Patent ID: 7484609

Claim:
A hub assembly for a bicycle which has a hub axle, comprising: a hub shell including a shell body which is adapted to be mounted on and rotatable relative to the hub axle about an axis, and which extends rightwardly to terminate at a right annular juncture, and a tubular mount which extends from said right annular juncture along the axis to terminate at a surrounding exterior surface that faces rightwards, and which extends in radial directions and outwardly to terminate at an outer mount wall surface that is interposed between said surrounding exterior surface and said right annular juncture, said tubular mount having an inner tubular wall surface which is opposite to said outer mount wall surface in radial directions, and which is adapted to be spaced apart from the hub axle so as to define an annular accommodation space therebetween, said inner tubular wall surface having a plurality of retreat bores which are angularly displaced from one another about the axis, and which extend radially and respectively toward said outer mount wall surface, said surrounding exterior surface defining an annular insertion opening which extends along the axis toward said right annular juncture to form an inner peripheral wall surface, and which is communicated with said retreat bores; a plurality of pawls which are disposed in said retreat bores, respectively, such that each of said pawls is movable between a driven position, where said pawls extend radially into said annular accommodation space, and an idle position, where said pawls retreat radially into said retreat bores; a chainring carrier which is adapted to be rotatably mounted on the hub axle; a surrounding drive member which is coupled with said chainring carrier, and which includes an annular ratchet segment which is disposed leftwardly of said chainring carrier, and which extends into said annular accommodation space to confront said pawls radially, said annular ratchet segment being coupled with said pawls in one of the driven and idle positions so as to form a uni-directional mechanism that enables transmission of drive of said chainring carrier to rotate said hub shell, and an annular barrier member having inner and outer annular major surfaces which are opposite to each other along the axis, and which respectively confront said retreat bores and said chainring carrier, and an annular protrusion which extends from said inner annular major surface toward said retreat bores; and a shielding member including a rim which is configured to be fitted to and which is in water-tight engagement with said inner peripheral wall surface, and an annular flexible web body which extends from said rim in radial directions towards said annular ratchet segment, and towards said inner annular major surface to terminate at a tubular tail portion, said tubular tail portion surrounding said protrusion, and being configured to trail on and to be kept in frictional contact with said protrusion.