Bicycle hub assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9707801-B2
Application number	US-201514873141-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2015
Priority date	Oct 1, 2015
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A bicycle hub assembly comprises a hub axle, a hub shell, a sprocket support body, a first ratchet member, a second ratchet member, and a spacer. The hub shell includes at least one first tooth. The sprocket support body includes a first helical spline. The first ratchet member comprises at least one first ratchet tooth and a second helical spline engaged with the first helical spline. The second ratchet member comprises at least one second ratchet tooth and at least one second tooth. The at least one second tooth is engaged with the at least one first tooth. The spacer is at least partly provided between the at least one first tooth and the at least one second tooth in a circumferential direction defined about a rotational axis. The spacer includes a non-metallic material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle hub assembly comprising:
a hub axle defining a rotational axis;
a hub shell rotatably mounted on the hub axle to rotate about the rotational axis, the hub shell including at least one first tooth;
a sprocket support body rotatably mounted on the hub axle to rotate about the rotational axis, the sprocket support body including a first helical spline;
a first ratchet member comprising:
at least one first ratchet tooth; and
a second helical spline engaged with the first helical spline;

a second ratchet member comprising:
at least one second ratchet tooth engageable with the at least one first ratchet tooth; and
at least one second tooth engaged with the at least one first tooth; and

a spacer at least partly provided between the at least one first tooth and the at least one second tooth in a circumferential direction defined about the rotational axis, the spacer including a non-metallic material, the spacer being contactable with the second ratchet member in an axial direction parallel to the rotational axis.

2. The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the spacer includes at least one intermediate portion provided between the at least one first tooth and the at least one second tooth.

3. The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 2 , wherein
the spacer includes an annular portion, and
the at least one intermediate portion extends from the annular portion in the axial direction.

4. The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 3 , wherein
the non-metallic material includes a resin material.

5. The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 2 , wherein
the hub shell includes an inner peripheral surface,
the at least one first tooth is provided on the inner peripheral surface,
the second ratchet member includes an outer peripheral surface facing the inner peripheral surface of the hub shell in a radial direction perpendicular to the rotational axis, and
the at least one second tooth is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the second ratchet member.

6. The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 5 , wherein
the at least one intermediate portion is provided between the inner peripheral surface of the hub shell and the outer peripheral surface of the second ratchet member in the radial direction.

7. The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a supporting member provided between the hub shell and the spacer in the axial direction.

8. The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 7 , wherein
the supporting member is provided between the hub shell and the second ratchet member in the axial direction.

9. The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 7 , wherein
the hub shell includes a hub axial surface facing in the axial direction, and
the supporting member is provided between the hub axial surface and the second ratchet member in the axial direction.

10. A bicycle hub assembly comprising:
a hub axle defining a rotational axis;
a hub shell rotatably mounted on the hub axle to rotate about the rotational axis, the hub shell including at least one first tooth;
a sprocket support body rotatably mounted on the hub axle to rotate about the rotational axis, the sprocket support body including a first helical spline;
a first ratchet member comprising:
at least one first ratchet tooth; and
a second helical spline engaged with the first helical spline;

a second ratchet member comprising:
at least one second ratchet tooth engageable with the at least one first ratchet tooth; and
at least one second tooth engaged with the at least one first tooth;

a spacer at least partly provided between the at least one first tooth and the at least one second tooth in a circumferential direction defined about the rotational axis, the spacer including a non-metallic material; and
a supporting member provided between the hub shell and the spacer in an axial direction parallel to the rotational axis,
the spacer including at least one intermediate portion provided between the at least one first tooth and the at least one second tooth in the circumferential direction, and
the supporting member including
an annular base attached to the second ratchet member, and
an axially supporting portion extending radially outwardly from the annular base and facing the at least one intermediate portion in the axial direction.

11. A bicycle hub assembly comprising:
a hub axle defining a rotational axis;
a hub shell rotatably mounted on the hub axle to rotate about the rotational axis, the hub shell including at least one first tooth;
a sprocket support body rotatably mounted on the hub axle to rotate about the rotational axis, the sprocket support body including a first helical spline;
a first ratchet member comprising:
at least one first ratchet tooth; and
a second helical spline engaged with the first helical spline;

a second ratchet member comprising:
at least one second ratchet tooth engageable with the at least one first ratchet tooth; and
at least one second tooth engaged with the at least one first tooth;

a spacer at least partly provided between the at least one first tooth and the at least one second tooth in a circumferential direction defined about the rotational axis, the spacer including a non-metallic material; and
a supporting member provided between the hub shell and the spacer in an axial direction parallel to the rotational axis, the supporting member including a non-metallic material.

12. The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 3 , wherein
the annular portion is contactable with the second ratchet member in the axial direction.

13. The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 3 , wherein
the hub shell includes a hub axial surface facing in the axial direction, and
the annular portion is provided on an opposite side of the hub axial surface with respect to the at least one second tooth in the axial direction.

14. The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 3 , wherein
a radially inner end of the annular portion is radially inwardly of the at least one intermediate portion.

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Fujita Hiroshi
• Nishimoto Naohiro
• Koshiyama Kazuki

Classifications

• F16D41/36

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

• B60B2900/133

  Noise · CPC title

• B60B2900/111

  Weight · CPC title

• B60B2360/348

  Resins · CPC title

• B60B27/047 Primary

  comprising a freewheel mechanisms · CPC title