3905results about "Hubs" patented technology

A wheel assembly for a small-scale machine includes a pair of opposing, individually-driven wheels, associated motors and possibly one or more gear assemblies. The motors receive separate drive signals from a control electronics subsystem of the wheel assembly. The motors can be connected to the wheels via the gear assemblies. Because the wheels are separately driven, driving the two wheel assemblies at similar or different speeds drives the wheel assembly over straight or curved paths. An orientation assembly allows the orientation of the wheels to the machine to be controllably altered. A height adjusting assembly allows the distance between the wheels and a point on the machine where the wheel assembly is attached to be adjusted. The rotational axis that the wheel assembly rotates about when re-oriented need not pass through either wheel of the wheel assembly. The wheels can be driven by control signals generated by on-board control electronics.

A wheel support bearing assembly includes inner and outer members (1 and 2) and at least one row of rolling elements (3) operatively interposed between the inner and outer members (1 and 2) and an annular sealing device (5) sealing an open end of an annular space defined between the inner and outer members (1 and 2). The sealing device (5) includes first and second annular sealing plates (11 and 12) fitted to different members out of the inner and outer members (1 and 2). Each of the first and second sealing plates (11 and 12) includes a generally cylindrical wall (11a or 12a) and a radial wall (11b or 12b) assembled together to represent a generally L-shaped section. The first sealing plate (11) is fitted to one of the inner and outer members (1 and 2) that serves as a rotating member. An elastic member (14) mixed with a powdered magnetic material is bonded by vulcanization to the radial wall (11b) of the first sealing plate (11). A protective cover (18) made of a non-magnetic material is positioned on one side adjacent an exterior of the multi-pole magnet (14) with a predetermined air gap left therebetween that the number of revolution can be detected through the protective cover (18).

A journal for coupling a wheel to an axle is configured to be mounted in a bore of the wheel. The journal defines a reception space for receiving an axle. A locking element is pivotally mounted on the journal from a release position in which the axle is removable from the reception space and secured position in which a tooth of the locking element is engaged with a groove in the axle. When the tooth of the locking element is engaged in the groove withdrawal of the axle is prevented.

A construction is adopted in which an annular spacer 27 is held between first and second inner races 2a, 2b. An internal clearance in a double-row bearing unit is measured in a middle step of assembling work of a wheel supporting bearing assembly, and in the event that a resultant measured value does not become a proper value, an axial dimension of the spacer 27 is adjusted, so that the internal clearance becomes the proper value. Thereafter, the assembling work is made to continue until the assembling work is completed. A problem which is to be solved by the invention is solved in the way described above.

A ratchet mechanism for a bicycle hub includes a first hub member and a second hub member, wherein the first hub member and the second hub member are rotatable relative to each other. A pawl is supported by the first hub member, a ratchet tooth is supported by the second hub member, and a biasing mechanism is provided for biasing the pawl toward the ratchet tooth. A pawl control mechanism is responsive to relative rotation of the first hub member and the second hub member for allowing the pawl to contact the ratchet tooth when the first hub member and the second hub member rotate relative to each other in one direction and for preventing the pawl from contacting the ratchet tooth when the first hub member and the second hub member rotate relative to each other in an opposite direction.

A multi-functional active container (e.g., luggage or suitcase) with a plurality of sensors and actuators is described. The container may include a body defining an enclosure and having at least one opening. The container may include a processor, a wireless receiver, and an electronically controllable lock. The processor can selectively lock or unlock the electronically controllable lock based on signals received via a wireless receiver (e.g., via Wi-Fi or BLUETOOTH connections). In some examples, a distance between the active container and a remote device (e.g., a smart phone) can be determined (e.g., based on relative GPS signals or connection strength) and if the distance exceeds a threshold, the electronically controllable lock can be activated to secure the container. Further, the container may include a rechargeable power source for powering external devices and an integrated weight sensor for detecting the weight of the container.

An omnidirectionally moving wheel includes multiple rotating bodies and a wheel, wherein each rotating body has a flexibility to be able to bend a rotational axis, is bent to encircle an outer circumference of the wheel in a ring-like shape, and is compressed in a direction of the rotational axis of each rotating body to be disposed on the wheel in a manner to allow rotation centered around each rotating body's secured rotational axis extending along a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis of the wheel.

An axle assembly connecting a wheel assembly to a vehicle frame. The axle assembly includes a tubular body having first and seconds connectable to the vehicle frame and open-ended slots disposed proximate at least one of the first and second ends of the tubular body. An expansion element is engageable with the tubular body to radially deform the tubular body at a mounting point to the vehicle frame. This configuration provides a rigid connection between the axle assembly and the vehicle frame in both the linear and radial directions.

An axle assembly connecting a wheel assembly to a vehicle frame. The axle assembly includes a tubular body having first and seconds connectable to the vehicle frame and open-ended slots disposed proximate at least one of the first and second ends of the tubular body. An expansion element is engageable with the tubular body to radially deform the tubular body at a mounting point to the vehicle frame. This configuration provides a rigid connection between the axle assembly and the vehicle frame in both the linear and radial directions.

A sealing assembly for sealing a rolling bearing, between a first and a second bearing part, where the two bearing parts are rotatable relative to each other and form therebetween both an axial space and a radial space. The sealing assembly includes: A contact member having a mounting section for attachment and a ring-shaped contact section for positioning the contact member on the second bearing part, and a carrier mountable to the first bearing part and has an elastic member forming a first axial sealing lip and / or a radial sealing lip. The contact member and a radially extending portion of the second bearing part together form a first collecting channel, and that an opening leading into the first collecting channel should be at least partially defined by an end section of the contact member.

The invention relates to a manufacturing method for an aluminum alloy automobile hub, which comprises the following steps: (1) checking and accepting molten aluminum; (2) casting at low pressure; (3) detecting; (4) performing thermal treatment; (5) machining; (6) performing coating pretreatment; (7) spraying body powder; (8) performing thermal treating for spraying the body powder; (9) painting; and (10) performing thermal treating for painting. According to the manufacturing method provided by the invention, a feeding chain speed is reduced from 27 min / rack to 20 min / rack; the processing time is shortened; the production efficiency of a hub product is greatly increased; the capacity of thermal treating process is increased by near 1 / 4; equal property values of the product all meet a standard; and the ductility property of the product is promoted.

An enclosed operating characteristic sensing system for a bicycle includes a sensing arrangement for sensing one or more operating characteristics of the bicycle, and an emitter responsive to the sensing arrangement for emitting a signal from a first location on the bicycle to a receiver located in a second location on the bicycle. The emitter is contained within an interior defined by a component of the bicycle at the first location on the bicycle, and the bicycle component is constructed so as to enable the emitted signal to pass through the component for transmission to the receiver. The sensing arrangement may be configured to sense power applied by an operator of the bicycle to impart movement to the bicycle. The bicycle component may be a hub member forming a part of a driven wheel of the bicycle, and including a non-transmissive portion defining one or more openings, and a transmissive portion that occupies the one or more openings to enable the emitted signal to pass through the hub member for transmission to the receiver. The transmissive portion may be in the form of a reinforcing member that cooperates with the non-transmissive portion to reinforce the hub member.

There is disclosed a wheel hub or hub unit of the type having a radial hub flange (13) providing connection to the wheel (40) and to a brake member (10) having an annular disc portion having a plurality of ears (11) radially protruding from its inner edge. The hub flange (13) defines a plurality of axial passages, in the form of peripheral radial recesses (19) or bores (17, 17') for slipping a plurality of axial pins (30) to be fitted in holes (12) obtained in the brake member ears (11) and in openings (22) obtained in at least one radial wall (23) of a brake carrier (20) rotatably fast with the hub (14) to rotationally secure the brake member (10) to the hub. When the wheel (40) is mounted on the outside of the hub flange, axial movement of the pins towards the outside is stopped by the wheel.

To reduce the weight of the wheel support bearing assembly without sacrificing the strength, the wheel support bearing assembly for rotatably supporting a vehicle wheel relative to a vehicle body structure includes a hub axle (2) formed with a radially outwardly extending hub flange (12). This hub flange (12) has an inner peripheral portion and a remaining wall portion other than the inner peripheral portion, and the remaining wall portion thereof is constituted by a plurality of radially outwardly extending ribs (13) each formed with a bolt insertion hole (14). The hub axle (2) also includes a brake pilot area (16) extending outwardly from an outboard face of the hub flange (12) for guiding an inner peripheral surface of the brake rotor (41). At least the root diameter (D1) of at least an inboard face of each rib (13) is chosen to be equal to or smaller than the outer diameter (D2) of the brake pilot area (16).

A wheel support bearing assembly includes inner and outer members (1 and 2) and at least one row of rolling elements (3) operatively interposed between the inner and outer members (1 and 2) and an annular sealing device (5) sealing an open end of an annular space defined between the inner and outer members (1 and 2). The sealing device (5) includes first and second annular sealing plates (11 and 12) fitted to different members out of the inner and outer members (1 and 2). Each of the first and second sealing plates (11 and 12) includes a generally cylindrical wall (11a or 12a) and a radial wall (11b or 12b) assembled together to represent a generally L-shaped section. The first sealing plate (11) is fitted to one of the inner and outer members (1 and 2) that serves as a rotating member. An elastic member (14) mixed with a powdered magnetic material is bonded by vulcanization to the radial wall (11b) of the first sealing plate (11). A protective cover (18) made of a non-magnetic material is positioned on one side adjacent an exterior of the multi-pole magnet (14) with a predetermined air gap left therebetween that the number of revolution can be detected through the protective cover (18).

Improvements in torque transmitting wheels are disclosed. The improvements afford more balanced torque transmission as between the proximal spokes, adjacent to a torque transmitting member, such as a sprocket, sprocket cluster or disc for a brake, and the distal spokes which are opposite from the torque transmitting member. A wheel according to the present invention is provided with radially oriented proximal spokes and tangentially oriented distal spokes. This shifts the majority of the torque transmission task to the distal spokes which, in a torque transmitting wheel, are under less tension than proximal spokes under static conditions. A torque transmitting member is mounted on the hub, adjacent the proximal hub flange, and the distance from the proximal hub flange to a plane through the proximal edge of the rim is substantially less than the corresponding distance from the distal hub flange. The torque transmitting member is mounted so that, when it is rotated in a first direction, the rotation is always transmitted to the hub. A plurality of the spoke members radially connect the rim to the proximal hub flange while a second plurality thereof tangentially connect the rim to the distal hub flange so that more of any torque applied to the torque transmitting member is transmitted through the tangentially oriented, distal spoke members than through the radially oriented, proximate spokes.

A hub for bicycles, having an axle and a shell, two bearing units arranged substantially between the hub axle and the hub shell, and a rotor rotatably supported relative to the hub axle for receiving a sprocket the rotor, and a freewheel having two toothed disc units with biased tooth faces for transmitting the drive torque from the rotor to the hub shell. The two toothed disc units are disposed around the hub axle upon assembly, they are, at idle, disposed transverse to the hub axle. At least one toothed disc unit includes a toothed disc having a hole, a radial wall and an axial toothed wall, wherein an inner diameter of the hole is smaller at the axial wall than an inner dimension in the radial wall to form a receiving space at the toothed disc between the clear inner diameter of the axial wall and the radial wall.

Specially conceived for vehicles which have to be displaced over ferromagnetic surfaces, like the iron or steel walls of large tanks for example, it is incorporated by the combination of a hollow rim (1-1′) and a tyre (4) of an elastomer or similar material, which define a cylindrical chamber (8) inside which a magnetic annulus (9) runs, materialized in a permanent magnet of adequate strength, with the particularity that said magnetic annulus (9) has a substantially smaller diameter than that of the cited chamber (8), so that it is capable of carrying out a planetary motion inside the same, maintaining a permanently tangential condition with the tyre (4) at the point in which the latter is in contact at all times with the ferromagnetic surface over which the vehicle is displaced, achieving maximum adherence at said point. In this way it is managed to improve the grip of the wheel on said surface, overcome possible obstacles of the same, lighten the wheel and increase safety through not requiring an electricity supply.

A plastic wheel (22) and wheel mounting sleeve (27, 27a, 27b, 27c) used to releasably secure the wheel (22) onto an axle (23). The wheel mounting sleeve (27) preferably includes two resilient, radially displaceable, axially extending, cantilevered fingers (46, 47) which are cantilevered from and extend axially in opposite directions on the sleeve (27). An axle-engaging shoulder (42) is provided on a radially inwardly extending lug (55) on one finger (46), while a wheel-engaging shoulder (43) is provided on a radially outwardly extending lug (61) on the other resilient finger (47). The respective shoulders (42, 43) cooperate with oppositely facing shoulders (58, 62) so as to releasably latch the sleeve (27) to the axle (23) and the wheel (22) to the sleeve (27). Assembly can be accomplished without any tools and a screwdriver can be used to disassemble the components. Alternative sleeves (27a, 27b, 27c) include an annular rib (101) which mates with an annular bore recess (102) to further limit relative movement between the sleeve (27a, 27b, 27c) and the wheel (22).

A wheel-balancing weight mounts to a wheel with a flange. The weight has a weighted body and a clip securely attached thereto. The clip has a gripping section and the body has a gripping portion generally opposite the gripping section of the clip. The gripping section of the clip and the gripping portion of the body in combination define a compartment therebetween, where the compartment receives the flange therein when the weight is mounted thereto such that the gripping section of the clip and the gripping portion of the body are on opposite sides of the flange and grip the flange therebetween.