US 7,726,454 B2Granted

Free coaster bicycle hub

AssigneeBear Corporation

InventorGeorge French

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A free coaster bicycle wheel driving apparatus is provided with a clutch that employs radially acting, rather than axially acting components. An annular drive sleeve projecting inwardly from a drive sprocket is disposed within multiple transmission power transmission sleeves, which are disposed within a cylindrical wheel hub shell. The drive sleeve defines multiple cam lobes and the power transmission sleeves define multiple cam lobes and multiple pockets. When the drive sleeve cam lobes are disposed in the power transmission sleeve pockets, the driving apparatus is disengaged and allowed to free coast. Upon forward rotation of the driving apparatus, the drive sleeve cam lobes rotate toward and engage the power transmission sleeve cam lobes, thereby forcing the power transmission sleeve radially outward towards the wheel hub shell, thereby allowing the sprocket to engage the wheel hub.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A bicycle wheel hub assembly comprising:

(a) a wheel hub formed with a wheel hub shell disposed coaxially about a wheel mounting shaft, whereby said wheel hub shell is journaled for rotation about said wheel mounting shaft and a cylindrical annular hub cavity is defined therebetween;
(b) a first power transmission sleeve disposed within said hub cavity and defining a first power transmission sleeve outer surface and a first power transmission sleeve inner surface that is eccentric relative to said first power transmission sleeve outer surface;
(c) a second power transmission sleeve disposed within said hub cavity and defining a second power transmission sleeve outer surface and a second power transmission sleeve inner surface that is eccentric relative to said second power transmission sleeve outer surface, wherein said second power transmission sleeve is movably attached to said first power transmission sleeve;
(d) a sprocket having sprocket teeth projecting radially relative to a drive axis, with a central cylindrical wheel mounting shaft opening defined through said sprocket to receive said wheel mounting shaft coaxially therewithin;
(e) a drive sleeve projecting from said sprocket axially toward said hub and defining a first cylindrical drive sleeve outer surface that is eccentric relative to said wheel mounting shaft opening and a second cylindrical drive sleeve outer surface that is eccentric relative to said wheel mounting shaft opening and eccentric relative to said first cylindrical drive sleeve outer surface, and said drive sleeve is disposed within said first and second power transmission sleeves, such that said first power transmission sleeve inner surface abuts said first cylindrical drive sleeve outer surface and said second power transmission sleeve inner surface abuts said second cylindrical drive sleeve outer surface;
and
(f) a drag mechanism mounted on said wheel mounting shaft to retard rotation of said first and second power transmission sleeves relative to said drive sleeve.

4 more elements

A bicycle wheel hub assembly comprising:

(a) a wheel hub formed with a wheel hub shell disposed coaxially about a wheel mounting shaft, whereby said wheel hub shell is journaled for rotation about said wheel mounting shaft and a cylindrical annular hub cavity is defined therebetween;
(b) a plurality of power transmission sleeves disposed within said hub cavity and defining a plurality of power transmission sleeve outer surfaces and a plurality of corresponding power transmission sleeve inner surfaces that are eccentric relative to said plurality of respective power transmission sleeve outer surfaces, wherein said plurality of power transmission sleeves are movably attached to each other;
(c) a sprocket having sprocket teeth projecting radially relative to a sprocket axis, with a central cylindrical wheel mounting shaft opening defined through said sprocket to receive said wheel mounting shaft coaxially therewithin;
(d) a drive sleeve projecting from said sprocket axially toward said hub and defining a plurality of cylindrical drive sleeve outer surfaces that are eccentric relative to said drive shaft opening and to each other, and said plurality of cylindrical drive sleeve outer surfaces are disposed within said plurality of power transmission sleeves, such that each power transmission sleeve inner surface abuts a corresponding cylindrical drive sleeve outer surface;
and
(e) a drag mechanism mounted on said wheel mounting shaft to retard rotation of said plurality of power transmission sleeves relative to said drive sleeve.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/820,452Filed 18 Jun 2007 · continuation in part
Priority: 20 Jan 2006
Published: US 2007/0170033 A118 Oct 2007
Granted: 1 Jun 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

F16D 41/26
Specially adapted for cycles: with provision for altering the action
B60B 27/023
Adapted to be rotatably arranged on axle: specially adapted for bicycles
B60B 27/047
Housing driving means, e.g. sprockets: comprising a freewheel mechanisms
B62K 17/00
Cycles not otherwise provided for

Family

Application11/337,019Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 20 Jan 2006
US 2007/0240960 A1Pre-grant publication · published 18 Oct 2007
US 7,445,105 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2007/0170033 A1Published application
US 7,726,454 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.