Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7042123?dq=5537618&ei=urENT6-uEoHegQe698i5Bw
Timestamp: 2016-07-25 17:59:17
Document Index: 174466605

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2004', 'Application No. 2004', 'arts 32', 'arts 32', 'arts 32', 'art 32', 'art 32', 'art 32', 'art 32', 'art 32', 'art 32', 'art 32', 'art 32', 'arts 32', 'arts 32', 'arts 32', 'arts 32', 'art 87']

Patent US7042123 - Bicycle electrical generator hub - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA bicycle gearshift system is mounted on the rear part of the frame of the bicycle. The bicycle gearshift system includes an electrically powered rear derailleur, a rear hub, a charger part, and a gearshift control part. The electrically powered rear derailleur is mounted on the rear part of the frame....http://www.google.com/patents/US7042123?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7042123 - Bicycle electrical generator hubAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7042123 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/114,065Publication dateMay 9, 2006Filing dateApr 26, 2005Priority dateJun 29, 2004Fee statusPaidAlso published asCN1715125A, CN100467337C, DE602005017095D1, EP1612130A1, EP1612130B1, US20050285461Publication number11114065, 114065, US 7042123 B2, US 7042123B2, US-B2-7042123, US7042123 B2, US7042123B2InventorsSatoshi Kitamura, Koken Ueno, Kazuhiro Takeda, Masahiko FukudaOriginal AssigneeShimano Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (28), Referenced by (14), Classifications (22), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetBicycle electrical generator hub
US 7042123 B2Abstract
A bicycle gearshift system is mounted on the rear part of the frame of the bicycle. The bicycle gearshift system includes an electrically powered rear derailleur, a rear hub, a charger part, and a gearshift control part. The electrically powered rear derailleur is mounted on the rear part of the frame. The rear hub is also mounted to the rear part of the frame. The rear hub has an electrical generator mechanism that generates electricity through the rotation of the wheel. The charger part is mounted on the rear hub and stores the electrical energy that was generated by the generator part. The gearshift control part is equipped on the electrically powered rear derailleur, where gearshift control of the electrically powered rear derailleur is performed through the energy that is stored in the charger part.
This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-191685. The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-191685 is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
One object of the present invention is to provide a bicycle, a bicycle gearshift system, and a bicycle derailleur that are able to reduce the manufacturing costs of bicycles while not damaging the visual appeal of the bicycles.
FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the bobbin/yoke illustrated in FIGS. 2–5 showing all of the layered yokes;
FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of two sets of multiple layer parts of the yoke illustrated in FIGS. 2–6;
FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional and partial end elevational view of the rear hub illustrated in FIGS. 1–8, with portions removed in order to illustrate the structure of the rotation stop of the inside stationary unit;
FIG. 10 is a front view of the charger part of the rear hub illustrated in FIGS. 1–9, with portions removed and other portions shown in cross-section for the purpose of illustration;
Each of the layered yokes 30 and 31 are structured from the layering of multiple flat layer parts 32, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. Each of the layer parts 32 is fabricated from silicon steel (or, more specifically, non-directional silicon steel), with an oxide coating fabricated on the surface thereof. The fundamental shape of each of the layer pieces or flat parts 32 is identical, each having a core outer periphery part 32 a, a core inner periphery part 32 b, and a linkage or connecting part 32 c. The core outer periphery part 32 a is arranged so as to extend along the axial direction of the hub axle 5 (the direction of the center line O—O illustrated in FIG. 7) from one end of the linkage part 32. The core inner peripheral part 32 b is arranged to extend similarly along the axial direction of the hub axle from the other end of the linkage 32 c. These layer pieces 32 are fabricated so that the yoke outer periphery part 32 a and the yoke inner periphery part 32 b are positioned on different radial lines (i.e. different radial positions), when viewed in the axial direction as shown in FIG. 8.
Given this type of yoke 21, the yoke inner periphery parts 32 b of the first and second yokes 30 and 31 are positioned at the inner peripheral side of the coil 20, while the yoke outer periphery parts 32 a are positioned between the coil 20 and the permanent magnet 16, shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, as is clear from FIGS. 2–8, the yoke inner periphery parts 32 b of the first layered yokes 30 are directly connected to the yoke inner periphery parts 32 b of the second layered yokes 31. Consequently, members comprising other magnetic materials for connecting the first layered yokes 30 and the second layered yokes 31 are unnecessary, making it possible to suppress resistance significantly (extremely).
When the rider rides the bicycle 101, and adequate electrical power has been stored in the electric power storage element 61 by the power that is generated by the electrical generator mechanism 8, the gearshift control of the bicycle 101 is then possible. Given this situation, the gearshift control part 87 is initialized in Step S1 of FIG. 14. In this initialization, the variable OP is initialized to “1.” OP is the value for the gearshift stage, and a shift-up threshold value U (OP) and a shift down threshold value D (OP) for each of the gearshift stages OP are stored as bicycle speed values.
(a) Although in the example embodiment described above, an electrically powered rear derailleur was presented as an example of an electrically powered gearshift mechanism, an electrically powered internal gearshift hub that has an electric charging function may be used instead. In other words, an electrical generator mechanism may be mounted in the inside of an internal gearshift hub in the same way as in the example embodiment described above, and the motor unit, motor drive circuit, and gearshift control part may be housed in, for example, a case and mounted on the hub axle. With this type of internal gearshift hub, it is possible to perform automatic gearshift control by merely mounting the hub on the bicycle.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS3831047 *Jul 1, 1970Aug 20, 1974Bosch Gmbh RobertConstructions in ac generatorsUS3924147 *Jan 2, 1974Dec 2, 1975Barber Colman CoBrushholders and ancillary components mounted on a printed circuit boardUS4761577 *Jul 2, 1987Aug 2, 1988Thomas Stephen EWheel-mounted electrical power generatorUS5681234 *Dec 23, 1996Oct 28, 1997Ethington; Russell A.Automatic transmission shifter for velocipedesUS5770902 *Nov 2, 1995Jun 23, 1998Globe MotorsMotor termination boardUS6015159 *Sep 11, 1997Jan 18, 2000Shimano, Inc.Method and apparatus for shifting a bicycle transmissionUS6047230 *Feb 27, 1997Apr 4, 2000Spencer; Marc D.Automatic bicycle transmissionUS6118196 *Mar 8, 1999Sep 12, 2000Shing Chyoo Attend Industry Co., Ltd.Electrical generator attached to a bicycle wheelUS6146297 *Aug 27, 1998Nov 14, 2000Shimano, Inc.Bicycle automatic shift control device with varying shift speedsUS6453262 *Dec 24, 1999Sep 17, 2002Shimano, Inc.Method and apparatus for selecting a processing mode for a bicycle computerUS20030001357Jun 24, 2002Jan 2, 2003Shimano, Inc.Electronic bicycle shift control deviceUS20040007938 *May 8, 2003Jan 15, 2004Shimano, Inc.Claw-pole dynamo with radially offset yoke armsUS20040079612 *Aug 26, 2003Apr 29, 2004Shimano, Inc.Bicycle hub dynamo with a freewheelUS20040092347Oct 28, 2003May 13, 2004Shimano, Inc., A Japanese CorporationMethod of using a motion sensor with a bicycle sprocket assemblyUS20050043129 *Jul 23, 2004Feb 24, 2005Campagnolo S.R.L.Method for carrying out a multiple gear-shifting in an electronically servo-assisted bicycle gearshift and related gearshiftDE19632391C1Aug 1, 1996Feb 5, 1998Wolfgang HillEnergiewandlersystem in einer RadnabeEP1216912A1Dec 18, 2001Jun 26, 2002Renk AktiengesellschaftFault tolerant electromechanical control deviceEP1361146A1May 9, 2003Nov 12, 2003Shimano Inc.Claw-pole dynamo with radially offset yoke armsEP1381021A2Jul 9, 2003Jan 14, 2004Shimano Inc.Illumination-controlled bicycle devicesEP1391375A1Aug 20, 2003Feb 25, 2004Shimano Inc.Power stabilizing apparatus for a bicycle electrical componentEP1394030A1Aug 26, 2003Mar 3, 2004Shimano Inc.Bicycle hub dynamo with a freewheelGB2314213A Title not availableJP2000062523A Title not availableJP2001088759A Title not availableJP2003011879A Title not availableJP2003130886A Title not availableJPH07229909A Title not availableJPH08175460A * Title not available* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS8067848Nov 29, 2011Lixon VilsaintBicycle adapter mobile telephone chargerUS8223003Dec 4, 2009Jul 17, 2012Industrial Technology Research InstituteSwinging device and apparatus for detecting rotating status and information displaying device using the sameUS8405263Mar 26, 2013Shimano Inc.Bicycle generator hubUS8965610 *May 19, 2012Feb 24, 2015Thomas BoylePedal assist sensorUS9020694 *Aug 16, 2012Apr 28, 2015Shimano Inc.Bicycle-use measuring apparatus and control methodUS9063024Aug 16, 2012Jun 23, 2015Shimano Inc.Bicycle rear hubUS9090123Aug 16, 2012Jul 28, 2015Shimano Inc.Bicycle rear hubUS9163707Mar 31, 2014Oct 20, 2015Mtd Products IncMethod for controlling the speed of a self-propelled walk-behind lawn mowerUS9221517Aug 16, 2012Dec 29, 2015Shimano Inc.Bicycle rear hubUS20100282534 *Nov 11, 2010Wei-Ting LinMotorized Bicycle with Electric Generating FunctionUS20100301711 *Dec 2, 2010Shimano Inc.Bicycle generator hubUS20110074563 *Mar 31, 2011Industrial Technology Research InstituteSwinging device and apparatus for detecting rotating status and information displaying device using the sameUS20130054088 *Aug 16, 2012Feb 28, 2013Shimano Inc.Bicycle-use measuring apparatus and control methodEP1930916A2 *Dec 4, 2007Jun 11, 2008Shimano Inc.Electric generating coil assembly and electric generator hub* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification310/75.00C, 310/68.00R, 280/260International ClassificationB62M1/36, B62M25/08, H02K7/10, B62J6/12, H02K7/18, B62J6/08, H02K21/22, H02K1/14, B62J99/00, B62M9/126, B62M9/123, B62M9/122, B62M9/1242Cooperative ClassificationH02K7/1846, H02K1/145, B62M25/08European ClassificationB62M25/08, H02K1/14C, H02K7/18A3Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionApr 26, 2005ASAssignmentOwner name: SHIMANO INC., JAPANFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:KITAMURA, SATOSHI;UENO, KOKEN;TAKEDA, KAZUHIRO;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:016509/0483;SIGNING DATES FROM 20050419 TO 20050425Oct 7, 2009FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Oct 9, 2013FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services