JP2006341774A - Guide device and bicycle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a guide device capable of manufacturing a support arm for supporting a guide pulley in an approximately co-using state and achieving the further reduction of manufacturing cost. <P>SOLUTION: The guide device is provided with the guide pulley 31 engaged with a chain 27; the support arm 33 for rotatably supporting the guide pulley 31 through a pulley shaft 32; a unit case 35 as a mounting base mounted with the support arm 33; and a support shaft 34 for pivotably and pivotally supporting the support arm 33 on the unit case 35. A position restriction part 40 for restricting a pivot position of the support arm 33 is formed on the unit case 35 and a claw 33c engageable with the position restriction part 40 by being bent is formed on the support arm 33. Thereby, by a simple structure for only bending the claw 33c of the support arm 33 or not, a function for giving tension is given or is not given, to be put to a proper use. Thereby, one kind of a guide device 30 can be used in the approximately co-using state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a guide device and a bicycle including the guide device.

  2. Description of the Related Art An electric bicycle configured to be able to travel easily on a slope or the like by adding an auxiliary driving force of a motor driving unit generated by an electric motor to a human driving force generated by a person's stepping force from a pedal is already known.

  In many of the electric bicycles, a motor drive unit including the electric motor for generating an auxiliary drive force is disposed in the vicinity of a crankshaft on which a pedal is assembled. In this type of electric bicycle, a relatively heavy motor drive unit is placed at a low position in the center of the bicycle in the front-rear direction, making it easy to lift the front and rear wheels, even if there are steps on the road There are advantages such as good handling of the body of the electric bicycle and good running stability.

  In this type of electric bicycle, a drive that outputs an auxiliary driving force of an electric motor to a crank sprocket that is integrally fixed to a crankshaft to which a human driving force (a driver's stepping force) is transmitted via a pedal. The sprocket is arranged rearward, and the drive sprocket is arranged so that the drive sprocket meshes with the crank sprocket and moves downward, and then the drive sprocket engages in a posture to lift the lower chain. A guide device that is disposed further rearward of the chain and guides the chain is provided, and a guide pulley provided in the guide device guides the winding angle at which the chain meshes with the drive sprocket (for example, a patent) Literature 1 etc.). With this structure, the chain is engaged with the drive sprocket at a large winding angle so that the auxiliary driving force of the electric motor is transmitted to the chain satisfactorily.

  Usually, the guide device is also used as a tensioner for maintaining the chain tension in an appropriate state, and a support arm that rotatably supports the guide pulley is returned to a part of the unit case of the motor drive unit. A guide pulley is used as a so-called tension pulley.

  However, even in this type of electric bicycle, there is a type in which an exterior transmission is provided on the rear wheel, as in a general bicycle. However, in the electric bicycle having this exterior transmission, the guide device has a tension adjustment function. Is unnecessary. That is, the exterior transmission is arranged so as to face a plurality of rear wheel sprockets having different diameters attached to the rear wheel, and the guide pulley disposed below the rear wheel sprocket and the chain at the time of shifting are arranged. A tension pulley that absorbs slackness, and this tension pulley has a function of adjusting the tension of the chain. When the exterior transmission is provided in this way, the exterior transmission has a tension adjustment function, and therefore the tension adjustment function is not required in the guide device attached to the motor drive unit. Therefore, in this case, a support arm that rotatably supports the guide pulley is used in which a contact plate that contacts the unit case of the motor drive unit is fixed, and the contact plate is also attached to the unit case of the motor drive unit. What formed the position control part which consists of the uneven | corrugated | grooved part etc. which can be contact | abutted and can position-control a support arm is used. Then, the supporting plate of the support arm is brought into contact with the position restricting portion of the unit case, and the support arm is attached to the unit case without swinging.

  Thus, depending on the presence or absence of the exterior transmission, the tension adjustment function in the guide device attached to the unit case becomes unnecessary or necessary, and conventionally, as a unit case and a support arm, Two different types of structures were prepared, and suitable structures were selected according to circumstances.

  However, according to such a conventional configuration, not only two types of molds and the like for forming the support arm are required and an operation of welding the contact plate is required, but also the mold for forming the unit case is formed. Two types of molds and the like were required, which caused a significant increase in manufacturing costs.

In order to remedy such problems, the present inventors configured the unit case so that both a support arm that can swing so as to have a tension adjustment function and a support arm that does not have a tension adjustment function can be attached. In addition, a unit case having a common shape having a position restricting portion that can be fixed to a support arm having no tension adjusting function has been devised. By sharing the unit case in this way, only one type of mold or the like for forming the unit case is required, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.
JP 2001-63677 A

  However, as described above, even when the unit case is shared, the support arm that supports the guide pulley has a completely different shape, so that separate molds or welding operations are required. For example, the manufacturing cost could not be reduced.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-described problem, and a guide device that can be manufactured in a state in which a support arm that supports a guide pulley is close to a common state and can further reduce the manufacturing cost, and an electric motor including the guide device. The purpose is to provide bicycles such as bicycles.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a guide pulley that meshes with a driving force transmission cable body such as a chain, a support arm that rotatably supports the guide pulley via a pulley shaft, and an attachment to which the support arm is attached. A guide device that includes a base and a support shaft that pivotally supports the support arm on the mounting base, and guides the driving force transmission cable body in a predetermined posture. A position restricting portion for restricting the swing position of the support arm is formed, and a claw portion that can be engaged with the position restricting portion formed on the mounting base by being bent is formed on the support arm. It is a feature. In addition, the support arm and the mounting base are each formed with an engaging portion that engages with a return spring that urges the support arm to swing in the direction in which the driving force transmission cable body is stretched.

  In this configuration, when a guide device guides a driving force transmission cable body such as a chain to a predetermined posture and applies tension to the driving force transmission cable body (biased so that the driving force transmission cable body is stretched). Attaches the support arm to the mounting base in a swingable manner via a return spring without bending the claw portion. Accordingly, the driving force transmission cord can be guided to a predetermined posture by the guide device, and tension can be applied to the driving force transmission cord. When it is not necessary to apply tension to the driving force transmission cable body, the support arm is bent in a state where the claw portion of the support arm is bent and the claw portion is engaged with the position restricting portion of the mounting base. Attach to the mounting base. Thereby, the support arm can be attached in a fixed state without swinging. In this way, a simple structure that only determines whether or not the claw portion of the support arm is bent is used, and a driving force transmission cable is provided by interposing a return spring only when tension is applied to the driving force transmission cable body. The function of guiding the body can be used properly with or without the function of giving tension, and one type of guide device can be used in a state close to sharing. In addition, instead of selecting and using the support arm with the claw part not bent and the support arm with the claw part bent, all the claw parts of the support arm are bent in the manufacturing process of the guide device. In addition, when it is not necessary to apply tension, the bent claw portion may be cut and removed.

  Moreover, you may use this guide apparatus as a guide apparatus which guides the driving force transmission cable body of a bicycle to a predetermined attitude | position. In particular, it can be used for guiding the chain of the drive sprocket part of an electric bicycle so that the driving force transmission cable body can be satisfactorily engaged with the drive sprocket, whether it is installed or not. The same guide device can be used in a state close to sharing.

  As described above, according to the guide device of the present invention, the pawl that can be engaged with the position restricting portion by being bent by the support arm that rotatably supports the guide pulley that meshes with the driving force transmission cable body such as a chain. It is a simple structure that only forms whether or not the claw part of the support arm is bent. The function of applying tension can be used or not applied, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced as compared with the case where separate guide devices are provided.

  Also, it can be used favorably as a guide device for guiding a driving force transmission cable body of a bicycle, and in particular, when used for an electric bicycle, the same guide device can be used in a state close to sharing whether or not an exterior transmission is attached. Thus, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Hereinafter, a guide device according to an embodiment of the present invention and an electric bicycle equipped with the guide device will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 and the like, the electric bicycle including the guide device according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a head pipe 1, a front fork 2, a main frame 3, a standing pipe 4, and a hanger lug 5 (see FIG. 3). ), A frame body 10 including a chain stay 6, a back fork 7, and the like, a front wheel 11 rotatably assembled to a lower end portion of the front fork 2, and a head pipe 1 inserted from above to be integrated with the front fork 2. A handle stem 12 and a handle 13 assembled so as to rotate, a saddle 9 attached to an upper end portion of a seat post 8 inserted into the standing pipe 4, and a pedal 14 to which a manual driving force (stepping force) is applied is a crank 15 The crankshaft 16 attached via the shaft is rotatably supported, and an electric motor 17 that generates an auxiliary driving force and a speed reducer The structure 18, a motor drive unit 20 provided with a drive sprocket 19 for outputting an auxiliary drive force, a rear wheel 21 rotatably attached to the rear end of the chain stay 6, a standing pipe 4 and a rear wheel 21. A battery unit 22 disposed therebetween, and a crank sprocket 25 connected to the crankshaft 16 via a rotating shaft 24 having a one-way clutch mechanism 23 so as to be rotatable even when the crankshaft 16 is stopped. The rear wheel sprocket 26 assembled to the central shaft portion of the rear wheel 21, and the driving force transmission rope that transmits the manpower driving force from the crank sprocket 25 and the auxiliary driving force from the driving sprocket 19 to the rear wheel sprocket 26. The chain 27, the crank sprocket 25, the upper part of the chain 27, and the motor drive unit 20 from the side Has a such as cormorants cover 28.

  The motor drive unit 20 detects the pedaling force from the pedal 14 by a torque sensor 29 provided in the motor driving unit 20, and outputs an auxiliary driving force from the driving sprocket 19 according to the pedaling force. The driving force and the auxiliary driving force are combined and transmitted to the rear wheel 21 side via the chain 27, so that the vehicle can travel easily on a slope. In addition, a one-way clutch mechanism 39 is also interposed in the speed reduction mechanism 18 so that when the electric motor 17 is not driven, a load from the electric motor 17 side on the chain 27 does not act. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the unit case 35 that forms the outer shell portion of the motor drive unit 20 includes a motor case portion 35 a that covers the portion of the electric motor 17, and a bicycle traveling direction other than the motor portion. The left case portion 35b that covers the portion that becomes the left side and the right case portion 35c that covers the right portion are used, which are connected to each other with bolts and the like, but are not limited thereto. It is not a thing. Further, the motor drive unit 20 is fixed to the hanger lug 5 in the frame body 10 and its vicinity via the support brackets 41 and 42.

  Also in this electric bicycle, the motor drive unit 20 is arranged at the position where the crankshaft 16 is located and the vicinity thereof, which is a low position of the center part in the front-rear direction of the electric bicycle. Further, the drive sprocket 19 is disposed at a rear position in the vicinity of the crank sprocket 25, and when traveling, the chain 27 for transmitting the driving force is engaged with the crank sprocket 25 and moved from the upper side to the lower side, and then the drive sprocket 19 Thus, the lower portion of the chain 27 is lifted. Further, a guide device 30 for guiding the chain 27 is disposed further rearward of the drive sprocket 19, and the chain 27 lifted by the drive sprocket 19 is pushed down by a guide pulley 31 provided in the guide device 30 to drive the chain 27. The sprocket 19 is guided so that the winding angle with which the chain 27 is engaged increases.

  Here, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an electric bicycle of a type that does not have an exterior transmission (however, it may be a type that has an internal transmission inside a rear wheel hub). As shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7A, and 8A, a guide device 30 provided in an electric bicycle that does not have an exterior transmission includes a sprocket-shaped guide pulley that meshes with a chain 27. 31, a support arm 33 that rotatably supports the guide pulley 31 via the pulley shaft 32, an attachment base to which the support arm 33 is attached, and a support shaft portion that rotatably attaches the support arm 33 to the attachment base 34, and a return spring 38 that is interposed between the support arm 33 and the mounting base and urges the support arm 33 to swing in the direction in which the chain is stretched. In the present embodiment, the unit case 35 that forms the outer shell portion of the motor drive unit 20 is configured to function as the mounting base, and the support shaft portion 34 is inserted into the unit case 35. The fixed boss 36 is integrally formed so as to protrude in a cylindrical shape to the side. The support arm 33 is formed by punching a flat metal plate into a predetermined shape so that the same shape portions including the insertion hole 33a of the pulley shaft 32, the insertion hole 33b of the support shaft portion 34, and the arm portion face each other. It is formed in a rectangular shape. In particular, a claw portion 33c is integrally formed so as to extend in a direction opposite to the insertion hole 33a of the pulley shaft 32 from a portion that contacts the boss 36. The return spring 38 is a helical spring and is arranged so as to be loosely fitted to the boss 36 from the outer periphery, and both end portions thereof are engaged as engaging portions formed on the support arm 33, respectively. The hole 33d is inserted into and engaged with an engagement hole 35d as an engagement portion formed in the unit case 35. In this embodiment, two support holes 33 d are formed in the support arm 33. Further, in the unit case 35 as the mounting base, as will be described later, when a claw portion 33c provided on the support arm 33 is bent, a position restriction for engaging the claw portion 33c from both sides is provided. The wall portion 40 is integrally formed so as to stand from the case portion.

  With such a configuration, the support arm 33 of the guide device 30 is biased in the direction in which the chain 27 is stretched by the biasing force of the return spring 38, and the end surface of the boss 36 is centered on the support shaft portion 34. In a state where it is in sliding contact with, it is swingably arranged.

  Thus, the guide device 30 guides the chain 27 so as to mesh with the drive sprocket 19 at a large winding angle. In addition, the guide device 30 prevents a slack or the like from being generated by always applying a good tension to the chain 27. As a result, not only the driving force due to the pedaling force from the pedal 14 is transmitted well to the chain 27, but also the auxiliary driving force output from the motor drive unit 20 is transmitted well to the chain 27, so that the vehicle can travel comfortably on a slope. . In this embodiment, one end of the return spring 38 is selected from one of the two engagement holes 33d provided in the support arm 33 and engaged with the end of the return spring 38 from the guide pulley 31 of the guide device 30. 27 can adjust the strength of the tension.

  The attaching operation of the guide device 30 to the motor drive unit 20 is performed as follows. First, the return spring 38 is externally mounted on the boss 36 while one end of the return spring 38 is inserted into the engagement hole 35d of the unit case 35, and the guide pulley 31 is rotatably attached via the pulley shaft 32 in advance. The arm 33 is placed on the boss 36 while the other end of the spring 38 is inserted into one of the engagement holes 33d, and the support shaft 34 is screwed into the boss 36 through the insertion hole 33b of the support arm 33 in this state. The support arm 33 is attached to the unit case 35. A nut may be provided on the back surface of the boss 36 in the unit case 35, and the tip of the support shaft portion 34 may be screwed into the nut.

  Next, FIGS. 10 and 11 show an electric bicycle of the type having an exterior transmission 50. As shown in FIG. 10, in this type of electric bicycle, a plurality of rear wheel sprockets 26 having different diameters are attached to the rear wheel 21, and an exterior transmission 50 is attached in the vicinity thereof. The exterior transmission 50 is driven by a guide pulley 51 disposed below the rear wheel sprocket 26, a tension pulley 52 that absorbs slackness of the chain 27 at the time of shifting, and a wire connected to an operating lever for shifting. The guide pulley 51 and the tension pulley 52 are moved in the direction in which the rear wheel sprockets 26 are arranged by the moving mechanism 53, so that the rear wheel sprocket 26 with which the chain 27 is engaged. Is switched to shift the speed. The tension pulley 52 of the exterior transmission 50 has a function of adjusting the tension of the chain 27.

  Therefore, when the exterior transmission 50 is provided as described above, the guide device 30 attached to the motor drive unit 20 does not need a function of adjusting the tension with respect to the chain 27.

  Correspondingly, in the electric bicycle guide device 30 provided with the exterior transmission 50 in this manner, the support arm 33 and the guide pulley 31 are attached as shown in FIGS. There is no return spring 38 that provides force. However, the same parts are used for other parts. That is, the guide device 30 is also provided with the same guide pulley 31, pulley shaft 32, support arm 33, unit case 35 as a mounting base, and support shaft portion 34 as described above. The claw portion 33c is bent toward the unit case 35 side. Then, the claw portion 33 c of the support arm 33 is attached in a state of being engaged with the position restricting wall portion 40 formed in the unit case 35. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the position restricting wall portion 40 stands so as to be sandwiched from both sides with respect to the abutting surface portion 40 a against which the tip of the claw portion 33 c is applied and the swinging direction of the support arm 33. The support arm 33 is supported in a stable posture on the boss 36 of the unit case 35 and the contact surface portion 40a. The swinging of the support arm 33 around the shaft portion 34 is prevented and restricted by the first and second standing wall portions 40b and 40c.

  Although the swing of the support arm 33 and the guide pulley 31 is restricted by fixing the position of the support arm 33, the chain 27 is wound around the drive sprocket 19 at a large winding angle by the guide pulley 31 of the guide device 30. The auxiliary driving force that is guided so as to mesh with each other and output from the motor drive unit 20 is transmitted to the chain 27 satisfactorily.

  The attaching operation of the guide device 30 to the motor drive unit 20 is performed as follows. The support arm 33 to which the guide pulley 31 is rotatably attached via the pulley shaft 32 in advance is placed in a state where the bent claw portion 33c abuts against the abutment surface portion 40a of the position regulating wall portion 40. 36. Then, the support shaft portion 34 is screwed into the boss 36 through the insertion hole 33 b of the support arm 33, and the support arm 33 is attached to the unit case 35.

  According to the above configuration, only whether or not the claw portion 33c of the support arm 33 is bent (or, as described above, the claw portion 33c may be excised as necessary). Since a simple structure is adopted, the tension is added to the function of guiding the chain 27 by interposing the return spring 38 only when the tension is applied to the chain 27 regardless of whether the exterior transmission is attached or not. The function to be given can be given or not given, and one type of guide device 30 can be used in a state close to sharing. Therefore, the support arm 33 of the guide device 30 can also be manufactured using the same mold, and thereafter, it is only necessary to add a step of bending the claw portion 33c as necessary. Therefore, the manufacturing cost can be reduced as compared with the conventional case where separate guide devices are provided.

  In the above embodiment, the case has been described in which the guide device 30 can guide the chain 27 around the driving sprocket 19 that outputs the auxiliary driving force of the electric bicycle to the outside so that the chain 27 can be wound around at a large winding angle. For example, it is possible to use a guide device having a similar structure for a general bicycle. Even in this case, the chain can be held in a good posture or the tension can be kept moderate ( If you do not have an exterior transmission). Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to other structures having a power transmission chain that may or may not require tension adjustment. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case where the chain 27 is used as the driving force transmission rope has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a structure that transmits the driving force using a driving force transmission rope such as a toothed belt. It is also applicable to.

  The guide device of the present invention can be satisfactorily assembled to a structure having a driving force transmission cord such as a chain of a bicycle, particularly an electric bicycle, but is not limited thereto, and the driving force transmission cord is good. It can be used for structures that need to be guided or tensioned.

Overall side view of an electric bicycle (without an exterior transmission) provided with a guide device according to an embodiment of the present invention Side view showing the rear from the center of the electric bicycle The perspective view which shows the attachment state of the motor drive unit of the electric bicycle Schematic plan sectional view of the motor drive unit of the electric bicycle Side view of the unit case of the electric bicycle and its vicinity An exploded perspective view of the unit case and support arm of the electric bicycle (A) is a perspective view of the guide apparatus of the electric bicycle which does not have an exterior transmission, (b) is a perspective view of the guide apparatus of the electric bicycle which has an exterior transmission. (A) is a perspective view of the support arm of the guide apparatus of the electric bicycle which does not have an exterior transmission, (b) is a perspective view of the support arm of the guide apparatus of the electric bicycle which has an exterior transmission. Perspective view of main part of unit case of the guide device The side view which shows the rear part from the center part of the electric bicycle (those which have an exterior transmission) provided with the guide apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention Side view of the unit case of the electric bicycle and its vicinity An exploded perspective view of the unit case and support arm of the electric bicycle

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Frame body 11 Front wheel 16 Crankshaft 17 Electric motor 19 Drive sprocket 20 Motor drive unit 22 Battery unit 25 Crank sprocket 21 Rear wheel 26 Rear wheel sprocket 27 Chain (drive force transmission rope)
29 Torque sensor 30 Guide device 31 Guide pulley 32 Pulley shaft 33 Support arm 33c Claw portion 33d Engagement hole (engagement portion)
34 Support shaft 35 Unit case (mounting base)
35d engagement hole (engagement part)
36 Boss 38 Return spring 40 Position restriction wall (position restriction)
50 exterior transmission 51 guide pulley 52 tension pulley 53 moving mechanism

Claims (5)

A guide pulley that meshes with a driving force transmission cable body such as a chain, a support arm that rotatably supports the guide pulley via a pulley shaft, an attachment base to which the support arm is attached, and a support arm as an attachment base A guide device that guides the driving force transmitting cable body in a predetermined posture, and for restricting the swing position of the support arm on the mounting base. The guide apparatus which formed the nail | claw part which forms a position control part and can be engaged with the position control part formed in the said attachment base by being bent by the said support arm. The guide device according to claim 1, wherein the support arm and the mounting base are each formed with an engaging portion that engages with a return spring that urges the support arm to swing in a direction in which the driving force transmission cable body is stretched. A bicycle comprising the guide device according to claim 1. The bicycle is an electric bicycle provided with a motor drive unit that generates an auxiliary drive force to be added to the human drive force. A unit case of the motor drive unit is used as a mounting base, and a guide pulley can be freely rotated on the unit case. The bicycle according to claim 3, wherein a supporting arm for supporting the bicycle is attached. 5. The driving force transmission cable body is guided by a guide pulley of the guide device so as to increase a winding angle with which the driving force transmission cable element meshes with respect to a driving sprocket that outputs an auxiliary driving force from the motor driving unit. Bicycle described in.

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