Shimano Inc.

Akihiko Shoge

Etsuyoshi Watarai

Takashi Yamamoto

Tetsuya Hino

Masao Kojima

Hiroyuki Urabe

Mitsugu Hanada

Tatsushi Okamoto

Minoru Ito

Naoto Migita

A continuously variable bicycle transmission includes a ring roller, a first conical planetary roller, a first carrier and a sun roller. The first conical planetary roller is frictionally engaged with the ring roller. The first carrier rotatably supports the first conical planetary roller. The sun roller is movable along an axis. The sun roller is frictionally engaged with the first conical planetary roller.

Continuously variable bicycle transmission

A bicycle drive apparatus includes a bicycle transmission, a drive assistance electric motor and a microcomputer. The microcomputer includes an output control section that controls an output of the drive assistance electric motor, and that issues a motor output increasing command to increase the output of the drive assistance electric motor upon receiving a shift command for shifting the transmission.

Bicycle drive apparatus

A bicycle drive apparatus includes a bicycle crankset, a bicycle transmission, a drive assistance electric motor and a microcomputer. The microcomputer includes an output control section, a gear shift feasibility determining section and a gear shift control section. The output control section controls an output of the drive assistance electric motor. The gear shift feasibility determining section determines if an output condition of the bicycle crankset satisfies a gear shift allowable condition. The gear shift control section receives a gear shift request, instructs the output control section to at least one of stop the output of the drive assistance electric motor and decrease the output of the drive assistance electric motor, and instructs the transmission to execute a gear shifting operation upon the gear shift permission determining section determining that the gear shift allowable condition is satisfied.

A bicycle drive unit includes a motor, a crank axle, a torque combining mechanism, and a clutch mechanism. The crank axle is rotatable about a first rotational axis. The torque combining mechanism is operatively coupled to the motor and the crank axle. The torque combining mechanism has a sprocket mounting portion that is configured to be operatively attached to a sprocket such that the sprocket rotates about a second rotational axis of the sprocket in a first direction as the crank axle rotates about the first rotational axis in the first direction. The clutch mechanism is operatively disposed between the crank axle and the sprocket. The clutch mechanism is configured to rotate the sprocket about the second rotational axis in a second direction as the crank axle rotates about the first rotational axis in the second direction. The second direction is opposite the first direction.

Bicycle drive unit

An internally geared hub is provided with a hub axle, a hub shell, a driver, a planetary gear mechanism and a gear changing mechanism. The hub shell rotates freely about the hub axle. The driver rotates freely relative to both the hub axle and the hub shell. The planetary gear mechanism is operatively connected between the hub shell and the driver. The planetary gear mechanism includes a plurality of driver rotation transmission paths that transmits rotation of the driver in a prescribed operating direction to the hub shell, and a hub shell rotation transmission path that transmits rotation of the hub shell in the prescribed operating direction to the driver. The gear changing mechanism is operatively connected the planetary gear mechanism for selectively establishing one of the driver rotation transmission paths or the hub shell rotation transmission path.

Internally geared hub for bicycle

A hub transmission for a bicycle comprises a hub axle; a driver rotatably supported to the hub axle; a hub shell rotatably supported to the hub axle; a power transmitting mechanism disposed between the driver and the hub shell for communicating rotational power from the driver to the hub shell through a plurality of power transmission paths; a shift mechanism for selecting the plurality of power transmission paths; a shift assist mechanism for communicating rotational power from the driver to the shift mechanism; and a power control mechanism disposed between the driver and the shift assist mechanism and coupling the driver to the shift assist mechanism for controlling an amount of rotational power communicated from the driver to the shift mechanism.

Bicycle hub transmission with a power control mechanism for a shift assist mechanism

A control apparatus for controlling a drive member rotatably supported on a bicycle includes a mounting member for mounting the apparatus to the bicycle, a braking mechanism coupled to the mounting member for applying a braking force to the drive member; and a coupling mechanism adapted to couple the braking mechanism to a shift control mechanism so that the braking mechanism applies the braking force to the drive member upon actuation of the shift control mechanism.

Shift assist apparatus for a bicycle

A sun gear apparatus includes an axle, a sun gear rotatably supported around the axle, and a sun gear guide ring disposed between an inner peripheral surface of the sun gear and the axle. The sun gear guide ring minimizes or eliminates looseness in the coupling between the sun gear and the axle.

Bicycle hub transmission with a guiding member for a sun gear

A shift control apparatus for a hub transmission includes an axle defining an axle axis; a pawl support rotating member rotatably supported around the axle axis; a pawl rotatably supported to the pawl support rotating member; a biasing mechanism for biasing the pawl in a radial direction; and a pawl control rotating member for controlling a radial position of the pawl. One of the pawl support rotating member and the pawl control rotating member includes a location for coupling to a shift control mechanism, and the other one of the pawl support rotating member and the pawl control rotating member includes a location for coupling to an actuating member. A spring is provided for biasing the pawl support rotating member and the pawl control rotating member in a rotational direction relative to each other, and a stopper is provided for holding the pawl support rotating member and the pawl control rotating member in a rotational position relative to each other. The actuating member rotates the pawl support rotating member and the pawl control rotating member in an opposite rotational direction relative to each other when resistance from the shift control mechanism overcomes a biasing force of the spring.

Pawl control mechanism for a bicycle hub transmission

A seal for a bicycle transmission includes an annular housing and an annular seal member. The housing includes a side wall defining a plurality of circumferentially disposed slots. The seal member is retained to the housing and extends radially inwardly. The seal member is formed from a resilient material, and the housing is formed from a material that is more rigid than the seal member.

Rotatable seal assembly for a bicycle hub transmission

A bicycle hub transmission includes an axle, a driving member rotatably supported on the axle, a slave rotatably supported on the axle, and a power transmitting mechanism disposed between the driving member and the slave for communicating rotational force from the driving member to the slave through a plurality of power transmitting paths. A clutch member is rotatably supported and axially movable on the axle for selecting one of the plurality of power transmitting paths of the power transmitting mechanism, and a shift key is provided for moving the clutch member axially. A shift rod is axially movably supported to the axle for moving the shift key axially, and a biasing mechanism is provided for biasing the clutch member toward the shift key. A link is provided for linking the clutch member to the shift key so that the clutch member is substantially axially immovable relative to the shift key. As a result, the shift key always moves with the clutch member.

Bicycle hub transmission with a shift key that is axially immovable

A bicycle transmission includes a hub axle, a drive member rotatably mounted around the hub axle, a hub body rotatably mounted around the hub axle, and a planetary gear mechanism coupled between the drive member and the hub body for communicating rotational force from the drive member to the hub body through multiple rotational force transmission paths. The planetary gear mechanism includes a planet gear supported by a planet gear rack for rotation around the hub axle, and a ring gear engaging the planet gear. The ring gear includes a transmission pawl that can be displaced between a first position for transmitting rotational motion between the ring gear and the hub body and a second position for inhibiting the transmission of rotational motion between the ring gear and the hub body. A clutch is mounted around the hub axle, wherein the clutch is movable in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the hub axle for selecting a rotational force transmission path through the planetary gear mechanism and for selectively operating the transmission pawl. The clutch includes a first clutch member and a second clutch member capable of movement relative to each other in the direction of the axis of the hub axle. The first clutch member and the second clutch member move relative to each other in the direction of the axis of the hub axle when the drive member rotates in a first rotational direction for causing the transmission pawl to be in the first position for transmitting rotational motion between the ring gear and the hub body.

Internally mounted bicycle transmission

An internally mounted bicycle transmission includes a hub axle, a drive member rotatably mounted around the hub axle, a hub body rotatably mounted around the hub axle, and a gear mechanism coupled between the drive member and the hub body for communicating rotational force from the drive member to the hub body through multiple transmission paths. The gear mechanism includes a sun gear rotatably supported around the axle, a planet gear supported by a planet gear carrier for rotation around the hub axle and for engaging the sun gear, and a ring gear engaging the planet gear. According to the invention, the ring gear is integrally formed with the drive member.

An internal hub transmission for a bicycle includes a hub axle having an axle axis for retaining the transmission to a bicycle frame, a driver rotatably supported relative to the hub axle, an output member rotatably supported relative to the hub axle, and a planet gear mechanism. The planet gear mechanism includes a sun gear disposed around the hub axle, a gear frame rotatably supported relative to the hub axle, a planet gear rotatably supported on the gear frame and meshing with the sun gear, and a ring gear rotatably supported relative to the hub axle and meshing with the planet gear. A first one-way clutch disposed in a transmission path between the driver and the output member, and a second one-way clutch disposed in a transmission path between the driver and the ring gear. A clutch member is supported on the axle for selectively changing a transmission path between the driver and the output member, wherein the clutch member rotates around the axle in response to rotation of the driver and moves axially relative to the hub axle. A clutch control component provides movement of the clutch member in the direction of the axle axis and engages the clutch member for converting rotational motion of the clutch member into motion of the clutch member in the direction of the axle axis. This axial motion assists the shifting operation by overcoming the frictional force of the transmission components.

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Akihiko Shoge