Bicycle rear derailleur
AssigneeShimano Inc.
InventorsSota Yamaguchi, Satoshi Shahana
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bicycle rear derailleur includes a base member, a movable member, a linkage and a motor unit. The base member is configured to be mounted to a bicycle. The movable member is movably coupled to the base member. The linkage includes an outer link pivotally connected to the base member about a first pivot axis and pivotally connected to the movable member about a second pivot axis, and an inner link pivotally connected the base member and the movable member. The motor unit includes an output shaft having a rotational axis being parallel to one of the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis. The output shaft of the motor unit drives the outer link to move the movable member with respect to the base member. The inner link moves in response to movement of the outer link.
Claims15
A bicycle rear derailleur comprising:
- abuse member configured to be mounted to a bicycle frame, the base member having a frame facing side and a non-frame facing side;
- a movable member movably coupled to the base member;
- a linkage including an outer link pivotally connected to the base member about a first pivot axis and pivotally connected to the movable member about a second pivot axis, and an inner link pivotally connected the base member about a third pivot axis and the movable member about a fourth pivot axis, the first, second, third and fourth pivot axes being offset from each other, the outer link overlying the inner link as viewed from a direction facing the frame facing side of the base member;
- and
- a motor unit including an output shaft having a rotational axis being parallel to at least one of the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis, the output shaft of the motor unit being configured to pivotally support the outer link, the output shaft of the motor unit driving the outer link such that a motor force is transmitted from the outer link to the inner link to move the movable member with respect to the base member, the inner link moving in response to movement of the outer link.
A bicycle rear derailleur comprising:
- a base member configured to be mounted to a bicycle;
- a movable member movably coupled to the base member;
- a linkage including an outer link pivotally connected to the base member about a first pivot axis and pivotally connected to the movable member about a second pivot axis, and an inner link pivotally connected the base member about a third pivot axis and the movable member about a fourth pivot axis, the first, second, and third pivot axes being offset from each other;
- a motor unit including an output shaft having a rotational axis being parallel to at least one of the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis, the output shaft of the motor unit being configured to pivotally support the outer link, the output shaft of the motor unit driving the outer link to move the movable member with respect to the base member such that a motor force is transmitted from the outer link to the inner link, the inner link moving in response to movement of the outer link;
- a drive link pivotally mounted on an axis offset from the rotational axis of the output shaft;
- and
- a biasing element interposed between the outer link and the drive link to apply a biasing force on the drive link.
A bicycle rear derailleur comprising:
- a base member configured to be mounted to a bicycle;
- a movable member movably coupled to the base member;
- a linkage including an outer link pivotally connected to the base member about a first pivot axis and pivotally connected to the movable member about a second pivot axis, and an inner link pivotally connected the base member about a third pivot axis and the movable member about a fourth pivot axis, the first, second, third and fourth pivot axes being offset from each other;
- and
- a motor unit including an output shaft having a rotational axis being parallel to at least one of the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis, the outer link being fixed to the output shaft of the motor unit, the output shaft of the motor unit being configured to pivotally support the outer link, the output shaft driving the outer link to move the movable member with respect to the base member such that a motor force is transmitted from the outer link to the inner link, the inner link moving in response to movement of the outer link.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.