Bicycle hydration system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10940907-B2
Application number	US-201815992843-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2018
Priority date	May 30, 2018
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

A bicycle comprises a frame assembly and a hydration system. The frame assembly includes a main frame and a fork assembly pivotally coupled to the main frame. The hydration system includes a reservoir supported by the frame assembly, a collapsible bladder positioned in the reservoir, and a hose coupled to the bladder and extending through a reservoir opening. The hose enters the main frame through a frame opening and passes through an inside of the main frame above a bottom bracket. The hose exits the main frame through a front opening and enters the fork assembly through a fork opening facing toward the front opening. The fork assembly can also include a nose piece in front of the headset bearing, wherein the hose passes between headset bearing and the nose piece. The fork assembly can also include a handlebar and a riser supporting the handlebar, wherein the hose passes through the riser.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bicycle comprising:
a front wheel and a rear wheel;
a frame assembly supported on the front wheel and the rear wheel, the frame assembly including a main frame and a fork assembly pivotally coupled to the main frame; and
a hydration system including:
a reservoir supported by the frame assembly and having a reservoir opening adjacent a bottom end of the reservoir, the reservoir being substantially rigid;
a collapsible bladder positioned in the reservoir; and
a hose coupled to the bladder and extending through the reservoir opening;
wherein the main frame includes a frame opening adjacent the reservoir opening, and wherein the hose enters the main frame through the frame opening.

2. A bicycle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is positioned behind a seat tube.

3. A bicycle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the main frame includes a bottom bracket adapted to support a crank assembly, and wherein the hose passes through an inside of the main frame above the bottom bracket.

4. A bicycle as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the main frame is coupled to the fork assembly by a headset bearing, wherein the main frame includes a front opening adjacent the headset bearing, and wherein the hose exits the main frame through the front opening.

5. A bicycle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the main frame includes a seatpost opening, wherein the bicycle further comprises a saddle and a seatpost member supporting the saddle, wherein the seatpost member is positioned at least partially into the seatpost opening, and wherein the reservoir has a lower end below the seatpost opening and an upper end above the seatpost opening.

6. A bicycle as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the reservoir is not coupled directly to the seatpost member.

7. A bicycle comprising:
a front wheel and a rear wheel;
a frame assembly supported on the front wheel and the rear wheel, the frame assembly including a main frame and a fork assembly pivotally coupled to the main frame, wherein the main frame includes a seat tube and a frame opening behind the seat tube; and
a hydration system including a hose extending through the frame opening and into the main frame.

8. A bicycle as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the main frame includes a bottom bracket adapted to support a crank assembly, and wherein the hose passes through an inside of the main frame above the bottom bracket.

9. A bicycle as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the main frame is coupled to the fork assembly by a headset bearing, wherein the main frame includes a front opening adjacent the headset bearing, and wherein the hose exits the main frame through the front opening.

10. A bicycle as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the fork assembly includes a fork opening facing toward the front opening, and wherein the hose enters the fork assembly through the fork opening.

11. A bicycle as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the hose has a hose width and wherein the fork opening has a fork opening width that is at least twice the hose width.

12. A bicycle as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the fork assembly includes a nose piece in front of the headset bearing, and wherein the hose passes between headset bearing and the nose piece.

13. A bicycle as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the fork assembly includes a handlebar and a riser supporting the handlebar, and wherein the hose passes through the riser.

14. A bicycle comprising:
a front wheel and a rear wheel;
a frame assembly supported on the front wheel and the rear wheel, the frame assembly including a main frame and a fork assembly pivotally coupled to the main frame by a headset bearing, the main frame including a front opening adjacent the headset bearing; and
a hydration system including a hose extending through the main frame and out the front opening;
wherein the fork assembly includes a fork opening facing toward the front opening, and wherein the hose enters the fork assembly through the fork opening.

15. A bicycle as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the main frame includes a bottom bracket adapted to support a crank assembly, and wherein the hose passes through an inside of the main frame above the bottom bracket.

16. A bicycle as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the fork assembly includes a nose piece in front of the headset bearing, and wherein the hose passes between headset bearing and the nose piece.

17. A bicycle as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the fork assembly includes a handlebar and a riser supporting the handlebar, and wherein the hose passes through the riser.

18. A bicycle as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the hose has a hose width and wherein the fork opening has a rear opening width that is at least twice the hose width.

19. The bicycle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the frame assembly includes a seat tube defining a first axis, wherein the reservoir opening and the frame opening are aligned along a second axis that is parallel to the first axis.

Assignees

• Specialized Bicycle Components Inc

Inventors

• Kimmel Keith
• Duez Yann
• Lentz Daniel
• Haven Brenton

Classifications

• B62J11/16

  specially adapted for hoses or pipes, e.g. hydraulic, pneumatic, coolant or air filter hoses (air filter hoses B62J40/10) · CPC title

• B62J11/04

  for bottles · CPC title

• B62K19/32 Primary

  Steering heads (bearings therefor B62K21/06) · CPC title

• B62K21/12

  Handlebars; Handlebar stems · CPC title

• B62K19/34

  Bottom brackets · CPC title