REAR DERAILLEUR WITH WIRELESS FLOATING DRIVE

Abstract

A rear derailleur for bicycles includes an articulated quadrilateral mechanism composed of a base component and a movable component, connected to each other by first and second connector components articulated with respect to components, a chain tensioner connected to the movable component, and a floating linear actuation unit composed of a base body, articulated with respect to one of the components of the articulated quadrilateral mechanism and a movable body for deforming the articulated quadrilateral mechanism, and causing a displacement of the chain tensioner with a main component in direction of the wheel axle A. The rear derailleur further includes a power-supply arranged on the floating linear actuation unit and a wireless unit including a wireless receiver, the wireless unit being arranged on the floating linear actuation unit.

Claims

1. A rear derailleur for bicycles comprising: an articulated quadrilateral mechanism composed of a base component configured to be mounted to the bicycle frame and a movable component, connected to each other by a first connector component and a second connector component articulated with respect to the base component and the movable component; a chain tensioner connected to the movable component, and a floating linear actuation unit composed of a base body, articulated with respect to one of the components of the articulated quadrilateral mechanism and a movable body articulated with respect to another of the components of the articulated quadrilateral mechanism, for deforming the articulated quadrilateral mechanism, and for causing a displacement of the movable component with respect to the base component, and consequently a displacement of the chain tensioner with a main component in direction of the wheel axle; wherein the rear derailleur further comprises: a power-supply arranged on the floating linear actuation unit; and a wireless unit including a wireless receiver, the wireless unit being arranged on the floating linear actuation unit.

2. The rear derailleur according to claim 1, further comprising a position estimator arranged on the floating linear actuation unit.

3. The rear derailleur according to claim 2, wherein the position estimator is configured to estimate the relative linear position between the floating linear actuation unit and one of the components of the articulated quadrilateral mechanism.

4. The rear derailleur according to claim 4, wherein the base body of the floating linear actuation unit comprises a motor with a gearbox that drives a screw, and wherein the movable body of the floating linear actuation unit comprises a nut complementary to the screw.

5. The rear derailleur according to claim 4, wherein the position estimator is configured to estimate the angular position of the motor, gearbox, or screw.

6. The rear derailleur according to claim 4, wherein the base body comprises a housing containing the motor, gearbox, power-supply, wireless unit, and position estimator.

7. The rear derailleur according to claim 4, comprising: a preload-screw flexibly connected to the screw in contact with the flanks of the nut that do not contact the screw, or a preload-nut flexibly connected to the nut that contacts the flanks of the screw that do not contact the nut.

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. The rear derailleur according to claim 1, wherein the base body and the first connector component or the second connector component are articulated with respect to the base component along the same axis, and the movable body and the connector component are articulated with respect to the movable component along the same axis.

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. The rear derailleur according to claim 1, wherein the power-supply is arranged behind the floating linear actuation unit or wherein the power-supply is arranged below the floating linear actuation unit.

15. The rear derailleur according to claim 1, wherein the power-supply is removably connected to the movable component and/or wherein the floating linear actuation unit comprises at least one manual switch and/or wherein the floating linear actuation unit comprises at least one light emitter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] To complement the description and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the disclosure, according to an example of a practical embodiment thereof, a set of figures is attached as an integral part of the description, in which with character Illustrative and not limiting, the following has been represented:

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a general view of the electric rear derailleur mounted on the frame of a bicycle.

[0045] FIG. 2 is a detailed view of FIG. 1.

[0046] FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the main assembly elements of the electric rear derailleur: the articulated quadrilateral mechanism, the chain tensioner and the floating linear actuation unit.

[0047] FIG. 4 shows the articulated quadrilateral mechanism in greater detail.

[0048] FIG. 5 shows the floating linear actuation unit in greater detail.

[0049] FIGS. 6A and 6B show a screw-nut mechanism configuration with no backlash.

[0050] FIGS. 7A and 7B show the extreme positions of the electric rear derailleur that its operating range.

[0051] FIGS. 8A and 8B show an electric rear derailleur solution with the power-supply arranged behind the floating linear actuating unit.

[0052] FIGS. 9A and 9B show an electric rear derailleur solution with the power-supply disposed below the floating linear actuation unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] As it can be seen in the figures, the disclosure refers to an electric rear derailleur 1 for bicycles comprising:

[0054] an articulated quadrilateral mechanism 10 composed of a base component 11 configured to be mounted to the bicycle frame 2 and a movable component 12, connected to each other by a first connector component 13 and a second connector component 14 articulated with respect to the base component 11 and to the moving component 12,

[0055] a chain tensioner 20 connected to moving component 12, and

[0056] a floating linear actuation unit 30 composed of a base body 31, articulated with respect to one of the components of the articulated quadrilateral mechanism 11, 12, 13, 14 and a movable body 32 articulated with respect to another of the components of the articulated quadrilateral mechanism 11, 12, 13, 14, suitable for deforming the articulated quadrilateral mechanism 10, such that a displacement of the movable component 12 with respect to the base component 11 is defined, and consequently a displacement of the chain tensioner 20 with a main component in direction of the wheel axle A, as it can be seen in FIGS. 7A and 7B which show the limit positions of the derailleur corresponding respectively to engagement of the smallest sprocket and largest sprocket of the bicycle.

[0057] As it can be seen in these figures, the articulated quadrilateral mechanism 10 is an articulated parallelogram mechanism that defines a translation of the chain tensioner 20 without its rotation.

[0058] It is also observed that the base body 31 is articulated with respect to the base component 11 coaxially as the second connector component 14 is articulated with respect to the base component 11, and the movable body 32 is articulated with respect to the movable component 12 coaxially as the other connector component 13 is articulated with respect to the movable component 12. That is, the floating linear actuation unit 30 is arranged in the diagonal of the articulated quadrilateral 10 sharing two of its articulations to obtain a more compact, light and cheap assembly.

[0059] According to the disclosure the electric rear derailleur additionally comprises a power-supply 33 arranged on the floating linear actuation unit 30.

[0060] In a first embodiment, as it can be seen in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the power-supply 33 is arranged behind the floating linear actuation unit 30, removably connected thereto. Thus, the battery is easily accessible when removing it for its recharge, but it has the disadvantage of being exposed to impacts.

[0061] In this embodiment it is observed that the floating linear actuation unit 30 is arranged above the movable component 12, whereby the plane in which the articulated quadrilateral 10 is deformed is more parallel to the ground than in other solutions of the state of the art such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,277A. This configuration entails a more stable position of the derailleur because the parallelogram is less sensitive to vibrations coming from the terrain that have a component perpendicular to the ground.

[0062] In this embodiment it is also observed that the floating linear actuation unit 30 is arranged below the base component 11, and that the first connector component 13 and the second connector component 14 have a single contact surface 13a, 14a with respect to the base component 11 in a direction perpendicular to its movement as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, in FIGS. 8A and 8B it can be seen that a large space is formed below the floating linear actuation unit 30.

[0063] Thus, in a preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, in which the same mechanical configuration is used for the articulated quadrilateral 10, the space observed in the embodiment of FIGS. 8A and 8B is better used, by arranging the power-supply 33 below the floating linear actuator unit 30. In this way a more compact and aesthetic solution is obtained in which the battery is more protected from shocks.

[0064] An advantage of the disclosed embodiments is that the floating linear actuation unit 30 can be easily removed from the electric rear derailleur 1, leaving the articulated quadrilateral 10 and the chain tensioner 20 structurally operational. That is, the floating linear actuation unit 30 does not fulfill mechanical structural functions.

[0065] In the embodiments described in the figures, the floating linear actuation unit 30 comprises all electrical elements of the electric rear derailleur 1, that is, comprises in addition to the power-supply 33:

[0066] a motor 311 with a gearbox 312 that drives a screw 313, and a nut 321

[0067] a position estimator that estimates the angular position of motor 311, gearbox 312 or screw 313

[0068] a second position estimator 35 that estimates the relative linear position between the floating linear actuation unit 30 and one of the articulated quadrilateral mechanism components 11, 12, 13, 14

[0069] a wireless unit 34 including a wireless receiver configured to receive a wireless signal

[0070] a housing 310 containing motor 311, gearbox 312, power-supply 33, wireless unit 34, and at least one position estimator 35, and

[0071] additionally, it may comprise at least one manual switch 36, and at least one light emitter 37 as shown in FIG. 8A

[0072] This configuration in which the electrical part (floating linear actuation unit 30) is differentiated from the mechanical part (articulated quadrilateral 10 and chain tensioner 20) simplifies the manufacturing of the electric rear derailleur 1, because no mechanical properties are required for the electrical part, nor electrical properties (or sealing) are required for the mechanical part. This configuration also facilitates maintenance work, since in the event of an electrical breakdown, the electrical part can be easily disassembled (without disassembling the mechanical part and losing alignment with the rest of the mechanical components of the bicycle) and shipping it independently for repairing. And in the case of being necessary to replace it with a new unit, it is sufficient to replace the floating linear actuating unit 30 and not all the electric rear derailleur 1, which implies costs.

[0073] In the embodiments described in the figures, the electric rear derailleur 1 comprises:

[0074] a preload-screw 313b flexibly connected to screw 313 so that it contacts flanks of nut 321 where screw 313 does not contact, or

[0075] a preload-nut 321b flexibly connected to nut 321 so that it contacts at the flanks of screw 313 where nut 321 does not contact.

[0076] In this way, it is possible to eliminate the backlash of the drive without having to resort to a spring as it is done in the electric rear derailleurs known from the state of the art, and thus avoiding oversizing of the drive to cope with the high forces generated by the spring in certain positions.

[0077] More specifically, in the embodiment described in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the attraction, in the axial direction of the spindle, between the screw 313 and the preload-screw 313b is carried out magnetically. The screw 313 is made of a ferric material and the preload-screw 313b is made of a magnetized ferric material, so that both are attracted generating a preload (constant for any position of the electric rear derailleur 1) that eliminates any backlash in the actuation.

[0078] In the embodiment described in FIG. 5, the nut 313 and the preload-nut 313b form

[0079] a single body whose flexibility promotes the attractive force between the nut 313 and the preload-nut 313b, obtaining similar advantages to the previous embodiment.

[0080] In this text, the word “comprise” and its variants (such as “comprising”, etc.) should not be interpreted in an exclusive way, that is, they do not exclude the possibility that what is described includes other elements, steps, etc.

[0081] On the other hand, the disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments that have been described but also encompasses, for example, the variants that can be carried out by the average person skilled in the art (for example, regarding the choice of materials, dimensions, components, configuration, etc.), within the general scope of the disclosure as defined in the claims.