Package and article carriers – Vehicle attached – Carrier attached cycle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-07
2002-06-11
Cronin, Stephen K. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Vehicle attached
Carrier attached cycle
C224S426000, C224S442000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06401997
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is in the field of bicycles and bicycling. The present invention relates to a fluid container system for bicyclists, and more specifically to an apparatus for carrying liquid in a container mounted to a bicycle and from which liquid may be dispensed to the cyclist through a beverage tube.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In bicycling, it has been the practice of cyclists to carry water or other beverages to quench thirst and rehydrate the body, especially during long rides or racing events. For cyclists, the traditional method of hydration has been to drink from water bottles that are held in cages attached to the bicycle frame. For hot weather or long distance cycling, two water bottles are typically carried, one in a cage attached to the bicycle down tube and the other in a cage attached to the seat tube. A principal shortcoming of traditional water bottles is that they lack sufficient liquid capacity to provide adequate hydration over an extended period, which means the cyclist must find a place to stop to refill or curtail the ride. Another drawback is the need for the cyclist to reach down to remove and replace the bottle, which can compromise control of the bicycle and presents the risk of dropping the bottle. This is a particular concern in group riding situations and when riding over rough terrain, such as trail riding on a mountain bike. In addition, many mountain bikes in the smaller frame sizes have very short seat tubes, and as a result lack sufficient clearance to permit the convenient removal and replacement of a second water bottle attached to the seat tube.
Prior art reveals a variety of attempts to eliminate the need for a cyclist to reach down and remove and replace a water bottle in order to drink while riding. A number of these have utilized straw-like drinking tubes that extend from a bottle mounted to the bicycle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,812 to Rowe (1978) shows a drinking straw that extends into a bottle mounted on the bicycle frame. The straw is retractably stored on a spring-loaded reel or, alternatively, is coiled inside a container mounted to the bicycle. Another embodiment shows a telescoping straw that collapses into an elongated housing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,566 to Rowe (1981) discloses an improved reel mechanism for retracting the drinking tube. The drinking tube connects with a liquid supply tube that extends into a bottle mounted separately from the reel mechanism. The supply tube incorporates a check valve at the submerged end which prevents water from flowing back into the bottle.
The reel mechanisms described in the Rowe '812 and '566 patents are cumbersome and require that the rider maintain a firm hold on the tube during drinking to prevent it from retracting. The alternative telescoping tube and coiled tube embodiments in Rowe '812 are also inconvenient, because the former requires the rider to lean over to drink from a fixed position rigid tube and the latter requires the rider to carefully feed the coiled tubing back into the storage canister after drinking.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,358 to Reichert et. al (1991) shows a narrow bottle that snaps onto the top and down tubes of the bicycle frame. A drinking tube extends upward from the bottle and can be snapped into a holder attached to the handlebar for the purpose of positioning the tube in front of the rider. The mounting location of the bottle described in Reichert '358 occupies the space just above where down tube mounted derailleur shifters are typically located. This bottle placement would interfere with the operation of such shifters and would prevent the rider from operating the front and rear derailleur shifters with the same hand. In addition, the bottle's shape renders it unsuitable for bicycles that have downwardly and rearwardly sloping top tubes, such as mountain bikes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,952 to Jenkins (1992) shows a liquid container with a tube that clamps to the handlebar and extends upward to a location in front of the rider's face. Like Reichert '358, the Jenkins '952 system requires the rider to lean forward to drink from a tube in a fixed position in front of the rider's face. The rider must also draw the column of liquid through the length of the tube each time a sip is desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,134 to Matic, Jr. (1998) discloses a rigid, triangularshaped liquid container that attaches to the down tube and seat tube frame members by means of a C-shaped clasp that connects to the seat tube and hook and loop fastening straps that attach to the down tube. A hose extends from the rigid container to the area of the handlebar and a hose holder clip grips the hose at its outlet end and removably attaches to the handlebar. The hose holder preferably has a handle to enable the rider to detach the hose from the handlebar for drinking. This also has the shortcoming of requiring the rider to draw liquid through the length of tubing each time a drink is required. It also employs a rigid container, which is not well-suited to accommodate differences in bicycle frame geometry.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,858 to Hollander (1994) shows a bottle with a two-section drinking tube. The tube sections are connected by means of an oversleeve that permits the bottle to be removed from the bike and used as a hand-held or body-mounted sport bottle. Mounting clips are used to attach the upper drinking tube section to the bicycle frame or handlebar stem. In the preferred embodiment, the upper drinking tube section is provided with a spring sleeve that extends the tube toward the rider's face when the tube is removed from the mounting clip. In another embodiment, the upper drinking tube is made of memory flex tubing that returns to a tightly coiled shape after extension during drinking. The Hollander '858 embodiments share several of the shortcomings of the other prior art systems, including a reliance on a single frame-mounted water bottle. The bottle used in the Hollander combination water bottle system is similar to the ubiquitous sport bottles commonly used in cycling, and has the same problem of limited capacity that is typical of such bottles.
Other inventions for supplying liquid to bicyclists via a drinking tube have involved a means to force liquid from a bottle mounted to the bicycle through a drinking tube without the need for suction by the rider. U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,339 to Cushing (1990) shows a cylindrical container that is pressurized by forcing air into the container through a bellows device attached to bottom of the container. Flexible tubing extends from the container to a valve and nozzle mounted to the handlebars. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,215,231 (1993) and 5,301,860 (1994) to Paczonay disclose a water bottle holder with a compressor arm that can be actuated by the cyclist. The bottle walls are compressed to force liquid through a supply tube, and a check valve prevents the back flow of liquid. U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,124 to Allemang (1994) shows an apparatus for pumping liquid from a standard water bottle through a supply tube to the rider. U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,087 to Wery, et. al (1997) shows a water bottle that is pressurized by use of a pressurizing system such as a bicycle pump. Liquid flows through a tube connected at the lower end of the bottle to a valve at the other end of the tube. U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,404 to Zelenak (1997) shows a bicycle-mounted fluid reservoir with an electronic pump system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,368 to Bekkedahl (1998) discloses a bicycle water bottle that is filled with a carbonated beverage. The carbonation of the liquid pressurizes the bottle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,142 to Holmes (1994) shows a mouth-pressurized drinking bag for cyclists. This system is comprised of a collapsible bladder for receiving liquid and an elastic enclosure that surrounds the bladder. The user pressurizes the bladder by blowing air into it through a drinking tube, which causes the bladder to expand against the elastic enclosure, and then clamping the tube. In the preferred embodiment, the bag
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