Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62M—RIDER PROPULSION OF WHEELED VEHICLES OR SLEDGES; POWERED PROPULSION OF SLEDGES OR SINGLE-TRACK CYCLES; TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SUCH VEHICLES
  • B62M1/00—Rider propulsion of wheeled vehicles
  • B62M1/24—Rider propulsion of wheeled vehicles with reciprocating levers, e.g. foot levers
  • B62M1/28—Rider propulsion of wheeled vehicles with reciprocating levers, e.g. foot levers characterised by the use of flexible drive members, e.g. chains
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62M—RIDER PROPULSION OF WHEELED VEHICLES OR SLEDGES; POWERED PROPULSION OF SLEDGES OR SINGLE-TRACK CYCLES; TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SUCH VEHICLES
  • B62M1/00—Rider propulsion of wheeled vehicles
  • B62M1/14—Rider propulsion of wheeled vehicles operated exclusively by hand power
  • B62M1/16—Rider propulsion of wheeled vehicles operated exclusively by hand power by means of a to-and-fro movable handlebar
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62M—RIDER PROPULSION OF WHEELED VEHICLES OR SLEDGES; POWERED PROPULSION OF SLEDGES OR SINGLE-TRACK CYCLES; TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SUCH VEHICLES
  • B62M9/00—Transmissions characterised by use of an endless chain, belt, or the like
  • B62M9/04—Transmissions characterised by use of an endless chain, belt, or the like of changeable ratio

Definitions

• the invention concerns a variable transmission by means of a Snek (fusee) of which the groove is substantially longer than the stroke .
• the invention was born on the Rowing bike, a human powered vehicle which is propelled by a back and forth going movement similar to the movement as for example on some vehicles for disabled people and on the Flying Dutchman.
• the steering bar (8) is pivoting around a horizontal axle just above the head set;
• the foot slider (6) can move linear over the bow sprit (5) and is connected to the steering bar by the armstrokecable (9) which rolls over one of the two bow pulleys (10) .
• the click pedals (7) mounted on the foot slider forward the bike is propelled.
• the bike is freewheeling and the rider returns the foot slider, steering bar and propulsion cable (11) in begin position by means of a return cable (12) .
• the propulsion and return cable system is held on tension by an elastic cord (13) .
• Transmission according to the preamble of claim 1 are known for example from British patent no. 6225 A.D. 1911 and DE- C-947858.
• Patent GB-A-200385 even shows a similar transmission combined with a system to shift gear. This gear system changes the ratio between pedal movement and cable movement. This ratio is not easy to change on the Rowing bike as the propulsion cable is directly mounted on the linear moving foot bench.
• the transmission according to the invention is only applicable for back and forth moving propulsion cables as the cable would screw itself of the Snek when only moved in one direction.
• the Snek transmission can be effected with any means of propulsion like for example steel cable, rope, cord, belt, chain or toothed belt.
• Figure 8 shows in a schematic way how the invention is carried into effect on the Rowing bike as shown in figures 1 to 6. Besides the explanation given above the following explanation of the numbered parts will clarify things.
• FIG. 17 qquuiicckk rreelleeaassee Figure 3 and 4 show the rear hub (16) of the Rowing bike with a Snek version as described in the claims 1, 2, 7 and 11: the propulsion cable (11) is turned around the Snek (14) one and a half time to ensure sufficient traction. It is possible that in other versions the propulsion cable needs to be turned around the Snek more or less times. This is a delicate play between shape and hardness of means of propulsion cable and Snek as well as the tension put on the propulsion system for example by means of a shock cord.
• the cable will flip over to a next groove through a diagonal Snek groove (22) or other interruption in the side walls of the main groove specially taken out of the Snek for this purpose. After 1,5 rotation of the Snek , when the cable leaves the diagonal groove, the shifting of gear is completed.
• Shifting to a lower gear is effected during the recovery stroke.
• the cable takes a sidestep through a diagonal groove and after 1,5 rotation of the Snek shifting gear has completed.
• Figure 5 and 6 show The Snek with its main groove (21) and its diagonal grooves (22) or other interruptions in the side wall of the main groove that are necessary in case shifting gear is effected by means of a kind of derailleur.
• the section of the Snek it has a hollow line. Due to this hollow shape the difference in gear ratio during one stroke is practically the same in the lowest gear as it is in the highest gear. When a hyperbolic curve is used this effect is 100 % achieved.
• Figure 7 shows an alternative shape of the Snek witch is barely conical in the lowest gear.
• a shape like this can be desireable for specific practical use, for example on a rowing bike for steep hills. Any ergonomically desired curve can be made!
• Figure 9 shows a version in which the propulsion cable is attached to the smallest part of the Snek for fixed cable attachment (23) .
• a narrow elastic cord drum (33) is attached whereon the elastic cord(13) rolls on and off.
• a narrow twin drum is attached wherein one drum the propulsion cable can be rolled on and at the same time the return elastic cord (13) can be rolled off or otherwise around.
• fluctuations can occur caused by voluntary rolling over each other of cables in the several drums.
• a return cable is completely replaced by a return elastic cord.
• shifting to a heavier gear is effected by always simultaneously de-locking the locking device (30) of the foot slider drum (27) and activating the Snek brake (31) .
• the propulsion cable will roll on and the return elastic cord will roll off the foot slider drum.
• the foot slider drum locking device is simultaneously locked with the de-activation of the Snek brake and thereby the shifting of gear is completed.
• the shifting to a lower gear is effected in the same way but then by making a fake stroke in stead of above mentioned fake recovery.
• FIG. 9 The version according to figure 9 can be simplified by attaching the return elastic cord to a fixed point in stead of over a pulley to the foot slider drum.
• the elastic cord length has to be long enough to cope with al length differences.
• Figure 10 shows a version wherein the apparently endless propulsion cable clamps itself on the Snek by means of one or a few rotations around the Snek and wherein shifting of gear is effected by locking the foot slider (6) on a different part of the propulsion cable.
• the necessary tension on the cable is realised by the bow pulley witch is fixed by means of a draw spring(28).
• the locking device of the propulsion cable on the foot slider is de-locked and simultaneously the Snek brake is activated.
• the shifting of gear is effected in exactly the same way.
• Figure 11 shows a second system wherein an endless cable or cord can be used.
• a contra Snek (25) is used which shape is such that it exactly compensates for the length differences that occur when the cable is rolled on and off the Snek.
• a cable tensioner or a elastic cord can take care for the necessary tension. Again shifting gear is effected in the same way.
• the propulsion cable can be rolled around the Snek one or several times for sufficient traction.
• Figure 12 shows a version wherein the shifting of gear is effected with a derailleur (15) again.
• the recovery of the system as well as the tension on the system is effected by one single elastic cord which is drawn as one single line but of course it may be necessary to have it running over a or a few pulley (s) to house the necessary length.
• Figure 13 shows a Snek with fixed cable that is recovered in completely rolled up beginning position by means of an axial spring. Shifting of gear is effected by pulling in the propulsion cable (11) towards the foot slider (6) (shift to higher gear) or rolling off the cable (shift to a lower gear) before locking it on the foot slider with the locking device (30).
• An other version of the gear shifting system can be that the propulsion cable is fixed to Snek as well as to the foot bench but that the propulsion cable is rolled off the Snek further (shifting to higher gear) or rolled on the Snek (shifting to a lower gear) by means of enlarging or shortening the cable length or distance from foot bench to the Snek.
• a next method to propell a more conventional leg propelled bike by one Snek is to couple the movements of the two pedals to each other in such way that strokes are made alternate to each other left and right, to mount the propulsion cable decoupleable to both pedals in such manner that at the end of the stroke of one pedal the propulsion cable is de-locked from that pedal and thereupon is pulled back fast by a spring or elastic cord in the beginning position of the stroke and in that position is automatically locked to the second pedal to make the next stroke etc.
• a spring or elastic cord in the beginning position of the stroke and in that position is automatically locked to the second pedal to make the next stroke etc.
• the freewheel (s) than has (have) to be exchanged for a locking device that at the end of each stroke de-couples the relating Snek from the incoming rotating axis.
• the locking and de-locking of one or more Snek(s) could be activated by some kind of an eventually adjustable device at the beginning and end of each stroke.
• the recovery can be effected by coupling to a second Snek or by a spring or elastic cord.
• the invention can also be applied for more conventional Snek (fusee) applications like the compensation of a certain balance between for example the weight of an up and down movable lift or storage device and a draw spring or like the balance between the force of a human being and a counterweight or spring in a fitness machine.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Transmission Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=19767721

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (6)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 1998
  • 1998-08-28 NL NL1009960A patent/NL1009960C2/nl not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1999
  • 1999-08-26 AU AU55345/99A patent/AU5534599A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-08-26 WO PCT/NL1999/000532 patent/WO2000012378A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1999-08-26 EP EP99941870A patent/EP1107901A1/en not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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