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EP-4488151-B1 - BICYCLE COMPONENT, SEAT POST, AND BICYCLE

EP4488151B1EP 4488151 B1EP4488151 B1EP 4488151B1EP-4488151-B1

Inventors

  • FAUCHER, MATHIS
  • de Marne, Pierre
  • Oppermann, Philip
  • KOHL, WOLFGANG

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240606

Claims (14)

  1. A bicycle component (10) comprising: an in particular tubular hollow body (12), and a lighting device (14) arranged inside the hollow body (12), the lighting device (14) shining light through a shell surface (16) of the hollow body (12) to emit bicycle light, wherein the material of the shell surface (16) is translucent , and characterized in that the shell surface (16) is coated, at least partially, to be opaque.
  2. The bicycle component (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the shell surface (16) is designed in a closed manner, in particular completely closed.
  3. The bicycle component (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the shell surface (16) comprises in particular translucent composite material such as CFRP and GFRP, the shell surface preferably being made thereof.
  4. The bicycle component (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the shell surface (16) comprises at least one window (20a, 20b) for transillumination by the lighting device (14).
  5. The bicycle component (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the window (20a, 20b) corresponds to an uncoated or translucently coated area, in particular a partial area, of the shell surface (16).
  6. The bicycle component (10) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the hollow body (12) is designed to be resilient, in particular in the form of a leaf spring.
  7. The bicycle component (10) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the lighting device (14) is connected to a sleeve (24) insertable into the hollow body (12), the sleeve (24) comprising an in particular flexible sleeve body (26), the sleeve (24), in particular the sleeve body (26), preferably being configured for the resilient absorption of forces, in particular transverse forces, transmitted to the hollow body (12).
  8. The bicycle component (10) according to claim, 7, characterized in that the sleeve (24) comprises a power source and/or a control unit (28), as well as in particular a connector (40) for current and/or signal transmission for the operation of the lighting device (14); and/or characterized in that the sleeve (24) and/or the hollow body (12) has a device, in particular a mold, for unambiguously defining the position between the sleeve (24) and the hollow body (12).
  9. The bicycle component (10) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the hollow body (12) comprises a sleeve connector (42) for power and/or signal transmission to the sleeve (24) for the operation of the lighting device (14), said sleeve connector being arranged in particular inside the hollow body (12), the sleeve connector (42) and a connector (40) of the sleeve (24) preferably being designed as an in particular insertable plug-in connection.
  10. The bicycle component (10) according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the sleeve (24) and/or the hollow body (12) comprises a fixing device (34) for an in particular positive fixation of the sleeve (24) in the hollow body (12).
  11. The bicycle component (10) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the hollow body (12) comprises a hollow body connector for power and/or signal transmission for the operation of the lighting device (14), said hollow body connector being arranged in particular in a bore (48) in the shell surface (16); and/or characterized in that the hollow body (12) is a seat post (100) and/or a seat post tube and/or a handlebar and/or a handlebar stem and/or a frame tube.
  12. A seat post (100) comprising one or two seat post tubes, which are preferably resilient, particularly preferred designed resiliently in the form of leaf springs, one or both seat post tubes being a bicycle component (10) according to one of claims 1 to 11.
  13. A bicycle (1000), in particular an e-bike or a pedelec, comprising at least one bicycle component (10) according to one of claims 1 to 11, and/or a seat post (100) according to claim 12.
  14. The bicycle (1000) according to claim 13, characterized in that the bicycle (1000) has a bicycle battery (1001), in particular connected to a bicycle frame (1002) of the bicycle (1000), the lighting device (14) being connected to the bicycle battery (1001) for power supply, and/or characterized in that the bicycle (1000) comprises a motor with a light control, the lighting device (14) being connected to the light control of the motor, in particular in a wired or wireless manner, to control light emission by the lighting device (14).

Description

The invention relates to a bicycle component, a seat post and a bicycle. To illuminate bicycles, external lights are usually attached to the frame, for example, to the handlebars and/or seat post. However, external lights can negatively impact the bicycle's aesthetics and/or aerodynamics. Furthermore, they are frequently subject to theft or damage. External lights are also susceptible to dust, water, and/or dirt. Furthermore, there are approaches to integrating lighting into bicycle components, such as the handlebars and/or seat post. This involves creating holes, particularly drill holes, in the bicycle component. Lights are then positioned within or behind these holes to illuminate the bicycle. Holes have the disadvantage of altering the structure of the bicycle component. This can negatively affect its strength and/or dynamic behavior. Additionally, dust, water, and/or dirt can penetrate the bicycle component through the holes. Moreover, holes, such as drill holes, can lead to wear and tear, particularly corrosion, of the bicycle component. The document US2016/362154A1 discloses all features of the preamble of independent claim 1. The object of the invention is to create a bicycle component, a seat post and a bicycle with an improved integrated bicycle light. The problem is solved according to the invention by a bicycle component according to claim 1, a seat post according to claim 12 and a bicycle according to claim 13. The bicycle component according to the invention is, in particular, a bicycle lighting component. Preferably, the bicycle component is a bicycle component for lighting a bicycle. The bicycle component has a hollow body, in particular a tubular one. The hollow body is, in particular, a tubular element and/or a tubular profile. The hollow body has, in particular, a hollow cylindrical shape with a round, oval, or square cross-section. The bicycle component further has a lighting device arranged inside the hollow body. The lighting device is, in particular, designed to emit red and/or white light for illuminating a bicycle. The lighting device has, in particular, one or more LEDs, preferably red and/or white LEDs. To emit the light for bicycle lighting, the lighting device shines through a surface of the hollow body. The surface of the hollow body is preferably an outer surface, in particular the entire outer surface of the hollow body. In other words, the bicycle component is designed such that the lighting device shines through or illuminates the surface of the hollow body. The bicycle component according to the invention particularly benefits from an integrated bicycle light, preferably one that is completely integrated within the bicycle frame. The outer surface itself, and according to the invention the material of the outer surface, is transparent. In a preferred embodiment, the lateral surface is, in particular, completely closed. The lateral surface is, in particular, free of holes and/or openings, so that the lateral surface has no holes and/or openings whatsoever. In a preferred embodiment, the outer surface, in particular the hollow body, comprises composite material, in particular CFRP and/or GFRP, and preferably consists of it. According to the invention, the outer surface, in particular the hollow body, is at least partially coated, e.g., painted. The coating is opaque according to the invention. Thus, the light source does not shine through the outer surface at points where the coating is present. In a preferred embodiment, the cladding surface has at least one window for illumination by the lighting device. The window is particularly integral with the cladding surface. Preferably, the window is made of the same material as the cladding surface. The window is particularly round or rectangular in shape. In particular, the area of the window is less than 30% of the cladding surface, preferably less than 20%, and most preferably less than 10%. The lighting device is arranged, at least partially, behind the window. The window is particularly translucent. In a preferred embodiment, the window corresponds to an uncoated or translucent coated area, in particular a partial area, of the outer surface. It is therefore preferred that the outer surface, in particular largely, is coated with an opaque coating, while to form the translucent window, one or more partial areas are uncoated or coated with a translucent coating, i.e., in particular with a translucent coating. The window is coated. It is possible that the window has a colored, translucent coating, so that light emitted white by the light source is reflected by the coating in a colored manner. The colored coating is particularly likely to be red or orange. In a preferred embodiment, the hollow body is resilient, in particular designed as a leaf spring. The resilient hollow body design is especially preferred in an embodiment where the bicycle component is a seatpost, preferably designed as a leaf spring device, and/or a seatpost