WO2006083143A1

WO2006083143A1 - Bicycle having combine handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2006083143A1
Application number: PCT/KR2006/000428
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hyun-Soo Kim
Original assignee: Hyun-Soo Kim
Priority date: 2005-02-07
Filing date: 2006-02-06
Publication date: 2006-08-10
Also published as: KR100580565B1

Abstract

A bicycle having a combined handling apparatus, capable of more easily performing a speed change, is provided. The bicycle includes: a frame; at least one wheel inst ailed on the frame so as to be freely rotatable; a pedal connected to the wheel via a chain so that a user can turn the wheel by foot; a pedal-side transmission; a wheel-side transmission; and a combined handling apparatus installed between the wheel-side handling apparatus and the pedal-side handling apparatus and interlocking the pedal-side handling apparatus with the wheel-side handling apparatus according to the manipulation of a user so that proper selections of pedal-side sprocket wheels and wheel-side sprock et wheels are possible to generate stage combinations usually used. The pedal-side transmission includes: a plurality of pedal-side sprocket wheels formed in stages on the side of the pedal; a pedal-side chain guide selecting one of the pedal-side sprocket wheels onto which the chain is to be fastened; and a pedal-side handling apparatus handling the pedal-side chain guide. The wheel-side transmission includes: a plurality of wheel-side sprocket wheels formed in stages on the side of the wheel; a wheel-side chain guid e selecting one of the wheel-side sprocket wheels onto which the chain is to be fastened; and a wheel-side handling apparatus handling the wheel-side chain guide. Accordingly, the bicycle having the combined handling apparatus can produce all possible speed-changing stage combinations and also conveniently and rapidly perform a speed-changing operation by producing only speed-changing stage combinations that are usually used in normal situations. Therefore, the characteristics of a gear manipulation during an operation of the bicycle improve. In addition, even beginners can simply execute a speed-changing operation. Therefore, the bicycle is highly functional and has high quality.

Description

BICYCLE HAVING COMBINE HANDLING APPARATUS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a bicycle having a combined handling apparatus , and more particularly, to a bicycle having a combined handling apparatus that facilitate s a proper speed change depending on a traveling state.

BACKGROUND ART

To make a conventional bicycle 1 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a handle shaft 3 is installed on a frame 2, and a front wheel 4 and a back wheel 5 are rotatably installed o n the frame 2. A pedal 6 is connected to the back wheel 5 via a chain 7 so that a user can turn the back wheel 5 by foot. A pedal-side transmission 8 and a wheel-side trans mission 9 are further included in the resultant assembly, thereby making the convention al bicycle 1.

The pedal-side transmission 8 includes a plurality of pedal-side sprocket wheels 10 formed in multiple stages on the side of the pedal 6, a pedal-side chain guide 11 sel ecting a pedal-side sprocket wheel 10 to which the chain 7 is to be fastened, and a ped al-side handling device 12 handling the pedal-side chain guide 11.

Moreover, the wheel-side transmission 9 includes a plurality of wheel-side sprock et wheels 13 formed in multiple stages on the side of the back wheel 5, a wheel-side ch ain guide 14 selecting a wheel-side sprocket wheel 13 to which the chain 7 is to be fast ened, and a wheel-side handling device 15 handling the wheel-side chain guide 14. Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a user controls the tension of a pedal-si de cable 19 connected to the pedal-side chain guide 11 and the tension of a wheel-side cable 20 connected to the wheel-side chain guide 14 by rotating a pedal-side control h andle 17 and a wheel-side control handle 18 which are installed on a fastener 16 and ro tate. Hence, as shown in FIG. 3, one of the pedal-side sprocket wheels 10 formed in multiple stages can be connected to one of the wheel-side sprocket wheels 13 formed i n multiple stages by the chain 7.

In particular, as shown in FIG. 3, when three pedal-side sprocket wheels A1 , A2, and A3 are formed in 3 stages and seven wheel-side sprocket wheels B1 , B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, and B7 are formed in 7 stages, the total number of possible wheel combination s (i.e., the number of shift stages) is 21 (= 3^χ7), namely, A1-B1 , A1-B2, A1-B3, A1-B4, A1-B5, A1-B6, A1-B7, A2-B1 , A2-B2, A2-B3, A2-B4, A2-B5, A2-B6, A2-B7, A3-B1 , A3- B2, A3-B3, A3-B4, A3-B5, A3-B6, and A3-B7. In practice, bicycle users do not use all of the 21 shift stages (i.e., 21 gear combi nations), and the number of shift stages actually used by users is no more than 11 , whi ch are A1-B1 , A1-B2, A2-B1 , A2-B2, A2-B3, A2-B4, A3-B1 , A3-B2, A3-B5, A3-B6, and A3-B7. The shift stages usually used by bicycle users among the 11 shift stages are o nly about 5 to 7 (for example, a departure operation, a normal driving operation, a high/I ow slope driving operation, a medium-speed/high-speed driving operation, etc.).

Accordingly, the conventional bicycle 1 provides an excessive number of shift sta ges greater than the number of shift stages usually used, so that a simple selection of a shift stage for a certain driving operation and a simple manipulation resulting from the simple selection are not possible. Thus, a selection of a suitable combination during v ariable speed change operations is burdensome to users, it takes long to make a suitab Ie selection, and handling of the bicycle 1 is very difficult.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 4, users of the conventional bicycle 1 should separat ely manipulate the pedal-side control handle 17 and the wheel-side control handle 18 u sing both hands at different timings during speed changes because a simultaneous spe ed change makes the chain 7 deviate from its route. Hence, the manipulation is very tr oublesome.

In the meantime, manufacturers of such conventional bicycles intensely compete with each other to make the bicycles highly functional and highly ranked by only increa sing the number of speed-changing stages. However, as the number of speed-changi ng stages increases, handling and use of the increased speed-changing stage become more troublesome. Thus, the increase of the number of speed-changing stages rather hinders the enhancement of such conventional bicycles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional bicycle.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a pedal-side handling apparatus and a w heel-side handling apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing gear combinations which can be used w hen driving the conventional bicycle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates in greater detail a pedal-side control handle and a wheel-side c ontrol handle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a bicycle having a combined handling apparatus a ccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of an example of the combined handling apparatus of Fl G. 5.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of the exterior of the combined handling apparatus of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing a bicycle having a combined handling ap paratus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a chain guide shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a cross-section of an example of the combined handling apparatus of

FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a cross-section of a part of the combined handling apparatus shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is an exploded view showing a combined rotator shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a multi-stage hooking device shown i n FIG. 10.

FIG. 14 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a gear combination ace ording to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing the engagement of a pedal-side rotator, a wheel-side rotator, and a combined rotator to achieve the gear combination of FIG. 1 4.

FIG. 16 is a conceptual diagram illustrating gear teeth of the pedal-side rotator, t he wheel-side rotator, and the combined rotator of FIG. 15 so as to explain the principle of the combined handling apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 17 illustrates different examples of the formation of the gear teeth on the co mbined rotator.

FIG. 18 is a conceptual diagram showing another example of the gear teeth of Fl G. 16. FIG. 19 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a combined gear combi nation.

FIG. 20 is a conceptual diagram showing another example of FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a schematic view of a combined handling apparatus according to a fur ther embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a schematic view of a combined handling apparatus according to anot her embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a schematic view of a combined handling apparatus according to anot her embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 24 illustrates an example of a mode-indicating scale unit of the combined h andling apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 25 illustrates another example of the mode-indicating scale unit of FIG. 24.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Goal of the Invention

The present invention provides a bicycle having a combined handling apparatus, by which since all possible speed-changing stage combinations can be produced and al so only speed-changing stage combinations that are usually used during actual bicyclin g can be conveniently and rapidly produced, the gear manipulation during bicycling is c onvenient, even beginners are able to simply execute a speed-changing operation, and the bicycle is highly functional and has high quality.

Disclosure of the Invention

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bicycle capa ble of performing various speed changes according to various environments where a us er drives the bicycle, the bicycle including: a frame; at least one wheel installed on the fr ame so as to be freely rotatable; a pedal connected to the wheel via a chain so that a u ser can turn the wheel by foot; a pedal-side transmission; a wheel-side transmission; an d a combined handling apparatus installed between the wheel-side handling apparatus and the pedal-side handling apparatus and interlocking the pedal-side handling apparat us with the wheel-side handling apparatus according to the manipulation of a user so th at proper selections of pedal-side sprocket wheels and wheel-side sprocket wheels are possible to generate stage combinations usually used. The pedal-side transmission in eludes: a plurality of pedal-side sprocket wheels formed in stages on the side of the ped al; a pedal-side chain guide selecting one of the pedal-side sprocket wheels onto which the chain is to be fastened; and a pedal-side handling apparatus handling the pedal-sid e chain guide. The wheel-side transmission includes: a plurality of wheel-side sprocke t wheels formed in stages on the side of the wheel; a wheel-side chain guide selecting o ne of the wheel-side sprocket wheels onto which the chain is to be fastened; and a whe el-side handling apparatus handling the wheel-side chain guide.

The combined handling apparatus may include: a pedal-side rotator around whic h a pedal-side cable connected with the pedal-side chain guide is wound so that a tensi on of the pedal-side cable is controlled; a wheel-side rotator around which a wheel-side cable connected with the wheel-side chain guide is wound so that its tension is controlle d; a combined rotator installed between the pedal-side rotator and the wheel-side rotato r, wherein the combined rotator has a predetermined interval from each of the pedal-sid e rotator and the wheel-side rotator; a pedal-side mid-gear installed between the pedal- side rotator and the combined rotator and engaging with a gear tooth formed on one sid e of the pedal-side rotator and a gear tooth formed on one side of the combined rotator; and a wheel-side mid-gear installed between the wheel-side rotator and the combined rotator and engaging with a gear tooth formed on one side of the wheel-side rotator and a gear tooth formed on the other side of the combined rotator. Intermittent gear teeth may be formed on the both sides of the combined rotator according to the rotation angle of the combined rotator so that the pedal-side rotator an d the wheel-side rotator are either engaged with the gear teeth to rotate or disengaged t herefrom according to the rotation angle of the combined rotator.

The combined rotator may achieve at least one departure mode, at least one plai n mode, at least one high-speed mode, and at least one hillock mode according to the r otation angles of the combined rotator.

The combined rotator may include a section in which no gear teeth are formed o n both sides of the combined rotator, so as to achieve an individual handling mode in w hich both the wheel-side rotator and the pedal-side rotator are disengaged from the gea r teeth according to a rotation angle of the combined rotator and thus individually handl ed.

The combined rotator may be installed at the center of a handle shaft of the bicy cle. The pedal-side rotator may be connected to a pedal-side control handle formed o n one side of the pedal-side rotator in the shape of a lever or a protrusion so that a user can easily grip the pedal-side control handle with hands. The wheel-side rotator may be connected to a wheel-side control handle formed on one side of the wheel-side rotat or in the shape of a lever or a protrusion so that the user can easily grip the wheel-side control handle with hands.

The combined rotator may be installed on a left side or a right side of the handle shaft of the bicycle. Only one of the pedal-side rotator and the wheel-side rotator may be connected to one of the pedal-side transmission and the wheel-side transmission th at corresponds to the selected rotator. The combined handling apparatus may be installed at a left or right side of the h andle shaft of the bicycle, in addition to the pedal-side transmission and the wheel-side transmission.

The combined handling apparatus may further include: a combined control handl e formed on the combined rotator in the shape of a lever or a protrusion so that a user c an easily grip the combined control handle with hands; a fastener fastening the pedal-si de rotator, the wheel-side rotator, and the combined rotator to the handle shaft of the bi cycle, the pedal-side rotator, the wheel-side rotator, and the combined rotator being alto wed to rotate freely; multi-step hooking devices installed between the fastener and the pedal-side rotator, between the fastener and the wheel-side rotator, and between the fa stener and the combined rotator and causing each of the pedal-side rotator 114, the wh eel-side rotator 115, and the combined rotator 116 to be hooked in multiple steps upon rotation by coupling of a protrusion and a spring that constitute each of the multi-stage hooking devices; and a mode-indicating scale unit formed on each of the surfaces of th e fastener, the pedal-side rotator, the wheel-side rotator, and the combined rotator.

Effect of the Invention

The bicycle having the combined handling apparatus according to the present in vention can produce all possible speed-changing stage combinations and also conveni ently and rapidly manipulate only speed-changing stages that are usually used in norma I situations. Therefore, operationality of the bicycle is improved. In addition, even be ginners can simply execute a speed-changing operation with only one hand. Furtherm ore, even when the number of speed-changing stages is increased, a speed change is still easy, so that the bicycle is highly functional and has high quality. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A bicycle having a combined handling apparatus according to the present inventi on will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whic h different embodiments are illustrated. Firstly, as shown in FIGS. 5 through 7, a bicycle 100 according to an embodimen t of the present invention includes a frame 101 , one or more wheels 102 installed on th e frame 101 , a pedal 104 connected to the wheels 102 by a chain 103 so that a user ca n turn the wheels 102 by foot, a pedal-side transmission 105, a wheel-side transmission 106, and a combined handling apparatus 107. The combined handling apparatus 10 7 is installed between the pedal-side transmission 105 and the wheel-side transmission 106 so that the pedal-side transmission 105 and the wheel-side transmission 106 can in terlock with each other according to the manipulation of a user.

The pedal-side transmission 105 includes a plurality of pedal-side sprocket whee Is 108 arranged on the side of the pedal 104 in stages, a pedal-side chain guide 109 sel ecting one of the pedal-side sprocket wheels 108 onto which the chain 103 is to be fast ened, and a pedal-side handling apparatus 110 handling the pedal-side chain guide 10 9. The wheel-side transmission 106 includes a plurality of wheel-side sprocket wheels 111 arranged on the side of the wheels 102 in stages, a wheel-side chain guide 112 sel ecting one of the wheel-side sprocket wheels 111 onto which the chain 103 is to be fast ened, and a wheel-side handling apparatus 113 handling the wheel-side chain guide 11 2.

As shown in FIG. 6, the combined handling apparatus 107 includes a pedal-side rotator 114, a wheel-side rotator 115, a combined rotator 116, a pedal-side mid-gear 11

7, and a wheel-side mid-gear 118. A pedal-side cable 119 is wound around an outer c ircumference of the pedal-side rotator 114 to control the tension of the pedal-side cable

119 connected to the pedal-side chain guide 109.

According to the degree of tension of the pedal-side cable 119, the pedal-side ch ain guide 109 selects one of the pedal-side sprocket wheels 108 to achieve a wheel-sid e speed change. Meanwhile, a wheel-side cable 120 is wound around an outer circumference of t he wheel-side rotator 115 to control the tension of the wheel-side cable 120 connected t o the wheel-side chain guide 112. According to the degree of tension of the wheel-side cable 120, the wheel-side c hain guide 112 selects one of the wheel-side sprocket wheels 111 to achieve a pedal-si de speed change.

The combined rotator 116 is installed between the pedal-side rotator 114 and the wheel-side rotator 115 and spaced apart from the pedal-side rotator 114 and the whee l-side rotator 115 at a predetermined interval.

The pedal-side mid-gear 117 is installed between the pedal-side rotator 114 and the combined rotator 116. One end of the pedal-side mid-gear 117 is meshed with a g ear tooth 121 formed on one side of the pedal-side rotator 114, and the other end there of is meshed with a gear tooth 121 formed on one side of the combined rotator 116.

The wheel-side mid-gear 118 is installed between the wheel-side rotator 115 and the combined rotator 116. One end of the wheel-side mid-gear 118 is meshed with a gear tooth 121 formed on one side of the wheel-side rotator 115, and the other end ther eof is meshed with a gear tooth 121 formed on the other side of the combined rotator 1 16.

The pedal-side mid-gear 117 and the wheel-side mid-gear 118 may be spur gear s but may be preferably bevel gears to achieve smooth teeth gripping and smooth rotati on force transmission. Alternatively, a plurality of pedal-side mid-gears 117 and a plur ality of wheel-side mid-gears 118 may be installed around the combined rotator 116. I n FIG. 6, a total of four mid-gears, namely, two pedal-side mid-gears 117 and two whee l-side mid-gears 118, are installed around the combined rotator 116.

Particularly, as shown in FIG. 6, the diameters d1 , d2, and d3 of the bevel gears, the shapes thereof (e.g., a tooth shape, a multi-layered structure, etc.), or the diameter s d4, d5, and d6 or shapes of the pedal-side rotator 114, the wheel-side rotator 115, an d the combined rotator 116 may be optimally designed according to the number of spee d-change stages, an interval between sprocket wheels, the moving distance of a cable, etc.

The sizes or shapes of the pedal-side rotator 114, the wheel-side rotator 115, the combined rotator 116, the pedal-side mid-gear 117, and the wheel-side mid-gear 118 mentioned above may be modified and changed by the person skilled in the art without departing from the technical scope of the present invention.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 6, the pedal-side handling apparatus 110 may furthe r include a pedal-side control handle 122 formed in the shape of a lever or a protrusion on one side of the pedal-side rotator 114 so that a user can easily grip the pedal-side c ontrol handle 122 with one hand. The wheel-side handling apparatus 113 may further include a wheel-side control handle 123 formed in the shape of a lever or a protrusion o n one side of the wheel-side rotator 115 so that the user can easily grip the wheel-side control handle 123 with the other hand.

The combined handling apparatus 107 may further include a combined control h andle formed on the combined rotator 116 in the shape of a lever 124 as shown in FIG. 6 or a protrusion 125 as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 so that a user can easily grip the co mbined control handle with his or her hands. The combined handling apparatus 107 further includes a fastener 126 which fast ens the pedal-side rotator 114, the wheel-side rotator 115, and the combined rotator 11 6 to a handle shaft 127 of the bicycle 100. However, the pedal-side rotator 114, the w heel-side rotator 115, and the combined rotator 116 are able to rotate freely.

As shown in FIG. 6, the combined rotator 116 may be installed at the center of th e handle shaft 127. The pedal-side rotator 114 may be connected to the pedal-side co ntrol handle 122 that is formed in the shape of a lever or a protrusion so that a user can easily grip the pedal-side control handle 122 with one hand. The wheel-side rotator 1 15 may be connected to the wheel-side control handle 123 that is formed in the shape of a lever or a protrusion so that the user can easily grip the wheel-side control handle 1 23 with the other hand.

Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the combined rotator 116 may be install ed on one side, that is, a right side, of the handle shaft 127 of the bicycle 100. One of the pedal-side rotator 114 and the wheel-side rotator 115 may be connected to one of t he pedal-side transmission 105 and the wheel-side transmission 106. In FIG. 8, the p edal-side rotator 114 is connected to the pedal-side transmission 105.

In the case illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the pedal-side control handle 122 may b e installed on the other side the handle shaft 127 of the bicycle 100. The pedal-side c ontrol handle 122 may include another pedal-side rotator 129 which is connected to the pedal-side chain guide 109 to control the tension of another pedal-side cable 128. In the case illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the two cables 119 and 128 are simultan eously connected to the chain guide 109 operating as a lever, such that one of the ped al-side sprocket wheels 108 is selected using the tensions of the cables 119 and 128. Like this, various shapes of control handles may be installed at various locations according to a position at which the combined handling apparatus 107 is located.

That is, in the bicycle 100, the pedal-side cable 119 and the wheel-side cable 12 0, namely, a total of 2 cables, of the combined handling apparatus 107 may be connect ed to the pedal-side handling apparatus 110 and the wheel-side handling apparatus 11 3, respectively.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 21 , the combined handling apparatus 107 may be further installed in addition to the pedal-side handling apparatus 110 and the wheel- side handling apparatus 113. The pedal-side cable 119 and the wheel-side cable 120 in the combined handling apparatus 107 are connected to the pedal-side handling appa ratus 110 and the wheel-side handling apparatus 113, respectively. Another pedal-sid e cable 130 and another wheel-side cable 131 are connected to the pedal-side control handle 122 and the wheel-side control handle 123, respectively. In the embodiment of FIG. 21 , a total of four cables, namely, the cables 119, 120, 130, and 131 , may be inst ailed.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 22, the combined handling apparatus 107 may be integrated with one of the wheel-side handling apparatus 113 and the pedal-side ha ndling apparatus 110, such that a total of three cables, namely, the cables 119, 120, an d 131 , may be installed. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 23, the combined handling apparatus 107 may operate the roles of the wheel-side handling apparatus 113 and the pedal-side handlin g apparatus 110. Accordingly, a total of two cables, namely, the cables 119 and 120, are installed as shown in FIG. 5, but the location of the combined handling apparatus 1 07 is different from that shown in FIG. 5. The combined handling apparatus 107 may be installed in the other various locations and in various forms.

FIG. 10 illustrates combined control handles 132 of the combined handling appar atus 107 combined with one of the wheel-side handling apparatus 113 and the pedal-si de handling apparatus 110. As shown in FIG. 12, the combined control handles 132 a re screwed to both sides of the combined rotator 116. Gear teeth 121 formed on both sides of the combined rotator 116 may be engaged with the pedal-side rotator 114 thro ugh the pedal-side mid-gear 117 and the wheel-side rotator 115 through the wheel-side mid-gear 118. Therefore, by rotating the combined control handles 132 connected to the combi ned rotator 116, a user can transfer the rotation force of the combined rotator 116 to the pedal-side rotator 114 and the wheel-side rotator 115 through the pedal-side mid-gear 117 and the wheel-side mid-gear 118, respectively. The tension of the pedal-side cabl e 119 wound around the pedal-side rotator 114 and the tension of the wheel-side cable 120 wound around the wheel-side rotator 115 can be selectively controlled according to the rotation angle of the combined control handles 132.

As shown in FIG. 13, multi-step hooking devices 133 are preferably installed bet ween the fastener 126 and the pedal-side rotator 114, between the fastener 126 and th e wheel-side rotator 115, and between the fastener 126 and the combined rotator 116. Hence, each of the pedal-side rotator 114, the wheel-side rotator 115, and the combin ed rotator 116 is hooked in multiple steps upon rotation by a coupling of a protrusion 13 4 and a spring 135 of the multi-step hooking device 133. Thus, a user can recognize a current speed-changing stage upon from the feeling that each of the pedal-side rotator 114, the wheel-side rotator 115, and the combined rotator 116 is hooked in multiple st eps.

Particularly, the combined handling apparatus 107 includes the gear teeth 121 fo rmed around the circumference of the combined rotator 116 shown in FIG. 15 so that o nly speed-changing stage combinations usually used can be generated while avoiding u nnecessary stage combinations as shown in FIG. 14. FIG. 16 illustrates the gear teeth 121 along a flat line. As shown in FIG. 16, intermittent gear teeth 121 are formed on one side and the other side of the combined rotator 116 according to the rotation angle of the combined rotator 116 so that the pedal-side rotator 114 and the wheel-side rotato r 115 are either engaged with the gear teeth 121 to rotate or disengaged therefrom ace ording to the rotation angle of the combined rotator 116.

That is, as shown in FIG. 16, a stage A1 of the pedal-side sprocket wheel and a stage B1 of the wheel-side sprocket wheel are selected to generate a combination A1-B 1 at the start position, that is, at stage 1 , of the combined rotator 116.

When the combined rotator 116 is rotated in direction 1 so as to reach a stage 2, the gear tooth 121 exists on a section of one side surface that engages with the pedal- side rotator 114 between stages 1 and 2 of the combined rotator 116. Hence, the torq ue of the combined rotator 116 is delivered to the pedal-side rotator 114 through the pe dal-side mid-gear 117, and the pedal-side rotator 114 rotates, so that a stage A2 of the pedal-side sprocket wheel is selected. Meanwhile, no gear tooth 121 exists in a sectio n of the other side surface that engages with the wheel-side rotator 115 between stages

1 and 2 of the combined rotator 116. Hence, the torque of the combined rotator 116 i s not delivered to the wheel-side mid-gear 118, and thus the wheel-side rotator 115 can maintain the state where the stage B1 is selected. As a result, an A2-B1 combination is generated.

Subsequently, when the combined rotator 116 is rotated in direction 1 again so a s to reach a location corresponding to stage 3, no gear tooth 121 exists on a section of t he one side surface between stages 2 and 3 of the combined rotator 116. Hence, the torque of the combined rotator 116 is not delivered to the pedal-side mid-gear 117, and thus the pedal-side rotator 114 can maintain the state where stage A2 is selected. Me anwhile, the gear tooth 121 exists on a section of the other side surface between stage s 2 and 3 of the combined rotator 116. Hence, the torque of the combined rotator 116 is delivered to the wheel-side rotator 115 via the wheel-side mid-gear 118, and the whe el-side rotator 115 is rotated, so that a stage B2 is selected. As a result, an A2-B2 co mbination is generated.

The combined handling apparatus 107 of FIG. 16 interlocks the pedal-side handli ng apparatus 110 with the wheel-side handling apparatus 113 using the intermittent gea r teeth 121 formed on the combined rotator 116. Thus, only an optimal number of stag e combinations usually used can be obtained as shown in FIG. 14.

However, as shown in FIG. 17, in a specific section, the gear teeth 121 do not ex ist simultaneously but alternate on both sides of the combined rotator 116.

For example, in section K1 , the gear tooth 121 may be formed on only one side of the combined rotator 116. In section K2, the gear tooth 121 may be formed on only the other side of the combined rotator 116. In section K3, the gear teeth 121 may alter nate on both sides of the combined rotator 116. In section K4, gear teeth 121 having different lengths may alternate on both sides of the combined rotator 116.

Particularly, when the pedal-side rotator 114 and the wheel-side rotator 115 rotat e at the same time, the chain 103 is likely to slip out of both the wheel-side sprocket wh eel 111 and the pedal-side sprocket wheel 108 while the pedal-side chain guide 109 an d the wheel-side chain guide 112 are guiding the chain 103.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 17, it is preferable that the gear teeth 121 are altern ately formed on one side and the other side of the combined rotator 116 as in section K 3 or K4 so that when the pedal-side rotator 114 and the wheel-side rotator 115 need to be rotated together, one of the pedal-side rotator 114 and the wheel-side rotator 115 is first rotated and the other one is rotated after that.

In the meantime, as shown in FIG. 18, the combined rotator 116 may include a s ection in which no gear teeth 121 are formed on both sides of the combined rotator 116

, so as to achieve an individual handling mode in which both the wheel-side rotator 115 and the pedal-side rotator 114 are disengaged from the gear teeth 121 according to a r otation angle of the combined rotator 116 and thus individually handled.

That is, in FIG. 18, when the combined rotator 116 is positioned at stage 0 (i.e., t he individual handling mode) and a user rotates the pedal-side rotator 114 or the wheel- side rotator 115 using his or her hands, the rotation force is not delivered to the combin ed rotator 116 because the gear teeth 121 are formed on neither of the both sides of th e combined rotator 116. Thus, the pedal-side rotator 114 and the wheel-side rotator 1 15 can rotate independently. In the stage 0 (i.e., the individual handling mode) of the c ombined rotator 116, a user can select all possible combinations and freely use a select ed combination.

As shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, both the pedal-side sprocket wheels 108 formed i n stages and the wheel-side sprocket wheels 111 formed in stages may have diameters that vary progressively. Alternatively, at least one of the pedal-side sprocket wheels 1 08 and the wheel-side sprocket wheels 111 may have diameters that vary non-progress ively. In some cases, a very variety of speed-changing stage combinations can be obt ained.

As shown in FIGS. 24 and 25, the combined handling apparatus 107 may further include a mode-indicating scale unit 136 formed on each of the surfaces of the fastene r 126, the pedal-side rotator 114, the wheel-side rotator 115, and the combined rotator 116.

Here, as shown in FIGS. 24 and 25, the mode-indicating scale unit 136 indicates at least one departure mode, at least one plain mode, at least one high-speed mode ( e.g., high speed 1 , high speed 2, etc.), and at least one hillock mode (e.g., hillock 1 , hill ock 2, hillock 3, etc.) that depend on the rotation angles of the combined rotator 116. As shown in FIG. 23, the mode-indicating scale unit 136 may further indicate a conversi on mode showing stage 0 (i.e., the individual handling mode) in which the stages of the pedal-side sprocket wheel 108 and the stages of the wheel-side sprocket wheel 111 ca n be freely handled.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with refer ence to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill i n the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departin g from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.

For example, although a combined handling apparatus according to the present i nvention is embodied as a machine that can mechanically interlock a pedal-side handlin g apparatus with a wheel-side handling apparatus using bevel gears and mid-gears, it may be embodied in various forms, such as, a unit that can electrically or hydraulically c onnect the wheel-side handling apparatus and the pedal-side handling apparatus using a motor, a controller, or else. The exterior, shape, design, etc., of each of the element s of the present invention may vary in esthetic and ergonomic points of view.

Moreover, although 7 or 9 stage combinations are illustrated in the drawings, vari ous numbers of stage combinations usually used in practice may be provided according to each environment.

Claims

CLAIMS 1.

A bicycle capable of performing various speed changes according to various envi ronments where a user drives the bicycle, the bicycle comprising: a frame; at least one wheel installed on the frame so as to be freely rotatable; a pedal connected to the wheel via a chain so that a user can turn the wheel by f oot; a pedal-side transmission; a wheel-side transmission; and a combined handling apparatus installed between the wheel-side handling appar atus and the pedal-side handling apparatus and interlocking the pedal-side handling ap paratus with the wheel-side handling apparatus according to the manipulation of a user so that proper selections of pedal-side sprocket wheels and wheel-side sprocket wheels are possible to generate stage combinations usually used, wherein: the pedal-side transmission comprises: a plurality of pedal-side sprocket wheels formed in stages on the side of th e pedal; a pedal-side chain guide selecting one of the pedal-side sprocket wheels onto which the chain is to be fastened; and a pedal-side handling apparatus handling the pedal-side chain guide; and the wheel-side transmission comprises: a plurality of wheel-side sprocket wheels formed in stages on the side of t he wheel; a wheel-side chain guide selecting one of the wheel-side sprocket wheels onto which the chain is to be fastened; and a wheel-side handling apparatus handling the wheel-side chain guide.

2.

The bicycle of claim 1 , wherein the combined handling apparatus comprises: a pedal-side rotator around which a pedal-side cable connected with the pedal-si de chain guide is wound so that a tension of the pedal-side cable is controlled; a wheel-side rotator around which a wheel-side cable connected with the wheel- side chain guide is wound so that its tension is controlled; a combined rotator installed between the pedal-side rotator and the wheel-side r otator, wherein the combined rotator has a predetermined interval from each of the ped al-side rotator and the wheel-side rotator; a pedal-side mid-gear installed between the pedal-side rotator and the combined rotator and engaging with a gear tooth formed on one side of the pedal-side rotator an d a gear tooth formed on one side of the combined rotator; and a wheel-side mid-gear installed between the wheel-side rotator and the combine d rotator and engaging with a gear tooth formed on one side of the wheel-side rotator a nd a gear tooth formed on the other side of the combined rotator.

3.

The bicycle of claim 2, wherein intermittent gear teeth are formed on the both sid es of the combined rotator according to the rotation angle of the combined rotator so th at the pedal-side rotator and the wheel-side rotator are either engaged with the gear tee th to rotate or disengaged therefrom according to the rotation angle of the combined rot ator.

4.

The bicycle of claim 3, wherein the combined rotator achieves at least one depar ture mode, at least one plain mode, at least one high-speed mode, and at least one hill ock mode according to the rotation angles of the combined rotator.

5.

The bicycle of claim 4, wherein the combined rotator includes a section in which no gear teeth are formed on both sides of the combined rotator, so as to achieve an ind ividual handling mode in which both the wheel-side rotator and the pedal-side rotator ar e disengaged from the gear teeth according to a rotation angle of the combined rotator and thus individually handled.

6. The bicycle of claim 2, wherein: the combined rotator is installed at the center of a handle shaft of the bicycle; the pedal-side rotator is connected to a pedal-side control handle formed on one side of the pedal-side rotator in the shape of a lever or a protrusion so that a user can e asily grip the pedal-side control handle with hands; and the wheel-side rotator is connected to a wheel-side control handle formed on one side of the wheel-side rotator in the shape of a lever or a protrusion so that the user ca n easily grip the wheel-side control handle with hands.

7. The bicycle of claim 2, wherein: the combined rotator is installed on a left side or a right side of the handle shaft o f the bicycle; and only one of the pedal-side rotator and the wheel-side rotator is connected to one of the pedal-side transmission and the wheel-side transmission that corresponds to the selected rotator.

8.

The bicycle of claim 1 , wherein the combined handling apparatus is installed at a left or right side of the handle shaft of the bicycle, in addition to the pedal-side transmi ssion and the wheel-side transmission.

9.

The bicycle of claim 2, wherein the combined handling apparatus further compris es: a combined control handle formed on the combined rotator in the shape of a leve r or a protrusion so that a user can easily grip the combined control handle with hands; a fastener fastening the pedal-side rotator, the wheel-side rotator, and the combi ned rotator to the handle shaft of the bicycle, the pedal-side rotator, the wheel-side rotat or, and the combined rotator being allowed to rotate freely; multi-step hooking devices installed between the fastener and the pedal-side rot ator, between the fastener and the wheel-side rotator, and between the fastener and th e combined rotator and causing each of the pedal-side rotator 114, the wheel-side rotat or 115, and the combined rotator 116 to be hooked in multiple steps upon rotation by co upling of a protrusion and a spring that constitute each of the multi-stage hooking devic es; and a mode-indicating scale unit formed on each of the surfaces of the fastener, the pedal-side rotator, the wheel-side rotator, and the combined rotator.

10. The bicycle of claim 2, wherein: the pedal-side mid-gear and the wheel-side mid-gear are bevel gears; and the diameters of the pedal-side rotator and the wheel-side rotator, the diameters of the bevel gears, or the shapes of the bevel gears (e.g., a tooth shape, a multi-layered structure, etc.) are optimally determined according to the number of speed-changing st ages, an interval between sprocket wheels, the moving distance of a cable, etc.

1 1.

The bicycle of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the pedal-side sprocket wheels an d the wheel-side sprocket wheels has diameters that vary non-progressively.