Multi-speed rear drive for a bicycle
AssigneeWorld Bicycle Relief, NFP
InventorBrian Jordan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for simple transmission of a multi-speed bicycle is provided. A bicycle can have a transmission that can be toggled by a kickback shifting mechanism. A rear wheel hub can support a freewheel having a high speed gear sprocket and a low speed gear sprocket with dedicated chains to create dedicated gear-shifting. Rotating the pedal shaft in the non-drive direction approximately one-quarter rotation can toggle the transmission between the first gear ratio and the second gear ratio with a shifting surface that alternately allows driving engagement of the high speed gear sprocket with the rear wheel driver.
Claims20
A transmission for translating pedaling into movement of a bicycle, comprising:
- a multi-speed freewheel including a first driven wheel and a second driven wheel;
- a first drive wheel continuously connected to the first driven wheel having a first gear ratio;
- a second drive wheel continuously connected to the second driven wheel having a second gear ratio, the second gear ratio different than the first gear ratio;
- the multi-speed freewheel configured such that rotation of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel in a non-drive direction causes a driving engagement toggle between the first driven wheel and the second driven wheel.
A method for toggling a multi-speed transmission, comprising:
- driving a bicycle wheel of a bicycle via a first toothed wheel to move in a drive direction through forward pedaling, the first toothed wheel having a first diameter;
- backpedaling the bicycle in a non-drive direction for a predetermined rotation, the backpedaling causing a shift of engagement from the first toothed wheel to a second toothed wheel, the second toothed wheel having a second diameter different than the first diameter;
- and
- driving the bicycle wheel via the second toothed wheel through forward pedaling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.