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US 7,441,842 B2Granted
Bicycle hub
AssigneeShimano Inc.
InventorsEtsuyoshi Watarai, Takanori Kanehisa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bicycle hub includes a hub axle, a hub body, a bearing unit and a lock member. The hub axle is configured and arranged to be non-rotatably coupled to the bicycle frame by a mounting shaft. The hub body has a generally cylindrical shape mounted adjacent to an external perimeter of the hub axle. The bearing unit is installed between the hub body and the hub axle at one axial end portion of the bicycle hub so that the hub body freely rotates with respect to the hub axle. The bearing unit includes an outer ring, an inner ring and a plurality of rolling components. The lock member is configured and arranged to retain an axial position of the outer ring of the bearing unit with respect to the hub body by locking the outer ring in one of a plurality of rotational positions.
Claims14
A bicycle hub comprising:
- a tubular hub axle configured and arranged to be non-rotatably coupled to a bicycle frame by a mounting shaft;
- a hub body coaxially coupled on the hub axle so that the hub body is disposed radially outwardly with respect to the hub axle, the hub body including a first female screw section and a first internal positioning surface that faces in an axially outward direction toward the first female screw section;
- a first bearing unit disposed between the hub body and the hub axle so that the hub body freely rotates with respect to the hub axle, the first bearing unit including:
- a first outer ring including a ball receiving surface that faces generally in the axially outward direction, a first end surface facing in an axial inward direction toward the first internal positioning surface and a first male screw section screwed into the first female screw section of the hub body, the first male screw section being disposed radially outwardly with respect to the ball receiving surface,
- a first inner ring non-rotatably coupled to the hub axle, the first inner ring including a ball pushing surface that faces generally in the axially inward direction, and
- a plurality of first rolling components operatively disposed between the first outer ring and the first inner ring;
- and
- a lock member configured and arranged to retain an axial position of the first outer ring of the first bearing unit with respect to the hub body by locking the first outer ring in one of a plurality of rotational positions,
- the first male screw section, the first end surface, the first internal positioning surface and the first female screw section being arranged relative to each other such that the first end surface of the first outer ring will contact the first internal positioning surface prior to the first male screw section reaching an internal terminal end of the first female screw section when threading the first male screw section into the first female screw section.
6 more elements
A bicycle hub comprising:
- a tubular hub axle configured and arranged to be non-rotatably coupled to a bicycle frame by a mounting shaft;
- a hub body coaxially coupled on the hub axle so that the hub body is disposed radially outwardly with respect to the hub axle;
- a first bearing unit disposed between the hub body and the hub axle so that the hub body freely rotates with respect to the hub axle, the first bearing unit including:
- a first outer ring with a first male screw section screwed into the hub body,
- a first inner ring non-rotatably coupled to the hub axle, and
- a plurality of first rolling components operatively disposed between the first outer ring and the first inner ring;
- a second bearing unit disposed between the hub body and the hub axle at an axial end portion of the bicycle hub that is axially spaced from the first bearing unit so that the hub body freely rotates with respect to the hub axle, the second bearing unit including:
- a second outer ring with a second male screw section screwed into the hub body at an end opposite of the first outer ring,
- a second inner ring non-rotatably coupled to the hub axle, and
- a plurality of second rolling components installed between the second outer ring and the second inner ring;
- and
- a lock member configured and arranged to retain an axial position of the first outer ring of the first bearing unit with respect to the hub body by locking the first outer ring in one of a plurality of rotational positions,
- the hub axle including a first axle portion in which the first inner ring is integrally formed as a unitary one-piece member, a second axle portion in which the second inner ring is integrally formed as a unitary one-piece member, and a middle axle portion disposed between the first and second axle portions as a separate member with first and second axial end sections of the middle axle portion being disposed adjacent to the first and second axle portions, respectively.
10 more elements
A bicycle hub comprising:
- a tubular hub axle configured and arranged to be non-rotatably coupled to a bicycle frame by a mounting shaft;
- a hub body coaxially coupled on the hub axle so that the hub body is disposed radially outwardly with respect to the hub axle;
- a first bearing unit disposed between the hub body and the hub axle so that the hub body freely rotates with respect to the hub axle, the first bearing unit including:
- a first outer ring including a first tool engaging section formed on an axial outer end surface of the first outer ring configured and arranged to engage with a fastening tool and a first male screw section screwed into the hub body,
- a first inner ring non-rotatably coupled to the hub axle, and
- a plurality of first rolling components operatively disposed between the first outer ring and the first inner ring;
- and
- a lock member configured and arranged to retain an axial position of the first outer ring of the first bearing unit with respect to the hub body by locking the first outer ring in one of a plurality of rotational positions.
5 more elements
A bicycle hub comprising:
- a tubular hub axle configured and arranged to be non-rotatably coupled to a bicycle frame by a mounting shaft;
- a hub body coaxially coupled on the hub axle so that the hub body is disposed radially outwardly with respect to the hub axle;
- a first bearing unit disposed between the hub body and the hub axle so that the hub body freely rotates with respect to the hub axle, the first bearing unit including:
- a first outer ring including a first tool engaging section formed on an axial outer end surface of the first outer ring configured and arranged to engage with a fastening tool and a first male screw section screwed into the hub body,
- a first inner ring non-rotatably coupled to the hub axle, and
- a plurality of first rolling components operatively disposed between the first outer ring and the first inner ring;
- a second bearing unit disposed between the hub body and the hub axle at an axial end portion of the bicycle hub that is axially spaced from the first bearing unit so that the hub body freely rotates with respect to the hub axle, the second bearing unit including:
- a second outer ring including a second tool engaging section formed on an axial outer end surface of the second outer ring configured and arranged to engage with the fastening tool and a second male screw section screwed into the hub body at an end opposite of the first outer ring,
- a second inner ring non-rotatably coupled to the hub axle, and
- a plurality of second rolling components installed between the second outer ring and the second inner ring;
- and
- a lock member configured and arranged to retain an axial position of the first outer ring of the first bearing unit with respect to the hub body by locking the first outer ring in one of a plurality of rotational positions.
9 more elements
A bicycle hub comprising:
- a tubular hub axle configured and arranged to be non-rotatably coupled to a bicycle frame by a mounting shaft;
- a hub body coaxially coupled on the hub axle so that the hub body is disposed radially outwardly with respect to the hub axle;
- a first bearing unit disposed between the hub body and the hub axle so that the hub body freely rotates with respect to the hub axle, the first bearing unit including:
- a first outer ring with a first male screw section screwed into the hub body,
- a first inner ring non-rotatably coupled to the hub axle, and
- a plurality of first rolling components operatively disposed between the first outer ring and the first inner ring;
- and
- a lock member configured and arranged to retain an axial position of the first outer ring of the first bearing unit with respect to the hub body by locking the first outer ring in one of a plurality of rotational positions,
- the hub body further including a brake mounting section configured and arranged to mount a brake device on a second end portion of the hub body that is opposite from a first end portion to which the first outer ring of the first bearing unit is attached.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.