AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FOR A CYCLE, SUCH AS A BICYCLE, AND A CYCLE HAVING SUCH A TRANSMISSION
First Claim
1. A transmission component for a cycle having a driving crank and a driven wheel, torque being transmitted from said driving crank through a bracket, that is coupled thereto, to said wheel by an endless power band that engages said transmission component at a driving zone and that is free from said transmission component at a free zone, said transmission component being coupled to said bracket and comprising a variable configuration ring assembly that comprises:
- a. a support; and
b. coupled to said support, a plurality of ring components, each of which is movable from a driving position to a non-driving position, further wherein each of said ring components comprises at least one band engaging elements around a perimeter, said ring components arranged such that;
i. if said ring component is in said driving position, said band engaging elements;
A. form an outermost, segmented band ring;
B. are driven circumferentially if said crank is moved in a driving direction;
C. lie in a driving plane; and
D. engage said band in said driving zone but are free from said band in said free zone; and
ii. if said ring component is not in said driving position, said band engaging elements;
A. lie out of said driving plane; and
B. are free from said band in both said driving zone and in said free zone.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A shifting mechanism for a bicycle or other wheeled cycle has at least two gear wheels, of which at least one is segmented. The segments are movable into and out of a driving position. Motion of the segments occurs at a circumferential location out of the driving zone, at a location where the driving band, typically a chain, is not contacting the segment. The shifting mechanism can be provided at the front chain ring, or at the rear, gear sprocket. For a front chain wheel, the free zone is generally the rearward half of the chain ring, while for the rear gear sprocket, the free zone is generally the forward half. The moving segments can be toothed gates which flip perpendicularly to the plane in which the chain resides. The gates may be actuated by a moving mechanism powered by an actuator, such as a D.C. motor, under control of a signal processor, such as a microprocessor. The signal processor also takes as an input a speed signal based on the rotational speed of the cycle wheels, or the cadence of the pedal or a combination thereof.
24 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A transmission component for a cycle having a driving crank and a driven wheel, torque being transmitted from said driving crank through a bracket, that is coupled thereto, to said wheel by an endless power band that engages said transmission component at a driving zone and that is free from said transmission component at a free zone, said transmission component being coupled to said bracket and comprising a variable configuration ring assembly that comprises:
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a. a support; and
b. coupled to said support, a plurality of ring components, each of which is movable from a driving position to a non-driving position, further wherein each of said ring components comprises at least one band engaging elements around a perimeter, said ring components arranged such that;
i. if said ring component is in said driving position, said band engaging elements;
A. form an outermost, segmented band ring;
B. are driven circumferentially if said crank is moved in a driving direction;
C. lie in a driving plane; and
D. engage said band in said driving zone but are free from said band in said free zone; and
ii. if said ring component is not in said driving position, said band engaging elements;
A. lie out of said driving plane; and
B. are free from said band in both said driving zone and in said free zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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- 42. A transmission for a bicycle, the transmission comprising a variable configuration gear wheel, having components that move relative to each other from a first position to a second position, where, in said second position, said movable components engage a bicycle chain in a driving position, said movable component configured and arranged so that said relative motion takes place only in a free zone where said chain and movable components are free of each other.
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49. A cycle, comprising:
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a. a frame;
b. front and rear wheels; and
c. coupled to said frame, a transmission, comprising a variable configuration gear wheel, having components that move relative to each other from a first position to a second position, where, in said second position, said movable components engage a cycle chain in a driving position, said movable component configured and arranged so that said relative motion takes place only in a free zone where said chain and movable components are free of each other.
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Specification