Arrangement for actuating a pawl to shift a gear in a bottom bracket gearbox of a bicycle or pedelec.

Abstract

An arrangement for actuating at least one pawl (1) for locking or releasing a rotatable transmission component (2) for shifting a gear in a bottom bracket gearbox (3) of a bicycle or pedelec (4) is proposed, wherein the pawl (1) can be actuated via a first rotatably controlled cam ring (5) to engage a locking tooth (6) of the transmission component (2), wherein the transmission component (2) is associated with at least one friction brake which can be actuated via a second rotatably controlled cam ring (7), wherein the first cam ring (5) and the second cam ring (7) each have a cam track (8, 9) along their outer circumference for actuating the pawl (1) and the friction brake. Furthermore, a bottom bracket gearbox (3) with at least one arrangement and a bicycle or pedelec (4) with the bottom bracket gearbox (3) are proposed.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an arrangement for actuating at least one pawl for locking or releasing a rotatable gear component for shifting a gear stage in a bottom bracket gear of a bicycle or pedelec according to the type defined in more detail in the preamble of patent claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a bottom bracket gear with the arrangement and to a bicycle or pedelec with the bottom bracket gear.

[0002] For example, from the publication DE 10 2019 220 044 A1, a bottom bracket transmission with an arrangement for actuating at least one brake switching element is known. The brake switching element comprises an actuatable brake or locking pawl, which, when closed or engaged, connects a transmission component to a housing of the bottom bracket transmission. To actuate the brake switching element or the locking pawl, a rotatably mounted shift drum with a cam track as a shift gate is assigned to the locking pawl, pivoting the locking pawl depending on the course of the cam track to lock or release the transmission component.

[0003] Further actuating arrangements for friction brakes or pawls are disclosed in the documents DE 10 2013 208 220 A1, DE 10 2022 201 130 B3 and DE 10 2022 201 482 B3.

[0004] The present invention is based on the object of proposing an arrangement for actuating a pawl and a bottom bracket gear with the arrangement as well as a bicycle or pedelec with the bottom bracket gear, in which a safe and at least with regard to the switching feel and the switching acoustics improved actuation of the pawl is realized.

[0005] This object is achieved according to the invention by the subject matter of patent claims 1, 12, and 13, respectively. Advantageous and claimed developments emerge from the subclaims and the description as well as the drawings.

[0006] Thus, an arrangement for actuating at least one pawl for locking or releasing a rotatable transmission component for shifting a gear in a bottom bracket transmission of a bicycle or pedelec is proposed, wherein the pawl is actuated via a first rotatably controlled cam ring to engage with a locking toothing of the transmission component. In order to realize a reliable actuation of the pawl that is improved at least with regard to the shifting feel and the shifting acoustics, at least one frictional friction brake is assigned to the transmission component, which can be actuated via a second rotatably controlled cam ring, wherein the first cam ring and the second cam ring each have a curved track along their outer circumference for actuating the pawl and the friction brake.

[0007] In the proposed arrangement, for example, the rotational speed of the associated transmission component can be controlled particularly easily by the friction brake provided, e.g. as an overrun brake, due to the structurally simple design, so that, for example, by reducing the rotational speed of the transmission component, a safe engagement of the pawl is enabled, in order to also improve the shifting quality in terms of shifting feel and shifting acoustics.

[0008] Various friction brakes can be used as friction brakes. For example, a disc brake, a drum brake, or the like would be conceivable. A particularly simple design is the use of at least one brake block with at least one brake lining, whereby the brake lining can be brought into operative connection with at least one braking surface provided on an outer circumference of the transmission component. Due to the locking teeth provided on the outer circumference, a brake block that can be brought into operative connection with a braking surface section provided next to the locking teeth to reduce the rotational speed of the transmission component offers a particularly simple and cost-effective solution.

[0009] Various designs of the brake block are conceivable for use in braking the transmission component. It is particularly advantageous if the brake block has two brake pads spaced apart by a centrally located recess or similar. The locking teeth run within the recess, ensuring optimal use of the outer circumference of the transmission component.

[0010] A particularly simple way of controlling the brake pad is realized by the fact that the brake pad has a contact area that is in operative connection with the cam track of the second cam ring.

[0011] The mounting and connection of the brake pad in the proposed arrangement can be implemented in various ways. A more reliable and qualitatively improved actuation of the pawl can be achieved by generating a movement of the brake pad through the operative connection between the cam track of the second cam ring and the brake pad, so that the brake pad of the brake pad can be brought into contact with the associated braking surface of the transmission component to generate braking power, or can be removed from the associated braking surface of the transmission component to control the rotational speed of the transmission component when the pawl is actuated.

[0012] In order to realize a synchronous actuation of the pawl and the friction brake or brake pad during the switching process, it is provided that, on the one hand, an associated end of the pawl is assigned to the cam track of the first cam ring and, on the other hand, the friction brake is assigned to the cam track of the second cam ring in such a way that the transmission component can be locked or released simultaneously by the pawl actuated by the first cam ring and by the friction brake actuated by the second cam ring.

[0013] With the proposed arrangement, separate cam rings, each with a cam track, can be used. However, it is also conceivable to use a rotatably controlled shift drum with a cam contour or cam track instead of a cam ring. Furthermore, it is possible to use a common controlled shift drum with several cam tracks, for example, arranged side by side, instead of two controlled cam rings.

[0014] Independently of the embodiment described above, the proposed arrangement can provide that the associated end of the pawl of the cam track of the first cam ring is offset by a predetermined distance along the course of the cam track with respect to the association of the contact area of ​​the brake pad of the friction brake with the cam track of the second cam ring when the first cam ring and the second cam ring are controlled synchronously.

[0015] For example, the two cam rings can be controlled or driven synchronously by a common drive. This results in safer and simpler actuation of the friction brake and pawl, since only one drive is required for both cam rings. It is also conceivable that, instead of the offset assignment of the pawl and friction brake to the associated cam tracks of the cam rings, separate control of the cam rings could be provided.

[0016] For example, the cam rings can only have cam-shaped curves. A simple design provides for the first cam ring and the second cam ring each to have a periodic curved path with maxima and minima.

[0017] With such a course on the curved paths of the cam rings or shift drums, it is provided, for example, that the end of the pawl facing the curved path and the contact area of ​​the brake pad of the friction brake are assigned to the respective curved path offset by a distance along the course of the curved path, this distance corresponding to the distance between a maximum and an adjacent minimum or a multiple thereof.

[0018] The object underlying the invention is also achieved by a bottom bracket gear with at least one of the above-described arrangements. This results in the advantages already described and further advantages.

[0019] Furthermore, the object underlying the invention can also be achieved by a bicycle or pedelec with the bottom bracket gear described above, whereby the advantages already described and further advantages arise.

[0020] The present invention is further explained in the drawings below.

[0021] They show: Fig. 1 a three-dimensional view of a possible embodiment of an arrangement for actuating a pawl for locking or releasing a transmission component for switching a gear stage of a bottom bracket transmission of a bicycle or pedelec; Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of the arrangement in a released state of the transmission component; and Fig. 3 a schematic side view of the arrangement in a locked state of the transmission component.

[0022] In the Fig. 1 to 3, an embodiment variant of an arrangement for actuating a pawl 1, e.g. as a brake switching element for locking or releasing a rotatable transmission component 2, for example a ring gear or the like, for switching a gear stage in a bottom bracket transmission 3, which is only indicated schematically, of a bicycle or pedelec 4, which is also only indicated schematically, is shown by way of example in various views.

[0023] The Fig. The arrangement shown in Figure 1 comprises, for example, a pawl 1 with which the associated rotatable transmission component 2 can be engaged to engage the associated gear stage in the bottom bracket transmission 3. It is readily conceivable that multiple arrangements for actuating additional pawls 1 are provided in the bottom bracket transmission 3 in order to lock or release additional transmission components 2, so that additional gears can be engaged in the bicycle or pedelec 4.

[0024] The locking pawl 1 is actuated via a first rotatably controlled cam ring 5 to engage a locking toothing 6 of the transmission component 2. For this purpose, the locking pawl 1 is spring-loaded and pivotable about a rotational axis between an engaged state and a disengaged state, with a first end of the locking pawl 1 being assigned to the locking toothing 6 of the transmission component 2 and a second end of the locking pawl 1 being assigned to a curved track 8 of a first cam ring 5 for actuating the locking pawl 1.

[0025] The transmission component 2 is assigned a friction brake which can be actuated via a second rotatably controlled cam ring 7, wherein the first cam ring 5 and the second cam ring 7 each have a curved path 8, 9 along their outer circumference.

[0026] The friction brake comprises a brake block 10 with brake pads 11, each of which can be brought into operative connection with a braking surface 12 provided on an outer circumference of the transmission component 2. The brake block 10 has two brake pads 11 spaced apart from one another by a centrally arranged recess 13. The central recess 13 on the brake block 10 serves to guide the brake block 10 via the two brake pads 11 via the locking teeth 6 arranged centrally on the outer circumference of the transmission component 2 along the braking surfaces 12. Furthermore, the brake block 10 has a contact area 14 that is operatively connected to the curved track 9 of the second cam ring 7.

[0027] The brake pad 10 is movably mounted in such a way that the operative connection between the cam track 9 of the second cam ring 7 and the contact area 14 of the brake pad 10 generates a movement of the brake pad 10, so that the brake pads 11 can be brought into contact with the associated braking surfaces 12 on the transmission component 2 or can be removed from the braking surfaces 12.

[0028] The second end of the pawl 1 is associated with the cam track 8 of the first cam ring 5, while the contact area 14 of the brake pad 10 is associated with the cam track 9 of the second cam ring 7, so that the transmission component 2 is simultaneously locked or released by the pawl 1 actuated by the first cam ring 5 and by the brake pad 10 actuated by the second cam ring 7.

[0029] As can be seen in particular from the Fig. 1 to 3, the cam tracks 8, 9 of the first cam ring 5 and the second cam ring 7 each have a periodic cam track 8, 9 with maxima or peaks and minima or valleys.

[0030] With synchronous control or synchronous drive of the first cam ring 5 and the second cam ring 7, the second end of the locking pawl 1 is offset from the cam track 8 of the first cam ring 5 by a predetermined distance along the course of the cam track 8, 9 with respect to the relationship between the contact surface 14 of the brake pad 10 and the cam track 9 of the second cam ring 7. This distance corresponds to the distance between a maximum and an adjacent minimum or a multiple thereof.

[0031] Consequently, the Fig. 2, when the locking pawl 1 is disengaged, the second end of the locking pawl 1 associated with the curved path 8 of the first cam ring 5 is associated with a minimum or valley in the course of the curved path 8 of the first cam ring 5, while the contact area 14 of the brake pad 10 of the friction brake is associated with a maximum or mountain in the course of the curved path 9 of the second cam ring 7.

[0032] According to the Fig. 3 shown locked state of the transmission component 2 with the pawl 1 engaged, it is provided that the end of the pawl 1 assigned to the curved path 8 of the first cam ring 5 is assigned to a maximum in the course of the curved path 8 of the first cam ring 5, while the contact area 14 of the brake pad 10 of the friction brake is assigned to a minimum in the course of the curved path 9 of the second cam ring 7. Reference symbol 1 pawl 2 Gearbox component 3 bottom bracket gears 4 Bicycle or Pedelec 5 first cam ring 6 locking teeth 7 second cam ring 8 Cam track on the first cam ring 9 Cam track on the second cam ring 10 Brake pad of the drag brake 11 Brake pad 12 braking surface 13 Recess 14 Contact surface of the brake pad

Claims

[1] Arrangement for actuating at least one pawl (1) for locking or releasing a rotatable transmission component (2) for switching a gear stage in a bottom bracket transmission (3) of a bicycle or a pedelec (4), wherein the pawl (1) can be actuated via a first rotatably controlled cam ring (5) for engaging in a locking toothing (6) of the transmission component (2), characterized by that the transmission component (2) is assigned at least one friction brake which can be actuated via a second rotatably controlled cam ring (7), wherein the first cam ring (5) and the second cam ring (7) each have a curved path (8, 9) along their outer circumference for actuating the pawl (1) and the friction brake. [2] Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized bythat the friction brake has at least one brake block (10) with at least one brake lining (11), wherein the brake lining (11) can be brought into operative connection with an associated braking surface (12) provided on an outer circumference of the transmission component (2). [3] Arrangement according to claim 2, characterized by that the brake block (10) has two brake pads (11) spaced apart from one another by a centrally arranged recess (13). [4] Arrangement according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by that the brake pad (10) has a contact area (14) which is in operative connection with the cam track (9) of the second cam ring (7). [5] Arrangement according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized bythat the brake pad (10) is movably mounted in such a way that a movement of the brake pad (10) can be generated by the operative connection between the curved track (9) of the second cam ring (7) and the brake pad (10), so that the brake lining (11) of the brake pad (10) can be brought into contact with the associated braking surface (12) of the transmission component (2) or can be removed from the associated braking surface (12) of the transmission component (2). [6] Arrangement according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized by that on the one hand an associated end of the pawl (1) of the curved path (8) of the first cam ring (5) and on the other hand a contact area (14) of the brake pad (10) of the friction brake of the curved path (9) of the second cam ring (7) are each associated in such a way that the transmission component (2) can be locked or released simultaneously by the pawl (1) actuated by the first cam ring (5) and by the friction brake actuated by the second cam ring (7). [7] Arrangement according to claim 6, characterized by that the associated end of the pawl (1) of the cam track (8) of the first cam ring (5) is offset by a predetermined distance along the course of the cam track (8, 9) with respect to the association of the contact area (14) of the brake pad (10) of the friction brake with the cam track (9) of the second cam ring (7) when the first cam ring (5) and the second cam ring (7) are controlled synchronously. [8] Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the first cam ring (5) and the second cam ring (7) each have a curved path (8, 9) which runs periodically with maxima and minima. [9] Arrangement according to claim 8, characterized bythat the associated end of the pawl (1) and the contact area (14) of the brake pad (10) of the friction brake are assigned to the respective curved path (8, 9) offset by a distance along the course of the curved path (8, 9), wherein the distance corresponds to the distance between a maximum and an adjacent minimum or a multiple thereof. [10] Arrangement according to claim 9, characterized bythat in the locked state of the gear component (2) with the pawl (1) engaged, the associated end of the pawl (1) is assigned to a maximum in the course of the curved path (8) of the first cam ring (5) and the contact area (14) of the brake pad (10) of the friction brake is assigned to a minimum in the course of the curved path (9) of the second cam ring (7), and that in the released state of the gear component (2) with the pawl (1) disengaged, the associated end of the pawl (1) is assigned to a minimum in the course of the curved path (8) of the first cam ring (5) and the contact area (14) of the brake pad (10) of the friction brake is assigned to a maximum in the course of the curved path (9) of the second cam ring (7). [11] Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the locking pawl (1) is spring-loaded and pivotable about a rotational axis, wherein a first end of the locking pawl (1) is assigned to the locking toothing (6) of the gear component (2) and wherein a second end of the locking pawl (1) is assigned to the curved track (8) of the first cam ring (5) for actuating the locking pawl (1). [12] Bottom bracket gear (3) with at least one arrangement according to one of the preceding claims. [13] Bicycle or pedelec (1) with a bottom bracket gear (3) according to claim 12.

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