Combination of bicycle frame and battery

BACKGROUNG OF THE INVENTION

(1) FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a bicycle frame and a battery for driving the bicycle is received in the top tube or seat tube of the bicycle frame.

(2) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

A conventional electric bicycle generally includes a rack connected with the axle of the rear wheel and the seat stays, and a battery is supported on the rack so as to provide electric power to drive the bicycle. Some bicycle manufacturers set the rack on a side of the frame. The battery and the rack obviously make the outer appearance of the bicycle frame to be awkward.

The present invention intends to provide a bicycle frame which has a rectangular top tube or seat post and the battery is received in the top tube or the seat post. The top surface of the battery is in flush with the outer surface of the top tube or the seat post.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a combination of a battery and a bicycle frame, wherein the bicycle frame includes a head tube, a top tube and a down tube extending from the head tube, a seat tube connected to the top tube and the down tube, and two seat stays and two chain stays connected to the seat tube. One of the top tube, the down tube and the seat tube has a recess defined therein. A power supply unit includes an engaging frame engaged with the recess and a battery is removably engaged with a main space defined in the engaging frame. The engaging frame includes a chamber defined in an end thereof and a control box is received in the chamber. The battery is electrically connected with the control box.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a battery-powered bicycle frame with a recess defined in one of the top tube, the down tube and the seat tube, and the power supply unit including a battery is engaged with the recess.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

<u style="single">BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS</u>

<ul id="ul0001" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li><figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> is an exploded view to show the bicycle frame and the power supply unit of the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0002">Fig. 2</figref> is a perspective view to show that the power supply unit is installed in the top tube of the bicycle frame of the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3</figref> is a side view to show that the power supply unit is installed in the top tube of the bicycle frame of the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0004">Fig. 3A</figref> is a cross sectional view along line A-A in <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3</figref>;</li><li><figref idref="f0004">Fig. 3B</figref> is a cross sectional view along line B-B in <figref idref="f0003">Fig. 3</figref>;</li><li><figref idref="f0005">Fig. 4</figref> is a perspective view to show that the power supply unit is installed in the seat tube of the bicycle frame of the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0006">Fig. 5</figref> is a side view to show that the power supply unit is installed in the seat tube of the bicycle frame of the present invention, and</li><li><figref idref="f0006">Fig. 6</figref> is a cross sectional view along line C-C in <figref idref="f0006">Fig. 5</figref>.</li></ul>

<u style="single">DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS</u>

Referring to <figref idref="f0001 f0002 f0003 f0004">Figs. 1 to 3</figref>, the batter-powered bicycle frame 1 of the present invention comprises a head tube, a top tube 2 and a down tube extending from the head tube, a seat tube 3 connected to the top tube 2 and the down tube, and two seat stays and two chain stays connected to the seat tube 3. The top tube 2 has a recess 21 defined therein and the recess 21 is defined by two sidewalls and each sidewall includes a low-cut top edge so as to form two inclined upward edges 22 on two ends thereof.

A power supply unit 4 includes an engaging frame 41 engaged with the recess 21 and a battery 42 is removably engaged with a main space 4123 defined in the engaging frame 41. The engaging frame 41 includes two sidewalls 411 between which the main space 4123 is defined, and an end plate 4122 and an U-shaped portion 412 respectively extend from two ends of the engaging frame 41. Each of the end plate 4122 and the U-shaped portion 412 includes an inclined lower edge which is matched with and supported by the inclined upward edge 22 of the sidewall defining the recess 21. A separation board "A" is connected between the two sidewalls 411 of the engaging frame 41 so as to define a chamber 4124 between the two sidewalls 411 and the U-shaped portion 412 in the engaging frame 41. A control box 40 is received in the chamber 4124 and electrically connected with the battery 42. An ON/OFF switch "C" is installed on a top surface 4121 of the U-shaped portion 412. A battery cap 421 is mounted on a top of the battery 42 and two sides of the battery cap 421 protrude from two sides of the battery 42. Two sides of the battery cap 421 have two respective inclined lower edge 422 which are respectively matched with and supported on an inclined end 4125 formed at an end of the U-shaped portion 412 and an inclined surface of the end plate 4122, such that a top surface of the battery cap 421 is in flush with a top surface of the U-shaped portion 412 and the top surface of the top tube 2. A release button "D" is installed on one of the two sides of the U-shaped portion 412 so as to release the battery from the main space 4123 conveniently. The top surface of the battery cap 421 includes an indication bulb "F" to show status of operation of the battery 42 and a groove "G" is defined in each of two sides of the battery cap 421 so that the user can easily grab the battery 42 when replacing the battery 42.

As shown in <figref idref="f0004">Figs. 3A and 3B</figref>, a ridge "B" extends upward from an inner end of the recess 21 so as to define gaps "E" between the ridge "B", the inner end of the recess 21 and a bottom of the battery 42. Wires connected between the control box 40 and the battery 42 may extend through the gaps "E".

The battery 42 can be easily installed and removed from the top tube 2 of the bicycle frame 1 and the whole assembly has a smooth linear appearance which makes the bicycle frame 1 to meet requirements from esthetic point of view.

<figref idref="f0005 f0006">Figs. 4 to 6</figref> show that the power supply unit 4 can be engaged with the recess defined in the seat tube 3 and the ridge "B" extends from the underside of the power supply unit 4, and the ridge "B" contacts the inner end of the recess to define gaps "E" as well to allow the wires to go through the gaps "E".

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.