Abstract:
A bicycle hub system, method and device including rear and front hub assemblies. Both the rear and front hub assemblies include locking mechanisms with matching undulating splined coupling faces that correspond to complementary undulating splined coupling faces of a wheel hub.
Abstract:
A bicycle gearshift comprising first and second moveable bodies, a rocker arm rotatably connected to the second body on a rotation axis, an elastic element that rotates the rocker arm about the rotation axis, and a unidirectional damping device operatively arranged between the rocker arm and the second body. The unidirectional damping device comprises a first ring nut arranged coaxially to the rotation axis and rotatable with the rocker arm and a second coaxially arranged positioned axially adjacent to the first ring nut. The first and second ring nuts have matching saw-toothings. An actuator for the unidirectional damping device acts on one of said ring nuts to axially push that ring nut towards the other ring nut so as to mutually engage the saw-toothings when the rocker arm is moved about the rotation axis in a second direction of rotation. A first friction surface is associated with the second ring nut and a second friction surface is associated with the second body and is configured to slide on the first friction surface when the rocker arm is moved around the rotation axis the second direction of rotation.
Abstract:
The derailleur has a damper that breaks the angular movements of a chain guide. Variable volume chambers in the damper are filled with a damping fluid and connected through a controlled fluid passage system so that fluid flows between chambers in response to angular movement of the chain guide. The damper comprises a dividing body in a mobile body coaxial to the axis X, mechanically constrained so that each rotation of the dividing body about the axis X is accompanied by a translation of the dividing body along the axis X. The dividing body is mechanically constrained to the chain guide and moves with it in the angular direction about the axis X. The chambers are formed in the mobile body on opposite sides of the dividing body and change volume in opposite directions when the dividing body moves along the axis X.
Abstract:
A rear derailleur is used in connection with a bicycle and is adapted to enable a chain to selectively engage with a plurality of sprocket wheels mounted to the bicycle. The rear derailleur includes an adjustment mechanism including fixed angular limits and a rotating member connected to the fixed angular limits and being rotatable relative to the fixed angular limits in a predetermined angular distance. A link member is constrained to a maximum or minimum angular limit defined by stops on the rotating member, and the angular position of the rotation member is adjusted by one user-input.
Abstract:
A bicycle base member adjustment assembly is provided for a base member of a rear derailleur. The bicycle base member adjustment assembly basically has a base member stopper plate, a biasing force adjustment member and a biasing force adjusting element. The biasing force adjusting element is operatively coupled between the base member stopper plate and the biasing force adjustment member to selectively set a relative angular position of the biasing force adjustment member relative to the base member stopper plate about a rotational axis of the base member. The base member stopper plate has a stopper that limits movement of the base member of the rear derailleur relative to the base member stopper plate. The biasing force adjustment member engages a biasing element of the base member of the rear derailleur. When the biasing force is adjusted, the position of the base member stopper plate is not changed.
Abstract:
A cycle derailleur incorporates an indexing mechanism (indexer) as an integral part of the derailleur. More specifically, the indexer is a physical part of the derailleur structure, and is activated by the pull or release of a cable (e.g., operated via gearshift control on a cycle handlebar). Actuation of the indexer requires exertion of a threshold force sufficient to overcome built-in resistance of a detent-style, spring-loaded mechanism. As shifts are made from one gear to another, the indexer is adapted to urge the derailleur into precision alignment with each selected gear. In each of the described embodiments, the indexed derailleur and a method for indexing (digitizing) gear changes by means of, for example, a movable bearing/detent mechanism, are characterized by a deformable parallelogram linkage actuated via the cable through a gearshift control. The result is an improved cycle shifter system that fosters accuracy and avoids derailleur mislocation between shifts.
Abstract:
A rear derailleur includes a transformable linkage mechanism including a base member, two linkage members and a movable member. A chain guide is supported to the movable member and is provided with a guide pulley for guiding the chain among the plurality of sprockets. The linkage members are connected to the base member and to the movable member through connecting pins, wherein the connecting pins are slanted with respect to a plane perpendicular to an axis of the plurality of sprockets so that, when the linkage mechanism is transformed, the chain guide moves axially and radially of the plurality of sprockets. A return spring is provided for biasing the chain guide laterally inwardly with respect to the bicycle. A first horizontal shaft swingably supports the base member to a fixing member of the bicycle, and a second horizontal shaft swingably supports the chain guide to the movable member. A first spring is disposed at the base member for biasing the linkage mechanism in a direction of the guide pulley moving away from the axis of the sprocket assembly, and a second spring is disposed between the chain guide and the movable member for applying tension to the chain. The transformable linkage mechanism and first and second springs cooperate together such that the position of the chain guide is forcibly shifted axially and radially of the sprockets by the transformable linkage mechanism, and the shifted position of the chain guide set by the linkage mechanism is radially adjusted with respect to the plurality of sprockets by the balancing of the first and second springs.
Abstract:
A rear derailleur for a bicycle includes a base member for attaching the derailleur to the bicycle, a movable member for supporting a chain guide, a linkage mechanism coupling the base member to the movable member so that the movable member is capable of movement relative to the base member, a biasing mechanism for biasing the movable member toward a wheel of the bicycle, and an actuating member for coupling to a control cable of the type having an inner wire that slides within an outer casing so that pulling the inner wire causes the movable member to move away from the rear wheel of the bicycle against the biasing of the biasing mechanism and releasing the control cable causes the movable member to move toward the rear wheel of the bicycle in accordance with the biasing of the biasing mechanism. A shock absorber is coupled in a path between the control cable and the movable member for allowing the movable member to move relative to the base member when an external force having a component directed toward the rear wheel is applied to the derailleur.
Abstract:
A speed control device for a bicycle, comprising a speed control lever and a derailleur having a positioning mechanism, the speed control lever being constructed to return a movable member at the derailleur when operated in overshift, and the derailleur is constructed to move the movable member toward a sprocket to engage with a driving chain by means of a driving force acting therein when operated in undershifting.
Abstract:
A bicycle having a rear derailleur arrangement for its drive chain which includes a four-bar linkage consisting of a support, two links, and a coupler, first and second pivots securing the support to the links, and third and fourth pivots securing the coupler to respective links. The support is fixedly fastened to the rear wheel shaft whose axis is parallel to a plane which is perpendicular to the parallel axes of the pivots and defines an angle of 15.degree.-45.degree. with the vertical in the normal operating position of the bicycle. A guide sprocket for the chain is secured to the coupler for rotation in a plane perpendicular to the shaft axis. All four pivots are offset from the shaft in a downward direction, and the first and second pivots are farther from the shaft than the third and fourth pivots.