Bicycle frame with one or two improved wishbone stays
First Claim
1. A bicycle frame having a truss portion including a pedal crank housing and a seat mast extending upwardly from the pedal crank housing, and upper and lower stays for connecting a rear wheel to the truss portion, wherein at least one of the stays comprises:
- (a) a U-shaped tubular member having a curved portion and two leg portions, the leg portions positioned to straddle the rear wheel; and
(b) a second tubular member extending between the truss portion of the frame and the curved portion of the U-shaped tubular member, the second tubular member being shaped at one end so as to terminate in gussets that at least partially surround the curved portion of the U-shaped member, the second tubular member being flattened near the gussets.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A bicycle frame with improved rigidity and strength is disclosed. The frame has a truss portion and upper and lower stays for connecting a rear wheel to the truss portion of the frame. One or both of the stays comprise a U-shaped tubular member having a curved portion and two leg portions, the leg portions positioned to straddle the rear wheel, and a second tubular member extending between the truss portion of the frame and the curved portion of the U-shaped tubular member. The second tubular member is shaped at one end so as to terminate in gussets that at least partially surround the curved portion of the U-shaped member. In preferred embodiments, the second tubular member is flattened at the end connecting to the U-shaped tubular member to have an elliptical cross-section with an inside minor axis dimension substantially equal to the outside diameter of the U-shaped tubular member, and the gussets terminate at about the centerline of the U-shaped tubular member. Also in the preferred embodiment, an annular tube spacer is placed inside the second tubular member so as to be concentric with mounting holes formed through the front and back walls of the flattened portion of the second tubular member. The mounting holes allows a brake assembly (on the upper stay) or a kickstand assembly (on the lower stay) to be bolted to the stay without fear of collapsing the tube walls.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A bicycle frame having a truss portion including a pedal crank housing and a seat mast extending upwardly from the pedal crank housing, and upper and lower stays for connecting a rear wheel to the truss portion, wherein at least one of the stays comprises:
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(a) a U-shaped tubular member having a curved portion and two leg portions, the leg portions positioned to straddle the rear wheel; and (b) a second tubular member extending between the truss portion of the frame and the curved portion of the U-shaped tubular member, the second tubular member being shaped at one end so as to terminate in gussets that at least partially surround the curved portion of the U-shaped member, the second tubular member being flattened near the gussets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A bicycle frame having a truss portion, including a pedal crank housing and a seat mast extending upwardly from the pedal crank housing for mounting a bicycle seat on the frame, and upper and lower stays for connecting a rear wheel to the truss portion of the frame, the upper stay running between the seat mast and a rear wheel mounting bracket and the lower stay running between the pedal crank housing and the rear wheel mounting bracket, wherein at least one of the stays comprises:
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(a) a first tubular member bent in a U-shaped configuration with a curved portion and two substantially equal length leg portions, the leg portions positioned to straddle the rear wheel, and (b) a second tubular member extending between the truss portion of the frame and the curved portion of the first tubular member, the second tubular member being shaped at a first end to butt up against the truss portion of the frame and at a second end to terminate in gussets that at least partially surround the curved portion of the first member, the second end also being flattened into an elliptical cross-sectional shaped with an inside minor axis dimension substantially equal to the outside diameter of the first tubular member. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A bicycle frame having
(a) a pedal crank housing; -
(b) a seat mast extending upwardly from the pedal crank housing; (c) an upper stay comprising; (i) a first U-shaped tubular member having a curved portion and two leg portions, the leg portions terminating at rear wheel connecting brackets, and (ii) a first stem tube extending between the curved portion of the first U-shaped tubular member and the seat mast and shaped at a first end to butt up against the seat mast and flattened at a second end so as to have an elliptical cross-section with an inside minor axis dimension substantially equal to the outside diameter of the first U-shaped tubular member, the flattened portion extending in gussets that at least partially surround said curved portion; and (d) a lower stay comprising; (i) a second U-shaped tubular member having a curved portion and two leg portions, the leg portions of the second U-shaped tubular member also terminating at the rear wheel connecting brackets, and (ii) a second stem tube extending between the curved portion of the second U-shaped tubular member and the pedal crank housing and shaped at a first end to butt up against the pedal crank housing and flattened at a second end so as to have an elliptical cross-section with an inside minor axis dimension substantially equal to the outside diameter of the second U-shaped tubular member, the flattened portion extending in gussets that at least partially surround the curved portion of the second U-shaped tubular member. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A bicycle frame having a truss portion including a pedal crank housing and a seat mast extending upwardly from the pedal crank housing, and upper and lower stays for connecting a rear wheel to the truss portion, wherein at least one of the stays comprises:
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(a) a U-shaped tubular member having a curved portion and two leg portions, the leg portions positioned to straddle the read wheel; (b) a second tubular member extending between the truss portion of the frame and the curved portion of the U-shaped tubular member, the second tubular member being shaped at one end so as to terminate in gussets that at least partially surround the curved portion of the U-shaped member; and (c) mounting holes formed through the walls of the second tubular member in close enough proximity to the gussets so that the cooperation of the gussets with the curved portion of the U-shaped tubular member helps to prevent collapse of the walls of the second tubular member when a nut is torqued on a bolt inserted through the holes.
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24. A bicycle frame having a truss portion including a pedal crank housing and a seat mast extending upwardly from the pedal crank housing, and upper and lower stays for connecting a rear wheel to the truss portion, wherein at least one of the stays comprises:
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(a) a U-shaped tubular member having a curved portion and two leg portions, the leg portions positioned to straddle the rear wheel; (b) a second tubular member extending between the truss portion of the frame and the curved portion of the U-shaped tubular member, the second tubular member being shaped at one end so as to terminate in gussets that at least partially surround the curved portion of the U-shaped member; and (c) mounting holes formed through front and back side walls of the second tubular member and an annular tube spacer placed inside the second tubular member concentric with the mounting holes. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification