Bicycle headset

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12528558-B2
Application number	US-202318143605-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2023
Priority date	Feb 23, 2023
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

A bicycle headset includes a first casing and a second casing for being engaged with a head tube and a fork of a bicycle, respectively. The first casing has an axial direction. A bearing abuts between the first casing and the second casing. A first restricting member, having a first restricting surface, is connected to the second casing to rotate along with the second casing. A second restricting member, having a second restricting surface, is connected to the first casing. The restricting members move away from or toward each other in the axial direction. An elastic member abuts between the first casing and the second restricting member or between the second casing and the first restricting member and provides a force in the axial direction for urging one of the restricting members to move toward the other to allow the two restricting surfaces abut against each other, thereby forcing the fork to steer back.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A bicycle headset, comprising:
a first casing adapted to be engaged with a head tube of a bicycle, having an axial direction, and disposed with a first abutting surface; a second casing adapted to be engaged with a fork of a bicycle and having a second abutting surface; a bearing, wherein two different side surfaces of the bearing abut against the first abutting surface and the second abutting surface, respectively; a first restricting member connected to the second casing and rotated as the second casing is rotated; wherein an end surface of the first restricting member away from the second casing in the axial direction has a first restricting surface; a second restricting member connected to the first casing, wherein an end surface of the second restricting member away from the first casing in the axial direction has a second restricting surface; either the second restricting member or the first restricting member is movable in the axial direction for moving away from or toward the other; and an elastic member abutting between the first casing and the second restricting member or between the second casing and the first restricting member; thereby providing a force in the axial direction for urging either the first restricting member or the second restricting member to move toward the other, making the first restricting surface abut against the second restricting surface; wherein either the first restricting surface or the second restricting surface has at least one projection, and the other correspondingly has at least one recess matching with the at least one projection; wherein when the elastic member abuts between the first casing and the second restricting member, a wall surface of the first casing corresponding to the second restricting member has at least one guiding member, and a wall surface of the second restricting member corresponding to the first casing has at least one guiding track; the at least one guiding track slidably works with the at least one guiding member in the axial direction; an end of the at least one guiding track close to the second restricting surface in the axial direction has a closed end; since the closed end of the at least one guiding track is abutted against by the at least one guiding member, a moving distance of the second restricting member in the axial direction is restricted.

2 . The bicycle headset as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one guiding member comprises at least two guiding members respectively located in different positions on the first casing, and the at least one guiding track comprises at least two guiding tracks respectively located in different positions on an outer peripheral surface of the second restricting member.

3 . The bicycle headset as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each of the at least two guiding members has a different length in the axial direction, and each of the at least two guiding tracks has a different height in the axial direction; since the at least two guiding members having different lengths work with the at least two guiding tracks having different heights, the moving distance of the second restricting member relative to the first casing in the axial direction is selectively adjusted.

4 . The bicycle headset as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the at least one projection comprises at least two projections on the second restricting surface, and the at least one recess comprises at least two recesses on the first restricting surface; a shape of each of the at least two projections approximately matches with a shape of one of the at least two recesses, and each of the at least two projections abuts against one of the at least two recesses; each of the at least two projections is engaged with one of the at least two recesses through a smooth surface.

5 . The bicycle headset as claimed in claim 4 , wherein a middle of each of the at least two projections is the most protruding in the axial direction, and a left side and a right side of the middle of each of the at least two projections are gradually declined in the axial direction; each of the at least two guiding tracks is disposed in a position of the second restricting member corresponding to the middle of one of the at least two projections.

6 . The bicycle headset as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second casing has a first concave-convex structure, and an end portion of the first restricting member facing the second casing has a second concave-convex structure; when the second concave-convex structure is engaged with the first concave-convex structure, the first restricting member is connected to the second casing.

7 . The bicycle headset as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second casing and the first restricting member are integrally formed as a monolithic unit.

8 . The bicycle headset as claimed in claim 1 , wherein either at least a portion of the first restricting surface or at least a portion of the second restricting surface extends into the head tube in the axial direction.

9 . A bicycle headset, comprising:
a first casing adapted to be engaged with a head tube of a bicycle, having an axial direction, and disposed with a first abutting surface; a second casing adapted to be engaged with a fork of a bicycle and having a second abutting surface; a bearing, wherein two different side surfaces of the bearing abut against the first abutting surface and the second abutting surface, respectively; a first restricting member connected to the second casing and rotated as the second casing is rotated; wherein an end surface of the first restricting member away from the second casing in the axial direction has a first restricting surface; a second restricting member connected to the first casing, wherein an end surface of the second restricting member away from the first casing in the axial direction has a second restricting surface; either the second restricting member or the first restricting member is movable in the axial direction for moving away from or toward the other; and an elastic member abutting between the first casing and the second restricting member or between the second casing and the first restricting member; thereby providing a force in the axial direction for urging either the first restricting member or the second restricting member to move toward the other, making the first restricting surface abut against the second restricting surface; wherein either the first restricting surface or the second restricting surface has at least one projection, and the other correspondingly has at least one recess matching with the at least one projection; wherein when the elastic member abuts between the second casing and the first restricting member, a wall surface of the second casing corresponding to the first restricting member has at least one guiding track, and a wall surface of the first restricting member corresponding to the second casing has at least one guiding member; the at least one guiding member slidably works with the at least one guiding track in the axial direction; an end of the at least one guiding track away from the first restricting surface has a closed end; when the closed end of the at least one guiding track is abutted against by the at least one guiding member, a moving distance of the first restricting member in the axial direction is restricted.

10 . The bicycle headset as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the at least one guiding track comprises at least two guiding tracks respectively located in different positions on the second casing, and the at least one guiding member comprises at least two guiding members respectively located in different positions on the first restricting member.

11 .

Assignees

• Tien Hsin Industries Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wei Wei-Chih

Classifications

• B62K21/18

  Connections between forks and handlebars or handlebar stems · CPC title

• B62K21/06

  Bearings specially adapted for steering heads (bearings in general F16C) · CPC title

• B62K21/10 Primary

  Mechanisms for restoring steering device to straight-ahead position · CPC title