Crank apparatus for bicycles and the like
OwnerNenad Misevskiinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A crank apparatus includes a driven member rotatably mounted to a machine, and a crank arm attached at an inner end thereof to the driven member at a rotational axis of the driven member such that the driven member and crank arm rotate together. An axle is slidably mounted to the crank arm such that the axle is maintained substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the driven member as it slides from an inner point on the crank arm, to an outer point on the crank arm, and a bias element is arranged to exert a force on the axle toward the rotational axis of the driven member.
Claims20
A crank apparatus comprising:
- a driven member rotatably mounted to a machine;
- a crank arm attached at an inner end thereof to the driven member substantially at a rotational axis of the driven member such that the driven member and crank arm rotate together;
- an axle slidably mounted to the crank arm such that the axle is maintained substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the driven member as it slides from an inner stop on the crank arm, to an outer stop on the crank arm;
- and
- a bias element arranged to exert a bias force on the axle toward the inner stop, such that at rest the axle is forced against the inner stop by the bias force, and such that an outward force on the axle greater than the bias force will cause the axle to move toward the outer stop.
A bicycle crank apparatus comprising:
- a sprocket rotatably mounted to a bicycle;
- a crank arm attached at an inner end thereof to the sprocket substantially at a rotational axis of the sprocket such that the sprocket and crank arm rotate together;
- a slot defined along a length of the crank arm;
- an axle slidably mounted in the slot such that the axle is maintained substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the sprocket as it slides from an inner end of the slot, closer to the rotational axis of the sprocket, to an outer end of the slot;
- and
- a bias element arranged to exert a bias force on the axle toward the inner end of the slot such that at rest the axle is forced against the inner end of the slot by the bias force, and such that an outward force on the axle greater than the bias force will cause the axle to move toward the outer end of the slot.
A bicycle crank apparatus comprising:
- a sprocket rotatably mounted to a bicycle;
- a crank arm attached at an inner end thereof to the sprocket substantially at a rotational axis of the sprocket such that the sprocket and crank arm rotate together;
- a slot defined along a length of the crank arm;
- an axle slidably mounted in the slot such that the axle is maintained substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the sprocket as it slides from an inner end of the slot, closer to the rotational axis of the sprocket, to an outer end of the slot;
- a bias element arranged to exert a bias force on the axle toward the inner end of the slot;
- and
- a slot spacer engaged in the slot, and a washer on each side of the crank arm;
- wherein the axle passes through the slot spacer and the washers and is fastened so as to secure the slot spacer in the slot with a washer on each side of the crank arm and to thereby maintain the axle substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the sprocket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.