Bicycle component for an at least partially muscle-powered bicycle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11220133-B2
Application number	US-201916503110-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2019
Priority date	Jul 6, 2018
Publication date	Jan 11, 2022
Grant date	Jan 11, 2022

Abstract

A bicycle component for an at least partially muscle-powered bicycle with at least one freewheel unit including a freewheel component and a support unit and a spring unit, the freewheel component containing a tubular body section extending around a central axis and configured hollow showing a non-round outer contour for non-rotatable and axially displaceable coupling and a front surface with axial engagement components. The spring unit urges the freewheel component and the support unit apart in an axial direction of the central axis. The freewheel component, the support unit, and the spring unit form an assembly suitable for pre-assembly, and the spring unit is attached to the freewheel component and the support unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bicycle component for an at least partially muscle-powered bicycle having at least one freewheel unit comprising: a freewheel component, a support unit and at least one spring unit;
the freewheel component comprising a tubular body section extending around a central axis and configured hollow, including a non-round outer contour for non-rotatable and axially displaceable coupling, and a front surface with axial engagement components;
wherein the spring unit urges the freewheel component and the support unit apart in an axial direction of the central axis;
wherein the spring unit is attached to the freewheel component and to the support unit;
wherein an accommodation section is configured on an axial takeup tab, and the takeup tab is tubular in configuration, and forms a takeup flange; and
wherein the accommodation section is configured on a radially peripheral surface of the takeup flange.

2. The bicycle component according to claim 1 , wherein the freewheel component is configured with at least one accommodation section to which the spring unit is attached.

3. The bicycle component according to claim 1 , wherein the support unit is configured with a support section, and wherein the spring unit is attached to the support section.

4. The bicycle component according to claim 1 , wherein the freewheel component, the support unit and the spring unit are connected to one another to prevent against seperation.

5. The bicycle component according to claim 1 , wherein a stroke length of the spring unit is less than 15 mm, and wherein a diameter of the assembly is larger than 25 mm, and wherein a free axial distance of the support unit from the freewheel component in an unloaded state is less than 6 mm.

6. The bicycle component according to claim 1 , wherein the freewheel component comprises a supporting surface transverse to the tubular body section configured for supporting the spring unit.

7. The bicycle component according to claim 6 , wherein the supporting surface is configured on an axially inside surface of a front face or at an annular wall spaced apart therefrom.

8. The bicycle component according to claim 1 , wherein the accommodation section comprises multiple part sections on a multitude of accommodating members, wherein the accommodating members are in particular configured as separate parts and are accommodated and clamped on the freewheel component.

9. The bicycle component according to claim 1 , wherein the accommodation section is configured on an inner wall of the tubular body section in a longitudinal section having a diameter for accommodating the spring unit for radially inwardly clamping.

10. The bicycle component according to claim 1 , wherein the accommodation section comprises at least one thread groove for a screwed connection of the spring unit with the freewheel component.

11. The bicycle component according to claim 1 , wherein the support unit comprises a support disk and at least one support tab.

12. The bicycle component according to claim 11 , wherein the support tab is configured as a support flange and is configured for radially clamping the spring unit.

13. The bicycle component according to claim 11 , wherein multiple support members are configured on the support disk.

14. The bicycle component according to claim 1 , wherein the spring unit comprises a spring body extending around the central axis.

15. The bicycle component according to claim 1 , wherein the spring unit is configured as a coil spring having at least one circumferential coil, or as a zigzag spring.

16. The bicycle component according to claim 15 , wherein an outer diameter of the spring unit is larger than 15 mm, and wherein a ratio of the outer diameter of the spring unit to a diameter of the coil is less than 50 and more than 15.

17. The bicycle component according to claim 15 , wherein at least one end of the coil of the spring unit is bent one of radially inwardly and outwardly.

18. The bicycle component according to claim 1 , wherein a lubricant such as grease at least contributes to fastening the spring unit to at least one of the freewheel component and the support unit.

19. A bicycle component for an at least partially muscle-powered bicycle having at least one freewheel unit comprising: a freewheel component and a support unit and at least one spring unit supported between the support unit and the freewheel component; the freewheel component comprising a tubular body section extending around a central axis and configured hollow, including a non-round outer contour for non-rotatable and axially displaceable coupling, and a front surface with axial engagement components; and the spring unit comprising a spring body and biasing the freewheel component in an axial direction of the central axis; the support unit includes a safety device extending axially in the direction of the freewheel component, and/or the freewheel component includes a protective device extending axially in the direction of the support unit to prevent an end of the spring unit from side-slipping inwardly.

20. The bicycle component according to claim 19 , wherein the safety device comprises on the support unit a support flange or support members which prevent an end of the spring unit from side-slipping inwardly.

21. The bicycle component according to claim 20 , wherein the spring unit rests on the support flange or the support members.

22. The bicycle component according to claim 19 , wherein the protective device comprises on the freewheel component a takeup flange or accommodating members which prevent an end of the spring unit from side-slipping inwardly.

23. The bicycle component according to claim 19 , wherein the protective device or a safety device extends over an axial length that is larger than a thickness of a wall of the spring unit.

24. The bicycle component according to claim 19 , wherein a groove-shaped receiving space for an end of the spring unit having a U-shaped cross-section is formed between the protective device on the freewheel component and the tubular body section.

25. The bicycle component according to claim 19 , wherein a free radial distance is formed between at least one of the protective device and the spring unit and between the safety device and the spring unit.

26. The bicycle component according to claim 1 , comprising a hub shell rotatably supported relative to the hub axle, a rotatably supported rotor.

27. The bicycle component according to claim 26 , comprising the freewheel device having a second freewheel component interacting with said freewheel component, said interacting freewheel components including, a hub-side freewheel component and a rotor-side freewheel component, wherein the two freewheel components each comprise axial engagement components for intermeshing with one another wherein the hub-side freewheel component is non-rotatably connected with the hub shell, wherein the rotor-side freewheel component is non-rotatably connected with the rotor and is movable in the axial direction relative to the rotor and the hub shell at least between a freewheel position and an engagement position, and wherein at least one of the freewheel components is part of the freewheel unit.

28. The bicycle component according to claim 27 , wherein the hub-side freewheel component is connected with the hub shell through a multiple thread having at

Assignees

• Dt Swiss Inc

Inventors

• Walthert Martin
• Spahr Stefan

Classifications

• B60B27/0031

  of the axial type, e.g. front teeth · CPC title

• F16D41/36

  with clutching ring or disc axially shifted as a result of lost motion between actuating members · CPC title

• B60B27/023

  specially adapted for bicycles · CPC title

• B62M6/40

  Rider propelled cycles with auxiliary electric motor · CPC title

• F16D41/24

  specially adapted for cycles · CPC title