Patent Publication Number: US-2022221012-A1

Title: Interior clutch-used control mechanism

Description:
The present invention is an application of continuation in part (CIP) of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/984,127, filed at Aug. 3, 2020, which is invented by and assigned to the applicant of the present invention, and thus the contents of the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/984,127 are incorporated into the present invention as a part of the present invention. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a bicycle internal clutch, and in particular to a interior clutch-used control mechanism. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The control mechanism of an internal clutch of a bicycle is complex and thus is heavy, large volume, and expensive. Meanwhile, it is insensitive in operation so as to deteriorate the quality of the clutch and the bicycle. Therefore, it is eager to develop and improve the prior art internal clutch of a bicycle. 
     Other than the designs of gears and paths of the internal clutch, to improve the driving rods and other structural elements of the internal clutches has related to the structures, weights and costs, and sensitivity and preciseness in controlling and the speed of change gears. Therefore, there is an eager demands to have an internal clutch with a the simple structures, light weights and low costs, and high sensitivity, high preciseness in controlling, fast speed in changing gears. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to bikes, and in particular to a interior clutch-used control mechanism, in that, by power rotating components (such as input rings, inner gears planet frames, output rings, etc.) which rotates as the internal clutch and cam or cam-like component, clutching components are controlled. That is, using a cam or cam-like components to drive a driven device to rotate or displace so as to control the clutch to change gears. The internal clutch is commonly used to chainless bikes and chain contained bikes; has the advantages of saving storage space, light weight, low cost, high usages in industry. Furthermore the structure of the internal clutch is simple so that the efficiencies in assembly and repair are promoted. In the present invention by power rotating components (such as input rings, inner gears planet frames, output rings, etc.) which rotates as the internal clutch and cam or cam-like component, clutching components are controlled, such as to control the fixing of a sun gear, to control the engagements of the internal gear and planet gear. That is, using a cam or cam-like components to drive a driven device to rotate or displace so as to control the clutch to change gears 
     To achieve above object, the present invention provides an interior clutch-used control mechanism comprises a driving rod being installed on a center shaft of an internal clutch; a radial control cam ring and an axial control cam ring being installed on an outer side of the center shaft; a spacing ring being installed between the radial control cam ring and the axial control cam ring; a power rotation unit being installed with a sliding ring which is used as a linking device; a plurality of axial springs being installed between an outer side of the sliding ring and the rotation unit; and an interior of the sliding ring being installed with a plurality of pins and a plurality of radial spring; each of the pins being connected to a respective one radial spring; the radial control cam ring and the axial control cam ring being installed at an inner side of the sliding ring. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a partial assembly view of an internal clutch of a bike of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1A  is a cross sectional view about an internal clutch for a bike of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view that a sun gear is fixed to or freely displacement with respect to the axial clutching control unit. 
         FIG. 2A  is an exploded view of the clutch shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view about the axial separation control unit of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view showing that a sun gear is fixed to or freely displacement with respect to the axial clutching control unit. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view showing the action of the claws of the radial separation control unit of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view showing the claw operation for controlling the fixedness of the sun gear. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross sectional showing the control unit for the inner gears at two sides and the planet frame according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7A  is an exploded view of the structure shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view showing the closing operation about the clutching claw. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view showing a embodiment, in that a control claw of a control unit is positioned on a fixing unit. 
         FIG. 9A  is an exploded view of the structure shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic view about the operation of the clutching claw of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, in that a control unit is used to a axial clutching operation. 
         FIG. 11A  is an exploded view of the structure shown in  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, in that a control unit is used to a radial clutching operation. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 1A , a interior clutch-used control mechanism according to the present invention is illustrated. In the embodiment the control assembly includes a first control unit for controlling the fixedness of a sun gear; a second control unit for controlling the engagements of inner gears at two sides and a planet frame for locating a planet gear set; and a third control unit for widely controlling the sun gear or the inner gears and the planet frame. The main feature of the present invention is that the power of control units are mainly from rotary dynamic components of the clutch (such as input rings, inner gears, planet frames, output rings, etc.) by displacements of driving rods (including leftward and rightward displacements, upward and backward displacements, or angular displacements, etc. In the following, leftward and rightward displacements are used in the description of the present invention (but this is not used to confine the scope of the present invention) for controlling the operation of a cam or cam-like component with the use of a displacement of a driven device, for controlling a cam or a cam-like unit to drive the clutch components or with the use of a displacement of a driven device, for controlling the cam or cam-like unit to drive a driven device to rotate or displace for operation a clutching device. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2, 2A, 3 and 4 , it shows an embodiment, where it determines that a sun gear is fixed to an axial clutching control unit or a radial clutching control unit. In this the present invention, the structure is classified as an axial clutching form and a radial clutching form.  FIG. 2  shows that a sun gear is fixed to or freely displacement with respect to the axial clutching control unit.  FIG. 4  shows that a sun gear is fixed to or freely displacement with respect to the axial clutching control unit. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2, 2A and 3 , the axial clutching control unit of the present invention is illustrated. The axial clutching control unit includes the following elements. 
     A center shaft  10  of the internal clutch  1  has at least one guide recess  101  for receiving a clutching driving rod. 
     An actuating sliding seat  25  is installed outside the center shaft  10 . A surface of the sliding seat  25  is installed with a left gear  28 , a ratchet ring  2  and a right gear  29 . The ratchet gear ring  2  is installed between the left gear  28  and the right gear  29 . 
     Between the left gear  28  and the center shaft  10  is installed with a left spring base  201 , a left sliding block returning spring  27  and a left actuating sliding block  26  which is resisted by the sliding block returning spring  27  and is controlled by the cam base  24 . 
     Between the right gear  29  and the center shaft  10  is installed with a right spring base  201 , a right sliding block returning spring  27 ′ and a right actuating sliding block  26 ′ which is resisted by the sliding block returning spring  27  and is controlled by a cam base  24 . 
     The cam base  24  is matched to the ratchet ring  2  and is installed with a first driving rod A. Movement of the cam base  24  will cause to drive one of a lift claw  22 , a right claw  23  and a claw return spring  21 , wherein the life claw  22  and the right claw  23  are installed on the cam base  23 . . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 6 , the operation of this embodiment will be described herein. Initially, the driving rod A of the axial clutching unit is at a left side. In  FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 , the driving rod A moves leftwards and rightwards and in  FIG. 6 , the driving rod A moves forwards and backwards. Referring to  FIGS. 2, 4 and 6 , at an initial state, the driving rod A is at a left side and resists against the left claw  22 , and another left claw  22  and two right claws  23  resists against the sliding seat  25  so that the left claws  22  do the right claws  23  are not in contact with the ratchet ring  2 . At this time, the left gear  28  is fixed and the right gear  29  is freely rotatable. When it is needed to change speed, the left gear  28  is switched to be rotatable freely and the right gear  29  is switched to be fixed. 
     The process is that: Firstly the driving rod A moves rightwards so that the left claw  22  is ejected upwards to engage to the ratchet ring  2  so as to drive the cam base  24  to rotate. When the cam base  24  rotates, an axial cam pushes the left actuating sliding block  26  to leave from the left gear  28  so that the left gear  28  is free. Then the left sliding block returning spring  27  is compressed so that the left actuating sliding block  26  is ejected by the cam base  24  to move leftwards further. 
     The cam base  24  rotates continuously so that the by the driving of the right sliding block returning spring  27 ′, the right actuating sliding block  26 ′ returns to right side. As a result, the right gear  29  is engaged with the right actuating sliding block  26 ′. 
     By above mentioned action as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the driving rod A moves leftwards to the initial position as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 6 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , a cross sectional view about the radial clutching unit of the present invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, the main structure is like those described above, while the cam of the cam base  24  is radially moved. The left actuating sliding block  26  is changed to a left stop claw  261  and the right actuating sliding block  26 ′ is changed to a right stop claw  261 ′. The left sliding returning spring  27  is changed to a left stop claw returning spring  271  and the right sliding returning spring  27 ′ is changed to a right stop claw returning spring  271 ′. A left claw base  272  and a right claw base  273  are fixed to a surface of a center shaft  10 . The operation of the stop claw  261  is identical to those illustrated in  FIG. 5  and the operation principle is also like the above mentioned. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 6 , the above mentioned control unit is performed by the fixedness of the sun gear. Since the fixedness of the ratchet ring  2  is by a rotation unit (such as an input ring, an inner gear, a planet frame, an output ring, etc. which rotates by changing gear). The function of the driving rod A serves to resist the claws  22 ,  23  not to engage with the ratchet ring  2 . Therefore, it is not acted by input torque. Meanwhile, the left claw  22  and the right claw  23  are paired (as a two pair structure illustrated in  FIG. 4 ) so that a 90 degree rotation causes an action. Therefore, the action is sequentially proceeded by a step for each time. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 7A , the second control unit has a plurality of control claws for the inner gears at two sides and the planet frame according to the present invention is illustrated. By the position of the control claws, the control unit is classified as two kinds. For one kind of the second control unit, the control claws are positioned at a linking device which is reacted with a power rotation unit. For another kind of the second control unit, the control claws are positioned a fixing unit.  FIG. 7  shows an embodiment that the control claws are positioned on a linking device. The second control unit includes the following elements. 
     For embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 7 , a driving rod B is installed on a center shaft  10  of an internal clutch  1 . A control claw actuating seat  391  and a rotation ring  3  are installed at an outer side of the center shaft  10 . The center shaft  10  has at least one guide recess  101  for receiving the driving rod B. The rotation ring  3  is used as a power rotation unit. The control claw actuating seat  391  is positioned at a center of the rotation ring  3 . The control claw actuating seat  391  is fixed on the outer side of the center shaft  10 . An inner side of the rotation ring  3  is installed with a plurality of claw shafts  31  for being assembled to a plurality of upper planet power ratchet claws  32  and a plurality of lower planet power ratchet claws  33 . Each of the upper planet power ratchet claws  32  is connected to a respective one claw shaft  31 . Each of the lower planet power ratchet claws  33  is connected to a respective one claw shaft  31 .  FIG. 7A  shows that there are four claw shafts  31 , two upper planet power ratchet claws  32  and two lower planet power ratchet claws  33 . A ratchet claw returning spring  34  surrounds an outside of the claw shafts  31 . A ratchet claw control panel  35  is installed at an inner side of the upper planet power ratchet claws  32  and the lower planet power ratchet claws  33 . The ratchet claw control panel  35  is used as a linking device. The ratchet claw control panel  35  is installed with a plurality of left control claws  36  and a plurality of right control claws  37  and a plurality of controlling claw shafts  39 .  FIG. 7A  shows that the ratchet claw control panel  35  is installed with two left control claws  36  and two right control claws  37  and four controlling claw shafts  39 . Each of the left control claws  36  is connected to a respective one controlling claw shaft  39 . Each of the right control claws  37  is connected to a respective one controlling claw shafts  39 . A claw returning spring  38  is installed at an inner side of the controlling claw shafts  39 . An outer side of the control claw actuating seat  391  forms a notch  392  for engaging the driving rod B or each of the left control claws  36 . 
     The control claw actuating seat  391  forms a center through hole  395 . An end of the driving rod B is positioned at the center through hole  395  of the control claw actuating seat  391 . The end of the driving rod B forms a protruded portion  105 . 
     The object of the control unit serves to control the closing of the upper planet power ratchet claws  32 . With reference to  FIGS. 7 and 7A , the left control claws  36  and the right control claws  37  are positioned and installed on the ratchet claw control panel  35  and are driven by the ratchet claw control panel  35  to rotate relative to the rotation ring  3 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , initially, the driving rod B is at a left side of the control claw actuating seat  391 . As a result, one of the left control claws  36  is supported and thus does, and thus is filled into the notch  392  of the control claw actuating seat  391 . As a result, one of the left control claws  36  is supported and thus does not engaged with the control claw actuating seat  391 , while another left control claw  36  and the two right control claws  37  contact a surface of the control claw actuating seat  391 . An end of each of the upper planet power ratchet claws  32  forms a cam  321 . 
     As illustrated in the drawing, initially, the driving rod B is at the left side of the control claw actuating seat  391 , at this moment, the upper planet ratchet claws  32  opens and the right control claws  37  closes. 
     The action for closing the upper planet power ratchet claw  32  is that: the driving rod B moves transversally from a position locating one of the left control claws  36  to a position locating one of the right control claws  37  (referring to  FIG. 8 , the first and second steps). At this moment, the driving rod B does not support the one of the left control claws  36  and is engaged with the notch  392  of the control claw base  391 . Therefore, the ratchet claw control panel  35  is fixed on the rotation ring  3  and rotates with respect to the rotation ring  3 . 
     Rotation of the ratchet claw control panel  35  causes the upper planet power ratchet claw  32  closes. Then the one of the left control claws  36  leaves by the action of the rotation ring  3  which rotates so as to leave from the notch  392  of the control claw actuating seat  391 , while the one of the right control claws  37  moves to the notch  392  of the control claw actuating seat  391  to be supported by the driving rod B. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 9 and 9A , an embodiment is illustrated. The embodiment of  FIGS. 9 and 9A  are similar to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 7 and 7A . The second control unit has a plurality of control claws which are positioned on a fixing unit. In this embodiment, the second control unit includes the following elements. 
     A driving rod B is installed on a center shaft  10  of an internal clutch  1 . A control claw fixing base  40  and a rotation ring  4  are installed on outside of the center shaft  10 . The center shaft  10  has at least one guide recess  101  for receiving the driving rod B. The control claw fixing base  40  is positioned at a center of the rotation ring  4 . The control claw fixing base  40  is fired with center shaft  10 . A control claw shaft  401 , a control claw returning spring  49 , a left control claw  471  and a right control claw  481  are installed on the control claw fixing base  40 . A plurality of upper planet power ratchet claws  42 , a plurality of lower planet power ratchet claws  43  and a plurality of controlling claw shafts  41  are installed on the rotation ring  4 .  FIG. 9A  shows that two upper planet power ratchet claws  42 , two lower planet power ratchet claws  43  and four controlling claw shafts  41  are installed on the rotation ring  4 . Each of the upper planet power ratchet claws  42  is installed with a respective one controlling claw shaft  41 . Each of the lower planet power ratchet claws  43  is installed with a respective one controlling claw shaft  41 . A ratchet claw returning spring  44  surrounds an outer side of the controlling claw shafts  41 . A ratchet claw control panel  45  is installed at an inner side of the upper planet power ratchet claws  42  and the lower planet power ratchet claws  43 . A left limiting panel  47  is installed at a left side of the ratchet claw control panel  45 . A right limiting panel  48  is installed at a right side of the ratchet claw control panel  45 . A returning spring  461  is installed between the ratchet claw control panel  45  and the right limiting panel  48 . An end of each of the upper planet power ratchet claws  42  forms a cam  421 . The ratchet claw control panel  45  forms a groove  451  for receiving the cam  421  of each of the upper planet power ratchet claws  42 . 
     The control claw fixing base  40  forms a center through hole  405 . An end of the driving rod B is positioned at the center through hole  405  of the control claw fixing base  40 . The end of the driving rod B forms a protruded portion  105 . 
     An auxiliary claw  46  is installed between the left limiting panel  47  and the rotation ring  4 . As illustrated in the drawing, the control claw fixing base  40  and the rotation ring  4  are at initial positions. In an initial state, the driving rod B is at a position (left side) locating the left control claw  471  and the left control claw  471  is supported by the driving rod B and is not engaged with the ratchet claw control panel  45 . At this time, the right control claw  481  is stopped by the auxiliary claw  46  and the right limiting panel  48  and cannot engage the ratchet claw control panel  45 . Therefore, the ratchet claw control panel  45  is motionless and has no function of changing speed. When the driving rod B moves, it states to change speed. The operation is illustrated in  FIG. 10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , when the driving rod B moves from a position (left side) locating the left control claw  471  to a position locating the right control claw  481 , the left control claw  471  is engaged with the ratchet claw control panel  45  so that the ratchet claw control panel  45  cannot rotate with respect to the control claw fixing base  40 . 
     As the rotation ring  4  rotates continuously so that the ratchet claw control panel  45  to control the upper planet power ratchet claw  42  to rotate leftwards. Therefore, the upper planet power ratchet claw  42  closes and to leave from a groove  451  at the ratchet claw control panel  45 . 
     When the upper planet power ratchet claw  42  leaves from the groove  451  at the ratchet claw control panel  45 , the rotation ring  4  rotates continuously. The auxiliary claw  46  is closed by a track  402  of the rotation ring  4  so that the left control claw  471  returns to a leaving state, that is, the left control claw  471  is prohibited to engaged with the ratchet claw control panel  45 . Then the driving rod B is at the position (right stop position) locating the right control claw  481  to resist the right control claw  481  so as to complete a speed changing action. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 11 and 11A , an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The embodiment of  FIGS. 11 and 11A  are similar to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 7 and 7A . It shows the third control unit which is widely used to a radial clutching and axial clutching operation. The third control unit includes the following elements. 
     In this embodiment, a driving rod C is installed on a center shaft  10  of an internal clutch  1 . A radial control cam ring  55  and an axial control cam ring  56  are installed on an outer side of the center shaft  10 . The center shaft  10  has at least one guide recess  101  for receiving the driving rod C. A spacing ring  57  is installed between the radial control cam ring  55  and the axial control cam ring  56 . A power rotation unit  5  is installed with a sliding ring  51  which is used as a linking device. A plurality of axial springs  52  are installed between an outer side of the sliding ring  51  and the rotation unit  5 . An interior of the sliding ring  51  is installed with a plurality of pins  54  and a plurality of radial spring  53 . Each of the pins  54  is connected to a respective one radial spring  53 . The interior of the sliding ring  51  forms a plurality of installing holes  511 . Each of the radial springs  53  is installed in a respective one installing hole  511 . Each of the pins  54  is positioned between a respective one radial springs  53  and the radial control cam ring  55 . The radial control cam ring  55  and the axial control cam ring  56  are installed at an inner side of the sliding ring  51 .  FIG. 11A  shows that there are three axial springs  52 , three pins  54  and three radial springs  53 . By the displacement of the sliding ring  51 , each of the pins  54  is moved to be retained to the radial control cam ring  55  or to the axial control cam ring  56  so as to achieve the object of clutching of the radial clutching or axial clutching operation. a side of the radial control cam ring  55  forms a plurality of grooves  551 . Each of the grooves  551  is used to receive a respective one pin  54 . 
     The radial control cam ring  55  forms a center through hole  555 . The axial control cam ring  56  forms a center through hole  565 . The spacing ring  57  forms a center through hole  575 . The driving rod C runs through the center through hole  565  of the axial control cam ring  56  and the center through hole  575  of the spacing ring  57 . An end of the driving rod C is positioned at the center through hole  555  of the radial control cam ring  55 . The end of the driving rod C forms a protruded portion  105 . 
     When the driving rod C moves to and retained at the radial control cam ring  55 , the pins  54  originally positioned to the radial control cam ring  55  are ejected outwards and are driven by the axial springs  52  to move to a left side of the axial control cam ring  56 . Therefore, the sliding ring  51  and the axial control cam ring  56  rotate with the rotation unit  5 , as those shown in  FIGS. 11 and 11A . 
     Similarly, when the driving rod C moves to and retained at the axial control cam ring  56 , each of the pins  54  is ejected inwards by the respective one radial spring  53  and engages to the radial control cam ring  55 . Therefore, the sliding ring  51  and the radial control cam ring  55  rotate with the rotation unit  5 , as those shown in  FIG. 12 . 
     In summary, in the control unit of an internal clutch, by power rotating components (such as input rings, inner gears planet frames, output rings, etc.) which rotates as the internal clutch and cam or cam-like component, clutching components are controlled, such as to control the fixing of a sun gear, to control the engagements of the internal gear and planet gear. That is, using a cam or cam-like components to drive a driven device to rotate or displace so as to control the clutch to change gears 
     The present invention is thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.