# US 9,873,287 B2 · Bicycle hub assembly and bicycle transmission system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,873,287 B2 - Document ID: US9873287B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/056,931 - Filed: 2016-02-29 - Published: 2017-08-31 - Granted: 2018-01-23 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-29 - Assignees: Shimano Inc. - Applicants: Shimano Inc. - Inventors: Atsuhiro Emura; Toshinari Oishi; Yusuke Nishimoto; Sota Yamaguchi; Kohei Obuchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9873287B2 ## CPC - B60B 27/023: {specially adapted for bicycles} - B60B 27/0031: {of the axial type, e.g. front teeth} - B60B 27/047: {comprising a freewheel mechanisms} - B62M 9/10: involving different-sized wheels, {e.g. rear sprocket chain wheels} selectively engaged by the chain, belt, or the like {(bicycle hubs rotatably arranged on axle B60B27/023)} - F16D 27/118: with interengaging jaws or gear teeth - F16D 28/00: Electrically-actuated clutches (arrangements for synchronisation F16D23/02; clutches actuated directly by means of an electromagnet F16D27/00; automatic clutches F16D43/00 - F16D45/00; external control F16D48/00) - F16D 41/24: specially adapted for cycles - F16D 41/26: with provision for altering the action - F16D 41/36: with clutching ring or disc axially shifted as a result of lost motion between actuating members - F16D 48/06: Control by electric or electronic means, e.g. of fluid pressure - B60Y 2200/13: Bicycles; Tricycles - B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION - 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) - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY ## Abstract A bicycle hub assembly comprises a hub axle, a hub shell, a sprocket support body, and a clutch. The sprocket support body is rotatably mounted on the hub axle to rotate about a rotational axis. The sprocket support body is rotatable relative to the hub axle and the hub shell about the rotational axis. The clutch has a first coupling state where a pedaling rotational force is transmitted from the sprocket support body to the hub shell in a first rotational direction during pedaling, a first release state where the hub shell is rotatable relative to the sprocket support body in the first rotational direction during coasting, and a second coupling state where a coasting rotational force is transmitted from the hub shell to the sprocket support body in the first rotational direction during coasting. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bicycle hub assembly comprising: a hub axle defining a rotational axis; a hub shell rotatably mounted on the hub axle to rotate about the rotational axis; a sprocket support body rotatably mounted on the hub axle to rotate about the rotational axis, the sprocket support body being rotatable relative to the hub axle and the hub shell about the rotational axis; and a clutch having a first coupling state where a pedaling rotational force is transmitted from the sprocket support body to the hub shell in a first rotational direction during pedaling, a first release state where the hub shell receives a rotational force that rotates the hub shell relative to the sprocket support body in the first rotational direction during coasting, and a second coupling state where a coasting rotational force is transmitted from the hub shell to the sprocket support body in the first rotational direction during coasting. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 1, wherein the hub shell includes at least one first tooth, the sprocket support body includes a first helical spline, the clutch includes a first ratchet member including at least one first ratchet tooth, and a second helical spline engaged with the first helical spline, and a second ratchet member including at least one second ratchet tooth engageable with the at least one first ratchet tooth, and at least one second tooth engaged with the at least one first tooth. ### Claim 3 A bicycle hub assembly comprising: a hub axle defining a rotational axis; a hub shell rotatably mounted on the hub axle to rotate about the rotational axis; a sprocket support body rotatably mounted on the hub axle to rotate about the rotational axis, the sprocket support body being rotatable relative to the hub axle and the hub shell about the rotational axis; and a clutch having a first coupling state where a pedaling rotational force is transmitted from the sprocket support body to the hub shell in a first rotational direction during pedaling, a first release state where the hub shell is rotatable relative to the sprocket support body in the first rotational direction during coasting, and a second coupling state where a coasting rotational force is transmitted from the hub shell to the sprocket support body in the first rotational direction during coasting, wherein the hub shell includes at least one first tooth, the sprocket support body includes a first helical spline, the clutch includes a first ratchet member including at least one first ratchet tooth, and a second helical spline engaged with the first helical spline, and a second ratchet member including at least one second ratchet tooth engageable with the at least one first ratchet tooth, and at least one second tooth engaged with the at least one first tooth, and the clutch includes an actuator to bias the first ratchet member toward the second ratchet member to bring the at least one first ratchet tooth in engagement with the at least one second ratchet tooth using electric power. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 3, wherein the first ratchet member includes iron, the second ratchet member includes iron, and the actuator includes a first coil to generate magnetic field to bias the first ratchet member toward the second ratchet member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 4, wherein the actuator includes a second coil to generate magnetic field to bias the first ratchet member toward the second ratchet member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 5, wherein the second coil is provided radially inward of the first coil. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 5, wherein the first coil is provided radially outward of at least one of the first ratchet member and the second ratchet member, and the second coil is provided radially inward of at least one of the first ratchet member and the second ratchet member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 3, wherein the actuator includes a shape-memory spring having an axial length which is variable in accordance with the electric power applied to the shape-memory spring. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 8, wherein the shape-memory spring has a first axial length when the electric power is applied to the shape-memory spring, the shape-memory spring has a second axial length when the electric power is not applied to the shape-memory spring, and the first axial length is longer than the second axial length. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 8, wherein the first ratchet member is provided between the shape-memory spring and the second ratchet member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 8, wherein the shape-memory spring is provided between the hub shell and the first ratchet member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 3, further comprising: a clutch controller to control the electric power applied to the clutch. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A bicycle transmission system comprising: the bicycle hub assembly according to claim 1; a bicycle transmission apparatus coupling a bicycle crank to the sprocket support body of the bicycle hub assembly to transmit the pedaling rotational force, the bicycle transmission apparatus having a plurality of speed stages; and a one-way clutch disposed on a transmission path defined between the bicycle crank and the bicycle transmission apparatus. ### Claim 14 A bicycle transmission system comprising: a bicycle hub assembly comprising: a hub axle defining a rotational axis; a hub shell rotatably mounted on the hub axle to rotate about the rotational axis; a sprocket support body rotatably mounted on the hub axle to rotate about the rotational axis, the sprocket support body being rotatable relative to the hub axle and the hub shell about the rotational axis; a clutch having a first coupling state where a pedaling rotational force is transmitted from the sprocket support body to the hub shell in a first rotational direction during pedaling, a first release state where the hub shell is rotatable relative to the sprocket support body in the first rotational direction during coasting, and a second coupling state where a coasting rotational force is transmitted from the hub shell to the sprocket support body in the first rotational direction during coasting; a bicycle transmission apparatus coupling a bicycle crank to the sprocket support body of the bicycle hub assembly to transmit the pedaling rotational force, the bicycle transmission apparatus having a plurality of speed stages; a one-way clutch disposed on a transmission path defined between the bicycle crank and the bicycle transmission apparatus; and an operation device to generate an operation signal in response to a user input, wherein the bicycle hub assembly includes a clutch controller to control the electric power applied to the clutch in response to the operation signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The bicycle transmission system according to claim 14, wherein the bicycle transmission apparatus is operated based on the operation signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The bicycle transmission system according to claim 14, wherein the clutch controller changes a state of the clutch to the second coupling state based on the operation signal when the bicycle crank does not rotate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The bicycle transmission system according to claim 16, further comprising: a rotational speed sensor to sense a rotational speed of the bicycle crank. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The bicycle transmission system according to claim 16, wherein the clutch controller controls the clutch to keep the second coupling state in a case where the clutch controller receives the operation signal when the bicycle crank rotates. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a clutch controller configured to control the clutch to enter the second coupling state based on an operation signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The bicycle hub assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a clutch controller configured to control the clutch to enter the second coupling state based on an operation signal and a determination that a bicycle crank does not rotate.