US 5,226,341 AGranted

Handlebar kit using bicycle U-lock

OwnerWade D. Shoresinventor

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A second set of handlebars in the nature of Aero handlebars is provided on a bicycle using a bicycle U-lock of the type often used to lock the bicycle as the second set of handlebars. The U-lock has a lock body with spaced apart legs. A bracket assembly releasably clamps the U-lock to the normal transverse, first set of handlebars such that the legs of the lock body extend forwardly from the first set of handlebars similarly to a set of Aero handlebars. The U-lock and bracket assembly can be sold together as a complete kit, or the bracket assembly can be sold separately as a kit for use with a U-lock already owned by the bicycle user.

Claims15

Dependent claims

Apparatus for providing a second set of handlebars on a bicycle in addition to a first, generally transverse set of handlebars normally provided on the bicycle, wherein the first set of handlebars includes a transverse, horizontal tube, the second set of handlebars being formed by a U-lock of the type used to secure the bicycle to an object, wherein the U-lock comprises a generally U-shaped lock body having spaced apart, elongated legs connected together at one end and being open at the other end, and a locking member releasably secured across the open ends of the legs, wherein the locking member can be selectively removed from the legs to open the lock to install the lock body on the bicycle and can be selectively locked in place across the open ends of the legs after the lock body has been installed around a portion of the bicycle to lock the bicycle in place, wherein the apparatus comprises:

means for releasably securing the U-lock on the bicycle in a storage position while allowing the U-lock to be removed from the storage position when it is desired to use the U-lock to lock the bicycle, wherein the securing means includes means for mounting the lock body of the U-lock to the bicycle beneath the horizontal tube of the first set of handlebars such that the lock body in the storage position of the U-lock extends forwardly from the first set of handlebars to allow the lock body to itself form the second set of handlebars, and wherein the mounting means is configured to position the locking member of the U-lock proximate to and beneath a portion of the first set of handlebars such that downward force applied by the rider to the lock body when the lock body is being used as the second set of handlebars and the locking member is in place on the lock body will cause an upward movement of the locking member into an abutting engagement with said portion of the first set of handlebars should the lock body become loose in the mounting means, whereby such abutting engagement will prevent further movement of the U-lock relative to the mounting means.

A kit for providing a second set of forwardly extended handlebars on a bicycle, the second set of handlebars when installed being in addition to a first, generally transverse set of handlebars normally provided on the bicycle, wherein the first set of handlebars comprises a rotatable handlebar stem having a forwardly extending clamp that grips a horizontal, transversely extending, handlebar tube portion, which comprises:

(a) a U-lock having means to secure the bicycle to an object, wherein the U-lock comprises:
(i) a generally U-shaped lock body having spaced apart, elongated legs connected together at one end and being open at the other end;
and
(ii) a locking member releasably secured across the open ends of the legs, wherein the locking member can be selectively removed from the legs to open the lock to install the lock body on the bicycle and can be selectively locked in placed across the open ends of the legs after the lock body has been installed around a portion of the bicycle to lock the bicycle in place;
and
(b) bracket means attached to the bicycle for mounting the U-lock on the bicycle beneath the horizontal tube portion of the first set of handlebars in a storage position in which the legs of the lock body extend forwardly from and in advance of the horizontal tube portion of the first set of handlebars with the one end of the lock body being spaced in front of the horizontal tube portion of the first set of handlebars and in which the locking member when attached to the legs of the U-lock is located rearwardly of the horizontal tube portion to underlie the clamp on the handlebar stem, whereby the lock body of the U-lock itself forms the second set of handlebars and possible downward movement of the U-lock within the bracket means caused by downward force of the rider on the legs of the U-lock will be prevented by engagement of the locking member against the clamp on the handlebar stem.

3 more elements

A bracket assembly which may be secured to a first, generally transverse set of handlebars of the type normally provided on a bicycle for mounting a U-lock to the first set of handlebars such that the U-lock extends forwardly from the first set of handlebars generally perpendicularly thereto, wherein the U-lock is of the type having two spaced apart, elongated legs connected together at one end and being open at the other end with a locking member releasably secured across the open ends of the legs, wherein the bracket assembly comprises:

left and right brackets each of which carries one of the legs of the U-lock, wherein each bracket comprises a fixed bracket member fixedly secured to a horizontal tube portion of the first set of handlebars and a second bracket member which is moveable towards and away from the fixed bracket member, the moveable bracket member and the fixed bracket member forming a longitudinally extending clamping aperture therebetween which clamping aperture is generally perpendicular to the horizontal tube portion of the first set of handlebars and is sized to receive one of the legs of the U-lock therein, and further including selectively operable means for clamping the moveable bracket member of each bracket against the fixed bracket member of the bracket to firmly clamp the legs of the U-lock in the clamping aperture formed between the fixed and moveable bracket members to fixedly mount the U-lock in place, the clamping means being releasable to at least partially separate the first and second bracket members from one another to allow the legs of the U-lock to be released from the brackets and the U-lock removed, wherein the left and right brackets are configured to clamp only the legs of the U-lock with the locking member of the U-lock not being contacted by the brackets when the legs of the U-lock are received in the brackets, and wherein the brackets are further configured to position the locking member of the U-lock proximate to and beneath a portion of the first set of handlebars such that downward force applied to the legs of the U-lock when such U-lock is received in the brackets will cause an upward movement of the locking member into an abutting engagement with said portion of the first set of handlebars should the brackets have a loose fit with the legs of the U-lock, whereby such abutting engagement will prevent further movement of the U-lock relative to the brackets.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

means for releasably securing the U-lock on the bicycle in a storage position while allowing the U-lock to be removed from the storage position when it is desired to use the U-lock to lock the bicycle, wherein the securing means includes means for mounting the lock body of the U-lock to the bicycle beneath the horizontal tube of the first set of handlebars such that the lock body in the storage position of the U-lock extends forwardly from the first set of handlebars to allow the lock body to itself form the second set of handlebars, and wherein the mounting means is configured to position the locking member of the U-lock proximate to and beneath a portion of the first set of handlebars such that downward force applied by the rider to the lock body when the lock body is being used as the second set of handlebars and the locking member is in place on the lock body will cause an upward movement of the locking member into an abutting engagement with said portion of the first set of handlebars should the lock body become loose in the mounting means, whereby such abutting engagement will prevent further movement of the U-lock relative to the mounting means.