saddle ratchet inclination which is independent of the pad position (500).

[0032] The set of rods (200, 300) and adjustment rails (601, 602) are arranged on the pad (500) so that the upper adjustment rail (601) is above the lower adjustment rail (602) and that the straight oblong holes (603) and the threaded hole (503) of the pad (500) are aligned and allow the passage of one pad screw (501), preferably provided with a simple washer or, preferably, spring washer (502) to withstand the vibration and impacts from the use, in which the pad screw (501) is surrounded by a fitting cylinder (800) and screwed into the threaded hole (503) of the pad (500). By tightening the pad screw (501), both sets are fixed at the same time at the pad (500), thus making it possible to fix the structure (100) on the top tube of the frame, in which the saddle (700) is arranged on the fitting cylinder (800).

[0033] The fitting cylinder (800) is preferably a cylindrical element, provided with a through hole (810) which has a larger diameter hole (811) and depth (812) and a smaller diameter hole (814) and depth (815), wherein in the traversing region between the larger diameter hole (811) and the smaller diameter hole (814) form an annular seat (813), which provides the head abutment of the pad screw (501) and one or more washers (502). The depth (812) is equivalent to a value between 40 and 70%, preferably between 50 and 60% of the total length (816) of the fitting cylinder (800) to allow access to a tightening tool and ensure that the pad (501) can be inserted/threaded into the threaded hole (503) to a depth equal to at least 2.5 times its diameter.

[0034] The positioning of the pad (500) is independent of the adjustment and positioning of the upper (601) and lower (602) adjustment rails, in which the set is tightened by only one pad screw (501), ensuring accuracy in the adjustment, better abutment of the main rods (200, 300) to the tubes or components of the frame, providing a structure (100) that adapts to different tubes sizes of the bicycle frames (B) and that exerts sufficient pressure on one or more tubes of the bicycle frame (B), eliminating the need for a counter-attachment piece below the top tube.

[0035] So, the main set of rods (200, 300), upper (601) and lower (602) adjustment rails, fitting cylinder (800), and pad (500) are held together by a single pad screw (501).

[0036] The lower shaft (400) is perpendicularly installed, extending beyond the main rods (200, 300), supporting two foot supports (900) each provided with a safety clip (910).

[0037] Each main rod (200, 300) comprises a first straight region (201, 301) and a second straight region (203, 303), with faces essentially parallel to each other, and between which there is at least one transition region (202, 302) shaped to increase the distance between these parallel faces. The distance between the second straight regions (203, 303) is different and preferably greater than the distance between the first straight regions (201, 301), while the second straight regions (203, 303) length is also different and preferably greater than the first straight regions (201, 301) length.

[0038] The transition region (202, 302) can be curved and/or inclined with respect to the parallel faces of the main rods (200, 300) forming an angle (α) which can vary from 1° to 90°, being preferably from 20° to 70° and more preferably from 30° to 60°.

[0039] The main rods (200, 300) therefore have a greater distance from each other in the second straight regions (203, 303), thus making it possible to circumvent batteries and other components with side flares arranged inside the electric bicycle frame (B). In addition, the first straight regions (201, 301), the second straight regions (203, 303) and, eventually, the transition regions (202, 302) have their inner faces, facing the frame, covered by rubber rails (210, 310) which, in addition to protecting the bicycle parts (B) and the main rods (200, 300), allow the backrest with damping, reducing or avoiding noises caused by friction between the parts.

[0040] Note that the main rods (200, 300) can also have more than one transition region (202, 302).

[0041] It is also worth noting that the main rods (200, 300) can also be straight or continuous, free from transition regions (202, 302), keeping the same fixing and fitting system in the top tube of the bicycle frame (B).

[0042] For the correct assembly, positioning, adjustment and fixing of the structure (100) on a bicycle frame (B), the distance between the main rods (200, 300) is first adjusted by sliding at least one of the adjustment rails (601, 602), whereby the distance is varied according to the dimensions of the top tube and/or the down tube and/or the frame and, especially on electric bicycles (B), according to the dimensions of the batteries and other components with side flares arranged inside the frame. After this width adjustment, the pad screw (501) is tightened. This pad screw (501), arranged inside the fitting cylinder (800), ensures contact and pressure maintenance of the main rods (200, 300) and pad (500) against the top tube of the bicycle frame (B) and the main rods (200, 300) against the bicycle's down tube (B) or another component. As already shown, the positioning of the main rods (200,300) does not interfere with the positioning of the pad (500).

[0043] After that, the lower shaft (400) is placed at the bottom of the second straight regions (203, 303) whereby the adjustment nuts (410) are rotated until they abut the inner part of the parallel faces of the second straight regions (203, 303).

[0044] The safety clips (910) are fitted to the foot supports (900) for the child's feet and the foot supports (900) are threaded into the lower shaft ends (400). After threading the foot supports (900), the counter-tightening is performed with the adjustment nuts (410) to better secure the foot supports (900) and dimensional stabilization of the set.

[0045] The saddle (700) is placed fixed on the fitting cylinder (800), and height adjustment can be made according to the need until the best positioning is achieved. After this operation, the child can be comfortably accommodated on the saddle (700), and the safety clips (910) must be adjusted on the child's feet, in which the child can hold on to the bicycle's handlebars.

[0046] In particular, the material of the side rods (200, 300) must be chosen, in a non-limiting way, from the group of metals and their alloys, which can be carbon steel, aluminum, synthetic materials with or without fiber and other materials with robustness and resilience characteristics suited to the application.

[0047] The material of the pad (500) and the rubber rail (210, 310) must be resilient and preferably made of rubber, which may be synthetic or natural rubber, or composite, or a combination thereof, and may also be another material with appropriate and similar characteristics, as long as it allows tightening the sets and minimum damping.

[0048] The present structure (100) can be used in a wide variety of electric bicycles and conventional bicycles and can be used by children of 2 to 5 years old. The positioning of the structure (100) between the bicycle saddle and the handlebars allows the child to be between the arms of the adult, facilitates the care of smaller children during the rides and allows the child to have the same visibility as the adult during the ride.

[0049] The present structure (100) allows the child to enjoy a ride with their parents or guardians while they still do not have the knowledge and possibility of using their own bicycle.

Final Remarks

[0050] It is clear that the measures and ratios between measures described for the present invention may vary according to the dimensioning of the structure.

[0051] Exhaustive practical tests, however, have shown that the said dimensions and their relations are highly efficient and effective in the construction of traction elements of the nature discussed herein, whereby measures and their ratios are highly reliable and reproducible.

CONCLUSION

[0052] It will be easily understood by one skilled in the art that modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the concepts set out in the description above. Such modifications should be considered as included within the scope of the present invention. Consequently, the particular embodiments previously described in detail are merely illustrative and exemplary, and non-restrictive in terms of the scope of the present invention, to which the full extent of the accompanying claims should be given, in addition to all and any equivalents thereof.