Bicycle component comprising an adapter unit and adapter unit

Abstract

A bicycle component includes a hub shell for a wheel of an at least partially muscle-powered bicycle, wherein the hub shell is rotatably supported by at least one bearing device. An adapter unit is disposed on one end of the hub shell. The adapter unit includes an inner stopper having an inner stop face for transferring a clamping force to the bearing device and an outer stopper with an outer stop face transmitting at least part of the clamping force. The adapter unit includes a first and a second stopper component transmitting the clamping force.

Claims

1. A bicycle component, comprising: a hub shell for a wheel of an at least partially muscle-powered bicycle, the hub shell being rotatably supported by means of at least one bearing device; and an adapter unit arranged on at least one end of the hub shell, wherein the adapter unit comprises an inner stopper having an inner stop face for transferring a clamping force to the bearing device and an outer stopper located axially adjacent to the inner stopper and with an outer stopper face transmitting at least part of the clamping force, said inner stopper and said outer stopper each having outermost ends that are axially furthest away from a center of said hub shell, wherein said outermost end of said outer stopper is axially further away from the center of the hub shell than the outermost end of the inner stopper, said inner stopper and said outer stopper each having innermost ends, wherein said innermost end of said inner stopper is closer to the center of the hub shell than said innermost end of said outer stopper, and wherein a smallest inner diameter of said outer stopper is less than an inner diameter of said inner stopper.

2. The bicycle component according to claim 1, wherein the inner stopper with the inner stop face is configured on a first stopper component and the outer stopper with the outer stop face is configured on a second stopper component.

3. The bicycle component according to claim 2, wherein the first stopper component rests against an inner bearing ring of the bearing device.

4. The bicycle component according to claim 2, wherein the second stopper component radially surrounds the first stopper component over at least an overlapping portion.

5. The bicycle component according to claim 4, wherein the first stopper component and the second stopper component each comprise at least two stepped diameter portions in the overlapping portion.

6. The bicycle component according to claim 2, wherein at least one friction member is disposed between the first stopper component and the second stopper component.

7. The bicycle component according to claim 6, wherein the at least one friction member is disposed in a groove in the second stopper component or in a groove in the first stopper component.

8. The bicycle component according to claim 2, wherein the first stopper component comprises a tubular portion and at least one radial flange in a region at the inner stopper.

9. The bicycle component according to claim 2, wherein the first stopper component is secured on the hub shell by a separate retaining ring.

10. The bicycle component according to claim 9, wherein the retaining ring comprises at least one flange protruding radially inwardly.

11. The bicycle component according to claim 9, wherein a sealing device is provided for sealing the interior of the hub shell wherein the sealing device is formed at least in part by the retaining ring or a radial flange of the first stopper component.

12. The bicycle component according to claim 1, wherein a brake disk accommodation is configured at one end of the hub shell, and wherein a fixing accommodation with an internal thread is configured on the hub shell in an axial region of the brake disk accommodation.

13. The bicycle component according to claim 12, wherein a fixing ring is disposed on the fixing accommodation for axially fixing a brake disk.

14. The bicycle component according to claim 13, wherein the outer diameter of the outer stopper is larger than a clear inner diameter of the fixing ring.

15. The bicycle component according to claim 13, wherein the fixing ring comprises a screw-in part and at least one fixing member protruding outwardly therefrom.

16. An adapter unit for a hub of an at least partially muscle-powered bicycle comprising: a first stopper component having an inner stopper and an inner stop face at least partially disposed thereat and a second stopper component having an outer stopper and an outer stop face at least partially disposed thereat; wherein the first stopper component is substantially configured tubular; wherein the second stopper component is configured tubular and comprises an outwardly protruding flange forming the outer stopper; wherein the second stopper component and the first stopper component radially surround one another in portions; wherein the first stopper component and the second stopper component are held together secure against loss by means of a friction member; and wherein said inner stopper and said outer stopper each have outermost ends that are axially furthest away from a center of the hub, wherein said outermost end of said outer stopper is axially further away from the center of the hub than the outermost end of the inner stopper, said inner stopper and said outer stopper each having innermost ends, wherein said innermost end of said inner stopper is closer to the center of the hub shell than said innermost end of said outer stopper, and wherein a smallest inner diameter of said outer stopper is less than an inner diameter of said inner stopper.

17. The adapter unit according to claim 16, wherein an outwardly protruding double flange is formed at the first stopper component.

18. The adapter unit according to claim 16, wherein the flange at the second stopper component forms the outer stopper with the outer stop face.

19. The adapter unit according to claim 16, wherein the second stopper component radially surrounds the first stopper component over at least an overlapping portion.

20. The two-wheeled vehicle of claim 19, wherein the first stopper component comprises at least two stepped diameter portions in the overlapping portion.

21. An adapter unit for a two-wheeled vehicle having a frame and a fork and dropouts on the frame and the fork and comprising an at least partially muscle-powered drive and a front wheel and a rear wheel, wherein the front wheel and the second wheel each comprises a hub and a pertaining axle unit and a brake disk which is axially fixed by means of a fixing ring screwed into the hub, wherein at least one of the hubs of the front wheel and the second wheel is clampingly accommodated in the dropouts by way of said adapter unit, said adapter unit comprising: at least one first stopper component and at least one second stopper component, wherein said at least one first stopper component and said at least one second stopper component each transmitting the clamping force; wherein the at least one second stopper component radially surrounds the at least one first stopper component over at least an overlapping portion; and wherein the at least one first and second stopper components each comprise at least two stepped diameter portions in the overlapping portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages and features of the present invention can be taken from the exemplary embodiments which will be discussed below with reference to the enclosed figures.

(2) The figures show in:

(3) FIG. 1 a schematic side view of a mountain bike;

(4) FIG. 2 a schematic side view of a racing bicycle or a roadster;

(5) FIG. 3 a sectional side view of a bicycle component according to the invention;

(6) FIG. 4 enlarged sectional views of the adapter units of the bicycle component according to FIG. 3;

(7) FIG. 5 a through axle for the bicycle component according to FIG. 3;

(8) FIG. 6 another exemplary embodiment of a bicycle component in a sectional view;

(9) FIG. 7 yet another exemplary embodiment of a bicycle component illustrated in section;

(10) FIG. 8 another exemplary embodiment of a bicycle component illustrated in section; and

(11) FIG. 9 an enlarged, schematic sectional view of another adapter unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(12) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a mountain bike as the bicycle or two-wheeled vehicle 100. The bicycle comprises a front wheel 101, a rear wheel 102, a frame 103, a suspension fork 104, a rear wheel damper 105, a handlebar 106, and a saddle 107. The drive 112 is provided by means of pedals and in this case, a chain shifting device respectively derailleur. The front wheel 101 and the rear wheel 102 are each fastened to dropouts 113 on the fork 104 or the frame 103.

(13) FIG. 2 shows a simplistic side view of a racing bicycle or roadster as the two-wheeled vehicle 100a, the bicycle having a front wheel 101a and a rear wheel 102a as the wheels, and a handlebar 106a, a saddle 107a, and a drive 112a provided by means of pedals. The wheels are fastened to the dropouts 113 on the fork 104a or the frame 103a. Both the front wheel and the rear wheel 101a, 102a comprise spokes 109 and a rim 110.

(14) Both the two-wheeled vehicle according to FIG. 1 and the two-wheeled vehicle according to FIG. 2 each comprise a brake disk 111 at the wheels 101, 102.

(15) FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-section of a bicycle component 1 which is presently configured as a hub 108 and comprises a hub shell 2. The hub 108 is configured to receive a through axle as is exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 5.

(16) The first end 5 of the hub shell 2 is provided with a brake disk accommodation 7 whose outer contour 7a is non-round. The brake disk accommodation 7 in this exemplary embodiment shows an attached adapter ring 15 by means of which different brake disks can be mounted. The adapter ring 15 is non-rotatably held by way of the non-round outer contour 7a of the hub shell 2. In the axial direction the adapter ring 15 is held to the hub shell by a suitable stopper and by a fixing ring 9 which with its external thread screws into an internal thread 8a in the fixing accommodation 8 of the hub shell.

(17) Both the fixing ring 9 and the adapter ring 15 may, though they are not required to, be components of a solid hub 108.

(18) It is also possible and preferred to attach immediately on the brake disk accommodation 7, a standard brake disk which is then fixedly received in the axial direction by a fixing ring 9. The brake disk accommodation 7 is in particular configured to receive a brake disk according to the Centerlock standard.

(19) The hub shell receives a pair of bearing devices 3 and 4 to support the hub shell 2 to be rotatable relative to the through axle 91 which is intended to be inserted. The outer rings of the bearing devices 3 and 4 are fixed axially inwardly to suitable shoulders in the hub shell 2.

(20) Between the inner bearing rings 3b and 4b of the bearing devices 3 and 4 a spacer 16 is disposed which is intended to keep the bearing devices 3 and 4 at defined distances from one another and which furthermore transfers the clamping force generated when the hub is clamped in. Prior to mounting the axle device 90, a radial movement of the spacer 16 is reduced to a small amount by way of the O-rings 17 on the spacer 16 so that the through axle 91 in FIG. 5 can be readily inserted into the interior of the bicycle component 1.

(21) The first end 5 of the hub shell 2 is provided with an adapter unit 10 which is configured bipartite and comprises a first stopper component 20 and a second stopper component 30. The adapter unit 10 serves for transferring the clamping forces from the outer stopper 13 on the second stopper component 30 through the inner stopper 11 on the first stopper component, presently directly to the inner bearing ring 3b of the bearing device 3.

(22) The clamping forces are then transmitted further from the inner bearing ring 3b through the spacer 16 to the inner bearing ring of the bearing device 4 from which they are transferred to the adapter unit 60. The adapter unit 60 in turn consists of two stopper components, a first stopper component 70 and a second stopper component 80 where in turn an inner stopper 62 and an outer stopper 63 are configured.

(23) The clamping forces are transmitted from the adapter units 10 and 60 to the respective dropout 113 respectively received from said dropouts.

(24) It is also possible to dispose a force transfer component 18 between an adapter unit 10, 60 and the pertaining bearing device 3 and 4. It is also possible to dispose a force transfer component 18 between the two adapter units 10, 60 and the pertaining bearing devices 3 and 4 as is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4. Then the force is transferred indirectly from the adapter unit 10, 60 to the pertaining bearing device 3, 4. In particularly preferred configurations one force transfer component 18 only or no force transfer component 18 is provided.

(25) A clear inner diameter 9a of the fixing ring 9 is plotted in FIG. 3. An annular flange as the fixing member 9c extends from the screw-in part 9b radially outwardly for fixing a brake disk or an adapter ring 15.

(26) The clear inner diameter 9a of the fixing ring 9 is smaller than the outer diameter 3a of the bearing device 3 respectively 4. The largest inner diameter of the hub can be found in the axial region 7b in the internal thread 8a of the fixing accommodation 8.

(27) The outer diameter 14a of the outer stop face 14 of the outer stopper 13 is larger than the maximum inner diameter 2a of the hub shell which presently equals the diameter of the internal thread 8a. The outer diameter 14a is thus larger than the clear inner diameter 9a of the fixing ring 9 and also larger than the outer diameter 3a of the bearing devices 3 and 4. This is possible because the adapter units 10 and 60 are configured bipartite wherein the first stopper component and the second stopper component are interconnected by a friction member such as an O-ring 31 which can be removed by hand.

(28) This means that for exchanging or optionally for mounting a brake disk the second stopper component 30 is axially pulled off prior to attaching the brake disk and fixing it by way of a fixing ring 9. Thereafter the second adapter unit 30 can be readily pushed onto the first adapter unit 20. The hub does not require to be completely demounted.

(29) FIG. 4 shows enlarged illustrations of the adapter units 10 and 60. Both the adapter units 10 and 60 consist of one first stopper component 20 respectively 70 and one second stopper component 30 respectively 80 each. These second stopper components 30 and 80 are configured identically so that there are only three different parts in total.

(30) On the inner stopper 11 of the first stopper component 20 a radial flange 26 is disposed extending radially outwardly somewhat spaced apart from the axially inwardly end of the first stopper component 20 so as to reliably avoid frictional contact with the bearing device 3 or 4 or other components. Otherwise the first stopper component substantially comprises a tubular portion 25.

(31) The second stopper component 30 likewise comprises a tubular portion. The outer stop face 14 of the outer stopper 13 extends radially outwardly at the outwardly end of the second stopper component 30. On the whole an outwardly stop face 14 ensues which is presently annular, having an outer diameter 14a that is considerably larger than the outer diameter on the radial flange 26 of the first stopper component 20.

(32) The first stopper component 20 and the second stopper component 30 overlap in an overlapping portion 21 in which a friction member 31 such as an O-ring is disposed. The O-ring is disposed in a groove 34 in the second stopper component 30.

(33) The clamping force is transmitted from the outer stopper 13 through the front-face end of the tubular portion 25 through the first stopper component 20 to the inner stopper 11, from where the clamping forces are discharged through the inner bearing ring 3b and the spacer 16 to the inner bearing ring of the bearing device 4. From there the clamping forces are discharged through the other adapter unit 60 and finally into the dropout.

(34) The enlarged illustration according to FIG. 4 shows the sealing device 50 which is presently formed by the retaining ring 40 and the radial flange 26 of the first stopper component 20. The retaining ring 40 is axially pushed from the outside into the hub shell 2, screwed in or held by friction forces.

(35) The retaining ring 40 is provided with a radially inwardly extending flange 41 on the end facing the second stopper component 30. A narrow gap remains between the flanges 41 and 26 providing a sealing gap of the sealing device 50. The sealing gap is diverted a number of times such that the flanges 41 of the retaining ring 40 and the flange 26 of the first stopper component 20 virtually form a labyrinth seal.

(36) The region 26a of the first flange 26 may be provided with a double flange which can further improve the sealing effect. Moreover, the weight of the first stopper component may optionally be somewhat reduced.

(37) The adapter unit 60 is structured accordingly although its axial length is shorter. The adapter unit 60 is provided on the second end 6 of the hub shell 2 where no brake disk 7 is provided. The adapter unit 60 also comprises a first stopper component 70 and a second stopper component 80 which are identical in construction to the second stopper component 30 of the adapter unit 10. The two stopper components 70 and 80 are held together secure against loss by means of an O-ring 31. The first stopper component 70 of the adapter unit 60 as well as the first stopper component 20 of the adapter unit 10 is held in the interior of the hub shell 2 by the retaining ring 40. This is why, when the second stopper component 30, 80 is pulled off, the first stopper component 20, 70 is retained inside the hub shell 2.

(38) The second stopper component 80 also comprises a tubular portion. At its outer end the second stopper component 80 comprises the outer stopper 63 with the stop face 64 protruding radially outwardly. The annular, outer stop face 64 having an outer diameter 64a is larger than the outer diameter of the radial flange 76 or optionally of a double flange of the first stopper component 70.

(39) FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of an axle device 90 which is configured as a through axle 91 and at one end has a thread 94 and at the other end, a tensioning lever 93.

(40) FIG. 6 shows a variant of a bicycle component 1 which is similar in structure to the bicycle component according to FIG. 3. The bicycle component 1 according to FIG. 6 is likewise configured to receive a through axle 91. Unlike the configuration according to FIG. 3, the bearing devices 3 and 4 are mounted onto an axle part 95 which is provided with two radially outwardly protruding shoulders 97. The shoulders 97 form a spacer 16a.

(41) The adapter unit 10a in turn consists of two stopper components 20a and 30a. Unlike the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3, the first stopper component 20a comprises a double flange 27 which allows the achievement of a sufficient sealing effect. Furthermore, the first stopper components 20a are retained on the axle part 95 by friction members such as O-rings so the retaining rings 40 can be dispensed with. It is also possible to attach an additional retaining ring 40 to thus provide a total of three adjacent flanges as the sealing device 50.

(42) The adapter unit 60a consists of one single component in which the stopper components 70a and 80 are incorporated. The adapter unit is also provided with a double flange 27. The adapter unit 60a is again retained on the axle part 95 by means of a friction member 31 such as an O-ring.

(43) Both of the adapter units 10a and 60a can be configured bipartite.

(44) The further details are substantially identical with the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3.

(45) FIG. 7 shows another embodiment variant provided to be used with a quick release. The adapter units 10b and 60b each comprise an axially outwardly axle stub 96 which serves to be inserted into a dropout of a bicycle frame or a fork. Thereafter, a quick release can be performed and the hub can be fixed to the frame by means of a quick release.

(46) In this exemplary embodiment, an axle part 95b is provided which may extend over the entire length of the hub shell 2 and onto which the first stopper components 20 respectively 70 are pushed. It is possible to use O-rings for frictional connection with the axle part 95b. It is also possible to employ retaining rings 40 comprising a radially inwardly protruding flange 41, thus reliably retaining the first stopper components 20 and 70. The spacer 16 between the bearings 3 and 4 may be configured integrally with the axle part or as a separate part, as the dotted line indicates.

(47) FIG. 8 shows a variant of a bicycle component 1c configured as a rear wheel hub or comprising a rear wheel hub. The bicycle component 1c according to FIG. 8 shown in section basically comprises components similar or identical to the bicycle component 1c according to FIG. 6.

(48) Although the bicycle component 1c according to FIG. 8 is configured to accommodate a through axle 91 (see FIG. 5), it may be provided with matched adapter units 10c and 60c to be employed with conventional quick releases. Accordingly, matched adapter units 10c and 60c may be equipped with axle stubs 96 in analogy to the adapter units according to FIG. 7 and optionally also comprise double flanges.

(49) The rear wheel hub illustrated in FIG. 8 comprises a hub shell 2c with spoke flanges configured thereat or provided therefor for attaching spokes. A disk brake accommodation 7 is configured on, or attached to, the first end 5c of the hub shell 2c. The second end 6c is provided with the rotor 45 for receiving a sprocket cluster (not shown). The rotor 45 is rotatably supported on the axle part 95c by means of two axially spaced-apart bearings 46. A sleeve-like spacer is shown between the bearings 46. The sleeve-like spacer retains the inner bearing rings of the bearings 46 at a defined distance from one another, transmitting the axial forces. Furthermore, a freewheel 47 configured as a toothed disk freewheel is provided. The freewheel comprises a pair of toothed disks which are biased toward one another from the outside by means of one or two spring devices so that the axial toothings of the two toothed disks of the freewheel 47 mesh with one another in the normal state.

(50) The axle part 95 comprises a pair of radially outwardly protruding shoulders 97 against which the inner bearing cups of the bearings 3 and 4 rest axially inwardly.

(51) The adapter units 10c and 60c of the bicycle component 1c illustrated in FIG. 8 in turn each consist of two stopper components. The first stopper components 20c and 70c may comprise a double flange 27 (FIG. 9) each so as to achieve a sufficient sealing effect. The first stopper components 20c and 70c are retained on the axle part 95c by friction members 31 such as O-rings so retaining rings 40d (FIG. 9) can be dispensed with.

(52) The first stopper component 20c at the first end 5c is virtually only formed by the double flange 27 and the O-ring 31. Again it is possible to attach an additional retaining ring 40d (FIG. 9) to thus provide a total of three adjacent flanges as a sealing device 50.

(53) The other end of the hub shows on the bottom right, a simplistic, cross-hatched fastening ring 42 which serves to fasten a (standard) sprocket cluster (not shown). The fastening ring 42 may e.g. screw into an internal thread at the outwardly end of the rotor. Then, the entire inner diameter of the rotor is again not available in this location. A bipartite adapter unit 60c with the stopper components 70c and 80c enables a clearly enlarged, outer stop face 64 also on the rotor side of the hub without requiring complete demounting of the adapter unit when mounting the rotor.

(54) The outer diameter of the outer stop face 64 may be provided larger than the remaining inner diameter 48 of the fastening ring 42 and may be provided larger than the inner diameter of the internal thread of the rotor to screw in the fastening ring 42, as is shown in FIG. 8.

(55) Optionally, the fastening ring 42 may comprise an inwardly protruding flange (indicated obliquely hatched) for still more sealing, if a mounting and demounting option of the fastening ring 42 is provided.

(56) The further details are substantially identical with the exemplary embodiments according to FIG. 6 or FIG. 3.

(57) FIG. 9 shows a schematic, enlarged cross-section of an adapter unit 10d in different embodiment variants. The first stopper component 20d comprises a tubular portion 26 having two stepped diameter portions 22 and 23 and in this case a double flange 27 in the vicinity of the inner stopper 11.

(58) Also plotted is the retaining ring 40d with the radially inwardly protruding flange 41. The retaining ring 40d is externally threaded to screw into the hub shell 2.

(59) In this configuration, it is preferred to provide the friction member 31 for connecting the stopper components 20d and 30d in the second diameter portion 23 having the larger outer diameter, secure against loss. In this way the available wall thickness for transmitting the clamping forces is not reduced in the diameter portion 22. Depending on the design, material thickness and material type it is also possible to arrange the groove accommodating the friction member 31 in the first diameter portion 22 as the dotted line shows.

(60) It is also possible and preferred to arrange the friction ring 31 in the first diameter portion 32 of the second stopper component 30d as another dotted line shows. The wall in the first diameter portion 32 is thicker than in the second diameter portion 33.

(61) The outer diameter of the outer stopper 13d with the outer stop face 14 is larger than that of the first stopper component 20d.

(62) On the whole the invention provides an advantageous bicycle component 1 with adapter units 10 and 60 for manufacturing a two-wheeled vehicle 100 showing advantageous properties.

(63) The enlarged diameters of the outer stoppers 13 allow to achieve a more rigid wheel accommodation wherein the bipartite configuration of the stopper only involves minor additional mounting steps and furthermore, mounting errors can be reliably avoided.

(64) While a particular embodiment of the present bicycle component comprising an adapter unit and adapter unit has been described herein, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the invention in its broader aspects and as set forth in the following claims.

(65) TABLE-US-00001 List of reference numerals: 1 quick release device 1 bicycle component 2 hub shell 2a inner diameter (max.) 3 bearing device 3a outer diameter (max.) 3b inner bearing ring 4 bearing device 5, 6 end 7 brake disk accommodation 7a outer contour 7b axial region 8 fixing accommodation 8a internal thread 9 fixing ring 9a clear inner diameter 9b screw-in part 9c fixing member, flange 10 adapter unit 11 inner stopper 12 inner stop face 13 outer stopper 14 outer stop face 14a outer diameter 15 adapter ring 16 spacer 17 O-ring 18 force transfer component 20 first stopper component 21 overlapping portion 22 diameter portion 23 diameter portion 25 tubular portion 26 radial flange 26a region 27 double flange 30 second stopper component 31 friction member, O-ring 32 diameter portion 33 diameter portion 34 groove 36 radial flange 40 retaining ring 41 flange 42 fastening ring 45 rotor 46 bearing 47 freewheel 48 inner diameter 50 sealing device 60 adapter unit 61 inner stopper 62 inner stop face 63 outer stopper 64 outer stop face 64a outer diameter 70 first stopper component 75 tubular portion 76 radial flange 76a region 80 second stopper component 90 axle device 91 through axle 92 flange-type axle 93 tensioning lever 94 thread 95 axle part 96 axle stub 97 shoulder 100 two-wheeled vehicle, bicycle 101 wheel, front wheel 102 wheel, rear wheel 103 frame 104 fork 105 damper 106 handlebar 107 saddle 108 hub 109 spoke 110 rim 111 brake disk 112 drive 113 dropout