Patent ID: 6463828
Filing Date: 2002-10-15
Classification: B62M,Y10T

Abstract:
An expansion engagement crank assembly for a bicycle, the assembly comprising:a) a female crank arm having a shaft sleeve attached at one end, the shaft sleeve having an inboard end, an outboard end, and a bore originating at the inboard end, the bore being bounded by a mating surface and a fastener surface and extending through the female arm from the inboard end to the outboard end; b) a male crank arm having a shaft attached at one end, the shaft having a radially expandable inboard end and an outboard end, the inboard end being sized for insertion within the bore of the shaft sleeve and having a complimentary mating exterior surface for engaging the mating surface bounding the bore, the shaft additionally having an interior coupling surface defining a passage extending through the shaft from the inboard end to the outboard end; and c) a connector sized for placement within the bore of the shaft sleeve and the passage of the shaft, the connector further comprising a fastener, a spring lock washer, a ring washer, and an expander, the expander being shaped for insertion into the passage of the shaft to engage the coupling surface bounding the passage and having a hole bounded by a threaded surface, the ring washer being sized for placement within the bore of the shaft sleeve and having an aperture, the lock washer having an aperture and shaped to engage the fastener surface bounding the bore of the shaft sleeve, the fastener being sized for insertion into the bore of the shaft sleeve, the fastener having a head portion engageable with the lock washer and a threaded body portion sized for insertion through the aperture of the lock washer and the aperture of the ring washer to engage the threaded surface bounding the hole of the expander.