BICYCLE CASSETTE WITH INCREASED TOOTH RATIO

Abstract

A bicycle cassette with increased tooth ratio includes a driver body connected to a bicycle rear hub, and multiple cogs which are sequentially mounted to the driver body with equal spacing. An additional cog is mounted to the driver body and located opposite to the rear hub. The additional cog has 8-10 teeth. The tooth ratio is increased by the additional cog and the chainring to break through the limitation of tooth ratio of existing bicycle cassettes, and to increase the number of the gears of the bicycle cassette.

Claims

1. A bicycle derailleur cassette with increased tooth ratio, comprising: a driver body (10) connected to a rear hub of a bicycle, a plurality of cogs (13-18) sequentially mounted to the driver body (10) with equal spacing, the plurality of cogs (13-18) including a second cog (18), the driver body (10) having a first end (11) and a second end (12) opposite to the first end (11), the first end (11) of the driver body (10) connected to the rear hub, a first cog (20) mounted to the second end (12) of the driver body (10), a threaded ring (30) located in the second end (12) of the driver body (10), an additional cog (40) having at least one tooth less than a number of teeth of the first cog (20), the additional cog (40) having an annular lip (41) extending axially from a rear end thereof, multiple second protrusions (42) and multiple second recesses (43) axially and alternatively formed in the annular lip (41), a ring-shaped cap (50) having a tubular portion (51) extending axially therefrom, the tubular portion (51) extending through the additional cog (40) and fixed to the threaded ring (30), the ring-shaped cap (50) located at one side of the additional cog (40); the first cog (20) including: multiple cog teeth (201), a sprocket (25), a flange (21), multiple engaging portions (22), multiple first protrusions (23) and multiple first recesses (24); a total number of the multiple cog teeth (201) being at least eleven: the sprocket (25) including an inside (251) that faces the axial center axis of rear hub (CL), and an outside (252) located opposite to the inside (251), the inside (251) of the sprocket (25) forming the flange (21) in the axial direction, the flange (21) forming the multiple engaging portions (22) facing the driver body (10), the outside (252) of the sprocket (25) forming the first protrusions (23) and the first recesses (24) in an axial direction (Da); the engaging portions (33) including a first axial length (L1) formed in the axial direction (Da), the engaging portions (22) connected to multiple keys (101) of the driver body (10); the first protrusions (23) and the first recesses (24) including a second axial length (L2) formed in the axial direction (Da), the second axial length (L2) being equal to a difference of the axial length of sprocket (L) and the first axial length (L1) in the axial direction (Da), the multiple first protrusions (23) and the first recesses (24) being engaged with the second recesses (43) and the second protrusions (42) of the additional cog (40).

2. The bicycle derailleur cassette with increased tooth ratio as claimed in claim 1, wherein an axial length of the flange (21) in the axial direction is equal to a sprocket pitch (P1) between the first cog (20) and the second cog (18), the flange (21) contacts the second cog (18).

3. The bicycle derailleur cassette with increased tooth ratio as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first axial length (L1) is greater than the sprocket pitch (P1).

4. The bicycle derailleur cassette with increased tooth ratio as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first cog (20) includes a contact face (27), the contact face (27) is located at a conjunction area between the engaging portions (22) and the first recesses (24) and the first protrusions (23), the contact face (27) contacts the second end (12) of the driver body (10).

5. The bicycle derailleur cassette with increased tooth ratio as claimed in claim 1, wherein second protrusions (42) of the additional cog (40) contact an end face of the threaded ring (30).

6. A bicycle derailleur cassette with increased tooth ratio, comprising: a driver body (10) connected to a rear hub of a bicycle, a plurality of cogs (13-18) sequentially mounted to the driver body (10) with equal spacing, the plurality of cogs (13-18) including a second cog (18), the driver body (10) having a first end (11) and a second end (12) opposite to the first end (11), the first end (11) of the driver body (10) connected to the rear hub, a first cog (20) mounted to the second end (12) of the driver body (10), a threaded ring (30) located in the second end (12) of the driver body (10), an additional cog (40) having at least one tooth less than a number of teeth of the first cog (20), the additional cog (40) having an annular lip (41) extending axially from a rear end thereof, multiple second protrusions (42) and multiple second recesses (43) axially and alternatively formed in the annular lip (41), a ring-shaped cap (50) having a tubular portion (51) extending axially therefrom, the tubular portion (51) extending through the additional cog (40) and fixed to the threaded ring (30), the ring-shaped cap (50) located at one side of the additional cog (40); the first cog (20) including: multiple cog teeth (201), a sprocket (25), a flange (21), multiple engaging portions (22), multiple first protrusions (23) and multiple first recesses (24); a total number of the multiple cog teeth (201) being at least eleven: the sprocket (25) including an inside (251) that faces the axial center axis of rear hub (CL), and an outside (252) located opposite to the inside (251), the inside (251) of the sprocket (25) forming the flange (21) in the axial direction, the flange (21) forming the multiple engaging portions (22) facing the driver body (10), the outside (252) of the sprocket (25) forming the first protrusions (23) and the first recesses (24) in the axial direction (Da); an axial length of the flange (21) in the axial direction (Da) being equal to a sprocket pitch (P1) between the first cog (20) and the second cog (18); the engaging portions (33) including a first axial length (L1) formed in the axial direction (Da), the first axial length (L1) being greater than the sprocket pitch (P1) between the first cog (20) and the second cog (18); the first protrusions (23) and the first recesses (24) including a second axial length (L2) formed in the axial direction (Da), the second axial length (L2) being equal to a difference of the axial length of sprocket (L) and the first axial length (L1) in the axial direction (Da); the first cog (20) including a contact face (27), the contact face (27) located at a conjunction area between the engaging portions (22) and the first recesses (24) and the first protrusions (23); the engaging portions (22) connected to multiple keys (101) of the driver body (10), the contact face (27) contacting the second end (12) of the driver body (10), the flange (21) contacting the second sprocket (18), and the multiple first protrusions (23) and the first recesses (24) being engaged with the second recesses (43) and the second protrusions (42) of the additional cog (40), the second protrusions (42) of the additional cog (40) contacting an end face of the threaded ring (30).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] FIG. 1 is an exploded rear-end view of the second sprocket of US 2017/0369124 (US 124);

[0050] FIG. 2 is an exploded front-end view of the second sprocket of US 2017/0369124 (US 124);

[0051] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the first, second and third sprockets of US2017/0369124 (US 124);

[0052] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the bicycle cassette of the present invention, as viewed from the front end thereof;

[0053] FIG. 5 is another exploded view of the bicycle cassette of the present invention, as viewed from the rear end thereof;

[0054] FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the first cog of the bicycle cassette of the present invention;

[0055] FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the first cog of the bicycle cassette of the present invention;

[0056] FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the additional cog of the bicycle cassette of the present invention;

[0057] FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view of the additional cog of the bicycle cassette of the present invention;

[0058] FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of the bicycle cassette of the present invention;

[0059] FIG. 11 is a front view of the bicycle cassette of the present invention;

[0060] FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view of the bicycle cassette of the present invention;

[0061] FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of the circled portion in FIG. 12;

[0062] FIG. 14 is a front view of the first cog of the present invention;

[0063] FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view, taken along line XV-XV in FIG. 14;

[0064] FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of a portion of the disclosure in FIG. 15;

[0065] FIG. 17 is a front-end perspective view of the first cog and the additional cog;

[0066] FIG. 18 is a rear-end perspective view of the first cog and the additional cog;

[0067] FIG. 19 is a cross sectional view to show the first cog, the additional cog, the cap and the driver body, and

[0068] FIG. 20 is an enlarged view of a portion of the disclosure in FIG. 19.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0069] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the bicycle cassette of the present invention comprises a driver body 10 having a first end 11 and a second end 12 located opposite to the first end 11. The first end 11 of the driver body 10 is connected to the rear hub (not shown). An additional cog 40 having ten teeth is connected to the second end 12 of the driver body 10. Multiple cogs 13-18 (i.e. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18) are sequentially mounted to the driver body 10 with equal spacing in order of increasing number of teeth from the second end 12 towards the first end 11. The inside of the driver body 10 is well known in the art and will not be described here.

[0070] The bicycle cassette of the present invention achieves an increased tooth ratio compared to conventional bicycle cassette.

[0071] The driver body 10 comprises a first threaded portion 121 defined in the inner periphery of the second end 12 of the driver body 10.

[0072] A threaded ring 30 has a second threaded portion 31 defined in the outer periphery thereof, and the first threaded portion 121 is threadedly connected to the second threaded portion 31 of the threaded ring 30 to connect the threaded ring 30 to the inner periphery of the second end 12 of the driver body 10. The threaded ring 30 includes a third threaded portion 32 defined in the inner periphery thereof. The threaded ring 30 is used to reduce the inner diameter of the driver body 10.

[0073] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a first cog 20 has eleven or more than eleven teeth and includes an annular flange 21 extending from the rear end thereof. The flange 21 includes an engaging portion 22 in the form of ridge-recess defined in the inner periphery thereof so as to be engaged with the outer periphery of the driver body 10. The flange 21 is connected to the outer periphery of the second end 12 of the driver body 10. Multiple first protrusions 23 and multiple first recesses 24 are radially and alternatively formed in the inner periphery of the first cog 20. The first protrusions 23 contact the second end 12 of the driver boy 10 and the outer face of the threaded ring 30.

[0074] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the additional cog 40 has at least one tooth less than the number of teeth of the first cog 20. Preferably, the additional cog 40 has 8 to 10 teeth. The additional cog 40 has an annular lip 41 extending axially from the rear end thereof, and multiple second protrusions 42 and multiple second recesses 43 are axially and alternatively formed in the annular lip 41. The second protrusions 42 of the additional cog 40 are engaged with the first recesses 24 of the first cog 20, and the first protrusions 23 of the first cog 20 are engaged with the second recesses 43 of the additional cog 40, such that the additional cog 40 is engaged with the first cog 20 and located outside of the second end 12 of the driver body 10. By the annular lip 41, the additional cog 40 is spaced from the first cog 20 properly to meet the needs for switching of the chain.

[0075] As shown in FIGS. 10 to 13, a cap 50 is a ring-shaped cap and has a tubular portion 51 extending axially from the rear end thereof. The tubular portion 51 extends through the additional cog 40 and includes a fourth threaded portion 52 defined in the outer periphery thereof. The fourth threaded portion 52 is located close to the distal end of the tubular portion 51. The fourth threaded portion 52 of the tubular portion 51 is threadedly connected to the third threaded portion 32 of the threaded ring 30. The cap 50 is located at one side of the additional cog 40 to position all of the cogs 13-18 to the driver body 10. The additional cog 40 includes a first anti-slip terrain 44 formed on one side thereof, and the cap 50 includes a second anti-slip terrain 54 formed on one side thereof. The first anti-slip terrain 44 and the second anti-slip terrain 54 are engaged with each other.

[0076] As shown in FIGS. 10 to 13, the present invention adds the additional cog 40 which has less than 11 teeth (preferably ten teeth) to the driver body 10 of the existing bicycle cassette to increase the tooth ratio to break through the limitation of tooth ratio of existing bicycle cassettes. The number of teeth of the additional cog 40 depends on the number of teeth of the first cog 20, preferably, one or two teeth less than the number of teeth of the first cog 20. In this embodiment the smallest cog of the cassette has 11 teeth, so that the additional cog 40 has 10 teeth.

[0077] Take the road bicycles with an eighteen-gear derailleur system as an example, the system includes a 50/34 T compact crankset. After the additional cog 40 is added, the tooth ratio is increased and the derailleur system becomes a twenty-gear derailleur system. The tooth ratio is illustrated as follows:

TABLE-US-00002 CASSETTE CHAINRING 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 19 21 23 50 5 4.55 4.17 3.85 3.57 3.33 2.94 2.63 2.38 2.17 34 3.4 3.09 2.83 2.62 2.43 2.27 2.00 1.79 1.62 1.48

[0078] The technical characters are revealed to the first cog 20.

[0079] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the first cog 20 includes multiple cog teeth 201, a sprocket 25, a flange 21, multiple engaging portions 22, multiple first protrusions 23 and multiple first recesses 24.

[0080] The total number of the multiple cog teeth 201 is eleven or more than eleven.

[0081] As shown in FIGS. 12 to 16, the sprocket 25 including an inside 251 that faces the axial center axis of rear hub CL, and an outside 252 located opposite to the inside 251 and located at the axial direction Da. The inside 251 of the sprocket 25 forms the flange 21 in the axial direction Da. The flange 21 forms the multiple engaging portions 22 facing the driver body 10. The outside 252 of the sprocket 25 forming the first protrusions 23 and the first recesses 24 in the axial direction Da. The axial length of the flange 21 in the axial direction Da is equal to the sprocket pitch P1 between the first cog 20 and the second cog 18. The sprocket pitch P1 between the first cog 20 and the second cog 18 meets the regulation.

[0082] The engaging portions 22 are connected to multiple keys 101 of the driver body 10.

[0083] As shown in FIGS. 16 and 20, the engaging portions 33 includes a first axial length L1 in the axial direction Da. The first axial length L1 is greater than the sprocket pitch P1. That is to say, when the first cog 20 is engaged with the driver body 10, the first axial length L1 of the multiple engaging portions 22 and the driver body 10 is greater than the sprocket pitch P1. Under the restriction of the sprocket pitch P1, the connection area between the first cog 20 and the driver body 10 is increased.

[0084] As shown in FIGS. 12 to 18, the first protrusions 12 and the first recesses 24 are engaged with the second recesses 43 and the second protrusions 42 of the additional cog 40. The first protrusions 23 and the first recesses 24 include a second axial length L2 in the axial direction Da. The second axial length L2 is equal to a difference of the axial length of sprocket L and the first axial length L1 in the axial direction Da. In other words, L2=L−L1, that is to say, L=L1+L2. The sum of the first axial length L1 and the second axial length L2 is equal to the axial length of sprocket L in the axial direction Da. That is to say, the axial length of sprocket L in the axial direction Da is fully used to the connection between the driver body 10 and the additional cog 40, and creates a maximum connection area.

[0085] As shown in FIGS. 16, 19 and 20, the first cog 20 includes a contact face 27, and the contact face 27 is located at a conjunction area between the engaging portions 22 and the first recesses 24 and the first protrusions 23. The first cog 20 is engaged with the driver body 10 by the multiple engaging portions 22. The contact face 27 contacts the second end 12 of the driver body 10 so as to define that the center axis of first cog CL2 is perpendicular to the axis of sprocket assembly Ax. The first cog 20 is engaged with the driver body 10, and the flange 21 contacts the second cog 18. Therefore, the sprocket pitch P1 between the first cog 20 and the second cog 18 meets the regulation. The second recesses 43 and the second protrusions 42 of the additional cog 40 are engaged with the first protrusions 23 and the first recesses 24 of the first cog 20. The second protrusions 42 of the additional cog 40 contact the end face of the threaded ring 30. Therefore, the center axis of additional cog CL3 is perpendicular to the axis of sprocket assembly Ax, and the sprocket pitch P2 between the additional cog 40 and the first cog 20 meets the regulation.

[0086] While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.