Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7048546?dq=6948823
Timestamp: 2014-10-01 15:51:12
Document Index: 593871756

Matched Legal Cases: ['art.\n4', 'art.\n7', 'art.\n11', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 71']

Patent US7048546 - Bicycle hub dynamo assembly - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsA bicycle hub dynamo assembly is configured with a hub and a releasable electrical connector. The hub has a generator mechanism housed in a hub shell that generates electricity by rotation of the hub shell relative to a hub axle. The generator mechanism includes a first electrical connector with first...http://www.google.com/patents/US7048546?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7048546 - Bicycle hub dynamo assemblyAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7048546 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/638,471Publication dateMay 23, 2006Filing dateAug 12, 2003Priority dateAug 12, 2003Fee statusLapsedAlso published asCN1590200A, DE602004013686D1, EP1506915A2, EP1506915A3, EP1506915B1, US20050037633Publication number10638471, 638471, US 7048546 B2, US 7048546B2, US-B2-7048546, US7048546 B2, US7048546B2InventorsTakahiro EndoOriginal AssigneeShimano Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (9), Non-Patent Citations (1), Referenced by (4), Classifications (30), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetBicycle hub dynamo assemblyUS 7048546 B2Abstract A bicycle hub dynamo assembly is configured with a hub and a releasable electrical connector. The hub has a generator mechanism housed in a hub shell that generates electricity by rotation of the hub shell relative to a hub axle. The generator mechanism includes a first electrical connector with first electrical contacts. The releasable electrical connector includes mating electrical contacts configured to mate with the electrical contacts of the electrical connector that is fixed to the hub axle. The releasable electrical connector includes an inner housing part and an outer housing part with a fixing portion of the second electrical contacts retained between the inner and outer housing parts.
1. A bicycle hub dynamo assembly comprising:
a hub axle having a first axle end and a second axle end with a center axis extending between the first and second axle ends;
a hub shell having a first shell end and a second shell end with an inner tubular surface forming a central passage extending between the first and second shell ends, the hub axle being disposed within the central passage of the hub shell;
a first bearing unit disposed between the hub axle and the hub shell to rotatably support the first shell end of the hub shell on the first axle end of the hub axle;
a generator mechanism housed in the hub shell and adapted to generate electricity by rotation of the hub shell relative to the hub axle, the generator mechanism including a first electrical connector with first electrical contacts; and
an electrical cord including a second electrical connector with second electrical contacts configured to mate with the first electrical contacts of the first electrical connector,
the second electrical connector being a female connector including an inner housing part and an outer housing part with fixing portions of the second electrical contacts retained between the inner and outer housing parts, the inner housing part including a side wall and a cavity, each of the second electrical contacts being sheet shaped elements having a center section and a contact end with a free end located in the cavity, the contact end extending around a front edge of the side wall of the inner housing part, and the free end being cantilevered to be resiliently deflected towards the center section.
2. The bicycle hub dynamo assembly according to claim 1, wherein
the outer housing part of the second electrical connector includes a gripping element.
3. The bicycle hub dynamo assembly according to claim 2, wherein
the gripping element includes a pair of gripping tabs extending outwardly in opposite directions from a main section of the outer housing part.
4. The bicycle hub dynamo assembly according to claim 1, wherein
the outer housing part of the second electrical connector includes an interior space sized to retain the inner housing part therein with the fixing portions of the second electrical contacts retained between adjacent surfaces of the inner and outer housing parts.
5. The bicycle hub dynamo assembly according to claim 4, wherein
the inner housing part of the second electrical connector includes including a cavity with contact portions of the second electrical contacts recessed with the cavity.
6. The bicycle hub dynamo assembly according to claim 4, wherein
the outer housing part of the second electrical connector includes a pair of gripping tabs extending outwardly in opposite directions from a main section of the outer housing part.
7. A bicycle hub dynamo connector assembly comprising:
an inner housing part having a side wall and a plurality of openings;
an outer housing part surrounding a portion of the inner housing part; and
electrical contacts configured and arranged to be electrically attached to electrical wires of an electrical cord as separate elements, each of the electrical contacts having a center section, a contact end with a free end and a fixing portion retained between a pair of opposed surfaces of the inner and outer housing parts, the fixing portion having a cutout to form a retaining tab, the retaining tab being deformed into one of the respective openings of the inner housing part to secure the electrical contact to the inner housing part, the contact end extending around a front edge of the side wall of the inner housing part, and the free end being cantilevered to be resiliently deflected towards the center section.
8. The bicycle hub dynamo assembly according to claim 7, wherein
the inner and outer housing parts are coupled together by a snap fit.
9. The bicycle hub dynamo assembly according to claim 7, wherein
the inner housing part, the outer housing part and the electrical contacts form a female connector with the inner housing part including a cavity with contact portions of the electrical contacts recessed with the cavity.
10. The bicycle hub dynamo assembly according to claim 7, wherein
the outer housing part includes a pair of gripping tabs extending outwardly in opposite directions from a main section of the outer housing part.
11. The bicycle hub dynamo assembly according to claim 7, wherein
the outer housing part includes an interior space sized to retain the inner housing part therein with the fixing portions of the electrical contacts retained between adjacent surfaces of the inner and outer housing parts.
12. The bicycle hub dynamo connector assembly according to claim 7, wherein
the electrical contacts are sheet shaped elements.
13. A bicycle hub dynamo assembly comprising:
an inner housing part;
an outer housing part surrounding a portion of the inner housing part, the inner and outer housing parts being coupled together by a snap fit; and
electrical contacts having fixing portions retained between a pair of opposed surfaces of the inner and outer housing parts,
the inner housing part, the outer housing part and the electrical contacts forming a female connector with the inner housing part including a side wall and a cavity, each of the electrical contacts being sheet shaped elements having a center section and a contact end with a free end located in the cavity, the contact end extending around a front edge of the side wall of the inner housing part, the free end being cantilevered to be resiliently deflected towards the center section.
14. A bicycle hub dynamo assembly comprising:
an electrical cord with electrical wires including a second electrical connector with second electrical contacts that are electrically attached to the electrical wires as separate elements, the second electrical contacts being configured to mate with the first electrical contacts of the first electrical connector,
the second electrical connector including an inner housing part having a side wall and a cavity, and
each of the second electrical contacts being sheet shaped elements having a center section and a contact end with a free end located in the cavity, the contact end extending around a front edge of the side wall of the inner housing part, and the free end being cantilevered to be resiliently deflected towards the center section.
This invention generally relates to a bicycle hub dynamo assembly is configured with a hub and a releasable electrical connector.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved hub dynamo assembly. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector for use with a hub dynamo assembly that can be repeatedly disconnected and reconnected to a dynamo hub without being damaged.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector for use with a hub dynamo assembly that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
The foregoing objects can basically be attained by providing a bicycle hub dynamo assembly that basically comprises a hub axle, a hub shell, a bearing unit, a generator mechanism and an electrical cord. The hub axle has a first axle end and a second axle end with a center axis extending between the first and second axle ends. The hub shell has a first shell end and a second shell end with an inner tubular surface forming a central passage extending between the first and second shell ends, the hub axle being disposed within the central passage of the hub shell. The bearing unit is disposed between the hub axle and the hub shell to rotatably support the first shell end of the hub shell on the first axle end of the hub axle. The generator mechanism is housed in the hub shell and adapted to generate electricity by rotation of the hub shell relative to the hub axle. The generator mechanism includes a first electrical connector with first electrical contacts. The electrical cord includes a second electrical connector with second electrical contacts configured to mate with the first electrical contacts of the first electrical connector, the second electrical connector includes an inner housing part and an outer housing part with a fixing portion of the second electrical contacts retained between the inner and outer housing parts.
FIG. 9 is a partial top plan view of the top portion of the front suspension fork in accordance with the present invention with the top cover removed;
The cord receiving section 75 has a substantially cylindrical cord receiving bore 85 that is in communication with the interior cavity 76 of the main body section 71. The cord receiving bore 85 has a lower portion of the electrical cord 16 located therein. Preferably, the interface between the cover C of time electrical cord 16 and cord receiving bore 85 is watertight. A cord retaining ring 86 is located on the lower portion of the electrical cord 16 that is located in the interior cavity 76 of the main body section 74 to prevent the electrical cord 16 from being pulled out of the electrical connector 18.
The side wall 92 has a pair of contact receiving grooves 97 and a pair of through openings 98. The contact receiving grooves 97 are configured and arranged to tightly receive the electrical contacts 73 therein. The through openings 98 are configured and arranged in the side wall 92 along center portions of the contact receiving grooves 97. These openings 98 allow the electrical contacts 73 to be deformed for fixedly securing the electrical contacts 72 to the inner housing barn 72 as discussed below.
Referring now to FIGS. 16�19 and 37�39, the electrical contacts 73 are preferably identical. Thus, each of the contacts 73 has a wire connection end 73 a and an electrical contact end 73 b with a center section or fixing portion 73 c extending between the wire connection end 73 a and the electrical contact end 73 b. Preferably, the electrical contacts 73 are constructed as a one-piece, unitary member from a metallic sheet material having good electrical conductive characteristics.
The wire connection end 73 a is provided with a hole for receiving one of the conductors of the conductor wires W1 and W2 that is preferably soldered thereto. The connection end 73 a is also preferably provided with a reduced section so that the connection end 73 a can be deformed or bent out of the initial plane of a center section 73 c of the contact 73 of as shown in FIG. 17. The contact end 73 b is preferably part-shaped such that the free end of the contact end 73 b is cantilevered to be resiliently deflected towards the center section 73 c of the contact 73 when the electrical connector 18 is connected to the electrical connector 60 of the front dynamo hub 14 as seen in FIG. 19. In particular, when the contacts 73 are slide into the contact receiving grooves 97 of the inner housing part 72, the contact ends 73 b extend around a front edge of the side wall 92 and then the free end of the contact ends 73 b extend rearwardly into the interior cavity 76 of the inner housing part 72. The portions of the contact ends 73 b located in the interior cavity 76 of the inner housing part 72 are spaced from the interior surface of the side wall 92 of the inner housing part 72. This arrangement allows the contact ends 73 b to be resiliently deflected towards the interior surface of the side wall 92 of the inner housing part 72 when the electrical connector 18 is connected to the electrical connector 60 of the front dynamo hub 14 as seen in FIG. 19.
Each electrical contact 73 is also provided with a cutout 73 d in the center section or fixing portion 73 c to form a retaining tab 73 e. The retaining tabs 73 e are designed to be bent or deformed into the openings 98 of the side wall 92 of the inner housing part 72 to secure the contacts 73 to the inner housing part 72 prior to the inner housing part 72 being coupled to the outer housing part 71.
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