U.S. patent application number 09/898780 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-15 for attachment piece for a bicycle display device.
Invention is credited to Irie, Yoshinori.
Application Number | 20010040204 09/898780 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 12380894 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010040204 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Irie, Yoshinori |
November 15, 2001 |
Attachment piece for a bicycle display device
Abstract
An attachment piece for a bicycle display device includes an
attachment component for attachment to a structural member of the
bicycle, a support column fixed at a proximal portion thereof to
the attachment component, and a base member having an attachment
surface for attachment to the display device. The base member is
pivotably coupled to a distal portion of the support column at a
location aligned below the center of the attachment surface when
the attachment surface is vertical. The support column may extend
from the attachment component at an incline relative to a plane
that extends through the attachment component perpendicular to a
central axis of the attachment component.
Inventors: |
Irie, Yoshinori;
(Osakasayama-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DELAND LAW OFFICE
P.O. BOX 69
KLAMATH RIVER
CA
96050-0069
US
|
Family ID: |
12380894 |
Appl. No.: |
09/898780 |
Filed: |
July 2, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09898780 |
Jul 2, 2001 |
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09013680 |
Jan 26, 1998 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
248/230.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62J 50/225 20200201;
B62J 50/22 20200201 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/230.1 |
International
Class: |
F16B 001/00; G09F
007/18; E04G 003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 31, 1997 |
JP |
9-033238 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An attachment piece for a bicycle display device comprising: an
attachment component for attachment to a structural member of the
bicycle; a support column fixed at a proximal portion thereof to
the attachment component; a base member having an attachment
surface for attachment to the display device; and wherein the base
member is pivotably coupled to the support column at a location on
the base member vertically offset from a center of the base member
when the attachment surface is oriented vertically.
2. The attachment piece according to claim 1 wherein the support
column extends from the attachment component at an incline relative
to a plane that extends through the attachment component
perpendicular to a central axis of the attachment component.
3. The attachment piece according to claim 2 wherein the attachment
component has a substantially circular inner peripheral
surface.
4. The attachment piece according to claim 3 further comprising a
fastener for fastening the attachment component to the structural
member of the bicycle.
5. The attachment piece according to claim 1 further comprising a
swivel shaft pivotably coupling the base member to the support
column.
6. The attachment piece according to claim 1 wherein the base
member is pivotably coupled to a distal portion of the support
column.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is directed to computer displays for
bicycles and, more particularly, to an attachment piece for the
computer display.
[0002] Display devices that display various data, such as the
bicycle speed, the distance travelled, the shift position of the
gear shifter, and other such data, are commonly attached to
bicycles. When a display device such as this is attached to a
bicycle, it is preferable for the display screen of the display
device to be located near the reference center plane of the
bicycle. It is also good for the position of the display screen of
the display device, such as its height and inclination angle, to be
freely adjustable to suit the preferences of the rider.
Furthermore, it is preferable if the display device itself can be
freely selected and replaced to suit the preferences of the rider.
No such display device attachment piece that satisfied all of these
rider needs existed in the past.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention is directed to an attachment piece for
a bicycle display device which allows the display screen that
displays various data such as the bicycle speed, distance
travelled, etc., can be fastened in the center position of the
bicycle, and which allows the height, inclination angle, and the
like of the display screen of the display device to be set freely.
In one embodiment of the present invention, an attachment piece for
a bicycle display device includes an attachment component for
attachment to a structural member of the bicycle, a support column
fixed at a proximal portion thereof to the attachment component,
and a base member having an attachment surface for attachment to
the display device. The base member is pivotably coupled to a
distal portion of the support column at a location aligned below
the center of the attachment surface when the attachment surface is
vertical. This allows the height, inclination angle, and the like
of the display screen of the display device to be set freely. If
desired, the support column may extend from the attachment
component at an incline relative to a plane that extends through
the attachment component perpendicular to a central axis of the
attachment component. Such an orientation of the support column
allows the screen of the display device to be located in the center
position of the bicycle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is a front view of a particular embodiment of a
bicycle computer display device according to the present
invention;
[0005] FIG. 2 is a side view of the display device shown in FIG. 1;
and
[0006] FIG. 3 is a detailed view showing how the display device
shown in FIG. 1 is attached to the base member of the attachment
component.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a front view of a particular embodiment of a
bicycle computer display device according to the present invention,
and FIG. 2 is a side view of the display device shown in FIG. 1. As
shown in those Figures, a display device 5 measures or computes and
displays the bicycle speed, distance travelled, lap times, crank
spindle revolutions, the shift position of the change gear device,
and other such data. A display screen 51 is positioned near the
reference center plane of the bicycle, that is, in a place where it
is easy for the rider to see it, such as in the center of the
handlebar 6. The display screen 51 can comprise a liquid crystal
display panel, a light emitting diode, or the like, but a liquid
crystal display panel is preferable from the standpoint of
electrical power consumption.
[0008] The attachment piece of the present invention for attaching
the display device 5 to a bicycle comprises an attachment component
1 for fixing the attachment piece to the desired position (such as
the handlebar), a support column 2 that is integrally fixed at one
end to the attachment component, a swivel shaft 3 provided to the
other end of the support column 2, and an attachment base member 4
that is swivelably supported on the support column 2 by the swivel
shaft 3. The attachment component 1 is fixed to the handlebar 6 by
a fastener 11 comprising a bolt, nut, or the like. Here, since the
support column 2 can be fixed such that it forms any angle with the
horizontal plane, the height of the swivel shaft 3 at the other end
of the support column 2, that is, the height of the display device
5, can be adjusted to any height within a specific range.
[0009] The support column 2 is integrally fixed at one end, that
is, at its base, to the attachment component 1. Also, the support
column 2 is provided at an angle with respect to the center axis of
the attachment component 1, more specifically, to the plane
perpendicular to the center axis of the handlebar 6, and support
column 2 extends from the attachment component 1 toward the
reference center plane side of the bicycle. As a result, it is
possible for the display screen 51 of the display device 5 to be
positioned near the reference center plane of the bicycle. The
swivel shaft 3, which is parallel to the center axis of the
attachment component 1, is provided at the distal end side of the
support column 2.
[0010] The attachment base member 4, which is furnished with a
detachment mechanism that allows the display device 5 to be
detached with ease, is provided to the distal end of the support
column 2 such that it is able to swivel on the swivel shaft 3. The
attachment base member 4, which is supported by the swivel shaft 3,
is supported by friction in a semi-stationary state, such that the
angle of inclination of the attachment base member 4 can be freely
adjusted by hand, but once adjusted the inclination angle will be
maintained if no force is applied. Therefore, the inclination angle
of the display screen 51 can be freely adjusted by hand in a state
in which the display device 5 has been attached to the attachment
base member 4.
[0011] The positional relationship of the swivel shaft 3 to the
attachment base member 4 is such that the center axis of the swivel
shaft 3 is located near the lower end of the display device 5
attachment surface of the attachment base member 4. Specifically,
the swivel shaft 3 is displaced downward with respect to the center
position of the attachment surface when the attachment surface is
in a vertical state. By having the swivel shaft disposed in this
position, the distance from the swivel shaft 3 to the upper end of
the display device 5 is greater, so less force is needed for
adjustment when the inclination angle of the upper end of the
display device 5 is adjusted by hand. Therefore, fine tuning of the
inclination angle of the display screen 51 can be carried out
quickly and easily.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a diagram of the attachment structure of the
display device 5 and the attachment base member 4. Protrusions 42
having a key-shaped cross section are provided on the left and
right of the attachment base member 4, and the space between these
protrusions 42 forms a holding groove for the display device 5. A
held component 52 whose cross section matches the shape of the
holding groove is provided to the attachment and removal surface of
the display device 5, and the display device 5 can be easily
attached to the attachment base member 4 by inserting the held
component 52 into the holding groove and sliding the display device
5 downward.
[0013] The attachment position of the display device 5 is designed
such that the display device 5 is stopped by the pawl of a stop
lever 41 and cannot come loose. When the stop lever 41 is pushed to
the rear of the display device 5, the pawl of the stop lever 41
moves away from the display device 5, and the display device 5 can
be removed from the attachment base member 4. An electrical contact
53 and an electrical contact 43 are designed such that they come
into contact with each other at the attachment position of the
display device 5, and a signal from a sensor or manual switch is
inputted to the display device 5.
[0014] While the above is a description of some embodiments of the
present invention, various modifications well within the skill of
the art may be employed. For example, the function performed by one
element may be performed by two elements, and vice versa. The size,
shape, orientation, and number of components may be changed as
desired. Thus, the invention should not be limited to the specific
embodiments disclosed. Instead, the scope of the invention should
be ascertained by the following claims.
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