Cap member for internally geared bicycle hub

• US 7,478,885 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Original Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Inventors: Urabe, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Stormer; Russell D
• Application Number:
  US11/407,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20070045079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 301/37.41, 301/59, 301/110.5, 301/105.6, 301/124.2
• US Class Current: 301/110.5
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 11/16 built in, or adjacent to, the ground-wheel hub

Abstract

A cap member of an internally geared hub includes a cap body and a first seal member. The cap body has a side wall part and an outer cylindrical part provided with an internally threaded section that meshes with external threads of a cylindrical member of a hub shell. The side wall part has an opening in the center thereof configured such that a driver inside the hub shell extends there-through. The side wall part is configured to extend radially inward from a first axial end section of the outer cylindrical part. A first seal member is arranged on the side wall part of the cap body and configured to contact the driver thereby creating a seal around the driver.

Claims

1. A cap member for an internally geared bicycle hub comprising:

a cap body including

an outer cylindrical part having a threaded section configured to threadedly engage a hub shell of the internally geared bicycle hub, the outer cylindrical part having a first axial end section and a second axial end section, the first axial end section extending toward an outboard end of the internally geared bicycle hub and the second axial end section extending toward an inboard area of the internally geared bicycle hub, and

a side wall part having a central opening configured such that a driver of the internally geared bicycle hub disposed at least partially inside the hub shell can extend therethrough, the side wall part being configured to extend radially inward from the first axial end section of the outer cylindrical part;

a first seal member arranged on the side wall part of the cap body and configured to contact the driver, the side wall part including an inner cylindrical part adjacent to the opening, and the first seal member being installed on an internal circumferential surface of the inner cylindrical part, the first seal member being elastically secured to the internal circumferential surface of the inner cylindrical part; and

a second seal member made of an elastic material, arranged at the second axial end section of the outer cylindrical part, the second seal member configured to contact the hub shell, the second seal member is being installed in an annular recess formed at the second axial end section of the outer cylindrical part, such that the second seal member protrudes axially further than the second axial end section away from the first axial end section.

2. The cap member recited in claim 1, wherein

the cap body is made of a synthetic resin material.

3. The cap member recited in claim 1, further comprising

a second seal member made of an elastic material, arranged at the second axial end section of the outer cylindrical part, the second seal member configured to contact the hub shell.

4. The cap member recited in claim 3, wherein

the cap body is made of a synthetic resin material.

5. The cap member recited in claim 3, wherein

the second seal member is installed in an annular recess formed at the second axial end section of the outer cylindrical part, the second axial end section configured such that a tip end thereof protrudes farther axially inward than the first axial end section.

6. An internally geared bicycle hub comprising:

a hub axle;

a generally cylindrical driver freely rotatably mounted on the hub axle;

a generally cylindrical hub shell disposed around an outer circumference of the hub axle;

a transmission mechanism configured with a plurality of power transmission paths for transmitting rotation of the driver to the hub shell through a selected one of the power transmission paths; and

a cap member detachably mounted to at least one end of the hub shell, the cap member including a cap body, a first sealing member and a second sealing member,

the cap body including

an outer cylindrical part having a threaded section configured to threadedly engage a hub shell of an internally geared bicycle hub, the outer cylindrical part having a first axial end section and a second axial end section, the first axial end section extending toward an outboard end of the hub shell and the second axial end section extending toward an inboard area of the hub shell, and

a side wall part that has a central opening configured such that a portion of the driver extends there-through, the side wall part being configured to extend radially inward from the first axial end section of the outer cylindrical part,

the first seal member arranged on the side wall part of the cap body and configured to contact the driver,

the second seal member made of an elastic material, arranged at the second axial end section of the outer cylindrical part, the second seal member contacting the hub shell,

the second seal member being installed in an annular recess formed at the second axial end section of the outer cylindrical part, such that the second seal member protrudes axially further than the second axial end section away from the first axial end section.

7. The internally geared bicycle hub recited in claim 6, wherein

the cap body is made of a synthetic resin material.