Bicycle hub with threaded spacer and detachable freewheel

• US 6,435,622 B1
• Filed: 12/06/2000
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Original Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Inventors: Kanehisa, Takanori, Ose, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Morano, S. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LONG B
• Application Number:
  US09/729,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20020067069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 301/110.5, 301/110.6, 301/105.1, 301/124.2, 411/368
• US Class Current: 301/110.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0005 with ball bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0078 characterised by the fixation of bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/026 comprising quick release devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/047 comprising a freewheel mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 41/30 with hinged pawl co-operating with teeth, cogs, or the like

Abstract

A bicycle hub includs a hub axle, a hub body, a sprocket support member and a spacer. The hub axle has first and second portions threadedly coupled together via a first threaded connection. The hub body has an outer tubular portion and an interior passageway with the first portion of the hub axle rotatably supported therein. The sprocket support member is releasably and non-rotatably coupled to the outer tubular portion and is mounted on the second portion of the hub axle. The spacer is non-rotatably and axially movably supported on the first portion of the hub axle and is threadedly coupled to the hub body via a second threaded connection. The first and second threaded connections are configured such that rotation of the hub axle to release the first and second portions causes the spacer to move axially toward the hub body.

Claims

1. A bicycle hub comprising:

a hub axle having first and second portions threadedly coupled together via a first threaded connection;

a hub body having an outer tubular portion and an interior passageway with said first portion of said hub axle being rotatably supported therein;

a sprocket support member releasably and non-rotatably coupled to said outer tubular portion of said hub body, said sprocket support member being mounted on said second portion of said hub axle; and

a spacer non-rotatably and axially movably supported on said first portion of said hub axle at a free end of said hub body, said spacer being threadedly coupled to a portion of said hub body via a second threaded connection, said first and second threaded connections being configured such that rotation of said hub axle to release said first and second portions causes said spacer to move axially toward said hub body.

2. The bicycle hub according to claim 1, wherein

said hub body includes a tubular inner sleeve portion with said first portion of said hub axle located therein.

3. The bicycle hub according to claim 2, wherein

said spacer is threadedly coupled to said inner sleeve portion.

4. The bicycle hub according to claim 3, wherein

said inner sleeve portion is releasably and non-rotatably coupled to said second portion of said hub axle.

5. The bicycle hub according to claim 4, wherein

said inner sleeve portion includes an enlarged tubular section with said spacer threadedly coupled therein at said free end of said hub body.

6. The bicycle hub according to claim 5, wherein

said spacer has external counter-clockwise threads, said enlarged tubular section has internal counter-clockwise threads and said first threaded connection is a clockwise threaded connection.

7. The bicycle hub according to claim 4, wherein

said inner sleeve portion and said second portion of said hub axle have engagement serrations for a tight connection therebetween.

8. The bicycle hub according to claim 1, wherein

one of said first portion and said spacer includes a longitudinal groove and the other of said first portion and said spacer includes a abutment member located in said longitudinal groove to prevent relative rotation therebetween.

9. The bicycle hub according to claim 8, wherein

said spacer includes a retaining member coupled to a free end of said spacer prevent removal of said first portion of said hub axle from said hub body.

10. The bicycle hub according to claim 8, wherein

said first portion of said hub axle has said abutment member extending therefrom and said spacer has said longitudinal groove sized to partially receive said abutment member therein.

11. The bicycle hub according to claim 10, wherein

said first portion of said hub axle includes a transverse recess with said abutment member extending from said recess.

12. The bicycle hub according to claim 11, wherein

said first portion of said hub axle includes a biasing member arranged in said recess to bias said abutment member in a transverse direction toward said spacer.

13. The bicycle hub according to claim 1, wherein

said abutment member is a substantially ball-shaped member partially received in said recess.

14. The bicycle hub according to claim 13, wherein

said groove has a circumferential width smaller than a diameter of said abutment member.

15. The bicycle hub according to claim 14, wherein

said first portion of said hub axle includes a biasing member arranged in said recess to bias said abutment member in a transverse direction toward said spacer.

16. The bicycle hub according to claim 1, wherein

said abutment member is an elongated rod-shaped member partially received in said recess.

17. The bicycle hub according to claim 11, wherein

said spacer includes a retaining member coupled to a free end of said spacer prevent removal of said first portion of said hub axle from said hub body.

18. The bicycle hub according to claim 10, wherein

said spacer has a pair of said longitudinal grooves formed therein.

19. The bicycle hub according to claim 10, wherein

said spacer is a cylindrical member with external threads and a central through bore sized to receive said first portion of said hub axle, said longitudinal groove being formed in said through bore.

20. The bicycle hub according to claim 19, wherein

said through bore of said spacer includes a pair of said longitudinal grooves.

21. The bicycle hub according to claim 19, wherein

said spacer has external counter-clockwise threads formed thereon and said first threaded connection is a clockwise threaded connection.

22. The bicycle hub according to claim 1, wherein

said outer tubular portion of said hub body includes an engagement member non-rotatably coupled thereto to releasably and non-rotatably couple said sprocket support member to said hub body.

23. The bicycle hub according to claim 1, wherein

said hub body includes a tubular inner sleeve portion with said first portion of said hub axle rotatably arranged therein.

24. The bicycle hub according to claim 23, wherein

said inner sleeve portion is releasably and non-rotatably coupled to said second portion of said hub axle.

25. The bicycle hub according to claim 24, wherein

said inner sleeve portion and said second portion of said hub axle have engagement serrations for a tight connection therebetween.

26. The bicycle hub according to claim 23, wherein

said inner sleeve portion includes an enlarged tubular section with internal counter-clockwise threads formed therein.

27. The bicycle hub according to claim 26, wherein

said spacer includes external counter-clockwise threads sized to engage said internal counter-clockwise threads of said inner sleeve portion.

28. The bicycle hub according to claim 1, wherein

said first threaded connection is a clockwise threaded connection and said second threaded connection is a counter clockwise threaded connection.

29. The bicycle hub according to claim 1, wherein

said first portion of said hub axle includes a quick release mechanism mounted on a free end of said first portion.

30. The bicycle hub according to claim 1, wherein

said sprocket support member includes a freewheel.