Land vehicles – Wheeled – Occupant propelled type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-21
2001-11-06
DePumpo, Daniel G. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Occupant propelled type
C280S288400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311997
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sidecars for bicycles and, more particularly, pertains to a new sidecar assembly adapted to be readily attached and detached from a bicycle frame.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Over the years various carrying devices have been developed for carrying infants and small children on bicycles. For instance, it has been proposed to carry infants on child bicycle seats installed over the rear wheel of the bicycles or, alternatively, in small trailers drawn behind the bicycles. One drawback of such carrying devices resides in the fact that the cyclist cannot view and easily communicate with the child while riding the bicycle.
Accordingly, efforts have been made to design sidecars which are specifically adapted for use with bicycles. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,158 issued on September 1993 to Ellard and U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,142 issued on Mar. 8, 1994 to Vitarelli both disclose a sidecar having a frame structure adapted to be attached to a bicycle frame by means of a number of interconnected swivel connections defining a parallelogram-like structural arrangement allowing the cyclist to lean the bicycle on either side when making turns. Typically, the sidecar is attached to the rear axle, the down tube and the crossbar of the bicycle so as to ensure that the attachment of the sidecar with the bicycle frame does not interfere with the operation of the power train of the bicycle.
Although the sidecars described in the above mentioned patents allow for the bicycle to lean on either side, it has been found that there is a need for a new and simpler sidecar which can be readily connected with and disconnected from a bicycle frame while still allowing limited relative motion therebetween.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a sidecar which is adapted to be easily and quickly connected with and disconnected from a bicycle frame.
It is also an aim of the present invention to provide such a sidecar which is relatively simple and economical to manufacture.
Therefore, in accordance with a general aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sidecar for a bicycle having a bicycle frame extending in a plane and defining a bottom axle housing for supporting a power train, comprising a wheeled frame adapted to extend on one side of the bicycle, a seat provided on the wheeled frame, and a coupling for attaching the wheeled frame to a bottom portion of the bicycle frame while allowing relative pivotal movements of the bicycle frame relative to the wheeled frame about a longitudinal axis of the bicycle. The coupling includes a first part which is fixed relative to the bicycle frame and a second part which is fixed relative to the wheeled frame. The first and second parts are rotatably interconnectable to form with the wheeled frame a system having one degree of freedom.
In accordance with a further general aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sidecar for a bicycle having a bicycle frame extending in a plane and defining a bottom axle housing for supporting a power train. The sidecar comprises a frame structure supporting a seat and having a wheel journaled thereto. The sidecar also comprises bracket means adapted to be mounted to a bottom portion of the bicycle frame for providing a connecting axis extending forwardly in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the bicycle. The frame structure includes a structural member having a first end portion adapted to be slid along the connecting axis for interlocking engagement with the bracket means for solely allowing limited rotational movements of the bicycle frame relative to the frame structure about the longitudinal axis of the bicycle.
REFERENCES:
patent: 317337 (1885-05-01), Kirk
patent: 1172995 (1916-02-01), Hunter
patent: 1824675 (1931-09-01), Linn
patent: 1848451 (1932-03-01), Wishart
patent: 2485994 (1949-10-01), Warner
patent: 4022483 (1977-05-01), Wallick et al.
patent: 4073503 (1978-02-01), Hokans
patent: 4229018 (1980-10-01), Chika
patent: 4254965 (1981-03-01), Kobel
patent: 4350359 (1982-09-01), Van Gompel
patent: 5248158 (1993-09-01), Ellard
patent: 5292142 (1994-03-01), Vitarelli
patent: 5297808 (1994-03-01), Ellard
patent: 17317 (1913-05-01), None
patent: 17560 (1904-01-01), None
patent: 449616 (1913-05-01), None
patent: 3052 (1913-05-01), None
patent: 41514 (1937-09-01), None
DePumpo Daniel G.
Mitchell Robert
Swabey Ogilvy Renault
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