Hub assembly for human-powered vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022388333-A1
Application number	US-202117336774-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 2, 2021
Priority date	Jun 2, 2021
Publication date	Dec 8, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A hub assembly is provided for a human-powered vehicle. The hub assembly includes a hub axle, a hub body, a bearing spacer and a first hub body bearing. The hub body is rotatably mounted on the hub axle to rotate around a rotational center axis of the hub assembly. The bearing spacer has an inner peripheral end provided to the hub axle and an outer peripheral end spaced radially outward of the inner peripheral end in a radial direction with respect to the rotational center axis. The first hub body bearing is disposed at the outer peripheral end of the bearing spacer and rotatably supporting the hub body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A hub assembly for a human-powered vehicle, the hub assembly comprising:
a hub axle; a hub body rotatably mounted on the hub axle to rotate around a rotational center axis of the hub assembly; a bearing spacer having an inner peripheral end provided to the hub axle and an outer peripheral end spaced radially outward of the inner peripheral end in a radial direction with respect to the rotational center axis; and a first hub body bearing disposed at the outer peripheral end of the bearing spacer and rotatably supporting the hub body.

2 . The hub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the bearing spacer includes an axial opening at least partly formed in an angular region defined between a horizontally forward direction and a vertically upward direction that is perpendicular to the horizontally forward direction, in a mounting state where the hub assembly is mounted to the human-powered vehicle, a central angle defined by the horizontally forward direction and the vertically upward direction is equal to ninety degrees, and the horizontally forward direction and the vertically upward direction extend from the rotational center axis.

3 . The hub assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising
an electric circuit board disposed in the hub body, and a sensor disposed in the hub body, the sensor being electrically connected to the electric circuit board by a first conductor.

4 . The hub assembly according to claim 3 , wherein
the sensor is arranged at a position separated from the electric circuit board in a direction parallel to the rotational center axis.

5 . The hub assembly according to claim 4 , wherein
the electric circuit board is arranged perpendicular to the rotational center axis.

6 . The hub assembly according to claim 3 , wherein
the bearing spacer includes an axial opening, and the sensor is disposed at a position that is axially aligned within the axial opening of the bearing spacer.

7 . The hub assembly according to claim 3 , wherein
the electric circuit board is electrically connected to a capacitor by a second conductor.

8 . The hub assembly according to claim 7 , wherein
the electric circuit board has an arc shape, and has a first circumferential end portion, a second circumferential end portion and at least one arc shaped edge extending at least partly from the first circumferential end portion to the second circumferential end portion, and the second conductor extends from one of the first circumferential end portion and the second circumferential end portion.

9 . The hub assembly according to claim 8 , wherein
the at least one arc shaped edge includes at least one of an inner arc shaped edge and an outer arc shaped edge with respect to the rotational center axis.

10 . The hub assembly according to claim 8 , further comprising
a housing disposed in the hub body, and having an outer peripheral surface defining an internal space in which the electric circuit board is disposed.

11 . The hub assembly according to claim 10 , wherein
the housing is non-rotatable with respect to the hub axle.

12 . The hub assembly according to claim 3 , further comprising
a second hub body bearing rotatably supporting an end of the hub body, and the first hub body bearing rotatably supporting the other end of the hub body with respect to the rotational center axis.

13 . The hub assembly according to claim 6 , further comprising
a sprocket support structure rotatably disposed around the rotational center axis to transmit a driving force to the hub body while rotating in a driving rotational direction around the rotational center axis.

14 . The hub assembly according to claim 13 , further comprising
a detected part coupled to the sprocket support structure, and the sensor including a rotation detection sensor configured to detect the detected part such that rotation of the sprocket support structure around the rotational center axis is detected.

15 . The hub assembly according to claim 13 , further comprising
a first sprocket support bearing rotatably supporting a first end of the sprocket support structure, and a second sprocket support bearing rotatably supporting a second end of the sprocket support structure, the first sprocket support bearing and the second sprocket support bearing having outer diameters that are smaller than the outer peripheral end of the bearing spacer.

16 . The hub assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising
an electric power generator provided to the hub body, and configured to generate electric power by rotation of the hub body.

17 . An electrical component for a human-powered vehicle, the electrical component comprising:
an electric circuit board having an arc shape, and having a first circumferential end portion, a second circumferential end portion and at least one arc shaped edge extending at least partly from the first circumferential end portion to the second circumferential end portion; at least one conductor configured to extend from one of the first circumferential end portion and the second circumferential end portion; and at least one capacitor electrically connected to the at least one conductor.

18 . The electrical component for a human-powered vehicle according to claim 17 , further comprising
a sensor disposed at a position separated from the electric circuit board, and an additional conductor electrically connecting the sensor and the electric circuit board.

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Inoue Kenkichi
• Yoneda Yuuya
• Yamazaki Azusa

Classifications

• B60B27/0073

  characterised by sealing means · CPC title

• B60B27/023

  specially adapted for bicycles · CPC title

• B60B27/0047

  characterised by functional integration of other elements · CPC title

• B60Y2200/13

  Bicycles; Tricycles · CPC title

• B60B27/0068 Primary

  the element being a sensor · CPC title