The present invention relates to a bicycle frame, a bicycle steering arrangement and a bicycle with such a bicycle frame and/or bicycle steering arrangement.

In recent times, individuality and uniqueness became more and more important in various aspects of life, such as nutrition, traveling, leisure activities and sports. For instance, both professional athletes and amateur sportsmen like to personally adjust the sports equipment to their individual needs and preferences. This desire is partially satisfied in the field of cycling by, e.g., quick release skewers for attaching a wheel or positioning the saddle, handlebar remote controls for adjusting the spring rate of the bike suspension, or quick release skewers for adjusting the position of bar ends or armrests. However, the exchange of the whole steering arrangement including the handlebar and the fork is complex and time-consuming.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for an improved mounting and dismounting ability of a bicycle steering arrangement to and from a bicycle frame.

This object is achieved by a bicycle frame and bicycle steering arrangement comprising a junction box, the junction box comprising at least one opening adapted to insert cables and/or pipes there through.

The junction box can be designed anywhere at/in the frame and/or the steering arrangement, in particular in the vicinity of the interface between the frame and the steering arrangement. The steering arrangement comprises at least a handlebar and a fork. Additionally, the steering arrangement can also comprise one or more brake levers, one or more gear levers/gear shifters (in case of a bicycle with gears), more generally control units, as well as handle bar grips and/or bar ends.

The openings to the junction box can be formed as holes having various geometric shapes, such as round,

rectangular, or quadratic shapes, or can be formed as tubes or channels. Such openings often provide for a passageway from the interior space of the junction box to the inside space of adjacent, hollow parts of the frame and/or the steering arrangement. In order to prevent the intrusion of foreign matter, the openings can comprise sealing means, such as rubber rings or bristles.

The cables and/or pipes that can be fed through the openings of the junction box, can be cables, such as mechanical or electrical cables, or pipes, such as

hydraulic or pneumatic pipes.

A bicycle steering arrangement usually comprises at least one brake lever and, in case of a bike with gears, at least one gear shifter, which is also often located at the handlebar. At least one brake cable is usually routed from the brake lever along the handlebar, stem or upper part of the fork (depending on the steering arrangement design) , and frame of the bicycle to the respective brake power unit. A gear shift cable is usually routed comparable to the brake cable leading to the gearbox. The invention derives from the recognition that in order to detach the steering arrangement from the rest of the bicycle, it is necessary to first remove the aforementioned cable or cables and subsequently re-install the at least one cable after the bicycle is fully assembled again.

In an embodiment of the bicycle frame and bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the embodiments still to be addressed unless in contradiction, the junction box is part of the bicycle steering arrangement.

In general, a steering arrangement can be designed in the traditional way, i.e. by a cockpit comprising a handlebar, a stem supporting the handlebar, the stem being

operationally connected to a fork and linkable to a bicycle frame, or in a more sophisticated way, i.e. by a so called hinged fork, a fork that is linked to a bicycle frame by a hinge, the fork itself supporting a handlebar. In the following, steering arrangement can refer to both designs and is not limited to a special steering arrangement design. Consequently, a junction box can be arranged at a handlebar, a stem, or a fork. When the steering arrangement is designed in the traditional way and the junction box is located at, e.g., the stem and not the fork, it is possible to assemble/disassemble only the cockpit and maintaining the fork.

In case the junction box is part, or even a unitary part, of the steering arrangement, cables that are connected in the junction box can be lead through or along the pivot axis of the steering arrangement. Consequently cables leading from a control unit at, e.g., the handlebar of the steering arrangement can be kept short and do not require extra length to enable rotation of the steering

arrangement.

Forming the junction box as part or as a unitary part of the bicycle frame is also an option. However, cables leading from the junction box to the steering arrangement need extra length to allow for rotation.

In an embodiment of the bicycle frame and bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the preaddressed embodiments and any of the embodiments still to be addressed unless in contradiction, the junction box has an openable cover.

The openable cover ensures the functionality of the junction box and prevents the intrusion of foreign matter, such as water, dirt, leaves and animals, and also acts as safety barrier. Consequently, a junction box with an openable cover extends the operation time and increases safety . In an embodiment of the bicycle frame and the steering arrangement according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the preaddressed embodiments and any of the embodiments still to be addressed unless in

contradiction, the junction box comprises a joint- arrangement adapted to link at least two cables and/or pipes .

The joint-arrangement can be of any kind, as long as it allows linking the end sections of at least two cables and/or pipes. At least two cables can be linked, e.g., by a hook and an eye, a tongue and a groove, a slot and a nipple, a screw and a thread, a bolt and an aperture, a clamp and so on. Furthermore, the at least two cables, especially electric cables, can be linked by a plug and a socket. Pipes, e.g., pneumatic or hydraulic pipes, can be linked by sealing joints, such as bayonet joints or push- to-connect joints.

In an embodiment of the bicycle frame and the bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the preaddressed embodiments and any of the embodiments still to be addressed unless in contradiction, the joint-arrangement comprises a connector adapted to detachably link at least two cables and/or pipes .

In said embodiment the at least two cables and/or pipes are not directly linked to each other but linked through a connector. Such a connector can be a mechanical, an electrical, a pneumatic, or a hydraulic connector dependent on the type of cables/pipes to be linked. The connection of a cable to the connector can be, e.g., a hook-eye- connection, a plug-connection, a screw-connection, a clamp- connection and so on. The connection of a pipe to the connector can be, e.g., a plugged or screwed connection, whereby the connector can be, e.g., a straight-through terminal connector, a T-piece, a piston, or a valve, such as non-return valve. In general, all means that are adapted to link at least two cables and/or pipes to each other (for instance, those that are exemplarily listed in the

aforementioned embodiment) are also adapted to link a cable or pipe to the connector. The connector can be made of, e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon), plastic, carbon, or metal, such as stainless steel or aluminum, or a

combination thereof. Furthermore, the connector can be designed as plate or block, i.e. two or three dimensional, in any geometric form, such as rectangular, round,

spherical, triangular, crescent-shaped, V-shaped, T-shaped and so on.

In an embodiment of the bicycle frame and the bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the preaddressed embodiments and any of the embodiments still to be addressed unless in contradiction, the connector is rotatably mounted.

For instance, the connector can be rotatably mounted by a pin building the pivot axis of the connector. The connector can also be attached, e.g., to a rotatable hinge or to a rotatable disc. A rotatable or in general movable connector can also ease connecting the cables/pipes to the connector.

In an embodiment of the bicycle frame and the bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the preaddressed embodiments and any of the embodiments still to be addressed unless in contradiction, the connector is a two-armed lever.

For instance, the connector is a rectangular plate or block with a pivot axis, whereby the two arms are formed by parts of the plate or block lying on different sides of the pivot axis. The connector may also have a V-shape with a pivot axis in the corner where the two arms meet.

In an embodiment of the bicycle frame and the bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the preaddressed embodiments and any of the embodiments still to be addressed unless in contradiction, the arms of the lever have the same length.

In said embodiment, the connector can be, e.g., a

rectangular plate or block with a pivot axis right-angled and equally spaced apart from two opposite edges of the plate or block. In case the connector is V-shaped, the two arms are equally long. When the arms of the lever are of equal length and the cables/pipes that are linked by the connector are mechanical cables, the connector does not change the setup of a control unit and a respective controlled unit, which are linked through the connector. In an embodiment of the bicycle frame and the bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the preaddressed embodiments and any of the embodiments still to be addressed unless in contradiction, the arms of the lever have different lengths .

In said embodiment, the connector can be, e.g., a

rectangular plate or block with a pivot axis right-angled and unequally spaced apart from two opposite edges of the plate or block or a V-shaped plate/body with a pivot axis in the corner, where the two unequally long arms meet. When the arms of the lever have different lengths, the

mechanical cables linking connector acts also as a ratio converter, and can therefore change the setup of the control unit and the respective controlled unit, which are linked through the connector.

However, a connector acting as ratio converter must not necessarily be designed as a lever having arms of different lengths. For instance, the connector can substantially comprise two circles positioned one above the other having different radii, whereby each mechanical cable is linked to a different circle. In general, any construction adapted to provide a transmission can be used as connector. It is also possible to have a connector designed as an adjustable ratio converter. An example for such an adjustable ratio converter is a lever with an adjustable pivot axis. When the position of the pivot axis changes, the length of the arms and the ratio of the lengths of the arms to each other changes, and thus the transmission ratio changes as well. In case of pneumatic/hydraulic pipes, a transmission can be obtained by, e.g., a connector that is designed as a pneumatic/hydraulic cylinder with at least two pistons of different cross-sections. When electric cables are linked by a connector, the connector can be designed as, e.g., electric transformer.

In an embodiment of the bicycle frame and the bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the preaddressed embodiments and any of the embodiments still to be addressed unless in contradiction, the junction box comprises at least one stop element to which a housing of a cable or pipe is detachably securable .

The stop element can be made of, e.g., polytetrafluoro- ethylene (Teflon) , plastic, carbon, or metal, such as stainless steel, or a combination thereof. The stop element comprises means to detachably connect at least one housing of a cable or pipe. Such a means can be an opening to plug in the housing, a thread to screw on the housing, a tube to insert or pin on the housing, a clamp to clamp the housing and so on. Furthermore, the stop element comprises an aperture adapted to lead through the mechanical or

electrical cable without the housing. This aperture can be, e.g., a hole or a slot. In case of a pneumatic or hydraulic pipe, the connector and the pipe can be linked through the stop element, i.e. the connector is linked to the stop element on one side, the pipe is secured to the stop element on the other side and the stop element comprises an aperture interconnecting the pipe and the connector.

In an embodiment of the bicycle frame and the bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the preaddressed embodiments and any of the embodiments still to be addressed unless in contradiction, the joint-arrangement comprises a safety element adapted to avoid unintended release of a cable or pipe.

Such a safety element can be an additional eyelet designed at the connector directly after the actual link of a cable or pipe to the connector. Another example for a safety element is a clip having retainers to insert the cables and/or pipes connected to each other and holding together the pipes and/or cables in case the actual joint, e.g., a screw-connection, fails. Such a clip can also secure a screw connection by fixing both the head of the screw and the screw nut, and preventing rotation.

In an embodiment of the bicycle frame and the bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the preaddressed embodiments and any of the embodiments still to be addressed unless in contradiction, the junction box is welded to, glued to, screwed on, hinged to, or formed in the bicycle frame.

Depending on the material or the material composition the bicycle frame or steering arrangement is made of, the junction box can be designed in different ways. For metal, welding the junction box to the frame/steering arrangement is a convenient option. However, the junction box can also be formed in a metal frame/steering arrangement, e.g., as a unitary part. In case the frame/steering arrangement is made of carbon, forming the junction box in the

frame/steering arrangement or gluing the junction box to the frame/steering arrangement are reasonable options.

Furthermore, the junction box can be screwed on the frame/steering arrangement or hinged to the frame/steering arrangement independent on the material or material composition the frame/steering arrangement is made of.

In an embodiment of the bicycle frame and the bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the preaddressed embodiments and any of the embodiments still to be addressed unless in contradiction, the cover of the junction box is linked by a hinge, a thread, or a tongue and groove link.

The cover of the junction box should be openable to give access to the junction box. It also should be closeable to prevent penetration of, e.g., dirt or water and for safety reasons. For aesthetic reasons, the cover can be made of the same material or the same material composition than the bicycle frame itself. But in general, the cover can be made of any material that is suitable to form a cover. The cover can either be fully removable or attached to the frame, steering arrangement, or the junction box itself in a way that even in open position a link to the frame, steering arrangement, or the junction exists. Said embodiment prevents a loss of the cover.

In an embodiment of the bicycle frame and the bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the preaddressed embodiments and any of the embodiments still to be addressed unless in contradiction, the cover of the junction box is lockable.

To avoid unintended, unwanted or unauthorized operation of the junction box, the junction box can be lockable. In order to open the cover of the junction box, a security means, such as a screw or a lock, needs to be opened previously. A lock can additionally be secured by, e.g., a key, a number code, or a fingerprint.

In an embodiment of the bicycle frame and the bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the preaddressed embodiments unless in contradiction, the bicycle frame comprises at least two cables and/or pipes linked in said junction box, at least one of said cables and/or pipes being led inside the bicycle frame or the bicycle steering arrangement.

In order to achieve a clear cable routing, cables and/or pipes that are linked in the junction box can be lead from the junction box to a control unit or controlled unit at least partially inside the bicycle frame and/or the bicycle steering arrangement. The present invention further relates to a bicycle with a bicycle frame and bicycle steering arrangement comprising a junction box with an openable cover, the junction box comprising openings adapted to insert cables and/or pipes there through. Moreover, the bicycle includes at least two cables and/or pipes, a first of the said cables or pipes running to a control unit and a second of the said cables or pipes running to a respective controlled unit and the first of said cables or pipes and the second of said cables or pipes being linked in the junction box.

Such a control unit/controlled unit group can be, e.g., a brake lever and a respective brake, a gear lever and a respective gearbox, or a suspension controller and a suspension system. Thereby, the first cable running from the lever is linked in the junction box to a second cable running to the brake or the gearbox, respectively.

Alternatively, the first pipe running from the suspension controller is linked in the junction box to a second pipe running to the suspension system.

In an embodiment of the bicycle according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the embodiments still to be addressed unless in contradiction, a cable and/or pipe arrangement runs from the steering arrangement of the bicycle along the bicycle frame or from the bicycle frame to the bicycle steering arrangement, and consists of cables and/or pipes linked in the junction box.

An example for this embodiment is a bicycle having a first brake cable running from the left brake lever and another first brake cable running from the right brake lever to the junction box. Both brake levers are mounted to the

handlebar as part of the steering arrangement. In the junction box, one of the first brake cables is detachably connected to a second brake cable running to the brake of the rear wheel and the other first brake cable is

detachably connected to another second brake cable running to the brake of the front wheel. In this case, to

disassemble and assemble the steering arrangement of the bicycle, the junction box must be opened, the first and the second brake cables need to be disconnected, the steering arrangement has to be separated from the frame, the same or a new steering arrangement has to be attached (again) , the first brake cables need to be linked to the respective second brake cables and the junction box must be closed again .

Another example for the aforementioned embodiment is a bicycle having a first brake cable running from the left brake lever and a first shift cable running from the gear lever to the junction box. Both levers are mounted to the handlebar as part of the steering arrangement. In the junction box, the first brake cable is detachably connected to a second brake cable running to the brake of the rear wheel and the first shift cable is detachably connected to a second shift cable running to the gear box of the rear wheel. In this case, to disassemble and assemble the steering arrangement of the bicycle, the junction box must be opened, the first and the second brake cable and the first and the second shift cable need to be disconnected, the steering arrangement has to be separated from the frame, the same or a new steering arrangement has to be attached (again) , the first brake cable needs to be linked to the second brake cable, the first shift cable needs to be linked to the second shift cable and the junction box must be closed again.

In an embodiment of the bicycle according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the preaddressed

embodiments and any of the embodiments still to be

addressed unless in contradiction, the cables/pipes are selected from at least one of: mechanical cable, electrical cable, hydraulic pipe and/or pneumatic pipe.

This includes, for instance, Bowden cables usually used as brake cables or gear shift cables, electric wires used for electronic gearboxes, hydraulic pipes used for hydraulic brakes, or pneumatic pipes for suspension adjustment.

In an embodiment of the bicycle according to the invention, which may be combined with any of the preaddressed

embodiments unless in contradiction, at least one of the cables and/or pipes is led inside the bicycle frame or the bicycle steering arrangement.

Leading cables/pipes partially or fully inside and not along a bicycle frame provides a clearer guidance of the concerned cables/pipes. A comparable cable routing is applicable for a bicycle steering arrangement. A cable/pipe linked in and guided from the junction box can be lead fully or partially inside the steering arrangement to, e.g., a control unit (e.g., a brake lever) located at the handlebar of the steering arrangement.

The present invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating various exemplary embodiments. These exemplary embodiments are provided for the purpose of illustration only, and the invention is not limited to these exemplary embodiments, but rather

encompasses all variations which are evident as a result of the teaching provided herein. What is shown in the Figures is :

Fig. 1 a scheme of a section of a bicycle and its frame and steering arrangement;

Fig. 2 a sectional top view of an embodiment of a bicycle frame and a bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention;

Fig. 3 a sectional top view of an embodiment of a bicycle frame and a bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention;

Fig. 4 a sectional top view of an embodiment of a bicycle frame and a bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention;

Fig. 5 a sectional top view of an embodiment of a bicycle frame and a bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention; Fig. 6 a sectional top view of an embodiment of a bicycle frame and a bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention;

Fig. 7 a sectional three-dimensional view of an embodiment of a bicycle according to the invention;

Fig. 8 a sectional three-dimensional view of an embodiment of a bicycle according to the invention with a detailed view of a junction box.

In Fig. 1 a schematic draft of a section of a bicycle (1) including part of the bicycle frame (10) and the steering arrangement (30) is shown. The dashed lines indicate the silhouette of the section of the bicycle frame (10) and the steering arrangement (30) which can exemplarily comprise a junction box (20), such as shown in Fig. 2 to Fig. 6.

In Fig. 2 a top view of a section of an embodiment of a bicycle frame and a bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention is shown. The dashed line indicates the silhouette of the section of the bicycle frame (10) or bicycle steering arrangement (30) that is illustrated. Said section comprises the junction box (20) . The junction box (20) itself comprises openings (21) that are adapted to insert cables and/or pipes (22). In this embodiment two cables and/or pipes (22) are directly and detachably linked by a joint-arrangement (11) . Each of the cables/pipes (22) is fed through a respective opening (21) . The openings (21) are located at opposite sides of the junction box (20) .

In Fig. 3 a top view of a section of an embodiment of a bicycle frame and a bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention is shown. The dashed line indicates the silhouette of the section of the bicycle frame (10) or bicycle steering arrangement (30) that is illustrated. Said section comprises the junction box (20) . The junction box (20) comprises two openings (21) that are located next to each other at the same side of the junction box (20) .

Through each of the openings (21) one cable/pipe (22) is inserted. The cables/pipes (22) are indirectly and

detachably linked to each other by a connector (24) . In the illustrated example the connector (24) is rotatably mounted and designed as two-armed lever with equally long arms. The cross in the circle indicates the pivot axis of the connector ( 24 ) .

In Fig. 4 a top view of a section of an embodiment of a bicycle frame and a bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention is shown. The example is comparable to the example shown in Fig. 3. However, the connector (24) shown in this example comprises an adjustable pivot axis. By adjusting the position of the connector in relation to the pivot axis, i.e. its anchor point, the connector designed as a two-armed lever with equally long arms can be

transformed into a lever with unequally long arms and therefor into a ratio converter. Furthermore, the illustrated junction box (20) comprises only one opening (21) instead of two openings, whereby the shown

cables/pipes (22) are inserted through this and therefore the same opening (21) .

In Fig. 5 a top view of a section of an embodiment of a bicycle frame and a bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention is shown. The dashed line indicates the silhouette of the section of the bicycle frame (10) or bicycle steering arrangement (30) that is illustrated. Said section comprises the junction box (20). The junction box (20) comprises two openings (21) that are located next to each other at the same side of the junction box (20) .

Through each of the openings (21) one cable/pipe (22) is inserted. The cables/pipes (22) are indirectly and

detachably linked to each other by a connector (24) . In the illustrated example the connector (24) is rotatably mounted and designed as V-shaped body with unequally long arms. Therefore, the connector (24) acts also as ratio converter.

In Fig. 6 a top view of a section of an embodiment of a bicycle frame and a bicycle steering arrangement according to the invention is shown. The dashed line indicates the silhouette of the section of the bicycle frame (10) or the bicycle steering arrangement (30) that is illustrated. Said section comprises the junction box (20) . The junction box (20) comprises two openings (21) that are located next to each other at the same side of the junction box (20) .

Through each of the openings (21) one cable/pipe (22) is inserted. In the illustrated example the cables/pipes (22) comprise a housing (23) and inner cable (22a, 22b) . The housings (23) are detachably connected to a stop element (25) each. The inner cables (22a, 22b) are fed through the stop elements (25) in direction of a connector (24) . Said connector (24) is rotatably mounted and designed as substantially scalene triangle. The inner cables (22a, 22b) are indirectly and detachably linked to each other by the connector (24) . The inner cables (22a, 22b) comprise each a pear-shaped nipple at an ending in order to be anchored to the connector (24). The illustrated connector (24)

comprises one safety element (26) designed as closeable bracket in order to prevent an unintended separation of the cable (22a) and the connector (24) .

In Fig. 7 a part of an embodiment of a bicycle (1)

according to the invention is shown. A bicycle steering arrangement (30) is attached to a bicycle frame (10) . The bicycle steering arrangement (30) comprises a junction box (20), which is located close to the interface between the bicycle frame (10) and the steering arrangement (30) of the bicycle (1) . The junction box (20) is shown without the openable cover.

In Fig. 8 a more detailed view of an embodiment of a bicycle according to the invention is shown. In this embodiment, the junction box (20) comprises two connectors, each connector linking a first and a second cable/pipe inserted through openings. For the sake of clarity, only one of the connectors (24) and the respective cables/pipes (22) and respective openings (21) are indicated with reference numbers. In the following, only the

aforementioned indicated elements are described. In the shown embodiment, all cables/pipes are so called Bowden cables comprising an inner cable (22a, 22b) and a cable housing (23) . Of the two indicated openings (21), one leads upwards, in direction of the handlebar of the steering arrangement (30), and the other one leads downwards, in direction of the wheels of the bicycle. The Bowden cables (22) that are fed through the openings (21) run in

direction of stop elements (25) . The cable housings (23) of the Bowden cables are detachably connected to the stop elements (25). In general, the junction box could only comprise one stop element in a more centric position for all cables and/or pipes. The inner cables are fed though openings or slots in the stop elements (25) and are detachably connected to each other by a connector (24) . The first inner cable (22a) is clamped into the connector (24) and secured by a safety element (26) . The second inner cable (22b) comprises a barrel-shaped or pear-shaped nipple to be anchored to the connector (24) . The junction box (20) is shown without the openable cover.