Articulating, Locking Bicycle Stem
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Abstract
An articulating bicycle stem is disclosed herein wherein the stem comprising a handlebar-receiving region, a rotatable member receiving region, a rotatable inner member connected to the handlebar receiving member and received in an outer casing of the rotatable member receiving region. A stem body intervenes the rotatable member receiving region and a steering tube connector. The rotatable member receiving region may include a first releasable locking mechanism for selectively securing the rotatable inner member and inhibiting rotation of the rotatable inner member relative to the outer casing, and thus the handlebars, in at least one of a storage position or a riding position. A method of reducing the footprint of a bicycle is also provided and a kit of part therefor is also provided.
2 Citations
41 Claims
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1-18. -18. (canceled)
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19. An articulating bicycle stem for a bicycle comprising:
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a stem body having a first end including a steering tube connector and a second end including a rotatable member receiving region, the steering tube connector being securely couplable to a steering tube of a bicycle fork assembly; and a rotatable inner member receivable in a complementary-shaped cylindrical outer casing of said rotatable member receiving region; said rotatable inner member having a handlebar-receiving region located near a distal region thereof for securely coupling handlebars to said rotatable inner member; said rotatable inner member being selectively re-positionable within said outer casing such that said handlebars can be rotated in a horizontal plane between at least a reversibly securable riding position and a reversibly securable storage position without first vertically separating contact of said rotatable inner member from said cylindrical outer casing to effect said rotation. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A kit of parts for retrofitting a bicycle, the kit comprising:
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an articulating bicycle stem having a first end including a steering tube connector and a second end including a rotatable member receiving region, the steering tube connector being securely couplable to a steering tube of a bicycle fork assembly; a rotatable inner member receivable in a complementary-shaped cylindrical outer casing of said rotatable member receiving region; said rotatable inner member having a handlebar-receiving region located near a distal region thereof for securely coupling handlebars to said rotatable inner member; said rotatable inner member being selectively re-positionable within said outer casing such that said handlebars can be rotated in a horizontal plane between at least a reversibly securable riding position and a reversibly securable storage position without first vertically separating contact of said rotatable inner member from said cylindrical outer casing to effect said rotation. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of reducing a footprint of a bicycle, wherein the bicycle includes an articulating stem comprising:
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a stem body having a first end including a steering tube connector and a second end including a rotatable member receiving region, the steering tube connector being securely couplable to a steering tube of a bicycle fork assembly; and a rotatable inner member receivable in a complementary-shaped cylindrical outer casing of said rotatable member receiving region; said rotatable inner member having a handlebar-receiving region located near a distal region thereof for securely coupling handlebars to said rotatable inner member; said rotatable inner member being selectively re-positionable within said outer casing such that said handlebars can be rotated in a horizontal plane between at least a reversibly securable riding position and a reversibly securable storage position without first vertically separating contact of said rotatable inner member from said cylindrical outer casing to effect said rotation; the method comprising; (i) releasing the rotatable inner member from secure engagement with said outer casing; (ii) sliding the rotatable inner member coaxially with the outer casing, so that it can be rotated within the outer casing from the riding position relative to the stem body in a horizontal plane without first vertically separating contact of the rotatable inner member from the outer casing to effect said rotation; (iii) rotating the rotatable inner member relative to the stem body, in a horizontal plane, from the riding position to the storage position; (iv) configuring the rotatable inner member in the outer casing such that the handlebars are in the storage position; and (v) securing the rotatable inner member in the outer casing with the handlebars in the storage position. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. A articulable bicycle stem system comprising:
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a stem body intervening a steering tube connector end region and an opposed rotatable member receiving end region, the steering tube connector end being securely couplable to a steering tube of a bicycle fork assembly; and a rotatable member operably disposed in the opposed rotatable member receiving end region, the rotatable member configured to; rotate within the rotatable member receiving end region without first vertically separating contact of said rotatable member from the rotatable member receiving end region to effect said rotation; and permit releasable locking of a handlebar in each of a riding position and a storing position.
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Specification