Bottom-bracket gear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12434788-B2
Application number	US-202318835502-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2023
Priority date	Feb 3, 2022
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

An arrangement for actuating a shift element for a bottom bracket gearbox (1) includes a shift ring (4) rotatably mounted in a housing (3) and assigned to a gearbox component. A shift pawl (5) for locking or releasing the shift ring (4) is assigned to the shift ring (4) for shifting a gear stage. A support region mechanically reinforces the housing (3) and is provided at least along a contact region (14) between an inner wall (8) of the housing (3) and an outer circumference of the shift ring (4). The contact region (14) is defined by reaction forces (16) acting when the shift ring (4) is locked.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An arrangement for actuating a shift element for a bottom bracket gearbox ( 1 ), comprising:
a shift ring ( 4 ) rotatably mounted in a housing ( 3 ) and assigned to a gearbox component;
a shift pawl ( 5 ) for locking or releasing the shift ring ( 4 ), the shift pawl ( 5 ) assigned to the shift ring ( 4 ) for shifting a gear stage,
wherein a support region mechanically reinforces the housing ( 3 ), the support region provided at least along a contact region ( 14 ) between an inner wall ( 8 ) of the housing ( 3 ) and an outer circumference of the shift ring ( 4 ), the contact region ( 14 ) defined by reaction forces ( 16 ) acting when the shift ring ( 4 ) is locked.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the support region comprises a sleeve ( 18 ) fastened on the inner wall ( 8 ) of the housing ( 3 ), the sleeve ( 18 ) closed over a circumference of the sleeve ( 18 ).

3. The arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the sleeve ( 18 ) is press-fit or thermally integrated into the housing ( 3 ).

4. The arrangement of claim 2 , further comprising an acoustic damping region provided between the sleeve ( 18 ) and the inner wall ( 8 ) of the housing ( 3 ).

5. The arrangement of claim 4 , wherein the acoustic damping region between the sleeve ( 18 ) and the inner wall ( 8 ) of the housing ( 3 ) comprises an elastomer vulcanized directly onto the sleeve ( 18 ).

6. The arrangement of claim 2 , wherein a central axis of an inner contour of the sleeve ( 18 ) is situated with respect to the shift ring ( 4 ) coaxially or off-center by an average play between the shift ring ( 4 ) and the inner wall ( 8 ) of the housing ( 3 ).

7. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the support region comprises a coating provided on the inner wall ( 8 ) of the housing ( 3 ), the coating increases a surface hardness of the inner wall ( 8 ) of the housing ( 3 ).

8. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the support region comprises a ring segment-shaped push-in element ( 9 ).

9. The arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the push-in element ( 9 ) is made of hardened spring steel.

10. The arrangement of claim 8 , further comprising an acoustic damping region provided between the push-in element ( 9 ) and the inner wall ( 8 ) of the housing ( 3 ).

11. The arrangement of claim 10 , wherein the acoustic damping region between the sleeve ( 18 ) and the inner wall ( 8 ) of the housing ( 3 ) comprises an elastomer vulcanized directly onto the push-in element ( 9 ).

12. The arrangement of claim 8 , wherein a central axis of an inner contour of the sleeve ( 18 ) is situated with respect to the push-in element ( 9 ) coaxially or off-center by an average play between the shift ring ( 4 ) and the inner wall ( 8 ) of the housing ( 3 ).

13. The arrangement of claim 8 , wherein dimensions of the push-in element ( 9 ) are selected such that at least the contact region ( 14 ) between outer toothing ( 6 ) of the shift ring ( 4 ) and the inner wall ( 8 ) of the housing ( 3 ) is covered, and the contact region ( 14 ) arises at an angle of ninety degrees away from a touch region ( 15 ) between the shift pawl ( 5 ) and the outer toothing ( 6 ) of the shift ring ( 5 ) when the shift pawl ( 5 ) is engaged.

14. The arrangement of claim 13 , wherein end portions ( 10 , 11 ) of the push-in element ( 9 ) are bent and are fastenable in corresponding retaining grooves ( 12 , 13 ) in the inner wall ( 8 ) of the housing ( 3 ).

15. The arrangement of claim 14 , wherein the retaining grooves ( 12 , 13 ) and the end portions ( 10 , 11 ) of the push-in element ( 9 ) are formed at a predetermined wedge angle (ϕ) to an inner radius of the inner wall ( 8 ) of the housing ( 3 ).

16. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein:
the shift element comprises a brake shift element;
the shift ring ( 4 ) comprises a rotatably mounted brake ring;
the shift pawl ( 5 ) comprises a brake pawl rotatably mounted via a pin ( 19 ); and
the brake ring is lockable in one direction of rotation via the brake pawl.

17. A bottom bracket gearbox ( 1 ), comprising at least one of the arrangement of claim 1 .

18. A bicycle or pedelec ( 2 ), comprising the bottom bracket gearbox ( 1 ) of claim 17 .

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Riedisser Thomas
• Doerr Ulrich
• Ziemer Peter
• Debernitz Leschek
• Margraf Christoph
• Doepfert Hagen
• Schraff Uwe
• Griesmeier Uwe
• Wiemer Michel
• Strobel Markus

Classifications

• B62M25/00

  Actuators for gearing speed-change mechanisms specially adapted for cycles (rider operated controls for cycles in general B62K23/00; gearing speed change mechanisms F16H) · CPC title

• B62M11/145 Primary

  built in, or adjacent to, the bottom bracket · CPC title

• F16D41/12

  with hinged pawl co-operating with teeth, cogs, or the like (F16D41/02, F16D41/24 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16D41/30

  with hinged pawl co-operating with teeth, cogs, or the like · CPC title

• F16H63/3408

  the locking mechanism being moved by the final actuating mechanism · CPC title