WO2003070546A1 - Elevating mechanism of saddle and bicycle having that mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

A saddle elevating mechanism (70) in which a possibility that various members attached externally interfere with the operation of a bicycle (10) is eliminated positively while ensuring a beautiful appearance of the bicycle (10), and a bicycle having that mechanism. A seat pipe (21) is internally fitted with substantially all members constituting the saddle elevating mechanism (70) including a lower coil spring (73) for urging a saddle post (51) upward, a stopper (71) for regulating elevation/lowering of the saddle post (51), and the inner cable (75a) of a double cable (75) for releasing the stopper (71) through operation of an operating dial (74b) of an operating member (74). Consequently, the bicycle (10) is prevented from having a complicated appearance.

Description

 Description Saddle lifting mechanism and bicycle having this mechanism

 The present invention mainly relates to a bicycle, and relates to a saddle elevating mechanism configured to be able to easily raise and lower the height position of a saddle, which is a seat, while driving, and a bicycle having the mechanism. . Background art

 In general, the bicycle, which is a two-wheeled vehicle, has its saddle height set slightly higher so that it is easier to drive according to the physique of the driver who rides across the saddle. Therefore, you can drive comfortably while riding a bicycle, but when you stop temporarily before a signal crossing or the like, you cannot usually put both feet on the ground. The bicycle is turned sideways and slightly tilted, with only one foot on the ground. However, the stopped state due to the ground contact with only one foot is unstable.

 In order to solve such an unstable stop state, for example, a saddle elevating mechanism 10 shown in FIG. 11 described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 2-381196 is used. 0 has been proposed. The elevating mechanism 100 is attached to a saddle pipe 101 which is a part of a bicycle frame, and has a ring shape in which a saddle bore 103 having a saddle 102 fixed to the top is loosely fitted. The stopper 110 and the ring-shaped stopper 110 are moved between a locking posture ((a) in FIG. 11) and an unlocking posture ((b) in FIG. 11). And a heavy cable 120. The ring-shaped stopper 110 is loosely fitted to a portion protruding above the saddle bob 103 in a state where the saddle bob 103 is inserted into the saddle pipe 101 so as to be able to move up and down.

The ring-shaped stopper 110 is a loose fitting hole 1 1 into which the saddle bore 103 is loosely fitted. And a handle portion 112 protruding outward from an outer peripheral edge of the ring portion 111. The ring-shaped stopper 110 is provided with the loose fitting hole 113 of the ring part 111 opposed to the upper surface opening of the saddle pipe 101, and the ring part 111 attached to the saddle pipe 101. The fixed bracket 104 is pivotally supported about the horizontal axis 105 times around the horizontal axis 105, and the end of the ring 1 1 1 opposite to the handle 1 1 2 is lowered downward. The posture can be changed between the locking posture shown in FIG. 11A and the unlocking posture shown in FIG. 11B which has become horizontal.

 The double cable J-ray 120 consists of a tubular outer cable 1 21 and an inner cable 1 2 2 slidably mounted on the cable 1 2 1. I have. The outer cable 1 2 1 is fixed at its end to a support plate 106 protruding from the saddle pipe 101, and the inner cable 1 2 2 penetrates the support plate 1 06 and goes upward. Has been drawn to. The pulled-out inner cable 122 is inserted into the compression coil panel 107, and the upper end thereof is outside the horizontal shaft 105 of the handle 111 of the ring-shaped stopper 110. Is fixed in one position.

 The saddle pipe 101 is provided with a coil spring 108 between the bottom of the saddle pipe 101 and the saddle bore 103. The urging force of the coil spring 108 causes the saddle post 103 to move upward. It is to be energized.

 According to the lifting mechanism 100 configured as described above, the ring-shaped stopper 110 is normally urged clockwise around the horizontal axis 105 by the urging force of the compression coil spring 107. The slanted locking position is set so that the front and rear edges of the ring portion 1 1 1 (left and right directions on the paper surface in Fig. 11) abut the outer peripheral surface of the saddle post 103, As a result, the saddle post 103 has a fixed height position as shown in FIG. 11A. Therefore, even if the driver applies weight over the saddle 102 in this state, the saddle 102 does not lower.

On the other hand, if the inner cable 1 2 2 is pulled downward by the operation of the operating means (not shown) against the urging force of the compression coil spring 107, the ring-shaped stopper 110 rotates around the horizontal axis 105. And rotate counterclockwise to a horizontal unlocked position as shown in Fig. 11 (b). Become. Then, the abutting state of the opposed edge of the ring portion 11 1 against the saddle boss 103 is eliminated, so that the saddle boss 103 can move up and down in the saddle pipe 101.

 Accordingly, the driver pulls the inner cable 122 while straddling the saddle 102 to set the ring-shaped stopper 110 to the unlocked posture (FIG. 11 (b)). Continue to lift your hips, raise the saddle 102 with the biasing force of the coil spring 108, set an appropriate height position, then return the inner cable 122 to the original position and remove the ring-shaped stopper 110. By setting the posture to the locking posture ((a) in FIG. 11), the height position of the saddle 102 is fixed.

 However, in such a conventional lifting mechanism 100, the bracket 104, the support plate 106, the handle portion 112 of the ring-shaped stopper 110, the double cable 120, etc. Is protruding from the saddle pipe 101 to the outside and obstructs the outside of the bicycle, and there is a foreign object that is in the way. There is a problem to be solved that may be an obstacle for

 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional circumstances, and can ensure the beauty of the appearance of a bicycle and the like, and reliably wipe off the risk of obstructing the driving operation of the bicycle and the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a saddle lifting / lowering mechanism capable of performing the above-described operation and a bicycle having the mechanism. Disclosure of the invention

The saddle elevating mechanism of the present invention is a saddle elevating mechanism configured to be able to adjust the height position of a saddle provided on the top of the saddle boss by a vertical movement of a saddle boss inserted into a sheet pipe. The seat pipe has first urging means for urging the saddle post upward, and the saddle post is raised by the urging means and the saddle post is lowered by a downward force applied to the saddle. Raising and lowering restricting means for restricting the operation, and restriction releasing means for releasing the restriction of the raising and lowering restricting means by operating the operating means It is to be equipped.

 According to this elevating mechanism, the saddle post is normally controlled to be moved up and down by the control of the elevating control means, whereby the height position of the saddle is set. In this state, the saddle post resists the urging force of the first urging means by the weight of the driver straddling the saddle by releasing the restriction of the lifting / lowering restricting means via the restriction releasing means by operating the operating means. While the driver descends from the saddle, the saddle post is raised by the urging force of the first urging means, and the saddle is restored to the original height position. In this state, the height of the saddle is fixed again by restricting the elevating and lowering of the saddle post by the elevating and lowering restricting means via the restriction releasing means by operating the operating means. You only need to drive.

 As described above, the lifting mechanism according to the present invention is capable of arbitrarily adjusting the height position of the saddle by operating the operating means and adjusting the weight of the driver with respect to the saddle. Sometimes, the height of the saddle can be easily lowered to place both feet on the ground to stabilize the straddling posture on a bicycle, etc., and when riding a bicycle, the saddle can be easily moved to a height suitable for traveling. The safety of driving such as bicycles is ensured.

 In particular, in the present invention, the first urging means, the lifting / lowering regulating means for regulating the elevation of the saddle post, and the regulation release means for releasing the regulation of the elevation regulating means by operating the operating means are all provided on the saddle post. Because of the interior, the appearance of bicycles etc. is extremely simple and beautiful compared to the conventional ones that are exposed to the outside, and the conventional inconvenience that the ones exposed to the outside obstructs driving operation Is eliminated, and the value of products such as bicycles can be improved.

 A bicycle provided with such an elevating mechanism is particularly useful for children and the elderly from the viewpoint of operability and safety, but is not particularly limited to children and the elderly.

In the elevating mechanism as described above, the elevating control means is provided with an external fitting hole which is externally fitted to the saddle post, and the saddle post is inclined forward or downward from the center of rotation. And an annular stopper that can change its position between a locking position that regulates the elevation of the saddle boss and an unlocking position that allows the saddle boss to move up and down at approximately the same height level as the center of rotation. The up-and-down control means has an extremely simple structure, and the up-and-down (particularly lowering) of the saddle post can be reliably controlled.

 In other words, when the annular stopper is inclined downward or upward from the center of rotation, the outer fitting hole is changed so that the shape in plan view becomes smaller, and the saddle boss is sandwiched between the opposing edges of the outer fitting hole. become. Then, when the driver applies weight to the saddle with the annular stopper tilted forward, the annular stopper is guided by the saddle post going downward, and the force is further applied in the downward tilt direction. Because of the wedge effect, the saddle boss is reliably restrained from lowering by the annular stopper that is inclined downward.

 On the other hand, if the force applied downward to the saddle boss by the driver floating from the saddle decreases, the saddle post will move upward due to the biasing force of the first biasing means that has become dominant. As a result, the annular stopper 1 is guided by this to be in a state of being inclined upward. When the annular stopper is inclined forward, the rise of the saddle boss is restricted by the wedge effect in the opposite direction.

 Then, if the annular stopper is bent upward at a linear position orthogonal to the straight line connecting the center position and the rotation center, the tip of the outer fitting hole is formed with the annular stopper inclined downward. The upper edge of the side (the side facing the center of rotation) can be brought into contact with the peripheral surface of the saddle post, whereby the edge of the outer fitting hole of the annular stopper is formed at an acute angle to the saddle post. Since the portion hits the peripheral surface of the saddle boss, it is possible to obtain a more reliable descent inhibiting effect on the saddle boss.

The outer fitting hole is dimensioned so that the minor dimension is in sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface of the saddle post, and is formed by an elliptical hole whose major dimension is larger than the external dimension of the saddle post. If the center of rotation is set so as to rotate around one end in the long diameter direction, the elliptical hole will be seen in a plan view (accurate) when the annular stopper has turned forward and downward around the center of rotation. Is the direction in which the saddle post extends In this state, the entire edge of the elliptical hole comes into contact with the entire peripheral surface of the cylindrical saddle boss, thereby further improving the lowering effect. In addition, the saddle post is provided with a plurality of circumferentially extending notches that engage with the edges of the annular stopper that is set to the locking position over a predetermined range in the vertical direction. The edge of the oval hole engages with the cut groove in a state in which the posture is set to the locking posture inclined downward, so that the lowering of the saddle boss is more reliably restricted by this engagement.

 Furthermore, by installing the second urging means for urging the annular stopper downward in the sheet pipe, the annular stopper is always urged downward by the second urging means. The position of the annular stopper can be quickly changed to the locking position.

 In addition, the restriction release means is formed by a double cable connected to the elevation control means so that the lifting restriction on the saddle post can be released by operating the operation means. It has a simple structure and can be easily installed in a seat pipe.

 Then, by applying such a saddle elevating mechanism to a bicycle, the bicycle becomes suitable for safe driving. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

 FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of the bicycle according to the present invention.

 FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view, partially cut away, showing an embodiment of the saddle elevating mechanism. FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of the saddle elevating mechanism shown in FIG.

 FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the saddle elevating mechanism shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a view showing an embodiment of a stopper, wherein (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a plan view, (c) and (d) are partial cross-sectional side views, and (c) is a side view. (D) shows a state in which the stopper is set in the locked position, and (d) shows a state in which the stopper is set in the locked position. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the relationship between the bending angle of the stopper, the major diameter d of the elliptical hole, and the outer diameter D of the saddle post.

 FIG. 7 is a side view showing the bicycle in which the mounting tube piece is mounted at another mounting position.

 FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway exploded perspective view showing another embodiment of the saddle elevating mechanism. FIG. 9 is an assembled perspective view of the saddle elevating mechanism shown in FIG.

 FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the saddle elevating mechanism shown in FIG.

 Fig. 11 is an explanatory view in cross section showing a conventional saddle elevating mechanism. Fig. 11) shows a state in which the saddle height position is fixed, and (b) shows a state in which the saddle height position can be changed. Each state is shown. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

 FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of the bicycle according to the present invention. As shown in this figure, the bicycle 10 is composed of a frame 20 constituting a frame, a front wheel 31 provided in the front direction of the frame 20 (the left side in FIG. 1), and a rear position. The rear wheel 32, the steering wheel 40 for steering the front wheel 31, the saddle 50 protruding upward at the center, and the saddle 50, Basic structure comprising a pedal 60 as a stepping means for running the bicycle 10, and a saddle elevating mechanism 70 for raising and lowering the saddle 50 in order to adjust the height position of the saddle 50. have.

The frame 20 includes a vertically extending sheet pipe 21 that is set to be slightly inclined rearward at the center, and a sheet pipe support into which the lower end of the sheet pipe 21 is inserted. The pipe 27, the lower front pipe 22 protruding forward from the seat pipe support pipe 27, and the front lower pipe 22 from a substantially middle position in the vertical direction of the sheet pipe 21 An arc-shaped front upper pipe 23 projecting downward and projecting forward along the seat pipe; and the above-mentioned seat pipe fixed to the front ends of the front lower and upper pipes 22, 23. A bifurcated plan view extending from the joining position of the head pipe 24 and the seat pipe 21 and the front lower pipe 22 approximately parallel to 21 and extending backward (to the left in FIG. 1). The rear lower pipe 25 and the rear upper pipe 26 projecting rearward and downward from a substantially central position in the vertical direction of the seat pipe 21 and connected to the rear end of the rear lower pipe 25. And

 With the seat pipe 21 positioned at the center in this manner, a substantially triangular shape is formed by the front lower pipe 22 and the front upper pipe 23 forward, and the rear lower pipe 25 and the rear upper pipe are formed rearward. By adopting a so-called ramen structure that forms a triangle with 26, the frame 20 is structurally strong.

 The handle 40 is fixed to the top of a handle post 41 that is rotatably fitted around the axis in sliding contact with the head pipe 24. The upper end of the fork 42, which is bifurcated in a front view, is fixed to the lower end of the handle bore 41 penetrating the head pipe 24, and the front wheel 31 is sandwiched between the pair of forks 42. The front wheel 31 is rotatably supported around a front wheel axle 33 provided between the lower ends of the forks 42.

 Also, at both ends of the handle 40, there are provided lips 43 for the driver to grip and operate the handle 40, respectively, and grip each lip 43 to attach the handle 40 to the handle post 41. By performing a steering operation for rotating the bicycle 10 integrally, the front wheel 3 1 rotates together with the handle post 4 1 around the axis via the fork 4 2, so that the bicycle 10 is steered.

 The handle 40 is provided with a grip 43 at each end for the driver to operate the handle 40 by gripping the both ends thereof. The saddle 50 is attached to the seat pipe 21. It is fixed to the top of the saddle boss 51 inserted so as to be vertically movable via a saddle spacer 52 mounted on the saddle boss 51. The height position of the saddle 50 can be adjusted by raising and lowering the saddle boss 51 by operating a saddle lifting mechanism 70 described in detail below.

The pedal 60 is connected via a pedal rod 62 to a pedal shaft 61 rotatably pierced at a joint between the lower ends of the sheet pipe 21 and the front lower pipe 22. By rotating around the pedal shaft 61, the pedal shaft 61 is rotated about the axis. So that it can be rotated. A front gear 63 is concentrically and integrally fixed to the pedal shaft 61.

 On the other hand, the rear wheel 32 is erected between the connecting portions of the rear ends of the pipes 25 and 26 while being sandwiched between the bifurcated rear lower pipe 25 and the rear upper pipe 26. It is rotatably supported around the rear wheel shaft 34. A rear gear 64 is mounted concentrically on the rear wheel shaft 34 so as to be rotatable around the rear wheel shaft 34, and the rear wheel 32 is also rotatable with the rear wheel shaft 34 around the rear gear 64. It has been.

 A chain 65 is stretched between the front gear 63 and the rear gear 64, and the driver puts his / her pedal 60 on the saddle 50 around the pedal shaft 61 around the pedal shaft 61. By rotating, this rotation is transmitted to the rear wheel 32 via the pedal opening 62, the pedal shaft 61, the front gear 63, the chain 65 and the rear gear 64. Bicycle 10 is able to move forward by rotation around rear wheel axle 34.

 FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view, partially cutaway, showing an embodiment of the saddle elevating mechanism # 0, and FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view thereof. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the saddle elevating mechanism 70 shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a view showing an embodiment of the stopper, wherein (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a plan view, (c) and (d) are partial cross-sectional side views, and (c) ) Shows a state in which the stopper is set to the unlocking position, and (d) shows a state in which the stopper is set to the locking position. 2 to 4, the seat pipe 21 is set in an upright posture for convenience of illustration.

First, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the saddle elevating mechanism 70 is provided with an annular stopper (elevation restricting means) 71, which is provided inside the seat pipe 21 and through which the saddle post 51 penetrates. An upper coil spring (second urging means) 72 for urging the stopper 71 downward while being loosely fitted to the saddlebost 51 in the sheet pipe 21 and a sheet pipe 21 A lower coil spring (first urging means) 73 for urging the saddle boss 51 upward while being loosely fitted to the saddle boss 51, and one grip 43 (the right side in the example shown in FIG. 1). Set concentric with handle 40 adjacent to dalip 43) The operating member (operating means) 74 is provided with a double cable 75 interposed between the operating member 44 and the stopper 71.

 As shown in FIG. 5 (a), the stopper 71 includes a stopper body 71a having an elliptical hole (outer fitting hole) 71b into which the saddle post 51 can be loosely fitted, and the stopper body The locking projections 71c protrude outward from the outer edge of 71a. The stopper body 7l a is formed in a circular shape, and the outer diameter is set slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the sheet pipe 21.

 As shown in FIG. 5B, the elliptical hole 7 lb is a straight line connecting the major axis of the ellipse to the center position of the locking projection 7 1 c in plan view and the center point of the stopper body 7 1 a. (Long axis L 1) is provided at the center of the stopper body 71 a. The elliptical hole 71 b is dimensioned so that the minor axis dimension is in sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface of the saddle boss 51, and the major axis dimension is greater than the external dimension of the saddle post 51.

 Further, the stopper body 71a is bent at an angle a so that the position of the extension (short axis line L2) of the short axis of the elliptical hole 71b is a polygonal line and is concave upward. The bending angle is set between 5 ° and 30 °. The angle is set between 5 ° and 30 ° for the following reasons.

 In other words, if the angle is less than 5 °, the bent state is insufficient, and therefore, the stopper projection 7 of the elliptical hole 7 1b is set in the state where the stopper 17 1 is set to the forwardly lowered locking posture. The upper edge of the edge facing 1c (the opposite edge 71e) does not abut on the peripheral surface of the saddle boss 51, but the lower edge abuts on the other side. This is because it is not possible to expect a reliable locking effect due to the bending of the stopper 71.

Conversely, if the bending angle exceeds 30 °, it is difficult to maintain the bent state when a force is applied to the stopper 71 due to excessive bending. That is, the stopper 71 opens when it receives a force from the saddle post 51, which may cause the saddle bore 51 to slip down due to an increase in the inner diameter of the elliptical hole 7 lb on the long diameter side. It is. Incidentally, in the present embodiment, a bending angle of 12 ° to 17 ° is adopted based on the results of various tests.

 FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the relationship between the bending angle of the stopper 71, the major diameter d of the elliptical hole 71b, and the outer diameter D of the saddle post 51. In this figure, the inner surface of the elliptical hole 71b on the opposing edge 71e side is entirely in contact with the peripheral surface of the saddlebost 51, and the inner surface of the locking projection side edge 71d of the elliptical hole 71b. The upper edge portion is at an acute angle and abuts on the peripheral surface of the saddle post 51, whereby the saddle post 51 is locked to the stopper 71 (standard locking state).

 In this reference locked state,

 Set the bending angle of the stopper 71 to "0;" (The bending position is the position along the short axis L2 (Fig. 5) above.)

 The major diameter of the elliptical hole 71b is “d” (however, the major diameter before the stopper 71 is bent)

 The outer diameter (diameter) of the saddle post is "D"

, The following relational expression holds.

 D = (d / 2) c o s α + (d / 2)… ①

 By the way, in the formula (1), if the condition that D is larger than the value of the formula on the right side is set, the following formula (2) is obtained.

 D> (d / 2) c o s a + (d / 2)… ②

 The meaning of the formula (2) means that if the condition of the formula (2) is satisfied, the stopper 71 cannot lock the saddlebost 51 in the reference locked state, and the stopper 71 is rotated around the rotation center O from the reference locked state. By rotating clockwise, the distal end side of the stopper 71 (right side in FIG. 6) must be in a locked state in which the stopper 71 is raised (a locked state in which the stopper 71 is raised).

Then, when the stopper 71 is set in the upwardly locked state, the upper edge of the elliptical hole 71 b on the opposite edge 71 e side contacts the peripheral surface of the saddle post 51 at an acute angle. The locking effect will be improved. By transforming equation (2) and translating the major dimension d to the left side, the following equation (3) is obtained.

 doku (2D) / (c 0 s a + 1)… ③

 In addition, since “d> D”, the major dimension d is a value within the range represented by the following formula.

 Dku dku (2D) Z (cos α + 1)… ④

 This formula is used when determining the major diameter d of the elliptical hole 71b of the stopper 71 when the outer diameter D of the saddle post 51 and the bending angle a of the stopper 71 are known. can do.

 For example, when the outer diameter D of the saddle post 51 is 12.00 mm and the bending angle of the stopper 71 is 17 °, these are substituted into the equation (1).

 12.00 d d 12.26 mm

As the elliptical hole 71b, for example, an elliptical shape having a major axis of 12.2 mm and a minor axis of 12.0 lmm (dimension slightly larger than the outer diameter D of the saddle post 51) is adopted.

 In the present invention, it is preferable to set the major dimension d of the elliptical hole 71b so as to satisfy the formula, but the invention is not limited to setting the major dimension d to satisfy the formula. Instead, the major axis dimension d may be made larger than the value calculated by the equation on the right side of equation (2), depending on the situation.

 In the present embodiment, in order to surely maintain the bent state of the stopper 71, when a normal steel such as a mild steel or a stainless steel is used as a material of the stopper 71, the stopper 71 is bent. Thereafter, the stowing piece 71 is subjected to a quenching treatment.

This quenching process employs a so-called vacuum quenching method in which quenching is performed at 98 ° C. for a predetermined time in a vacuum environment and then tempered at 550 ° C. for a predetermined time. By performing the quenching process on the stopper 71 by the vacuum quenching method, the stopper 71 becomes extremely tough, and the bent state is maintained even if the stopper 71 comes into contact with the saddle boss 51 and a large amount of kaga is added. By the way, when panel steel is used as the material for the stopper 71, the bent state of the stopper 71 can be maintained satisfactorily even if the bent stopper 71 is not particularly hardened. .

 The stopper body 7 la is set in a locking posture in which the tip side (right side in FIG. 5) of the short axis L 2 is slightly lower than the height position of the locking projection 71 c. As shown in Fig. 5 (c), the long side of the elliptical hole 71b interferes with the saddle boss 51, while the outer edge of the locking projection 71c (the side edge of the locking projection). In a state where the straight line connecting the part 71 d) and the edge facing the outer edge part (the opposite edge part 71 e) is set to the substantially horizontal position, the posture is set to the unlocking position. As shown in the figure, the major axis of the elliptical hole 71 b is set so that the contact of the edge on the major axis side of the elliptical hole 71 b with the circumferential surface of the saddle bore 51 is released.

 On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a locking hole 21a corresponding to the locking projection 71c is formed in an appropriate place of the seat pipe 21. The stopper 71 can be rotated forward and backward around the locking hole 21a by fitting the locking protrusion 71c into the locking hole 21a. The locking hole 21a is formed in a slightly horizontally long rectangular shape by cutting and raising a piece 21a 'from the outer surface side of the sheet pipe 21 toward the inner surface ^! By press processing. The cut-and-raised piece 2 l a ′ protrudes from the lower edge of the locking hole 21 a into the seat pipe 21 as shown in FIG. Therefore, the locking projections 7 1 c of the stopper 71 are correctly inserted around the locking hole 21 a, and are normally or reversely rotated around the tip edge (rotation center) of the locking hole 21 a. It will rotate.

 Then, in a state where the saddlebost 51 is inserted into the elliptical hole 71b, the stopper 171 is usually set to the locking posture as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 (c). The abutment of the edge of the elliptical hole 71 b that is circular in plan view with the outer peripheral surface of the saddle boss 51 prevents the saddle boss 51 from sliding down.

As described above, since the outer peripheral surface of the saddle post 51 abuts each edge on the long axis side of the elliptical hole 71 b in a state where the stopper 71 is inclined downward, the so-called wedge action (the saddle post 51 If you try to descend, the stopper body 7 1 a The upper edge of the elliptical hole 7 1b cuts into the peripheral surface of the saddle post 5 1), causing the saddle post 51 to slip. Falling is surely prevented.

 In the present embodiment, a large number of cut grooves 51 a formed by cutting with a fine pitch are provided at the front and rear positions of the outer peripheral surface of the saddle post 51, and the stopper 71 is inclined forward and downward. With the posture set to the stop posture, the upper edge of the elliptical hole 71b fits into the cut groove 51a so that the saddle post 51 can be more securely prevented from sliding down. It has become.

 The sheet pipe 21 has an upper opening closed by an upper lid 21b and a lower opening closed by a lower lid 21c. The upper lid body 2 1 b has a cylindrical upper lid body 2 1 d fitted into the upper opening of the sheet pipe 21 in a sliding contact state, and an annular upper body formed at the upper end of the upper lid body 2 1 d. It consists of an upper collar 21 e. The outer diameter of the upper flange 21 e is set to be substantially the same as the outer diameter of the seat pipe 21, and the inner diameter of the seat pipe 21 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the saddle post 51. The dimensions are large.

 The upper lid 21b is inserted into a through hole 21f formed in the upper portion of the sheet pipe 21 with the upper lid body 21d inserted into the seat pipe 21 from the upper opening. It is fixed to the seat pipe 21 by screwing in the screw B and screwing it into the screw hole 21 g screwed into the upper lid body 21 d corresponding to the hole 21 f. It has become. On the inner peripheral surface of the upper lid 21b, a pair of rotation preventing pieces 21h extending in the vertical direction and having a triangular shape in a plan view at opposing positions face in the opposing direction. It is protruding. These rotation preventing pieces 21 h are provided to prevent the saddle posts 51 inserted into the seat pipe 21 from rotating.

The lower lid 21c has the same structure as the upper lid 21b except that the upper lid 21c is turned upside down and the rotation preventing piece 21h is not turned. 21 i and a lower flange 21 j formed at the lower end of the lower lid body 21 i. With the lower lid body 2 1 i fitted into the lower opening of the seat pipe 21, Screw B is passed through the through hole 21 k formed in the lower part of 21 and the through hole 21 k is screwed into the screw hole 2 lm correspondingly screwed into the lower lid body 21 i. The lower cover 21c is fixed to the seat pipe 21 by being fastened.

 The saddle post 51 is attached to the seat pipe 21 by penetrating through the upper lid 21b and the lower lid 21c. A pair of V-shaped V-shaped grooves 51b in a plan view corresponding to the rotation preventing pieces 21h of the upper lid 21b are formed in the outer peripheral surface of the saddlebost 51 in a concave shape. 2 and 3, only the V-shaped groove 51b on one side is shown for convenience of illustration. These V-shaped grooves 51b are provided at the upper position of the saddle boss 51 so as to extend in a vertical direction over a predetermined range (the range of elevation of the saddle boss 51).

 The V-shaped groove 51b is externally fitted to the rotation preventing piece 21h of the upper lid 21b when the saddlebost 51 is inserted into the sheet pipe 21 via the upper lid 21b. As a result, the saddle post 51 inserted into the seat pipe 21 is prevented from rotating in a state where the vertical movement is allowed.

 The saddlebost 51 is attached to the seat pipe 21 and the saddle spacer 52 is in contact with the upper lid 21b, and is slightly lower than the stopper 71. Is provided with a flange 51c. The outer diameter of the flange 51 c is set slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the seat pipe 21, so that the flange 51 c can fit into the seat pipe 21.

 Further, the saddle bob 51 is provided with an annular groove 51 d force S slightly above the lowermost position. The annular groove 51 d is for mounting a C ring 51 1 止 め for retaining, and the annular groove 51 d is formed with the saddle boss 51 penetrating from the upper part to the lower lid 21 c. By attaching the C-ring 51 f to the saddle post 51, the C-ring 51 f interferes with the lower lid 21 c and is prevented from coming out upward.

Such a saddle boss 51 has a threaded portion 51 g on which an external thread is threaded at the upper end thereof, while the saddle base 52 has upper and lower portions corresponding to the threaded portion 51 g. In the direction An extended concentric screw hole 52a is provided, and the saddle spacer 51 is fixed to the saddle post 51 by screwing the screwed portion 51g into the screw hole 52a and fastening it. It has become.

 The upper coil spring 72 is for urging the stopper 71 downward. When the upper coil spring 72 is fitted to the saddle post 51 inside the sheet pipe 21, the stopper 71 and the upper lid are It is interposed between the body 21b. Due to the biasing force of the upper coil spring 72, the stopper 71 is constantly pressed downward around the leading edge of the cut-and-raised piece 21a ', thereby setting the posture to the locking posture. In such a state, the locking posture can be reliably maintained.

 The lower coil spring 73 is externally fitted below the flange 51 c of the saddle post 51 as described above. Then, the lower coil spring 73 is externally fitted to the saddle bore 51 fitted to the seat pipe 21 from the lower opening of the seat pipe 21, and then the lower lid 21 c is externally fitted to the saddle bore 51. After fitting, the lower lid 21c is fixed to the seat pipe 21 and the C-ring 51f is attached to the annular groove 51d at the lower end of the saddle post 51, so that the saddle post 51 Is urged upward through the flange 51c in a state where it cannot be removed.

 As shown in FIG. 2, the operating member 74 includes, as shown in FIG. 2, an annular casing 74 a concentrically fixed to the handle 40 near the base end side of the grip 43, and the annular casing 74 a and the lip 4. And an annular operation dial 74b interposed concentrically with the handle 40 between the three.

 An induction tube piece 7 4 c for guiding the installation of the double cable 75 is projected from an appropriate position on the outer peripheral surface of the operation member 74, and the double cable 75 is connected to the induction tube piece 74 c. The annular casing is pulled into the 74a.

By rotating the operation dial 74 b in one direction and setting the dial to the elevation control position, the stopper 71 in the seat pipe 21 is operated via the dual force cable 75, and the stopper is operated. 7 1 is set to a locking position to lock the saddle post 51 so as not to move up and down, and the dial is set to a position where it can be moved up and down by rotating in the same other direction. As a result, the stopper 71 in the seat pipe 21 is operated via the double cable 75 to change the posture to the unlocking posture, whereby the lifting control of the saddlebost 51 is released. It has become.

 The double cable 75 is composed of an inner cable 75a composed of a steel wire and an outer cable 75b made of a synthetic resin covering the inner cable 75a. I have.

 One end of the outer cable 75b is drawn into the annular casing 74a through the guide tube piece 74c, and is fixed inside the guide tube piece 74c. —While the inner cable 75a pulled out of the cable 75b is connected to an unillustrated operating mechanism in the operating member 74, the other end is With the cable 75 fixed to the upper crocodile part 21 e of the upper lid 21 b, the inner cable 75 a is drawn into the seat pipe 21 via the upper lid 21 b, and The tip is connected to the stopper 71.

 The upper flange 21e is provided with a mounting tubular piece 21n connected to the inside of the upper lid body 21d for mounting the double cable 75 on the peripheral edge thereof. The inner cable 75a is drawn into the upper lid 21b from inside the mounting cylinder piece 21n while being inserted into and fixed to the mounting pipe piece 21n. Is hanging.

 A locking piece 75c is fixed to the lower end of the inner cable 75a in the seat pipe 21.On the other hand, the opposite edge 71e of the stopper 71 is provided from the outer periphery to the center. A locking groove 71 f formed by being cut toward the inner groove 75 f is provided, and the locking piece 75 c is sandwiched between the locking grooves 71 f to perform a predetermined retaining process, whereby the inner cable 75 a is formed. Stopper 1 is connected to 1

In the present invention, when the operation dial 74 b is set to the elevation restriction position, the inner cable 75 a in the seat pipe 21 is pulled out downward, whereby the stopper is stopped. 7 1 is rotated downward by the biasing force of the upper coil spring 7 2 around the leading edge of the cut-and-raised piece 2 1 a ′ of the locking hole 21 a, as shown in FIG. (c), while the operation dial 74b is set to the vertical position, the inner cable 75a in the seat pipe 21 is pulled upward. As a result, the stopper 71 is set to the lock release position shown in FIG. 5 (d).

 Hereinafter, assembly of each component of the saddle elevating mechanism 70 shown in FIG. 2 will be described. When assembling the saddle elevating mechanism 70, first, attach the double casings 75 to the mounting cylinder piece 21n of the upper lid 21b, and pull out the inner cable pulled out from inside the upper lid 21b. The stopper 17 1 is connected to the end of the inner cable 75 a by locking the locking piece 75 c at the end of 75 a into the locking groove 71 f.

 Then, with the lower end of the upper coil spring 72 being in contact with the upper surface of the stopper 71, the stopper 71 and the upper coil spring 72 are inserted into the sheet pipe 21 through the upper opening, The stopper projections 7 1 c of the stopper 7 1 are fitted into the locking holes 21 a of the seat pipe 21, and the upper lid body 21 d is fitted into the upper opening of the seat pipe 21, and a screw B is inserted. Fix with.

 Then, the saddle spacer 52 is removed, and the saddle post 51 with the lower coil spring 73 fitted outside the flange 51c below the flange 51c is attached to the lower part of the seat pipe 21 from the upper end side. It is inserted into the opening, passed through the elliptical hole 71b of the stopper 71, and the upper part is projected upward from the upper opening of the upper lid 21b.

 In this state, the lower lid 2 1 c is externally fitted to the saddle bore 51 projecting from the lower opening of the sheet pipe 21 to the outside against the urging force of the lower coil spring 73, and then the lower lid body 2 1 i is inserted into the lower opening of the seat pipe 21, fixed with screws B, and a C ring 51 f is attached to the annular groove 5 Id of the saddle post 51. Thus, the saddle elevating mechanism 70 is completed as shown in FIG.

The seat pipe 21 having the saddle elevating mechanism 70 completed in this manner is a two-stage hole provided at the intersection of the front lower pipe 22 and the rear lower pipe 25 of the bicycle 10 (FIG. 1). Structure (The upper hole diameter is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the seat pipe 21 while the lower hole diameter is smaller than the upper hole diameter and the saddle post 51 The outer diameter of the sheet pipe 21 is set to be larger than the outer diameter of the sheet pipe 21. By being welded to the bicycle 10, the bicycle 10 is assembled.

 By inserting the seat pipe 21 into the seat pipe support cylinder 27 having the two-stage hole structure as described above, a space where the saddle post 51 can descend is secured at a lower position in the seat pipe support cylinder 27. You.

 In the saddle elevating mechanism 70 attached to the bicycle 10, the protrusion of the inner cable 75a from the outer cable 75b in the seat pipe 21 is adjusted by operating the double cable 75. This is performed when attaching to the member 74. Specifically, when connecting the end of the double cable 75 to the operating mechanism in the annular casing 74 a of the operating member 74, the outer cable 75 b to the inner cable 75 a And the amount of protrusion of the inner cable 75 a from the outer cable 75 b in the seat pipe 21 is adjusted.

 In this adjustment operation, it is determined whether or not the stopper 71 is set to the locking position shown in FIG. 5 (c) with the operation dial 74b set to the vertical position. In a state where the dial 74b is set to a position where the dial 74b can be raised and lowered, it is checked whether or not the stopper 71 is set to the unlocking position shown in (d) of FIG.

 In this check, since the stopper 71 inside the seat pipe 21 cannot be visually recognized, the raising and lowering of the saddle post 51 is reliably controlled with the operation dial 74 b set to the vertical position. This is performed by actually testing whether the saddle boss 51 can be moved up and down with the operation dial 74 b set at the position where the operation dial 74 b can be moved up and down.

As described in detail above, the saddle elevating mechanism 70 of the present invention is configured such that the height of the saddle 50 provided at the top of the saddle bob 51 is formed by the vertical movement of the saddle bob 51 fitted to the seat pipe 21. The seat pipe 21 is provided with a lower coil spring 73 for urging the saddle boss 51 upward, and a saddle A stopper 71 that regulates the elevation of the post 71 and a double cable 75 that releases the regulation of the stopper 71 by operating the operation dial 74 b of the operation member 74 are provided.

 Therefore, usually, the saddlebost 51 is prevented from lifting and lowering against the urging force of the lower coil spring 73 and the weight of the driver straddling the saddle 50 by the restriction of the stopper 71, and the height of the saddle 50 Is a preset height level.

 In this state, the operation of the operating member 74 releases the regulation of the stopper 71 via the double cable 75, so that the saddle post 51 can be moved to the lower coil by the weight of the driver straddling the saddle 50. While the driver descends from the saddle 50 while lowering against the biasing force of the spring 73, the saddle post 51 rises by the biasing force of the lower coil spring 73, so that the saddle 50 Height position.

 In this state, if the operation of the operation dial 7 4 b changes the posture of the stopper-71 from the unlocked position to the locked position via the double cable 75 to restrict the elevation of the saddle boss 51, Since the height position of the saddle 50 is fixed again, the driver can run the bicycle 10 comfortably in this state.

 Thus, the saddle elevating mechanism 70 according to the present invention can arbitrarily adjust the height position of the saddle 50 by operating the operating member 74 and adjusting the weight of the driver with respect to the saddle 50. When waiting for a railroad crossing or a traffic light, the height of the saddle 50 can be easily lowered to place both feet on the ground, stabilizing the riding posture on the bicycle 10, and while riding the bicycle 10, The saddle 50 can be easily set at a height suitable for traveling, and safety when driving the bicycle 10 can be ensured.

In particular, in the saddle elevating mechanism 70 according to the present invention, the lower coil spring 73, the stopper 1 71 for restricting the elevating and lowering of the saddle bob 51, and the stopper 7 Most of the members that make up the saddle elevating mechanism 70, such as the inner cable 75 of the dual cable 75, and the saddle elevating mechanism 70, are housed in the saddle boss 51, so that these are compared to conventional ones that are exposed to the outside. Bicycle 10 appearance This makes it extremely simple and beautiful to look at, and eliminates the conventional inconvenience of parts exposed to the outside obstructing the operation of the bicycle 10. Value can be improved.

 The stopper 71 has an elliptical hole 71b that is fitted to the saddlebost 51, and is inclined downward from the cut-and-raised piece 21a 'of the seat pipe 21 to raise and lower the saddle post 51. The operation dial 7 is configured so that the posture can be changed between the locking posture for regulating and the unlocking posture for allowing the ascending and descending of the saddle boss 51 at substantially the same level as the rotation center. When the stopper 71 is cut and raised by the operation of 4b to set the locking posture inclined downward from the tip edge of the piece 21a ', the shape of the oval hole 71b in plan view is reduced. The saddle post 51 is held between the opposing edges of the elliptical hole 71b, and the saddle post 51 receives a downward force by applying weight to the saddle 50. As a result, the lowering of the saddlebost 5 1 is more reliably regulated, and After having assumed a simple structure Te because, it is possible to securely prevent the descent of the saddle post 5 1.

 Since the stopper 71 is bent upward at a linear position orthogonal to a straight line connecting the center position and the rotation center (the position of the leading edge of the cut-and-raised piece 21a '). When the stopper 71 is set to the locking position in which the stopper 71 is inclined downward, the upper edge of the oval hole 71 b (side facing the center of rotation) is the peripheral surface of the saddle post 51. As a result, the edge of the 7 lb oval hole of the stopper 71 comes into contact with the saddle boss 51 at an acute angle to the peripheral surface of the saddle boss 51, so that the lower end of the stopper 71 becomes lower than the saddle boss 51. The blocking effect can be enhanced.

The elliptical hole 71b is dimensioned so that the minor axis dimension is in sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface of the saddle boss 51, and the major axis dimension is greater than the external dimension of the saddle post 51. Therefore, the elliptical hole becomes a perfect circle when viewed from the direction in which the saddle post 51 extends when the stopper 71 is pivoted forward and downward about the pivot center. The edge comes into contact with the entire peripheral surface of the saddlebost 51 made of a cylinder, and a further excellent descent control effect can be obtained. In addition, a plurality of circumferentially extending notches are formed in the saddlebost 51 so that the edges of the elliptical holes 71b of the stoppers 71 are engaged with the locking position above the flange 51c. Since the groove 51 a is provided, the edge of the elliptical hole 71 b engages with the cut groove 51 a in a state where the stopper 71 is set in the locking posture inclined downward. With this engagement, the lowering of the saddle boss 51 can be more reliably restricted.

 Further, the seat pipe 21 has an upper coil spring 72 that urges the stopper 71 downward, so that the stopper 71 is always lowered by the upper coil spring 72. The stopper 71 can be quickly changed to the locked posture, and the saddle post 5 1 at the edge of the oval hole 7 1 set to the locked posture The contact state with respect to can be made more reliable.

 In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the stopper screw hole 21 q is inserted into a proper position of the sheet pipe 21 (a position slightly lower than the position where the stopper 71 is provided). It is screwed. The stopper screw hole 21Q is for screwing and penetrating a stopper port B1 for fixing the height position of the saddle 50 regardless of the operation of the operation dial 74b.

 If the stopper Port 1 B1 is previously screwed into the stopper screw hole 2 1 q, the stopper Port B 1 is tightened and its tip is pressed against the peripheral surface of the saddle bolt 51 to perform the operation. Even if the dial 74b is operated, the elevation of the saddle post 51 is regulated by the stopper port B1, so that the height position of the saddle 50 is maintained. Such a stopper port B1 is used when the driver does not want to change the height position of the saddle 50 by operating the operation dial 74b.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing the bicycle 10 in which the mounting tube piece 21n is mounted at another mounting position. In the bicycle 10 of this embodiment, a mounting tubular piece 21 n to which the distal end side of the double cable 75 is mounted is provided at a rear end position of an upper end of the seat pipe 21. Along with this, the locking hole 2 1a formed in the seat pipe 21 is 21 and the mounting posture of the stopper 71 is also reversed before and after. Other configurations of the saddle elevating mechanism 70 are the same as those shown in FIGS.

 By providing the mounting cylinder piece 2 1 n at the rear of the support member body 2 1, the driver can get on and off the bicycle 10 (ie, get on and off with one foot across the front upper pipe 23). However, when performing the driving operation across the saddle 50, there is no inconvenience that the double cable 75 interferes, and the bicycle 10 can be driven more comfortably.

 FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view, partially cut away, showing another embodiment of the saddle elevating mechanism 70a, and FIG. 9 is an assembled perspective view thereof. FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the saddle elevating mechanism 70a shown in FIG. As shown in these figures, in this embodiment, the saddle elevating mechanism 70a is connected to the stopper 71, the upper coil spring 72, the lower coil spring 73, and the operating member 74 of the previous embodiment. In addition, it is provided with a cover single cylinder 76 covering the saddle boss 51 at the upper part of the saddle boss 51. The cover single cylinder 76 is provided at a substantially intermediate position of the saddle bolt 51 and below the stopper 71, and a flange 51c provided at a lower end edge of the saddle spacer 52. It is interposed between 5 and 2b in a detented state.

 The outer diameter of the cover cylinder 76 is set slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the seat pipe 21, and the inner diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the stopper 71 and the upper coil spring 72. Thus, the stopper 71 and the upper coil spring 72 externally fitted to the saddle post 51 can be fitted inside the seat pipe 21 in a sliding state.

In this embodiment, since the cover cylinder 76 can be slidably inserted into the seat pipe 21, the upper opening of the seat pipe 21 adopted in the previous embodiment is closed. The upper lid 21b is not required because it is unnecessary. Therefore, the mounting tubular piece 21n for drawing the outer cable 75b of the duplex cable 75 into the sheet pipe 21 is attached to the upper edge or the peripheral surface of the sheet pipe 21. You. In the example shown in the figure, the mounting cylinder piece 21n is attached to the upper edge of the seat pipe 21 at a position that does not interfere with the cover cylinder 76.

 The cover cylinder 76 is provided with a pair of escape slits 76 a extending vertically in a point symmetrical position with respect to the cylinder core. One of the escape slits 76 a is connected to the saddle post 51. The fitting projection 7 1 c of the fitted stopper 7 1 penetrates from the inside to the outside, and the other escape slit 76 a has a mounting cylinder piece 2 1 n in the seat pipe 21. The outer cable 75b and the locking piece 75c that are hung from the cable are passed through.

 A screw hole 21 p for screwing the screw B is screwed through the seat pipe 21 at a position above the locking hole 21 a. Then, the screw B is screwed into the screw hole 21 p in a state where the cover cylinder 76 is fitted in the seat pipe 21, so that the tip end portion thereof becomes as shown in FIG. The cover cylinder 76 is fitted into one of the escape slits 76a, whereby the rotation of the saddle boss 51 about the axis is restricted. If the length of the screw B is set to be slightly longer, the screw B can play the same role as the stopper port B 1 (FIG. 4) of the first embodiment.

 The saddle elevating mechanism 70a is assembled as follows. That is, the cover cylinder 76 is first externally fitted to the saddle bore 51 before the saddle base 52 is screwed to the threaded portion 51 g. Bow I Continuity stopper 7 1 is externally fitted to saddle post 51 from above, and its locking projection 7 1 c is projected outward from one escape slit 7 6 a. Insert inside. Next, the upper coil spring 72 fitted to the saddlebost 51 is inserted into the cover cylinder 76.

 Thereafter, the locking piece 75c attached to the lower end of the outer cable 75b drawn out of the mounting cylinder piece 21n is engaged with the stopper 71 via the other escape slit 76a. Lock into the groove 7 1 f.

Then, the lower coil spring 73 is externally fitted below the flange 51c of the saddle post 51 in this state, and the saddle post 51 together with the lower coil spring 73 is raised. Insert into the seat pipe 21 through the opening, and fit the locking projection 71c of the stopper 71 into the locking hole 21a. In this state, the cover cylinder 76 is sandwiched between the upper and lower flanges 52b, 51c by screwing the saddle 52 to the threaded portion 51g of the saddle bore 51 and fastening. The saddle boss is fixed to 51.

 Subsequently, the lower lid 2 1 c is fitted to the lower part of the saddle post 5 1 projecting downward from the seat pipe 21 by using the biasing force of the lower coil spring 73 and externally fitted thereto. 1c fit the lower lid body 2 1 i inside the seat pipe 21 and stop with the screw B. Finally, the C-ring 51 リ ン グ is attached to the annular groove 5Id at the lower end of the saddle post 51 to complete the saddle elevating mechanism 70a.

 According to the saddle elevating mechanism 70a of this embodiment, the saddle post 51 is fitted in the seat pipe 21 and the saddle post 51 is shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 7 and as shown in FIG. 5 The part projecting upward from the seat pipe 21 (i.e., the cover cylinder 76) is not noticeably thinner than the seat pipe 21. The slenderness makes it possible to eliminate inconveniences such as giving the driver an uneasy feeling and poor appearance.

 The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but also includes the following contents.

 (1) In the above embodiment, a dial type having an operation dial 74 b is employed as the operation member 74, however, the present invention requires that the operation member 74 is a dial type. The lever 71 is a lever-type operating member that can change the posture of the stopper 71 between the locked posture and the unlocked posture by forward / reverse rotation operation of the lever around the support shaft. May be adopted.

(2) In the above embodiment, the operation of the operation member 74 is transmitted to the stopper 71 via the double cable 75. The invention is not limited to interposing a double cable 75 between the operating member and a link mechanism constituted by linking a plurality of operating arms between the operating member and the stopper 71. In the seat pipe 21 through the link mechanism by operating the operating member The posture of the stopper 1 71 may be changed.

 (3) In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 described above, the saddle boss 51 is made of a cloth or a synthetic resin in which a large number of folds such as bellows are formed in a portion projecting upward from the sheet pipe 21. Alternatively, a rubber flexible tube may be externally fitted. As a result, the saddlebost 51, which is considerably thinner than the seat pipe 21, is hidden, and the bicycle 10 has a good appearance.

 (4) In the above embodiment, the stopper 71 is bent, but the present invention is not limited to the case where the stopper 71 is bent, and may be a flat plate.

 (5) In the above embodiment, the stopper 71 has the elliptical hole 71b, but the present invention is limited to the case where the hole formed in the stopper 71 is the elliptical hole 71b. Instead of a hole, it may be a circular hole. However, when adopting a circular hole, the diameter of the circular hole should be adjusted so that the saddle post 51 can move up and down smoothly when the stopper 71 is set to the unlocked position. It is preferable that the diameter is set to be considerably larger than the outer diameter of the post 51.

 (6) In the above embodiment, the stopper 71 is formed in a completely annular shape. However, the present invention is not limited to the stopper 71 having a completely annular shape. It may be C-shaped with a part cut out from the outer peripheral surface to the inner peripheral surface.

(7) In the above-described embodiment, the locking projection piece side edge 7 1d of the stopper 71 as the rotation center O (FIG. 6) of the stopper 71 and the inner wall surface of the locking hole 21a. The contact position (the top of the cut-and-raised piece 21a 'in the example shown in Fig. 6) is set, but in the present invention, the center of rotation of the stopper 71 is set to the long axis L1 (Fig. 5). It is not limited to the edge along, and any line (short-axis parallel line) parallel to the short axis L 2 (FIG. 5) intersecting with the stopper body 71 a is taken as the rotation center line. The stopper 71 may be pivotally inserted around the short axis parallel line. That is, the stopper 71 rotates by intersecting the stopper body 7 la and rotating about a short-axis parallel line parallel to the short-axis L 2. The saddle post 51 can be locked regardless of the direction and the position of the short-axis parallel line.

 (8) In the above embodiment, the seat pipe 21 and the saddle boss 51 are made of steel.However, in the present invention, the seat pipe 21 and the saddle boss 51 are made of steel. The present invention is not limited to this, and one or both of the seat pipe 21 and the saddlebost 51 may be made of reinforced plastic or reinforced aluminum.

Claims

The scope of the claims 1. A saddle elevating mechanism configured to be able to adjust the height position of a saddle provided on the top of the saddle boss by vertically moving the saddle boss inserted into the seat pipe. The seat pipe includes a saddle. First urging means for urging the post upward, elevating and lowering restricting means for restricting the rise of the saddle boss by the urging means and the lowering of the saddle boss due to the downward force applied to the saddle; A saddle lifting mechanism characterized by being provided with a regulation release means for releasing the regulation of the elevation control means by the operation of (1). 2. The above-mentioned lifting and lowering restricting means has an external fitting hole which is externally fitted to the saddle post, and a locking posture for restricting the vertical movement of the saddle boss by inclining downward or upward from the center of rotation. 2. The saddle lifting / lowering mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the saddle lifting / lowering mechanism is constituted by an annular stopper capable of changing its posture between an unlocking posture allowing the saddlebost to move up and down at substantially the same height level as the center. 3. The saddle lifting / lowering mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the annular stopper is bent upward at a linear position orthogonal to a straight line connecting the center position and the rotation center.  4. The outer fitting hole is formed by an elliptical hole whose minor axis dimension is set so as to be in sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface of the saddle post, and whose major axis dimension is larger than the outer diameter dimension of the saddle post. 4. The saddle lifting / lowering mechanism according to claim 2, wherein a center of rotation of the annular stopper is set so as to rotate around one end in a major diameter direction.  5. The saddle post is provided with a plurality of circumferentially extending notches that engage with the edges of the annular stopper that is set in the locking position over a predetermined range in the vertical direction. The saddle lifting / lowering mechanism according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: 6. The saddle lift according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the seat pipe is provided with a second urging means for urging the annular stopper downward. Drop mechanism.  7. The restriction release means is formed by a double cable connected to the elevation control means so that the elevation control on the saddle post can be released by operating the operation means. A saddle elevating mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6. 8. A bicycle having a saddle elevating mechanism provided with the saddle elevating mechanism according to claim 1.