Magnets are well known as devices used to hold together many things,
eg doors, lids, furniture, bags, etc. etc. A company has tried to
Patent the application of magnets to hold together folding bicycle
frames, when in their 'folded position' This has been done via the
chinese patent system (WO 02/55371 A1) see
http://l2.espacenet.com/espacenet/bnsviewer?CY=gb&LG=en&DB=EPD&PN=WO02055371&ID=WO++02055371A1+I+
and also http://www.dahon.com/magnetix.htm
I believe the use of magnets to hold together frames for anything,
including folding bicycles and their parts is obvious. What I would
like to find are examples, of the use of magnets in other similar
products, scooters, motor cycles and ideally folding bicycles or
bicyles generally. These examples may come from: pictures, adverts,
descriptions, books, texts, recent, lapsed or historic patents
(possibly not on line), or library records. If examples are found off
line (say in a book or a magazine)a scan of the information would be
good.
A book called "its in the bag" by Tony Hadland & John Pinkerton, shows
many folding bikes from as early as 1890, (such as the Faun, Humber,
pederson, BSA, etc.) but it does not go into much detail of how they
are held together when folded. |
