Supports – Resilient support – Including spring zone understructure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-14
2001-08-14
Braun, Leslie A. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Resilient support
Including spring zone understructure
C246S219000, C246S12200A, C246S125000, C246S125000, C246S125000, C246S172000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273392
ABSTRACT:
This application is based upon and claims benefit of German Application No. 19860380.0, filed Dec. 28, 1998, to which a claim of priority is made under 35 U.S.C. §119.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a bicycle-supporting device of a bicycle stand and particularly to the adapter that supports the bicycle.
THE PRIOR ART
Prior art for the invention includes DE 37 41 233 C2, DE 94 20 632 U1, DE 42 08 064 C2, DE 43 710 A1, DE 32 43 130 C2, DE 38 22 455 C2, DE 37 33 262 C2, DE 195 37 078 A1, GB 22 38 031 A, FR 26 50 549 A1, US 45 55 029, US 53 46 238 A, US 50 25 932.
DE-C-38 22 455 has disclosed a bicycle-supporting device of a bicycle stand which has an upwardly open U rail, into which the wheels of a bicycle can be placed, and a telescopic support projecting vertically upward from it. The telescopic support can be compressed vertically by the weight of the bicycle counter to the force of a spring accommodated in the telescopic support. At its upper end, the support has a cone with an upward-projecting conical point which can engage behind the bottom bracket of the bicycle into a recess in the bicycle frame. The rubber cone supports the bicycle close to its center of gravity, thus preventing it from tipping out of the rail. The cone thus serves as an adapter by means of which the telescopic support is adapted to the bicycle.
The use of a piece of sheet metal bent at right angles as an adapter instead of a cone is also known, wherein the vertical limb of the adapter has a recess between two upward-projecting fork prongs, in which the bottom bracket spindle of the bicycle can be supported. The other, horizontal, limb of the adapter, which is bent from sheet metal, has a downward-projecting, welded-on stud which is inserted into the upper end of the upper telescopic tube, designed as a square-section tube, and is secured therein by a pin which extends transversely through the upper telescopic tube and tangentially through a peripheral groove of the stud. This embodiment can be used for all bicycles but is intended in particular for bicycles with a frame that does not have a recess behind the bottom bracket to receive a cone. The fork-shaped adapter formed from bent sheet metal has the disadvantage that, despite having a reinforcing rib bent out laterally, it is very weak and can easily be bent by pressure from the bicycle. Reinforcement by welded-in reinforcing ribs would be expensive and, on many bicycles, the ribs would not permit use of the adapter. The use of a thicker metal sheet would have the disadvantage that the adapter would be heavy and, in the case of many bicycles, would no longer fit through the narrow gap between the bottom bracket shell and the pedal crank and, as a result, could no longer be fitted to the bottom bracket spindle. An adapter that is too heavy would minimize the opposing spring pressure of the resilient telescopic support which has to absorb the tilting moment of the bicycle. This means that spring pressure matching for the bicycles would be negatively affected. For the same reason, a sheet-metal adapter that is too heavy could furthermore not be used as a replacement for one of the cones mentioned. The bottom bracket shell and the pedal cranks should position the adapter axially on the bottom bracket spindle to ensure that the bicycle cannot tip sideways. A presentation stand can be provided with a large number of bicycle holders of this kind on one or more levels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is intended to achieve the object of constructing the fork-shaped adapter in such a way that it is sturdier, i.e. can withstand higher bicycle forces but is not disadvantageously heavy and does not require the fork part of the adapter to be made so thick that it can no longer engage in narrow interspaces between the bottom bracket shell and the pedal crank. The bicycle supporting device of the present invention is an adapter, preferably a bent plate-shaped piece usually of metal, with a bicycle supporting surface between a pair of fork prongs for supporting a bicycle in the region of the bottom bracket bearing of the bicycle, and particularly at its bottom bracket spindle. There is a telescoping support for the horizontal arm of the adapter. For best results, the adapter is comprised of a one piece body of material that is comprised of fiber reinforced plastic material. At least one or both of the plate shaped arms of the adapter includes reinforcing ribs which may be integrally formed with the adapter. The connection between the support and the adapter and the support comprises a plug-in connection with a fastener. The edge regions of the adapter, where the fork prongs and the fork base that connects the prongs extend toward the bicycle part may be thinner to extend to the bottom bracket spindle through a narrow space.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings.
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Birkhold Julius
Birkhold Lieselotte
Birkhold Lieselotte
Braun Leslie A.
Julius Birkhold GmbH
Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen, LLP
Wujciak A. Joseph
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