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
  • B62M3/00—Construction of cranks operated by hand or foot
  • B62M3/003—Combination of crank axles and bearings housed in the bottom bracket

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a cycle pedal such as a racing bike, a mountain bike, or motorized assistance cycles requiring the use of a pedal to start the engine. It will particularly find its application among manufacturers and cycle traders.
• the cranks are generally rotatably mounted on the frame of the cycle and are subjected to a rotational movement generated by the pedaling exerted by a cyclist, the rotational movement of the crankset driving through a chain or a transmission belt one of the wheels of the cycle, usually the rear wheel.
• the crankset consists in part of two cranks and at least one plate secured to said cranks, the two cranks being secured to one another at their axial end by means of a connecting shaft, more commonly called the axis of the pedal, said shaft being housed in a cage on the frame of the cycle; the cranks are arranged at one hundred and eighty degrees relative to each other and each have at their radial end a pedal, the pedaling of the cyclist exerting a force on the pedals resulting in a radial force and a tangential force on the cranks, said tangential force generating rotation of the plate.
• crank assembly on a cycle frame US 5,493,937; US 4,545,691; AT 389,499; US 4,651,590; FR 2,465,630; DE 93.15.940.
• assembly of the crankset on the frame of the cycle is achieved by assembling the connecting shaft, or the axial ends of the cranks, in pivot connection, for example by means of bearings mounted inside the cage of the frame of the cycle. According to this type of assembly, the forces exerted on the cranks during the pedaling are thus reported on the connecting shaft directly or indirectly through the axial ends of the cranks.
• the tree of The connection is therefore subjected to torsional stresses resulting from the tangential forces exerted on the cranks and the resistance exerted by the chain or the transmission belt which meshes with the plate.
• This shaft is also subjected to bending stresses resulting from radial forces exerted on the cranks and which refer directly to the ends of the connecting shaft integral with said cranks.
• the connecting shaft is therefore permanently subjected to torsion and bending forces during pedaling; the intensity of the efforts varying according to the conditions of use of the cyclist; the linkage shaft current cranks is usually designed steel, which gives it in particular good mechanical resistance to bending stresses, possibly avoiding the risk of rupture of the shaft in extreme use.
• the use of steel has the disadvantage of increasing the mass of the pedal and therefore that of the cycle; which goes against the reduction of the mass of the cycles which represents one of the essential objectives of all the manufacturers, and more particularly the manufacturers of competition bicycles.
• the cranks are generally mounted on the axial ends of the connecting shaft.
• This connecting shaft therefore has a length at least equal to the width of the cage of the frame of the cycle increased by the width of the two axial ends of the cranks.
• the pedals must be spaced a suitable distance to provide ease to the cyclist and optimize the pedaling effort; this distance is nevertheless close to the length of the connecting shaft, so that cyclists often rub their ankles on the cranks during pedaling, resulting in injury or bleeding.
• US Patent 5,493,937 provides for mounting the extension of the axial ends of the cranks inside the cage of the bicycle frame.
• US Patent 4,545,691 provides patches allowing assembly of the extension of the axial ends of the cranks inside the frame of the bicycle frame.
• this type of assembly also requires a distance or spacing between the axial ends of the cranks greater than the width of the cage of the bicycle frame, this spacing or spacing corresponding to the space required between the pedals to provide ease of pedaling cyclist and to optimize the pedaling effort.
• the present invention aims to overcome such drawbacks by providing a pedal cycle to reduce the mass of the cycle and avoid injuries of the cyclist.
• the invention relates to a cycle pedal such as a bicycle, rotatably mounted on the frame of said cycle along an axis of rotation perpendicular to the plane of the frame, said pedal consisting of two cranks arranged on both sides. other of the plane of the frame, at least one drive plate adjacent to one of the cranks and secured thereto, said cranks being secured by their axial end to a connecting shaft whose axis corresponds to the axis of rotation of the crankset, said linkage shaft reporting on the plate the tangential forces exerted on the cranks during pedaling causing the rotation of said plate;
• the invention is remarkable in that the mounting of the crankset on the cycle is constituted by connecting means in pivot connection between the axial ends of the cranks and the frame of the cycle, said connecting means in pivot connection being constituted by two mounting rings fixed on the frame, two bearings, the axial ends of the two cranks, and translation stop means of the two cranks, said bearings having their inner cage mounted on the rings, and their outer cage mounted on the axial
• the invention advantageously makes it possible to use a softer material for the design of the connecting shaft because of the removal of bending stresses which are no longer exerted on said shaft but on the frame of the cycle; the shaft can be designed in a lighter material and resistant to torsional stress, thus contributing to the reduction of the mass of the cycle.
• the design of the crankset according to the invention also has the advantage of directly mounting the axial end of the cranks on the cage of the frame, or on a piece attached to the cage of the frame, reducing the spacing between the two cranks, this which helps to reduce the dimensions of the tree and has the advantage of improving the ergonomics of the cycle and to free up the space occupied by the rider's ankles during a pedaling cycle, thus reducing the risk of injury.
• FIG. 1 represents in axial section a crankset according to the invention assembled on a cycle frame
• FIG. 2 represents an exploded view of the crankset alone, as represented in FIG. 1,
• FIG. 3 shows a partial section of a mounting mode of a pedal on a crank of the pedal according to the present invention.
• the bicycle pedal 1 object of the present invention is particularly intended for cycles like race bike, mountain bike, especially those used to perform competition or intensive use.
• the pedal 1, shown in Figure 1 is mounted on the frame 3 of the cycle and is rotated relative thereto along an axis of rotation 5 perpendicular to the longitudinal plane "P" of the frame 3 of the cycle, said plane “P" being, under normal conditions of use, with the sagittal plane of the cyclist when seated on the cycle.
• the crankset 1 consists of two cranks 7, 9 consist of a body 11, 13 acting as a lever arm when the cyclist pedal, an axial end 15, 17 disposed in the axis 5 of the pedal 1, and a radial end 19, 21 on which is fixed a pedal 23 such as that shown in Figure 3.
• the pedals used are those described in the patent in France FR 2846724.
• the cranks 7, 9 are arranged on either side of the plane "P" at an equal distance, and offset by one hundred and eighty degrees (180 °) with respect to each other along the axis rotation 5; the two cranks 7, 9 are therefore antisymmetric in the reference defined by the plane "P" and the axis of rotation 5.
• the crankset 1 also comprises at least one drive plate 25 of axis of rotation the axis 5 of the crankset; it comprises, for example, at least one toothed wheel 27, 29 on which meshes a chain or a transmission belt which drives in rotation at least one of the wheels of the cycle, preferably the rear wheel, during the rotation of the plate generated by the cyclist's pedaling.
• the plate 25 is disposed in a plane parallel to the plane "P" and is adjacent to one of the cranks 7, 9, preferably the right hand crank 9. In a preferred and nonlimiting mode, the plate used is the one that made the subject of the patent application in France FR 05.00505.
• cranks 7, 9 are secured and fixed to each other by a connecting shaft 31, shown in Figure 1, whose axis coincides with the axis of rotation 5 of the crankset 1; the attachment shaft is fixed at the axial ends 15, 17 of the cranks.
• the plate 25 is integral with the cranks 7, 9 and the connecting shaft 31, the fixing of the plate being carried out, in a preferred and nonlimiting mode, on one of the cranks.
• the assembly cranks 7, 9, connecting shaft 31 and plate 25 is integral and rotates at the same speed of rotation.
• the pedal 1 is remarkable in that it comprises means of assembly in pivot connection between the axial ends 15, 17 of the cranks 7, 9 and the frame 3. These assembly means are arranged so that the axial ends 15, 17 of the cranks 7, 9 receive the ends of the cage of the frame 3, said ends of the frame 3 being inserted into the axial ends 15, 17 of the cranks 7, 9, which allows on the one hand, the frame 3 to directly support the forces exerted on the cranks 7, 9, and on the other hand, to move the position of the axial ends 15, 17 and the bodies 11 of the cranks 7, 9, these being placed and integrated in the width of the cage of the frame 3.
• This design of the pedal has the function of transferring to the frame 3 the radial forces which are subjected to the radial ends 19, 21 of the cranks during pedaling.
• Such a design is remarkable in that it mechanically relieves the connecting shaft 31 by limiting the forces exerted on it during pedaling; indeed, the connecting shaft is freely mounted in the cage 33 of the frame 3 of the cycle and is subjected only to torsional stresses corresponding to the transfer of the tangential forces of at least one of the cranks on the
• the reduction of the stresses on the connecting shaft 31 of the crankset 1 to torsional stresses alone has the advantage of manufacturing said shaft 31 in a material lighter than steel, and it will be used in a preferential and nonlimiting mode an aluminum alloy which is suitably resistant to torsional stresses.
• cranks 7, 9 are assembled directly on the lateral ends 35, 37 of the frame 3, which makes it possible to reduce the length of the connecting shaft 31 which no longer has to support the cranks, these being supported by the frame 3, its only functions being to transmit the rotational movement on the plate 25 and to maintain fixed the cranks 7, 9 respecting a wedging angle between them.
• the connecting means in pivot connection of the cranks 7, 9 on the frame 3 are in a preferred and nonlimiting mode constituted by two rings 39, 41 for mounting on the frame 3, by bearings 43, 45, by the axial ends 15, 17, and by translation stop means cranks.
• the mounting rings 39, 41 are screwed onto the lateral ends 35, 37 of the frame 3.
• the lateral ends 35, 37 are threaded and the rings 39, 41 have a threaded first end 47, 49 which ends with a shoulder 51, 53.servant stopping on the frame 3, the second ends 55, 57 of the rings 39, 41 receive the internal stands 59, 61 of the bearings 43, 45 and therefore have a corresponding diameter, the cages 63, 65 of the bearings 43, 45 are in turn mounted in the axial ends 15, 17 of the cranks 7, 9, which have a bored form 67, 69 of diameter corresponding to that of the outer cage 63, 65 bearings for receiving said outer cage.
• the mounting conditions of the bearings 43, 45 in the bores 67, 69 and on the rings 39, 41 will preferably comply with the rules for fitting the bearings known to those skilled in the art.
• the connecting shaft 31 is constituted by the axial ends 15, 17 of the two cranks 7, 9 which extend towards the inside of the cage 33 of the frame 3 along the axis of rotation 5, the two extensions 71, 73 having coupling means 75, 77 for transferring the torsional force on the plate causing its rotation.
• These coupling means 75, 77 are preferably implemented by splines, one of the extensions 71 ending in the form of splined conical shaft 75 constituting the male part which cooperates with the female part constituted by the second extension 73 which terminates in the form of fluted conical hub 77.
• the translation stopping means of the cranks 7, 9 allow to maintain them assembled and coupled, ensuring proper fitting of the crankset 1 on the frame 3 of the cycle.
• These means are obtained by the extension 71 male of the axial end 15 of the crank 7, that is to say the shaft 75, said extension 71 being hollow and threaded on its inner portion 79 which receives a screw of stop 81 penetrating inside 83 of the female extension 73 of the axial end 17 of the second crank 9, that is to say the hub 77, the head 85 of the screw 81 bearing on a shoulder 87 made inside 83 of said extension 73, making it possible to keep the two axial ends 15, 17 clamped together when the screw 81 is assembled on the inner part 79.
• the pedal assembly comprises a preformed washer 86 shown in Figures 1 and 2 which makes it possible to constrain the bearings 43 and 45 and to absorb the different manufacturing tolerances of the frame 3 and the cranks 7 and 9.
• connection shaft 31 formed directly by the axial ends 15, 17 of the cranks 7, 9 contributes to reducing the amount of material used to design the pedal 1 object of the invention, and therefore tends to reduce its mass.
• connection shaft which fits completely inside the axial ends 15, 17 of the cranks 7, 9 and cooperates, in this case, with adapted and machined shapes thereon, performing the same functions as those described above.
• the axial ends 15, 17 comprise indexing means, not shown in the figures, which make it possible to angularly wedge the bodies 11, 13 of the cranks 7, 9 at one hundred and eighty degrees relative to one another.
• indexing means are, in a preferred and nonlimiting manner, constituted by the splines on the shaft 75 and on the hub 77, the splines on the shaft 75 having for example at least one tooth of different width from the other teeth and the grooves on the hub 77 having a hollow width corresponding to that of said tooth, this design requiring the said tooth to face said hollow to be able to mesh the grooves of the shaft 75 in those of the hub 77.
• the extension 71 on the axial end 15 of the crank 7 has an external diameter "Dl” which, in a preferred and non-limiting design, is equal to the external diameter "D2" of the extension 73 on the axial end 17 of the crank 9. These diameters "D1, D2" are smaller than the internal diameter "D3" on the rings 39, 41 to allow the frictionless insertion of the extensions 71, 73 inside said rings 39, 41.
• the plate 25 is mounted on the axial end 15, 17 of one of the cranks 1, 9 which comprises an outer diameter 88 with teeth 89 intended to receive the toothing 91 made inside the plate 25, said plate being stopped in translation by means of a clamping nut 93 which is screwed on the thread 95 also made on the outer diameter 88.
• This method of assembly is remarkable in that it leaves the possibility of adjusting the plate 25 angularly relative to the cranks 7 and 9.
• the toothing 91 of the plate 25 has the same pitch as the toothing 89 on one of the cranks 7, 9, these teeth 91, 89 having no polarizer to allow the modification of the setting of the plateau 25 relative to the cranks 7, 9 when said plate 25 is of non-circular shape in order to better adapt the setting of the pedal according to the morphology of the cyclist and its positioning on the cycle.
• This type of plate is, for example, described in the patent application FR 05.00505.
• the pedal 23 of the cycle are mounted in pivot connection 97, and by direct assembly on the radial ends 19, 21 of the cranks 7, 9; the pivot connection 97 being constituted by at least one bearing 99 which is mounted directly between the pedal 23 and the crank 7, 9.
• the end of the pedal ends with a hollow axis 101, the outer diameter 103 of the axis 101 receiving the inner race 105 of the bearing 99, the outer race 107 of said bearing being inserted into the bore 109 formed on the radial end 19, 21 of the crank 7, 9.
• the inner diameter 111 of the hollow shaft 101 of the pedal 23 is threaded and receives by screwing a stop screw 113 in translation of the pedal 23 on the bearing 99, the shoulder 115 on the axis 101 and the head 117 of the stop screw 111 being supported on the Lateral ends of the bearing 99 during the tightening of said screw 111.
• This design is remarkable in that it eliminates any additional assembly part, which therefore contributes to lighten the pedal 1 of the present invention.
• crankset within the reach of those skilled in the art may be envisaged without departing from the scope of the present invention.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Motorcycle And Bicycle Frame (AREA)
• Shafts, Cranks, Connecting Bars, And Related Bearings (AREA)
• Gears, Cams (AREA)
• Transmission Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=36778149

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

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• 2005
  • 2005-11-16 FR FR0511607A patent/FR2893303A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 2006
  • 2006-11-09 WO PCT/FR2006/002494 patent/WO2007057544A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2006-11-09 JP JP2008540646A patent/JP2009515767A/ja active Pending
  • 2006-11-09 CN CNA2006800476346A patent/CN101365620A/zh active Pending
  • 2006-11-09 EP EP06831094A patent/EP1957352A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2006-11-09 US US12/093,953 patent/US20090045600A1/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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