TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally concerns a rear-view mirror for bicycle, in particular for racing bicycle. Specifically, the present invention refers to a rear-view mirror for bicycle capable of ensuring both easy removal and high connection stability during the travel of the vehicle.

BACKGROUND

Nowadays, different types of rear-view mirror for bicycles are known that can be mounted at one end of a handlebar of a bicycle. The known rear-view mirrors are typically mounted to the handlebar, maintaining two degrees of freedom of movement. They may generally rotate about a first axis of rotation coincident with an axis of extension of the termination of a bicycle at which they are mounted, and a second axis of rotation orthogonal to the first one. The rotatable connections are generally obtained by means of special hinges or, advantageously, through a ball joint, like for example described in patent application EP 765 798, which allows a smoother adjustment of the position of the mirror.

Although the rear-view mirrors for bicycles have existed for a long time, with reference to the racing bicycles, they are not substantially used to date. Riding a racing bicycle without a rear-view mirror can, however, lead to frequent dangerous situations. In the absence of a rear-view mirror, the cyclist is obliged to often turn around to check whether vehicles or other cyclists are arriving, abandoning road supervision for a non- negligible period of time. In addition, if the cyclist is overtaken by a vehicle while he or she is turning around, conditions of instability can occur that can lead to a loss of control of the bicycle.

Despite this, cyclists are still reluctant to permanently mount a rear-view mirror on the racing bicycles, preferring, in certain situations, to travel without one. For example, in the context of cycling competitions, the use of a mirror is considered disadvantageous since a significant aerodynamic resistance that can negatively affect the race performance is attributed to this.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In light of the above, the task underlying the present invention is to obviate the problems of the known art. Within the scope of this task, an object of the present invention is to devise a rear-view mirror for bicycles in particular for racing ones that can be easily and quickly removed and coupled back to the bicycle.

Another object of the present invention is to realize a rear-view mirror for bicycles in particular for racing ones which, despite not being immovably mounted to the bicycle, is substantially not subject to accidental detachments during the travel.

Yet, an object of the present invention is to realize a rear-view mirror for bicycles in particular for racing ones which is particularly compact and has minimal impact on the overall aerodynamic resistance of the vehicle.

Not the last object of the present invention is to conceive a rear-view mirror for bicycles in particular for racing ones which is realizable in a simple and efficient manner and has pleasant aesthetics.

In accordance with a first aspect thereof, the invention therefore concerns a rear-view mirror for bicycles, particularly for racing bicycles, comprising a coupling base configured to be mounted in a substantially fixed manner at a first tubular end of a handlebar of bicycle and a reflecting element constrained to the coupling base, wherein the coupling base houses therein a spherical element for the realization of a ball joint of constraint between the coupling base and the reflecting element. Furthermore, the reflecting element is releasably constrained to the spherical element of the coupling base.

According to the present invention the spherical element comprises a hole configured to at least partially accommodate a first end of a support rod of the reflecting element. In addition, the hole of the spherical element has a section complementary to a section of the first end of the support rod, such that between the hole of the ball and the first end of the rod there is a shape coupling configured to prevent a relative rotation of the rod with respect to the hole about a development axis of the hole.

The Applicant has thus realized a rear-view mirror for bicycles that allows the cyclist to easily and quickly remove and recouple the reflecting element whenever he or she wishes, while ensuring a stable and precise transfer of rotation from the reflecting element to the spherical element.

This solution therefore allows a fine adjustment of the position of the mirror thanks to the use of a ball joint. At the same time, the cyclist can take advantage of the advantages offered by the mirror, for example while riding on the road, while being able to easily and quickly uncouple the reflecting element in situations where it is preferable to minimize the aerodynamic resistance of the bicycle. In accordance with a second aspect thereof, the invention concerns a mirror kit and balancing insert comprising a rear-view mirror for bicycles as described above and a balancing insert comprising a coupling body configured to be mounted in a substantially fixed manner at a second tubular end of a handlebar of bicycle, wherein the coupling body internally houses at least one weight configured to balance the weight of at least part of the rear-view mirror.

Advantageously, the mirror kit and balancing insert thus configured allows to achieve the same advantages described with reference to the rear-view mirror for bicycles according to the invention.

In accordance with a third aspect thereof, the invention concerns a bicycle, in particular a racing bicycle, comprising a handlebar to which at least one rear-view mirror for bicycles is constrained as described above.

Advantageously, the bicycle thus configured allows to achieve the same advantages described with reference to the rear-view mirror for bicycles according to the invention.

The present invention may have at least one of the preferred following features; the latter may in particular be combined with one another as desired in order to meet specific application needs.

In a variant of the invention, the mirror comprises axial holding means configured to exercise a contrasting force to a pulling force applied on the support rod along the development axis of the hole.

Preferably, the axial holding means are made respectively in the hole of the spherical element and on the support rod.

According to a first variant of the invention, the axial holding means comprise at least a first and at least a second magnetic element, wherein in the hole of the spherical element there is housed the at least a first magnetic element and in the first end of the support rod there is housed the at least a second magnetic element, configured to exercise an attractive force on the first magnetic element.

According to an alternative variant of the invention, the axial holding means comprise a snap coupling element made on the rod and a complementary portion made inside the hole of the ball element, wherein the complementary portion is configured to exercise on the snap coupling element a contrasting force to a pulling force applied to the support rod along the development axis of the hole.

Preferably, the snap coupling element is made at the first end of the rod. Advantageously, in this way it is possible to realize in a simple way a releasable constraint between the reflecting element and the spherical element that is at the same time reliable and able to maintain the two connected elements stably even in the presence of stresses due to the travel of the bicycle.

Preferably, the first end of the rod and the hole of the ball have a polygonal section, such as for example triangular, square, hexagonal or octagonal.

Alternatively, the first end of the rod and the hole of the ball have a star-shaped section.

In a variant of the invention, the support rod is at least partially made in the form of a hollow tube.

Preferably, the support rod comprises a plurality of first grooves on an own tubular wall.

Advantageously, this realization of the support rod allows to drastically reduce the overall weight of the rear-view mirror, thus impacting only minimally on the weight balance in the bicycle.

In a variant of the invention, the coupling base comprises an outer shell provided with a plurality of ribs protruding radially from an outer surface of the shell, the ribs being preferably shaped in such a way as to facilitate the insertion of the coupling base into the end of the handlebar and, at the same time, to exercise a holding action of the coupling base inside the handlebar once it is inserted.

Preferably, the coupling base comprises a housing body at least partially wrapped by the outer shell and configured to rotatably house inside it the ball element.

More preferably, the housing body is configured such that the rotation of the ball element is counteracted by frictional forces developing between an inner wall of the housing body and the ball.

Even more preferably, the ball element is maintained abutting against an inner wall of the housing body by the action of an elastic element.

Further preferably, the elastic element acts against a shaped pad element so as to form at least part of a housing seat of the ball element defined inside the housing body.

In a variant of the invention, the housing body comprises a plurality of second grooves on its own wall internally defining at least partially a housing seat of the ball element.

In a variant of the invention, the reflecting element is supported by a support plate connected to the support rod. Preferably, the reflecting element is constrained to a first surface of the support plate through a fixed constraint, for example by gluing.

Alternatively, the reflecting element is constrained to a first surface of the support plate through a releasable constraint, for example a magnetic constraint.

Preferably, the support plate comprises a second surface opposite to the first, a surface patter being made on the second surface pattern and configured to reduce an aerodynamic resistance of the support plate.

More preferably, the surface pattern comprises a plurality of recesses arranged according to a rhomboidal grid.

Even more preferably, the surface pattern is made as a surface pattern of a golfball.

Advantageously, thanks to the surface pattern it becomes possible to realize a rear-view mirror for bicycles that has a minimal impact on the overall aerodynamic resistance of the vehicle.

In a variant of the invention, the reflecting element is made as a lens with total internal reflection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of some preferred embodiments thereof, made with reference to the appended drawings.

The different features in the individual configurations can be combined with each other as desired according to the above description, if the advantages resulting specifically from a particular combination are to be availed of.

In such drawings,

- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a racing bicycle on which a rear-view mirror for bicycle is mounted according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

- Figure la is an enlarged detail of Figure 1;

- Figure 2 is a perspective view of a rear-view mirror for bicycle according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

- Figure 3 is a perspective view of the rear-view mirror for bicycle of Figure 2 in a configuration of reflecting element removed from the coupling body;

- Figure 4 is a sectional view of the rear-view mirror for bicycle of Figure 2; - Figures 5 and 6 are exploded perspective views of the rear-view mirror for bicycle of Figure 2;

- Figures 7 and 8 are exploded perspective views of the rear-view mirror for bicycle in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

- Figures 9 and 10 are perspective views of the rear-view mirror for bicycle according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention in a configuration of reflecting element removed from the coupling body;

- Figure 11 is a perspective view of a balancing insert of the rear-view mirror for bicycle according to the present invention;

- Figure 12 is a sectional view of the balancing insert of Figure 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For the illustration of the drawings, use is made in the following description of identical numerals or symbols to indicate construction elements with the same function. Moreover, for clarity of illustration, certain references may not be repeated in all drawings.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain preferred embodiments are shown in the drawings and are described hereinbelow in detail. It must in any case be understood that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated, but, on the contrary, the invention intends covering all the modifications, alternative and equivalent constructions that fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

The use of “for example”, “etc.”, “or” indicates non-exclusive alternatives without limitation, unless otherwise indicated. The use of “comprises” and “includes” means “comprises or includes, but not limited to”, unless otherwise indicated.

With reference to the accompanying figures, several preferred embodiments of a rearview mirror for bicycle according to the present invention, indicated overall with 10, are illustrated.

The rear-view mirror for bicycle 10 comprises a coupling base 11 configured to be fixedly mounted at a first tubular end of a handlebar 110 of bicycle 100, as illustrated in Figures 1 and la.

According to a first embodiment illustrated in Figures 2-6, the coupling base 11 comprises an outer shell 12 provided with a series of ribs 12a protruding radially from the outer surface of the shell 12. Specifically of the illustrated embodiment, the ribs 12a are made in the form of circumferential segments and are distributed perimetrically around the shell 12, parallel to each other.

In particular, the protruding ribs 12a are shaped in such a way as to facilitate the insertion of the coupling base 11 into the end of the handlebar 110 and, at the same time, to exercise a holding action of the coupling base 11 inside the handlebar 110 once it is inserted, to prevent the accidental escape thereof. To this end the protruding ribs 12a preferably have at least one inclined lead-in surface 12a', which allows the sliding of the coupling base 11 along the inner wall of the tubular end of the handlebar 110, when the base 11 is moved in the insertion direction, and a contrast surface 12a" which hinders the sliding of the coupling base 11 along the inner wall of the tubular end of the handlebar 110 in the direction opposite to the insertion direction.

The coupling base 11 also comprises a housing body 13, partially wrapped by the outer shell 12 and configured to house a ball element 14. To this end, the housing body 13 internally defines a substantially spherical housing seat.

The ball element 14 is rotatably housed in the seat of the body 13, whereby the rotation of the ball element 14 is counteracted only by frictional forces developing between the wall of the seat of the housing body 13 and the ball 14.

To this end, the ball 14 is maintained abutting against a wall of the seat defined inside the housing body 13 by the action of an elastic element 15, which in the illustrated embodiment is made in the form of a cup spring. As shown in detail in Figure 4, in the illustrated embodiment, the elastic element 15 acts on one side against a pad element 16 which forms part of the housing seat of the body 13, closing it. On the other hand, the elastic element 15 is pressed against the pad element 16 by a closing element 21 configured to adjust the frictional forces developing between the wall of the seat of the housing body 13 and the ball 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the closing element 21 is made like a screw, making the relative position thereof adjustable with respect to the seat of the housing body 13 simply by screwing/unscrewing it. A screwing of the closing element 21 in the direction of the housing body 13 causes a narrowing of the relative seat and therefore a greater friction between the wall of the seat of the housing body 13 and the ball 14.

According to the present invention, the ball element 14 comprises a hole 14a, preferably of the through type, configured to at least partially accommodate a first end 17a of a support rod 17 of a reflecting element 18, thus realizing a releasable connecting ball joint between the reflecting element 18 and the coupling base 11. In particular, the hole 14a has a section complementary to a section of the first end 17a of the support rod 17, such that between the hole of the ball 14a and the first end of the rod 17a there is a shape coupling that prevents a relative rotation of the rod 17 with respect to the hole 14a about a development axis of the hole 14a. By way of example, the first end of the rod 17a and the hole of the ball 14a have a polygonal section, such as hexagonal, triangular, square, octagonal and so on, or star-shaped.

In this way, by moving the reflecting element 18 and with it the support rod 17, it is possible to impart in a precise and reliable manner a rotation to the ball element 14 and thus obtain a fine adjustment of the position of the reflecting element 18 with respect to the coupling base 11.

In order to ensure that the connection between the support rod 17 and the ball element 14 is maintained even in the presence of stresses, there are provided axial holding means configured to partially counteract a possible pulling force applied to the reflecting element 18 and/or to the support rod 17, directly or indirectly, along the development axis of the hole 14a. In particular, the axial holding means are realized respectively in the hole 14a of the spherical element and on the support rod 17, for example at its first end 17 a.

According to the first embodiment, at least a first magnetic element 19 is advantageously housed in the hole of the ball 14a. Similarly, at the first end of the rod 17a there is housed at least a second magnetic element 20, configured to exercise an attractive force on the first magnetic element 19. The first 19 and the second 20 magnetic element constitute the axial holding means of the first embodiment.

In this way, when the first end of the support rod 17 is inserted into the hole of the ball 14a, as shown in Fig. 2, it is stably held within the hole 14a. It is thus advantageously possible to avoid accidental removals of the reflecting element 18 and of the rod 17 from the coupling base 11 due, for example, to stresses that are generated while the travel of the bicycle.

The assembly consisting of the reflecting element 18 and of the rod 17 is however at the same time removable from the coupling base 11 (as illustrated in Figure 3), by applying a pulling force in the direction opposite to the direction of the magnetic attraction force between the first and the second magnetic element 19,20, sufficient to counteract said magnetic attraction force.

The support rod 17 is advantageously made at least partly in the form of a hollow tube to lighten the overall structure of the mirror 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the support rod 17 also comprises a plurality of first grooves 17b on its own tubular wall, visible in Figures 5 and 6, thus obtaining a further lightening.

Similarly also the housing body 13 comprises a plurality of second grooves 13a on its own wall defining the housing seat of the ball 14, which are shown in Figures 5 and 6. Also in this case the second grooves 13b allow to make the structure of the mirror 10 as a whole lighter.

The support rod 17 comprises a second end 17c which acts as a connection interface to a support plate 22 of the reflecting element 18. To this end, by way of example, the second end 17c of the support rod is fixed to the support plate 22 by means of a screw connection 24.

The support plate 22 comprises a first surface 22a (shown in Figure 5) intended to accommodate the reflecting element 18. To this end, constraint elements 23,23’ are provided between the first surface 22a of the support plate and the reflecting element 18. In the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6, the constraint element 23 is of the fixed type and is made in the form of an adhesive substrate interposed between the first surface 22a and the reflecting element 18.

The support plate 22 further comprises a second surface 22b (shown in Figure 6), opposed to the first surface 22a, which has a surface pattern 22c of indentations and/or reliefs configured to reduce the air friction exercised by the support plate 22 during the travel of the bicycle. In particular, the surface pattern 22c comprises a plurality of recesses arranged according to a rhomboid grid. Even more specifically, the surface pattern 22c is made as a surface pattern of a golf ball. Preferably, the recesses have a size that varies in an increasing/decreasing manner along an extension of the second surface 22b of the support plate 22.

Advantageously, the reflecting element 18 is made in the form of a reflecting optical element, such as for example a lens with total internal reflection. Alternatively, the reflecting element 18 is made as a mirroring surface.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a second embodiment of the rear-view mirror for bicycle 10 according to the present invention which differs from the first in particular by the type of constraint elements 23’ provided between the first surface 22a of the support plate 22 and the reflecting element 18. In this case there are provided constraint elements 23’ of the removable type, which specifically are made in the form of pairs of second magnetic elements 23’ arranged in such a way as to exercise a force of mutual attraction.

To this end, the first surface 22a of the support plate 22 comprises a plurality of seats 22d each configured to accommodate a first magnetic element of the pairs of second magnetic elements 23’. Similarly also the reflecting element 18 comprises a plurality of seats 18a configured to each accommodate a first magnetic element of the pairs of second magnetic elements 23’. In particular, the seats 18a and 22d are made on the respective elements 18,22 in corresponding positions, such that, by constraining the reflecting element 18 to the support plate 22, the magnets 23’ housed in the seats 18a,22d are substantially in contact with each other.

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate a third embodiment of the rear-view mirror for bicycle 10 according to the present invention which differs from the first in particular in the conformation of the axial holding means.

In this case, the rod 17 has, preferably at its first end 17a, a snap coupling element 17d configured to cooperate with a complementary portion 14b present inside the hole 14a of the ball element 14. In this way a stable retention of the rod 17 in the hole 14a by snap coupling is achieved which is able to counteract any stresses that arise during the travel of the bicycle. The snap coupling element 17d and the relative complementary portion 14b made in the hole 14a constitute the axial holding means of this embodiment. Specifically of the illustrated embodiment, the complementary portion 14b is implemented through a local narrowing of the section of the hole 14a.

The snap coupling element 17d and the complementary portion 14b are advantageously dimensioned in such a way that the assembly constituted by the reflecting element 18 and by the rod 17 is removable from the coupling base 11 (as illustrated in Figure 10), by applying a pulling force along the development axis of the hole 14a higher than a certain threshold.

Figures 11 and 12 illustrate a balancing insert 30 of a rear-view mirror for bicycle 10 according to the present invention. The balancing insert 30 is advantageously configured to be fixedly mounted at a second tubular end of a handlebar 110 of bicycle 100.

The balancing insert 30 comprises a coupling body 31 provided with a series of ribs 32 protruding radially from the outer surface of the body 31. Specifically of the illustrated embodiment, the ribs 32 are made in the form of circumferential segments and are distributed perimetrically around the body 31, parallel to each other.

In particular, the protruding ribs 32 are shaped in such a way as to facilitate the insertion of the coupling body 31 into the second end of the handlebar 110 and, at the same time, to exercise a holding action of the coupling body 11 inside the handlebar 110 once it is inserted, in order to prevent the accidental escape thereof. To this end, the protruding ribs 32 preferably have at least one inclined lead-in surface 32a, which allows the sliding of the coupling body 31 along the inner wall of the second tubular end of the handlebar 110, when the body 31 is moved in the insertion direction, and a contrast surface 32b which hinders the sliding of the coupling body 31 along the inner wall of the second tubular end of the handlebar 110 in the direction opposite to the insertion direction.

The coupling body 31 is made internally hollow in order to be able to house a weight 33 configured to balance the weight of the mirror 10 mounted at the first tubular end of the handlebar 110 or to balance the weight given by the coupling base 11 and by the elements inserted therein of the mirror 10 mounted at the first tubular end of the handlebar 110.

The operation of the rear-view mirror for bicycle 10 according to the present invention is as follows.

When the first end 17a of the support rod 17 is inserted into the hole 14a of the ball element 14, the reflecting element 18 is connected to the base 11 through said rod 17. The connection between the reflecting element 18 and the base 11 is in particular of the movable type to allow the adjustment of the position of the reflecting element 18. Such adjustment is obtained through the movement of the ball element 14 housed with interference in the housing seat internal to the body 13.

By applying a pulling force in contrast to the attractive magnetic force between the first 19 and the second magnetic element 20 it is possible to extract the first end of the rod 17a from the hole 14a of the ball element 14 and, in this way, to uncouple the reflecting element 18 from the coupling base 11.

Therefore, in the case of cycling competition, if the reflecting element 18 is considered as compromising the aerodynamics of the bicycle 100, it is possible to uncouple the reflecting element 18 from the base 11 quickly and easily. At the same time, when the reflecting element 18 is constrained to the base 11, the connection between these elements is reliable and secure thanks to the magnetic coupling between the first 19 and the second magnetic element 20.

In any case, the particular surface pattern 22c made on the second surface 22b of the support plate 22 ensures excellent aerodynamics even when the reflecting element 18 is connected to the coupling base 11.