RU2744996C1 - Chain tension controller for two-wheeled bicycles with manual drive - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: machine building.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to machine building, particularly, to chain tensioners for two-wheeled bicycles with vertical manual drive. Controller includes a post and a roller. Guide and a rod are attached to the post. Rod on one side is connected with roller, and on other side protrudes beyond guide and is equipped with spring.

EFFECT: higher reliability of the structure is provided.

4 cl, 4 dwg

Description

Chain tension controller for two-wheeled bicycles with a manual drive The invention relates to the field of vehicles with a muscle drive, namely to a chain tension controller for two-wheeled bicycles with a manual drive. There are several ways to tension the chain.

1. The classic method (single tension), when the chain is tensioned using special guides (cocks), which are attached to the rear wheel axle. These guides have a tilted-horizontal position for pulling the wheel back and, accordingly, tensioning the chain along the axis of the drive.

2. The modern method (pulling), when the chain is pulled outward from the drive axle using an additional device - a speed selector (derailer), in a multi-star system, or a chain tensioner in a single-star system. There are no long cocks in such bicycles and the rear wheel axle fits into short grooves without adjustment. The principle of operation of the tensioners is as follows - the chain of an increased length passes through one or two sprockets of the tensioner, which is usually attached to the axle of the rear wheel. With the help of a spring or fixed, the tensioner is pulled back, tightening the lower section of the chain with a reverse motion.

3. Method for a bicycle with a manual drive (pulling). To mount the wheel, the front fork stems (dropouts) are used. The wheel axle fits into short grooves. Tensioning is carried out using a controller that pulls the reverse section of the chain to the axis of rotation of the drive.

Known chain tensioner (RU 2480367, publ. 04/27/2013), containing a chain and sprockets with a device for attaching them to the support. The tensioner is made in the form of a magnet of any type and shape. With the vertical arrangement of the sprockets and the chain, the magnet is placed between the branches of the chain in the required position thanks to the use of a movable rod and a boss. The rod is fixed vertically with a screw, and the boss is fixed in the support horizontally. With the horizontal arrangement of the sprockets and the chain, one magnet is located above both branches of the chain at the driving sprocket, and the other magnet is fixed above both branches of the chain at the driven sprocket. The magnets are spatially located between the sprockets.

The disadvantage of this technical solution is the used method of tension - due to the magnet. The force of attraction of the chain in the drive, sufficient to tension it, control it and keep it from slipping, must be significant, which will require the use of oversize magnets. This will increase the overall weight of the bike and adversely affect its functionality.

Known tensioner (RU 2053154, publ. 27.01.1996) used in a bicycle. This bicycle contains a wheel frame carrying a pedal drive and a chain drive with rollers of the chain tensioner, the axes of rotation of its pedals and rollers are spatially oriented, and the projection of these axes on the plane of their rotation forms the vertices of a triangle, inside which there is a similar projection of the axis of rotation of the driving wheel of the bicycle.

The disadvantage of this tensioner is its too complex design, which makes it difficult to use it in a vertical drive with a drive wheel fastening to elongated dropouts. Also, the disadvantage of the above analogue can be attributed to excessive functionality, focused on gear shifting and foot pedaling.

A standard bicycle derailleur or derailleur is known (Callers, tensioners, chain limiters // Velo1000 website URL: http://velo1000.ru/index.php/component/virtuemart/uspokoiteli-natyazhiteli-ogranichiteli-ts access date - 03.08 .2020), which is used in hand-bye for people with disabilities, but there it performs a double task - shifting gears and at the same time controlling vibration. The use of this derailleur as a vibration damper in a handbike assumes a similar design to a bicycle, in particular the horizontal inclination of the chain and the rigid front-wheel drive design. The three-wheel design and horizontal riding position also allow the use of this tensioner.

A derailleur or derailleur used in bicycles with a multi-star rear hub was chosen as a prototype of the chain controller (depressors, tensioners, chain limiters // Velo1000 website URL: http://velo1000.ru/index.php/component/virtuemart/ uspokoiteli-natyazhiteli-ogranichiteli-tsepi, date of access - 03/08/2020), as well as the chain tensioner and damper used in conventional bicycles with a one-star rear hub. Depending on the type of bike, such devices have a different design and are installed in different places of the frame:

- universal speed switch for different types of bicycles on the rear hub axle;

- chain dampers (one- and two-roller) for road bikes on the rear hub axle;

- chain tensioner (single roller) for stunt bikes on the rear hub axle.

All of the above devices are designed to interact with a chain located between the major and minor stars on the horizontal axis. The entire drive system - pedal carriage, large sprocket, rear chain stays, rear sprocket wheel are rigidly fixed frame structure. The distance between the axes of the large and small stars is minimized. Tensioning principle - pulling the chain along or from the horizontal axis. The use of such structures will lead to periodic sagging of the chain during movement, in addition, in such structures it does not provide damping of vibration that occurs during the taxiing process.

In a two-wheeled bicycle with a manual drive, the use of such solutions is impossible due to a fundamentally different drive design, namely, the location of the large and small sprocket is along the inclined vertical axis and, accordingly, the vertical tension of the chain between them. The entire drive system - pedal carriage, large sprocket, stem, fork, front wheel with a sprocket is a modular structure that simultaneously steers and generates torque. The distance between the stars in the drive is much greater (almost 2 times) than in a conventional bicycle.

A technical challenge is the need to develop a chain tension controller for hand-driven two-wheeled bicycles.

The technical result consists in increasing the efficiency of chain tensioning in two-wheeled bicycles with a hand drive and reliability during operation.

The technical result is achieved in that in the chain tension controller for bicycles with a manual drive, including a stand and a roller, according to the invention, a guide and a rod included in it are attached to the rack, on the one hand connected to the roller, and on the other hand protruding beyond the guide and equipped with spring.

The above design provides: constant and at the same time optimal chain tension, damping vibrations in the chain, as well as versatility for different types of manual bicycles with a one-star hub on the drive wheel. In contrast to the known designs, implying "tension" of the chain along the axis of the drive, or "pulling" from the axis of the drive, the claimed device provides "attraction" of the chain to the axis of the drive, which further improves the contact of the large and small stars with the chain. These features combine to improve the efficiency and reliability of chain tension in hand-driven two-wheeled bicycles.

The claimed device includes a tensioner post 1, which can be of different configurations and is equipped with attachment elements to the dropout 2, to the front fork 3 or directly to the axle of the drive wheel, depending on the design of the bicycle. As a method of fastening, it is preferable to use a screw connection (not shown in the drawing) through the fastening holes 4. A guide 5 in the form of a hollow tube is attached to the post 1. A running rod 6 of a similar sectional shape is inserted into the guide 5, to which the roller 7 is attached at one end, and the other end protrudes beyond the guide and passes through the spring 8 (the controller uses a tension spring type). Rod 6 and guide 5 are proportional to ensure the stroke reserve of the rod when the spring is stretched 8. To stop the spring from the end of the rod, there is a stop washer 9 held by a screw 10. To stop the spring 8 from the side of guide 5, there is a second stop washer 9 (preferably fixed to the guide five). To connect the roller with the running rod, there is a connecting bar 11, with the possibility of adjusting the position of the roller in the horizontal plane for precise interaction with the chain, for this there is a slot 12 in the bar for the screw 13, which fixes it at the end of the running bar. The roller 7 is attached to the bar 11 using a standard attachment used in derailers 13. Also shown in the drawing is the chain 14 and the hub sprocket 15. In a preferred embodiment, the roller 7 is in the form of a star used in derailers.

The inventive chain tension controller works as follows.

The controller is attached to the dropout 2 from the hub sprocket side by means of mounting screws and corresponding holes 4 on the rack 1. A different rack design allows the controller to be attached directly to the front fork tube 3 or to the drive wheel axle. The user inserts the front drive wheel hub axle into the dropout slots on the front drive fork as far as it will go. The next step is to align the links of the slack chain with the teeth of the hub sprocket. Next, the user pushes the travel rod 6 in the direction opposite to the drive fork 3, thereby compressing the spring 8, grabs the chain with a reverse stroke 14 by the roller 7 and then stops exerting pressure. The tension spring 8 pushes the running rod 6 in the opposite direction and pulls the chain 14 to the drive to the optimum level of its tension. During the operation of the bicycle, the spring 8 also compensates for the short-term sagging of the chain 14, resulting from the deflection of the drive under the influence of various dynamic and shock loads. In addition to the above, the design of the tensioner and the principle of its placement on the drive eliminates the longitudinal and lateral vibration of the chain during movement, which results in frequent slipping of the chain from the bushing sprocket.

The claimed invention is illustrated by example.

To assess the effectiveness of chain tension, sample 1 was collected, corresponding to the claimed device, and sample 2, which was based on the design features of the prototype device.

Both units were mounted on identical hand-operated two-wheeled bicycles. In this case, the process of tensioning the chain when installing the device for sample 1 took much less time. During 30 minutes of operation of the bike with sample 1, the chain did not fall off, while on the bike with sample 2 the chain fell off several times and, in general, the user noted discomfort when moving.

Thus, the claimed chain tension controller for hand-driven two-wheeled bicycles provides improved chain tensioning efficiency in hand-driven two-wheeled bicycles.

Claims (4)

1. A chain tension controller for two-wheeled bicycles with a vertically positioned manual drive, including a stand and a roller, characterized in that a guide and a rod included in it are attached to the rack, on one side connected to the roller, and on the other side protruding beyond the guide and equipped with spring. 2. The chain tension controller for two-wheeled bicycles with a manual drive according to claim 1, characterized in that the roller is connected to the rod through a connecting bar, which provides the ability to adjust the position of the roller in the horizontal plane for precise interaction with the chain. 3. The chain tension controller for two-wheeled bicycles with a manual drive according to claim 1, characterized in that the rod is equipped with a limiting washer located at its edge and providing the spring stop. 4. The chain tension controller for two-wheeled bicycles with a manual drive according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide is equipped with a limiting washer located on the side of the spring and providing its stop.

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