Rear hub and bicyclic axle

Abstract

A rear hub for mountain bikes includes a hub body and a sprocket carrier rotatably provided on a hub axle. The hub body is coupled with the sprocket carrier via a freewheel mechanism. By providing a decoupling mechanism, it is possible to decouple the sprocket carrier from the hub body.

Claims

1. A rear hub comprising: a hub body rotatably supported on a hub axle, a sprocket carrier rotatably supported on the hub axle, and a freewheel mechanism for axially coupling the hub body and the sprocket carrier, further comprising a decoupling element for decoupling the hub body and the sprocket carrier, wherein the decoupling element is actuated by a manual actuating element which is connected with an actuating mechanism on a bicycle handlebar.

2. The rear hub of claim 1, wherein the freewheel mechanism has two freewheel elements adapted to be disengaged by the decoupling element for decoupling the hub body and the sprocket carrier.

3. The rear hub of claim 1, wherein the freewheel mechanism comprises at least one annular gear with axially arranged teeth.

4. The rear hub of claim 3, wherein the decoupling element displaces one of the annular gears in an axial direction for decoupling.

5. The rear hub of claim 1, wherein the hub axle, in the form of a quick-release axle, fixes the hub body and the sprocket carrier to dropout ends of a bicycle rear frame structure.

6. The rear hub of claim 5, wherein the axle has an axle body with a cavity for receiving the decoupling element.

7. The rear hub of claim 3, wherein the decoupling element comprises at least one connecting element which, when actuated, acts on the freewheel mechanism to displace one of the annular gears in an axial direction.

8. The rear hub of claim 7, wherein the at least one connecting element is pivotable.

9. The rear hub of claim 8, wherein the at least one connecting element is pivotable from a rest position to an actuation position by actuating the actuating element.

10. The rear hub of claim 7, wherein the decoupling element comprises a displacement element connected with the at least one connecting element, wherein a displacement of the displacement element causes a pivoting of the at least one connecting element.

11. The rear hub of claim 10, wherein the displacement element is displaceably arranged in a cavity of the hub axle.

12. The rear hub of claim 10, wherein the displacement element is connected with the actuating element for displacement.

13. The rear hub of claim 7, wherein the hub axle has at least one opening to allow a pivoting of the at least one connecting element into an actuation position.

14. The rear hub of claim 13, wherein the at least one connecting element, when in a rest position, is arranged in the at least one opening.

15. The rear hub of claim 10, wherein the displacement element is connected with a spring element for retaining the displacement element in a rest position.

16. A bicycle axle for fixing a hub body and a sprocket carrier to dropout ends of a bicycle rear frame structure, the hub and the carrier being connected with each other via a freewheel mechanism, comprising: an axle body, and a cavity provided in the axle body, wherein a decoupling element for axially decoupling the hub body and the sprocket carrier is provided in the cavity, and wherein the decoupling element is actuated by a manual actuating element which is connected with an actuating mechanism on a bicycle handlebar.

17. The bicycle axle of claim 16, wherein the decoupling element comprises at least one connecting element which, when actuated, acts upon the freewheel mechanism to displace one of at least two annular gears in an axial direction.

18. The bicycle axle of claim 17, wherein the at least one connecting element is pivotable.

19. The bicycle axle of claim 18, wherein the at least one connecting element is pivotable from a rest position to an actuation position by actuating an actuating element.

20. The bicycle axle of claim 17, wherein the decoupling element comprises a displacement element connected with the at least one connecting element, wherein a displacement of the displacement element causes a pivoting of the at least one connecting element.

21. The bicycle axle of claim 20, wherein the displacement element is displaceably arranged in the cavity of the axle body.

22. The bicycle axle of claim 20, wherein the displacement element is connected with an actuating element for displacement.

23. The bicycle axle of claim 20, wherein the displacement element is connected with a spring element for retaining the displacement element in a rest position.

24. The bicycle axle of claim 17, wherein the bicycle axle has at least one opening to allow a pivoting of the at least one connecting element into an actuation position.

25. The bicycle axle of claim 24, wherein the at least one connecting element, when in a rest position, is arranged in the at least one opening.

26. The bicycle axle of claim 16, wherein the decoupling element is connected with an actuating element which is connected with an actuating mechanism on a bicycle handlebar.

27. A rear hub comprising: a hub body rotatably supported on a hub axle, a sprocket carrier rotatably supported on the hub axle, and a freewheel mechanism for coupling the hub body and the sprocket carrier, further comprising a decoupling element for decoupling the hub body and the sprocket carrier, wherein the decoupling element comprises at least one connecting element which, when actuated, acts on the freewheel mechanism to displace an annular gear in an axial direction, and wherein the at least one connecting element is pivotable.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a rear hub with a freewheel mechanism in a coupled state,

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the rear hub in FIG. 1 with the freewheel mechanism in a decoupled state,

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a quick-release axle with connecting elements in a rest position,

(4) FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a quick-release axle with connecting elements in an actuation position, and

(5) FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of the decoupling element.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) A rear hub includes a hub body 10 which is visible only in part in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the embodiment illustrated, spokes are connected with protrusions 12 of the hub body 10. Further, the rear hub has a sprocket carrier 14. Both the hub body 10 and the sprocket carrier 14 are rotatably supported on a hub axle 16. In this regard, the hub body 10 is rotatably supported on the hub axle 16 by ball bearings 18 on the right in FIG. 1, as well as by further ball bearings not illustrated. The sprocket support is rotatably arranged on the hub axle 20 by means of a pair of ball bearings 20. To facilitate assembly, the hub axle 16 is surrounded by a sleeve 22 in the assembled state. The axle 16, which in a preferred embodiment is a quick-release axle, is inserted into the sleeve 22 for assembly. Friction locking exists between the hub axle 16 and the sleeve 22. On the right side in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sleeve 22 is connected with a sealing element 24. This element prevents the intrusion of dirt.

(7) A freewheel mechanism 26 is provided for the connection of the hub body 10 with the sprocket carrier 14. In the embodiment illustrated, the freewheel mechanism 26 is an axial freewheel as described e.g. in DE 9 419 357. The axial freewheel has a spur-type annular gear 28 fixed in the hub body 10. In the embodiment illustrated, the annular gear 28 is not displaceable in the axial direction. A further annular gear 30 is arranged inside the sprocket carrier. The annular gear 30 is axially displaceable to form the freewheel. To guarantee a secure engagement of the two end faces of the annular gears 28, 30, a leaf spring 32 is provided which pushes the axially displaceable annular gear 30 against the annular gear 28 fixed in the hub body 10.

(8) In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated, the axle 16 is hollow and as such has a sleeve-shaped axle body 34. The axle body 34 forms a cavity 36. A decoupling element 38 is arranged in the cavity 36. The decoupling element 38 includes a displacement element 40. Distributed over the circumference, at least three connecting elements 42 are pivotably connected with the displacement element 40. Further, the displacement element 40 is fixedly connected with an actuating element 44 in the form of a rod or a cable pull. The cable pull 44 may be connected with a corresponding actuating lever or, in other words, an actuating mechanism which is arranged in particular on the handlebar of the bicycle. In the embodiment illustrated, the actuating element 44 is surrounded by a spring element 46 in the form of a coil spring.

(9) In FIG. 1, the decoupling element 38 is illustrated in a coupled position, i.e. in a position in which the two annular gears 28, 30 are connected with each other. In this position the decoupling element or the connecting elements 42 of the decoupling element 38 are in a rest position. Force transmission or the function of the freewheel is as in conventional bicycles.

(10) In the position illustrated in FIG. 2, the two annular gears 28, 30 are decoupled. The decoupling element 38 or in particular the connecting elements 42 are in the actuation position. In this position no force transmission occurs between the two annular gears 28, 20.

(11) Correspondingly, the axle itself is illustrated in the coupled or rest position in FIG. 3 and in the decoupled or actuation position in FIG. 4.

(12) For an actuation of the decoupling element, the actuating element 44 is actuated such that it is pulled from the axle 16 out of the position illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 into the position illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, respectively. This is illustrated by the arrow 48 in FIGS. 2 and 4. By actuating the actuating element 44 the displacement element 38 in FIG. 1 is displaced to the right into the position illustrated in FIG. 2. This causes the at least three connecting elements 42 distributed over the circumference to be taken along. For this purpose the connecting elements 42 have a convexly shaped protrusion 50 respectively engaging into a concavely shaped recess 52 in the displacement element 40. The connecting elements 42 are pivotably retained in the recesses 52 by means of a spring wire or an O-ring 54.

(13) The connecting elements 42 are arranged at least for the greater part in openings 56 of the sleeve 34 of the axle 16. In the rest position (FIGS. 1 and 3), an outer side of the connecting elements 42 does not or only slightly protrude beyond an outer shell surface 58 of the sleeve 34.

(14) Thus, by actuating the decoupling element, the connecting elements 42 are pivoted out into the actuation position (FIGS. 2 and 4) when the displacement element 40 is displaced. This is achieved by the fact that the connecting elements in FIGS. 1 and 3 are also moved to the right and are pivoted outward by an abutment or decoupling surface 60. The decoupling surface 60 is the border of the opening 56 on which the front faces 62 of the connecting elements 42 abut. As the connecting elements 42 in FIGS. 1 and 3 to the right, the inclination of the decoupling surfaces 60 cause the connecting elements 42 to be pivoted out into the actuation position (FIGS. 2 and 4).

(15) After the connecting elements 42 have been pivoted out, they contact a radially inward directed shoulder ring 64 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The shoulder ring 64 is fixedly connected with the annular gear 30, in particular formed integrally with the same. Moving the decoupling element 38 further in the direction of the arrow 48 causes the annular gear 30 in FIGS. 1 and 2 to be moved to the right in the direction of an arrow 66. Thereby, the two annular gears 28, 30 are decoupled.

(16) To return the decoupling element 38 to the rest position, and thus to return the two annular gears 28, 30 to the coupled position, it is merely necessary to release the actuating mechanism that is arranged in particular on the handlebar, Due to the spring element 46, the displacement element 40 is automatically pushed back into the rest position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. Thereby, the connecting elements 42 slide back into the opening 56. This causes a release of the annular gear 30. The same is then pushed into the coupled position by the spring plate 32, so that a power transmission is again given between the sprocket carrier 14 and the hub body 10 via the freewheel mechanism 26.

(17) While various embodiments were provided in the foregoing description, those skilled in the art may make modifications and alterations to these embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. For example, it is to be understood that this disclosure contemplates that, to the extent possible, one or more feature of any embodiment can be combined with one or more features of any other embodiment. Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. The invention described hereinabove is defined by the appended claims and all changes to the invention that fall within the meaning and the range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.