Bicycle rear derailleur

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10858067-B2
Application number	US-201815937208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2018
Priority date	Mar 31, 2017
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A rear derailleur with an articulated quadrilateral linkage movable body along respective parallel articulation axes perpendicular to a reference plane (REF), a base body on a bicycle frame along a drop-out axis (F), a chain guide being rotatable around a first rotation axis (R), an upper pulley rotatable around a second rotation axis (RS). The first rotation axis (R) and the second rotation axis (RS) are parallel and spaced by a distance of eccentricity (E). An angle of inclination (Q) of the articulated quadrilateral is defined by the angle that the drop-out axis (F) and the reference plane (REF) form on a plane passing through the drop-out axis (F) and perpendicular to the reference plane (REF). The angle of inclination (Q) being between 5° and 40°, including extreme values, and the distance of eccentricity (E) being between 18 mm and 50 mm, including extreme values.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle rear derailleur comprising:
an articulated quadrilateral linkage having a base body connectable to a bicycle frame along a drop-out axis (F), a movable body and a pair of connecting rods articulated to the base body and to the movable body along respective articulation axes that are parallel to one another and perpendicular to a reference plane (REF);
a chain guide rotatably connected to said movable body around a first rotation axis (R);
an upper pulley rotatably connected to said chain guide around a second rotation axis (RS);
said first rotation axis (R) being spaced from said second rotation axis (RS) by a distance of eccentricity (E);
an angle of inclination (Q) of the articulated quadrilateral defined by the angle that the drop-out axis (F) and the reference plane (REF) form on a plane passing through the drop-out axis (F) and perpendicular to the reference plane (REF);
wherein the angle of inclination (Q) is between 5° and 40°, and the distance of eccentricity (E) is between 18 mm and 50 mm.

2. The rear derailleur according to claim 1 , wherein said angle of inclination (Q) is between 5° and 30°.

3. The rear derailleur according to claim 2 , wherein said distance of eccentricity (E) is between 20 mm and 50 mm.

4. The rear derailleur according to claim 1 , wherein said first rotation axis (R) and said second rotation axis (RS) are substantially parallel to one another.

5. The rear derailleur according to claim 1 , wherein as the angle of inclination (Q) increases the distance of eccentricity (E) decreases.

6. The rear derailleur according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio between the angle of inclination (Q) expressed in sexagesimal degrees and the distance of eccentricity (E) expressed in millimeters is between 0.1 and 2.2.

7. The rear derailleur according to claim 1 , wherein a projection of the distance between two articulation axes of a first connecting rod of the pair of connecting rods on a plane passing through the articulation axes of the other connecting rod is shorter than the distance between the two articulation axes of said other connecting rod.

8. The rear derailleur according to claim 1 , wherein said first rotation axis (R) is arranged a greater distance from the drop-out axis (F) than said second rotation axis (RS).

9. The rear derailleur according to claim 1 , wherein said articulated quadrilateral linkage is deformable between an axially outer position of the chain guide and an axially inner position of the chain guide by a control cable placed under traction by a command.

10. The rear derailleur according to claim 9 , wherein said articulated quadrilateral linkage is deformable between an axially inner position of the chain guide and an axially outer position of the chain guide by a return spring.

11. The rear derailleur according to claim 1 , wherein said articulated quadrilateral linkage is deformable between an axially outer position of the chain guide and an axially inner position of the chain guide and vice-versa by an electric actuator.

12. The combination of a rear derailleur according to claim 1 with a cassette having a difference between a number of teeth of a sprocket having a largest diameter and a sprocket having a smallest diameter greater than or equal to 20.

13. The rear derailleur according to claim 2 , wherein said distance of eccentricity (E) is between 25 mm and 50 mm.

14. The rear derailleur according to claim 2 , wherein said first rotation axis (R) and said second rotation axis (RS) are substantially parallel to one another.

15. The rear derailleur according to claim 14 , wherein as the angle of inclination (Q) increases the distance of eccentricity (E) decreases.

16. The rear derailleur according to claim 15 , wherein a ratio between the angle of inclination (Q) expressed in sexagesimal degrees and the distance of eccentricity (E) expressed in millimeters is between 0.1 and 2.2.

17. The rear derailleur according to claim 2 , wherein a projection of the distance between two articulation axes of a first connecting rod of the pair of connecting rods on a plane passing through the articulation axes of the other connecting rod is shorter than the distance between the two articulation axes of said other connecting rod.

18. The rear derailleur according to claim 2 , wherein said first rotation axis (R) is arranged a greater distance from the drop-out axis (F) than said second rotation axis (RS).

19. The rear derailleur according to claim 18 , wherein said articulated quadrilateral linkage is deformable between an axially outer position of the chain guide and an axially inner position of the chain guide by a control cable placed under traction by a command.

20. The rear derailleur according to claim 19 , wherein said articulated quadrilateral linkage is deformable between an axially inner position of the chain guide and an axially outer position of the chain guide by a return spring.

Assignees

• Campagnolo Srl

Inventors

• Bernardele Davide

Classifications

• B62M9/124 Primary

  Mechanisms for shifting laterally · CPC title

• B62M9/121

  Rear derailleurs · CPC title

• B62M9/1242 Primary

  characterised by the linkage mechanisms · CPC title

• B62M9/1244

  limiting or positioning the movement · CPC title

• B62M25/08

  with electrical or fluid transmitting systems · CPC title