ELECTRIC BICYCLE FRAME
An electric bicycle frame includes a seat tube, a down tube, a top tube, a battery box, and a battery body. The seat tube includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The down tube includes a first end and a second end. The second end is connected to the lower portion. The top tube includes a third end, an expanding tube, and a fourth end. The fourth end is connected to the upper portion. The expanding tube is between the third end and fourth end. The expanding tube includes a tube diameter varying portion and a top opening. The tube diameter varying portion includes continuously varying cross-sections. The battery box is assembled inside the top opening of the expanding tube. The battery body is received in the battery box.
This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No. 104215767 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on Oct, 1, 2015, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUNDTechnical Field
The instant disclosure relates to a bicycle frame and, more particularly, to an electric bicycle frame.
Related Art
The main structure of a bicycle includes a frame, a driving system, a front wheel, and a rear wheel. Power supply of the driving system of a conventional bicycle purely depends on man. In other words, a rider has to tread pedals to drive the rear wheel to rotate via gear wheels and a chain in order to have the bicycle moved. The frame can be analogous to the skeleton of a human body. Varied components are affixed to the frame to complete a bicycle. In the realm of conventional bicycles, the design of frames emphasizes mechanical strengths and properties.
A kind of electric bicycles is commercially available, which allows a rider who rides the electric bicycle to save more labor. The electric bicycles can not only be driven by treading pedals but also be selectively driven by motors. For example, a rider may easily get tired and even exhausts physical strength such that he cannot keep riding anymore when climbing by the conventional bicycle. If a rider climbs by riding an electric bicycle, it is helpful that the motor outputs auxiliary power for driving the bicycle to assist the rider in climbing. As a result, electric bicycle riders not only save time and labor but also have fun in terms of riding a bike.
The electric bicycle, as the name implies, is required electric power to drive the motor. The main issue regarding the design of the electric bicycle is the power source. The electric bicycles at present adopt batteries as the power source. The battery is installed on the frame. The common design is to increase the tube diameter of the down tube or the seat tube of the frame of the electric bicycle so that the battery can be installed in the down tube or the seat tube. The down tube or the seat tube utilized for receiving the battery is usually made in a manner of aluminum extrusion. An aluminum extrusion tube has continuously identical cross-sections; therefore, the appearance of the tube is dull and is hard to satisfy the aesthetic criteria. The configuration of the battery installing in the down tube or the seat tube is unfavorable to the rider since he has to put the battery in or take the battery out of the down tube or the seat tube. Thus, the installation and detachment of the battery is inconvenient. In addition, the design of the battery has another issue regarding waterproof performance since the electric bicycle is for outdoor use.
SUMMARYTo address the above issue, the instant disclosure provides an electric bicycle frame, which satisfies the aesthetic criteria in terms of the appearance, facilitates the installation and detachment of a battery, and improves waterproof performance.
According to an embodiment of the instant disclosure, an electric bicycle frame comprises a seat tube, a down tube, a top tube, a battery box, and a battery body. The seat tube comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. The down tube comprises a first end and a second end. The second end is connected to the lower portion of the seat tube. The top tube comprises a third end, an expanding tube, and a fourth end. The fourth end is connected to the upper portion of the seat tube. The expanding tube is between the third end and the fourth end. The expanding tube at least comprises a tube diameter varying portion and a top opening. The tube diameter varying portion comprises continuously varying cross-sections. The battery box is assembled inside the top opening of the expanding tube. The battery box comprises a surrounding lateral wall and a first connector. The first connector is disposed on the surrounding lateral wall. The battery body is detachably received in the battery box. The battery body comprises a second connector.
The second connector correspondingly mates with the first connector to form an electrical connection therebetween.
Wherein, the first connector comprises a waterproof component. The battery body comprises a pressing surface. The second connector is disposed on the pressing surface. The pressing surface is correspondingly against the waterproof component. Moreover, the battery box further comprises a first guiding structure. The first guiding structure is disposed on the surrounding lateral wall of the battery box and is away from the first connector. The battery body further comprises a second guiding structure. The first guiding structure correspondingly mates the second guiding structure.
Concisely, the instant disclosure provides embodiments of the electric bicycle frame. At least a part of the top tube of the electric bicycle has continuously varying cross-sections. Comparing with a tube having continuously identical cross-sections, the appearance of the top tube of the electric bicycle frame of the embodiments of the instant disclosure satisfies the aesthetic criteria better. Moreover, the top tube has the battery box disposed therein, and the battery box is utilized for receiving the battery body. The top tube is closer to the rider than the seat tube and the down tube do. And there are guiding structures which are disposed between the battery body and the battery box, and are capable of mating with each other; therefore, the installation and detachment of the battery body can be more convenient. In addition, there are waterproof structures which are disposed between the first connector and the second connector, and are capable of mating with each other and providing better waterproof performance
The features of the instant disclosure will no doubt become understandable to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
Referring to
The expanding tube 310 at least comprises a tube diameter varying portion 311 and a top opening 312. The battery box 400 is assembled inside the top opening 312 of the expanding tube 310, meaning that the battery box 400 can be put in the expanding tube 310 through the top opening 312 and can be then fastened in the expanding tube 310. The battery body 500 is detachably received in the battery box 400. In other words, the battery body 500 can be installed in the battery box 400 and can be detached from the battery box 400 in order to be replaced or charged. The battery body 500 can be electrically connected to a motor of the bicycle driving system when the battery body 500 is properly installed in the battery box 400. The motor can be assembled between the protective cover 630 and the rear stay 620. The battery body 500 can output electric power to the motor in order to have the motor operated to drive gear wheels to rotate. The power of an electric bicycle adopting the electric bicycle frame 10 is selectively from man, i.e., a rider treads the pedals of the electric bicycle to drive gear wheels and wheels to rotate, or is selectively from electric power, i.e., the battery body 500 supplies electric power to the motor to drive gear wheels and wheels to rotate.
Referring to
As shown in
In some embodiments, as shown in
In the embodiment, the top tube 300 is made by hydroforming process, and the material of the top tube 300 is aluminum. In other words, the top tube 300 is a hydroforming aluminum tube. Moreover, the top tube 300 can form continuously varying cross-sections base on the technique of the hydroforming process; therefore, the top tube 300 can be highly variable with respect to its appearance, and can satisfy strict aesthetic criteria. In other embodiments, the expanding tube 310 can be made by expanding process or be made by other analogously processes capable of forming continuously varying cross-sections of a tube.
Referring
In another embodiment, there can be another tube diameter varying portion (not shown) added in front of the straight portion 315 by the tube-reducing process and connected to the third end 303. The tube diameter of the added tube diameter varying portion can gradually decreases along a direction from the straight portion 315 toward the third end 303. The top tube 300 with the added tube diameter varying portion between the third end 303 and the straight portion 315 can contribute a continuously varying shape and a low wind drag configuration.
Referring to
In the embodiment, the battery box 400 further comprises a bottom surface 402 and an inner draining hole 420. The inner draining hole 420 is disposed on the bottom surface 402. The outer draining hole 320 and the inner draining hole 420 are in positional correspondence. If liquid, e.g., rain water, flows into the battery box 400, the liquid can then flow out via the inner draining hole 420 and the outer draining hole 320 to prevent from ponding in the top tube 300.
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In some embodiments, as shown in
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While the instant disclosure has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the instant disclosure needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. For anyone skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements within the spirit of the instant disclosure are covered under the scope of the instant disclosure. The covered scope of the instant disclosure is based on the appended claims.
Claims
1. An electric bicycle frame, comprising:
- a seat tube comprising an upper portion and a lower portion;
- a down tube comprising a first end and a second end, the second end being connected to the lower portion of the seat tube;
- a top tube comprising a third end, an expanding tube, and a fourth end, the fourth end being connected to the upper portion of the seat tube, the expanding tube being between the third end and the fourth end, the expanding tube at least comprising a tube diameter varying portion and a top opening, the tube diameter varying portion comprising continuously varying cross-sections, both of a width and a height of the continuously varying cross-sections gradually increasing along a longitudinal axis of the top tube;
- a battery box assembled inside the top opening of the expanding tube, the battery box comprising a surrounding lateral wall and a first connector, the first connector being disposed on the surrounding lateral wall; and
- a battery body detachably received in the battery box, the battery body comprising a second connector, the second connector correspondingly mating with the first connector.
2. The electric bicycle frame of claim 1, wherein the top tube is a hydroforming aluminum tube.
3. The electric bicycle frame of claim 1, wherein the first connector comprises a waterproof component, the battery body comprises a pressing surface, the second connector is disposed on the pressing surface, and the pressing surface is correspondingly against the waterproof component.
4-6. (canceled)
7. The electric bicycle frame of claim 1, wherein the battery box further comprises a first guiding structure, the first guiding structure is disposed on the surrounding lateral wall of the battery box and is away from the first connector, the battery body further comprises a second guiding structure, and the first guiding structure correspondingly mates the second guiding structure.
8. The electric bicycle frame of claim 1, wherein the battery box further comprises a bottom surface and an inner draining hole, and the inner draining hole is disposed on the bottom surface.
9. (canceled)
10. The electric bicycle frame of claim 1, wherein the battery body further comprises a grabbing portion, the grabbing portion comprises two recesses, and the two recesses are located at an end of the battery body and are opposite to each other.
11. The electric bicycle frame of claim 1, wherein the battery body further comprises a grabbing portion, the grabbing portion comprises a handle, and the handle is connected to an end of the battery body.
12. The electric bicycle frame of claim 1, wherein the top tube further comprises a top cover, and the top cover correspondingly covers the top opening.
13. The electric bicycle frame of claim 1, wherein the top tube further comprises a locking portion, the locking portion comprises a latch member, the battery box further comprises a through hole, the battery body further comprises an engaging hole, the engaging hole is aligned with the through hole, and the latch member selectively passes through the through hole and is correspondingly inserted in the engaging hole, or selectively retreats from the through hole and the engaging hole.
14. An electric bicycle frame, comprising:
- a seat tube comprising an upper portion and a lower portion;
- a down tube comprising a first end and a second end, the second end being connected to the lower portion of the seat tube;
- a top tube comprising a third end, an expanding tube, and a fourth end, the fourth end being connected to the upper portion of the seat tube, the expanding tube being between the third end and the fourth end, the expanding tube at least comprising a tube diameter varying portion and a top opening, the tube diameter varying portion comprising continuously varying cross-sections, both of a width and a height of the continuously varying cross-sections gradually increasing along a longitudinal axis of the top tube;
- a battery box assembled inside the top opening of the expanding tube, the battery box comprising a surrounding lateral wall and a first connector, the first connector being disposed on the surrounding lateral wall; and
- a battery body detachably received in the battery box, the battery body comprising a second connector, the second connector correspondingly mating with the first connector,
- wherein the first connector comprises a waterproof component, the battery body comprises a pressing surface, the second connector is disposed on the pressing surface, and the pressing surface is correspondingly against the waterproof component,
- wherein the waterproof component comprises a pressing plate and a guiding block, the guiding block protrudes from the pressing plate, a guiding slot is recessed from the pressing surface, and the guiding slot is capable of guiding the guiding block to slide so as to have the pressing surface be correspondingly against the pressing plate and have the second connector correspondingly mate with the first connector.
15. The electric bicycle frame of claim 14, wherein the first connector further comprises a plurality of pins, the pins respectively protrude from the pressing plate and are located at a side of the guiding block, the second connector comprises a plurality of slots, the slots are respectively recessed from the guiding slot, and the pins are correspondingly inserted into the slots.
16. The electric bicycle frame of claim 15, wherein the waterproof component further comprises a plurality of L-shaped troughs, each of the L-shaped troughs is disposed between each of the two adjacent pins, the second connector further comprises a plurality of separating plates, each of the separating plates is disposed between each of the two adjacent slots, and the separating plates are respectively correspondingly embedded in the L-shaped troughs.
17. The electric bicycle frame of claim 14, wherein the battery box further comprises a first guiding structure, the first guiding structure is disposed on the surrounding lateral wall of the battery box and is away from the first connector, the battery body further comprises a second guiding structure, and the first guiding structure correspondingly mates the second guiding structure.
18. The electric bicycle frame of claim 14, wherein the top tube further comprises a top cover, and the top cover correspondingly covers the top opening.
19. The electric bicycle frame of claim 14, wherein the top tube further comprises a locking portion, the locking portion comprises a latch member, the battery box further comprises a through hole, the battery body further comprises an engaging hole, the engaging hole is aligned with the through hole, and the latch member selectively passes through the through hole and is correspondingly inserted in the engaging hole, or selectively retreats from the through hole and the engaging hole.
20. An electric bicycle frame, comprising:
- a seat tube comprising an upper portion and a lower portion;
- a down tube comprising a first end and a second end, the second end being connected to the lower portion of the seat tube;
- a top tube comprising a third end, an expanding tube, and a fourth end, the fourth end being connected to the upper portion of the seat tube, the expanding tube being between the third end and the fourth end, the expanding tube at least comprising a tube diameter varying portion and a top opening, the tube diameter varying portion comprising continuously varying cross-sections, both of a width and a height of the continuously varying cross-sections gradually increasing along a longitudinal axis of the top tube;
- a battery box assembled inside the top opening of the expanding tube, the battery box comprising a surrounding lateral wall and a first connector, the first connector being disposed on the surrounding lateral wall; and
- a battery body detachably received in the battery box, the battery body comprising a second connector, the second connector correspondingly mating with the first connector,
- wherein the battery box further comprises a bottom surface and an inner draining hole, and the inner draining hole is disposed on the bottom surface,
- wherein the battery body further comprises a positioning component, and the positioning component is correspondingly inserted in the inner draining hole.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 10, 2015
Publication Date: Apr 6, 2017
Inventors: Yu-Chi Yu (New Taipei City), SHU-SIOU YE (New Taipei City)
Application Number: 14/936,838