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US 9,004,771 B2Granted
Bicycle bottom bracket
AssigneePraxis Works LLC
InventorsDavid M. Earle, Chin T. Chuang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved bicycle bottom bracket system and methods of manufacturing and installing such a system. The improved system may include bearings mounted within bearing cups on either side of the bottom bracket shell of a bicycle frame. The bearing cups may be threaded together, and one bearing cup may include a collet portion expandable by the other bearing cup.
Claims25
A bicycle bottom bracket comprising:
- a left bearing cup including a left bearing housing at a first end and a radially-expandable portion at a second end opposite the first end;
- and
- a right bearing cup including a right bearing housing at a first end and a tapered portion disposed between the right bearing housing and a second end opposite the first end, the tapered portion configured to at least partially fit within the radially-expandable portion of the left bearing cup;
- wherein inserting the second end of the right bearing cup into the second end of the left bearing cup causes the radially-expandable portion to expand to a predetermined diameter.
1 more element
A bicycle bottom bracket comprising:
- a non-drive-side bearing cup including a body portion configured to be mounted within a bottom bracket shell, a first bearing housing disposed at a first end of the body portion and configured to peripherally enclose a first bearing, the body portion having a press-fit portion disposed adjacent the first bearing housing, and an expandable portion disposed at a second end of the body portion opposite the first end;
- and
- a drive-side bearing cup including a tapered portion configured to at least partially fit within the expandable portion of the non-drive-side bearing cup, and a second bearing housing disposed adjacent the tapered portion and configured to peripherally enclose a second bearing;
- wherein the non-drive-side bearing cup and the drive-side bearing cup are configured to releasably mate together such that the tapered portion inserts into the expandable portion and causes the expandable portion to radially expand to a predetermined diameter.
1 more element
A bicycle comprising:
- a bicycle frame including a bottom bracket shell;
- a left bearing cup including a body portion configured to be mounted within the bottom bracket shell, a left bearing housing disposed at a first end of the body portion and configured to peripherally enclose a left bearing, the body portion having a press-fit portion disposed adjacent the left bearing housing and a radially-expandable portion disposed at a second end of the body portion opposite the first end;
- a right bearing cup including a tapered portion configured to be insertable within the radially-expandable portion of the left bearing cup, and a right bearing housing adjacent the tapered portion configured to peripherally enclose a right bearing;
- and
- a spindle disposable through the shell, the left bearing cup, and the right bearing cup;
- wherein the tapered portion and the expandable portion are configured to contact each other such that the tapered portion radially urges the expandable portion toward an expanded diameter substantially equivalent to a diameter of the press-fit portion.
3 more elements
A method of installing a bottom bracket in a bicycle frame, the method comprising:
- mounting a left bearing cup in a left side portion of a bottom bracket shell of the bicycle frame by pressing the left bearing cup into the bottom bracket shell, the left bearing cup including an expandable collet portion at a right end of the left bearing cup;
- mounting a right bearing cup in a right side portion of the bottom bracket shell;
- and
- urging the expandable collet portion of the left bearing cup outward by engaging an inner surface of the collet portion with a tapered outer surface of the right bearing cup.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.