Bicycle drive unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10316951-B2
Application number	US-201615209686-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2016
Priority date	Jul 13, 2016
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

A bicycle drive unit comprises a housing configured to be mounted to a first base member. The housing includes a first wall at least partly defining an internal space to at least partly accommodate a bicycle crank having a crank rotational axis. The first wall includes a first transmitting surface disposed to at least partly face upward in a bicycle upright state where the crank rotational axis horizontally extends and the housing is mounted on the first base member. The first transmitting surface is configured to face a first receiving surface of the first base member to transmit an upward force from the housing to the first base member. The first transmitting surface being at least partly disposed below the crank rotational axis in the bicycle upright state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle drive unit comprising:
a housing configured to be mounted to a first base member, the housing including a first wall at least partly defining an internal space to at least partly accommodate a bicycle crank having a crank rotational axis, the first wall including a first opening aligned with the crank rotational axis, the first wall including a first transmitting surface disposed to at least partly face upward in a bicycle upright state where the crank rotational axis horizontally extends and the housing is mounted on the first base member, the first transmitting surface being configured to face a first receiving surface of the first base member to transmit an upward force from the housing to the first base member, the first transmitting surface being at least partly disposed below the crank rotational axis in the bicycle upright state, wherein
the first transmitting surface includes an upward-facing portion disposed below the crank rotational axis in the bicycle upright state that is configured to contact the first receiving surface of the first base member to transmit the upward force.

2. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 1 , further comprising
a first intermediate member provided between the first receiving surface and the first transmitting surface such that the first transmitting surface indirectly contacts the first receiving surface via the first intermediate member, wherein
the first transmitting surface faces the first receiving surface to transmit the upward force from the housing to the first base member via the first intermediate member in the bicycle upright state.

3. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the housing is made of a resin material.

4. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the first wall includes a first side surface disposed to face the first base member in an axial direction parallel to the crank rotational axis.

5. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 4 , wherein
the first transmitting surface is continuously coupled to the first side surface.

6. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the first wall is configured to be secured to the first base member with a fastener.

7. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the first opening includes a first center axis coinciding with the crank rotational axis.

8. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the upward-facing portion of the first transmitting surface includes a first linear surface extending linearly in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the crank rotational axis.

9. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the first transmitting surface includes a first curved surface extending in a circumferential direction defined about the crank rotational axis.

10. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 9 , wherein
the upward-facing portion of the first transmitting surface includes a first linear surface extending linearly in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the crank rotational axis, and
the first curved surface extends from an end of the first linear surface in the circumferential direction.

11. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the first transmitting surface includes
a first longitudinal end,
a first opposite longitudinal end opposite to the first longitudinal end, and
a first intermediate portion included in the upward-facing portion and provided between the first longitudinal end and the first opposite longitudinal end, and

the first intermediate portion is disposed below the crank rotational axis in the bicycle upright state.

12. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 11 , wherein
the first longitudinal end is closer to the crank rotational axis than the first opposite longitudinal end.

13. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the housing includes a second wall spaced apart from the first wall in an axial direction parallel to the crank rotational axis to at least partly define the internal space between the first wall and the second wall.

14. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 13 , wherein
the second wall includes a second transmitting surface disposed to at least partly face upward in the bicycle upright state and configured to face a second receiving surface of the first base member to transmit the upward force from the housing to the first base member, and
the second transmitting surface is at least partly disposed below the crank rotational axis in the bicycle upright state.

15. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 14 , wherein
the first base member includes a first mounting part and a second mounting part spaced apart from the first mounting part in the axial direction, and
the housing is provided between the first mounting part and the second mounting part in the axial direction.

16. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 15 , wherein
the first mounting part includes the first receiving surface, and
the second mounting part includes the second receiving surface.

17. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the housing includes a bottom part coupled to the first wall to at least partly define the internal space, and
the bottom part is disposed below the first transmitting surface in the bicycle upright state.

18. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 17 , wherein
the bottom part includes
a bottom wall, and
a reinforcing portion coupled to the bottom wall to reinforce the bottom wall.

19. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second opening aligned with the crank rotational axis.

20. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the first transmitting surface intersects with the first wall to form an edge from which the upward-facing portion protrudes, the edge having a portion disposed below the crank rotational axis and below the first opening in the bicycle upright state.

21. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the first transmitting surface includes a first curved surface that is curved with respect to a circumferential direction disposed around the crank rotational axis.

22. The bicycle drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the upward-facing portion of the first transmitting surface is disposed so as to overlap the internal space in an axial direction parallel to the crank rotational axis.

23. A bicycle drive unit comprising:
a housing configured to be mounted to a first base member, the housing including a first wall at least partly defining an internal space to at least partly accommodate a bicycle crank having a crank rotational axis, the first wall including a first transmitting surface disposed to at least partly face upward in a bicycle upright state where the crank rotational axis horizontally extends and the housing is mounted on the first base member, the first transmitting surface being configured to face a first receiving surface of the first base member to transmit an upward force from the housing to the first base member, the first transmitting surface being at least partly disposed below the crank rotational axis in the bicycle upright state, wherein
the first transmitting surface includes
a first longitudinal end,
a first opposite longitudinal end opposite to the first longitudinal end, and
a first intermediate portion provided between the first longitudinal end and the first opposite longitudinal end,

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Emura Atsuhiro
• Oishi Toshinari
• Nishimoto Yusuke
• Yamaguchi Sota
• Obuchi Kohei
• Mitsuyasu Kento

Classifications

• B62M6/55

  power-driven at crank shafts parts · CPC title

• F16H57/025 Primary

  Support of gearboxes, e.g. torque arms, or attachment to other devices · CPC title

• B62K25/286 Primary

  the shock absorber being connected to the chain-stay via a linkage mechanism · 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

• B62K25/30

  pivoted on pedal crank shelf (B62K25/32 takes precedence) · CPC title