Bicycle crank assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016347405-A1
Application number	US-201514722662-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 27, 2015
Priority date	May 27, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A bicycle crank assembly is basically provided with a bicycle crank arm and an electrical unit. The bicycle crank arm includes a crank portion and a sprocket mounting portion. The sprocket mounting portion includes at least one sprocket mounting arm having a distal end part forming a sprocket mounting structure. The electrical unit includes a first attachment part that is disposed on a first sprocket mounting arm of the at least one sprocket mounting arm at the sprocket mounting structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A bicycle crank assembly comprising:
a bicycle crank arm including a crank portion and a sprocket mounting portion, the sprocket mounting portion including at least one sprocket mounting arm having a distal end part forming a sprocket mounting structure; and an electrical unit including a first attachment part that is disposed on a first sprocket mounting arm of the at least one sprocket mounting arm at the sprocket mounting structure.

2 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising
a bicycle sprocket mounted on the sprocket mounting structure, the first attachment part of the electrical unit being disposed between the first sprocket mounting arm and the bicycle sprocket.

3 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 2 , wherein
the first attachment part of the electrical unit is fixed to the first sprocket mounting arm by a fastener.

4 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 3 , wherein
the first sprocket mounting arm has a support surface that supports the first attachment part and that receives the fastener.

5 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 4 , wherein
the first attachment part has a fastener opening and the support surface of the first sprocket mounting arm has a second fastener opening that is aligned with the fastener opening, the fastener being received in the first and second fastener openings.

6 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the first sprocket mounting arm has a support surface that supports the first attachment part, the support surface of the at least one sprocket mounting arm has a recess in which the first attachment part is disposed.

7 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 6 , wherein
the distal end part of the sprocket mounting structure defines a sprocket support surface that is substantially perpendicular with respect to the support surface of the first sprocket mounting arm.

8 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the first sprocket mounting arm has a support surface that supports the first attachment part, and the support surface of the first sprocket mounting arm has an electrical connection opening.

9 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 8 , further comprising
an electrical conductive member connected to the electrical unit extending through the electrical connection opening.

10 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the electrical unit further includes a housing, the housing including the first attachment part and supporting at least one electrical component.

11 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 10 , wherein
the at least one sprocket mounting arm includes a plurality of sprocket mounting arms, the at least one sprocket mounting arm further having a second sprocket mounting arm located adjacent to the first sprocket mounting arm, the housing further includes a second attachment part that is disposed on the second sprocket mounting arm at the sprocket mounting structure.

12 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 10 , wherein
the at least one electrical component includes a wireless communication unit.

13 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 10 , wherein
the at least one electrical component includes a battery unit.

14 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 10 , further comprising
a sensor circuit mounted on the crank portion of the bicycle crank arm, the sensor circuit being electrically connected to the at least one electrical component.

15 . A bicycle crank assembly comprising:
a bicycle crank arm having a crank portion and a sprocket mounting portion, the sprocket mounting portion including at least one sprocket mounting arm having a distal end part forming a sprocket mounting structure, a first sprocket mounting arm of the at least one sprocket mounting arm having an electrical connection opening.

16 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 15 , further comprising
an electrical unit including a first attachment part that is disposed on the first sprocket mounting arm, and an electrical conductive member connected to the electrical unit and extending through the electrical connection opening.

17 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 16 , wherein
the electrical connection opening of the first sprocket mounting arm is located at the distal end part and disposed radially inward of the sprocket mounting structure.

18 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 16 , wherein
the electrical connection opening of the first sprocket mounting arm is located radially between the sprocket mounting structure and the crank arm portion.

19 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 16 , further comprising
a bicycle sprocket mounted on the sprocket mounting structure, the first attachment part of the electrical unit being disposed between the first sprocket mounting arm and the bicycle sprocket.

20 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 19 , wherein
the first attachment part of the electrical unit is fixed to the first sprocket mounting arm by a fastener.

21 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 20 , wherein
the first sprocket mounting arm has a support surface that supports the first attachment part and receives the fastener.

22 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 21 , wherein
the first attachment part has a fastener opening and the support surface of the first sprocket mounting arm has a second fastener opening that is aligned with the fastener opening, the fastener being received in the first and second fastener openings.

23 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 16 , wherein
the first sprocket mounting arm has a support surface that supports the first attachment part, the support surface of the first sprocket mounting arm has a recess in which the first attachment part is disposed.

24 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 23 , wherein
the distal end part of the sprocket mounting structure defines a sprocket support surface that is perpendicularly arranged with respect to the support surface of the first sprocket mounting arm.

25 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 16 , wherein
the first sprocket mounting arm includes one of a female connector and a male connector that is disposed at the electrical connection opening, the electrical conductive member of the electrical unit being the other of a female connector and a male connector configured to connect with the female connector.

26 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 16 , wherein
the electrical conductive member of the electrical unit is an electrical wire.

27 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 16 , wherein
the electrical unit further includes a housing coupled to the first sprocket mounting arm at the first attachment part and supporting at least one electrical component.

28 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 27 , wherein
the electrical unit further includes a second attachment part that is disposed on a second sprocket mounting arm.

29 . The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 27 , wherein
the at least one electrical component includes a wireless communication unit.

30 . The bicycle cran

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Tetsuka Toshio

Classifications

• B62M3/00 Primary

  Construction of cranks operated by hand or foot · CPC title

• B62J6/015

  using electrical power not supplied by the cycle motor generator, e.g. using batteries or piezo elements · CPC title

• B62J45/20

  Cycle computers as cycle accessories · CPC title

• B62M3/16

  Accessories · CPC title

• B62K19/34

  Bottom brackets · CPC title