GB2325712A

GB2325712A - Ball bearing assembly for a bicycle

Info

Publication number: GB2325712A
Application number: GB9710952A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jing-Chen Lin; Ming-Chang Lin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-05-29
Filing date: 1997-05-29
Publication date: 1998-12-02
Anticipated expiration: 2017-05-29
Also published as: GB2325712B; GB9710952D0; DE29711258U1

Abstract

A bearing assembly for a bicycle comprises a five-way pipe 1, a casing 2, an axle 3, an internally-threaded race ring 5, and two rows of balls. The five-way pipe comprises a female thread 11 formed at one end, and a conical face 12 at the other; correspondingly, the casing comprises a male thread 21 at one end and a conical face 22 at the other. In manufacture, the casing complete with axle, race ring and balls can be plugged into the five-way pipe easily, and fastened in by engaging the said male and female threads.

Description

TITLE:A MEAN AXIS OF BICYCLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention The present invention related to a mean axis of bicycle, and more particularly to an independent assembly that can be adjusted position on a five-way pipe easily and promptly with a low production cost in order to improve the competition capability in marketing.

(2) Description of Prior Art In accordance with conventional mechanism of the mean axis ofbicycle, as shown in Fig. 3, includes a five-way pipe 6, a sleeve 7, an axle 3, two ball bearings (balls 4 of it shown in drawing) and two plug screws 9. Wherein the axle 3 has two ball tracks 31, the five-way pipe 6 has two female threads 61, 62 formed at inner both ends ofthe main trunk for screwing the plug screw 9 in, and the plug screw 9 has a ball housing 91 formed at inside. In combining, the sleeve 7 put on the middle of the axle 3 are installed into the five-way pipe 6 together, the balls 4 are stuck into the ball housings 91 of the plug screws 9 respectively with consistent grease, then the plug screws 9 are screwed into the five-way pipe 6 from both sides respectively so that all parts inside the five-way pipe 6 are cated in order. Because a five-way pipe is pre-welded on the frame of the bicycle, the set-up procedure of it has to be processed in the fabrication production-line, so all parts, such as axle balls and so on, should be conveyed beside the production-line, then they are mounted in the five-way pipe one by one, and co-ordating to the sprocket or sprocket set on the rear wheel, adjusting the master chain wheel set makes the shifter work fluently. A high installing quality requirement will bring up reinstalling frequently further to take much working time and increase the production cost. If installation is out of balance, the axle will swing and out-beat. Therefore so much works should be done on one procedure, it takes much time and effort, and needs the worker on this post who has special techniques. In this case, it often causes a bottleneck phenomenon in the production-line, and changing worker will bring up the production-line stagnating.

For these sakes, a new independent mean axis assembly came out later, all parts of the mean axis just need to be assembled in an internal casing coupling at an other place beyond the production-line to form an independent assembly. The new independent mean axis assembly on the market so far, as showing of Fig. 4, includes a five-way pipe 6, a bushing 7, an axle 3, two ball bearings (balls 4 ofit shown in drawing), a retainer 5 and two retainer rings 8. Wherein the axle 3 has two ball tracks 31 at proper positions, the five-way pipe 6 has two female thread portions 61, 62 formed at inside of both ends of the main trunk, and two ball housings 71 72 are formed at the inside of the bushing 7 facing to the openings respectively, and the retainer ring 8 has a thread 81 formed at outer surface. In combining, the balls 4 are stuck into the ball housings 71 72 ofthe bushing 7 respectively with consistent grease, the axle 3 can be inserted through the bushing 7 with the free end, and screwing the retainer 5 on the axle from the free end to locate the all parts in the bushing 7 in order forming the mean axis assembly. On the production-line, the mean axis assembly is put into the five-way pipe 6, and fastened in it by screwing two retainer rings 8 on both ends respectively. So in the production-line, the mean axis assembly just need to install in the five-way pipe with a simple processing, the fabrication of the mean axis can be finished on the production-line.

But, due to increasing two retainer rings 8, this mechanism has still existed some shortcomings as following.

1. The amount of the parts are increased so that the production cost and processes are risen.

2. The transport fee and the stock fee are added.

3. Because the axle 3 has to be located before fastening with the retainer rings 8, the operaton of combining process has became very complicated.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore one object of this invention to provide an independent mean axis assembly that can be fastened into a five-way pipe by fixing only one end.

The feature of the present invention is to provide a five-way pipe having a cone at inside edge of one end and a female thread at inside of one end, corresponding to these, a casing coupling has a cone at one end and a male thread end at another end so that the casing coupling of the assembly can be installed, located and fastened into the five-way pipe easily and accurately and promptly without pre-locating process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a cross-section view showing a first operation of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-section view showing a second operation of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a cross-section view of a first prior art; Fig. 4 is a cross-section view of a second prior art.

Claims

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Fig. 1, the present invention includes a five-way pipe l, a casing coupling 2, an axle 3, balls 4 and a retainer 5. The axle 3 has a ball track 31, a washer 32, a spacer 33 and a ring 34, andthecasingcou- pling 2 has two ball housings 23, 24 formed nearing both ends respectively. The main feature is to have a female thread 11 formed at an inside end of the five-way pipe 1, a cone 12 formed at inner edge of the opposite end of the five-way pipe 1 as a retainer face, corresponding to the five-way pipe 1, a flange having a cone 22 at one end of the casing coupling 2 as a retainer face, a male thread 21 at the other end. In combining, the casing coupling 2 can be put into the five-way pipe 1, and fastened by screwing the threaded end on. All other parts of which related are installed into the casing coupling 2, the balls 4 are stuck into the ball housings 23, 24 of the casing coupling 2 respectively with consistent grease, the axle 3 can be inserted through the casing coupling 2 with the free end, and screwing the retainer 5 on the axle 3 from the free end locates the all parts in the casing coupling 2 co-operating with a washer 32, a spacer 33 and a ring 34 in order to combine the mean axis assembly. On the production-line, plug the assembly into the five-way pipe 1 to get the female thread 11 with the male thread 21, and screw the casing coupling 2 in until the two cone 12, 22 touching against together so that the assembly is located and fastened. Additionally, in the first operation, the mouth with the cone 12 ofthe five-way pipe 1 func- tioned as a bell, the diameter of outer rim is bigger than the inner rim, and the flange of the casing coupling 2 extends to the outside. In combining, the casing coupling 2 of the assembly plugs into the five-way pipe 1 form the mouth with the cone 12. Hence, in the mean axis manufacture, making a casing coupling 2 with a flange at one end machining a cone 22 on it can save processing of making two retainer rings 8, further to avoid some problems between the mean axis manufactory and the bicycle factory, like co-ordination, production-cost and so on. The second operation, as shown in Fig. 2, includes a five-way pipe 1, a casing coupling 2, an axle 3, balls 4 and a retainer 5. Wherein the axle 3 has a ball track at a proper position, the casing coupling 2 has two ball housings 23, 24 formed nearing both ends respectively. The retainer 5 has a female thread 51 formed at the inside of one end of the five-way pipe 1, a cone 12 formed at the inside edge of another end of the five-way pipe 1 as a retainer face, corresponding to the five-way pipe 1, a flange having a cone 22 side at one end of the casing coupling 2 as a retainer face, a male thread 21 at another end. In combining, the casing coupling 2 can be put into the five-way pipe 1, and fastened by screwing the threaded end on. The all other parts are installed into the casing coupling 2, the balls 4 are stuck into the ball housings 23 24 of the casing coupling 2 respectively with consistent grease, the axle 3 can be inserted through the casing coupling 2 with the free end, and screwing the retainer 5 on the axle 3 from the free end to locate the all parts in the casing coupling 2 in order to combine the mean axis assembly. On the production-line, plug the threaded end of the assembly into the five-way pipe l from the bell open to get the female thread 11 at another end, and screw the casing coupling 2 in until the two cone 12 22 touching against together so that the assembly is located and fastened. Furthermore, in the second operation, the mouth with the cone 12 of the five-way pipe 1 likes a counter bell, the diameter of outside rim is smaller than the inside rim , and the cone 22 of the casing coupling 2 corresponds to the cone 12 on the five-way pipe 1. In combining, the casing coupling 2 of the assembly plugs into the five-way pipe 1 form the mouth with the female thread 1 1. 11 Hence, in the bicycle factory, making the five-way pipe with a flange at one end machining a cone 22 on it can save processes of making two retainer rings 8, further to avoid some problems between the mean axis manufactory and the bicycle factory, like co-ordination, production-cost and so on. In one word, the present invention, by means of connecting the casing coupling to the five-way pipe directly, saves processes of making two retainer rings and avoids pre-locating process in mounting on the five-way pipe so that the production-cost is reduced, and the competition capability in marketing is improved. I CLAIM:

1. A mean axis of bicycle including a five-way pipe, a casing coupling, an axle, balls and a retainer; wherein the axle with two set of ball bearings that are located by the retainer nearing the both ends respectively is installed into the casing coupling, assembled casing coupling is mounted into the five-way pipe, the main feature is to have a female thread formed at the inside of one end of the five-way pipe, a retainer face formed at the inside edge of another end of the five-way pipe, corresponding to the five-way pipe, a retainer face formed at one end of the casing coupling, a male thread at another end; in combining, the assembled casing coupling is plugged into the five-way pipe easily, and fastened in by screwing the threads of them on.

2. The mean axis of bicycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retainer face of the five-way pipe corresponds to the retainer face of the casing coupling each other.

3. The mean axis of bicycle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the mouth with the retainer face of the five-way pipe likes a bell, the diameter of outside rim is bigger than the inside rim , and the retainer face of the casing coupling corresponds to the retainer face of the five-way pipe.

4. A hub of a bicycle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the retainer face of the five-way pipe comprises a counter bell shape in which the diameter of its axially outer rim is smaller than that of its axially inner rim, and the retainer face of the casing coupling is shaped to correspond to the retainer face of the five-way pipe.

4. The mean axis of bicycle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the mouth with the retainer face of the five-way pipe likes a counter bell, the diameter of outside rim is smaller than the inside rim and the retainer face of the casing coupling corresponds to the retainer face of the five-way pipe.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A hub of a bicycle comprising a five-way pipe, a casing coupling, an axle, balls and retaining race rings, the axle being installed into the casing coupling with one set of bearing balls located by a retaining race ring near to one end of the casing coupling and a second set of bearing balls located by a retaining race ring near to the other end of the casing coupling and the assembled casing coupling being mounted in the five-way pipe, wherein: the five-way pipe comprises a female thread formed at the inside of one end and a retainer face formed at the inside edge of another end; and the casing coupling comprises a male thread formed at one end and a retainer face formed at another end; such that the assembled casing coupling is inserted into the five-way pipe and fastened in by screwing the co-operating male and female threads together.

2. A hub of a bicycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retainer face of the five-way pipe corresponds to the retainer face of the casing such that the two retainer faces touch when the hub is assembled.

3. A hub of a bicycle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the retainer face of the five-way pipe comprises a bell shape in which the diameter of its outside rim is bigger than that of its inside rim, and the retainer face of the casing coupling is shaped to correspond to the retainer face of the five-way pipe.