Electric bicycle having integrated battery compartment

• US 10,179,626 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2015
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bewegen Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bewegen Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Arbour, Dominic
• Primary Examiner(s): Rocca, Joseph M
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRITTMAN, FELICIA LUCILLE
• Application Number:
  US14/969,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20160167736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 180220
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 19/30 Frame parts shaped to receive other cycle parts or accessories axle suspensions B62K25/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 19/40 for attaching accessories, e.g. article carriers, lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/90 Batteries

Abstract

The electric bicycle described includes a fork assembly, a seat post, and a main frame including one or more structural members forming the main frame and includes a tube that is at least partially hollow and has an internal battery compartment integrally formed therein. The internal battery compartment adapted to receive a battery therein to power an electric motor of the bicycle. A distal end of the tube has an opening formed therein which communicates with the internal battery compartment. The battery is insertable into the internal battery compartment through the opening. The battery is securable in the internal battery compartment within the tube by at least one of the seat post and an extremity of the fork assembly.

Claims

1. An electric bicycle including a fork assembly and a seat post, the electric bicycle comprising:

a main frame including one or more structural members forming the main frame, at least one of said structural members including an at least partially hollow tube having an internal battery compartment integrally formed therein and enclosed by one or more outer walls of the at least partially hollow tube, the internal battery compartment adapted to receive a battery therein to power an electric motor of the electric bicycle, a distal end of the at least partially hollow tube having an opening formed in said one or more outer walls, the opening communicating with the internal battery compartment wherein the battery is insertable into the internal battery compartment through the opening, the battery being securable in the internal battery compartment within the at least partially hollow tube by an extremity of the fork assembly, wherein in an assembled and rideable position the fork assembly is connected to the main frame and the fork assembly blocks the opening, and in a disassembled and un-rideable position the fork assembly is disconnected from the main frame and the fork assembly is free of the opening to permit insertion or removal of the battery from the internal battery compartment.

2. The electric bicycle of claim 1, wherein the at least one structural member is a lowermost structural member of the electric bicycle, the lowermost structural member defining a center of gravity, the center of gravity of the lowermost structural member being closer to a ground surface than the centers of gravity of the other structural members.

3. The electric bicycle of claim 1, wherein the battery compartment and the battery received therein are disposed at a lowermost end of the at least partially hollow tube opposite to the distal end thereof.

4. The electric bicycle of claim 1, wherein the at least one structural member is a down tube of the electric bicycle.

5. The electric bicycle of claim 4, wherein the distal end of the at least partially hollow tube is an uppermost forward end of the down tube.

6. The electric bicycle of claim 5, wherein in the assembled position the extremity of the fork assembly blocks the opening in the uppermost forward end of the down tube.

7. The electric bicycle of claim 5, wherein the uppermost forward end of the down tube has an aperture therein, in the assembled position the extremity of the fork assembly within the aperture blocks the opening in the uppermost forward end of the down tube.

8. The electric bicycle of claim 5, further comprising a basket mounted adjacent to the uppermost forward end of the down tube, in the assembled position the basket blocks the opening in the uppermost forward end of the down tube.

9. The electric bicycle of claim 5, further comprising a head tube having a head tube opening therein, the head tube opening communicating with the at least partially hollow tube of the down tube via the opening in the uppermost forward end of the down tube.

10. The electric bicycle of claim 9, wherein in the assembled position the extremity of the fork assembly blocks the head tube opening.

11. The electric bicycle of claim 1, further comprising wiring extending at least partially within the at least partially hollow tube between the electric motor and the battery.

12. A method for securing a battery within a frame of an electric bicycle, comprising:

inserting the battery within a down tube of the frame through an opening in said down tube, and positioning the battery in an internal battery compartment within said down tube;

blocking the opening of said down tube with a fork assembly of the electric bicycle which obstructs the opening when the bicycle is assembled and in a rideable configuration, the fork assembly preventing removal of the battery from the internal battery compartment, the bicycle is assembled and in the rideable configuration by at least attaching the fork assembly to the frame; and

when removal of the battery is necessary, unblocking the opening of the down tube by disconnecting the fork assembly from the main frame when the bicycle is disassembled and in an un-rideable configuration, thereby providing access to the internal battery compartment within said down tube for removing or inserting the battery through said opening.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein inserting the battery includes inserting the battery through the opening in an outer end of said down tube.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein blocking the opening includes inserting an extremity of the fork assembly through an uppermost forward end of said down tube, the battery being inserted within the down tube.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein blocking the opening includes closing the opening with a basket mounted to the frame of the electric bicycle.