Over the years various sidecars for bicycles have been designed. The main purpose of the sidecar is to carry infants and small children or pets during bicycle trips. The advantage of a sidecar compared to e.g. a small

trailers drawn behind the bicycle, is that the cyclist can view and easily communicate with the child or pet while riding the bicycle.

A successful design is for instance, U.S. Pat. No.

6,311,997 issued on November 6, 2001 to Lepley disclosing a sidecar having a wheeled frame adapted to be coupled to a bicycle frame by means of a bracket connected to the bottom portion of the bicycle frame while allowing relative pivotal movements of the bicycle frame relative to the wheeled frame about a longitudinal axis of the bicycle. The patent discloses a coupling for attaching the wheeled frame to a bottom portion of the bicycle frame while allowing relative pivotal movements of the bicycle frame relative to the wheeled frame about a longitudinal axis of the bicycle. The coupling includes a first part which is fixed relative to the bicycle frame (bracket) and a second part which is fixed relative to the wheeled frame. The first and second parts are rotatably interconnectable to form with the wheeled frame a system having one degree of freedom.

Although the bracket described in the above mentioned patent ensures that the attachment of the sidecar with the bicycle frame does not interfere with the operation of the power train of the bicycle and allow for the bicycle to lean on either side, it has been found that the bracket described can only be mounted to a limited number of bicycle models and that there is a need for a new and simple mountable bracket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a mountable bracket for connecting a sidecar to a bicycle frame which is adapted to be easily and securely mounted to almost any bicycle frame.

Therefore, in accordance with a general aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bracket for

connecting a sidecar to a bicycle frame, the bracket adapted to be mounted to a bottom portion of the bicycle frame for providing a connecting axis extending forwardly in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the bicycle, comprising a first connecting point and a second connecting point, the first connecting point to be mounted directly behind the bottom bracket shell of the bicycle frame and the second connecting point to be mounted on the chain stays in the direction of the rear fork ends of the bicycle frame.

In accordance with a further general aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bracket and a first adaptor and a second adaptor. The first adaptor comprising means for fixedly mounting directly behind the bottom bracket shell of the bicycle frame and means to easily and securely connect to the bracket. The second adaptor comprising means for fixedly mounting on the chain stays of the bicycle frame and means to easily and securely connect to the bracket . The advantage is that the bracket is connected to those elements of the bicycle frame that are always available. Therefore one bracket design will be enough to connect the sidecar to almost all bicycles .

The advantage of the use of a first and/or a second adaptor is that next to the sidecar also the bracket can easily be connected and disconnected to the convenience of the bicycle user.

The connection points are located with a relative long distance making the connection strong and secure .

The left chain stay is always relatively free of obstacles and points can be allocated for a good connection .

NOVELTY AND INVENTIVENESS

Several designs have been shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,997 for connecting the bracket. Fig 5 shows a convenient connection, but has two connecting points very close to each other. The experience is that bicycles do not have the space available at this location on the frame and that the short distance between the points make the connection unsecure. Fig. 7 shows a connection with two connecting points over a longer distance. The disadvantage is that the angle of the down tube varies a lot between bicycles, therefore a lot of inconvenient adjustment is necessary. And a adjustable connection is less secure. The natural horizontal line of the chain stay does not make any adjustment necessary and the two distant connecting points make the bracket fixed secure. PROOF OF CONCE PT

Sketches and technical drawings (figs. 1-6) describing the invention and its context are included in the appendix. Pictures of a prototype are included in the appendix.

Text derived from drawings of US provisional application:

- Coupling location on bicycle; horizontal rear fork suitable due to less variation in shape and direction; left site is free accessible.

- for the construction to be light and strong the centre of gravity has to lie between the two supporting points; wheel of sidecar has to be in line -next to- rear wheel of bicycle; preferably dog sits next to cyclist.

- Front fixation on bike on or between fork legs; back fixation against horizontal rear fork or on rear shaft.