Bicycle hub with electricity generating mechanism and at least one lamp

• US 7,628,518 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2004
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Original Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Inventors: Uno, Koji, Fujii, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron; Ismael
• Application Number:
  US10/792,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20040189112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,104 Days
• Field of Search: 362473-476, 362/543, 362/253, 362/192, 362/544, 180/205, 310/168, 310/67, 310/67.A, 429/244, 301/110.5
• US Class Current: 362/476
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 6/01 Electric circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 6/12 Dynamos arranged in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 6/20 Arrangement of reflectors , e.g. on the wheel spokes pedals incorporating reflectors B62M3/12 ; Lighting devices mounted on wheel spokes

Abstract

A bicycle hub includes a hub shaft, a hub shell, a bearing arrangement, an electricity generating mechanism and at least one lamp. The hub shaft is configured and arranged to be mounted in a non-rotatable manner to a bicycle frame. The hub shell has a hollow interior with the hub shaft being disposed in the hollow interior of the hub shell. The bearing arrangement is arranged between the hub shell and the hub shaft in such a manner that the hub shell can rotate freely with respect to the hub shaft. The electricity generating mechanism is arranged inside the hub shell and is configured to generate electricity in response to relative rotation of the hub shell with respect to the hub shaft. The lamp is arranged on at least one end of the hub shell and illuminated using electricity generated by the electricity generating mechanism.

Claims

1. A bicycle hub comprising:

a hub shaft configured and arranged to be mounted in a non-rotatable manner to a bicycle frame;

a hub shell having a hollow interior with the hub shaft being disposed in the hollow interior of the hub shell;

a bearing arrangement arranged between the hub shell and the hub shaft in such a manner that the hub shell can rotate freely with respect to the hub shaft;

an electricity generating mechanism arranged inside the hub shell and configured to generate electricity in response to relative rotation of the hub shell with respect to the hub shaft; and

a first lamp arranged at one end of the hub shell and illuminated using electricity generated by the electricity generating mechanism, the first lamp including a bracket non-rotatably mounted on the hub shaft even when the bicycle hub is not attached to a bicycle frame but to permit axial movement of the bracket relative to the hub shaft during assembly of the bracket to the hub shaft,

the bracket being axially retained on the hub shaft by a nut threadedly mounted on the hub shaft even when the bicycle hub is not attached to a bicycle frame, and

the first lamp including a casing member non-rotatably attached to the bracket, the casing member being sized to receive the nut therethrough so that the casing member is mountable to and removable from the bracket without detaching the nut from the hub shaft.

2. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 1, wherein

the casing member is attached to the bracket at a location radially outwardly of an outer surface of the nut.

3. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 1, wherein

the hub shaft includes a quick release mechanism having a skewer, a head member and a quick release nut, one of the head member and the quick release nut being axially spaced from the nut retaining the bracket to receive the frame therebetween when the bicycle hub is attached to the bicycle frame.

4. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 1, further comprising

at least one switch arranged in a circuitry between the electricity generating mechanism and the first lamp for turning the lamp on and off.

5. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 4, wherein

the switch is configured to be turned on and off manually.

6. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 4, further comprising

an illuminance sensor configured and arranged to detect ambient brightness surrounding the bicycle;

and

the switch is configured to turn on and off in response to an output from the illuminance sensor.

7. The bicycle hub according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second lamp illuminated using electricity generated by the electricity generating mechanism, the second lamp being arranged at an opposite end of the hub shell from the first lamp.

8. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 7, wherein

each of the first and second lamps is arranged between the frame and one end of the hub shell.

9. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 7, wherein

the first and second lamps are connected in series with respect to the electricity generating mechanism.

10. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 7, wherein

the first and second lamps are connected in parallel with respect to the electricity generating mechanism.

11. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 7, wherein

each of the first and second lamps is mounted in a non-rotatable manner to the hub shaft.

12. the bicycle hub as recited in claim 7, further comprising

at least one switch arranged in a circuitry between the electricity generating mechanism and the first and second lamps for turning the first and second lamps on and off.

13. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 12, wherein

the switch is configured to be turned on and off manually.

14. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 12, further comprising

an illuminance sensor configured and arranged to detect ambient brightness surrounding the bicycle;

and

the switch is configured to turn on and off in response to an output from the illuminance sensor.

15. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 12, wherein

each of the first and second lamps is mounted in a non-rotatable manner to the hub shaft.

16. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 12, wherein

each of the first and second lamps is arranged between the frame and one end of the hub shell.

17. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 12, wherein

the first and second lamps are connected in series with respect to the electricity generating mechanism.

18. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 12, wherein

the first and second lamps are connected in parallel with respect to the electricity generating mechanism.

19. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 1, wherein

the bracket and the hub shaft having a protrusion and groove arrangement disposed therebetween to prevent rotational movement between the bracket and the hub shaft even when the bicycle hub is not attached to a bicycle frame but to permit axial movement of the bracket relative to the hub shaft during assembly of the bracket to the hub shaft.

20. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 19, wherein

the bracket includes the protrusion and the hub shaft includes the groove.

21. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 20, wherein

a wire extends from the electricity generating mechanism within the groove.

22. The bicycle hub as recited in claim 21, wherein

the bracket includes a wire slit extending radially outwardly of the protrusion, and the wire extends radially outwardly from the groove adjacent the protrusion and extends axially through the wire slit.