US 11,697,474 B2Granted

Bicycle derailleur and link pin for bicycle derailleur

AssigneeShimano Inc.

InventorNaoki Fujimoto

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Abstract

A bicycle derailleur comprises a base member, a chain guide, a motor unit, and a linkage structure. The base member has at least one first link-pin-receiving opening. The motor unit has at least one second link-pin-receiving opening. The linkage structure comprises at least one link member and at least one link pin. The at least one link member is configured to movably couple the chain guide to the base member. The at least one link member has at least one third link-pin-receiving opening. The at least one link pin is configured to pivotally couple the at least one link member to the base member about at least one link pivot axis. One of the at least one link pin is configured to extend through the at least one first link-pin-receiving opening, the at least one second link-pin-receiving opening, and the at least one third link-pin-receiving opening.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A bicycle derailleur comprising:

a base member having at least one first link-pin-receiving opening;
a chain guide movable relative to the base member from a lower-gear position to a higher-gear position to move a chain in an outward-shifting direction, the chain guide being movable relative to the base member from the higher-gear position to the lower-gear position to move the chain in an inward-shifting direction which is an opposite direction of the outward-shifting direction;
a motor unit having at least one second link-pin-receiving opening;
and
a linkage structure comprising:
at least one link member configured to movably couple the chain guide to the base member, the at least one link member having at least one third link-pin-receiving opening;
and
at least one link pin configured to pivotally couple the at least one link member to the base member about at least one link pivot axis,
one of the at least one link pin being configured to extend through the at least one first link-pin-receiving opening, the at least one second link-pin-receiving opening, and the at least one third link-pin-receiving opening, wherein
the at least one link member includes an inner link member,
the at least one link pivot axis includes an inner-link pivot axis,
the at least one link pin includes an inner link pin configured to pivotally couple the inner link member to the base member about the inner-link pivot axis,
the at least one first link-pin-receiving opening of the base member includes at least one first inner link-pin-receiving opening,
the at least one second link-pin-receiving opening of the motor unit includes at least one second inner link-pin-receiving opening,
the at least one third link-pin-receiving opening of the at least one link member includes at least one third inner link-pin-receiving opening that the inner link member has, and
the inner link pin is configured to extend through the at least one first inner link-pin-receiving opening, the at least one second inner link-pin-receiving opening, and the at least one third inner link-pin-receiving opening.

13 more elements

A bicycle derailleur comprising:

a base member;
a chain guide movable relative to the base member;
a motor unit configured to move the chain guide relative to the base member;
and
a linkage structure configured to movably couple the chain guide to the base member, the linkage structure comprising:
an inner link member pivotally coupled to the base member about an inner-link pivot axis;
and
an outer link member pivotally coupled to the base member about an outer-link pivot axis,
the motor unit being coupled to the inner link member to drive the inner link member about the inner-link pivot axis such that the inner link member drives the linkage structure to move the chain guide in relation to the base member, and
the base member, the motor unit, and the link member being provided to at least partially overlap with each other in a plurality of separate areas as viewed along the link pivot axis.

7 more elements

A bicycle derailleur comprising:

a base member;
a chain guide movable relative to the base member;
a linkage structure configured to movably couple the chain guide to the base member, the linkage structure comprising:
a first link member pivotally coupled to the base member about a first pivot axis;
and
a second link member pivotally coupled to the base member about a second pivot axis, a first reference line extending through the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis to establish a boundary between a first area and a second area as viewed along the first pivot axis;
a motor unit configured to move the chain guide relative to the base member, the motor unit comprising:
a motor configured to generate rotational force;
and
a gear structure including a plurality of gears configured to transmit the rotational force to at least one of the chain guide and the linkage structure, the chain guide being provided in the first area with respect to the first reference line as viewed along the first pivot axis, wherein
the motor includes an output shaft that is non-perpendicular to the first pivot axis.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.