Bicycle crank assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9580138-B2
Application number	US-201414447553-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2014
Priority date	Jul 30, 2014
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

A bicycle crank assembly comprises a crank axle, a first crank arm, and a battery holding structure. The crank axle comprises a cavity and a first end portion. A battery unit is to be provided in the cavity. The first end portion has a first end opening which is in communication with the cavity. The first crank arm is configured to be mounted on the first end portion. The battery holding structure is configured to hold the battery unit in the cavity. The battery holding structure is configured so that the battery unit is replaceable through the first end opening in a state where the first crank arm is mounted on the first end portion of the crank axle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle crank assembly comprising:
a crank axle comprising:
a rotational center axis;
a cavity in which a battery unit is to be provided; and
a first end portion having a first end opening which is in communication with the cavity;

a first crank arm configured to be mounted on the first end portion;
a battery holding structure configured to hold the battery unit in the cavity, the battery holding structure being configured so that the battery unit is replaceable through the first end opening in a state where the first crank arm is mounted on the first end portion of the crank axle, the battery holding structure including a first member configured to be detachably attached to the first end portion of the crank axle;
a first electric contact configured to electrically contact a first terminal of the battery unit and configured to be attached to the first member; and
a second electric contact configured to electrically contact a second terminal of the battery unit, the second electric contact being spaced apart from the first electric contact along the rotational center axis to define a space in which the battery unit is provided between the first electric contact and the second electric contact in a state where the first member is attached to the first end portion of the crank axle.

2. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the first member includes a first body configured to be detachably attached to the first end portion, and
the first electric contact is configured to be attached to the first body.

3. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 2 , wherein
the first member includes a cover element configured to be detachably attached to the first body, and
the cover element at least partially covers the first end opening in a state where the first member is attached to the first end portion.

4. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 2 , wherein
the first body is made of a first material comprising a resin material.

5. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 2 , wherein
the first member includes a lock element configured to prevent the first body from being removed from the crank axle.

6. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 5 , wherein
the lock element has
a lock state in which the first body is prevented from being removed from the crank axle, and
a release state in which the first body is removable from the crank axle.

7. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 6 , wherein
the first member includes a switching element configured to switch a state of the lock element between the lock state and the release state.

8. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the battery holding structure includes a second member configured to hold the battery unit in the cavity together with the first member.

9. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 8 , wherein
the second member includes
a second body configured to be provided in the cavity to hold the battery unit in the cavity together with the first member, and
a coupling portion configured to couple the second body to the crank axle so that the second body is rotatable integrally with the crank axle.

10. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 9 , wherein
the second electric contact is configured to be attached to the second body.

11. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a second crank arm, wherein
the crank axle includes
a second end portion opposite to the first end portion, the second crank arm being configured to be mounted on the second end portion of the crank axle, and
a coupling hole provided at the second end portion and extending in a radial direction of the crank axle, and

the coupling portion is at least partially provided in the coupling hole to couple the second body to the crank axle.

12. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 9 , wherein
the second member includes an extending portion extending from the second body along the rotational center axis of the crank axle, and
the extending portion is provided between the battery unit and an inner peripheral surface of the crank axle in a radial direction of the crank axle in a state where the first member and the second member hold the battery unit in the cavity.

13. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 8 , wherein
the first electric contact is configured to be attached to the first member, and
the second electric contact is configured to be attached to the second member.

14. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a first connector configured to be electrically connected to the first electric contact; and
a second connector configured to be electrically connected to the second electric contact and configured to be detachably attached to the first connector to electrically connect the first electric contact to the second electric contact.

15. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 14 , wherein
the first connector is attached to the first member, and
the second connector is attached to the second member.

16. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 15 , wherein
at least one of the first connector and the second connector is provided between the battery unit and an inner peripheral surface of the crank axle in a radial direction of the crank axle in the state where the first member and the second member hold the battery unit in the cavity.

17. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 8 , wherein
the second member includes a resin material.

18. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the battery holding structure includes a seal member configured to be provided between the first member and an inner peripheral surface of the crank axle.

19. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the battery unit has a center axis defined along the rotational center axis in a state where the battery holding structure holds the battery unit in the cavity, and
the battery holding structure is configured to hold the battery unit in the cavity so that the center axis of the battery unit is offset from the rotational center axis.

20. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a chain wheel rotatable integrally with the crank axle and configured to engage with a bicycle chain, wherein
the crank axle includes a second end portion opposite to the first end portion, and
the chain wheel is closer to the second end portion than the first end portion.

21. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the first electric contact and the second electric contact are offset from the rotational center axis.

22. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the first electric contact faces the second electric contact along the rotational center axis across the space.

23. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
a distance defined between the first electric contact and the second electric contact is longer than a distance between the first electric contact and the first end portion of the crank axle in a state where the first member is attached to the first end portion of the crank axle.

24. The bicycle crank assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the crank axle includes a second end portion opposite to the first end portion, and
a distance defined between the first electric contact

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Tetsuka Toshio
• Mori Shintarou
• Yoshida Fumiaki
• Kodama Michihiro

Classifications

• B62M3/00

  Construction of cranks operated by hand or foot · CPC title

• B62M3/16 Primary

  Accessories · CPC title

• B62J45/00

  Electrical equipment arrangements specially adapted for use as accessories on cycles, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G01L3/108

  involving resistance strain gauges · CPC title

• B62J45/40

  Sensor arrangements (sensors for control of electrically assisted cycles B62M6/50); Mounting thereof · CPC title