# US 9,517,811 B1 · Bicycle bottom bracket assembly

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- Number: US 9,517,811 B1
- Document ID: US9517811B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 14/745,878
- Filed: 2015-06-22
- Published: 2016-12-22
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2015-06-22
- Assignees: Shimano Inc.
- Applicants: Shimano Inc.
- Inventors: Shingo Shiraishi; Takashi Furuya; Etsuyoshi Watarai; Yoshiaki Ando
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517811B1

## CPC

- B62M 3/003: {Combination of crank axles and bearings housed in the bottom bracket (bottom bracket frame details B62K19/34)}
- B62K 19/34: Bottom brackets
- F16C 35/077: between housing and outer race ring
- F16C 19/06: with a single row or balls
- F16C 19/54: Systems consisting of a plurality of bearings with rolling friction (spindle bearings F16C35/08)
- F16C 2226/60: with threaded parts, e.g. bolt and nut connections
- F16C 2326/26: Bicycle steering or suspension
- F16C 2326/28: Bicycle propulsion, e.g. crankshaft and its support
- B62M: RIDER PROPULSION OF WHEELED VEHICLES OR SLEDGES; POWERED PROPULSION OF SLEDGES OR {SINGLE-TRACK} CYCLES; TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SUCH VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of transmissions in vehicles in general B60K; transmission elements per se F16)
- B62K: CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDECARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS

## Abstract

A bicycle bottom bracket assembly having a rotational central axis includes a support member, a bearing unit and a radially inward force reducing structure. The support member includes a hanger mounting portion and a bearing mounting portion. The bearing mounting portion is configured to be at least partly positioned within a hanger part of a bicycle frame. The bearing unit includes an outer race, an inner race and at least one roller element disposed between the outer and inner races in a radial direction with respect to the rotational central axis. The outer race is fixed to the bearing mounting portion of the support member. The radially inward force reducing structure reduces a radially inward force being transmitted to the bearing unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A bicycle bottom bracket assembly having a rotational central axis, the bicycle bottom bracket comprising:
a support member including a hanger mounting portion and a bearing mounting portion, the bearing mounting portion being configured to be at least partly positioned within a hanger part of a bicycle frame;
a bearing unit including an outer race, an inner race and at least one roller element disposed between the outer and inner races in a radial direction with respect to the rotational central axis, the outer race being fixed to the bearing mounting portion of the support member; and
a radially inward force reducing structure for reducing a radially inward force being transmitted to the bearing unit, the radially inward force reducing structure including a non-threaded outer circumferential surface of the support member, the non-threaded outer circumferential surface being disposed between first and second threaded outer circumferential surfaces of the support member.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The bicycle bottom bracket assembly according to claim 1, wherein
the hanger mounting portion of the support member includes the first and second threaded outer circumferential surface that are configured to be threadably received by an open end of the hanger part of the bicycle frame.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The bicycle bottom bracket assembly according to claim 2, wherein
the non-threaded outer circumferential surface of the support member is disposed radially outward of the outer race of the bearing unit in a state where the bearing unit is mounted to the bearing mounting portion of the support member.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The bicycle bottom bracket assembly according to claim 3, wherein
a first axial length of the non-threaded outer circumferential surface of the support member is equal to or larger than a diameter of the at least one roller element.