Bicycle driving system and a multiple rear sprocket assembly thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10005520-B2
Application number	US-201615042152-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Feb 12, 2016
Publication date	Jun 26, 2018
Grant date	Jun 26, 2018

Abstract

A bicycle driving system includes a crank assembly and a multiple rear sprocket assembly. The crank assembly includes a front sprocket including a rotational center axis and a crank arm. The front sprocket is movable relative to the crank arm in an axial direction parallel to the rotational center axis. The multiple rear sprocket assembly includes eleven or more rear sprockets.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle driving system comprising:
a crank assembly including a front sprocket and a crank arm, the front sprocket including a rotational center axis and being movable relative to the crank arm in an axial direction parallel to the rotational center axis;
a multiple rear sprocket assembly including eleven or more rear sprockets,
a tooth number of a smallest rear sprocket of the multiple rear sprocket assembly being equal to or less than eleven,
a tooth number of a largest rear sprocket of the multiple rear sprocket assembly is equal to or more than thirty-five; and
a hub assembly comprising:
a hub axle;
a hub body rotatably supported around the hub axle; and
a bicycle rear sprocket mounting member rotatably supported around the hub axle;
the bicycle hub assembly including:
a rotational center axis;
a first axial frame abutment surface configured to abut against a first part of a bicycle frame in an axial direction parallel to the rotational center axis in a state where the bicycle hub assembly is mounted to the bicycle frame;
a second axial frame abutment surface configured to abut against a second part of the bicycle frame in the axial direction in a state where the bicycle hub assembly is mounted to the bicycle frame; and
an axial rear-sprocket abutment surface configured to abut against the rear sprocket assembly in the axial direction in a state where the bicycle rear sprocket assembly is mounted to the bicycle hub assembly;
the first axial frame abutment surface being positioned closer to the bicycle rear sprocket mounting member than the second axial frame abutment surface; and
a first axial length defined between the first axial frame abutment surface and the axial rear-sprocket abutment surface in the axial direction being greater than or equal to 45.00 mm and less than or equal to 50.00 mm.

2. The bicycle driving system according to claim 1 , wherein
the multiple rear sprocket assembly includes thirteen rear sprockets.

3. The bicycle driving system according to claim 1 , wherein
a drive ratio between the front sprocket and the multiple rear sprocket assembly remains greater than or equal to 0.74 and less than or equal to 3.40.

4. The bicycle driving system according to claim 3 , wherein
the front sprocket is a solitary front sprocket.

5. The bicycle driving system according to claim 1 , wherein
during operation, the front sprocket moves in the axial direction in accordance with a bicycle chain connecting the front sprocket and one of the eleven or more rear sprockets.

6. The bicycle driving system according to claim 1 , wherein
a tooth number of the smallest rear sprocket is ten; and
a tooth number of the largest rear sprocket is forty-six.

7. The bicycle driving system according to claim 1 , wherein
more than or equal to six rear sprockets are positioned axially inwardly from the front sprocket in a state where the bicycle driving system is mounted to a bicycle and the front sprocket is positioned at an axially center position in a sliding range.

8. The bicycle driving system according to claim 7 , wherein
more than or equal to eight rear sprockets are positioned axially inwardly from the front sprocket.

9. The bicycle driving system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an axially center plane perpendicular to the rotational center axis and passing through an axially center position in a range where the front sprocket moves in the axial direction, wherein
more than or equal to six rear sprockets are positioned axially inwardly from the axially center plane.

10. The bicycle driving system according to claim 9 , wherein
more than or equal to eight rear sprockets are positioned axially inwardly from the axially center plane.

11. A bicycle driving system comprising:
a multiple rear sprocket assembly includes a rotational center axis and comprising:
a first rear sprocket including a first tooth number;
a second rear sprocket including a second tooth number that is larger than the first tooth number;
a third rear sprocket including a third tooth number that is larger than the second tooth number;
a fourth rear sprocket including a fourth tooth number that is larger than the third tooth number;
a fifth rear sprocket including a fifth tooth number that is larger than the fourth tooth number;
a sixth rear sprocket including a sixth tooth number that is larger than the fifth tooth number;
a seventh rear sprocket including a seventh tooth number that is larger than the sixth tooth number;
an eighth rear sprocket including an eighth tooth number that is larger than the seventh tooth number;
a ninth rear sprocket including a ninth tooth number that is larger than the eighth tooth number;
a tenth rear sprocket including a tenth tooth number that is larger than the ninth tooth number;
an eleventh rear sprocket including an eleventh tooth number that is larger than the tenth tooth number;
a twelfth rear sprocket including a twelfth tooth number that is larger than the eleventh tooth number; and
a thirteenth rear sprocket including a thirteenth tooth number that is larger than the twelfth tooth number; wherein
the first rear sprocket includes a larger sprocket facing surface that faces the second sprocket in an axial direction parallel to the rotational center axis and an axially external surface opposite to the larger sprocket facing surface in the axial direction;
the multiple sprocket assembly includes an axial abutment surface that is configured to axially abut against a bicycle hub assembly in a state where the multiple rear sprocket assembly is mounted to the bicycle hub assembly; and
a first axial distance defined between the axially external surface of the first sprocket and the axial abutment surface is larger than or equal to 41.0 mm and smaller than or equal to 42.0 mm in a state where the multiple sprocket assembly is mounted to the bicycle hub assembly; and

a hub assembly comprising:
a hub axle;
a hub body rotatably supported around the hub axle; and
a bicycle rear sprocket mounting member rotatably supported around the hub axle;

the bicycle hub assembly including:
a rotational center axis;
a first axial frame abutment surface configured to abut against a first part of a bicycle frame in an axial direction parallel to the rotational center axis in a state where the bicycle hub assembly is mounted to the bicycle frame;
a second axial frame abutment surface configured to abut against a second part of the bicycle frame in the axial direction in a state where the bicycle hub assembly is mounted to the bicycle frame; and
an axial rear-sprocket abutment surface configured to abut against the rear sprocket assembly in the axial direction in a state where the bicycle rear sprocket assembly is mounted to the bicycle hub assembly;
the first axial frame abutment surface being positioned closer to the bicycle rear sprocket mounting member than the second axial frame abutment surface; and
a first axial length defined between the first axial frame abutment surface and the axial rear-sprocket abutment surface in the axial direction being greater than or equal to 45.00 mm and less than or equal to 50.00 mm.

12. The bicycle driving system of claim 11 , wherein
the first axial distance is greater than or equal to 41.50 mm and less than or equal to 41.60 mm.

13. The bicycle driving system according to claim 11 , wherein
the thirteenth sprocket includes a smaller sprocket facing surface that faces the twelfth sprocket in the axial direction and an axially internal surface opposite to the smaller sprocket facing surface in the axial direction; and

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Hara Nobukatsu

Classifications

• B62M9/10 Primary

  involving different-sized wheels, {e.g. rear sprocket chain wheels} selectively engaged by the chain, belt, or the like {(bicycle hubs rotatably arranged on axle B60B27/023)} · CPC title

• B62M3/00

  Construction of cranks operated by hand or foot · CPC title

• B62M1/36

  with rotary cranks, e.g. with pedal cranks (B62M1/34 takes precedence; combined with reciprocating levers B62M1/26; cranks which can be immobilised as foot rests B62M5/00) · CPC title

• B62K3/00

  Bicycles · CPC title

• B60B27/04

  housing driving means, e.g. sprockets · CPC title