MODULAR BICYCLE REAR DERAILLEUR

Description

Field of the invention

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a modular system for a bicycle rear derailleur.

[0002] Unless expressly stated otherwise, location and direction references used in this disclosure, such as "left," "right," "front," "rear," "top," "bottom," etc., correspond to the perspective of the rider of a bicycle. The same applies to industry-standard direction references such as "inboard" (left or to the left or toward a larger sprocket of a sprocket cassette) and "outboard" (right or to the right or toward a smaller sprocket of a sprocket cassette), which refer to gear shifts, directions, or sprocket positions on a sprocket cassette of a bicycle rear wheel. Technical background

[0003] A bicycle is typically equipped with a drivetrain, such as a chain drive. Such bicycle drivetrains are used to transmit drive torque from a rider to a rear wheel, thus propelling the bicycle. Such a drivetrain may, for example, transmit torque from a front chainwheel assembly via a chain to a rear sprocket, such as a sprocket of a multi-speed cassette, to drive the rear wheel. Such a drivetrain is commonly referred to as a bicycle drivetrain.

[0004] Front sprocket assemblies for bicycles may include one or more chainrings, also known in the industry as chainrings. Chainrings can be attached to the bicycle using a variety of fastening devices. For example, a chainring may be attached using chainring bolts or connected directly to a bicycle's right-hand crank. The rear sprockets on a bicycle are commonly referred to as pinions. A plurality of rear sprockets or pinions may be referred to as a cassette, pinion cassette, or pinion set. Such a pinion cassette is typically configured to be attached to a freehub portion of a rear wheel. A pinion cassette may be attached to a freehub body of a rear wheel, for example, using a keyway and / or threaded connection.

[0005] The horizontal alignment of a front chainring with a rear cassette affects drivetrain performance. For example, a front sprocket assembly may have a single chainring aligned with a specific cog on the rear cassette. When the chain connects the single chainring to this substantially aligned rear cog, the chain is under little or no lateral load. However, when the chain is moved laterally to another cog on the cassette, for example, by a rear derailleur or rear derailleur of a drivetrain, the chain experiences some lateral load. Similar lateral loads on the chain occur when the front sprocket assembly has multiple chainrings, between which the chain can be moved laterally by a front derailleur or rear derailleur.

[0006] For a good performance of such a derailleur, correct positioning and alignment of the rear derailleur in particular on the frame of the bicycle is of great importance.

[0007] In this regard, it was recognized that coaxial features can be applied to the alignment of a bicycle rear derailleur relative to the rear wheel. In particular, components of the rear wheel, especially the rear hub, can serve as a direct reference for the assembly and alignment of the derailleur.

[0008] In particular, both the rear derailleur and the sprocket cassette can be aligned radially and axially to each other, as well as to the bicycle's rear axle. This significantly reduces inaccuracies that occur due to tolerance variations and tolerance chains, including those of the rear triangle frame, the so-called derailleur hanger required by conventional rear bicycle derailleurs, and the rear derailleur. State of the art

[0009] Traditionally, rear bicycle derailleurs are mounted on the right dropout of the frame or at the end of the right chainstay using a derailleur hanger that is separate from or part of the frame, and specifically, by means of the derailleur hanger, offset in a radial direction relative to the rear wheel axle of the bicycle, and thus non-coaxial with respect to the rear wheel axle.

[0010] Separately supplied and mounted derailleur hangers have become popular, especially for carbon or aluminum bicycle frames, as this arrangement allows for easy replacement in the event of damage. For steel bicycle frames, the derailleur hanger is often designed as a single piece or as part of the rear triangle or dropout.

[0011] In addition to the design advantages of lightweight frames, replaceable derailleur hangers have become popular primarily because conventional bicycle derailleurs often suffer damage in the event of falls, chain jams, or collisions between the derailleur and obstacles. In many cases, the damage is limited to the derailleur hanger in the form of bends, without damaging the frame or derailleur, which would require repair or replacement. However, this advantage is offset by a number of disadvantages.

[0012] If the hanger is torn off or severely bent, it must be completely replaced. Continuing the ride is usually impossible in such a case. In this case, the hanger can also become so deformed that the rear derailleur is caught by the spokes of the wheel. This can cause significant damage to the drivetrain, the wheel, or the frame, and is also dangerous for the rider, for example, if it causes the rear wheel to lock.

[0013] Such derailleur hangers are mounted on the bicycle by attaching one end of the derailleur hanger to the dropout of the rear triangle frame near the rear axle. The other end of the derailleur hanger is connected to a base element (also known in the industry as a B-knuckle) of the bicycle derailleur. The base element of the derailleur is typically rotatable relative to the derailleur hanger or derailleur hanger around the so-called B-axis of the base element, which is parallel to the rear wheel axle but radially offset from it.

[0014] These well-known derailleur hangers vary considerably depending on the manufacturer and method of attachment. They can be integral to the frame or be a separate component. Separate derailleur hangers are either clamped to the frame via quick-release axles or thru-axles, or are specifically bolted or riveted to the dropout. Furthermore, such derailleur hangers or derailleur hangers can be attached to the frame either on the outside or inside of the frame.

[0015] It is well known in expert circles that the bicycle market includes hundreds of different and incompatible derailleur hangers for the current bicycle models alone.

[0016] This means that, depending on the frame and derailleur hanger used, the bicycle derailleur occupies a different radial position relative to the rear wheel axle and also axially relative to the sprocket set. Such positional differences in both the axial and radial directions complicate derailleur design, as well as its installation and adjustment. The derailleur must be adjusted differently depending on the frame and derailleur hanger.

[0017] Such derailleur hangers result in significant additional tolerances in the dimensional chain between the sprocket set and the derailleur position, which negatively impact the positioning accuracy of the derailleur. Furthermore, both the radial and axial position of the derailleur depend on the manufacturing quality and the current condition of the derailleur hanger and the rear triangle frame.

[0018] In other words, any inaccuracy in the rear triangle frame as well as the derailleur hanger or frame derailleur hanger will have a significant impact on the positioning and alignment of the derailleur relative to the sprocket cassette.

[0019] Furthermore, derailleur hangers, especially as separate components, are prone to damage and often unstable. Large sprocket sets and correspondingly large derailleur dimensions result in increased leverage forces, which a replaceable derailleur hanger cannot adequately absorb.

[0020] Furthermore, the structural stability of most derailleur hangers or derailleur hangers is no longer sufficient to meet the demands of today's riding conditions. Even the chain tension that occurs during normal operation can lead to elastic deformation of a derailleur hanger on a scale that compromises the positioning accuracy of the derailleur relative to the sprockets. Even minor falls or simply tipping the bike over often result in plastic deformation of the derailleur hanger or the derailleur hanger molded onto the frame.

[0021] The derailleur hanger is also an additional component that is individually developed by the frame manufacturer. Often, the same manufacturer uses different hangers even for the same bicycle frame in order to optimize it for the specific application. This results in additional costs and development effort, creating confusion in the market and for the end user.

[0022] These disadvantages of conventional derailleur assembly have essentially been known since the introduction of replaceable derailleur hangers. However, the problem described is currently being exacerbated by the trend toward larger cassettes with ever more gears. On the one hand, this results in higher leverage forces on the derailleur hanger due to the correspondingly larger derailleur dimensions. An additional influencing factor is the increased stress peaks in the drivetrain caused by the cage dampers of modern derailleurs. The overall longer leverage ratios therefore have an additional negative impact on the positioning accuracy of the derailleur compared to the sprocket cassette. Conversely, increasing the number of gears actually requires increased positioning accuracy.

[0023] In view of these and other disadvantages of the conventional mounting of the rear derailleur on the frame, the applicant has already developed a new type of rear bicycle derailleur which is attached directly to the rear wheel axle and coaxially to the rear axle on a suitably designed bicycle frame without a derailleur hanger.

[0024] To connect to this innovative bicycle derailleur, the bicycle frame features a special interface that, with the assistance of an adapter bolt assembly on the rear derailleur, also serves as the interface for connecting the frame to the rear axle assembly. Here, the base element of the derailleur, also known as the B-knuckle, is no longer referenced relative to the sprocket set via the above-described, highly problematic dimensional chain from the sprocket set via the rear axle to the frame and from there via the derailleur hanger to the derailleur position. Instead, the dimensional referencing between the derailleur and the sprocket set, both axially and radially relative to the rear axle or the sprocket set, is achieved via direct contact between the B-knuckle of the derailleur and the hub end cap of the rear wheel hub.

[0025] This allows for a very high level of positioning accuracy between the derailleur and the hub end cap, and thus also between the sprocket cassette. Compared to mounting the derailleur on a derailleur hanger or derailleur hanger, this allows for significantly smaller positioning tolerances of the derailleur relative to the sprocket cassette with high repeatability.

[0026] Furthermore, this results in a simplified and manufacturer-unique interface between the rear derailleur and the bicycle frame. The need for a derailleur hanger and the associated tolerances and uncertainties, as well as all the other disadvantages described above, are eliminated.

[0027] In this regard, reference is made to the German patent application published as DE 102018001253A1, the European patent applications published as EP 3388324A2 and EP 3730394A2, the Taiwanese patent application published as TW 201834921A, the Chinese patent granted as CN 108622302B and the US patent granted as US 10870464B2, which are assigned to the applicant.

[0028] Reference is also made to the generic EP3730394A3.

[0029] From these publications, a rear derailleur for coaxial mounting on a bicycle frame of a bicycle with respect to a rear wheel axle is known. Summary

[0030] The rear derailleur according to the present disclosure generically comprises a B-knuckle or base element, a shift parallelogram or pivot arrangement, a movable P-knuckle or shift element and a chain cage or chain guide device.

[0031] The pivot assembly connects the shifting element to the base element in a translationally pivotable manner. The chain guide assembly is connected to the shifting element in a rotationally pivotable manner about a pivot axis. The base element comprises a first connection end for coaxial mounting to the bicycle frame with respect to the rear wheel axle and a second connection end for coupling to the pivot assembly.

[0032] The first connecting end of the base element has a first arm and a second arm which are arranged spaced apart from one another in the axial direction with respect to the rear wheel axle and are adapted for mounting the rear derailleur on an associated mounting section (dropout or frame eye) of a rear triangle of a bicycle frame.

[0033] Such a bicycle derailleur is also known from the documents DE 102018206104A1, EP 3556643A1, CN 110386220A and US 2019 / 0322333A1, which originate from the applicant.

[0034] The following description of the invention draws on the definitions, relationships and terminology set out in the document EP3388324A2.

[0035] A trend that is also playing an increasingly important role in the bicycle market is the desired reduction in resource consumption in the consumer sector as well as in the production and use of technical products. This reduction in resource consumption is increasingly being demanded by consumers, society, and legislators alike. This social and legislative trend is moving away from the throwaway mentality often seen in the past and is placing increasing demands on the service life and, in particular, the repairability of technical products. Object of the invention

[0036] Based on the prior art described above, it is the object of the present invention to provide a bicycle derailleur for an electric bicycle derailleur with which the disadvantages described above can be overcome.

[0037] In addition to the advantages achieved with the coaxial assembly described above compared to conventionally mounted derailleurs, this is intended to provide both retailers and end users with significantly improved options for repairing or replacing defective or worn components, and to make a significant contribution to reducing the consumption of natural resources. Description of the invention

[0038] This object is achieved by a modular system for a bicycle rear derailleur for rear axle coaxial direct mounting on a frame eye of a bicycle rear frame or by a motor-gear unit for a bicycle rear derailleur according to the present disclosure.

[0039] Typically, the bicycle rear derailleur of the modular system initially comprises a rigid base element (rigid in the sense that the base element does not contain several assemblies that are movable in an articulated manner relative to one another) with an inner fastening arm having an inner pivot connection for inboard arrangement in the area of ​​the frame eyelet and with an outer fastening arm with an outer pivot connection coaxial with the inner pivot connection for outboard arrangement in the area of ​​the frame eyelet.

[0040] With the "intrinsically rigid base element," the derailleur according to the present disclosure differs from the conventional derailleurs described above, particularly in the case where the frame eyelet or derailleur hanger is to be considered the base element of a conventional derailleur. In this case, the base element of the conventional derailleur can no longer be considered inherently rigid, but rather splits into two parts that are articulated together by means of the B-axis of the base element (cf. prior art according to Fig. 1 with the B-axis PB visible there).

[0041] The base element is coaxially pivotable about the rear wheel axle by means of the pivot connections of the mounting arms. The generic bicycle derailleur further comprises a shifting element, which, for the purpose of gear changing, is pivotable relative to the base element by means of a pivoting arrangement that connects the base element and the shifting element in a translationally pivotable manner. Furthermore, a chain guide device, which is rotationally pivotable and connected to the shifting element, has an upper chain guide roller and a lower chain tensioning roller.

[0042] The rear derailleur is also generically constructed as a modular system with at least two hierarchical levels, and comprises at least several, i.e., at least two, of the modules "base element module," "pivot assembly module," "shifting element module," and "chain guide device module." At least one of the modules is replaceable as a single, manageable unit. Furthermore, at least one of the modules contains at least one single, replaceable assembly.

[0043] For the purposes of the present disclosure, “integrally replaceable or handleable” means that a module or assembly can be removed essentially in one continuous piece and handled in the removed state. A module or assembly that falls apart into several individual parts during removal, which therefore can no longer be handled in one piece, would not be considered integrally replaceable or handleable. Modules or assemblies that can be connected to adjacent modules or assemblies by means of additional fastening elements such as screws, pins, rivets, etc. are also to be considered integrally replaceable or handleable for the purposes of the present disclosure, whereby such additional fastening elements are not to be considered components of the respective integrally replaceable or handleable module or assembly.

[0044] The switching mechanism is characterized in that the modular system is configured for the use of assemblies from at least one assembly family comprising at least two family members within at least one of the aforementioned modules. For this purpose, for the at least one assembly family (in the case of multiple assembly families for a specific module, for each of the assembly families), detachable connection interfaces of the assembly family members to neighboring assemblies of the at least one module (and additionally or alternatively, if present on the respective assembly, connection interfaces to neighboring modules) within the at least one assembly family are uniformly defined or designed across all family members.

[0045] In this way, a family member of the at least one assembly family of the at least one module can be exchanged for another family member of the same assembly family, but made of, for example, a different material, of a different shape, of a different functionality or of a different surface quality, while retaining the remaining assemblies of the at least one module.

[0046] This interchangeability of one family member with another family member of the assembly can be planned and used by the manufacturer during production planning, which makes it easy to plan, provide and produce a variety of different designs or quality levels of the rear derailleur.

[0047] Thanks to the provision of uniformly designed, detachable connection interfaces across all family members, this replacement can also be carried out at any time with minimal effort by bicycle dealers, specialist workshops, or even by the end user. Thus, this bicycle derailleur can meet the increasing demands of society and legislators for improved repairability of technical goods and reduced resource consumption significantly better than with state-of-the-art derailleurs.

[0048] For example, the base element module can comprise at least one base element assembly configured as a member of a base element assembly family. This means that the connection interfaces of the base element assembly follow a uniformly defined or designed standard for the base element assembly family to which the base element assembly is assigned. This makes it possible for the base element assembly to be easily separated from the switching mechanism or from the base element, for example, to be replaced with a base element assembly from the same assembly family, or to repair and reassemble the base element assembly in the event of damage.

[0049] The hierarchical, at least two-level, modular structure of the rear derailleur, consisting of hierarchically higher-level modules and hierarchically lower-level assemblies within the modules, thus enables very simple disassembly, conversion, and repair of the rear derailleur due to the at least one module, preferably the multiple modules, and the assemblies contained therein, whereby both modules and assemblies can be handled and replaced as a single piece. In particular, it is not necessary to replace the entire rear derailleur, for example in the event of damage or to convert the rear derailleur. Nor is it necessary to completely disassemble the entire rear derailleur or sections of the rear derailleur in order to replace modules or assemblies. Rather, only the modules or assemblies that can be handled as a single piece need to be detached from the adjacent modules or assemblies or reconnected to them.

[0050] Preferably, at least one integrally replaceable assembly is constructed from a plurality of at least three interconnected individual parts. For the purposes of the present disclosure, connecting elements such as screws, pins, rivets, etc., with which the individual parts of an assembly are connected to one another, are not considered to be individual parts of the assembly.

[0051] According to a preferred embodiment, the modules or assemblies of the derailleur can be replaced without tools or with standard household tools, and thus, for example, even by an end user. This also makes it possible for the customer or end user to repair their bicycle derailleur with little effort or to replace worn parts, thus increasing the service life of the derailleur. Furthermore, it is possible to exchange assemblies or modules of the derailleur for corresponding assemblies or modules, for example, of higher quality or with additional features, thus achieving a higher-quality product at a manageable cost without having to purchase a completely new derailleur and dispose of the old derailleur.

[0052] Using the base element module as an example, at least one assembly of the base element module can be a replaceable inner or outer fastening arm. This can be designed as a member of a base element assembly family, for example, as a member of a base element assembly family called the "inner fastening arm assembly family" or as a member of a base element assembly family called the "outer fastening arm assembly family." With this membership in an assembly family, the fastening arm has detachable connection interfaces to neighboring assemblies of the base element module (and, if applicable, to neighboring modules) that are identically designed within the respective assembly family. This creates a modular base element or B-knuckle whose assemblies are easily removable, replaceable, repairable, or upgradeable.

[0053] According to a preferred embodiment, the at least one fastening arm, preferably both fastening arms of the base element module, are formed as a pressed or stamped part formed from a substantially flat blank. In this way, the at least one fastening arm, preferably both fastening arms, can be manufactured cost-effectively, particularly compared to the prior art, in which the B-knuckle or base element often consists of a one-piece, geometrically complex, and complex-to-produce component, for example, a one-piece cast and / or milled component.

[0054] A further preferred embodiment provides that at least one fastening arm of the base element module is formed essentially from a fiber composite material. By forming one or both fastening arms of the base element or B-knuckle from a fiber composite material, for example from glass fiber reinforced or carbon fiber reinforced synthetic resin or thermoplastic material, a high-strength yet lightweight base element can be created, while the modularity also allows for cost savings compared to essentially one-piece base elements. Likewise, thanks to the modularity of the base element, series with different values ​​for different target groups or target markets can be easily created by selecting materials of different densities and strengths or with different manufacturing methods or surface qualities for the individual components of the base element module.

[0055] A further preferred embodiment provides that at least one assembly of the base element module is designed as an exchangeable cladding element, preferably a plastic cladding element, which protects at least areas of the base element module, and preferably as a member of a base element assembly family, with correspondingly uniformly defined or identically shaped, detachable connection interfaces to adjacent assemblies of the base element module.

[0056] Such a modular cover element has the particular advantage of being easy to replace, even by the end user, for example, in the case of scratches, which often occur during operation of a bicycle derailleur due to its exposed position. This allows the user to easily and with minimal effort restore the derailleur to a nearly new appearance, without having to replace the entire derailleur, which would be undesirable in terms of cost and resource consumption.

[0057] A further embodiment of the switching mechanism according to the present disclosure provides that the pivot assembly module comprises two pivot arms in the manner of a pivot parallelogram for the translationally pivotable connection of the base element module and the switching element module. At least one of the pivot arms has at least one replaceable pivot arm assembly, which is preferably designed as a member of a pivot assembly assembly family.

[0058] Particularly preferably, at least one replaceable pivot arm assembly is a covering element, preferably a plastic covering element, that protects at least portions of the pivot assembly module. Similar to the above with regard to the modularly replaceable covering element on the base element, a replaceable covering element that protects the switching parallelogram not only enables better protection of the switching parallelogram, but also allows for easy repair at low cost and with low resource consumption.

[0059] With regard to a further preferred embodiment of the bicycle rear derailleur, it is provided that at least one pivot arm of the pivot assembly module, which connects the base element module and the shifting element module in a translationally pivotable manner, is pivotally connectable or connected to the base element module and the shifting element module by means of two pivot pins. The cover element simultaneously forms a closure element for the two pivot pins of the pivot arm of the pivot assembly module, such that the two pivot pins can be removed from the pivot arm, preferably without tools, when the cover element is removed.

[0060] In other words, this means that, for example, the outer parallelogram arm, which is often damaged or at least scratched during operation of a derailleur, can be removed from the derailleur parallelogram or replaced without having to disassemble the outer parallelogram arm or laboriously dismantle the hinge pins, as is usually the case with state-of-the-art derailleurs.

[0061] Rather, after simple, particularly tool-free removal of the cover element, the parallelogram pins fall out of the parallelogram module essentially by gravity, and the parallelogram arm assembly can then be easily removed in one piece.

[0062] This also contributes to the modular design and easy repairability of the rear derailleur according to the present disclosure, and thus enables the reduction in resource consumption increasingly desired by consumers and increasingly required by legislators to be implemented.

[0063] A further preferred embodiment of the bicycle derailleur provides that at least one of the two parallelogram arms or pivot arms of the pivot assembly module comprises at least two pivot assembly assemblies, of which at least one pivot assembly assembly is interchangeable and preferably designed as a member of a pivot assembly assembly family. This embodiment enables the manufacturer, in addition to the general advantages of the modular design already mentioned above, to offer one or both assemblies comprising the at least one parallelogram arm according to this embodiment, for example, to the consumer in several variants in order to be able to upgrade or redesign their derailleur.

[0064] According to a further preferred embodiment of the bicycle rear derailleur, the shifting element module or the chain guide module comprises a spring / damper device for cushioning and / or damping the pivoting movement of the chain guide module relative to the shifting element module. The spring / damper device is designed as a single-piece spring / damper unit, meaning one-piece, manageable, and replaceable, and is preferably present as a member of a shifting element or chain guide assembly family, for example, a shifting element or chain guide assembly family containing various spring / damper assemblies.

[0065] In this way, the spring / damper assembly of the rear derailleur can be relatively easily removed as a one-piece unit, repaired if necessary, or replaced with a spring / damper assembly with different performance characteristics, which also allows the rear derailleur to be upgraded accordingly without having to replace the entire rear derailleur.

[0066] Preferably, the spring / damper device and a receiving housing of the shifting element module serving to accommodate the spring / damper device are detachably connectable to one another by means of an at least two-start thread pair arranged on the spring / damper device and on the receiving housing. The threads of the thread pair are spaced unevenly from one another axially and / or circumferentially relative to the pivot axis of the chain guide device, such that the thread pair can be screwed into one another in only one rotational relative position.

[0067] This is advantageous because the spring / damper device can only be screwed into the receiving housing of the circuit element module in one, namely the correct rotational relative position, although a multi-start thread usually has a number of different rotational screw-in positions corresponding to the number of thread turns.

[0068] A further embodiment provides that the chain guide device module of the rear derailleur according to the present disclosure comprises at least one replaceable chain guide device assembly, which is preferably designed as a member of a chain guide device assembly family, i.e. in particular is provided with connection interfaces that are uniformly shaped within the assembly family for detachable connection to adjacent assemblies.

[0069] Particularly preferably, the at least one replaceable assembly of the chain guide device module is a chain cage guide plate device PC, a chain guide roller or a chain tensioning roller.

[0070] This embodiment also serves to facilitate repair and reduce resource consumption. Furthermore, different variants of the bicycle derailleur can be provided for different price points, areas of application, or target markets with relatively little effort. For example, one or both guide plates PC of the chain cage device can be made of other materials such as aluminum or carbon, or chain guide rollers can be provided with different performance properties or features. According to a further preferred embodiment of the bicycle derailleur, it is provided that the bicycle derailleur is an electrically operated bicycle derailleur and comprises an electrical module, wherein the electrical module has at least one replaceable electrical assembly, which is preferably designed as a member of an electrical assembly family.The at least one replaceable electrical assembly is preferably an electric motor-gearbox unit or a battery unit.

[0071] The possibility of modular replacement, especially of the electric motor-gearbox unit in a bicycle derailleur, serves, on the one hand, to facilitate easy repair and replaceability while minimizing resource consumption. This makes sense, as the motor-gearbox unit of an electric bicycle derailleur is a particularly complex and therefore cost-intensive assembly.

[0072] Thanks to this design, manufacturers can also provide motor-gearbox units with different performance characteristics, which either allows derailleurs to be presented for different target groups with little development effort, or offers the customer the opportunity to upgrade their derailleur by installing, for example, a higher-quality motor-gearbox unit at a reasonable cost.

[0073] The present disclosure further relates to a non-claimed motor-gear unit for a modular electric bicycle derailleur as described above, or generally for electrically operated bicycle derailleurs.

[0074] The motor-gear unit is characterized by the fact that a housing of the motor-gear unit can be connected to the base element module or B-knuckle with regard to its six spatial degrees of freedom of movement by means of exactly one rotary axis connection and exactly two translational stop connections. This design enables simple positioning and assembly of the motor-gear unit in the base element of the rear derailleur. Furthermore, the motor-gear unit is fixed in the base element in this way without any dimensional or tolerance-related under- or over-determination of the position of the motor-gear unit in the base element, since this design fixes the motor-gear unit relative to the base element using no fewer and no more than the six degrees of freedom always required for spatial fixation.

[0075] Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a non-claimed motor-gear unit for a modular electric bicycle derailleur as described above, or generally for electrically operated bicycle derailleurs.

[0076] The motor-gearbox unit is characterized in that a housing of the motor-gearbox unit comprises at least two housing parts, for example housing halves. During assembly or joining of the housing parts or housing halves, an electric motor of the motor-gearbox unit can be fixed in the housing in a form-fitting manner and without play with regard to all six degrees of freedom of movement by means of a plug-in adapter that can be resiliently loaded by joining the housing parts or housing halves and is spring-loaded after the housing parts or housing halves have been joined. The resilient loading of the plug-in adapter, which is caused when the housing parts or housing halves are joined, can be provided by a separate spring, for example a spiral spring. Alternatively, the resilient loading can also be caused by elastically flexible areas that are formed, for example, in one piece with a housing half or with the plug-in adapter.

[0077] In this way, the electric motor can be preassembled together with the plug-in adapter, with the final assembly of the electric motor requiring no further steps beyond joining the housing parts or housing halves with the unit containing the electric motor and plug-in adapter. This not only simplifies assembly and thus makes it more cost-effective, but also improves the repairability of the motor-gearbox unit. In comparison, in the prior art, corresponding adapters or brackets for mounting the motor are often permanently embedded, for example by overmolding, in a housing component of the motor-gearbox unit, which complicates both the assembly and disassembly of the electric motor. Short description of the drawings

[0078] Embodiments of the invention are described below by way of example with reference to the figures.

[0079] It shows: Fig. 1: a bicycle with a general bicycle rear derailleur according to the prior art in a side view; Fig. 2: an embodiment of a bicycle rear derailleur in an oblique, with respect to Fig. 1 enlarged side view; Fig. 3: the bicycle rear derailleur according to Fig. 2 in a rear view in the mounted state on the frame eye of a bicycle rear frame; Fig. 4: a schematic axial section through the frame eye, rear wheel hub and base element of a bicycle derailleur according to Fig. 2 and 3 ; Fig. 5:Rear frame and rear wheel hub as well as bicycle derailleur base element of the bicycle derailleur according to Fig. 2 and 3 in perspective oblique view; Fig. 6: the body of the bicycle derailleur according to Fig. 2 and 3 in an oblique perspective side view of inboard; Fig. 7: the bicycle rear derailleur according to Fig. 2 and 3in a perspective exploded view with a schematic representation of the modular rear derailleur system according to the present disclosure; Fig. 8: Base element or B-knuckle of the rear derailleur according to Fig. 2 and 3 in one with Fig. 6 corresponding view from oblique inboard; Fig. 9: the base element or B-knuckle according to Fig. 8 in a perspective view from oblique outboard, without battery and motor / gearbox; Fig. 10: the base element or B-knuckle according to Fig. 8 and 9 in a view according to Fig. 9 in perspective exploded view; Fig. 11: a pivot arm or parallelogram arm of the switching mechanism according to Fig. 2 and 3 with view from outboard; Fig. 12: the swivel arm or parallelogram arm according to Fig. 11 in disassembled exploded view; Fig. 13: the switching mechanism according to Fig. 2 and 3 with removed swivel arm or parallelogram arm according to Fig. 11 and12 in Fig. 2 corresponding representation and view; Fig. 14: a motor-gear unit of the rear derailleur according to Fig. 2 and 3 in an oblique perspective view from below from outboard; Fig. 15: a motor-gear unit similar Fig. 14 (Output arm is different) together with a battery device in an oblique perspective view from below from outboard; Fig. 16: the motor-gear unit according to Fig. 14 or 15 together with the battery device according to Fig. 15 in longitudinal section from inboard; Fig. 17: the engine-gear unit according to Fig. 14 or 15 or 16 in an oblique perspective top view from inboard onto the battery contacts; Fig. 18: the motor-gear unit according to Fig. 14 or 15 to 17 together with a battery device partially separated from the engine-gearbox unit in accordance with Fig. 15 in an oblique perspective top view from outboard; Fig. 19: the engine-gear unit according to Fig. 14 or 15 to 18 in an oblique perspective view from outboard with exploded view of an actuating element; Fig. 20: the motor-gear unit according to Fig. 14 or 15 to 19 in perspective view in a partially disassembled state; Fig. 21: the motor-gear unit according to Fig. 14 or 15 to 20 in the assembled state in a perspective cross-sectional view; Fig. 22: the motor-gear unit according to Fig. 14 or 15 to 21 in a partially assembled state in a perspective longitudinal section; Fig. 23: Motor and gearbox of the motor-gear unit according to Fig. 14 or 15 to 22 in a perspective view; Fig. 24: a backlash-free gear pairing of the transmission according to Fig. 23 in perspective view; Fig. 25: the backlash-free gear pairing according to Fig. 24in a perspective exploded view; Fig. 26: another embodiment of a bicycle derailleur in an oblique, with respect to Fig. 1 enlarged side view; Fig. 27: a base element or B-knuckle of the bicycle derailleur according to Fig. 26 in a perspective exploded view obliquely from outboard; Fig. 28: Base element or B-knuckle according to Fig. 27 in a perspective view obliquely from inboard; Fig. 29: a pivot arm or parallelogram arm of the rear derailleur according to Fig. 26 to 28 in perspective view from inboard; Fig. 30: the swivel arm or parallelogram arm according to Fig. 29 in disassembled exploded view of inboard; Fig. 31: Circuit element or P-knuckle of a rear derailleur according to Fig. 2 or 26with spring / damper device unscrewed from the housing of the circuit element; Fig. 32: Chain cage guide plate device and spring / damper device unscrewed from the housing of the base element, similar Fig. 31 in an exploded view; Fig. 33: Chain guide device and spring / damper device of the rear derailleur according to Fig. 26 to 28 as a one-piece module; Fig. 34: Housing of the circuit element or P-knuckle according to Fig. 31 in perspective view of the receiving thread. Fig. 35: Various spring / damper devices as modular, replaceable, one-piece assemblies for a modular rear derailleur similar to Fig. 2 or Fig. 26 . Fig. 36: another embodiment of a bicycle derailleur in a rear perspective view from inboard, with a chain tensioning pulley without teeth and associated chain cage; Fig. 37: the bicycle derailleur according to Fig. 36with chain tensioner pulley and chain cage according to the state of the art; Fig. 38: the bicycle derailleur according to Fig. 36 in a rear perspective view from outboard; and Fig. 39: the non-toothed chain tensioning pulley of the rear derailleur according to Fig. 36 and 38 in two different representations. Description of preferred embodiments

[0080] Fig. 1 shows a mountain bike with a rear bicycle derailleur RD according to the state of the art. The mountain bike has a frame BF with a suspension rear frame FR. The drivetrain TD of the mountain bike includes a bottom bracket assembly A BB with a bottom bracket spindle S BB , a chainwheel RC , a rear bicycle derailleur RD , a multi-sprocket cassette CS , and a drive chain CN .

[0081] The bicycle rear derailleur RD is connected to the rear frame FR in the area of ​​the right dropout or right frame eye DF in a conventional manner. This means, in particular, that the connection of the base element of the rear derailleur RD to the right frame eye DF is made by means of a so-called rear derailleur hanger HD (see enlarged detail "A" in Fig. 1 ), which brings with it the disadvantages described in the introduction to the description, including in particular the low stability of the connection between the bicycle rear derailleur RD and the rear frame FR , and a lack of switching precision of the rear derailleur RD due to this low stability and due to long and hardly controllable tolerance chains between the rear derailleur RD and the sprocket cassette CS running over the rear frame FR and over the rear derailleur hanger HD.

[0082] Fig. 2shows an embodiment of a bicycle rear derailleur RD according to the present disclosure in an oblique, with respect to Fig. 1 enlarged side view. One can first see the generally essential components of a bicycle rear derailleur RD for a derailleur gear system, namely a base element KB , also known in the industry as a B-knuckle, which serves to attach the bicycle rear derailleur RD to the right frame eye DF of the rear frame FR, furthermore a switching element KP , also known in the industry as a P-knuckle, which for the purpose of selecting a gear is connected to the base element KB in a translationally pivotable manner via a pivot arrangement PS, also known as a shift parallelogram, and furthermore a chain guide device CG, also known as a chain cage or chain cage arrangement, with an upper chain guide roller W CU and with a lower chain tensioning roller W CL .

[0083] The chain guide device CG comprises inner and outer chain cage guide plate devices P Ci , P Co . and is pivotable about a chain cage pivot axis AP relative to the switching element KP, and is subjected to a spring preload acting clockwise about this pivot axis AP, which is responsible for the preload of the slack side of the bicycle chain CN according to Fig. 1 see spring element or cage spring ST of the spring / damper device DP according to Fig. 31 .

[0084] Furthermore, one can see in Fig. 2 the outer pivot arm A So and the inner pivot arm A Si of the pivot assembly PS , wherein the outer pivot arm A So is provided with a covering element E SC that protects against damage such as scratches and is made of plastic, for example. In this embodiment, further covering elements E BC arranged in the lower region of the base element KB serve a similar purpose.

[0085] The rear derailleur RD according to Fig. 2 is an electromechanical, in particular wirelessly controllable rear derailleur, and has an electric drive unit UD , which will be discussed in more detail below.

[0086] In the Fig. 2 The illustrated bicycle derailleur RD is a derailleur RD for coaxial direct mounting in relation to the rear wheel axle AR , which is particularly clear Fig. 3 The decisive advantages of derailleurs that can be mounted coaxially directly in relation to the rear wheel axle AR, including in particular the massively improved stability of the connection to the rear frame FR and an orders of magnitude improved precision in the positioning of the derailleur RD compared to the sprocket cassette CS, are described in detail in the introduction to the description.

[0087] As in Fig. 2 and especially in Fig. 3As can be seen, the base element KB of the bicycle rear derailleur RD comprises, for the purpose of rear axle coaxial assembly, an inner fastening arm A Bi with an inner pivot connection, designed here as a pivot eye E Bi, and an outer fastening arm A Bo with an outer pivot connection, designed here as a pivot eye E Bo. The inner fastening arm A Bi is used for inboard positioning in the area of ​​the right frame eye DF of the rear frame FR, and the outer fastening arm A Bo is used for outboard positioning in the area of ​​the frame eye DF. The rear derailleur RD can be connected coaxially to the rear wheel axle AR with the right frame eye DF of the rear frame FR via the inner pivot eye E Bi of the inner fastening arm A Bi and the outer pivot eye E Bo of the outer fastening arm A Bo, for which purpose an adapter bolt device BA is used in particular.

[0088] The rear derailleur RD is mounted to the frame eyelet DF using the adapter bolt device BA in such a way that, particularly after inserting and tightening the hub axle AH of the rear wheel hub HR, a defined fixed / loose bearing of the two fastening arms A Bi and A Bo of the base element KB is achieved. A schematic axial section through the frame eyelet DF, rear wheel hub HR and base element KB of a two-arm coaxially mounted bicycle rear derailleur RD according to Fig. 2 and 3 with such a fixed / loose bearing is in Fig. 4 shown.

[0089] In the presentation of Fig. 4The hub axle AH is screwed into the adapter bolt assembly BA and axially clamped to it via the hub end cap CH. It can be seen that the two fastening arms A Bi and A Bo of the base element KB are fixed in the radial direction with virtually no play and coaxial with the rear wheel axle AR, in that the pivot eyes E Bi and E Bo of the fastening arms A Bi and A Bo are slidably mounted on corresponding, here essentially cylindrical bearing surfaces F Bi , F Bo of the adapter bolt assembly BA.

[0090] In particular, Fig. 4It can be seen how the inboard or left fastening arm A Bi is clamped in the axial direction when tightening, i.e. when the hub axle AH is axially clamped, between the drawing-related right-hand end face C HF of the hub end cap CH (shown only schematically here) and a circumferential shoulder R CF of the adapter bolt device BA, and thus takes on the role of the fixed bearing of the base element KB and thus of the rear derailleur in the axial direction of the rear wheel axle AR, while the outboard or right fastening arm A Bo is not fixed in the axial direction at FB and thus forms the loose bearing of the base element KB and thus of the rear derailleur in relation to the axial direction of the rear wheel axle AR.

[0091] The resulting force flow in such a two-arm, coaxially mountable rear derailleur RD is described in more detail in the German patent application DE 102020132208.9 in Fig. 34and the associated description, in European patent application EP 3388324A2 in paragraph

[0082] and the associated Fig. 16 and in US patent US 10,870,464B2 in column 19, paragraph 2 and also in Fig. 16 shown.

[0092] From this and from Fig. 2 to 4 It can therefore be seen that this two-armed and two-sided bearing or fastening of the RD rear derailleur is almost orders of magnitude more stable and rigid, or can be designed structurally, than the previously common one-sided fastening of bicycle rear derailleurs by means of a rear derailleur hanger, cf. Fig. 1 as well as the detailed description of the disadvantages of rear derailleur attachment with a derailleur hanger in the introduction to the description.

[0093] Furthermore, in particular Fig. 4It can be seen that the position of the base element KB and thus of the rear derailleur RD is precisely defined both in the radial direction, relative to the rear wheel axle AR, and in particular also in the axial direction, relative to the hub end cap CH, due to the two-arm fixed / loose bearing C HF, R CF, F Bi, F Bo.

[0094] However, since the position of the sprocket cassette CS (in Fig. 4 not shown, cf. Fig. 1 ) is basically also precisely defined in the radial direction relative to the rear wheel axle AR and in the axial direction relative to the hub end cap CH, thanks to this two-arm fixed / loose bearing C HF , R CF , F Bi , F Bo of the bicycle rear derailleur RD , which here takes place directly in the area of ​​the frame eye DF , as well as directly relative to the rear wheel axle AR and hub end cap CH, a particularly short tolerance chain results between the position of the bicycle rear derailleur RD and the position of the pinion cassette CS .

[0095] Fig. 5 shows the rear frame FR and the rear hub HR as well as the bicycle derailleur base element KB according to Fig. 2 to 4 of the bicycle rear derailleur RD according to Fig. 2 and 3 again in perspective oblique view from outboard. In comparison to the usual derailleur hanger (see detail "A" from Fig. 1 with rear derailleur hanger HD as well as the detailed description of the disadvantages of the rear derailleur attachment using the rear derailleur hanger HD in the introduction to the description) it becomes clear how both the two-armed, particularly rigid attachment of the bicycle rear derailleur RD and the one described above with reference to Fig. 4The significant shortening of the tolerance chains between the RD rear derailleur and the Cs sprocket cassette described above leads to a decisive improvement in the shifting performance and precision of the RD bicycle rear derailleur, which is coaxially connected on both sides. This improved performance and precision is also maintained permanently, as the rigid two-arm attachment A Bi , A Bo of the RD bicycle rear derailleur does not deform even under high loads, which is extremely common with traditional HD rear derailleur hangers.

[0096] Fig. 6 shows the body of the bicycle rear derailleur RD according to Fig. 2 and 3in an oblique perspective side view from inboard, looking at the inside and underside of the derailleur. The essential components of the derailleur can again be seen, including the base element KB with inner and outer fastening arms A Bi , A Bo as well as with inner and outer fastening eyes E Bi and E Bo , as well as the electric motor drive unit UD , derailleur parallelogram or pivot assembly PS with inner pivot arm A Si , hinge pins L S1 and L S2 , outer pivot arm A So and pivot arm covering element E SC as well as with P-knuckle or switching element KP and a spring / damper device DP arranged therein (cf. Fig. 7 and 31 ).

[0097] Fig. 7 shows the bicycle rear derailleur RD according to Fig. 2 , 3 and 6 in a perspective exploded view, where Fig. 7In particular, an embodiment of the modular rear derailleur system M CS according to the present disclosure is visualized. For the sake of clarity, the illustration of Fig. 7 various connecting elements such as screws, pins, bolts, bearing bushes, shafts, etc. are omitted.

[0098] In Fig. 7 Firstly, you can see that the bicycle rear derailleur RD is made up of a number of modules M according to the modular system M CS, which are Fig. 7 are each surrounded by a thick dashed line. The observed and Fig. 7 The illustrated embodiment of the rear derailleur modular system M CS comprises the modules "basic element module MB", "pivot arrangement module MS", "circuit element module MP", "chain guide device module MC" and "electrical module ME".

[0099] Each of the modules MB, MS, MP, MC and ME contains at least one assembly G. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the five modules MB, MS, MP, MC and ME contains at least two assemblies G.

[0100] At least one assembly G of at least one of the modules MB, MS, MP, MC and ME is a family member S 1 - S n, using the example of assembly A Bi of the base element module MB as a family member S B1 - S Bn of a family SB of assemblies GB comprising at least two family members S B1, S B2. Using the example of the inboard fastening arm A Bi within the base element module MB, the embodiment under consideration consists of an assembly family SB comprising two inboard fastening arms A Bi1 and A Bi2. The assembly family SB here comprises the two assemblies G1 B1 and G1 B2 (variant B1 and variant B2 of the first assembly G1 of the base element module MB), which thus represent assembly family members S B1 and S B2, which are two differently designed inboard fastening arms A Bi.

[0101] In the illustrated embodiment, the two assembly family members S B1 and S B2 , i.e. the two interchangeable inboard fastening arms A Bi1 and A Bi2 , which each form one of the assemblies GB of the base element module MB, are made of different materials, have a different design, or have different assembly features F A1 , F A2 , here for example a different design in the area above the swivel eye E Bi either with an additional chain deflection device DC (see family member / fastening arm A Bi1 ), or without such a chain deflection device (see family member / fastening arm A Bi2 ).

[0102] In this case, for the at least one assembly family SB (in the case of several assembly families S within the modular system M CS for each assembly family S of the modular system M CS ), detachable connection interfaces C i of the assembly family members S Xn , S Xm (in the previously considered example of an assembly GB of the basic element module MB, for example the family members S B1 and S B2 ) to adjacent assemblies G of the at least one module M (and, if present on the respective assembly G, connection interfaces Cc to adjacent modules M) within the at least one assembly family SB are uniformly defined across family members orshaped in such a way that a family member S Xn of the at least one assembly family SB of the at least one module M, while retaining the remaining assemblies G of the at least one module M, is interchangeable with another family member S Xm of the same assembly family SB, but made of a different material, of a different shape, of a different functionality or of a different surface property.

[0103] Furthermore, related to Fig. 7and again using the example of an assembly GB of the base element module MB , specifically using the example of the assembly G 1B (inboard-side fastening arm A Bi ), this means that for the fastening arm assembly family SB, detachable connection interfaces C iB1 , C iB2 of the assembly family members S B1 , S B2 , i.e. the two interchangeable inboard-side fastening arms A Bi1 and A Bi2 to the adjacent assembly G 2B of the base element module MB , i.e. here to the connecting piece CB , the assembly family members S B1 and S B2 are uniformly defined orare designed in such a way that the family member S B1 of the assembly family SB of the base element module MB , in the example under consideration the inboard fastening arm A Bi1 , while retaining the other assemblies GB of the base element module MB , here while retaining the connecting piece G2 B / CB , outboard fastening arm G3 B / A Bo and gear holder G4 B / HG , is interchangeable with another family member of the same assembly family SB , but made of a different material, with a different shape, with a different functionality or with a different surface property, here for example with the family member S B2 of the assembly family SB of the base element module MB , which in the present embodiment of the modular system M CS has a different design and in the area above the swivel eye E Bi has a different feature F A2 than the family member S B1 .

[0104] For example, consider the case of the connecting piece CB, which connects the inboard fastening arm A Bi , the outboard fastening arm A Bo and the gearbox holder HG within the base element module MB (cf. Fig. 6 to 9 ), it can be seen that the connecting piece CB , in addition to the detachable connection interfaces C iB3 , C iB4 , C iB5 , C iB6 to the respective adjacent assemblies GB within the base element module MB , also has connection interfaces Cc to the adjacent swivel arrangement module MS, visible in Fig. 7 in particular the connection interface C CB1 for connection to a corresponding, shape-corresponding interface C CS4 of the swivel arm A So in the adjacent swivel arrangement module.

[0105] These connection interfaces Cc to adjacent swivel arrangement modules M are also designed in such a way that a respective family member, in the case under consideration the assembly CB , i.e. the connecting piece CB , within a family SB comprising at least two family members S B1 , S B2 of connecting piece assemblies CB / GB of the base element module MB , while retaining the other assemblies GB of the base element module MB , i.e. here while retaining the gear holder assembly GB / HG , inboard fastening arm assembly GB / A Bi and outboard fastening arm assembly GB / A Bo , can be exchanged for another family member of the same assembly family S, but made of a different material, of a different shape, of a different functionality or of a different surface property.

[0106] Analogously, as well as alternatively or in addition to the presence of assembly families SB within modules M, the modular system M CS or the switching mechanism RD can also be set up for the use of at least one module family F comprising at least two family members M from modules M within the switching mechanism RD. For this purpose, for the at least one module family F, or in the case of several module families for each module family, detachable connection interfaces Cc of the family members M to adjacent modules M of the switching mechanism RD are uniformly defined or designed across all family members within the at least one module family F in such a way that a family member M of the at least one module family F, for example a base element module MB, a pivot arrangement module MS, a circuit element module MP or a chain guide device module MC, e.g.a first base element module family member M B1 , while retaining the remaining modules M of the switching mechanism RD , is interchangeable with another family member M of the same module family F, with a second base element module family member M B2 , for example made of a different material, of a different shape, of a different functionality or of a different surface property. An example of this is shown in . Fig. 35 shown, and explained again further below in the corresponding figure description.

[0107] This exchange of one family member for another family member of an assembly G or a module M can, for example, be planned by the manufacturer during production planning, which allows the manufacturer to easily plan and produce a large number of different variants or quality levels of the RD switchgear.

[0108] Due to the definition and formation of uniform and easily detachable connection interfaces across all family members in the M CS modular system according to the present disclosure, this exchange of assemblies G or modules M can also be carried out by bicycle dealers, specialist workshops or even by the end user with little effort.

[0109] In this way, the increasing demands from society and legislators to promote and improve the repairability of technical goods can be met.

[0110] The S assembly families or F module families of the M CS modular bicycle derailleur system can also be designed so that they can be replaced by the end user without the need for tools or with standard household tools. This allows the customer or end user to repair their RD bicycle derailleur with minimal effort or replace worn parts, thus extending the service life of the RD bicycle derailleur while reducing costs and resource consumption.

[0111] It will also be possible for the end user to exchange family members, i.e. assemblies G or modules M of the bicycle rear derailleur, for corresponding assemblies G or modules M, in particular of higher quality or with additional features, in order to obtain a higher-quality product at comparatively low cost without having to purchase a completely new rear derailleur RD.

[0112] At the Fig. 7 In the illustrated embodiment of the modular system M CS, the P-knuckle or shifting element module MP can comprise a spring / damper device DP for springy and vibration-damping pretensioning of the chain by means of the chain guide device CG. The spring / damper device DP then provides a connection interface C CP3 across all family members for connection to a corresponding, shape-corresponding and also cross-family-member interface Ccc of the outer chain cage guide plate device P Co in the adjacent chain guide device module MC.

[0113] Alternatively, the spring / damper device DP can also be assigned to the chain guide device module MC, which in Fig. 7by a spring / damper device DP arranged within the chain guide device module MC, shown in dashed lines and provided with parentheses. In this case, the external thread TE of the receiving housing RH of the switching element KP forms a connection interface C'cc across all family members for connection to a corresponding, shape-corresponding and also cross-family-member interface T i , C iP2 of the receiving housing RH in the adjacent switching element module MP .

[0114] The background of a spring / damper device DP associated with the chain guide device module MC is explained below with reference to Fig. 33 and 34 explained in more detail.

[0115] Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 show the base element or B-Knuckle KB of the rear derailleur RD according to Fig. 2 and 3in views from an inboard or an outboard angle. One can particularly see the two-armed attachment with the attachment arms A Bi , A Bo and the pivoting eyes E Bi , E Bo for the coaxial attachment of the rear derailleur with respect to the rear wheel axle AR. Fig. 8 Additionally, an electric drive unit UD of the bicycle rear derailleur RD is shown, comprising in particular a motor-gear unit AG and a replaceable battery unit UB held by a locking lever LL, which is described in more detail below.

[0116] Fig. 10 shows the base element or B-Knuckle KB of the rear derailleur RD according to Fig. 2 and 3 in one with Fig. 9identical view, but in exploded view. Here, too, one can see the two-arm design of the base element KB with fastening arms A Bi , A Bo and pivoting eyes E Bi , E Bo for the coaxial fastening of the rear derailleur RD to the frame eyelet DF of the rear triangle frame with respect to the rear wheel axle AR.

[0117] As in Fig. 10 As can be seen, the base element or B-knuckle KB is divided into the two fastening arms A Bi , A Bo , a gear holder HG , a connecting piece CB and a locking lever LL for fastening the battery or the exchangeable battery UB (cf. Fig. 8). It can be seen that to easily replace, for example, the outer fastening arm A Bo, only the two screw nuts NS of the connecting screws B J1 and the two other connecting screws B J2 need to be loosened. The same applies analogously to the inner fastening arm A Bi , to the gearbox holder HG with the pivoting battery locking lever LL attached to it, and to the connecting piece CB . All of these parts of the base element KB are therefore easily replaceable, which contributes to the desired comprehensive serviceability and repairability of the bicycle rear derailleur RD.

[0118] Fig. 11 to 13 show an outer parallelogram arm or pivot arm A So of the rear derailleur RD according to Fig. 2 , 3 , 6 and 13 each looking from outboard, where Fig. 12 and 13 the parallelogram arm or swivel arm A So according to Fig. 11in a disassembled view. It can be seen first of all that the outboard-side swivel arm A So comprises, in particular, the swivel arm assemblies A So1 and A So2 as well as the pivot pins LS housed in bearing bushes SL. The swivel arm assembly A So1 is broken down into further individual parts such as A So1A, A So1B, SL, LS, which are connected or screwed together by means of two connecting screws B J3.

[0119] The swivel arm assembly A So2 is in the form of a covering element E SC protecting the parallelogram arm or swivel arm A So, which is mounted by means of Fig. 13 recognizable undercuts or snap or locking connections Sc can be connected or is connected to the swivel arm assembly A So1.

[0120] In the Fig. 11 to 13 illustrated embodiment of the modular multi-part outer swivel arm A Thus, the cladding element E SC realizes an additional function.

[0121] As in particular Fig. 13 can be removed, this additional function of the swivel arm assembly A So2 or the covering element E SC is that after removing only the covering element E SC , without further disassembly of the swivel arm A So , in particular without loosening the connecting screws B J3 , the hinge pins LS can be removed directly from the swivel arm A So downwards along the direction of the arrow P 1. Thereupon or in this way, the complete swivel arm A So can be removed from the rear derailleur RD without tools, as shown in Fig. 13 as shown by the block arrow P 2 , and can thus be easily repaired or replaced, for example. Even individual parts of the swivel arm A So , such as axles, bearing bushes, or the cladding element E SC , can be easily replaced in this way.

[0122] Figures 14 to 25 show the above mentioned with regard to Fig. 6 bis 8 mentioned motor-gear unit AG of the rear derailleur RD according to Fig. 2 , 3 and 6 bis 8 in various views and sectional views.

[0123] Fig. 14 shows the engine-gearbox unit AG in an oblique perspective view from below from outboard. Due to the view from the underside of the engine-gearbox unit AG, Fig. 14 the motor-gearbox unit AG is upside down, based on the illustration in the Fig. 2 , 3 and 6 bis 8 . One recognizes in Fig. 14 in particular an output shaft So, which in the representation of Fig. 6 coincides or corresponds to the hinge pin L S1 shown there.

[0124] A drive arm AD is pressed onto a knurled section of the output shaft So, which serves to transmit the switching forces from the motor-gear unit AG to the switching mechanism RD, see for example also Fig. 6 and 13 .

[0125] Furthermore, one knows in Fig. 14 an actuating device Oc comprising a button BM, which preferably serves for the selection of certain operating modes of the electrical switching mechanism RD by the user, and an operating display in the form of a light-emitting diode DO, by means of which certain operating states of the electrical switching mechanism RD are preferably signalled to the user.

[0126] In addition, Fig. 14 It can be seen that the motor-gear unit AG is designed to be particularly space-saving in that the housing halves or housing sections S H1 , S H2 are designed to fit as closely as possible to the inner components of the motor-gear unit AG, as can be seen, for example, in the shape of the upper housing half S H1 in the drawing, which in the right-hand area of ​​the drawing reproduces the shape of the electric motor EM contained therein (cf. Fig. 16 , 20 and 22) and in the left-hand area of ​​the drawing is closely based on the shapes of the gear parts contained in this area (cf. Fig. 16 , 22 and 23 ).

[0127] Fig. 15 shows a motor-gearbox unit AG similar to the one in Fig. 14 shown, with inserted removable battery UB in an oblique perspective bottom view of outboard. The motor-gear unit AG differs from the one in Fig. 14 shown motor-gear unit AG only by a structurally differently designed drive arm AD , which in the embodiment according to Fig. 15 is designed as a stamped and bent part, while the drive arm AD in the embodiment according to Fig. 14 for example, it can be designed as a milled part or injection-molded part.

[0128] Using the block arrow pairs P 3 , P 4 and P 5 Fig. 15 indicated how the motor-gear unit AG is fixed and secured in the B-knuckle or base element KB with respect to all six spatial degrees of freedom of movement, without any geometric under- or over-determination. This is done by means of a Fig. 15 by the pair of block arrows P 3 visualized rotary axis connection CR , which can be realized, for example, by means of two housing shoulders BH, which are arranged coaxially around the output shaft So, and of which one or both come into contact during assembly of the motor-gear unit AG in the base element KB , e.g. in correspondingly shaped recesses of the gear holder HG and the connecting piece CB of the base element KB (cf. Fig. 6 and 8 ), as well as by means of two translational stop connections C T1 and C T2 , whose power transmission or translational fixing of the motor-gear unit AG in Fig. 15 are indicated by the block arrow pairs P 4 and P 5.

[0129] The rotary axis connection of the motor-gear unit AG with the base element KB can alternatively be realized directly by engagement of the output shaft So with a corresponding recess in the base element KB. This is, for example, Fig. 6 recognizable where the drawing-related lower end of the output shaft So simultaneously the hinge pin L S1 for the pivoting guidance of the inner pivot arm A Si , and also the rotary axis connection CR between the motor-gear unit AG and the base element KB with respect to the Fig. 15 by means of the block arrows P 3 visualized fixation of the degrees of freedom of movement of the motor-gear unit AG, by Fig. 6 the output shaft So at C CB2 with the gearbox holder HG and if necessary also at C B1 with the connecting piece CB (see also Fig. 8 ) is in positive engagement.

[0130] The Fig. 15 The horizontal translational stop connection C T1, visualised by means of the block arrows P 4, is used during assembly of the motor-gear unit AG in the base element KB in a corresponding recess RL of the gear holder HG (cf. Fig. 10 ) form-fitting to the system and thus forms the torque support for the derivation of the engine counter torque into the base element KB . The further, in Fig. 15 The vertical translational stop connection CT2, visualized by the block arrows P5, is positively enclosed in a translational manner in the drawing-related vertical direction between the gearbox holder HG and the connecting piece CB during assembly of the motor-gear unit AG in the base element KB, for example, and thus fixes the motor-gear unit AG in the vertical direction in the base element KB. The vertical fixation of the gear unit AG in the base element KB can also be achieved by other stop surfaces arranged on the outside of the housing of the motor-gear unit AG, which come into contact with corresponding counter-stop surfaces of the base element KB during assembly of the motor-gear unit AG in the base element KB.

[0131] Fig. 16 shows a motor-gearbox unit AG according to Fig. 14 or Fig. 15 , together with battery device or replaceable battery Us according to Fig. 2 , 6 , 7 , 8 or15in longitudinal section. In addition to some parts of the base element KB , namely the gear holder HG and the connecting piece CB , the positive fixing of the removable battery UB can be seen in particular, which is carried out on the left-hand side of the drawing by means of a nose projection N P1 formed on the housing of the removable battery UB, which engages under a retaining collar SR formed on the connecting piece CB. On the right-hand side of the drawing, the removable battery Us is secured in the base element KB by means of the locking lever LL , which is connected to the gear holder HG so as to be pivotable about a locking lever pivot axis AL arranged on the gear holder HG, and engages in a positive-locking manner by means of a molded-on nose projection N P2 and with the generation of an elastic clamping force FE via a locking elevation PL formed on the removable battery UB.The clamping force FE is created by elastic deformation of both the locking lever LL and the housing of the exchangeable battery UB as well as the two housing halves S H1 and S H2 of the motor-gear unit AG .

[0132] However, the locking lever LL has a pivoting connection with the locking lever pivot axis AL, which in turn is firmly connected to the gear holder HG (cf. Fig. 10 ), a vertically running elongated hole HO as shown in the drawing. This means that the positive elastic clamping FE of the locking lever LL does not have to be introduced via the pivot axis AL first into the gear holder HG and only from there again to the lower housing half S H1 of the motor-gear unit AG , from there to the upper housing half S H1 , and finally back to the housing of the exchangeable battery UB , which would result in a long tolerance chain with the risk of either too tight or too loose clamping FE of the exchangeable battery UB , or undesirably large changes in this clamping force FE over time.

[0133] However, thanks to the elongated hole HO, the locking lever LL can move up and down in the vertical direction shown in the drawing. The elastic clamping force FE thus only arises shortly before the locking lever LL finally engages due to the direct contact of an inclined contact surface S A1 arranged on the locking lever LL with a counterpressure surface S A2 arranged in a corresponding shape on the gear holder HG (see Fig. Fig. 6 , 8 , 9 , 10 and 15). In this way, for the fastening of the removable battery UB by the locking lever LL, a maximum shortened tolerance chain is achieved on the direct path of the force FE between the contact surface SA1 of the locking lever LL via the lower and upper housing flanges FH1, FH2 of the housing halves S H1 and S H2 of the motor-gear unit AG, as well as via the housing of the removable battery UB and its nose projection NP2 back to the locking lever LL. This leads to a minimal addition of tolerances and thus to secure and permanently reproducible fastening of the removable battery Us on the motor-gear unit AG or in the base element KB.

[0134] Fig. 17 and 18 show the engine-gearbox unit according to Fig. 14 or 15 or according to Fig. 16 each in oblique perspective top views of the electrical contact device of the motor-gear unit, which has contact pins CP on its upper side for electrical contact between the replaceable battery UB and the motor-gear unit AG.

[0135] In addition to the two housing halves S H1 and S H2 of the motor-gearbox unit AG and the contact pins CP arranged on the upper housing half S H2, a circumferential elastomer seal EG can be seen, which ensures reliable protection of both the drive-side contact pins CP and the corresponding mating contact surfaces on the removable battery UB. The drive-side contact pins CP are designed as spring-loaded metal pins, whose spring loading ensures reliable power transmission.

[0136] To avoid accidents when sliding the battery on, which Fig. 18 in the longitudinal direction according to block arrow P 6, in the representations of Fig. 15 bis 19 i.e. essentially horizontally in accordance with the drawing, to avoid damage or bending of the contact pins CP, for example through contact with the front edge EL of the removable battery UB (see also Fig. 16 ), the contact pins CP are protected by a bending spring SF, which ensures that when the removable battery UB is pushed on, its front edge EL is slightly raised and can therefore slide over the contact pins CP without the risk of bending them.

[0137] When finally locking the removable battery Us using the locking lever LL (see Fig. 18 ), the bending spring SF is pressed down accordingly, and the contact pins CP can easily contact the corresponding mating contact surfaces on the underside of the removable battery UB. The protection provided by the bending spring SF for the contact pins CP against bending when sliding on the removable battery UB is particularly good in Fig. 21 to recognize.

[0138] Fig. 19 shows the engine-gearbox unit according to Fig. 14 or Fig. 15 bis 18 in an oblique perspective view from above / outboard, with an exploded view of the actuating device Oc. It can be seen that the actuating device Oc is characterized by the small number of only three individual parts, namely the actuating button BM, a rigid cover sleeve FS and an elastomer holder RE. In addition to the resulting cost-effective production and assembly, the individual parts BM, FS and RE of the actuating device Oc are designed in such a way that they ensure both the movable, captive inclusion of the actuating button BM in the cover sleeve FS and a permanently tight mechanical connection of the actuating device Oc to the housing SH2 of the motor-gearbox unit AG. This saves costs in production and assembly and ensures the permanently reliable function of the actuating device Oc.

[0139] In Fig. 20 the motor-gearbox unit AG is in accordance with Fig. 14 or Fig. 15 bis 19 shown in an oblique perspective view in a partially disassembled state. For the sake of clarity, Fig. 20 various parts and assemblies have been omitted, in particular connecting elements between the two housing halves S H1 and S H2 of the motor-gearbox unit AG as well as most of the electronic and gear components contained in the motor-gearbox unit AG.

[0140] It can be seen that the electric motor EM is mounted in the housing S H1 , S H2 of the motor-gear unit AG by means of a carrier plate device PD (cf. Fig. 21 ), whereby to assemble the electric motor EM, it is first screwed to the carrier plate device PD, and then the unit comprising the electric motor EM and carrier plate device PD is simply inserted into corresponding, essentially prismatically shaped plug-in receptacles MR, which are formed in the two housing halves S H1, S H2 of the motor-gear unit AG. A spring device DS ensures that the unit comprising the electric motor EM and carrier plate device PD is dimensionally defined and permanently free of play in the housing S H1, S H2 of the motor-gear unit AG.

[0141] The latter is particularly evident in the representation of Fig. 21 recognizable, which the engine-gear unit AG according to Fig. 14 or Fig. 15 bis 20 in the assembled state in a perspective sectional view, wherein, among other things, the carrier plate device PD and the spring device DS are shown in section. It can be seen that a pressure projection PP arranged inside the upper housing half SH2 pre-tensions the spring device DS downwards as shown in the drawing when the housing S H1, S H2 is closed by the housing screws HS, whereby the carrier plate device PD and the electric motor EM screwed to the carrier plate device PD are dimensionally exactly defined with regard to their position in the gearbox housing S H1, S H2 and are fixed without play. The electric motor EM is further fixed in its rear area by the additional bracket AF.

[0142] Fig. 21 also shows the position of the electronic board P CB , on which the (not shown) components of the electronic control of the bicycle rear derailleur RD are arranged.

[0143] In Fig. 22 the motor-gearbox unit AG is in accordance with Fig. 14 or Fig. 15 bis 21 shown in a partially assembled state in a perspective longitudinal section. This shows, among other things, the upper housing half S H2 as well as the majority of the transmission components (cf. Fig. 23 bis 25 ) is omitted for clarity. Fig. 22 The visible electrical connection cable LC of the electric motor EM is to be understood merely symbolically with regard to the embodiments shown in the figures, since in these embodiments the control electronics P CB of the switching mechanism RD (cf. Fig. 21 ), and thus also the electrical connection cable LC , like the electric motor EM itself, is completely arranged in the housing of the motor-gear unit AG.

[0144] One can see in Fig. 22 again the motor fastening in the gear housing S H1 , S H2 by means of the carrier plate device PD , as well as the design of the first two gear stages S G1 , S G2 of the motor-gear unit AG , in particular the bearing of the worm shaft Sw. This comprises two shaft bearings BW , which in the embodiment shown are designed as ball bearings, but can also be in the form of plain bearings, in particular sintered bearings.

[0145] The bearing arrangement shown, using two ball bearings B W1 , B W2, is designed as a fixed / loose bearing in the axial direction of the worm shaft Sw. The left-hand ball bearing B W1 in the drawing is fixed by means of a plate-shaped bearing seat holder RB which is screwed to the lower housing half S H1, and in the axial direction by means of an axial stop AW, which is also plate-shaped and is held at the top by the bearing seat holder RB and at the bottom in a recess in the lower housing half S H1, as well as by means of a housing projection PH on the lower housing half S H1. In the radial direction, the left-hand ball bearing B W1 is clamped between the bearing seat holder RB and the lower housing half S H1 by means of a vertical holder BV. The left-hand ball bearing B W1 is thus fixed in the lower housing half S H1 without any play in both the axial and radial directions relative to the worm shaft Sw.

[0146] The drawing-related left ball bearing B W1 can, for example, form a loose bearing of the worm shaft Sw by selecting a transition fit, for example, to accommodate the drawing-related left-hand bearing journal of the worm shaft Sw in the bearing inner ring of the left ball bearing B W1, so that the left bearing journal of the worm shaft Sw can move in the axial direction relative to the left ball bearing B W1 and can thus compensate for axial stresses occurring, for example, due to tolerances or temperature changes.

[0147] The right-hand ball bearing B W2 in the drawing is pressed into a recess RM of the motor support plate device PD in the radial direction without play (cf. Fig. 3 ), and its position in the axial direction to the right in the drawing is determined in the embodiment shown by a second material layer LM of the motor support plate device PD, which covers the area of ​​the ball bearing at the rear (cf. also Fig. 21 ). The bearing journal of the worm shaft Sw on the right-hand side of the drawing is, for example, pressed firmly into the inner bearing ring of the associated ball bearing B W2 in order to provide a fixed bearing for the worm shaft Sw in the axial direction.

[0148] In this way, a dimensionally precisely defined fixation of the worm shaft Sw is achieved with respect to the gearbox housing S H1 and in particular with respect to the adjacent gearbox components of the two gear stages S G1 , S G2 . The maximum forces occurring in the gearbox during operation of the switching mechanism RD act due to the switching logic of the switching mechanism RD in the gearbox as shown in Fig. 22 to the right on the worm shaft Sw as shown in the drawing, and can thus be introduced into the gearbox housing S H1, S H2 safely and with minimal gear play via the component chain "right end of the worm shaft Sw" -> "second gear S G1B of the first gear stage S G1" -> "ball bearing B W2" -> "support plate device PD". Alternatively or additionally, such reaction forces acting to the right on or in the worm shaft Sw can also be introduced directly into the second material layer LM of the motor support plate device PD via a right-hand spherical end of the worm shaft Sw.

[0149] Simpler, more cost-effective gearbox designs can use sintered plain bearings, for example, instead of ball bearings B W1 and B W2. In this case, the worm shaft Sw can also be axially supported on both sides in a loose bearing arrangement, thus axially overhung. Depending on the force acting, the ends of the worm shaft Sw, which are crowned on both sides, can be mounted either on the right side against the motor support plate device PD or on the left side against the axial stop AW of the bearing seat holder RB.

[0150] When considering the transmission of the bicycle rear derailleur RD, it must also be taken into account that the illustrations according to Figuren 14 bis 25 All are enlarged, some greatly enlarged. In the illustrated embodiment of the transmission, for example, the bearing journals of the worm shaft Sw have a diameter of only 2 mm, which clearly indicates to a person skilled in the art that the bicycle rear derailleur RD in question falls into the field of precision engineering.

[0151] Fig. 23 shows again the electric motor as well as the complete gearbox of the motor-gear unit AG according to Fig. 14 or Fig. 15 bis 22 in a perspective view without the housing. You can see again the above mentioned Fig. 22 described first gear stage S G1 and the worm shaft Sw of the second gear stage S G2 . The worm shaft Sw acts in the second gear stage S G2 on a helical spur gear S G2B , which acts via an overload locking clutch Co shown schematically here on a straight spur gear S G3A of the third gear stage S G3. From there, the drive torque is transmitted via a fourth gear stage S G4 comprising a stepped gear ZS with toothings S G3B = S G5A and S G4A to a segment gear S G4B which is pressed onto the output shaft So. The output shaft So drives, as described above and in particular in Fig. 6 and 13 bis 15 recognizable, by means of a direct connection the drive arm AD , thus the derailleur parallelogram PS and thus the translational pivoting movement of the switching element or P-knuckles KP.

[0152] Fig. 23 further shows a fifth gear stage S G5 with a double spur gear S G5S arranged on a fifth (not shown) gear shaft. The fifth gear stage S G5 serves for the play-free transmission of the rotational angle position of the segment gear S G4B , and thus the angular position of the drive arm AD , and thus in turn of the rear derailleur parallelogram PS , ultimately thus an exact transmission of the horizontal switching position of the switching element KP and chain cage CG relative to the sprocket cassette CS of the bicycle (cf. Fig. 1 and 3 ) to a corresponding rotation angle position of the double spur gear S G5B .

[0153] For this purpose, a magnetic element CM is accommodated, for example pressed in, in the double spur gear S G5B, which communicates its rotational position via (not shown) magnetic field lines to an electronic magnetic field sensor FM, which is fixed relative to the housing S H1 , S H2 of the motor-gear unit AG, for example arranged on the electronic board P CB, which is accommodated in the gear housing S H1 , S H2, cf. Fig. 21 Electronic board P CB shown in section. Gearbox housing S H1 , S H2 and electronic board P CB are shown in the illustration of Fig. 23 omitted for clarity.

[0154] Since the gear stages S G4 , S G3 and S G2 are permanently spring-loaded due to the permanent spring action of the swivel arm spring S AS (cf. Fig. 6 ) are fundamentally subjected to a force preload resulting from this spring action in the direction of rotation resulting from the spring force of the swivel arm spring S AS, any tooth play of these gear stages S G4 to S G2 up to the corresponding stop of the tooth flanks of the helical gear wheel S G2B on the corresponding counter tooth flanks of the worm shaft Sw is eliminated both when the switching mechanism RD is at a standstill and during normal operation.

[0155] The fifth gear stage S G5 with the double spur gear S G5B, which serves for the rotary drive of the magnetic element CM, only has to eliminate its own tooth play compared to the stepped gear ZS in order to achieve the swivel or horizontal position LP of the chain cage CG with high accuracy and without play (cf. Fig. 3 ) to a corresponding rotation angle position of the magnetic element CM.

[0156] Fig. 24 and 25show the double spur gear S G5B again in a further enlarged view, with the step gear ZS also being shown again in each case, with whose teeth S G3B =S G5A the double spur gear S G5B meshes without play.

[0157] In Fig. 25 one can see the configuration of the double spur gear S G5B consisting of exactly three individual parts S G5B1 , S G5B2 and FT, which includes a main gear S G5B1 , an auxiliary gear S G5B2 and a tension spring FT.

[0158] The main gear S G5B1 provides both an inner cylindrical receiving surface R A1 for the rotational mounting of the double spur gear S G5B on an associated (not shown) fifth gear shaft, as well as an outer cylindrical bearing surface R A2 for the rotatable mounting of the auxiliary gear S G5B2 on the main gear S G5B1 , and also an inner cylindrical receiving surface R A3 , in which the magnetic element CM is received by pressing in, cf. Fig. 24 .

[0159] Main gear S G5B1 and auxiliary gear S G5B2 of the double spur gear S G5B are Fig. 24 visible axial relative position by a locking connection EE, EP by means of two elastic locking elements EE arranged on the auxiliary gear S G5B2 and pointing radially inwards, in that the elastic locking elements EE engage in shape-corresponding, radially outward-pointing locking projections EP of the main gear S G5B1 when the main gear S G5B1 and auxiliary gear S G5B2 are axially joined. The elastic locking elements EE and the shape-corresponding locking projections EP are shaped in such a way and their extent in the circumferential direction of the main gear S G5B1 and auxiliary gear S G5B2 are selected in such a way that the main gear S G5B1 and auxiliary gear S G5B2 can still rotate against each other by a few angular degrees even in the locked state.

[0160] When the main gear S G5B1 and the auxiliary gear S G5B2 are joined together, the tension spring FT is also accommodated in a cavity formed by the main gear S G5B1 and the auxiliary gear S G5B2, whereby the two spring ends of the tension spring FT are each accommodated in corresponding recesses of the main gear S G5B1 and the auxiliary gear S G5B2 in such a way that the tension spring FT is under a certain pretension, which tends to rotate the main gear S G5B1 and the auxiliary gear S G5B2 against each other.

[0161] This preload or spring-loaded relative rotation of the main gear S G5B1 and the auxiliary gear S G5B2 ensures that, in the gear pair S G5 between the double spur gear S G5B and the meshing stepped gear ZS, not only does one of the two tooth flanks of the gear pair S G5 rest against the corresponding counter flank of the other gear, but that both tooth flanks of this gear pair S G5 rest against each other, eliminating the tooth play. In this way, an exact and play-free representation of the horizontal position LP of the chain cage CG of the bicycle rear derailleur RD (cf. Fig. 3 ) to a corresponding rotational angle position of the double spur gear S G5B and thus of the magnetic element CM.

[0162] As can be seen particularly from the presentation of Fig. 23 becomes clear is the electronic control of the rear derailleur, which is preferably located on the electronic board P CB in the gearbox housing S H1 , S H2 (cf. Fig. 21 ), the exact horizontal or swivel position LP of the chain cage CG is known at any time (cf. Fig. 3 ). Since the overload clutch Co of the gearbox according to Fig. 23 is arranged between the step gear ZS and the worm gear stage S G2, this also applies in principle if the switching position LP of the rear derailleur RD should be adjusted by strong external forces, for example in the event of a fall or by hitting an obstacle.

[0163] In such a case, the electronic control P CB of the rear derailleur RD can, after a short pause or triggered by the user, be moved back exactly to the previously assumed shift position LP , or to any other desired gear or shift position, without the previously occurring adjustment of the rear derailleur RD due to massive external forces being associated with a loss of shifting precision.

[0164] Figuren 26 bis 30 show another embodiment of a bicycle rear derailleur RD according to the present disclosure. As can be seen from Fig. 26 bis 28 As can be seen, this switching mechanism RD has a covering element E BC, which is also easily replaceable by the user and is preferably made of a polymer material. In the embodiment shown, the covering element E BC is penetrated by the button BM of the actuating device Oc, which serves to select certain operating modes of the electrical switching mechanism RD by the user. In the embodiment shown, the covering element E BC is Fig. 28 recognizable locking elements formed by elastic rear grips are connected to the structure of the base element KB and additionally secured by means of a locking screw RS, which in the embodiment shown can be screwed into a lower component of the base element KB.

[0165] The E BC cover element is shaped and arranged in such a way that it can absorb the typical damage that frequently occurs on RD bicycle rear derailleurs during use, for example due to falls, the bicycle tipping over, or contact with obstacles such as tree branches, roots, or stones during sporting use. This means that it can protect the other parts of the RD rear derailleur, in particular metal parts, painted or polished parts, or high-quality plastic parts, for example made of fiber composite materials such as carbon, from such damage. In this way, the flawless function and high-quality appearance of the RD bicycle rear derailleur can be maintained for longer and permanently, and in the event of damage, the E BC cover element can be easily replaced, especially by the end user.

[0166] It is also possible and intended to provide cladding elements E BC made of different materials, with different shapes, with different surface designs or with additional functions such as tool holders, etc. In this way, the user can upgrade the bicycle rear derailleur RD even after a longer period of time or, similar to the replacement of other modules or assemblies described in the present disclosure, upgrade to a higher-quality version of the rear derailleur RD.

[0167] In this way, resources can be saved, the service life of the RD bicycle rear derailleur can be increased and repairability by the end customer themselves or by specialist workshops is made easier and improved.

[0168] Fig. 29 shows an outer pivot arm or parallelogram arm A So of the rear derailleur RD according to Fig. 26 bis 28 in perspective view from inboard, while the parallelogram arm A So in Fig. 30 shown in a disassembled exploded view.

[0169] The Fig. 29 and 30 shown parallelogram arm A So of the rear derailleur RD according to Fig. 26 bis 28 is initially structured similarly to the one above with reference to Fig. 12 described parallelogram arm A So . The parallelogram arm A So according to Fig. 29 and 30 is also essentially composed of two parts, consisting of swivel arm assemblies A So1 and A So2, and further comprises hinge pins LS accommodated in bearing bushes SL.

[0170] The swivel arm assemblies A So1 and A So2 are connected or screwed together by means of two connecting screws B J3. The lower swivel arm assembly A So2 again has a covering element E SC that protects the parallelogram arm or swivel arm A So, which is attached by means of undercuts and / or snap or locking connections Sc, similar to Fig. 13 , is connectable or connected to the lower swivel arm assembly A So2. The cover element E SC protects the other, preferably metallic components of the parallelogram arm A So from damage and can be easily replaced in the event of damage or wear, particularly by the end user.

[0171] In contrast to the Fig. 11 bis 13 shown parallelogram arm A So , which according to Fig. 13 can be removed from the rear derailleur RD without tools, the parallelogram arm A So is Fig. 29 and 30To remove the parallelogram arm from the RD rear derailleur, first loosen the connecting screws B J3 and separate the pivot arm assemblies A So1 and A So2, since the parallelogram arm A So is Fig. 26 and 30 in its lower swivel arm assembly A So2 not - like the parallelogram arm A So according to Fig. 11 bis 13 - has through holes HT for the hinge pins LS, but is provided with blind holes HB at this point.

[0172] Fig. 31 shows a circuit element or P-knuckle KP of a rear derailleur RD according to Fig. 2 or according to Fig. 26 , whereby according to Fig. 31 the spring / damper device DP of the rear derailleur RD is removed from the housing RH of the switching element KP.

[0173] In the derailleurs according to the present disclosure, the spring / damper device DP is located as shown in Fig. 31 shown, preferably as a one-piece, manageable or removable module, which, for example, also Fig. 7 and 32 Particularly preferably, the spring / damper device DP is designed together with the chain cage device CG as a one-piece, manageable assembly, which corresponds to the spring / damper device DP shown in dashed lines and provided with bracketed reference numerals in Fig. 7 corresponds.

[0174] This makes unscrewing the spring / damper assembly DP from the receiving housing RH of the base element KB considerably easier due to the large lever arm formed by the chain cage assembly CG. For this purpose, among others, the chain cage assembly CG has a stop pin BL that protrudes in the inboard direction or in the direction of the spring / damper assembly (see Fig. Fig. 7 and Fig. 33 ), which is in a Fig. 6 , 7 and 33visible stop groove LG engages, and thus allows torque transmission from the chain cage device CG to the spring / damper device DP, for the purpose of unscrewing the spring / damper device DP from the receiving housing RH.

[0175] This means that the DP spring / damper unit can also be removed from the RH housing of the KB base element without the need for tools, for example, to repair or replace the DP spring / damper unit in the event of damage. Furthermore, with regard to the DP spring / damper unit, it is also possible and intended to provide DP spring / damper units with different functional properties, which can be purchased by the customer optionally or as spare parts and – for example, in the context of an upgrade to their RD bicycle rear derailleur – can be exchanged for one another or for an existing DP spring / damper unit. In this case, particular consideration should be given to DP spring / damper units, for example, with a mechanical friction damper on the one hand and a higher-quality hydraulic damper on the other, or to mechanical friction dampers of different designs, masses, and qualities.

[0176] The torque transmission from the chain cage device CG to the spring / damper device DP for the purpose of unscrewing the spring / damper device DP , together with the chain cage device CG , from the base element housing RH using the chain cage device CG as a torque-generating handle is shown again Fig. 32 The stop bolt BL can be seen, which is screwed into a corresponding through thread TT of the outer chain cage guide plate device P Co by means of its bolt thread TB in such a way that the end of the stop bolt BL designed as a stop pin SP engages in the stop groove LG when the outer chain cage guide plate P Co is connected to the damper module DP by means of the cage fastening screw S CF.

[0177] Thus, by rotating the chain cage device CG by hand in an anti-clockwise direction, via the end of the stop bolt BL designed as a stop pin SP and via the Fig. 32 drawing-related upper end of the stop groove LG, a sufficiently high torque must be applied to the cover element EC in order to be able to unscrew it from the base element housing RH using the thread TE. Screwing in is carried out analogously, whereby the torque is transmitted in this case via the end of the stop bolt BL designed as a stop pin SP and via the Fig. 32 drawing-related lower end of the stop groove LG.

[0178] After unscrewing, the chain guide module MC including the spring / damper device DP is available as a one-piece, manageable module, which in Fig. 33 Due to the special design of the spring / damper device DP, the cage spring ST also remains tensioned and adjusted unchanged, as does the damper device arranged radially inside the cage spring ST and not visible in the figures. The design and function of the spring / damper device DP are not the subject of the present disclosure, but can be found in other patent applications of the applicant, for example, German patent application DE 102020209370A1.

[0179] As in Fig. 31 bis 34 As can be seen, the spring / damper device DP is connected to the housing RH of the base element KB by means of a multi-start thread TE , T i . The illustrated embodiment is a three-start thread TE , T i , which is particularly evident from the illustration of Fig. 34 which shows a view into the interior of the receiving housing RH of the base element KB , with the spring / damper device removed.

[0180] By means of a summary of Fig. 31 , 33 and 34 a special property of the three-start thread TE , T i of the illustrated embodiment becomes clear. In the case of the three-start thread TE , T i , one of the thread turns has been omitted in the thread area TO of both the external thread TE and the internal thread T i . In other words, this means that the remaining two thread turns T S1 and T S2 of the actually three-start thread pair TE , T i both in the axial direction according to Fig. 31 as well as in the circumferential direction according to Fig. 32 , each relative to the swivel axis AP of the chain cage device CG (cf. Fig. 2 , 3 or 6 ) are not evenly spaced from each other.

[0181] This advantageously results in the thread pairing TE, T i not being able to be screwed into one another in the three different rotational relative positions spaced 120 degrees apart, which are typical for a three-start thread, but only in one rotational relative position, which is the correct rotational relative position of the spring / damper device DP and the receiving housing RH of the base element KB, as intended by the design. In this way, incorrect assembly of the chain guide device module MC with the spring / damper device DP arranged thereon can be reliably avoided.

[0182] Fig. 35 shows three differently constructed spring / damper devices D P1 , D P2 , D P3 for a modular rear derailleur RD similar Fig. 2 or Fig. 26 . The Fig. 35 The components shown are at least partially schematic and not to scale.

[0183] The spring / damper devices D P1 , D P2 , D P3 are shown in the illustration of Fig. 35 in three differently constructed and shaped housings R H1 , R H2 , R H3 . The different spring / damper devices D P1-3 can be a variety of damper modules such as dampers with disc spring package WB and roller freewheel RF ( Fig. 35 Middle), damper with directional damping wrap springs WS ( Fig. 35 left and right) or hydraulic dampers (not shown).

[0184] In accordance with the hierarchical at least two-stage modular construction system M CS according to the present disclosure, the three different spring / damper devices D P1 , D P2 , D P3 are in the form of modularly exchangeable and one-piece handleable (cf. Fig. 31 and 32) modules G, in this case of three (P1-P3) first (G1) modules G1 P1 , G1 P2 , G1 P3 , which (P) are assigned to the circuit element module MP, see the overview of the modular system M CS in Fig. 7 with the circuit element module MP top left, which also shows a spring / damper device D P1 as the first assembly G1 P of the circuit element module MP.

[0185] As in Fig. 7 As shown, the circuit element module MP in the embodiment of the modular system M CS shown therein contains a spring / damper device DP and a receiving housing RH as assemblies GP of the module MP. Both the spring / damper device DP and the receiving housing RH can be handled as a single piece, see. Fig. 31 and 32 .

[0186] According to Fig. 35 Furthermore, the three spring / damper devices D P1 , D P2 and D P3 , as well as the three housings R H1 , R H2 , and R H3 each form assembly families S C1 , S C2 of the circuit element module MP , cf. analogously the according to Fig. 7 Family SB comprising two family members S B1 , S B2 from the first assemblies G1 B1 , G1 B2 of the basic element module MB .

[0187] In Fig. 35 are the two assembly families S C1 , S C2 of the circuit element module MP , which corresponds to the P-knuckle or circuit element KP of the switching mechanism RD, in accordance with the representation of the assembly family SB in Fig. 7 , framed with dotted lines (S C1 ) or marked for illustration purposes (S C2 ).

[0188] After Fig. 7 shows Fig. 35 This is a further example of the hierarchical at least two-stage modular system M CS according to the present disclosure. In the embodiment according to Fig. 35 The first level of the hierarchical at least two-level modularity lies in the one-piece, interchangeable modules M P1 , M P2 and M P3 , which comprise three different B-knuckles or circuit elements K P1 , K P2 and K P3 with identical interfaces C CP to neighboring modules across all modules (cf. Fig. 7 ), and thus form a module family FP (with regard to the one-piece design or one-piece handling of the circuit elements KP or circuit element modules MP, see Fig. 7 , Fig. 31 and 32 ). The scope of the module family FP , here comprising the one-piece handleable and interchangeable P-knuckle or switching element modules M P1 , M P2 and M P3 , is in Fig. 35 visualized by the thicker dashed line FP.

[0189] The second level of the hierarchical at least two-level modularity of the modular system M CS is realized with the three (P1-P3) first (G1) circuit element (P) assemblies G1 P1 , G1 P2 and G1 P3 , which can also be handled in one piece and are modularly interchangeable with one another, or with the three (P1-P3) second (G2) circuit element (P) assemblies G2 P1 , G2 P2 and G3 P3 , which each form spring / damper devices DP or receiving housing RH of a circuit element module MP (with regard to the one-piece nature or one-piece handling of the spring / damper devices DP and the receiving housing RH, see again Fig. 7 , Fig. 31 and 32 ).

[0190] With the identical interfaces C iP1 , C iP2 C iP3 , C iP4 across all modules (cf. Fig. 31 bis 34 ) to the respective neighboring modules G p of the same module MP (cf. Fig. 7 and Fig. 31 bis 34 ) and with interfaces C CP1 , C CP2 that are also identical across modules (cf. Fig. 7 ) and C CP3 to the neighboring modules MS and MC, the modules G1 P1-3 and G2 P1-3 form two module families S C1 and S C2 within the circuit element module MP .

[0191] Thus, in the embodiment according to Fig. 35 Three different spring / damper devices D P1 , D P2 , D P3 and three different base element housings R H1 , R H2 , R H3 are available, which can be freely exchanged or combined with one another in a modular manner within the switching element module MP, resulting in nine different possible combinations and thus different versions of the switching element module MP. The same applies to the other modules: base element module MB , swivel arrangement module MS , chain guide device module MC and electrical module ME (see Fig. 7 ).

[0192] This demonstrates that, thanks to the hierarchical, at least two-level modularity of the RD rear derailleur or the M CS modular system according to the present disclosure, a multitude of variants of the RD rear derailleur can be created, making it easy to create rear derailleurs with a wide variety of product properties and capabilities, as well as with a wide variety of material and surface qualities. This allows the RD rear derailleur to be largely freely adapted to the requirements of a wide variety of market segments and customer groups.

[0193] This also ensures that the RD rear derailleur is as easy to repair as desired. It is no longer necessary to replace the entire rear derailleur if a module or assembly is damaged or defective. Instead, the corresponding module or assembly can be very easily repaired or replaced by a wide variety of user groups, right up to the end customer. Likewise, the customer or owner of such an RD rear derailleur can equip their rear derailleur with additional functions or higher-quality assemblies (G) or modules (M) as required, without having to replace the entire rear derailleur. Overall, this leads to significantly lower material and resource consumption during the RD rear derailleur's life cycle, which can also be extended almost indefinitely.

[0194] Fig. 36 , 38 and 39show another embodiment of an electric bicycle derailleur RD. This bicycle derailleur RD is equipped with a lower chain tensioning pulley W CL that has no teeth.

[0195] Due to the omission of the toothing on the chain tensioning roller W CL, it is no longer possible for the chain CN to ride on the teeth of the chain tensioning roller W CL, as is the case with the state of the art (cf. Fig. 36 ) is the case. For this reason, the chain guide device CG in the state of the art must have a sufficiently large tab distance DT from the teeth of the chain tensioning pulley W CL and a chain cage tab TC closing the chain cage. The tab distance DT must be large enough that the chain CN can still pass between the chain cage tab TC and the lower chain tensioning pulley W CL even if the chain CN rides on the tooth tips of the chain tensioning pulley W CL, since jamming of the chain in the chain cage can easily lead to the derailleur breaking off.

[0196] With the bicycle rear derailleur RD according to Fig. 35 , 37 and 38, which has a smooth, non-toothed lower chain tensioner W CL , the chain CN has a constant radial distance position from the chain tensioner W CL . Therefore, the chain cage tab TC can be positioned significantly closer or directly on the outer envelope surface E CO of the chain CN, which, in addition to Fig. 35 particularly clear from Fig. 37 This results in improved and safer guidance of the slack side of the chain CN when entering the rear derailleur RD in all riding conditions.

[0197] Preferably, in this embodiment, the chain cage tab TC is formed such that a considerable gap GD remains between the chain cage tab TC and the opposite chain cage guide plate device P Co, which also results from Fig. 35 and 37This gap allows dirt adhering to the chain or, for example, plant debris such as small branches, to be easily ejected from the chain cage without clogging it, which could otherwise lead to the derailleur breaking.

[0198] Fig. 39 shows the lower chain tensioner W CL , the derailleur design according to Fig. 35 , 37 and 38 again separately. One can see a radially inwardly arranged bearing support area S RB for the arrangement of a plain or ball bearing, a non-toothed, smooth chain guide area S GC, and a connecting structure area S IC , which connects the bearing support area S RB and the chain guide area S GC.

[0199] Since the lower chain tensioner W CL only serves to pre-tension the chain CN and does not, like the upper chain tensioner W CU , have to fulfil specific lateral chain guidance tasks, especially during gear shifting, the omission of the toothing on the lower chain tensioner W CL is not associated with any disadvantages.

Claims

1. Construction kit system for a bicycle rear derailleur (RD) for direct mounting coaxially with respect to a bicycle rear wheel axis (AR) on a frame dropout (DF) of a bicycle rear frame (FR),the derailleur (RD) comprising - an inherently rigid base element (KB) having an inner fastening arm (ABi) which has an inner pivoting connection (EBi) for the inboard disposal in the region of the frame dropout (DF), and having an outer fastening arm (ABo) which has an outer pivoting connection (EBo), coaxial with respect to the inner pivoting connection (EBi), for the outboard disposal in the region of the frame dropout (DF) , wherein the base element (KB) is connectable to the rear frame (FR) by means of the pivoting connections (EBi, EBo) of the fastening arms (ABi, ABo) so as to be pivotable coaxially about the rear wheel axis (AR), - a shifting element (KP) which, for the purpose of changing gear, is pivotable in relation to the base element (KB) by means of a pivoting assembly (PS) pivotably connecting the base element (KB) and the shifting element (KP) translationally, and - a chain guiding device (CG) which is connected rotationally pivotably to the shifting element (KP) and has an upper chain guiding roller (WCU) and a lower chain tensioning roller (WCL), wherein the derailleur (RD) is constructed as an at least two-stage hierarchically modular construction kit system (MCS) in that the derailleur comprising at least a plurality of the following modules: "base element module (MB)", "pivoting arrangement module (MS)", "shifting element module (MP)" and "chain guiding device module (MC)", wherein at least one of the modules (M) is designed to be exchangeable in one piece, and wherein at least one of the modules (M) contains at least one assembly (G) which is exchangeable in one piece, characterized in that the construction kit system (MCS) is configured for the use of at least one family (SB), comprising at least two family members (SB1, SB2), of assemblies (GB) within at least one of the modules (MB), in that connection interfaces (Ci) of the family members (SB1, SB2), which are releasable for the at least one assembly family (SB), are configured uniformly across the family members (SB1, SB2) in relation to adjacent assemblies (GB) of at least one module (MB) within the at least one assembly family (SB) in such a manner that a family member (SB1) of the at least one assembly family (SB) of the at least one module (MB), while retaining the other assemblies (GB) of at the at least one module (MB), is exchangeable for another family member (SB2) of the same assembly family (SB) of, for example, a different material, a different shape, a different functionality or a different surface property.

2. Construction kit system according to Claim 1, characterized in that at least one assembly (G) exchangeable in one piece consists of a plurality of at least three individual parts connected to one another.

3. Construction kit system according to one of Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one module (M), or at least one assembly (SB) within a module (M), is exchangeable without a tool or with a household tool.

4. Construction kit system according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one assembly (GB) of the base element module (MB) is designed as an exchangeable fastening arm (ABi, ABo).

5. Construction kit system according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one fastening arm (ABi, ABo) of the base element module (MB) is designed as a pressed or stamped part formed from a substantially flat blank.

6. Construction kit system according to Claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the at least one fastening arm (ABi, ABo) of the base element module (MB) is substantially formed from a fibre composite.

7. Construction kit system according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one assembly (GB) of the base element module (MB) is designed as an exchangeable cover element (EBC) protecting at least regions of the base element module (MB) .

8. Construction kit system according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the pivoting arrangement module (MS) has two pivot arms (ASi, ASo) in the manner of a pivot parallelogram for the translationally pivotable connection of the base element module (MB) and of the shifting element module (MKP), wherein at least one of the pivot arms (ASo) comprises at least one exchangeable pivot arm assembly (Gs) .

9. Construction kit system according to Claim 8, characterized in that the at least one exchangeable pivot arm assembly (GS) is a cover element (ESC) protecting at least regions of the pivoting arrangement module (MS).

10. Construction kit system according to Claim 9, characterized in that at least one pivot arm (ASo) of the pivoting arrangement module (MS) is pivotably connected by means of two fulcrum pins (LS) to the base element module (MB) and to the shifting element module (MP), wherein the cover element (ESC) forms a closure element for the two fulcrum pins (LS) in such a manner that, with the cover element (ESC) removed, the two fulcrum pins (LS) are extractable from the at least one pivot arm (ASo).

11. Construction kit system according to one of Claims 8 to 10, characterized in that at least one of the pivot arms (ASi, ASo) of the pivoting arrangement module (MS) comprises at least two pivoting arrangement assemblies (ASo1, ASo2), of which at least one pivoting arrangement assembly (ASo1) is designed to be exchangeable.

12. Construction kit system according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the shifting element module (MP) or the chain guiding device module (MC) comprises a spring / damper device (DP) for springing and / or damping a pivoting movement of the chain guiding device module (MC) in relation to the shifting element module (MP), wherein the spring / damper device (DP) is formed as an assembly (GP) exchangeable in one piece.

13. Construction kit system according to Claim 12, characterized in that the spring / damper device (DP) and a receptacle housing (RH) of the shifting element module (MP) are releasably connectable to one another by means of an at least two-start thread pairing (TE, Ti) disposed on the spring / damper device (DP) and on the receptacle housing (RH), wherein threads (TS1, TS2) of the thread pairing (TE, Ti) are disposed so as to be non-uniformly spaced apart from one other, axially and / or in the circumferential direction, with respect to a pivot axis (Ap) of the chain guiding device (CG) in such a manner that the thread pairing (TE, Ti) is able to be screwed together in only one relative rotational position.

14. Construction kit system according to one of Claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the chain guiding device module (MC) comprises at least one exchangeable chain guiding device assembly (GC).

15. Construction kit system according to Claim 14, characterized in that the at least one exchangeable assembly (GC) of the chain guiding device module (MC) is a chain cage guide plate device (PC), a chain guiding roller (WCU) or a chain tensioning roller (WCL).

16. Construction kit system according to one of Claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the bicycle rear derailleur is an electrically operated bicycle rear derailleur (RD) and comprises an electric module (ME), wherein the electric module (ME) has at least one exchangeable electrical assembly (GE).

17. Construction kit system according to Claim 16, characterized in that the at least one exchangeable electrical assembly (GE) is an electric motor-gearbox unit (AG) or a battery unit (UB).