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US 12,643,343 B2Granted
Hub system, method and device with adjustable deadband
AssigneeThe Hive Global, Inc.
InventorsGeorge Dubois, Joel Peters
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A freewheel hub having a non-zero deadband distance in order to reduce or eliminate pedal kickback. The deadband distance is able to have or be adjusted to a desired length including lengths that enable silent freewheeling operation where the pawls of the freewheel body do not engage or contact the teeth of the ratchet gear thereby eliminating any contact-based freewheeling sound.
Claims39
A bicycle hub system, the system comprising:
- a bicycle wheel including a hub shell assembly, the hub shell assembly having a central aperture for receiving an axle, a ratchet gear bore, a one-way clutch and a toothed ratchet gear positioned within the ratchet gear bore;
- and
- a freehub assembly including an outer hub sprocket attachment feature, a pawl support member having a plurality of pawl pivot channels, a plurality of pawls pivotably coupled within the pivot channels, and a biasing member that applies a biasing force to the plurality of pawls that resists the pivoting of the plurality of pawls away from a deadband surface of the pawl support member;
- wherein the pawl support member is positioned within the toothed ratchet gear such that when the freehub assembly is rotated in a first direction with respect to the hub shell assembly, the plurality of pawls are able to pivot away from the pawl support member until the plurality of pawls engage teeth of the toothed ratchet gear causing the hub shell assembly to rotate with the freehub assembly in the first direction.
1 more element
A bicycle hub system, the system comprising:
- a bicycle wheel including a hub shell assembly, the hub shell assembly having a central aperture for receiving an axle, a ratchet gear bore and a toothed ratchet gear positioned within the ratchet gear bore;
- a freehub assembly including an outer hub sprocket attachment feature, a pawl support member having a plurality of pawl pivot channels, a plurality of pawls pivotably coupled within the pivot channels, and a biasing member that applies a biasing force to the plurality of pawls that resists the pivoting of the plurality of pawls away from a deadband surface of the pawl support member;
- and
- a pawl pusher having a plurality of pushing fingers positioned along the deadband surface of the pawl support member;
- wherein the pawl support member is positioned within the toothed ratchet gear such that when the freehub assembly is rotated in a first direction with respect to the hub shell assembly, the plurality of pawls are able to pivot away from the pawl support member until the plurality of pawls engage teeth of the toothed ratchet gear causing the hub shell assembly to rotate with the freehub assembly in the first direction.
2 more elements
A bicycle hub assembly, the bicycle hub assembly comprising:
- a one-way clutch;
- a toothed ratchet gear having a plurality of teeth;
- and
- a freehub assembly including a pawl support member having a plurality of pawl pivot channels, a plurality of pawls pivotably coupled within the pivot channels, and a biasing member that applies a biasing force to the plurality of pawls that resists the pivoting of the plurality of pawls away from a deadband surface of the pawl support member;
- wherein the pawl support member is positioned within the toothed ratchet gear such that when the freehub assembly is rotated in a first direction with respect to the toothed ratchet gear, the plurality of pawls are able to pivot away from the pawl support member until the plurality of pawls engage the teeth of the toothed ratchet gear causing the toothed ratchet gear to rotate with the freehub assembly in the first direction.
2 more elements
A bicycle hub assembly, the bicycle hub assembly comprising:
- a toothed ratchet gear having a plurality of teeth;
- a freehub assembly including a pawl support member having a plurality of pawl pivot channels, a plurality of pawls pivotably coupled within the pivot channels, and a biasing member that applies a biasing force to the plurality of pawls that resists the pivoting of the plurality of pawls away from a deadband surface of the pawl support member;
- and
- a pawl pusher having a plurality of pushing fingers positioned along the deadband surface of the pawl support member;
- wherein the pawl support member is positioned within the toothed ratchet gear such that when the freehub assembly is rotated in a first direction with respect to the toothed ratchet gear, the plurality of pawls are able to pivot away from the pawl support member until the plurality of pawls engage the teeth of the toothed ratchet gear causing the toothed ratchet gear to rotate with the freehub assembly in the first direction.
2 more elements
A method of providing a bicycle hub system, the method comprising:
- providing a hub shell assembly including a toothed ratchet gear positioned within a ratchet gear bore and a one-way clutch, the hub shell assembly for coupling with a bicycle wheel rim via a plurality of spokes;
- providing a freehub assembly including an outer hub sprocket attachment feature, a pawl support member having a plurality of pawl pivot channels, a plurality of pawls pivotably coupled within the pivot channels, and a biasing member that applies a biasing force to the plurality of pawls that resists the pivoting of the plurality of pawls away from a deadband surface of the pawl support member;
- and
- coupling the freehub assembly with the hub shell assembly such that the pawl support member is positioned within the toothed ratchet gear and when the freehub assembly is rotated in a first direction with respect to the hub shell assembly, the plurality of pawls are able to pivot away from the pawl support member until the plurality of pawls engage teeth of the toothed ratchet gear causing the hub shell assembly to rotate with the freehub assembly in the first direction.
1 more element
A method of providing a bicycle hub system, the method comprising:
- providing a hub shell assembly including a toothed ratchet gear positioned within a ratchet gear bore, the hub shell assembly for coupling with a bicycle wheel rim via a plurality of spokes;
- and
- providing a freehub assembly including an outer hub sprocket attachment feature, a pawl support member having a plurality of pawl pivot channels, a plurality of pawls pivotably coupled within the pivot channels, a pawl pusher having a plurality of pushing fingers positioned along the deadband surface of the pawl support member and a biasing member that applies a biasing force to the plurality of pawls that resists the pivoting of the plurality of pawls away from a deadband surface of the pawl support member;
- and
- coupling the freehub assembly with the hub shell assembly such that the pawl support member is positioned within the toothed ratchet gear and when the freehub assembly is rotated in a first direction with respect to the hub shell assembly, the plurality of pawls are able to pivot away from the pawl support member until the plurality of pawls engage teeth of the toothed ratchet gear causing the hub shell assembly to rotate with the freehub assembly in the first direction.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.