Bicycle with detachable head-tube subassembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9580130-B2
Application number	US-201514631952-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2015
Priority date	Feb 26, 2015
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

A bicycle may include a detachable head subassembly comprising a fork configured to support a front wheel, and handlebars connected to the fork via a stem at least partially disposed in a head-tube. The head-tube has a first attachment feature. The bicycle may also include a frame having a second attachment feature. The first and second attachment features cooperate to releasably attach the head subassembly to the frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle comprising:
a head-tube defining a first attachment feature;
a down-tube having a second attachment feature configured to releasably engage with the first attachment feature; and
a cable having a first portion maintained within the head-tube and a second portion maintained within the down-tube, wherein the second portion is connectable to the first portion when the first and second attachment features are engaged with each other, and the second portion is disconnectable from the first portion when the first and second attachment features are disengaged from each other.

2. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the first attachment feature projects outwardly from an external surface of the head-tube.

3. The bicycle of claim 2 wherein the second attachment feature includes a slot defined by the down-tube for receiving the first attachment feature.

4. The bicycle of claim 2 wherein the first attachment feature has a cross-sectional profile along a length thereof to provide positive retention of the second attachment feature with the first attachment feature.

5. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the second attachment feature defines an opening at a bottom thereof, the opening is sized to accept the first attachment feature.

6. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the first attachment feature is slidable generally downwardly from the second attachment feature to detach the head-tube from the down-tube.

7. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the first attachment feature has a locking feature.

8. The bicycle of claim 7 wherein the locking feature defines a latch-hole, and further comprises a slidable retention pin attached to the down-tube and configured to be disposed within the latch-hole to retain the head-tube to the down-tube.

9. The bicycle of claim 8 further comprising a retention spring biasing the retention pin toward the first attachment feature.

10. The bicycle of claim 1 further comprising a leaf spring retained by the second attachment feature and configured to elastically deform between portions of the first and second attachment features when engaged with each other.

11. A pedal-driven vehicle comprising:
a head-tube defining a first attachment feature;
a down-tube having a trailing end, and a leading end having a second attachment feature configured to releasably engage with the first attachment feature; and
at least one cable having a first portion maintained within the head-tube and a second portion maintained within the down-tube, wherein the second portion is connectable to the first portion when the first and second attachment features are engaged with each other, and the second portion is disconnectable from the first portion when the first and second attachment features are disengaged from each other.

12. The pedal-driven vehicle of claim 11 further comprising a retention pin connected to the down-tube and the head-tube further defining a pin hole, wherein the retention pin is slidably disposable within the pin hole when the first attachment feature is seated within and engaged with the second attachment feature.

13. The pedal-driven vehicle of claim 12 further comprising a retention pin spring configured to bias the retention pin toward the pin hole when the first and second attachment features are engaged with each other.

14. The pedal-driven vehicle of claim 11 further comprising:
a front fork configured to support a front wheel, a handlebar, and a stem connectably disposed between the front fork and handlebar and partially disposed within the head-tube.

15. The pedal-driven vehicle of claim 14 wherein the at least one cable includes a sectional brake cable having a first brake cable portion connected to a brake handle at the handlebar and a second brake cable portion secured by the down-tube and extending to a rear brake, wherein the first and second brake cable portions are connectable to each other when the first and second attachment features are engaged with each other, and the first and second brake cable portions are disconnectable from each other when the first and second attachment features are disengaged from each other.

16. The pedal-driven vehicle of claim 14 wherein the at least one cable includes a sectional shifter cable having a first segment connected to a gear selection mechanism at the handlebar and a second segment routedly secured by the down-tube and extending to a gearbox, wherein the first and second segments are connectable to each other when the first and second attachment features are engaged with each other, and the first and second segments are disconnectable from each other when the first and second attachment features are disengaged from each other.

17. The pedal-driven vehicle of claim 14 wherein the first attachment feature is a T-shaped projection extending from an outer surface of the head-tube along a length of the head-tube, and the second attachment feature is a slot configured to accept the T-shaped projection.

18. The pedal-driven vehicle of claim 17 wherein the slot has a bottom opening and the T-shaped projection is configured to be disposable in the slot by being moved generally upward into the slot and is configured to be detachable from the slot by being moved generally downward out of the slot.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Perkins William Paul

Classifications

• B62J11/19

  specially adapted for electric wires · CPC title

• B62J11/13

  specially adapted for mechanical cables · CPC title

• B62K3/02

  Frames (tandem frames B62K3/14) · CPC title

• B62K21/00 Primary

  Steering devices · CPC title

• B62K15/00 Primary

  Collapsible or foldable cycles · CPC title