Cycle crank assembly
AssigneeHuron Cycling, LLC
InventorsWillem den Boer, Timothy E. Brummer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cycle crank assembly includes a crank spindle and a drivetrain connector configured to translate rotation of the crank spindle into rotation of a wheel. A crank arm includes a pedal interface configured to receive a pedal spindle of a cycle pedal. A slip connection is configured to allow the crank arm to rotate about the crank spindle. A resiliently deformable member is connected to the crank spindle and the crank arm proximate to the pedal interface. The resiliently deformable member translates rotation of the crank arm into rotation of the crank spindle. The resiliently deformable member deforms under load to store pedal energy provided by a rider to the cycle pedal and returns at least a portion of the pedal energy when not under load in a direction of the rotation.
Claims20
A cycle crank assembly, comprising:
- a crank spindle;
- a drivetrain connector configured to translate rotation of the crank spindle into rotation of a wheel;
- a crank arm including a pedal interface configured to receive a pedal spindle of a cycle pedal;
- a slip connection configured to allow the crank arm to rotate about the crank spindle;
- and
- a resiliently deformable member connected to the crank spindle and to the crank arm proximate to the pedal interface, wherein the resiliently deformable member translates rotation of the crank arm into rotation of the crank spindle, and wherein the resiliently deformable member deforms under load to store pedal energy provided by a rider to the cycle pedal, and returns at least a portion of the pedal energy when not under load in a direction of the rotation.
A bicycle crank assembly, comprising:
- a crank spindle;
- a drivetrain connector configured to translate rotation of the crank spindle in a direction of rotation into rotation of a rear wheel of the bicycle;
- a crank arm including a pedal interface configured to receive a pedal spindle of a bicycle pedal;
- a slip connection configured to allow the crank arm to rotate about the crank spindle;
- and
- a resiliently deformable member connected to the crank spindle and to the crank arm proximate to the pedal interface, wherein the resiliently deformable member translates rotation of the crank arm into rotation of the crank spindle, and wherein the resiliently deformable member deforms under load to store pedal energy provided by a rider to the bicycle pedal, and returns at least a portion of the pedal energy when not under load in the direction of rotation.
A cycle crank assembly, comprising:
- a crank spindle;
- a drivetrain connector configured to translate rotation of the crank spindle in a direction of rotation into rotation of a wheel;
- two crank arms interfacing with opposite ends of the crank spindle via slip connections configured to allow the crank arms to rotate about the crank spindle, each crank arm including a pedal interface configured to receive a pedal spindle of a cycle pedal, and each crank arm defining an internal hollow;
- and
- two leaf springs, each leaf spring connected to the crank spindle and disposed within the internal hollow of one of the two crank arms, such that each leaf spring translates rotation of its crank arm into rotation of the crank spindle, and wherein each leaf spring deforms under load to store pedal energy provided by a rider to the cycle pedal, and returns at least a portion of the pedal energy when not under load in the direction of rotation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.