Patent ID: 6652037
Filing Date: 2003-11-25
Classification: B60B

Abstract:
A hub and axle assembly for a bicycle, comprising:an axle extending along an axis; a hub shell rotatably mounted-on said axle, and having left and right lateral ends which are disposed opposite to each other in an axial direction, and an inner peripheral wall which extends in the axial direction to communicate with said left and right lateral ends and which spacedly surrounds said axle, said inner peripheral wall including left and right wall segments which are disposed respectively proximate to said left and right lateral ends, said left wall segment defining a first diameter, said inner peripheral wall further including an intermediate wall segment which is interposed between said left and right wall segments and which defines a second diameter smaller than said first diameter of said left wall segment so as to form a left surrounding shoulder that faces toward said left lateral end; a mounting sleeve member sleeved on said axle, and having a surrounding race portion disposed proximate to and spaced apart from said left surrounding shoulder along an inclined line which forms an acute angle with the axis, and a surrounding abutment portion opposite to said surrounding race portion and proximate to said left lateral end; a surrounding race member having an attachment wall surface abutting against said left surrounding shoulder, and a race wall surface disposed opposite to said attachment wall surface along the inclined line and spaced apart from said surrounding race portion along the inclined line; a rolling member interposed between and cooperating with said surrounding race portion and said race wall surface of said surrounding race member to serve as an anti-friction bearing between said mounting sleeve member and said left surrounding shoulder, said rolling member having a diameter co-linear with the inclined line; a tubular mount member including a tubular engaging portion configured to engage said left wall segment while being spaced apart from said surrounding abutment portion in radial directions, and a tubular mount portion which extends from said tubular engaging portion in the axial direction and outwardly of said left lateral end and which is adapted to be driven by a uni-directional driving sprocket wheel mechanism; and a retaining member secured to said axle, and configured to prevent said surrounding abutment portion from moving away from said rolling member.