Bicycle
AssigneeKarbon Kinetics Limited
InventorRichard Thorpe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is described a bicycle (1) in which the rear wheel (3) is provided with a planetary hub gearbox (17) and is mounted on a single rear arm (13) positioned to one side of the rear wheel. The planetary gearbox comprises an outer casing (19) having an external bearing surface to engage a bearing mounted to the rear arm (13) of the bicycle, and releaseable mounting means for attaching the rear wheel (3) of the bicycle to the outer casing (19) of the planetary hub gearbox (17). The rear arm is of tubular or hollow construction, with the drive chain (15) or belt running enclosed within the rear arm (13).
Claims23
A bicycle having front and rear wheels mounted to a frame, wherein the rear wheel comprises a hub-mounted planetary gearbox having an outer casing, a spindle and a driven wheel, and wherein the rear wheel is mounted to the frame at one side of the wheel only by means of a rear arm having a transversely-extending mounting portion at its rear end engaging a bearing mounted externally of the casing of the gearbox, and the rear arm being substantially tubular in form with an internal cavity receiving a driving wheel, the driven wheel, and an endless tension element for transmitting driving force from the driving wheel to the driven wheel.
A frame for a bicycle, to which a rear wheel having a hub gearbox having an outer casing, a spindle and a driven wheel may be mounted with one side of the wheel unobstructed by frame elements, the frame comprising a rear arm having a transversely-extending mounting portion at its rear end engaging a bearing mounted externally of the casing of the gearbox, and the rear arm being substantially tubular in form with an internal cavity receiving a driving wheel, the driven wheel, and an endless tension element for transmitting driving force from the driving wheel to the driven wheel.
A rear arm for a bicycle frame, to which a rear wheel having a hub gearbox having an outer casing, a spindle and a driven wheel may be mounted with one side of the wheel unobstructed by frame elements, the rear arm comprising a transversely-extending mounting portion at its rear end engaging a bearing mounted externally of the casing of said hub gearbox, and the rear arm being substantially tubular in form with an internal cavity receiving a driving wheel, the driven wheel, and an endless tension element extending round a closed path for transmitting driving force from the driving wheel to the driven wheel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.