IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,565,281
Granted Patent B2
US 12,565,281 · App. 17/790,173 · Granted Mar 3, 2026

Foldable bicycle structure

Inventor: Valerio Torre (Palermo, IT)
B62K15/006B62J43/13B62J43/28B62M6/55B62J50/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,565,281
App. No.
17/790,173
Granted
Mar 3, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A foldable bicycle structure comprises a supporting frame ( 2 ) having a rear wheel ( 3 ) and a front wheel ( 4 ), a handlebar ( 5 ) fastened to the frame ( 2 ) and a seat post ( 6 ). The supporting frame ( 2 ) is divided into a front portion ( 9 ) and a rear portion ( 10 ) adapted to be connected to respective wheels ( 3, 4 ) and reciprocally hinged around a first hinge axis ( 11 ) to switch between an extended use configuration to a compact configuration. The supporting frame ( 2 ) is also provided with one or more straps ( 14, 15 ) each having one end fixed to the supporting frame ( 2 ) and one free end provided with a hook to allow the respective strap to be unwound ( 14, 15 ) and its hooking to another part of the structure and be used as a shoulder strap for transporting the structure in a compact configuration.

Claims (17)

1 . A foldable bicycle structure, comprising:

a supporting frame ( 2 ) having a rear wheel ( 3 ) and a front wheel ( 4 ) and comprising:

a handlebar ( 5 ) fastened to said frame ( 2 );

a seat post ( 6 ) having a lower end removably anchored to said supporting frame ( 2 ) and an upper end associated with a saddle ( 7 );

wherein said supporting frame ( 2 ) is divided into at least one front portion ( 9 ) and at least one rear portion ( 10 ) adapted to be connected to respective of said wheels ( 3 , 4 ) and reciprocally hinged around a first hinge axis ( 11 ) to move between an extended configuration of use to a compact configuration wherein said wheels ( 3 , 4 ) are substantially side by side and parallel to each other,

wherein said supporting frame ( 2 ) is provided with one or more straps ( 14 , 15 ) each having one end fixed to said supporting frame ( 2 ) and a free end provided with a hook to allow the unwinding of the respective one of said straps ( 14 , 15 ) and the hooking of the one of said straps ( 14 , 15 ) to another part of the structure and be used as a shoulder strap for transporting the structure in a compact configuration and wherein at least one of said portions ( 9 , 10 ) of said load-bearing frame ( 2 ) is hollow and said one or more straps ( 14 , 15 ) are rolled up and housed in said at least one hollow portion ( 9 , 10 ); wherein said one or more straps ( 14 , 15 ) are extractable through a suitable slot ( 16 ) present in said at least one hollow portion ( 9 , 10 ) to allow their unwinding and subsequent coupling of the respective free ends to another part of said structure.

2 . The foldable bicycle structure as claimed in claim 1 , having, in said compact configuration, a maximum overall dimensions of between 60×50×30 and 50×30×10 and preferably no more than 55×40×20 cm to be classified as hand luggage.

3 . The foldable bicycle structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said handlebar ( 5 ) comprises a stem ( 18 ) hinged to said front portion ( 9 ) of said supporting frame ( 2 ) to move from a raised position of use to a lowered position when said supporting frame ( 2 ) is in said compact configuration.

4 . The foldable bicycle structure as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said handlebar ( 5 ) comprises a tubular stem ( 18 ) having a telescopic structure to move from an extended position of use to a lowered and compact position when said supporting frame ( 2 ) is in said compact configuration.

5 . The foldable bicycle structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said seat post ( 6 ) is completely removable from said supporting frame ( 2 ) and said saddle ( 7 ) is removable from said seat post ( 6 ).

6 . The foldable bicycle structure as claimed in claim 5 , wherein one of said portions ( 9 , 10 ) of said supporting frame ( 2 ) comprises a seat ( 17 ) for positioning and holding said seat post ( 6 ) in the removed condition and wherein said seat post ( 6 ) is adapted to be arranged substantially parallel to said portion ( 9 , 10 ) of said supporting frame provided with said seat ( 17 ).

7 . The foldable bicycle structure as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said supporting frame ( 2 ) comprises means for coupling said saddle ( 7 ) to the hub ( 12 ) of one of said wheels ( 3 , 4 ) and in a substantially position parallel to the plane of said wheels ( 3 , 4 ).

8 . The foldable bicycle structure as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said saddle ( 7 ) is provided with an element for hooking said free end of said one or more straps ( 15 ).

9 . The foldable bicycle structure as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a central movement associated with an electric motor provided with battery-rechargeable power supply means.

10 . The foldable bicycle structure as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said power supply means comprise at least one pair of rechargeable batteries ( 22 , 23 ) housed in respective hollow portions ( 9 , 10 ) of said frame ( 2 ), at least one of said rechargeable batteries ( 22 , 23 ) being removable.

11 . The foldable bicycle structure as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said power supply means comprise three lithium batteries separated from each other, said batteries having total energy that can be supplied lower than 100 Wh.

12 . The foldable bicycle structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said supporting frame ( 2 ) houses thereinside a case ( 25 ) provided with a first compartment ( 26 ) for housing one or more batteries and a second compartment ( 28 ) for a battery charger, said supporting frame ( 2 ) being provided with one or more slots ( 36 ) for accessing the battery charger with said case ( 25 ) inserted in said supporting frame ( 2 ).

Priority Claims (1)
IT 102019000025813 · Dec 31, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220355888A1 · Nov 10, 2022
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