Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-29
2001-03-13
Camby, Richard M. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S152300, C280S852000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199883
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a fender, which can be removably mounted to the generally vertically disposed seat post of a bicycle and aligned over the rear wheel. Further, it relates to a bike fender which can be selectively articulated, by the cyclist, in a generally vertical plane over the rear wheel of a bicycle incorporating pneumatic dampening devices in the rear forks and which devices tend to substantially increase the travel of the forks relative to the wheel of the bicycle. Such increased fork travel generally makes a fixed fender over the rear wheel impracticable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of the rugged style bicycles generally referred to as mountain bikes is a popular means of travel on roadways as well as a means of recreation in off-road situations. Due to the need to minimize both the bicycle weight and the frequent damage which occurs when the bicycle is ridden over rough off-road terrain, the rear fender has been found to be impracticable. The elimination of the rear fender, however, results in the material which adheres to the surface of the rear tire being spun off the tire in the direction of the rider as the wheel rotates past the vertical apex of travel.
In some instances removal of the fender is undertaken prior to off-road use in order to protect the rear fender against accidental damage. Due to the time required for the removal of the fender and the fact that such off-road recreational use may occur on the ‘spur-of the moment’ such consideration is impracticable.
On extreme terrain bikes, that is, those bikes incorporate pneumatic dampening devices in the rear forks, and in particular so-called “down-hill” bikes, a fixed fender over the rear wheel is often impracticable since the substantially increased travel of the forks and frame relative to the rear wheel would cause the wheel and fender to make contact.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to construct a rugged, light weight fender for bicycles which is cantilevered from the seat post and will bear the weight of a small load such as pannier or saddle bags mounted on the fender.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rugged, light weight fender for bicycles, which can be easily attached to or detached from the seat post of the bicycle and quickly aligned over the rear wheel, thereby preventing the back of the rider from becoming splattered as material adhering to the surface of the rear tire is spun off the tire in the direction of the rider as the wheel rotates past the vertical apex of travel.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a fender for bicycles of the type which incorporate pneumatic dampening devices in their rear forks, where such a fender can be articulated in a general vertical plane over the rear wheel to thereby increase clearance between fender and bicycle wheel so as to accommodate the exaggerated relative fork and frame travel associated with these types of bicycles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a bicycle fender that can be removably attached to the seat post of a bicycle so that the fender will extend rearwardly therefrom above the rear wheel of the bicycle.
The fender is attached to the bicycle seat by a clamp, which comprising an elongated body portion having separate complimentary clamping halves. These clamping halves are adjustable in an adjacent or in a spaced apart parallel position so as to clamp around a seat post. The halves are tightened about the post by a bolt or the like. Each of the clamping halves has at one end a first smooth cylindrical recess for frictionally engaging the bicycle seat post. A second cylindrical recess is formed at the opposite end of each half, disposed generally at right angles to the first recesses. Each second cylindrical recess is crenellated or otherwise lined with parallel teeth, splines or serrations (collectively referred to as serrations, splines or teeth) formed around the internal surface thereof.
A separate fender body has a forward portion of relatively short dimension and an elongated tail portion. The forward portion of the fender is angularly disposed relative to the tail portion in a flattened V-shape or chevron-shape such that when the clamp is mounted to the seat post, and the fender is mounted to the clamp, the tail portion is elevated above a rear wheel of the bicycle.
In summary, the articulated rear fender for a bicycle of the present invention includes a clamp releasably mountable to a seat post of the bicycle and a fender body mounted or mountable to the clamp. The clamp has opposed facing first and second halves releasably tightenable by a releasable tightener into opposed facing cooperation. A semicircular first recess in a first end of the first half cooperates, so as to match, a semicircular first recess in a first end of the second half. The first and second halves form a cylindrical collar mountable around the seat post. A generally cylindrical second recess in an opposite second end of the first half matches a generally cylindrical second recess in an opposite second end of the second half when the halves are mounted in opposed facing relation. The second recesses form a cylindrical receiving cavity having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the seat post.
Each second recess has splines formed in and around the walls of the recesses. The splines are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the receiving cavity. Each second recess has a notch in its wall which opens from the second recess outwardly from the second end of each of the first and second halves. The notches form a receiving aperture into the receiving cavity when the second recesses are in the opposed facing relation.
A cylindrical member is cantilevered on a rigid arm from a first end of the fender body. The cylindrical member has teeth around the cylindrical member for releasably lockable mating of the teeth with the splines when the cylindrical member is mated into the receiving cavity and the arm is journalled through the receiving aperture.
The fender body is elongate and non-planar along its length so that a first portion of the fender body closest to the arm extends from the arm and angles downwardly relative to a line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the seat post when the fender body is mounted to the clamp and the clamp mounted to the seat post. A second portion of the fender body is contiguous to the first portion and extends from the first portion angled upwardly relative to the first portion. The first and second portions of the fender body may form an included angle therebetween of 125 degrees.
The fender body is rotatably articulatable in a generally vertical plane between an angularly lowered position and an angularly elevated position about the longitudinal axis of the receiving cavity by selective rotation of the cylindrical member relative to the receiving cavity when mounting the cylindrical member in the receiving cavity.
In one embodiment the releasable tightener is a bolt extending through the first and second halves. Advantageously the splines and the teeth are crenellated. Further advantageously, the receiving aperture is elongate in the plane so as to allow a range of articulated motion of the fender body relative to the clamp.
In one aspect of the present invention the cylindrical member is selectively positionable relative to the receiving cavity only by the first and second halves being translated apart from one another so as to remove the cylindrical member from the second recesses. The cylindrical member is then rotated to a new angular position and the cylindrical member re-encased within the receiving cavity by translation of the first and second halves into opposed facing adjacency. The first and second halves are then tightened toward each other to clamp the seat post and to clamp the second recesses onto the cylindrical member.
In a second aspect, cylindrical member comprises an outer shear sleeve mounted onto a base. The shear sleeve may slidably mount onto the base along slides
Camby Richard M.
Edwards Anthony C.
LandOfFree
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