Hub with mechanism to permit backwards movement without pedal movement

A control mechanism for decoupling a drive ratchet on a bicycle hub makes it possible to push the bicycle backwards while the foot pedals of the pedal crank drive remain still. These functions can be applied to folding bicycles, in which pedal movements are harmful when in their folded up state. The control mechanism includes a controlling sleeve coupled to the drive ratchet, which is indirectly connected by means of a frictional device to the unmoving hub axle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In drive hubs of muscle-driven vehicles with two wheels with a foot pedal drive and roller chain transmissions, like conventional bicycles for instance, the tensile force is transferred into the tightened strand of the drive chain on a small sprocket wheel on the driver of the back wheel hub. There a torsional moment is created which is transferred over at least one torque path to the sleeve of the back wheel hub.

The hubs can have a gear inside the hub, which can be switched mechanically from outside with a switching device and a switch, or with the help of electrical components, or automatically depending on the hub rotational speed or on the torsional moment in the torque path through the hub.

Usually, the drive hubs have a freewheel, which interrupts the torque path through the hub to the hub shell if the hub shell is rotated further, but from the driver side no rotational movement occurs.

The relations in the torque path through the hub change if a rotational movement is initiated to the hub shell instead of to the driver. The backwards rotational direction with an opposite rotation to the hub shell then corresponds to the reverse direction of the freewheel in the torque path. The torque path is not interrupted in this case. The directionality of the rotation is opposite to the directionality with a forwards rotation, but the torsional moments present in the torque path correspond to those of a forward rotation. The rotational movement is transferred to the driver and from there over the drive chain to the foot pedal drive. In other words, when the bicycle is moved backwards, causing the wheel and hub shell to rotate backwards, the cranks and pedals also move in reverse. This movement can be harmful and undesirable.

A backwards movement of the foot pedals is harmful when, for instance, a bicycle is parked in a bicycle storage facility. The foot pedal is then in the wrong position under certain circumstances, for instance if the bicycle is placed right next to another bicycle in the storage facility to save space. If a bicycle is fitted with a kickstand near the bottom bracket shell, when the bicycle is parked with the retracted kickstand, the foot pedal can hit against the stand and cause problems.

The moving pedals can also hit the leg of the bicyclist in a harmful way, when he pushes the bicycle in front of himself.

The moving pedals are especially harmful if a folding bicycle which is folded up, is pushed backwards, and the pedals, which were first positioned in free, areas between parts of the bicycle frame, hit these parts of the bicycle frame when the bicycle is moved forward and further movement is prevented. In addition, there is then the danger of damage to the bicycle frame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention thus has the task of making possible the backwards rotation of a hub shell of a bicycle hub, without the foot pedal rotating backwards along with it. This task is made possible by means of a device to disengage a freewheel, which is activated in the case of a backwards rotational movement of the hub shell. For this purpose a friction device is provided, which works together with a control mechanism to disengage the pawls of the freewheel.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description of one or more embodiments of the invention, taken together with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will herein be described with reference to the drawings. It will be understood that the drawings and descriptions set out herein are provided for illustration only and do not limit the invention as defined by, the claims appended hereto and any and all their equivalents.

The bicycle hub with the ratchet freewheel of the invention according toFIG. 1has a hub axle1, which is firmly connectable to a bicycle frame, which is not shown. Positioned rotationally in relation to hub axle1are a driver3as well as the hub body or hub shell2by means of ball bearings I through III—23,24,25. The hub shell2has two spoke flanges21to receive the ends of spokes which are not shown.

The planetary gear mechanism with the sun gear8visible inFIG. 2, with the planet gears6engaged with this sun gear8as well as a ring gear7, makes two speeds available. The sun gear8is connected integrally and therefore in a torque-proof manner, with the hub axle1. The planet gears6are engaged with a ring gear7and the sun gear8. The driver3is connected in a one-piece way with the planet gear carrier of the planet gear, in which the planet gear6is positioned in such a way that it can rotate around each planet gear axle22.

The planet gear connected with a shift mechanism makes it possible to switch automatically, depending on the rotational speed of the ring gear7, between two speeds or transmission ratios.

InFIG. 3a toothed sleeve27is shown, which includes overdrive gear teeth18towards the radial inside as well as a driving profile towards the radial outside for rotational coupling with the hub shell gear30at the hub shell2. At an axial extension35of the ring gear7, the overdrive gear pawls9, which are not shown, are positioned on the radial level of the spring33for the overdrive gear pawl9visible inFIG. 1, which can engage with the overdrive gear teeth18on the toothed sleeve27. Their engagement can be prevented by a pawl control cam29, which is centered and positioned on an extension32of the ring gear. Thereby the pawl control cam29is rotated by means of the working of the fly weights19, which are shown inFIG. 4, in relation to the overdrive gear pawls9, whereby control contours work together at the pawl control cam29with the overdrive gear pawls9. Each time, a fly weight19is rotationally positioned at a fly weight bolt20, which extends in a direction parallel to the hub axle1and is firmly connected with the axial extension35of the ring gear7. In the case of correspondingly larger rotational speed of the ring gear, the fly weights pivot towards the radial outside and release the overdrive gear pawls9for engagement with the overdrive gear teeth18inside the toothed sleeve27, whereby after a backlash of the toothed sleeve27in relation to the hub shell2, the toothed sleeve27rotates with the hub shell2. The released overdrive gear pawls9are, as usual, pivoted by a spring in the direction of the overdrive gear teeth18. A pivoting of the fly weights19in the opposite direction towards the radial inside is carried out by means of a reset spring, which is not shown.

In a radial direction between the planetary gear mechanism and the hub axle2, a casing10is positioned, which is connected in a torque-proof manner by means of a synchronization gearing28with the driver3. This casing10extends in an axial direction to a larger hub cone5. This hub cone5is between the hub axle1and the hub shell2, and is torque-proof in relation to the hub axle1.

If the overdrive gear pawls9are not in contact, the direct gear is engaged in the drive hub. Then, together with the driver3, the planet gears6, the ring gear7, the fly weights19, the casing10, the direct gear pawls12, and the hub shell2rotate in a forward rotational direction. Whether the drive of the hub shell2comes from the direct gear pawl12or from the overdrive gear pawls9, depends on the switching state of the fly weights19, and consequently, on the position of the pawl control cam29.

The control mechanism is positioned in the area radially between the casing10and the hub shell2, as well as axially between the larger hub cone5and the fly weights19, and it makes possible the backwards rotation of the hub shell2in relation to the hub axle, without the driver3having to rotate along with it. This control mechanism is represented in an exploded view inFIGS. 6 and 7, whereby inFIG. 6the perspective is from the side of the driver and inFIG. 7it is from the side of the larger hub cone5. The components of the control mechanism include a friction spring or friction device14, a pawl carrier11, and a control part or sleeve13connected to pawl carrier11.

The pawl carrier11has the direct gear pawls12, which are biased by a spring34for engagement with the direct gear teeth17. The direct gear pawls12can engage with the direct gear teeth17on the inner periphery of the hub shell2, in the case of a relative forward rotation in relation to the hub shell2. If the hub shell2is rotated backwards in relation to the direct gear pawls12, the direct gear pawls12first come into contact with the direct gear teeth17at the hub shell2, and the direct gear pawls12, and with them the pawl carriers11, are taken along with them in rotation. In the case of backwards rotation of the pawl carrier, a relative rotation of the pawl carrier11in relation to the control sleeve or part13occurs, because this is prevented from rotating backwards by the friction spring14. In addition, a spring projection15is formed on one end of the friction spring14and disposed in a spring projection receptacle16in the control sleeve13, while the other segment of the friction spring is formed as a ring which engages with a friction spring receptacle26at the larger hub cone5and generates a drag or frictional force. The friction spring14is formed in such a way that in the case of backwards rotation of the spring projection15in relation to the friction spring receptacle26, the ring is tendentially constricted and the frictional force is increased in relation to the frictional force which already exists because of pre-loading between friction spring14and friction spring receptacle26.

The pawl carrier11can rotate relative to the control sleeve13, until a stop projection37protruding radially to the inside of the control sleeve13connects with the rotation stop36on the axial end of the pawl carrier11. At this relative rotation of the pawl carrier11in relation to the control sleeve13, the direct gear pawls12are pushed against a control edge31on the control sleeve and thereby pushed radially to the inside and so taken out of operation. Thereby, they are disengaged from the direct gear teeth17on the hub shell2, and the hub shell can also rotate backwards without being stopped. The elements in the torque path on the inside of the hub stand still, and with them the foot pedal of the chain drive. Thereby the goal of the invention is achieved to suppress backwards rotation of the foot pedal in the case of backwards rotation of the hub shell. The described disengagement of the direct gear pawls12occurs in a state in which there are no forces operating between the direct gear pawl12and the direct gear teeth17, except frictional forces in the torque path. Thereby the direct gear pawl12does not resist the disengagement, and the frictional force of the friction spring14is sufficient for the reversal process.

It is not necessary to also disengage the overdrive gear pawls9in the case of backwards rotation of the hub shell2. In the operating conditions in which the principle of the invention would be applied there is such a low rotational speed, that the fly weights have not yet released the overdrive gear pawls9for engagement with the overdrive gear teeth18.

An object of the invention includes preventing the backwards rotation of the foot pedal in the case of backwards rotation of the hub shell, as it is sometimes harmful, for example when a folded up folding bicycle is pushed backwards, there can be damage to the back wheel. This is not dependent on the form of execution described, and also not dependent on a bicycle hub with a gear box. The basic principle is also applicable to a hub without a gear box.

The direction of friction could be constructed as a multiple disk clutch, and it could also create a functional coupling with another component which rotates in any torque path relative to the freewheel. It is only important that these movement relations should exist in all of the gear speeds which can be used.

Instead of a freewheel with pawls and ratchet teeth, a freewheel with rollers i.e. a roller clutch could be used and the freewheel of the invention should not be positioned in the direct gear torque path.

The example of execution shown of a drive hub according to the invention does not have a hub brake. Other examples of execution could likewise be provided with a hub brake.

The principle is also not limited to use in a conventional bicycle. It can also be used on a bicycle with foot pedals directly on the drive hub.

While this invention has been described by reference to a particular embodiment, it should be understood that numerous changes could be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but that it have the full scope permitted by the language of the following claims.