Praxis Works LLC

Sotto Group LLC

A-pro Tech Co., Ltd.

Sotto, LLC

David M Earle

David R Allen

William A Hilgenberg

Ryan Kent Miller

Kyle Bennett

Luther Mac Beale

Rainer Pokorny

Ding-Jiun Lin

Jordan Andrew Kestler

Shih-Min Lin

Chin T Chuang

Michael David Machado

A gearbox may include a drive spindle and several interconnected gear clusters arranged in a housing. A first of the gear clusters is coaxially fastened to the spindle, and has an outboard gear and an inboard gear. The first gear cluster drives a belt to operate one or more of the other gear clusters, and the inboard gear is physically divided into a plurality of segments. A shifting system for the gearbox includes an actuator configured to urge the segments of the inboard gear of the first gear cluster into and out of the plane of the belt, such that a gear ratio of the gearbox is changeable without displacing the belt out of the plane.

Bicycle gearbox having segmented sprockets

A method for shifting a segmented gear may include rotating a gear cluster including a first gear and a coaxial second gear using a power transfer mechanism (e.g., a belt or a chain). The power transfer mechanism defines a plane and is wrapped partially around the first gear. and wherein the first gear has a plurality of gear segments independently movable (e.g., pivotable or translatable) into and out of the plane. A plurality of radially transitionable sliders are rotated in tandem with the first gear, and each of the sliders is operatively coupled to a corresponding one of the gear segments of the first gear. In sequence, each segment of the first gear is moved out of the plane of the power transfer mechanism by urging the slider in a radial direction using a segment actuator, such that the power transfer mechanism wraps at least partially around the second gear.

A gearbox may include a drive spindle and several interconnected gear clusters arranged in a housing. A first of the gear clusters is coaxially fastened to the spindle, and has an outboard gear and an inboard gear. The first gear cluster drives a belt or chain to operate one or more of the other gear clusters, and the inboard gear is physically divided into a plurality of segments. A shifting system for the gearbox includes an actuator configured to urge the segments of the inboard gear of the first gear cluster into and out of the plane of the belt or chain via a toggle and slider mechanism, such that a gear ratio of the gearbox is changeable without displacing the belt or chain out of the plane.

A gearbox may include a drive spindle and several interconnected gear clusters arranged in a housing. A first of the gear clusters is coaxially fastened to the spindle, and has an outboard gear and an inboard gear. The first gear cluster drives a chain to operate one or more of the other gear clusters, and the inboard gear is physically divided into a plurality of segments. A shifting system for the gearbox includes an actuator configured to urge the segments of the inboard gear of the first gear cluster into and out of the plane of the chain, such that a gear ratio of the gearbox is changeable without displacing the chain out of the plane.

A cassette for a bicycle may include a plurality of sprocket portions joined together into a single unit. The cassette may include a cavity formed in the large end of the cassette. A related manufacturing method may include joining a first generally planar sprocket portion having a plurality of connector portions extending transverse to the plane of the first sprocket portion, to a second generally planar sprocket portion, e.g., by fusing at least one of the connector portions to the second sprocket portion.

Cassette and bicycle wheel assembly

An apparatus for driving a drive chain, such as on a bicycle, may include a chainring having teeth arranged around a circumference of the chainring, and one or more magnetic portions disposed adjacent to the teeth of the chainring. The one or more magnetic portions may be disposed on the chainring and/or on a frame to which the chainring is rotatably coupled.

Magnetic bicycle chain retention mechanism

A cassette for a bicycle may include a plurality of sprocket portions fused into a single unit. The cassette may include a cavity formed in the large end of the cassette. Spokes of an associated wheel may be at least partially disposed in the cavity. A related manufacturing method may include joining a first generally planar sprocket portion having a plurality of connector portions extending transverse to the plane of the first sprocket portion, to a second generally planar sprocket portion by fusing at least one of the connector portions to the second sprocket portion.

An improved bicycle bottom bracket system and methods of manufacturing and installing such a system. The improved system may include bearings mounted within bearing cups on either side of the bottom bracket shell of a bicycle frame. The bearing cups may be threaded together, and one bearing cup may include a collet portion expandable by the other bearing cup.

Bicycle bottom bracket

A bicycle rear suspension system is connected between front and rear triangles. The suspension system includes an eccentric bearing unit disposed within one of the front and rear triangles, a connecting member connected pivotally to the other one of the front and rear triangles, and a pivot. The eccentric bearing unit includes an outer bearing, and an inner bearing movable within the outer bearing along an annular path. The pivot extends through the inner bearing of the eccentric bearing unit and into the connecting member such that, application of a force to the rear triangle results in pivoting movement of the rear triangle relative to the front triangle, and movement of the inner bearing along the annular path.

Bicycle rear suspension system

A bicycle rear suspension system includes a main frame and a rear wheel suspension system. The main frame generally comprises a seat tube, a down tube, a top tube, and a head tube. The rear wheel suspension system comprises a first linkage member, a rear wheel swingarm, and a second linkage member. The first linkage member is shorter than 15 mm from its pivotal connection to the main frame and its pivotal connection to the rear wheel swingarm, and changes its direction of rotation as the rear wheel is articulated generally vertically. The rear wheel suspension system allows for a preferential rear wheel axle travel path that provides for increased rates of chainstay lengthening in the first part of the vertical rear wheel travel with a rapid change to reduced chainstay lengthening in the latter part of the vertical rear wheel travel so that the overall change in chainstay length is small relative to the amount of vertical rear wheel travel.

Bicycle rear suspension system linkage

A bicycle comprising a front triangle and a rear wheel having a rear wheel axis, a rear wheel suspension system further comprising a link further comprising a first pivotal axis for connection to said front triangle and a second pivotal axis for connection to a rear wheel swingarm, wherein the distance from said second pivotal axis to a first vertical plane decreases during a first portion of suspension compression and increases during a second portion of suspension compression; and wherein said first vertical plane is defined as a plane which is perpendicular to the ground and offset in the direction of the rear wheel with respect to the first and second pivotal axis. During the first portion of suspension compression and during the second portion of suspension compression the front triangle remains stationary with respect to the first vertical plane.

Growing community of inventors

Watsonville, CA, United States of America

David M Earle