Shimano Inc.

Takuya Edamura

Shinichiro Noda

Takaaki Fujiwara

Kento Mitsuyasu

Yoshinori Iino

Etsuyoshi Watarai

Masashi Goto

A bicycle drive unit includes a housing, a crankshaft and a propulsion assist motor. The housing is configured to be mounted on a frame of a bicycle. The crankshaft is provided to the housing. The assist propulsion motor is provided to the housing to assist propulsion of a bicycle. The propulsion assist motor includes a rotational axis extending in a direction intersecting a direction in which crankshaft extends. The bicycle drive unit is configured such that a distance from a rotational axis of the crankshaft to a part of the bicycle drive unit that is the farthest from the rotational axis of the crankshaft in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the propulsion assist motor is smaller than or equal to 210 mm.

Bicycle drive unit

A bicycle component includes a drive unit and a battery. The drive unit includes a housing mounted on a bicycle frame, a crankshaft provided to a first portion of the housing, and a propulsion assist motor provided to a second portion of the housing. The battery is electrical connected to the propulsion assist motor to supply electrical power to the propulsion assist motor. The propulsion assist motor includes a rotational axis extending in a direction intersecting a direction in which the crankshaft extends. At least part of the second portion and at least part of the battery are accommodated in the frame in a state in which the second portion and the battery are arranged next to each other in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the propulsion assist motor and the battery is coupled to the second portion in an attachable and detachable manner.

Bicycle component

A bicycle drive unit includes a housing, a crankshaft and a propulsion assist motor. The housing is configured to be coupled to a frame of a bicycle. The housing includes first and second portions. The crankshaft is provided to the first portion of the housing. The propulsion assist motor is provided to the second portion of the housing. The propulsion assist has a rotational axis extending in a direction intersecting with a direction in which the crankshaft extends. A maximum dimension of the first portion in the direction in which the crankshaft extends is less than or equal to 100 mm. A maximum output torque of the propulsion assist motor is greater than or equal to 10 Nm and less than or equal to 80 Nm.

A method for mounting a bicycle drive unit to a frame of a bicycle, in which the bicycle drive unit includes a housing, a crankshaft and a propulsion assist motor. The housing has a first portion and a second portion. The crankshaft is provided to the first portion. The propulsion assist motor is provided to the second portion and includes a rotational axis extending in a direction intersecting a direction in which the crankshaft extends. The method includes a first step of arranging the first portion at a position for mounting the first portion on the frame, and a second step of rotating the housing about an axis parallel to a rotational axis of the crankshaft and inserting the second portion into an opening of the frame after the first step.

A bicycle drive unit includes a housing, crankshaft and a propulsion assist motor. The housing is configured to be mounted on a frame of a bicycle. The housing includes a first portion and a second portion. The crankshaft is provided to the first portion of the housing. The propulsion assist motor is provided to the second portion of the housing and configured to assist propulsion of the bicycle. The propulsion assist motor includes a rotational axis extending in a direction intersecting a direction in which the crankshaft extends. The second portion has a maximum dimension of smaller than or equal to 75 mm in a direction orthogonal to the rotational axis of the propulsion assist motor.

A disc brake rotor including a friction portion and a cooling fin located radially offset from the friction portion is provided. The cooling fin is configured to deflect due to a change in temperature in the friction portion.

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Takuya Edamura