US 10,300,986 B2Granted

Bicycle transmission apparatus and bicycle drive unit

AssigneeShimano Inc.

InventorsAtsuhiro Emura, Toshinari Oishi, Yusuke Nishimoto, Sota Yamaguchi, Kohei Obuchi, Kento Mitsuyasu

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Abstract

A bicycle transmission apparatus comprises a base member, a first transmission member, a second transmission member, a first coupling member, a first guide structure, a switching device, and a transmission controller. The switching device is configured to switch a position of the first transmission member relative to the base member in an axial direction between a first axial position and a second axial position. The transmission controller is configured to control the switching device and the first guide structure so as not to change a first engagement state of the first coupling member from one cogwheel to another adjacent cogwheel among first cogwheels when the first transmission member moves relative to the base member in association with a movement of the first guide structure relative to the base member to change a second engagement state of the first coupling member from one cogwheel to another adjacent cogwheel among second cogwheels.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A bicycle transmission apparatus comprising:

a base member;
a first transmission member rotatable relative to the base member about a first rotational axis and movable relative to the base member in an axial direction parallel to the first rotational axis, the first transmission member including first cogwheels arranged in the axial direction, the first cogwheels having different outer diameters;
a second transmission member rotatable relative to the base member about a second rotational axis and stationary relative to the base member in the axial direction, the second transmission member including second cogwheels arranged in the axial direction, the second cogwheels having different outer diameters;
a first coupling member configured to couple the first transmission member to the second transmission member to transmit rotation of one of the first transmission member and the second transmission member to the other of the first transmission member and the second transmission member at a variable speed stage, the variable speed stage being variable in accordance with at least one positional relationship among the first transmission member, the second transmission member, and the first coupling member in the axial direction, the first coupling member having
a first engagement state where the first coupling member is engaged with one of the first cogwheels, and
a second engagement state where the first coupling member is engaged with one of the second cogwheels;
a first guide structure configured to guide the first coupling member relative to the base member in a guide direction intersecting with a plane perpendicular to the axial direction;
a switching device configured to switch a position of the first transmission member relative to the base member in the axial direction between a first axial position and a second axial position;
and
a transmission controller configured to control the switching device and the first guide structure so as not to change the first engagement state of the first coupling member from one cogwheel to another adjacent cogwheel among the first cogwheels when the first transmission member moves relative to the base member in association with a movement of the first guide structure relative to the base member to change the second engagement state of the first coupling member from one cogwheel to another adjacent cogwheel among the second cogwheels.

7 more elements

A bicycle transmission apparatus comprising:

a base member including an attachment guide;
a first transmission member rotatable relative to the base member about a first rotational axis, the first transmission member being detachably attached to the base member, the attachment guide being configured to guide the first transmission member in a mounting direction perpendicular to the first rotation axis to a predetermined position when the first transmission member is mounted on the base member;
a second transmission member rotatable relative to the base member about a second rotational axis;
and
a first coupling member configured to couple the first transmission member to the second transmission member to transmit rotation of one of the first transmission member and the second transmission member to the other of the first transmission member and the second transmission member at a variable speed stage, the variable speed stage being variable in accordance with at least one positional relationship among the first transmission member, the second transmission member, and the first coupling member in an axial direction parallel to the first rotational axis.

2 more elements

A bicycle transmission apparatus comprising:

a base member;
a first transmission member rotatable relative to the base member about a first rotational axis and movable relative to the base member in an axial direction parallel to the first rotational axis;
a second transmission member rotatable relative to the base member about a second rotational axis and stationary relative to the base member in the axial direction;
a first coupling member configured to couple the first transmission member to the second transmission member to transmit rotation of one of the first transmission member and the second transmission member to the other of the first transmission member and the second transmission member at a variable speed stage, the variable speed stage being variable in accordance with at least one positional relationship among the first transmission member, the second transmission member, and the first coupling member in the axial direction;
and
a switching device configured to switch a position of the first transmission member relative to the base member in the axial direction between a first axial position and a second axial position, the switching device including a rotor and an axially-movable member, the rotor being rotatable about a rotational center axis which is non-parallel to the axial direction, the axially-movable member being coupled to the rotor to convert a rotation of the rotor to an axial movement of the first transmission member in the axial direction.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/140,441Filed 27 Apr 2016
Published: US 2017/0313385 A12 Nov 2017
Granted: 28 May 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B62M 9/04
Transmissions characterised by use of an endless chain, belt, or the like: of changeable ratio
B62K 25/286
With pivoted chain-stay: the shock absorber being connected to the chain-stay via a linkage mechanism
B62M 9/12
Involving different-sized wheels, e.g. rear sprocket chain wheels selectively engaged by the chain, belt, or the like: the chain, belt, or the…
B62M 9/124
Rear derailleurs: mechanisms for shifting laterally