DEVICE FOR MEASURING SPEED, PARTICULARLY FOR CYCLES

• US 20080122596A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mavic S.A.S. (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Salomon SA (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: PARQUET, Gilles, MONTAGNON, Bruno
• Granted Patent: US 7,812,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/432
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/412 Speed sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/423 on or besides the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/22 electronic, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/002 for cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/00 Details of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/026 for speed measuring devices, e.g. pulse generator
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/487 delivered by rotating magnets

Abstract

Device for measuring speed of a cycle having a frame, at least one wheel, a fastening axle about which the wheel is adapted to rotate, and a nut adapted to be threaded upon a threaded portion of the axle. The device includes a mechanism for detecting the rotation of the wheel, the device including a fixed sensor mounted on a portion of the cycle frame, adapted to detect the passing of an associated movable sensor element fixed for movement to the wheel, as well as a signal processor for processing the signal generated by the fixed sensor. At least one of, or both, the fixed sensor and the signal processor are housed in a casing fixed to the nut of the fastening axle for the wheel. The casing is fixed to an arm extending radially from the nut.

Claims

1. A device for measuring speed of a cycle, the cycle having a frame and at least one wheel fastened for rotation relative to a frame by means of a fastening axle threaded at least at one end and a screw nut adapted to be screwed onto the threaded end of the axle, said device comprising:

a wheel rotation detection mechanism comprising;

a fixed sensor adapted to be mounted on a portion of the frame of the cycle, said sensor being adapted to detect passing of a movable sensor element fixed for movement with the wheel of the cycle and to generate a signal representative of said passing of the movable sensor element;

a signal processor to process the signal generated by the fixed sensor;

a casing, said casing housing at least one of the fixed sensor and the signal processor, the casing being affixed to the screw nut of the fastening axle of the wheel.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein:

an arm extends radially from the screw nut;

the casing is fixed to an end of the arm.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein:

the arm has a setback corresponding to at least a thickness of an end of a fork to which the wheel is to be mounted.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein:

the casing is fixedly mounted to the screw nut against rotation relative to the screw nut.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein:

the casing is adjustably rotatably mounted with respect to the screw nut.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein:

the rotation of the casing with respect to the screw nut is free, non-indexed rotation.

7. A device according to claim 5, further comprising:

an indexing mechanism providing for the rotation of the casing with respect to the screw nut being an indexed rotation.

8. A device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a signal transmitter to transform the signal originated by the fixed sensor and transmit the transformed signal in a direction of a receiver.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein:

both the fixed sensor and the signal processor are housed within the casing.

10. A device for measuring speed of a cycle, the cycle having a frame, at least one wheel, a fastening axle about which the wheel is adapted to rotate, and a nut adapted to be threaded upon a threaded portion of the axle, said device comprising:

an arm adapted to be supported on the axle and constrained for rotatable adjustment only around an axis of the axle when supported on the axle;

a casing adapted to be supported by the arm at a distance from the axle;

a fixed sensor adapted to detect and to generate a signal representative of a passing of a movable sensor element fixed to the wheel of the cycle;

said fixed sensor being housed within said casing.

11. A device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a signal processor to process the signal generated by the fixed sensor, the signal processor being housed within the casing.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein:

the device is a wireless device, said wireless device further comprising;

a transmitter housed in said casing;

a receiver and a display, said receiver and display adapted to be mounted to the cycle in a position spaced from the casing.

13. A device according to claim 10, further comprising:

the nut, adapted to be threadedly received on the threaded portion of the axle;

the casing being fixed to the nut.

14. A device according to claim 13, wherein:

the casing is fixedly mounted to the nut against rotation relative to the nut.

15. A device according to claim 13, wherein:

the casing is adjustably rotatably mounted with respect to the nut.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein:

the rotation of the casing with respect to the nut is free, non-indexed rotation.

17. A device according to claim 15, further comprising:

an indexing mechanism providing for the rotation of the casing with respect to the nut being an indexed rotation.

18. A nut assembly comprising:

a nut adapted to be screwed onto a threaded fastening axle for locking a cycle wheel onto a frame of a cycle adapted to have a speed-measuring device affixed thereto, the speed-measuring device including (1) a fixed sensor adapted to be mounted on a portion of the frame of the cycle, said sensor being adapted to detect passing of a movable sensor element fixed for movement with the wheel of the cycle and to generate a signal representative of said passing of the movable sensor element, and (2) a signal processor to process the signal generated by the fixed sensor; and

a casing, said casing housing at least one of the fixed sensor and the signal processor, said casing being affixed to the nut.

19. A nut assembly according to claim 18, wherein:

an arm extends radially from the nut;

the casing is fixed to an end of the arm.

20. A nut assembly according to claim 19, wherein:

the arm has a setback corresponding to at least a thickness of an end of a fork to which the wheel is to be mounted.

21. A nut assembly according to claim 18, wherein:

the casing is fixedly mounted to the screw nut against rotation relative to the screw nut.

22. A nut assembly according to claim 18, wherein:

the casing is adjustably rotatably mounted with respect to the screw nut.

23. A nut assembly according to claim 22, wherein:

the rotation of the casing with respect to the screw nut is free, non-indexed rotation.

24. A nut assembly according to claim 22, further comprising:

an indexing mechanism providing for the rotation of the casing with respect to the screw nut being an indexed rotation.

25. A nut assembly according to claim 18, further comprising:

a signal transmitter to transform the signal originated by the fixed sensor and transmit the transformed signal in a direction of a receiver.

26. A cycle comprising:

a frame;

at least one wheel;

a fastening axle for fastening the wheel for rotation relative to the frame, said fastening axle having at least a threaded end portion;

a nut adapted to be screwed onto the threaded end portion of the fastening axle;

a device for measuring speed of the cycle, said device comprising;

a wheel rotation detection mechanism comprising;

a movable sensor element fixed for movement with the wheel;

a fixed sensor adapted to be mounted on a portion of the frame of the cycle, said sensor being adapted to detect passing of the movable sensor element during rotation of the wheel to generate a signal representative of said passing of the movable sensor element;

a signal processor to process the signal generated by the fixed sensor;

a casing, said casing housing at least one of the fixed sensor and the signal processor, the casing being affixed to the nut of the fastening axle of the wheel.