Structure of transmission for bicycle

• US 7,744,498 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2005
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Iguchi, Kazunari, Matsumoto, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): King; Bradley T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rashid; Mahbubur
• Application Number:
  US11/052,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20050176537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,966 Days
• Field of Search: 474/80, 474/78, 474/79, 474/81, 474/160
• US Class Current: 474/80
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 11/145 built in, or adjacent to, the bottom bracket
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 9/121 Rear derailleurs

Abstract

To achieve downsizing and weight reduction of a derailleur shaft and the mounting structure thereof and to improve the rigidity of the derailleur shaft without increasing the thickness thereof more than necessary. A transmission case is divided into left and right halves, and the left and right halves are provided with bosses therein having holes opposing each other. The bosses are brought into abutment with each other and united by fitting tightening bolts to the holes of the bosses and tightening the same. A sleeve-shaped derailleur shaft is fitted on the outer periphery of the bosses to support and mount the derailleur shaft. The derailleur shaft includes a hole at the shaft end thereof. A mounting position of the derailleur shaft is achieved by a pin inserted into the hole and a hole provided on one of the cases.

Claims

1. A derailleur-type transmission for a bicycle, the transmission being mountable to a frame of the bicycle, said transmission comprising:

a transmission case, said transmission case being dividable into left and right cases, the left and right cases of the transmission case being provided with left and right bosses, respectively, the left and right bosses coaxially projecting inwardly of the transmission case;

a derailleur shaft, said derailleur shaft surrounding the left and right bosses and being supported by the left and right bosses; and

a derailleur mounted to an outer periphery of said derailleur shaft and disposed inside of the transmission case,

wherein the left and right bosses are formed with holes therein, and the left and right halves of the transmission case are connected via a connecting member fitted into the holes; and

wherein the width of the left case is different from the width of the right case, the boss on the side of a wider one of the left and right cases has a longer projecting length and is provided with a through-hole, while the boss on the side of the narrower case has a shorter projecting length and is provided with a blind hole, the blind hole is formed with female threads, and the connecting member has male threads that are threaded with the female threads.

2. The derailleur-type transmission according to claim 1, wherein the derailleur shaft is disposed substantially at the same distance from a plurality of the frame members extending from a head pipe of the frame of the bicycle rearward and downward in a side view of the bicycle.

3. The derailleur-type transmission according to claim 1, wherein the left and right bosses have a different projecting length.

4. The derailleur-type transmission according to claim 1, wherein an inner circumferential surface of the derailleur shaft surrounds the left and right bosses.

5. The derailleur-type transmission according to claim 1, wherein a projecting end of the left boss and a projecting end of the right boss abut against each other.

6. A bicycle, comprising:

a frame, said frame including a pair of left and right main frames extending from a head pipe rearward and obliquely downward, a down tube extending from front lower ends of the pair of main frames rearward and obliquely downward, a saddle frame extending rearward from for the pair of mainframes;

a saddle, said saddle being supported by the saddle frame;

a pair of left and right front forks, said pair of front forks being supported by the head pipe and supporting a front wheel;

a pair of left and right swing arms, said pair of swing arms being supported by the main frames and supporting a rear wheel; and

a derailleur-type transmission, the transmission being mounted to the frame, said transmission including;

a transmission case, said transmission case being dividable into left and right cases, the left and right cases of the transmission case being provided with left and right bosses, respectively, the left and right bosses coaxially projecting inwardly of the transmission case;

a derailleur shaft, said derailleur shaft surrounding the left and right bosses and being supported by the left and right bosses; and

a derailleur mounted to an outer periphery of said derailleur shaft and disposed inside of the transmission case,

wherein a projecting end of the left boss and a projecting end of the right boss abut against each other.

7. The bicycle according to claim 6, wherein the left and right bosses are formed with holes therein, and the left and right halves of the transmission case are connected via a connecting member fitted into the holes.

8. The bicycle according to claim 7, wherein the derailleur shaft is disposed substantially at the same distance from a plurality of frame members extending from the head pipe of the body of the bicycle rearward and downward in a side view of the bicycle.

9. The bicycle according to claim 6, wherein the left and right bosses have a different projecting length.

10. The bicycle according to claim 7, wherein the width of the left case is different from the width of the right case, the boss on the side of a wider one of the left and right cases has a longer projecting length and is provided with a through-hole, while the boss on the side of the narrower case has a shorter projecting length and is provided with a blind hole, the blind hole is formed with female threads, and the connecting member has male threads that are threaded with the female threads.

11. The bicycle according to claim 6, wherein an inner circumferential surface of the derailleur shaft surrounds the left and right bosses.

12. A bicycle, comprising:

a frame, said frame including a pair of left and right main frames extending from a head pipe rearward and obliquely downward, a down tube extending from front lower ends of the pair of main frames rearward and obliquely downward, a saddle frame extending rearward from for the pair of mainframes;

a saddle, said saddle being supported by the saddle frame;

a pair of left and right front forks, said pair of front forks being supported by the head pipe and supporting a front wheel;

a pair of left and right swing arms, said pair of swing arms being supported by the main frames and supporting a rear wheel; and

a derailleur-type transmission, the transmission being mounted to the frame, said transmission including;

a transmission case, said transmission case being dividable into left and right cases, the left and right cases of the transmission case being provided with left and right bosses, respectively, the left and right bosses coaxially projecting inwardly of the transmission case; and

a derailleur shaft, said derailleur shaft being supported by the left and right bosses,

wherein said derailleur shaft is in the shape of a hollow sleeve and is fitted on an outer periphery of the left and right bosses;

wherein a derailleur mounted to an outer periphery of said derailleur shaft and disposed inside of the transmission case; and

wherein a projecting end of the left boss and a projecting end of the right boss abut against each other.

13. A bicycle, comprising:

a frame, said frame including a pair of left and right main frames extending from a head pipe rearward and obliquely downward, a down tube extending from front lower ends of the pair of main frames rearward and obliquely downward, a saddle frame extending rearward from for the pair of mainframes;

a saddle, said saddle being supported by the saddle frame;

a pair of left and right front forks, said pair of front forks being supported by the head pipe and supporting a front wheel;

a pair of left and right swing arms, said pair of swing arms being supported by the main frames and supporting a rear wheel; and

a derailleur-type transmission, the transmission being mounted to the frame, said transmission including;

a transmission case, said transmission case being dividable into left and right cases, the left and right cases of the transmission case being provided with left and right bosses, respectively, the left and right bosses coaxially projecting inwardly of the transmission case; and

a derailleur shaft, said derailleur shaft being supported by the left and right bosses,

wherein said derailleur shaft includes a protruding portion extending from an outer surface thereof, said protruding portion having a pair of through holes formed therethrough, said through holes receiving a pair of supporting shafts that support a derailleur arm unit and a derailleur;

wherein said derailleur arm unit and said derailleur are disposed inside of the transmission case;

wherein an inner circumferential surface of the derailleur shaft surrounds the left and right bosses; and

wherein a projecting end of the left boss and a projecting end of the right boss abut against each other.

14. The bicycle according to claim 13, wherein the pair of through holes have axis that extend in parallel to each other, the axis of the through holes extend in a direction intersecting an axis of the derailleur shaft at a predetermined angle.

15. The bicycle according to claim 14, wherein said derailleur shaft is in the shape of a hollow sleeve and is fitted on an outer periphery of the left and right bosses.