DE8909156U1 - Bicycle - Google Patents

Description

Norbert Nattefort
Bicycle

Genus;

The invention relates to a two-wheeler driven by a power steering, called a bicycle for short, where the driver sits on a seat with the backrest inclined backwards and the pedals are located in front of the seat.

State of the art :

Bicycles of this type are often referred to as "recumbent" or "chair bicycles" and have been known for many years; the first patents were filed around the turn of the century. The recumbent bicycle concept has experienced a resurgence since the 1970s, starting in the USA.

One advantage of recumbent bikes over conventional bicycles is the comfortable, relaxed seating position; another is the reduced air resistance due to the reduction in the frontal area of the vehicle and rider, so that over longer distances, especially on flat terrain, higher average speeds can be achieved with the same amount of power.

A further reduction in air resistance can be achieved by a partial fairing or a full fairing, although only a partial fairing is suitable for everyday use.

The most practical option for using currently common cycle paths is single-track recumbent bikes.

Criticism of the state of the art:

The lowest air resistance is offered by a vehicle with the flattest possible seating position (legs almost horizontal and a flat backrest).

To achieve this goal, two vehicle concepts are essentially used:

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Norbert Nattefort Bicycle

a) The rider sits relatively high diagonally in front of the rear wheel, with a small front wheel positioned under the legs.

b) The driver sits deep between the two wheels.

Advantages of a):

high maneuverability

Disadvantages of a):

Small front wheel required, but subject to high loads, resulting in high rolling friction

- Braking capacity limited by high center of gravity and short wheelbase

- large distance between pedals and ground (quick support in critical situations difficult)

Advantages of b):

high braking power due to long wheelbase and center of gravity far back small distance between pedals and ground possible

Disadvantages of b):

Limited maneuverability with a low seating position, there is a risk of being overlooked in traffic, your all-round visibility is limited

It is difficult to find a good compromise between a high seating position for an overview in traffic and a flat seating position to fully utilize the recumbent bike concept and achieve the lowest possible air resistance.

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Norbert Nattefort
Bicycle

The invention is based on the following object:

The aim is to create a bicycle that combines the advantages of a flat, low seating position (low air resistance, short distance between pedals and ground, high braking power) on the one hand and a high, upright rider position on the other (overview, being seen in traffic) or has them available when needed.

Solution:

The goal was achieved with the following concept: The basic concept was a two-wheeler in which the driver sits on a seat with the backrest tilted backwards and the bottom bracket is in front of the seat. The seat is attached to a frame. In the area under the seat, a rear swing arm is mounted on the frame with a horizontal axis that is perpendicular to the vehicle's longitudinal axis. This swing arm holds the rear wheel and can be locked at various angles relative to the frame, so that it can assume angles ranging from vertically downwards to flat upwards in relation to the connecting line of the wheel contact points. The rear wheel assumes positions between "under the seat" and "behind the backrest". {see Figures 1 and 2).

The change in the position of the rear swing arm described above creates, on the one hand, a vehicle with a high seating position and a short wheelbase that is maneuverable and guarantees good visibility and visibility in traffic, and, on the other hand, a long, flat vehicle with the lowest possible air resistance and the other required advantages. Intermediate positions can also be adopted. This means that the vehicle can be individually adapted to the driver and the traffic situation.

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Implementation example:

The following describes an embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 6.

Demands made:

The aim is to create a steering device whose operating elements pose as little risk of injury as possible for the driver and enable a comfortable, relaxed arm position.

Good aerodynamics Weather protection Active and passive accident protection

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Norbert Nattefort
Bicycle

Implementation example

The frame of the bicycle is a box-shaped hollow profile (1) made of fiber-reinforced plastic in a sandwich construction. The length of the hollow profile (1) is

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larger than the width dimension.

The frame, as the hollow profile (1) is referred to below, accommodates the pedals (7) in its front part. The seat (3) is attached to the top of the frame at its rear end. A rear wheel swing arm (2) is mounted so that it can rotate under the seat (3) with a horizontal axis of rotation (19) that is perpendicular to the vehicle's longitudinal axis. It is designed as a bracket that is open on the side facing away from the axis of rotation (19) and accommodates the rear wheel (18).

The front wheel (11) is located at the front end of the frame (IJ The rear swing arm (2) can be locked at different angles relative to the frame using an adjustment mechanism. The adjustment mechanism consists of:

a chain wheel segment (20) attached to the rear wheel swing arm (2), which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation (19) and which has, for example, a circular outer contour, the center of the circle being located on the axis of rotation (19); a chain (21) which rolls on the chain wheel segment (20) and is attached there with its end lying on the chain wheel segment;

a G-'Timif spring element (22) which is attached to the other end of the chain (2t) and can be attached to the frame (2) via a bolt in various holes (23), the holes (23) having different distances from the axis of rotation (19) of the rear wheel swing arm (2) in the direction of the vehicle's longitudinal axis.

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Norbert Nattefort
Bicycle

Due to the different fastening positions (23) of the spring element (22), the angle of rest of the rear wheel (2) to the frame (1) changes, so that the frame (1) takes on different inclinations to the connecting line (35) of the wheel contact points, the seat (3) takes on different heights and the wheel distance from the front wheel to the rear wheel changes. The front wheel (11) is mounted in a front wheel fork (27). This in turn is mounted so as to be rotatable about the steering axis (34) in a hollow spherical cap (5) made of fiber-reinforced plastic in a sandwich construction. The ball cap is mounted on bearing blocks (30) and bolts (29) so that it can rotate around a horizontal axis (32) that is perpendicular to the vehicle's longitudinal axis and passes through the ball center in a bracket (29) that is firmly connected to the frame (1) and has a circular outline. In order not to change the geometry of the front wheel suspension, when the position of the rear swing arm (2) changes relative to the frame (d), the ball cap (5) with the front wheel fork and front wheel is rotated around the axis (32) so that the steering axis (34) always assumes the same angle to the connecting line of the wheel contact points (35).

The rotation of the ball cap (5) is coupled to the rotation of the rear swing arm (2) via two rods (24, 26) and a bell crank (25). The rods and bell crank are located in the box-shaped frame (1). The bell crank (25) is mounted on the frame (1) so that it can rotate. The front rod (26) is articulated at a distance "c" from the axis of rotation (32) on the ball cap (S) and at a distance "a" from the axis of rotation (19) on the bell crank (25). The rear rod (24) is articulated on the bell crank (25) and at a distance "a" from the axis of rotation (19) on the rear swing arm (2).

Two spherical shells (6) with flat sides are to be attached to the front wheel fork (27) below the spherical cap (5) in such a way that they form a complete sphere with flat sides at 45° below with the spherical cap (5), which only leaves a slot for the front wheel.

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Norbert Nattefort
Bicycle

The front light part (O) is integrated into one of the ball parts (6).

A Plexiglas hood (4) with a circular cross-section is attached to the spherical cap (5). This allows good airflow to the vehicle body and thus good aerodynamics. The Plexiglas hood is split in the middle across the vehicle's longitudinal axis, creating two identical hood sections. The rear hood section either complements the front section to form a long weather protection hood or is placed on top of the front section, creating a vehicle that is open in the seating area.

The seat shell (3> consists of a frame made of fiber-reinforced plastic in a sandwich construction that runs around the sides, top and bottom, and has a stretched net (9) as a backrest and a padded seat (12). The side parts of the seat shell act as protection in the event of a side impact or if the vehicle tips over.

Norbert Nattefort
Bicycle

The steering device consists of an almost horizontal steering lever ( 13) with an almost vertical handle (31 ) to the right and left of the driver, which are mounted on the seat shell (3) via bearings on a horizontal pivot axis (14) located transversely to the vehicle's longitudinal axis.

reversing levers (15) which are attached to the same bearing shaft as the steering levers (13), as well as

Transmission rods (16) to the front wheel fork (27). The transmission rods (16) are hinged to the steering lever (15) and hinged to the front wheel fork (27). The bearing points on the front wheel fork are at the same distance "x" to the right and left of the steering axis (34). As an alternative to the configuration described, the rods (16) can be attached to an intermediate lever (17) that is pivotally mounted on the frame (1) instead of directly to the front wheel fork, from which the movement is transferred to the front wheel fork via another rod (33) that is hinged to the intermediate lever (17) and the front wheel fork (27). In both cases, when the right steering lever is pressed down, the left steering lever is pushed up and the vehicle steers to the right, and vice versa.

Claims (17)

Norbert Nattefort Bicycle Protection Claims: 1. Bicycle with a framed) to which the steerable front wheel (H) is attached at the front and a seat (3) with a backrest inclined backwardslö) is attached at the rear, characterized in that a rear wheel swing arm (2) is mounted on the rear wheel (18) so as to be able to pivot about a horizontal axis (13) located transversely to the vehicle's axle (13: mounted on the suspension (1) so as to be rotatable and lockable at different angles relative to the frame), so that different wheel positions and different seat heights can be adjusted. 2. Bicycle to An&jruch 1, characterized in that the axis of rotation (19) of the intermediate wheel swing arm (2) is located in the area under the seat (.l), 3. Bicycle according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the axis of the rear wheel (18) assumes positions relative to the connecting line of the wheel contact points (35) between approximately vertically below the rotational axis (19) of the rear wheel swing arm (2) and diagonally above and behind the rotational axis (19), depending on the locking position of the rear wheel swing arm (2). 4. Bicycle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rear swing arm (2) is locked to the frame (1) by means of a chain (21) which is attached to the rear swing arm (2) at a distance "a" (see Figure 4) below the axis of rotation (19) and can be attached to the frame (1) by bolts in different holes (23), the holes (23) having in the direction of the vehicle's longitudinal axis a projection to the axis (19) of the rear swing arm (2). Norbert Nattefort
Bicycle 5. Bicycle according to claim 4, characterized in that at the end of the chain (21), which is fastened closely to the rear wheel swing arm (2), a spring element (22) is connected, which can be fastened by bolts in the various holes (23) on the frame (2). 6. Bicycle according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that a chain wheel segment (20) having a circular outer contour with radius "a" is attached to the rear wheel swing arm (2) in such a way that the center of the circle lies on the axis of rotation (19) of the rear wheel swing arm (2) and the chain wheel segment (20) is perpendicular to the axis of rotation (19), with the chain (21) rolling over the chain wheel segment. 7. Bicycle according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the end of the chain (21) which lies on the sprocket segment (20) is firmly connected to the sprocket segment. 8. Bicycle according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the center of the circular outer contour of the chain wheel segment (20) does not lie on the axis of rotation (19) of the rear wheel swing arm (2). 9. Bicycle according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the sprocket segment (20) has an outer diameter other than circular. · · ■ Norbert Nattefort
Bicycle 10. Bicycle according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the front wheel (11) is mounted in a front wheel fork (1{27) which is mounted so as to be rotatable about the steering axis (34) on an intermediate part (5) which is mounted on the frame (1) so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis (32) located transversely to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. 11. Bicycle according to claim 10, characterized in that the intermediate part (5) is designed as a hollow spherical cap. 12. Bicycle according to claim 11, characterized in that the ball cap (5) is mounted via two bearing blocks (30) with two bolts (28) so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis (32) located transversely to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and passing through the center of the ball on a bracket with a circular outline (29) which is firmly connected to the frame. 13. Bicycle according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that a rod (26) is articulated on the front wheel fork (27) at a distance "c" from the axis of rotation (32) of the intermediate part (5) and the rod (26) transmits its movement to a further rod (24) via a deflection lever (25) rotatably mounted on the frame (1), which is articulated on the rear wheel swing arm (2) at a distance "b" from the axis of rotation (19), so that when the rear wheel swing arm (2) rotates about the axis (19), the front wheel fork (17) and the intermediate part (5) are rotated about the axis (32). 14. Bicycle according to claim 13, characterized in that the rods (24) and (26) are combined to form one rod and the reversing lever (25) is omitted. ,· ■ ■ äch'ut.za'rf Visits - 4 - Norbert Nattefort Fairbike 15. Bicycle according to one of claims 13 or 14, characterized in that the bearing points of the rods (24) and (26), or the bearing points of the rod replacing these two rods on the front wheel fork (27) (distance "c" from the axis of rotation (32)) on the one hand and on the rear wheel swing arm (2) (distance "b" from the axis of rotation (&iacgr;9)) on the other hand, are selected such that when the rear wheel swing arm (2) is rotated on the axis (19) relative to the frame (1), the angle of the steering axis (34) to the connecting line (35) of the wheel contact points does not change. 16. Bicycle according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that two hollow spherical parts with lateral flattening (6) can be fastened to the front wheel fork (27) in such a way that they form with the spherical cap (5) a sphere with two lateral flattenings at the bottom at 45° to the horizontal, which leaves only one slot free for the front wheel. 17. Bicycle according to one of claims 6, 8 or 9, characterized in that instead of a sprocket segment, a complete sprocket with the described outer contours and the described positions of the central axis is used.