Land vehicles – Wheeled – Occupant propelled type
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-28
2001-05-29
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Occupant propelled type
C280S304000, C074S560000, C074S562000, C074S562500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237929
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to bicycles stands.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Heretofore, various efforts have been made to devise components, integral to a bicycle's structure, which serve to support the vehicle in a substantially upright position during periods of disuse. These past bicycle support systems fall into two main categories. The first category describes the popular style of stand that attaches to a bicycle's frame. Frame mounted stands generally consist of a pivoting prop-member that can be positioned by the operator to engage the ground, thereby forming a triangular support structure for the bicycle.
The prior art also describes a second, less prevalent category of bicycle stand in which the stand attaches to the rotateable portion or tread of either of the bicycle's pedals. In its correct position, this type of stand effectively extends the pedal's tread to contact the ground, thereby enabling the crank-arm and pedal to support the bicycle. To correctly position a pedal mounted stand, the bicycle's crank assembly is rotated such that the pedal is just slightly aft of its lowest point. Gravitational force will generally cause the pedal and its attached stand to rotate and hang from the pedal's bearing spindle such that the stand is close to the ground. Once the components are thus positioned, the bicycle's pedal, crank arm, chain wheel and power transmission assemblies all become integral parts of the stand. The user can then lean the bicycle onto the pedal-extension/crank-arm assembly and it will act as a bicycle stand by forming a rigid prop between the bicycle and the ground.
By temporarily incorporating the bicycle's existing power transmission components into the stand's support structure, a pedal-mounted stand is potentially more efficient than a frame mounted stand. The major problem with pedal-mounted stands is that the eccentric location of the stand's ground engagement point generates torque about the bearing spindle when the bicycle's weight is applied to the stand. If left unconstrained, the torque induced by the eccentric stand location would rotate the pedal, thereby destabilizing the stand and allowing the bicycle to fall. The prior art mitigates this inherent instability by providing a minimum of two ground contact points disposed at right angles to the axis of pedal rotation (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,726). Multiple ground contact points stabilize the pedal against rotation however they significantly increase the complexity and weight of the stand. Since the weight of any permanently mounted stand adds reciprocating mass to the bicycle's drive train; such stands are detrimental to pedaling efficiency and therefore inappropriate for use on lightweight, high performance bicycles. An alternative to using multiple ground contact points is to use the rider's foot pressure to stabilize the pedal against rotation (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,017). This approach also has drawbacks related to its weight and ease of use.
Another drawback of previous pedal-mounted stands is that the location of the ground engagement location is immediately below the pedal and therefore quite close to the bicycle's center of gravity. These stands can therefore provide only weak geometric support with respect to the substantial overall height of the bicycle's structure. This weak support geometry can cause the bicycle to fall over if the stand is engaged during strong winds or when the bicycle is parked on soft or sloping ground.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a pedal mounted bicycle stand that eliminates the aforementioned drawbacks inherent within the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a stand for supporting a bicycle through a pedal, the bicycle stand comprising a prop member and a prop receiving means operatively connected to the pedal, the prop member for selective engagement with the prop receiving means.
In further embodiment the prop receiving means is adapted for selective engagement with the pedal and is preferably attached to the pedal coaxially with respect to the pedal spindle.
In further embodiments, the prop member preferably includes a pedal end portion for mating engagement with the prop receiving means, a foot portion adapted for contact with the ground and/or a support portion between the pedal portion and foot portion. In addition, the prop member may include at least two sections articulated with respect to one another and in a preferred embodiment, the degree of articulation of the at least two sections can be varied with respect to one another and selectively locked at various intermediate positions. In one embodiment, the prop member is a pair of pliers having two arms pivotable with respect to one another wherein at least one arm is adapted for mating engagement with the prop receiving means and the other arm is the foot portion.
In further preferred embodiments at least one end of the prop member is adapted for operative connection to a tool bit and that the prop member includes at least one magnet for magnetically attaching the prop member to the bicycle.
In still yet further embodiments, it is preferred that the bicycle stand includes retention means on the prop member or prop receiving means for securing the prop member to the prop receiving mans, the retention means selected from any one of or a combination of a magnet or a friction retention system.
In still further embodiments, the prop receiving means is adapted for operative attachment to the pedal through the dust cap threads or to the pedal spindle.
In a still further embodiment, the prop receiving means includes a bore having a depth sufficient to receive the prop member and support a bending moment of the prop member with respect to the prop receiving means sufficient to support the bicycle and in another embodiment, a magnet within the bore to retain the prop member within the bore.
In further a further embodiment, the bore is adapted to prevent rotational movement of the prop member with respect to the bore and in another embodiment is adapted to allow rotational movement of the prop member with respect to the bore.
In yet still another embodiment, the prop receiving means is a wrench head adapted for engagement with the flats of the pedal spindle adjacent the crank arm.
In a more specific embodiment, the invention provides a bicycle stand for supporting a bicycle through a pedal, the bicycle stand comprising a prop member and prop receiving means, the prop member for selective engagement with the prop receiving means and the prop receiving means for selective engagement with the pedal, the prop member including a lug end portion for mating engagement with the prop receiving means and a foot portion adapted for contact with the ground, the foot portion eccentric with respect to the lug end portion and wherein the prop receiving means is adapted for operative attachment to the pedal coaxially with the pedal spindle, the prop receiving means having a bore having a depth sufficient to receive the prop member and to support a bending moment of the prop member with respect to the prop receiving means to support the bicycle wherein the bore is further adapted to allow rotational movement of the prop member with respect to the prop receiving means.
In still yet further embodiments the invention provides a pedal comprising a prop receiving means operatively connected to the pedal, the prop receiving means adapted to enable selective engagement of a prop member with the pedal and to support a bending moment of the prop member with respect to the prop receiving means sufficient to support a bicycle, a prop for supporting a bicycle through a bicycle pedal, the prop comprising a prop member adapted for operative and selective connection with a prop receiving means on the bicycle pedal, the prop member further adapted to support a bending moment of the prop member with respect to the prop receiving means suffici
Draper Deanna
Johnson Brian L.
LandOfFree
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