An easy-to-assemble waterproof derailleur

Abstract

This invention provides an easy-to-assemble waterproof derailleur, comprising a housing and a drive mechanism mounted on the housing. The drive mechanism includes a motor, a transmission assembly, and a worm gear. The housing is integrally formed and includes an annular vertical wall, a bottom wall, and at least one extension extending downward from the bottom wall. The annular vertical wall and the bottom wall together define a first chamber with an opening at the top within the housing. The opening is adapted to be sealed closed to prevent liquid from entering the first chamber. The positioning references for the motor, transmission assembly, and a pair of worm gears are all constructed on the housing to enable precise overall positioning of the drive mechanism. The transmission assembly is disposed inside the first chamber, and the motor, worm gear, and worm wheel are disposed outside the first chamber. The derailleur provided by this invention is easy to assemble, has high assembly precision, and good waterproof performance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of bicycle technology, and more particularly to a waterproof derailleur that is easy to assemble. Background Technology

[0002] The derailleur is a crucial component of a multi-speed bicycle, used to shift the chain between different sized chainrings to achieve gear changes. Existing derailleurs include manual derailleurs pulled by steel cables and electric derailleurs driven by motors. One existing electric derailleur's drive mechanism includes a motor, a gear assembly, and a worm gear mechanism. The motor drives the worm gear mechanism via the gear assembly, which in turn drives the connecting rod and chain guide to move, thus shifting the chain. In this type of electric derailleur, the transmission direction of the worm gear mechanism intersects with that of the gear assembly. The mounting base for the drive mechanism is often designed as a cavity structure with open upper and side sections. The gear assembly and worm gear mechanism are installed within this cavity structure. After sealing the upper and side sections of the mounting base, the top and side covers are assembled to complete the assembly. This design creates a three-dimensional sealing surface, making the assembly process complex, sealing difficult, and resulting in poor waterproofing of the derailleur.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to propose a new technical solution to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a waterproof chain derailleur that is easy to assemble.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution: an easy-to-assemble waterproof derailleur, comprising a housing and a drive device mounted on the housing, wherein the drive device includes a motor, a transmission assembly, and a pair of worm gears, wherein:

[0006] The outer shell is integrally formed and includes an annular vertical wall, a bottom wall, and at least one extension formed by the bottom wall extending downward. The annular vertical wall and the bottom wall together define a first chamber with an opening at the top within the outer shell. The opening is adapted to be sealed closed to prevent liquid from entering the first chamber.

[0007] The positioning references for the motor, transmission components, and a pair of worm gears are all constructed on the housing so that the drive unit can be precisely positioned as a whole.

[0008] The transmission assembly is located inside the first chamber, while the motor, worm gear, and worm wheel are located outside the first chamber.

[0009] Optionally, the motor is positioned on the bottom wall or the extension, the transmission assembly is positioned on the bottom wall, the worm gear is positioned on the extension, and the worm is positioned between the bottom wall and the extension.

[0010] Optionally, the housing has a first worm gear positioning part and a second worm gear positioning part, the first worm gear positioning part being constructed on the bottom wall and the second worm gear positioning part being constructed on the extension part.

[0011] Optionally, the first positioning part of the worm is a through hole formed on the bottom wall, and the second positioning part of the worm is a positioning groove formed on the extension part.

[0012] Optionally, the positioning axis of the motor and the positioning axis of the worm are parallel to each other, and their parallelism is less than 0.1.

[0013] Optionally, the positioning axis of the motor and the positioning axis of the worm gear are perpendicular to each other, and the perpendicularity between them is less than 0.1.

[0014] Optionally, an upper bearing sleeved on the upper end of the worm is installed in the through hole, and a lower bearing sleeved on the lower end of the worm is installed in the positioning groove.

[0015] Optionally, the bottom wall is integrally provided with a downwardly extending motor positioning seat, and the motor is mounted on the motor positioning seat.

[0016] Optionally, the derailleur includes an inner cover disposed in the first chamber, a lower connecting portion formed on the bottom wall, and an upper connecting portion corresponding to the lower connecting portion on the inner cover;

[0017] The transmission assembly includes multiple gears, which are connected to the upper and lower connecting parts via the upper and lower ends of a gear shaft, and are installed in the first chamber.

[0018] Optionally, the extension defines a second chamber with a side opening, the worm gear is disposed in the second chamber, the worm passes through the second chamber and is drively connected between the transmission assembly and the worm gear.

[0019] Optionally, the derailleur includes a side cover that covers the opening of the second chamber.

[0020] Optionally, the derailleur also includes a power supply device installed at the opening of the first chamber of the housing.

[0021] Optionally, a sealing ring is provided between the power supply device and the opening of the first chamber, and the sealing ring is pressed against the opening by the power supply device to achieve a seal.

[0022] The derailleur provided in this application has a housing comprising a bottom wall and an annular vertical wall, which together define a first chamber with an opening at the top. A transmission assembly is disposed inside the first chamber, and a motor and a worm gear are disposed outside the first chamber. The positioning references for the motor, the transmission assembly, and a pair of worm gears are all constructed on the housing. This arrangement makes the derailleur easy to assemble, provides high assembly accuracy, and allows the opening to be easily sealed, thus providing good waterproofing. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings of the embodiments will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below only relate to some embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit this application.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional assembly diagram of the derailleur of this application.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional exploded view of the derailleur of this application.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the derailleur display drive device of this application.

[0027] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A stereoscopic view from another perspective.

[0028] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 Another perspective on the stereoscopic view.

[0029] Figure 6 yes Figure 3 3D exploded view.

[0030] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of the housing of the derailleur in this application.

[0031] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of the housing of the derailleur in this application.

[0032] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 100-Derailleur; 1-Fixed base; 11-Outer shell; 101-First chamber; 102-Second chamber; 111-Bottom wall; 1111-Lower connecting part; 112-Annular vertical wall; 113-Motor positioning seat; 114-Extension part; 115-Through hole; 116-Lower positioning part; 12-Inner cover; 121-Upper connecting part; 13-Side cover; 14-Side bracket; 2-Chain guide; 3-Connecting rod; 31-First connecting rod; 32-Second connecting rod; 4-Drive; 40-Motor; 41-Transmission assembly; 411-Gear shaft; 42-Worm gear; 422-Lower bearing; 43-Worm wheel; 44-Derailleur; 45-Output shaft; 48-Electrical connector; 481-Plug; 5-Power supply device; 51-Battery; 52-Battery bottom cover; 6-Sealing ring. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0034] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this patent document shall have the ordinary meaning understood by a person skilled in the art to which this application pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this patent specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms "an," "a," or "the" do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms "comprising" or "including" indicate that the element or object preceding "comprising" encompasses the element or object listed following "comprising" or its equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. Terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships. When the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly. These terms are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0036] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0037] The following detailed description of some embodiments of this application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, features in the following embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0038] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in one embodiment of the easily assembled waterproof derailleur 100 provided in this application, the derailleur 100 includes a fixed base 1, a chain guide 2, a connecting rod 3, a drive device 4, and a power supply device 5. The fixed base 1 is adapted to be fixed to the bicycle frame. The connecting rod 3 includes a first connecting rod 31 and a second connecting rod 32, both of which are pivotally connected between the fixed base 1 and the chain guide 2. The drive device 4 is disposed in the fixed base 1 and is used to drive the connecting rod 3 and the chain guide 2 to move. The power supply device 5 is attached to the fixed base 1 and is used to provide electrical energy to the drive device 4. In one embodiment, the derailleur 100 is a front derailleur for bicycles.

[0039] Please see Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the derailleur 100 includes a housing 11. In this embodiment, the housing 11 forms part of the fixing base 1. In this embodiment, the housing 11 is a plastic part, integrally injection molded. In other embodiments, the housing 11 may also be a metal part, such as a die-cast aluminum alloy part, a machined part, etc. The housing 11 includes a bottom wall 111 and an annular vertical wall 112, the annular vertical wall 112 and the bottom wall 111 together defining a first chamber 101 with an opening at the top within the housing 11, the opening being adapted to be sealed closed to prevent liquid from entering the first chamber 101. In this embodiment, the first chamber 101 is a generally cuboid space, and the annular vertical wall 112 is a closed sidewall surrounding the circumference of the first chamber 101.

[0040] The outer casing 11 also includes a motor positioning seat 113 integrally extending downward from the bottom wall 111, for accommodating the motor 40 (as shown in the attached image) included in the drive device 4. Figure 6(As shown) Installation. The motor positioning seat 113 is cylindrical, and the bottom wall 111 has a shaft hole communicating with the interior of the cylindrical shape. The motor 40 is installed in the motor positioning seat 113, and the motor shaft of the motor 40 passes through the shaft hole and is connected to the transmission assembly 41 of the drive device 4.

[0041] Please see Figures 3 to 6 As shown, the drive device 4 includes a motor 40, a transmission assembly 41, a worm gear 42, and a worm wheel 43. The positioning references for the motor 40, the transmission assembly 41, and the pair of worm gears 43 and 42 are all constructed on the housing 11, enabling the drive device 4 to be precisely positioned as a whole. Specifically, the motor 40, the transmission assembly 41, and the worm gear 42 are positioned on the bottom wall 111. The transmission assembly 41 is disposed inside the first chamber 101, and the motor 40 and the worm gear 42 are disposed outside the first chamber 101. In this embodiment, the motor 40 is mounted in a motor mounting base 113 below the bottom wall 111, and the output shaft of the motor 40 passes through a shaft hole on the bottom wall 111 and connects to the transmission assembly 41. The transmission assembly 41 is a gear set, including multiple gears, each gear having a gear shaft 411 in its center, and the gears are directly mounted to the bottom wall 111 via the gear shaft 411. Please refer to [further details omitted]. Figure 8 As shown, in this embodiment, a plurality of lower connecting portions 1111 are formed on the bottom wall 111. Each lower connecting portion 1111 is a protruding post with a circular hole in the center. The lower end of the gear shaft 411 is correspondingly connected to the lower connecting portion 1111. The lower connecting portion 1111 can restrict the radial movement of the gear, but does not restrict the rotation of the gear. Corresponding to the lower connecting portion 1111, the derailleur 100 also has an upper connecting portion. Please refer to the following: Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the derailleur 100 includes an inner cover 12 covering the first chamber 101. The inner cover 12 is provided with an upper connecting part 121 corresponding to the lower connecting part 1111. The upper end of the gear shaft 411 is connected to the upper connecting part 121 so that the gear is installed in the first chamber 101.

[0042] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown, the outer casing 11 includes an extension 114 extending downward from the bottom wall 111. The motor 40 is positioned on the bottom wall 111 or the extension 114. The transmission assembly 41 is positioned on the bottom wall 111. The worm gear 43 is positioned on the extension 114. The worm 42 is positioned between the bottom wall 111 and the extension 114. In this embodiment, the extension 114 forms a second chamber 102 with a laterally open side. Figure 3 and Figure 8 As shown by arrows D1 and D2 in the figure, the opening of the first chamber 101 is oriented as shown by arrow D1 in the figure, and the opening of the second chamber 102 is oriented as shown by arrow D2 in the figure. The two orientations are approximately perpendicular, which includes both perpendicular orientation and the case of slight deviation from absolute perpendicular orientation.

[0043] The drive device 4 includes a worm gear 43 housed in the second chamber 102, and a worm 42 extending into the second chamber 102 and connected to the transmission assembly 41 and the worm gear 43. The outer casing 11 has a first worm positioning portion and a second worm positioning portion. The first worm positioning portion is constructed on the bottom wall 111, and the second worm positioning portion is constructed on the extension portion 114. In this embodiment, the bottom wall 111 has a through hole 115 for mounting the worm 42. The first chamber 101 and the second chamber 102 are separated by the bottom wall 111 and connected by the through hole 115. The through hole 115 constitutes the first worm positioning portion. A lower positioning portion 116 for positioning the lower end of the worm 42 is disposed in the second chamber 102. The lower positioning portion 116 is integrally formed with the bottom wall 111 and is a positioning groove. The positioning groove constitutes the second worm positioning portion. An upper bearing sleeved on the upper end of the worm 42 is installed within the through hole 115, and a lower bearing 422 sleeved on the lower end of the worm 42 is installed within the lower positioning part 116. In this embodiment, since the first chamber 101, the second chamber 102, the through hole 115 for positioning the upper and lower ends of the worm 42, and the lower positioning part 116 are all integrally formed from the outer shell 11, the transmission component 41, the worm 42, and the worm wheel 43 included in the drive device 4 are all mounted on the same component, which helps to reduce assembly errors and improve the transmission accuracy of the drive device 4. After the drive device 4 is assembled on the outer shell 11, the axial direction of the worm 42 is approximately parallel to the orientation of the opening of the first chamber 101. The approximately parallel orientation includes parallel alignment and a slight deviation from absolute parallel alignment. The positioning axis of the motor 40 and the positioning axis of the worm 42 are parallel to each other, and their parallelism is less than 0.1. The positioning axis of the motor 40 and the positioning axis of the worm gear 43 are perpendicular to each other, and their perpendicularity is less than 0.1. This configuration of parallelism and perpendicularity ensures transmission accuracy and prevents tooth breakage. The worm gear 43 is connected to an output shaft 45, on which a lever 44 is mounted. Rotation of the worm 42 causes the worm gear 43 to swing upwards or downwards. The worm gear 43 drives the output shaft 45 to rotate, thereby moving the lever 44. The lever 44 then moves the connecting rod 3 and the chain guide 2, thus achieving chain derailleurage.

[0044] Please see Figure 6As shown, the derailleur 100 includes a side cover 13 covering the opening of the second chamber 102 and a side bracket 14 disposed on the side of the outer shell 11 facing away from the side cover 13. The side cover 13 and the side bracket 14 are fixedly connected to the outer shell 11.

[0045] Please refer to it again. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the derailleur 100 includes a power supply device 5, which is installed at the opening of the first chamber 101 of the housing 11. A sealing ring 6 is provided between the power supply device 5 and the opening of the first chamber 101, and the sealing ring 6 is pressed against the opening by the power supply device 5 to achieve a seal. In one embodiment, the sealing ring 6 is a rubber ring. In this embodiment, the side wall of the first chamber 101 is a closed annular vertical wall 112, and the opening formed is in a plane, which facilitates the arrangement of the sealing ring 6 and provides a good sealing effect. In this embodiment, the power supply device 5 includes a battery 51 and a battery bottom cover 52. An electrical connector 48 is fixed at the opening of the first chamber 101 of the housing 11. The electrical connector 48 is plate-shaped and used to cover the opening of the first chamber 101. At the same time, the electrical connector 48 is provided with a plug 481 that can be inserted into the power supply device 5 to realize the electrical connection between the power supply device 5 and the drive device 4.

[0046] As can be seen from the above description of the specific embodiments, the derailleur 100 provided in this application has a housing 11 including a bottom wall 111 and an annular vertical wall 112. The bottom wall 111 and the annular vertical wall 112 together define a first chamber 101 with an opening at the top. The transmission assembly 41 is disposed inside the first chamber 101, and the motor 40 and the worm gear 42 are disposed outside the first chamber 101. The positioning references of the motor 40, the transmission assembly 41 and the pair of worm gears are all constructed on the housing 11. This arrangement makes the derailleur 100 easy to assemble, has high assembly accuracy, and the opening is easy to seal, thus having good waterproof performance.

[0047] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An easy-to-assemble waterproof derailleur, comprising a housing and a drive mechanism mounted on the housing, the drive mechanism comprising a motor, a transmission assembly and a pair of worm gears, characterized in that: The outer shell is integrally formed and includes an annular vertical wall, a bottom wall, and at least one extension formed by the bottom wall extending downward. The annular vertical wall and the bottom wall together define a first chamber with an opening at the top within the outer shell. The opening is adapted to be sealed closed to prevent liquid from entering the first chamber. The positioning references for the motor, transmission components, and a pair of worm gears are all constructed on the housing so that the drive unit can be precisely positioned as a whole. The transmission assembly is disposed inside the first chamber, and the motor, worm gear and worm wheel are disposed outside the first chamber. The positioning axis of the motor and the positioning axis of the worm gear are parallel to each other and their parallelism is less than 0.

1. The positioning axis of the motor and the positioning axis of the worm wheel are perpendicular to each other and their perpendicularity is less than 0.

1. The extension portion defines a second chamber with a side opening, the worm gear is disposed in the second chamber, the worm passes through the second chamber and is kinetically connected between the transmission assembly and the worm gear, and the derailleur includes a side cover covering the opening of the second chamber.

2. The derailleur as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The motor is positioned on the bottom wall or the extension, the transmission assembly is positioned on the bottom wall, the worm gear is positioned on the extension, and the worm is positioned between the bottom wall and the extension.

3. The derailleur as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The outer casing has a first worm gear positioning part and a second worm gear positioning part. The first worm gear positioning part is constructed on the bottom wall, and the second worm gear positioning part is constructed on the extension part.

4. The derailleur as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The first positioning part of the worm gear is a through hole formed on the bottom wall, and the second positioning part of the worm gear is a positioning groove formed on the extension part.

5. The derailleur as described in claim 4, characterized in that, An upper bearing, sleeved on the upper end of the worm, is installed in the through hole, and a lower bearing, sleeved on the lower end of the worm, is installed in the positioning groove.

6. The derailleur as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The bottom wall is integrally provided with a downwardly extending motor positioning seat, and the motor is mounted on the motor positioning seat.

7. The derailleur as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The derailleur includes an inner cover disposed in the first chamber, a lower connecting portion formed on the bottom wall, and an upper connecting portion corresponding to the lower connecting portion on the inner cover; The transmission assembly includes multiple gears, which are connected to the upper and lower connecting parts via the upper and lower ends of a gear shaft, and are installed in the first chamber.

8. The derailleur as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The derailleur also includes a power supply device, which is installed at the opening of the first chamber of the housing; a sealing ring is provided between the power supply device and the opening of the first chamber, and the sealing ring is pressed against the opening by the power supply device to achieve a seal.

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