Rear bicycle derailleur with spring-damper assembly

Abstract

A bicycle derailleur is provided, comprising a base element mountable on a bicycle frame, a movable element movably coupled to the base element and having a socket, a rotating shaft supported in the movable element in the socket in a manner rotatable about a rotation axis, and a chain guide assembly rotatable relative to the movable element about the rotation axis and antirotatedly coupled to the rotating shaft. An elastic energy storage device is configured to apply a pretension to the chain guide assembly, pretensioning the chain guide assembly relative to the movable element in a defined direction of rotation. According to a first aspect, a damping device acting directly or indirectly between the movable element and the chain guide assembly has a coupling device arranged radially within the axially extending region of the first elastic energy storage device, the damping device being coupled by the coupling device to at least one of a support device stationary relative to the movable element and the rotating shaft. According to a second aspect, the first elastic energy storage device is coupled to the chain guide assembly by the rotating shaft, thereby applying pretension to the chain guide assembly by the rotating shaft. According to the third aspect, the rotating shaft is rotatably supported on the cover element by means of a rotating support member, the cover element being fixed to the movable element, and together with the rotating shaft extending through the through hole of the cover element, closing the socket of the movable element.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Field of the Invention

[0002] A bicycle can be equipped with a transmission arrangement, such as a chain drive. The bicycle transmission arrangement can be used to transfer torque from the rider to the rear driving wheel, thereby driving the bicycle. The transmission arrangement can, for example, transfer torque from the front sprocket device via a chain to a rear sprocket or a pinion, such as a so-called pinion freewheel or a pinion of a so-called pinion set, thereby driving the rear driving wheel. Such a transmission arrangement can also be referred to as a drivetrain.

[0003] The sprocket assembly for a bicycle can have one or several individual sprockets. The front sprocket is generally referred to as a chainring. The chainring can be fixed by means of different types of fixing devices. For example, the chainring can be fixed by means of chainring bolts or directly mounted on the crank of the bicycle. The rear sprocket is usually referred to as a pinion. A plurality of rear sprockets or pinions can be referred to as a freewheel, a pinion freewheel or a pinion set. Such a freewheel is usually configured in a manner that can be fixed to the freewheel component of the rear driving wheel. The freewheel can be fixed, for example, to the freewheel body of the rear wheel by means of a wedge connection and / or a threaded connection.

[0004] The alignment of the front chainring set and the rear pinion freewheel affects the performance of the chain. For example, the front chainring set can have a single chainring that is aligned with a specific pinion of the rear pinion freewheel. When the chain connects this single chainring to this single rear pinion that is generally aligned, the chain is under a smaller lateral load or does not bear a lateral load. However, if the chain laterally moves to another pinion of the freewheel, for example, by means of a rear derailleur or the rear shifting mechanism of a chain-type shifting device of the drivetrain, the chain bears a certain lateral load. When the front chainring assembly has several chainrings and the chain moves between these chainrings by means of a front derailleur or the front shifting mechanism of a chain-type shifting device, a corresponding lateral load on the chain will occur.

[0005] In order to achieve good performance of such a chain drive, the working ability and performance of the rear derailleur, which is also known as the rear bicycle derailleur or rear shifting mechanism in the professional field, are very important. This rear derailleur is not only used to implement the shifting operation by shifting the chain between several adjacent sprockets of the small sprocket set of the bicycle. Another equally important function of the derailleur is to ensure sufficient chain tension. For this purpose, the rear derailleur usually has the following structure. There is a basic element called the B-knuckle in the professional field, and the derailleur is mounted on the bicycle by means of this basic element. There is also a movable element called the P-knuckle in the professional field, which is movably coupled to the basic element, and there is a chain guiding device usually implemented as a so-called chain guard, which is movably coupled to the movable element for achieving rotation relative to the axis of rotation. This movable element is movable laterally (axially) so that the chain guiding device moves between the sprockets of the small sprocket set, thus causing the chain to enter the target sprocket from the starting sprocket. This chain guiding device is pre-tensioned along the direction of rotation, that is, along the direction of the tension of the chain guided by the chain guiding device of the bicycle, by means of a tension spring or the like, so as to keep the chain in a tensioned state or restore the tensioned state after the previous insufficient chain tension. This direction of rotation or pivoting is also referred to as the "chain tensioning direction" here. The torsion of the chain guiding device in this direction increases the chain tension and at the same time reduces the tension of the tension spring acting on the chain guiding device.

[0006] Depending on the current sprocket of the small sprocket set that engages with the chain at a given point in time, the chain guiding device is in different pivoting positions relative to the axis of rotation with respect to the movable element.

[0007] The action on the chain and the chain guiding device not only boils down to the shifting of the chain drive device achieved by the conversion of the chain between different sprockets of the small sprocket set, but also to the driving operation itself. Accordingly, for example, when driving on uneven terrain, the derailleur and the chain will be subjected to impacts and vibrations, which may act on the chain guiding device in a pivoting direction opposite to the "chain tensioning direction". The torsion of the chain guiding device in this direction opposite to the "chain tensioning direction" increases the tension of the tension spring acting on the chain guiding device and directly causes a decrease in the chain tension (for example, when directly acting on the chain guiding device to make it twist in this direction) or at least poses a great risk that the subsequent chain tension will drop below the necessary level. The negative consequences may be a decrease in the chain tension and an unwanted gap, or "slack" of the chain, and in extreme cases, even the detachment of the chain from the small sprocket set.

[0008] To overcome such problems, some conventional solutions employ a reaction force generating device, which may also be referred to as a damper, damping device, or damper assembly, and provides resistance to the rotational movement of the chain guiding device. Some known solutions provide this inhibitory resistance only in a direction opposite to the "chain tensioning direction" of the chain guiding device. For this purpose, some of these known solutions each have a freewheel clutch device and a friction device, which act together in such a way as to cause resistance to the rotational movement of the chain guiding device in a rotational direction opposite to the "chain tensioning direction".

[0009] The movable element and the chain guiding device are torsionally relative to each other, but a frictionally engaged rotational drive connection is established by the friction device and the freewheel clutch device, which may also be referred to as a one-way clutch. Due to the one-way clutch characteristic of the one-way clutch, it only takes effect in the rotational direction opposite to the "chain tensioning direction", so sliding friction that reacts against rotation only occurs in this rotational direction. In other rotational directions corresponding to the reverse rotation of the chain guiding device in terms of chain tensioning, the chain guiding device is decoupled from the movable element due to this one-way clutch characteristic, so there is no resistance or at least no substantial resistance when the chain is tensioned by the rotation of the chain guiding device.

[0010] It can be seen that in the case of high-quality mountain bikes, a shifting mechanism with a spring-damper system has been implemented in the movable element (P knuckle) in recent years. This technology has also been applied in the Cyclocross field and even in racing bicycles to improve "Chain Management". The goals of improving chain management include reducing all unwanted chain movements, such as the impact of the chain on the chain stay, violent chain vibrations during driving that may cause the chain to derail, or sagging in the load side due to the torque applied by the rider during the free rotation of the rear hub.

[0011] Different damper systems are used on the market. Among them, the damper torque is usually direction-related, so it only acts in additional, especially dynamic, chain traction and does not inhibit the reset movement of the cage spring that tensions the chain.

[0012] Other important requirements for the rear derailleur (whether equipped with a damping device or not) and its important characteristics for practice relate to dimensions, tolerance chains, the rotational support of the chain guard to achieve a defined mobility of the chain guard relative to the movable element (P knuckle), sealing, robustness, running reliability, and installation and maintenance.

[0013] The background of the present invention and its various aspects, in particular, also address the following problems found in known solutions: 1. Structural space The shift mechanism is in an exposed position on the bicycle. It must not collide with the wheels or the rear lower fork. The generally higher ground clearance of the exposed components on the bicycle reduces the probability of damage due to collision with obstacles. The right (outward) limitation of the structural space in the area of the shift mechanism also helps to avoid damage when passing through narrow spaces. This structural space is also particularly important for ensuring collision-free pedaling ("heel clearance"). The development towards shorter rear lower forks and the smallest possible Q-factor (lateral pedal distance, see the explanation at de.wikipedia.org / wiki / Q-Faktor_%28Fahrrad%29 for example) exacerbate this structural space conflict. 2. Damper torque To ensure the optimal function of the spring / damper unit (if provided) in the system environment of the entire drivetrain, it is necessary to minimize the deviation of the damper torque from the set nominal value as much as possible. The decrease or increase of the damper torque within the product life is also a problem and should be avoided as much as possible or at least kept to a small extent. Important factors for the damper torque are: - For example, the friction diameter and friction area of the friction surface provided by the friction plate, - The clamping pressure required to generate the corresponding frictional torque, - The spring characteristic curve of the pre-tension spring. 3. Support of the axis of the shift mechanism cover The support of the axis or the rotating shaft body determines the pivoting movement of the shift mechanism cover. The guide rollers ("upper pulleys") on the cover must be precisely positioned relative to the toothed ring flywheel to ensure optimal shifting performance. The smaller bearing clearance of this shaft and the short tolerance chain in the axial direction are important here. In addition, during shifting operations or under dynamic loads, the bearings are subjected to high stresses due to the lever torque of the shift mechanism cover. As large a bearing distance as possible is an advantage here, but it has not been achieved in the prior art.

[0014] Against this technical background, the present invention generally relates to a rear shift mechanism or rear derailleur of a bicycle chain shifting device, wherein the movable element (P knuckle) is particularly equipped with this corresponding component that directly or indirectly acts together with the chain cover, and improvements are made in at least one of the mentioned topics. Prior art

[0015] Background of the Invention

[0016] DE 10 2007 040 156 A1 discloses, for example, the transmission mentioned above. This known transmission has a damping device, which includes a friction device composed of several axially supported friction plates. As a freewheel clutch device, a roller clutch is provided radially outside these friction plates in the same axial region, which results in relatively large radial dimensions in the radial direction for the movable elements. The advantage of this known solution is that in the published patent application, an adjustment unit is proposed, which has an exposed single nut for adjusting frictional engagement and thus for adjusting the reaction force. With the help of this single nut, the reaction force can be adjusted according to the rider's preference. However, tools are required for this adjustment, and it is also doubtful whether an ordinary rider has enough ability to set the correct reaction force. Therefore, problems are inevitable in practice. In addition, no locking measures are taken against accidental adjustment. Since the nut is exposed and not locked to prevent twisting, accidental adjustment is inevitable.

[0017] DE 10 2011 114 699 A1 and the corresponding US 8,852,041 B2 also disclose different solutions for rear bicycle transmissions of the type mentioned above, which also use roller clutches. A section of the rotating shaft body is used as the inner clutch element of the roller clutch, and the rotating shaft body supports the chain guiding assembly to be rotatable relative to the movable element. The friction device is composed of a leaf spring that surrounds the outer clutch element of the roller clutch. This leaf spring projects radially between two rotating cams or alternatively between an adjusting screw and a rotating cam by means of two end sections, which is used to adjust the basic friction and to control the currently effective friction by means of a control lever or the like. Therefore, the rider can select the currently effective friction and the currently effective reaction force according to his expectations, for example, according to the terrain, by means of a control lever that can move between two indexing positions. In order to provide this selection to the rider, the mechanical complexity is quite high.

[0018] DE 10 2013 001 952 A1 and the corresponding US 2013 / 0203532 A1 disclose different solutions for rear bicycle transmissions of the type mentioned above, in which the friction device includes a sleeve-shaped friction element that extends around the roller clutch, and the friction element has a tapered or conical outer surface, and the inner element of the roller clutch can be composed of a section of the rotating shaft body that rotatably supports the chain guiding assembly.

[0019] EP 0 031 215 B1 discloses different solutions for rear bicycle gearboxes of the type mentioned, which gearboxes have a ratchet clutch serving as a freewheel clutch device and which together with a friction device having axially oriented friction surfaces form a damping device.

[0020] Furthermore, reference is made to US 2014 / 0371013 A1, which also discloses a rear gearbox having a damping device integrated in a movable element. This damping device has a roller clutch, a friction device and a pretensioning element corresponding to this friction device. The roller clutch is axially arranged between the pretensioning element applying an axial pretension and the friction device. The damping device is radially arranged outside a torsion helical spring which pretensions the chain guard in the chain tensioning direction and is completely arranged within the axial extension area of the torsion helical spring.

[0021] In the context of the present text, particular attention is paid to the different solutions disclosed and described in detail in DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 and the corresponding patent US 9,463,846 B2 as well as EP 2 891 601 B1 for rear gearboxes of the type mentioned. These different solutions of the rear gearbox each have a damping device which comprises a friction device providing a friction surface and a roller clutch. In the case of using one of the terms adopted below, rear bicycle gearboxes of different solutions are known from DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 and the corresponding patents US 9,463,846 B2 and EP 2 891 601 B1, which include: a basic element, also referred to as a B-knuckle, which can be mounted on a bicycle frame; a movable element, also referred to as a P-knuckle, having a socket and being movably coupled to the basic element; a rotary shaft body supported in the socket in a rotatable manner about a rotational axis in the movable element; a chain guide assembly, also referred to as a chain guard, which can rotate relative to the movable element about the rotational axis and is non-rotatably coupled to the rotary shaft body; a first elastic energy storage device configured to apply a pretensioning force to the chain guide assembly which pretensions the chain guide assembly in a first rotational direction relative to the movable element; and a damping device configured to apply a damping force to the chain guide assembly via the rotary shaft body and to support a reaction force corresponding to the damping force on a support device stationary relative to the movable element, wherein the damping device includes a coupling device by means of which the damping device is coupled to at least one of the support device and the rotary shaft body.

[0022] The damping device is arranged as a torsion helical spring in an axially offset manner relative to the first energy storage device, which pre-tensions the chain guard in the chain tensioning direction and is radially located within this torsion helical spring. According to several embodiments shown in the figures, the roller clutch only slightly or partially overlaps with the torsion helical spring, and according to another embodiment shown in the figures, the roller clutch does not overlap with the torsion helical spring.

[0023] The disclosures of the publications DE 10 2014 225 036 A1, US 9,463,846 B2, and EP 2 891 601 B1 are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety into this specification, as this specification retraces the definitions, connections, and component functions explained in the foregoing publications. Thus, at least with respect to the explanations of the definitions and technical connections set forth in DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 or US 9,463,846 B2 and the back-references, the text and figures of DE 10 2014 225 036 A1, and the text and figures of US 9,463,846 B2 with better illustration quality are part of the specification of the present invention.

[0024] It should also be noted that, as disclosed in US 2018 / 0273139 A1, the damping device of the shift mechanism can also be implemented as a fluid damper or a hydraulic damper. Summary of the Invention

[0025] General Concept of the Invention

[0026] A basic object of the present invention is to provide a rear bicycle transmission that is particularly axially compact.

[0027] Another basic object of the present invention is, with respect to a rear bicycle transmission, to achieve a defined damper torque within the intended service life of the rear bicycle transmission by means of a damping device.

[0028] Another basic object of the present invention is to achieve a support for the chain guide assembly that withstands defined dynamic loads by means of a rotating shaft body.

[0029] Another basic object of the present invention is to achieve efficient manufacturing of a bicycle transmission, particularly also with regard to the manufacturing of movable elements, including the rotating shaft body rotatably supported in the movable elements and other attached components.

[0030] Another basic object of the present invention is to provide an improved rear bicycle transmission for at least one of the subjects mentioned in the background art above.

[0031] To achieve at least one of these objects, according to a first independent aspect, the present invention proposes a rear bicycle transmission, which includes: - A basic element, which can be installed on the bicycle frame; - A movable element having a socket, which is movably coupled to the basic element; - A rotary shaft body supported in the socket of the movable element in a manner that can rotate around a rotation axis; - A chain guiding assembly that can rotate around the rotation axis relative to the movable element, and is anti-rotationally coupled to the rotary shaft body; - A first elastic energy storage device, which is configured to apply a pre-tension force to the chain guiding assembly to pre-tension the chain guiding assembly relative to the movable element in a first rotation direction; and - A damping device, which is configured to apply a damping force to the chain guiding assembly through the rotary shaft body, and support a reaction force corresponding to the damping force on a support device that is stationary relative to the movable element, wherein the damping device includes a coupling device, and the damping device is coupled to at least one of the support device and the rotary shaft body through the coupling device.

[0032] According to the present invention, the rear bicycle transmission according to the first aspect is characterized in that the coupling device is arranged in the axial extension area of the first elastic energy storage device in a manner that is radially located within the first elastic energy storage device.

[0033] Compared with the known solutions according to DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 and corresponding other patent publications, by arranging the coupling device in the axial extension area of the first elastic energy storage device according to the present invention and being radially arranged within the first elastic energy storage device, a more compact implementation of the movable element and the entire rear bicycle transmission in the axial direction can be achieved.

[0034] It should be noted that the rotary shaft body itself can be an accessory part of the coupling device. However, the coupling device can also constitute the damping device, and in this case, it is coupled to both the rotary shaft body and the support device.

[0035] However, the damping device may also include at least one other component in addition to the coupling device, such as a friction device independent of the coupling device. In this case, it is particularly advantageous if the coupling device corresponds to a rotating shaft body and couples the damping device to this rotating shaft body, thereby applying a damping force to the rotating shaft body, or corresponds to a support device and couples the damping device to this support device, thereby supporting the reaction force.

[0036] Preferably, the damping device is received in the socket by means of a rotating shaft body. The first elastic energy storage device may be arranged in the second socket of the movable element, as disclosed in DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 and corresponding publications. However, according to a particularly preferred technical solution, the first elastic energy storage device and the damping device are received in the socket by means of the rotating shaft body.

[0037] Preferably, a lid element that closes the socket and is fixed to the movable element can be used as a support device, which may have a holding device for the damping device or its coupling device.

[0038] Preferably, the damping device is configured to apply a damping force to the chain guide assembly by means of the rotating shaft body at least when the chain guide assembly rotates in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction. If the chain guide assembly rotates in the first rotation direction, the damping force applied to the chain guide assembly by means of the rotating shaft body may be reduced or substantially disappear. This rotation direction dependence is preferred but not mandatory.

[0039] The coupling device may preferably be implemented as a friction device, which is frictionally engaged with at least one of the rotating shaft body and the support device, preferably with the rotating shaft body, in order to generate a damping force. A simple friction device (such as an O-ring configuration) that does not cause rotation direction dependence of the damping force can also be used as a coupling device that is frictionally engaged with the rotating shaft body.

[0040] Particularly preferably, the coupling device is implemented as a freewheel clutch, which is configured to apply a damping force to the chain guide assembly by means of the rotating shaft body or participate therein, for example, by supporting the reaction force to the relative damping force on the support device. With such a freewheel clutch, a favorable rotation direction dependence of the damping force can be achieved. The freewheel clutch may be implemented, for example, as a coil spring clutch, which is frictionally engaged with the rotating shaft body or the support device, preferably with the rotating shaft body, in order to generate a damping force. Therefore, the damping device of the rear bicycle transmission can be realized at very low cost.

[0041] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the damping device serving as the coupling device includes a freewheel clutch having a radially inner clutch element, a radially outer clutch element, and a clamping element located between the two clutch elements. The damping device further includes a friction device having friction surfaces pre-tensioned axially relative to each other by a second elastic energy storage device, and the rotary shaft body or the support device is coupled to one of the two clutch elements by the friction surfaces. With such a freewheel clutch, it is possible to achieve that in the case of the chain guide assembly being twisted in the first rotational direction, the actually relevant damping force is not applied to the chain guide assembly by means of the rotary shaft body.

[0042] Preferably, the rotary shaft body is coupled to one of the two clutch elements by the friction surfaces, and preferably coupled to the radially inner clutch element. In this case, the other clutch element is coupled to the support device, for example, in a form-fitting manner or by frictional engagement, for example, by a press fit, directly or indirectly. The clamping element can preferably be implemented as a clamping roller, so that the freewheel clutch is implemented as a roller freewheel or a roller clutch.

[0043] According to the inventive concept of the first aspect of the present invention, the inner and outer clutch elements of the freewheel clutch can be arranged in the axial extension region of the first elastic energy storage device in a manner that is radially located within the first elastic energy storage device. Here, the freewheel clutch is regarded as the coupling device of the present invention.

[0044] Regarding the friction surfaces of the friction device, these friction surfaces are also arranged radially within the first elastic energy storage device and in the axial extension region of the first elastic energy storage device.

[0045] The second elastic energy storage device, preferably including a stack of disc springs, can suitably be arranged radially within the first elastic energy storage device and axially overlap with the first elastic energy storage device. The second elastic energy storage device is particularly arranged entirely within the axial extension region of the first elastic energy storage device, thereby further reducing the axial structural space requirement.

[0046] Preferably, at least one friction surface of the friction device can be arranged axially between the second elastic energy storage device and the freewheel clutch, and, compared with the second elastic energy storage device, the freewheel clutch can be more axially close to the chain guide assembly.

[0047] According to a particularly preferred technical solution, the first elastic energy storage device can be coupled to the chain guiding assembly by means of the rotating shaft body, so as to apply a pre-tension to the chain guiding assembly through the rotating shaft body. This technical solution is worthy of attention and protection, which has nothing to do with whether the inventive proposal of the first aspect of the present invention is adopted, and even regardless of whether a damping device is provided. According to a second aspect independent of the first aspect, the present invention provides a corresponding rear bicycle transmission defined in detail below. The inventive proposals and improvement proposals according to the second aspect explained below are also improvement proposals for the rear bicycle transmission according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0048] According to a similarly particularly preferred technical solution, the rotating shaft body is rotatably supported on the cover element by means of a rotary bearing, the cover element is fixed to the movable element, and together with the rotating shaft body extending through the through hole of the cover element, closes the socket of the movable element. This technical solution of the rear bicycle transmission is also worthy of attention and protection, which has nothing to do with whether the inventive proposal according to the first aspect is adopted, and even regardless of whether a damping device is provided. According to a third aspect independent of the first aspect and the second aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a corresponding rear bicycle transmission defined in detail below. The inventive proposals and improvement proposals according to the third aspect of the present invention explained below are simultaneously improvement proposals for the rear bicycle transmission according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0049] To solve at least one of the foregoing problems, according to the second independent aspect mentioned above, the present invention provides a rear bicycle transmission, which includes: - A base element, which can be installed on a bicycle frame; - A movable element having a socket, which is movably coupled to the base element; - A rotating shaft body rotatably supported in the socket in the movable element around a rotation axis; - A chain guiding assembly rotatable relative to the movable element around the rotation axis, which is non-rotatably coupled to the rotating shaft body; and - A first elastic energy storage device, which is configured to apply a pre-tension to the chain guiding assembly to pre-tension the chain guiding assembly relative to the movable element in a first rotation direction.

[0050] The rear bicycle transmission may also have a damping device, but this is not a mandatory requirement.

[0051] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the first elastic energy storage device is coupled to the chain guiding assembly by means of the rotating shaft body, so as to apply a pre-tension to the chain guiding assembly through the rotating shaft body.

[0052] In the prior art described according to DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 / US 9,463,846 B2, the first elastic energy storage device embodied as a helical torsion spring is arranged in a second socket that annularly surrounds the socket, and is snap-fitted in a shape-locking manner into an intermediate spacer or into the intermediate spacer and into a cover plate that is non-rotatably connected to the intermediate spacer of the chain guiding assembly by means of a coupling section protruding from this second socket. The rotating shaft body is only used for rotatably supporting the chain guiding assembly on or in a movable element, and for coupling a damping device provided in a known rear transmission and accommodated in the socket together with the rotating shaft body to the chain guiding assembly.

[0053] Correspondingly, according to the second aspect, the present invention proposes that the first elastic energy storage device, also embodied as a torsion helical spring or a torsion helical spring arrangement for example, is coupled to the chain guiding assembly by means of the rotating shaft body, which can be carried out particularly preferably by arranging the first elastic energy storage device on the inner end region of the rotating shaft body remote from the chain guiding assembly.

[0054] The inventive proposal of the second aspect of the present invention enables a series of advantageous technical solutions for the rear transmission or its movable elements. Accordingly, the first elastic energy storage device, the rotating shaft body and other components can form a pre-assemblable and pre-calibratable assembly, which is accommodated in the socket after calibration is completed. The inner cavity of the movable element that surrounds the socket can be simply isolated from the surrounding environment and constitutes a kind of "airtight housing" for the components accommodated therein. If such an "airtight housing" is provided, the second socket for the first elastic energy storage device can be dispensed with, and correspondingly there is no need to isolate it from the outside. Such sealing has never been implemented in the aforementioned known solutions because the diameter of the air gap caused by the second socket is relatively large, and due to the very long axial tolerance chain, it is actually impossible to seal the second socket provided in these solutions, or the sealing is difficult. Therefore, when using the known solutions, a situation prone to contamination must be tolerated.

[0055] The advantageous technical solutions enabled by the inventive proposal are derived from the improvement proposals explained below, which are also improvement proposals for the rear transmission according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0056] As described above, the rear bicycle transmission according to the second aspect may also have a damping device, which is configured to apply a damping force to the chain guiding assembly through the rotating shaft body, and support a reaction force corresponding to the damping force on a support device that is stationary relative to the movable element, wherein the damping device includes a coupling device, and the damping device is coupled to at least one of the support device and the rotating shaft body through the coupling device.

[0057] It should be noted that the rotating shaft body itself may be an accessory part of the coupling device. The coupling device may constitute the damping device, and in this case, it is coupled to both the rotating shaft body and the support device. However, the damping device may also include at least another component other than the coupling device, such as a friction device independent of the coupling device. In this case, particularly preferably, the coupling device either corresponds to the rotating shaft body and couples the damping device to this rotating shaft body to apply a damping force to the rotating shaft body, or corresponds to the support device and couples the damping device to this support device to support the reaction force. Preferably, the damping device is accommodated in the socket through the rotating shaft body. The first elastic energy storage device may be arranged in the second socket of the movable element, as disclosed in the mentioned DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 / US 2016 / 0304160 A9. But as described above, according to a particularly preferred technical solution, the first elastic energy storage device and the damping device are accommodated in the socket through the rotating shaft body. Preferably, a cover element that closes the socket and is fixed to the movable element may be used as the support device, and it may have a holding device for the damping device or its coupling device.

[0058] An improvement based on the inventive proposal according to the first aspect is that the coupling device is arranged in the axial extension region of the first elastic energy storage device in a radially inner position within the first elastic energy storage device. Correspondingly, the above improvement proposal for the first aspect of the present invention is also an improvement proposal for the rear bicycle transmission according to the second aspect.

[0059] Compared with the known solutions according to DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 and corresponding other patent publications, by arranging the coupling device in the axial extension region of the first elastic energy storage device and being radially inner within the first elastic energy storage device, a more compact axial implementation solution for the movable element and the entire rear bicycle transmission can be achieved.

[0060] Specifically, the damping device is configured to apply a damping force to the chain guiding assembly via the rotating shaft body at least when the chain guiding assembly rotates in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction. If the chain guiding assembly rotates in the first rotation direction, the damping force applied to the chain guiding assembly via the rotating shaft body can be reduced or substantially disappear. As discussed in connection with the first aspect of the present invention, the damping force preferably has rotational direction相关性, but this is not a mandatory requirement.

[0061] The coupling device can be implemented as a friction device that frictionally engages with at least one of the rotating shaft body and the support device, preferably the rotating shaft body, in order to generate a damping force. A very simple friction device, such as an O-ring configuration, can also be used as the coupling device that frictionally engages with the rotating shaft body.

[0062] According to a preferred technical solution, the coupling device can be implemented as a freewheel clutch that is configured to apply or participate in applying a damping force to the chain guiding assembly via the rotating shaft body, for example, by supporting the reaction force against the relative damping force on the support device. According to a solution that can be implemented at low cost, the freewheel clutch is implemented as a coil spring clutch that frictionally engages with the rotating shaft body or the support device, preferably the rotating shaft body, in order to generate a damping force.

[0063] However, according to a particularly preferred embodiment, the damping device serving as the coupling device includes a freewheel clutch having a radially inner clutch element, a radially outer clutch element, and a clamping element located between the two clutch elements. In this case, the damping device further includes a friction device having friction surfaces that are pre-tensioned axially relative to each other by a second elastic energy storage device, and the rotating shaft body or the support device is coupled to one of the two clutch elements via the friction surfaces.

[0064] Preferably, the rotating shaft body is coupled to one of the two clutch elements. Among them, the radially inner clutch element is particularly coupled to the rotating shaft body via the friction surface. In this case, the other clutch element is directly or indirectly coupled to the support device, for example, in a form-fitting manner or by friction, such as a press fit. The clamping element can preferably be implemented as a clamping roller, so the freewheel clutch is implemented as a roller freewheel clutch device or a roller clutch.

[0065] According to the improved solution, preferably, the second elastic energy storage device including the disc spring group is radially located inside the first elastic energy storage device and axially overlaps with the first elastic energy storage device. This technical solution also contributes to a compact axial implementation of the movable element (P steering knuckle). For this purpose, the second elastic energy storage device can also be completely arranged within the axially extending region of the first elastic energy storage device.

[0066] In terms of the relative layout of the components in the socket of the movable element, there are various solutions in principle. Particularly preferably, the friction surface of at least one friction pair of the friction device is axially arranged between the second elastic energy storage device and the overrunning clutch, and the overrunning clutch is axially closer to the chain guiding assembly compared to the second elastic energy storage device. In addition, the friction surface of the friction device can be radially arranged inside the first elastic energy storage device and arranged within the axially extending region of the first elastic energy storage device.

[0067] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the rotating shaft body and the damping device are integrated into a structural unit, which is already accommodated or can be accommodated in the socket of the movable element and is already fixed or can be fixed to the movable element. The structural unit can have a cover element that is axially closely adjacent to the chain guiding assembly. Together with the rotating shaft body extending through the through hole of the cover element, it closes the socket and is already fixed or can be fixed to the movable element. Particularly preferably, the first elastic energy storage device preferably configured as a helical torsion spring is also integrated into the structural unit.

[0068] If there is no damping device, the structural unit can include a rotating shaft body, a cover element, and a first elastic energy storage device.

[0069] By providing the structural unit, it is possible to pre-assemble and pre-align the components to be accommodated in the socket outside the movable element, thereby simplifying the corresponding processes and thus achieving efficient installation and the manufacture of the rear transmission.

[0070] Preferably, a cover element that closes the socket can have a holding device for the damping device or for one / the overrunning clutch of the damping device. By means of the holding device, the reaction force of the damping force applied to the chain guiding assembly relative to the rotating shaft body is supported on the cover element and thus indirectly on the movable element.

[0071] The holding device can be formed by a sleeve section axially extending from the inside of the cover element into the socket, or by a plurality of holding projections axially extending from the inside of the cover element into the socket and offset relative to each other circumferentially. In this case, the damping device, or the radially outer clutch element of the freewheel clutch preferably implemented as a roller clutch (if provided and implemented as a clutch sleeve) can be non-rotatably received in the sleeve section or between the holding projections.

[0072] To achieve the desired axially compact technical solution for the movable element, the freewheel clutch can be arranged radially within the first energy storage device and axially overlapping with the first energy storage device, preferably completely within the axial extension region of the first elastic energy storage device. In this way, in terms of the first aspect of the present invention, the freewheel clutch is regarded as a coupling device.

[0073] Generally speaking, it is proposed that: the damping device or one of the damping devices / the freewheel clutch is completely arranged within the axial extension region of the first elastic energy storage device.

[0074] Regarding the support of the rotary shaft body, it is proposed that: this rotary shaft body is rotatably supported on the movable element by means of a first rotary support, and the first rotary support is arranged in the region of the movable element that axially defines the socket and faces away from the chain guiding assembly. Here, the socket or the movable element can have an opening as in the prior art for the bearing section of the rotary shaft body to snap into. Preferably, however, the first rotary support includes a journal extending into the socket and a bearing sleeve for receiving the journal, and the rotary shaft body is rotatably supported on the journal by means of the bearing sleeve. Thereby, the movable element can adopt an implementation scheme closed on the side facing away from the chain guiding assembly, so that there is no need for a cover element and no sealing requirement on this side of the movable element.

[0075] Preferably, the journal and the bearing sleeve can form a sliding bearing for the rotary shaft body. According to a particularly preferred technical solution, the bearing sleeve includes an axial hole implemented in the end region of the rotary shaft body, and the journal is received in the hole. That is, the bearing sleeve can be implemented integrally with the rotary shaft body.

[0076] Preferably, the lid element closing the socket can be provided with at least one fixing structure on its outer periphery, which engages with at least one mating fixing structure of the movable element on the inner periphery of the socket in a form-fitting, friction-fitting or material-bonding manner. Accordingly, in order to achieve a firm friction-fit engagement in the press fit, the lid element can be received in the end region of the socket. For material-bonding engagement, in particular, adhesives can be used. For friction-fitting or material-bonding engagement, the fixing structure on the outer periphery and the mating fixing structure on the inner periphery can simply be implemented as a generally unstructured peripheral surface designed in a suitable manner. By means of a screw connection or a bayonet connection between the lid element and the movable element, a suitable form-fitting engagement can be achieved on the inner periphery of the socket. Accordingly, the lid element has an external thread serving as a fixing structure, and the movable element has an internal thread serving as a mating fixing structure. The thread preferably adopts a multi-threaded implementation scheme.

[0077] As described above, the inner cavity of the socket defined by the movable element and the lid element closing the socket can be isolated from the outside. Accordingly, the movable element and the lid element can form an airtight housing for the components provided in the socket, which helps to ensure defined characteristics within a long service life. This can prevent corrosion and the ingress of dirt.

[0078] According to a particularly preferred technical solution, the rotary shaft body is rotatably supported on the lid element closing the socket by means of a second rotary bearing provided in the region of the through hole or adjacent to this through hole.

[0079] According to the prior art of the mentioned DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 / US 9,463,846 B2, the rotary shaft body is directly or indirectly supported on the inner peripheral section of the movable element. The support point closer to the chain guiding assembly is slightly moved into the inner region of the movable element due to the mentioned intermediate gasket. By means of the support of the rotary shaft body on the lid element and thus indirectly on the movable element proposed here, this support point is slightly offset radially outwards towards the chain guiding assembly, and a particularly large bearing distance can be achieved in combination with the first rotary bearing, thereby precisely supporting the rotary shaft body. The bearing clearance can be reduced for the rotary shaft body, and the axial tolerance chain can be shortened.

[0080] The proposed solution of supporting the rotating shaft body on such a cover element and thus indirectly supporting it on the movable element via the cover element is worthy of attention and protection, regardless of whether the proposal of the invention in the second aspect is adopted and regardless of whether a damping device is provided. Accordingly, according to a third aspect independent of the first and second aspects, the present invention provides a corresponding rear transmission defined in detail below. The inventive improvement proposals set forth below for the rear transmission according to the third aspect of the present invention are also improvement proposals for the second aspect of the present invention.

[0081] Preferably, the second rotary bearing includes the inner peripheral surface of the through hole, which forms a sliding bearing with the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft body.

[0082] Regarding the layout and especially the connection of the first elastic energy storage device, it is proposed that this first elastic energy storage device is in form-fitting coupling with a / the cover element closing the socket in a first coupling region and in form-fitting coupling with a coupling joint that projects radially from the rotating shaft body and is anti-rotationally coupled to the rotating shaft body in a second coupling region, so that the pre-tension is applied to the rotating shaft body via the coupling joint and thus to the chain guiding assembly. The reaction force against the pre-tension is supported on the cover element and thus indirectly on the movable element.

[0083] The coupling joint can be integral or multi-component, for example two-part. The latter has advantages in terms of manufacturing and installation. In particular, a disc-shaped or flange-shaped element is preferably used, which may also be referred to as a spring flange or spring seat depending on the technical solution.

[0084] Preferably, a / the damping device can be pre-tensioned relative to each other by a / the second elastic energy storage device with the friction surfaces that are coupled or can be coupled to the rotating shaft body, and the coupling joint bears the axial pressure applied via the second elastic energy storage device and supports this axial pressure on the rotating shaft body, or participates in the support of the applied axial pressure on the rotating shaft body. Therefore, the coupling joint can perform several functions, thereby enabling a compact structure.

[0085] Regarding the coupling joint axially movably arranged on the rotating shaft body in a region spaced apart from the cover element on the rotating shaft body, the second elastic energy storage device especially axially pre-tensions the coupling joint. The present invention also proposes that a support arrangement provides the friction surfaces, via which the axial pressure applied via the second elastic energy storage device is supported on the rotating shaft body. These technical solutions are also preferably adopted, especially because they are beneficial for a compact structure.

[0086] According to a particularly preferred technical solution, in the case of establishing a closed force flow, the first and second axial pressures applied to the second elastic energy storage device along opposite axial directions on the rotating shaft body are supported, and the movable element preferably does not participate, that is, the force flow does not pass through this movable element. According to the prior art disclosed in DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 / US 9,463,346 B2, the movable element participates in the support of the pressure on the second elastic energy storage device belonging to the damping device, so this solution can be dispensed with according to the proposed improvement.

[0087] According to a preferred technical solution, the sleeve element of the support configuration forms a / the freewheel clutch / a / the radially inner clutch element or accommodates the freewheel clutch in an anti-rotation manner and is a clutch element in the radially inner part of the clutch sleeve, providing at least one friction surface of the damping device. Among them, the sleeve element can provide the first friction surface of the damping device in a flange section, and the friction node axially adjacent to the flange section of the support configuration, which is axially movable but anti-rotationally held on the rotating shaft body, can provide the second friction surface of the damping device that is frictionally engaged with the first friction surface.

[0088] According to the preferred first solution, a friction plate axially movable but anti-rotationally held on the rotating shaft body forms the friction node. This friction node preferably does not participate in applying the pre-tension of the first elastic energy storage device to the chain guiding assembly through the rotating shaft body.

[0089] According to the preferred second solution, a coupling node that is / are form-fittingly coupled to the coupling area of the first elastic energy storage device forms the friction node. This coupling node participates in applying the pre-tension of the first elastic energy storage device to the chain guiding assembly through the rotating shaft body.

[0090] The friction device can also be provided with more friction surfaces. Accordingly, the sleeve element can provide a third friction surface on the end area opposite to the flange section, and the surface structure of the rotating shaft body can provide a fourth friction surface of the friction device that is frictionally engaged with the second friction surface. Preferably, the third and fourth friction surfaces can be implemented as friction surfaces that extend obliquely in a radial plane relative to the axis of rotation in the cross section. In this way, a favorable centering effect can be achieved, and the area of the friction surface is increased compared with the axial friction surface (i.e., the friction surface oriented axially).

[0091] More friction pairs can also be provided, so as to adjust the damping force of the damping device accordingly. The damping force is determined or jointly determined by the area of the friction surface, the effective radius of the friction surface, and the pre-tension of the second energy storage device.

[0092] Preferably, an adjusting element can be provided, which is in threaded engagement with the external thread on the rotating shaft body on the internal thread and is used to adjust the axial pre-tension of the second elastic energy storage device. Preferably, the external thread is arranged on the end region of the rotating shaft body at a certain distance from the chain guiding assembly, so the adjusting element is arranged in the socket of the movable element in an internal manner. This makes it impossible or difficult for the user to adjust the adjusting element without authorization. Specifically, the axial pre-tension of the second elastic energy storage device should be adjusted when manufacturing the rear transmission.

[0093] Regardless of the preferably hidden layout of the adjusting element inside the movable element, the adjusting element can be locked to prevent adjustment, so as to maintain the adjustment of the axial pre-tension of the second elastic energy storage device on the factory side. As a locking measure, plugging and other screw connection locking means including adhesion can be adopted.

[0094] In combination with the adjusting element, it is further proposed that: the first axial pressure exerted by the second elastic energy storage device is supported on the rotating shaft body by the adjusting element, and the second axial pressure opposite to the first axial pressure exerted by the second elastic energy storage device is supported on the rotating shaft body by a support configuration including a friction surface.

[0095] According to one / the first solution, for this purpose, it is further proposed that: the adjusting element defines an axial stop for one / the coupling joint, which is coupled to the coupling area of the first elastic energy storage device in a form-fitting manner and participates in applying the pre-tension of the first elastic energy storage device to the chain guiding assembly through the rotating shaft body, wherein the first axial pressure exerted by the second elastic energy storage device is supported on the rotating shaft body by the coupling joint and the adjusting element. Alternatively, according to one / the second solution, the support configuration preferably includes one / the coupling joint, which is coupled to the coupling area of the first elastic energy storage device in a form-fitting manner and participates in applying the pre-tension of the first elastic energy storage device to the chain guiding assembly through the rotating shaft body. In this case, the coupling joint can be advantageously used as the friction joint of the / one friction device.

[0096] According to a third aspect of the present invention, which is independent of the first and second aspects, a rear bicycle transmission is provided, which includes: - A basic component that can be installed on a bicycle frame; - A movable component having a socket, which is movably coupled to the basic component; - A rotary shaft body rotatably supported in the socket in the movable component about a rotation axis; - A chain guiding assembly rotatable relative to the movable component about the rotation axis, which is non-rotatably coupled to the rotary shaft body; and - A first elastic energy storage device configured to apply a pre-tensioning force to the chain guiding assembly to pre-tension the chain guiding assembly relative to the movable component in a first rotation direction.

[0097] The bicycle transmission may be provided with a damping device. However, this is not a mandatory requirement.

[0098] According to a third aspect, the present invention proposes that the rotary shaft body is rotatably supported on a cover element by means of a rotary bearing, the cover element is fixed to the movable component, and together with the rotary shaft body extending through a through hole of the cover element, closes the socket of the movable component. In this way, various advantageous technical solutions are achieved. One advantage is that the rotary bearing provided on the cover element can have an axial distance relatively small between the socket of the movable component and the chain guiding assembly, so that, together with another preferably provided rotary bearing, a relatively large bearing distance can be achieved for the rotary shaft body. In the prior art according to DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 / US 9,463,846 B2, the rotary bearing axially closer to the chain guiding assembly is slightly offset inward into the socket due to an intermediate gasket non-rotatably provided inside on a cover plate of the chain guiding assembly. In addition, according to the invention, a relatively small bearing clearance can be achieved for the rotary shaft body and a relatively short tolerance chain in the axial direction can be achieved. The rotary shaft body is indirectly supported on the movable component by means of the cover element by means of the rotary bearing of the present invention.

[0099] The improvement proposals for the rear bicycle transmission according to the third aspect of the present invention explained below are also improvement proposals for the rear bicycle transmission according to the first aspect and the rear bicycle transmission according to the second aspect.

[0100] Preferably, the first elastic energy storage device preferably implemented as a helical torsion spring is also accommodated in the socket.

[0101] It is proposed for the lid element that at least one fixing structure is provided on the outer periphery of this lid element, which engages with at least one mating fixing structure of the movable element on the inner periphery of the socket in a form-fitting, friction-fitting or material-bonding manner. Accordingly, in order to achieve a firm friction-fit engagement in the press-fit, the lid element can be received in the end region of the socket. In order to achieve a material-bonding engagement, in particular, adhesives can be used. In order to achieve a friction-fit or material-bonding engagement, the fixing structure on the outer periphery and the mating fixing structure on the inner periphery can simply be implemented as generally unstructured circumferential surfaces designed in a suitable manner. By means of a screw connection or a bayonet connection between the lid element and the movable element, a suitable form-fitting engagement can be achieved on the inner periphery of the socket. Accordingly, the lid element has an external thread serving as the fixing structure, and the movable element has an internal thread serving as the mating fixing structure. The thread preferably adopts a multi-threaded implementation scheme.

[0102] Regarding the rotary bearing of the present invention, this rotary bearing is particularly arranged in the region of the through hole or adjacent to this through hole. The rotary bearing can include the inner circumferential surface of the through hole, which forms a sliding bearing with the outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft body.

[0103] The rotary bearing of the present invention corresponds to the second rotary bearing in the improvement proposal for the rear transmission according to the second aspect.

[0104] Preferably, the rotary shaft body can be rotatably supported on the movable element by means of another rotary bearing. Preferably, this additional rotary bearing is arranged in the region of the movable element that axially defines the socket and faces away from the chain guide assembly. Here, the socket or the movable element can have an opening as in the prior art for the bearing section of the rotary shaft body to snap into. But preferably, the first rotary bearing includes a journal extending into the socket and a bushing for receiving the journal, wherein the rotary shaft body is rotatably supported on the journal by means of the bushing. Thereby, the movable element can adopt an implementation scheme that is closed on the side facing away from the chain guide assembly, so that there is no need for a lid element and no sealing requirement on this side of the movable element.

[0105] The journal and the bushing can form a sliding bearing for the rotary shaft body. The bushing preferably can include an axial hole implemented in the end region of the rotary shaft body, and the journal is received in the hole. That is, the bushing can be implemented integrally with the rotary shaft body.

[0106] The additional rotary bearing proposed corresponds to the first rotary bearing in the improvement proposal for the rear bicycle transmission according to the second aspect.

[0107] Preferably, the inner cavity of the socket defined by the movable element and the lid element can be isolated from the outside. The movable element and the lid element can form an airtight housing for the components provided in the socket.

[0108] The lid element can be integrated with the rotary shaft body and preferably also with the first elastic energy storage device into a structural unit, which has been accommodated or can be accommodated in the socket of the movable element and has been fixed or can be fixed to the movable element.

[0109] For the rear bicycle transmission according to the third aspect of the present invention, it is also proposed that this rear bicycle transmission is provided with a damping device, which is configured to apply a damping force to the chain guiding assembly through the rotary shaft body and to support the reaction force corresponding to the damping force on a support device stationary relative to the movable element, wherein the damping device includes a coupling device, and the damping device is coupled to at least one of the support device and the rotary shaft body through the coupling device.

[0110] It should be noted that the rotary shaft body itself can be an accessory part of the coupling device. The coupling device can form the damping device and in this case is coupled to both the rotary shaft body and the support device. However, the damping device can also include at least another component other than the coupling device, such as a friction device independent of the coupling device. In this case, particularly preferably, the coupling device either corresponds to the rotary shaft body and couples the damping device to this rotary shaft body so as to apply a damping force to the rotary shaft body, or corresponds to the support device and couples the damping device to this support device so as to support the reaction force. Preferably, the damping device is accommodated in the socket through the rotary shaft body. The first elastic energy storage device can be arranged in the second socket of the movable element as disclosed in DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 / US 9,463,846 B2. But according to a preferred technical solution, the first elastic energy storage device and the damping device are accommodated in the socket through the rotary shaft body. These components can be integrated with the lid element of the present invention into a structural unit, which has been accommodated or can be accommodated in the socket of the movable element and has been fixed or can be fixed to the movable element.

[0111] According to a particularly preferred embodiment corresponding to the inventive concept of the first aspect of the present invention, the coupling device is arranged in the axially extending region of the first elastic energy storage device in a radially inner position, so as to achieve a structurally compact form in the axial direction. The improvement proposals explained above for the rear transmission in the first aspect of the present invention are also improvement proposals for the rear transmission in the third aspect of the present invention.

[0112] Furthermore, particularly preferably, the first elastic energy storage device is coupled to the chain guiding assembly by means of the rotating shaft body, so that the pre-tension is applied to the chain guiding assembly through the rotating shaft body. Thereby, the advantages of the rear transmission according to the second aspect of the present invention are achieved. Correspondingly, the improvement proposals explained above for the rear transmission in the second aspect of the present invention are also improvement proposals for the rear transmission in the third aspect of the present invention. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0113] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are only used as examples and do not constitute a limitation to the present invention. FIG. 1 shows an exemplary bicycle having a rear transmission according to the present invention for a chain shifting device of the bicycle. FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of a rear transmission according to a first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the movable element (P knuckle) of the transmission shown in FIG. 2 taken along a radial剖切 plane. FIG. 4 is another sectional view of the movable element of the transmission shown in FIG. 2 taken along an axial剖切 plane. FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the movable element (P knuckle) and the components provided in and on the element, the components including the components of a spring-damper device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a freewheel clutch, a support sleeve and a housing cover including a rotating shaft body of a spring-damper device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 7 is another exploded view of the movable element (P knuckle) serving as a housing in a first embodiment, a housing cover, a rotating shaft body, an outer cover plate of a chain guiding assembly and other components. FIG. 8 is another exploded view of a housing in a first embodiment, a structural unit composed of a cover portion, a rotating shaft body and components of a spring-damper device, an outer cover plate and other components. FIG. 9 shows the cover plate and the structural unit shown in FIG. 8 in a state of being joined into a superior structural unit. Figure 10 shows a structural unit of a rear transmission according to a second embodiment, which needs to be accommodated in a socket of a movable element (P steering knuckle) serving as a housing, and includes a rotating shaft body, a housing cover, and other components of a spring-damper device. Figure 11 is an axial top view of the housing cover shown in Figure 10 according to viewing direction A in Figure 10. Figure 12 is an axial top view of a disc-shaped or flange-shaped coupling joint of the spring-damper device according to viewing direction B in Figure 10. Figure 13 shows, according to a radial剖切 plane, the structural unit shown in Figure 10 in a state of being accommodated in and fixed to a socket of a movable element (P steering knuckle), and also shows a section of a chain cover. Figure 14 is a radial sectional view of the movable element (P steering knuckle) including the chain cover area, generally corresponding to Figure 13. Figure 15 is an axial top view of the movable element (P steering knuckle) together with the chain cover of Figure 14. Figure 16 is divided into sub-figure a), which is a radial sectional view of the movable element (P steering knuckle) according to the above-described embodiment, and a comparative sub-figure, which is a radial sectional view generally corresponding to Figure 13 of the movable element (P steering knuckle) of the second embodiment. Figure 17 is an enlarged view of the radial sectional view of the movable element (P steering knuckle) according to the above-described embodiment of Figure 16a). Figure 18 is a sectional view of the movable element (P steering knuckle) of a third embodiment according to a radial剖切 plane. Embodiment

[0114] Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

[0115] Figure 1 illustratively shows a bicycle having a conventional bicycle transmission. The bicycle transmission includes a front chainwheel CR, a rear pinion set R, and a chain K, and the chain K can be moved from one pinion to the next by means of a rear derailleur RD. The directions right / left and front / rear applied hereinafter refer to the bicycle in the driving direction, which is equivalent to the perspective of the rider on the bicycle. The bicycle frame 1 generally has left and right rear fork ends or frame eyes, between which a rear wheel is mounted. The rear wheel rotates together with the pinion set R around the rear wheel axis A. Axial refers to the rear wheel axis A or the axis of rotation A of the multi-layer pinion configuration R, or a direction parallel thereto, or the axis of rotation of the rotating shaft body of the chain cover of the rear derailleur supported on the movable element (P steering knuckle). The largest pinion is arranged more inward axially compared to the smaller pinions. The tooth portions are arranged radially outside the pinions. The shown shifting mechanism RD is fixed to the right fork end of the frame in a conventional manner using a shift hanger. The pivot mechanism of the rear derailleur is implemented as an inclined parallelogram.

[0116] For the rear transmission of the present invention for explaining the preferred embodiments of the present invention, refer to the following description and the accompanying drawings cited therein, but without limiting generality. In this description, the reference signs in the accompanying drawings based on the description of DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 / US 9,463,846 B2 are applied to corresponding or similar components and elements, and these reference signs correspond to the reference signs in DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 / US 9,463,846 B2 in the units and tens digits of the reference numbers used as reference signs.

[0117] Figures 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 show different views of a first embodiment of a bicycle transmission according to the present invention, which bicycle transmission comprises a damper assembly according to a first structural concept.

[0118] The rear bicycle transmission 10 has a so-called base element (B knuckle) 12 and a balancer 18 embodied as a parallelogram here. The balancer is provided, for example, with two connecting elements 20 and 22, which are rotatably connected by the fixed end of the base element 12. The so-called movable element (P knuckle) 16 is connected to the balancer at the end region of the balancer 18 opposite the base element 12, here namely at the ends of the connecting elements 20 and 22 opposite the base element 12, such that the movable element can move transversely relative to the bicycle frame in a known manner by means of the balancer 18, in order to actuate the chain of a chain shifting device between the sprockets of a sprocket set of the rear drive wheel of the bicycle by means of a chain guiding arrangement or chain guiding assembly 25 represented by a cover plate 28 in Figure 2.

[0119] The base element 12, also known as the "B knuckle", can be mounted on the bicycle frame 1, for example, by means of a fixing element 14, such as a screw. A pair of pivot pins, which can be embodied as bolts, connect the base element 12 to the balancer 18.

[0120] The balancer 18 comprises the aforementioned outer connecting element 20 and the aforementioned inner connecting element 22. The balancer 18 may also comprise at least one pre-tensioning element, not visible in Figure 2, for example in the form of a spring, in order to clamp the transmission 10 in the direction of the starting travel position, which is generally known in the art. In the case of an electric transmission, such a pre-tensioning element does not need to be provided.

[0121] The movable element 16, also known as the "P knuckle", is pivotally mounted on the balancer in a similar manner to the base element 12 by means of another pair of pivot pins. Within the scope of the present invention, in principle, any member can be used to couple the movable element 16 to the base element 12.

[0122] The chain guide assembly 25 can include a chain guide device 26, also known as a chain guard (see FIGS. 14 and 15 for the second embodiment), which preferably has a pair of spaced-apart cover plates, the outer cover plate 28 and the inner cover plate (see the inner cover plate 30 in FIGS. 13 to 15 for the second embodiment) in FIG. 2. A pair of guide wheels for guiding a chain (not shown), i.e., an upper guide wheel (see the upper guide wheel 32, also known as a guide roller, in FIGS. 14 and 15 for the second embodiment) and a lower guide wheel, can be rotatably arranged between the two cover plates.

[0123] The chain guide assembly 25 is rotatably mounted on the movable element 16 and is pre-tensioned in the chain tensioning direction by means of a pre-tension spring arrangement in the form of a torsion spring 44 (see FIG. 3) implemented as a helical spring here.

[0124] The transmission 10 includes a damper assembly 38 in the movable element 16, which counteracts the rotational movement of the chain guide assembly 25 relative to the movable element 16 in the rotational direction opposite to the chain tensioning direction. The term "damper assembly" here refers to a device, which can also be referred to as a "reaction force generating device", and in the embodiment includes a freewheel clutch device and a friction device, as well as an energy storage device corresponding to or attached to the friction device. In principle, completely different types of damping devices can be used. By means of the damping device 38, a reaction force acting as a damping force can be applied to the chain guide assembly, which counteracts the rotation relative to the movable element in the rotational direction (second rotational direction) opposite to the chain tensioning direction (first rotational direction).

[0125] The forward direction V (see FIG. 1) corresponds to the forward direction of a bicycle with a transmission system including a transmission. The pivot direction of the chain guide assembly 25 having a movement component opposite to the forward direction V is denoted by S in FIG. 2, in which direction the chain being guided is tensioned. The pivot direction opposite to this chain tensioning direction S and having a movement component in the forward direction V is denoted by L in FIG. 2. The pivot of the chain guide assembly 25 in this pivot direction L may cause an undesired reduction in the chain tension, possibly accompanied by the risk of the loosened chain bouncing off the pinion set.

[0126] FIG. 3 shows how the (outer) cover plate 28 of the chain guide device 26 is non-rotatably connected to a rotary shaft body 50 which is rotatably supported in a socket 17 in the movable element 16. A non-rotationally symmetric coupling section 51a of the rotary shaft body, which is polygonal in this embodiment, engages in a shape-complementary coupling opening 28a of the cover plate 28, such that the rotary shaft body 50 is non-rotatably connected to the cover plate. An axial screw 54 which engages through an opening of a washer 53 is screwed into an axial screw opening of the coupling section 51a in order to fixedly connect the cover plate 28 to the rotary shaft body 50, which is preferably hollow over its entire length.

[0127] The damper assembly or damping device 38 contains a coupling device in the form of a one-way or freewheel clutch, in particular in the form of a so-called roller clutch 60 of conventional construction, having an inner coupling element 61, an outer coupling element 60a and roller elements 60b acting therebetween. The inner coupling element is here formed by a bush 61 which is rotatably arranged on the rotary shaft body 50. The bush has on its end facing away from the cover plate 28 a friction flange 63 which provides an axially oriented friction surface and together with a friction section of an axially adjacent element 65 belongs to a friction device 70. For this purpose, the element 65, which is also used to couple a pre-tension spring 44 designed as a torsion spring to the rotary shaft body 50 and is thus hereinafter referred to as coupling node 65, has on its friction section a mating friction surface which engages in frictionally engaging fashion with the annular friction surface of the friction flange 63.

[0128] The frictionally engaging engagement of these two friction surfaces is determined by the pre-tension of a stack of Belleville washers 80 which is tensioned between the coupling node 65, which is in principle axially movable on the rotary shaft body 50, and an adjusting element 76 having an externally threaded inner end 51b screwed onto the rotary shaft body 50. During manufacture, the adjusting element 76 is screwed into a nominal position which produces the desired pre-tension in order to adjust the desired frictional torque and the desired damping force, and is then preferably locked in this nominal position, for example by caulking with a locking section 75 which is non-rotatably arranged on the rotary shaft body. Here, the locking section is received in a recess of the adjusting element 76 and is caulked with the inner circumference of the recess on the knurling on the outer circumference. The annular locking section 75 engages on its inner circumference in a non-rotationally symmetric coupling structure 75a (here a flat part) with a complementary mating coupling structure (here a flat part 51c) on the end 51b of the rotary shaft body 50, such that the locking section is non-rotatably arranged on the rotary shaft body and locks the adjusting element 76 against twisting.

[0129] The coupling joint 65 is non-rotatably arranged on the rotary shaft body 50. For this purpose, the coupling joint 65 engages with a complementary mating coupling structure (here, the flat part 51c on the rotary shaft body 50) on a coupling structure (here, the flat part 65a) deviating from rotational symmetry on its inner circumference. In this way, the damping device 38 can apply a damping force to the cover plate 28 via the rotary shaft body 50 and thus to the entire chain guiding assembly 25.

[0130] The roller clutch 60 is non-rotatably held, for example, by a press fit on the outer coupling element 60a on a sleeve-shaped holding device 77 that is stationary relative to the movable element 16, so that the roller clutch is indirectly supported on the movable element (P steering joint) 16 to prevent torsion. The holding device 77 is here constituted by a section of the cover element 19, which axially projects into the socket 17 of the movable element 16, and the cover element closes the socket in the direction of the cover plate 28 and is adjacent to this cover plate. The cover element 19, which is made of plastic, for example, and can also be referred to as a cover or a housing cover, can be implemented as a combined type, but is preferably implemented as a monolithic type here. The cover element 19 can be fixed to the movable element 16 in a form-fitting, friction-fitting, or material-bonding manner. Here, the form-fitting screwing is realized by means of a preferably multi-start thread structure 19a on the outer circumference of the cover element 19 and an inner circumference of the movable element (P steering joint) 16 in the outer end region of the socket 17.

[0131] As described above, the coupling element 60a and the entire roller clutch 60 are non-rotatably held on the holding device 77 of the cover element 19. As an alternative to the press fit or interference fit, a form-fitting coupling by means of the holding device 77 can also be used.

[0132] According to the solution shown in FIG. 6, the outer coupling element 60a of the roller clutch 60 is pressed in, that is, snapped into the steel sleeve 59 by means of a holding press fit. The steel sleeve has a holding structure, for example, in the form of knurling, on its outer circumference, and this holding structure engages in a form-fitting manner with a mating holding structure, for example, in the form of knurling, on the inner circumference of the sleeve-shaped holding device 77. Similarly, the steel sleeve 59 can be pressed into the holding device 77, or the holding sleeve 77 can be manufactured by injection molding and encapsulating the steel sleeve 59 when manufacturing the cover element 19 by injection molding. It should be noted that the cover element can also be made of metal, for example, aluminum. In this case, usually no additional reinforcing sleeve, such as the steel sleeve 59, needs to be provided.

[0133] The cover element 19 has an opening 19b, into which the bearing section 51e of the rotary shaft body 50 is snapped, and the coupling section 51a projects from the bearing section and is snapped into the coupling opening 28a of the cover plate 28. The bearing section 51e forms a rotary bearing for the rotary shaft body with the inner circumference of the defined opening 19b of the cover element 19, and preferably there is also a bushing 79 acting between the bearing section 51e and this inner circumference of the cover element 19 to form a low-friction sliding bearing. This can be particularly beneficial when the cover element 19 is made of metal, such as aluminum. If the cover element 19 is made of plastic, then generally such a bushing need not be provided.

[0134] Another rotary bearing for the rotary shaft body 50 consists of a journal 81 axially extending from a wall section opposite to the cover element 19 and integrally formed with the movable element 16 into the socket 17 and an end 51b of the rotary shaft body 50 serving as a bushing, and the journal 81 is snapped into the rotary shaft body. Another bushing can be provided to achieve a low-friction sliding bearing. This can be particularly beneficial when the cover element 19 is made of metal, such as aluminum.

[0135] These two thus formed sliding bearings have a very large or even maximum spacing in terms of the axial dimension of the movable element 16, for providing a defined rotary support for the rotary shaft body 50 and the components coupled thereto. That is to say, one side of the rotary shaft body is directly supported on the body of the movable element 16 made of plastic or metal such as aluminum by means of the journal 81, and the other side is indirectly supported on the movable element 16 by means of the cover element 19. However, the rotary support on the cover preferably has a certain property, that is, an appropriate axial expansion and / or diameter grading in the area of the rotary shaft body, such as by means of an annular edge 51d and a spacer washer 84, so that the rotary shaft body 50 is already held alone by this cover-side rotary support in a defined position axially extending from the cover element into the socket 17, so that the cover element, the rotary shaft body, the outer cover plate 28 and other components form a pre-assembled structural unit, and subsequently, this structural unit can be combined with the movable element 16 forming a housing.

[0136] The roller clutch 60 is configured such that the rotary direction of the rotary shaft body 50 corresponding to the chain tensioning direction S is the free-wheel rotary direction of the roller clutch, in which free-wheel rotary direction, the inner coupling element 61 can rotate relative to the outer coupling element 60a without hindrance. Therefore, the inner coupling element 61 frictionally coupled to the rotary shaft body 50 by means of the friction device 70 can rotate together with the rotary shaft body in the chain tensioning direction S without the damping force exerted by the damping device 38 acting against this torsion. Thus, the chain guide assembly 25 can rotate freely in this rotary direction.

[0137] The pivoting direction L opposite to the chain tensioning direction S corresponds to the locking direction of the roller clutch 60, in which the torsion of the inner coupling element 61 relative to the outer coupling element 60a of the roller clutch is locked. Therefore, the rotary shaft body 50 and the chain guiding assembly 25 can only rotate in this direction in the case where the coupling joint 65 held non-rotatably on the rotary shaft body 50 twists relative to the stationary coupling element 61 of the roller clutch 60 accordingly, so that the friction surfaces of the friction device 70 in mutual frictional engagement rotate relative to each other, and the reaction force against this rotation, i.e., the damping force of the damping device 38, is applied to the rotary shaft body 50 and thus to the chain guiding assembly 25 through the coupling joint 65.

[0138] The roller clutch 60 can advantageously be constituted by a so-called sleeve freewheel device, i.e., a sleeve-shaped element 60a on the inner circumference of which roller elements 60b are held, and which is combined with a bush 61 serving as the inner coupling element.

[0139] In the conventional solution in DE 10 2014 025 036 A1 / US 9,463,846 B2, the energy storage device for pre-tensioning the chain guiding assembly 25 in the pivoting direction S, here a torsion coil spring, is directly positively supported on the body of the movable element (P pivot joint) on one side and coupled directly to the outer cover plate of the chain guiding assembly or to an intermediate gasket anti-rotatably connected thereto on the other side in order to apply the pre-tension directly to the chain guiding assembly. In the illustrated embodiment, the energy storage device in the form of a torsion spring 44 is supported on one side with its spring end 44a in the outwardly closed groove 19c of the cover element 19, and engages in the opening 65b of the coupling joint 65 with its other spring end 44b in order to transmit its pre-tension through the coupling joint 65 non-rotatably arranged on the rotary shaft body 50 and the rotary shaft body 50 to the outer cover plate 28 and thus to the chain guiding assembly.

[0140] As can be seen from FIG. 8, in this way, the torsion spring 44 can form a structural unit that can be pre-installed outside the socket 17 of the movable element 16 together with the lid element 19, the coupling joint 65, the energy storage device tensioned between the coupling joint 65 and the adjusting element 76 in the form of a disc spring arrangement 80, the screw lock 75, the roller freewheel device 60 including the damping bush 61, and some other components that will be mentioned later. As shown in FIG. 9, the outer cover plate 28 that needs to be anti-rotationally installed on the rotating shaft body can also belong to this structural unit 83. Therefore, in the desired case, the entire chain guide assembly 25 can also belong to this structural unit 83. The implementation of designing this assembly as a modular sub-assembly is an important advantage of the described design method because the installation is greatly simplified.

[0141] This sub-assembly or structural unit can be adjusted in terms of the pre-tension of the elastic energy storage device of the friction device, here the disc spring group 80, outside the socket 17 of the movable element (P knuckle) 16 by means of the pre-tension nut 76, and then this nominal adjustment can be locked by means of the screw lock 75 or in other ways.

[0142] Similarly, during the assembly process of this structural unit 83, outside the socket 17, the elastic energy storage device corresponding to the chain guide assembly 25, here the torsion spring 44, can be adjusted in terms of the pre-tension, for example, by using the rotation stop 89a provided between the cover plate 28 and the lid element 19, which defines a zero position for the chain guide assembly 25, and this will be described in detail later.

[0143] Subsequently, this structural unit can be combined with the movable element 16 by screwing the lid element 19 with its external thread 19a into the internal thread 16a of the movable element 16 and pushing the end 51b of the rotating shaft body 50, which serves as a sliding bushing, onto the journal 81 of the movable element. In this case, the inner circumference of this end 51b serving as a bushing and the outer circumference of the journal 81 form the sliding bearing surfaces of the thus formed sliding bearing.

[0144] In the described structure, the axial pre-tension applied by the disc pack is supported on the rotary shaft body 50 on the one hand by means of the pre-tension nut 76 and on the other hand by means of the coupling joint 65 and the bushing 61 without the cooperation of the movable element 16. For the support by means of the bushing 61, the rotary shaft body has a radially protruding annular edge 51d on which the bushing 61 engages with the annular end face. The axial annular face of the annular edge and the axial end face of the bushing 61 form another pair of friction faces which belong to the friction device 70 of the damping device 38. As an alternative to the end of the bushing 61 and the axial annular face on the annular edge, friction faces extending obliquely in cross-section can also be provided in order to increase the area of the friction faces on the one hand and to provide a centering function on the other hand.

[0145] As described above, the pre-tension of the disc spring pack 80 is supported on the rotary shaft body 50 by a support arrangement including the friction faces of the friction device which contains the coupling joint 65 and the bushing 61. The radially outer coupling element 60a of the roller clutch 60 is not subject to an axial force. Similarly, no axial force is applied to the lid element 19.

[0146] The annular edge 51d of the rotary shaft body 50 is used on its other axial side for support on the radially inwardly protruding flange section of the lid element 19 which defines a through-hole and a bearing opening 19b. As shown in the figure, this support can be implemented by means of a spacer washer 84. The fixing force obtained by tightening the axial screw 54 is supported, for which purpose the above-mentioned components including the sleeve 79 and the cover plate 28 with the washer 53 are dimensioned axially in a matching manner.

[0147] In order to seal the inner cavity or socket 17 of the movable element (P steering joint), at least one O-ring or the like is preferably arranged between the cover plate 28 and the lid element 19 and / or between the lid element 19 and the rotary shaft body 50. The O-ring 85 is accommodated in the corresponding annular groove 87 of the lid element 19 here. At least one O-ring or the like can also be arranged between the lid element 19 and the movable element 16, for example between the flange section of the lid element 19 adjacent to the external thread 19a and the annular step on the inner circumference of the movable element 16 adjacent to the internal thread 16a. However, especially in the case where the lid element is designed as a plastic part, the thread engagement between the lid element and the movable element may already be sufficient to seal the inner cavity of the movable element (P steering joint) to a sufficient extent.

[0148] It should be noted that the spacer washer 84 and the bushing 79 can also be omitted. Especially when the lid element is made of plastic, the bushing 79 does not have to be provided. However, in the case where the lid element is made of metal, especially aluminum, a bushing 79 or the like is usually used to form a sliding bearing. The O-ring 85 can also be axially inserted externally between the rotary shaft body 50 and the lid element in the sliding bearing formed by the outer circumference of the rotary shaft body 50 and the inner circumference of the lid element.

[0149] Figure 3 shows the force flow and torque flow of the torsion spring 44 and the damping device 38 forming the first elastic energy storage device, which relates to the pre-tensioning force or damping force applied by the rotary shaft body 50. The first arrow line T shows the force flow starting from the torsion spring 44, which can also be called a cover spring. The force flow extends from the torsion spring 44 via the coupling joint 65 to the rotary shaft body 50 and from this rotary shaft body to the cover plate 28. The reaction force corresponding to this pre-tensioning force supports the torsion spring 44 on the movable element (P swivel joint) by means of the threaded configuration 16a, 19a and the lid element 19. Preferably, this reaction force can act when the thread engagement between the external thread 19a of the lid element 19 and the internal thread 16a of the movable element 16 is tightened. Therefore, this thread engagement is not loosened by the reaction force acting on the pre-tensioning force applied to the chain guide assembly 25, but remains tightened or in a tightened state.

[0150] Since the torsion spring 44 is axially internally connected to the rotary shaft body 50 by means of the coupling joint 65 and axially externally connected to the movable element 16 by means of the lid element 19, the torsion spring 44 is wound in the winding direction opposite to the known solution of DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 / US 9,463,846 B2. Since the torsion spring is statically supported on the left spring end 44a and the right spring end 44b is connected to the chain guide assembly by means of the rotary shaft body 50, the torsion spring 44 is designed as a left-wound torsion spring, while in the aforementioned prior art, a right-wound spring is applied here, which is statically supported on the right spring end and coupled to the chain guide assembly on the left spring end.

[0151] The second arrow line D shows the force flow starting from the damping device 38, i.e., on the one hand, the damping force applied to the cover plate 28, which only occurs when the cover plate 28 is twisted in the direction opposite to the chain tensioning direction. In this case, a relative rotation occurs between the friction surfaces of the friction device 70, especially between the axial annular friction surface on the friction flange 63 of the bushing 61 and the corresponding friction surface on the coupling joint 65. As previously described, the roller clutch 60 is blocked so that the bushing 61 is fixedly held in its current rotational position relative to the cover element 19 and thus relative to the movable element (P-steering joint) 16 by means of the roller clutch 60. Therefore, the coupling joint 65, which is held non-rotatably on the rotary shaft body 50, can only rotate against the damping force generated by the frictional engagement of the friction surfaces of the friction device, so that this damping force is applied from the coupling joint 65 via the rotary shaft body 50 to the cover plate 28. On the other hand, in the embodiment of FIG. 6, the reaction force corresponding to this damping force is supported from the bushing 61 via the rollers 60b of the roller clutch 60 and the outer coupling element 60a on the cover-side holding device 77 by means of the steel sleeve 59. The cover element supports this reaction force against the damping force on the movable element (P-steering joint) 16 via the thread arrangements 16a, 19a.

[0152] The disc spring arrangement 80, which forms the second elastic energy storage device of the friction device 70, only exerts axial forces, which are supported on the rotary shaft body 50 on the one hand by means of the adjusting element 76 and on the other hand by means of a support arrangement including the friction surfaces of the friction device on the annular edge 51d of the rotary shaft body 50. In the illustrated embodiment, this support arrangement consists of the coupling joint 65 and the bushing 61.

[0153] Advantageously, a rotational stop can be provided for the pivoting region of the outer cover plate 28 relative to the cover element 19 and thus relative to the movable element 16. In the illustrated embodiment (see FIGS. 3, 7 and 8), this rotational stop is implemented as a hidden one and consists of an arcuate receiving groove 89 in the outer end face of the cover element 19 facing the cover plate 28, which radially surrounds the receiving groove 87 for the O-ring 85 from the outside. The end of the stop screw 91, which forms the rotational stop, engages in this receiving groove and is screwed into the threaded insertion opening 28b of the cover plate 28 through the corresponding opening of the washer 53.

[0154] The end 89a of the receiving groove 89 forms a first rotary end stop for the cover plate 28 and thus for the chain guide assembly. If the end of the stop screw 91 that is received in the receiving groove 89 hits this end stop 89a, then the chain guide assembly is in a zero position. The chain guide assembly is in this zero position when no chain is held taut by the chain guide assembly. By means of this stop, the external thread 19a and the internal thread 16a can be rotated relative to each other in the loosening direction by the rotation of the chain guide assembly 25 or the outer cover plate 28. In this way, the cover element 19 can be simply unscrewed from the movable element (P knuckle) 16.

[0155] The other end 89b of the receiving groove 89 forms an end stop that prevents the torsion spring 44 from being over-twisted. Thus, the chain guide assembly 25 is only rotationally restricted in the pivoting direction L that is opposite to the chain tensioning direction S. This rotary end stop 89b can also be used to screw the cover element 19 onto and tighten it to the socket 17 of the movable element (P knuckle) 16 by means of the chain guide assembly 25 or the outer cover plate 28. Thereby, the installation is greatly simplified.

[0156] A person skilled in the art can simply see from the drawings other details of the transmission according to the first embodiment.

[0157] It should also be noted in the embodiment that the compactness of the movable element 16 in the axial and radial directions can both be achieved.

[0158] In terms of axial compactness, the movable element (P knuckle) 16 is much more compact axially than in the known embodiment of DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 / US 9,463,846 B2. This is mainly because the damping device 38 arranged radially within the torsion spring 44, including its roller clutch 60, friction device 70, and corresponding disc spring set 80, are all arranged within the axial extension of the torsion spring 44. Refer to FIG. 3 for this. This axial compactness is an important advantage of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0159] Other advantages of the embodiments of the present invention are that the rotating shaft body 50 is advantageously supported on the housing cover, i.e., the cover element 19, combining the relatively large bearing spacing resulting from the axial internal support on the movable element. The torsion spring 44 is coupled to the chain guiding assembly by the rotating shaft body 50 and supports the axial pressure applied by the disc spring arrangement 80 on the rotating shaft body 50 without the cooperation of the movable element 16. Similarly, the rotational force applied by the helical torsion spring 44 is applied and supported without the cooperation of the movable element 16, such that the described spring-damper structural unit 83 can include these two elastic energy storage devices 44 and 80 in a corresponding tensioned state.

[0160] Another significant advantage is the modular structure and the ability to provide a spring-damper module that can be independently operated and installed and adjusted in terms of the pre-tension that affects the frictional engagement of the friction device of the disc spring arrangement. An outer cover plate 28 or even the entire chain guiding assembly 25 may already be installed on this module. Subsequently, this spring-damper module or the corresponding structural unit can be simply combined with the movable element 16 after installation and adjustment, for example, by inserting into the socket 17 or connecting with the movable element 16 that forms a housing for the structural unit in a form-fit, friction-fit, or material-bonded manner, such as screwing in for combination, where the cover element 19 forms the corresponding housing cover.

[0161] Other advantages are that the inner cavity of this housing can be reliably sealed with relatively little difficulty to provide an airtight housing for the components of the structural unit accommodated in the socket, thereby avoiding corrosion problems and preventing dirt from entering. This greatly helps to ensure the characteristics of the chain tensioning function and damping function within a long service life range, as well as the precise rotational support of the chain guiding assembly.

[0162] It should be noted that these advantages are independent of the structure and design of the damping device. Therefore, other types of damping devices can also be used. Many of these advantages are also independent of whether a damping device is provided in the rear transmission in the movable element (P knuckle). Starting from the shown embodiments, a person skilled in the art can simply provide a structurally simple embodiment without a damping device, in which the torsion spring is similarly coupled to the chain guiding assembly by the rotating shaft body, and the rotating shaft body is supported on the movable element by means of the housing cover, and these components can be pre-installed as an assembly or a spring module to be subsequently combined with the body of the movable element in the described manner to achieve simple and reliable sealing. In this embodiment, actually only a single O-ring, i.e., the O-ring 85, is used to reliably seal the inner cavity of the movable element 16 outward.

[0163] Figures 11 to 16 show different views of a second embodiment of the bicycle transmission according to the present invention, which includes a damper assembly generally corresponding to the first structural solution. Only the movable element (P knuckle) 16 is shown together with the components arranged thereon or therein and the outer cover plate 28. In the following description of the second embodiment, similar or identical elements are applied with the same reference signs as those in the foregoing first embodiment, and only the differences from the first embodiment are described. Some structural changes of the second embodiment relative to the first embodiment can be simply seen from the figures and thus do not require further explanation.

[0164] Relative to the first embodiment, the most important difference is that in the second embodiment, the coupling joint 65, which can also be referred to as a spring flange, does not belong to the friction device except for cooperating with the axial support disc spring arrangement 80. The coupling joint is used to couple the helical torsion spring 44 to the rotating shaft body 50 so as to apply a pre-tension to the chain guiding assembly through the rotating shaft body. In this regard, the coupling joint 65 does not perform the dual function as the coupling joint 65 in the first embodiment. Instead, an additional friction plate 99, which can also be referred to as a friction washer, is provided. It is arranged on the rotating shaft body 50 in a rotation-resistant but axially movable manner and is frictionally engaged with the friction flange 63 of the bushing 61. That is to say, in terms of the implementation of the friction device 70, the friction plate 99 replaces the coupling joint 65 in the first embodiment. The implementation of the friction device 70 is that the elastic energy storage device 80 of the disc spring arrangement is tensioned between the coupling joint 65 axially supported on the adjusting element 76 and the friction plate 99.

[0165] Just as in the first embodiment, the adjusting element 76 is used to adjust the pre-tension of the disc spring arrangement 80, thereby adjusting the frictional engagement between the friction plate 99 and the friction flange 63, and thus adjusting the damping force applied to the chain guiding assembly through the rotating shaft body 50. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 13, the disc spring arrangement is arranged on the centering element 101 located radially inside. The rotating shaft body 50 is provided with flats 51c on opposite sides in its radially inner end region, which are used for rotational coupling with the coupling joint 65 and the friction washer 99 complementary on the inner circumference. In the case where it is desired to increase the operating difficulty of the user, for example, a screw lock for the adjusting element 76 can be provided by gluing or other means. Technically, there is no need to provide a separate screw lock because the adjusting element 76 can be tightened onto the coupling joint 65 arranged on the rotating shaft body in a rotation-resistant manner, which is sufficient to prevent accidental adjustment.

[0166] The helical torsion spring 44 is received in a coupling notch 65b of the coupling joint 65 which is radially slotted as shown in FIGS. 10 and 13 at its right axial inner end 44b. The torsion spring 44 snaps into a coupling notch 19c of a lid element 19 which is mainly referred to as a housing lid at its left axial outer end 44a as shown in FIGS. 10 and 13. This coupling notch can be implemented as non-through, i.e., closed towards the outside as in the first embodiment. However, in the illustrated embodiment, this coupling notch 19c is implemented as through, and the left spring end 44a projects out of the front side of the housing lid 19. For sealing, a sealing lid 103 is received in the coupling notch 19c, and the axial outer spring end 44a snaps into the sealing lid. The sealing lid 103 can refer to an element independent of the housing lid 19, which is introduced into the coupling notch 19c from the inside and snap-fits in a form-fitting manner with a radially projecting flange to a section of the housing lid 19 defining the coupling notch 19c such that the sealing lid 103 cannot be pulled outwards. A sealing snap-fit is provided between the sealing lid 103 and the housing lid 19. The sealing lid 103 can also be adhesively bonded to the housing lid 19. In addition, especially when the housing lid is made of plastic by injection molding or the like, the sealing lid 103 can also be implemented integrally with this housing lid 19. In the case where the housing lid 19 is made of metal, the sealing lid 103 is preferably implemented as independent.

[0167] As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, mainly as shown in FIG. 15, the sealing lid 103 performs an additional function. That is, the sealing lid serves as an open rotational stop between the chain cover and the housing lid 19 and thus the movable element (P steering joint) 16. For this purpose, the outer cover plate 28 has two guard stops 89a and 89b. In the case where the chain guide assembly is in its zero position, the guard stop 89a hits the sealing lid 103. With the aid of this stop, the housing lid 19 can be screwed out of the internal thread of the "housing" in the form of the movable element (P steering joint) 16. The guard stop 89b is an end stop for the guard, which prevents the torsion spring 44 from being over-twisted and enables the housing lid 19 to be simply screwed into the internal thread of the movable element (P steering joint) 16.

[0168] It should be noted that as an alternative to the described sealing lid 103, other types of lid protrusions can equally be provided as lid-side stop elements. That is to say, it is not necessary to couple the torsion spring to the lid element 19 and to seal the internal cavity of the movable element 16. The protrusion structure of the movable element 16 can equally be used as a rotational stop.

[0169] In the illustrated embodiment, the roller freewheel clutch device 60 is received in a holding device 77 integrally formed with the housing cover 19 with a rotational interference fit, and the bushing 61 serves as the inner clutch element of the roller freewheel clutch device. Different from the first embodiment, the holding device 77 is implemented as a sleeve section of the cover element 19, and the cross section of this sleeve section is axially inclined on the outer circumference.

[0170] Just as in the first embodiment, the pressure exerted by the disc spring arrangement 80 is supported on the rotary shaft body 50 on the one hand by the coupling joint 65 and the adjusting nut 76, and on the other hand by the friction washer 99 and the bushing 61 on the annular edge 51d on the outer circumference of the rotary shaft body 50.

[0171] The axially outer end face of the bushing 61 and the axially inner annular surface of the annular edge 51d form another pair of friction surfaces that are frictionally engaged with each other of the friction device 70. According to the illustrated embodiment, the friction surfaces are inclined relative to the axial and radial directions in the cross section, for example, inclined at an angle of about 45 degrees. Thereby, on the one hand, the effective area of this friction surface is increased, and on the other hand, the centering function of the bushing 61 relative to the rotary shaft body 50 is achieved. Referring to the force flow of the damping force denoted by D in FIGS. 10 and 13, just as in the first embodiment, an additional force flow d appears here based on the axial friction surface of the annular edge 51d and the axially outer end of the bushing 61, which is shown by a dotted line in this figure. The friction surface formed by the friction washer 99 and the friction flange 63 obviously has a much larger friction diameter compared to the inclined friction surface of the rotary shaft body and the bushing 61 that generates this additional force flow.

[0172] In order to non-rotatably couple the rotary shaft body 50 to the chain guiding assembly, the rotary shaft body is provided with a profile 105 at its end extending from the cover element 19. As shown in FIG. 13, the rotary shaft body 50 further extends out of the housing cover 19 as in the first embodiment, passes through the through hole of the outer cover plate 28 until the inner cover plate 30, and the outer end of the rotary shaft body 50 is fixed to this inner cover plate by a screw 54. In this process, the profile 105 is engaged with the complementary holding structure of the inner cover plate 30 in a form-fit manner to achieve non-rotatable coupling. A protective sleeve serving as a spacer sleeve is provided between the two cover plates. A sliding seal in the form of an O-ring 85 acts between the rotary shaft body 50 and the housing cover 19 for sealing. Just as in the first embodiment, the cover element 19 is preferably screwed to the movable element (P steering joint) 19 serving as the housing by means of a multi-start external thread and an internal thread 16a, 19a. Other types of connections can be used between the cover 19 and the housing 16, and they can also be, as the case may be, form-fitted or / and frictionally engaged or / and materially joined, for example, glued together.

[0173] As shown in FIG. 13, in the illustrated embodiment, a very short tolerance chain TK is realized from the shield sleeve 107, specifically from the surface 29 (see FIG. 14) of the outer cover plate 28 that forms the stop surface for the guide roller 32, up to the movable element (P knuckle) 16. Similar to the first embodiment, one side of the rotary shaft body 50 is supported on the housing cover 19, and the other side is supported by means of a journal 81 integrally formed with the movable element at a relatively large axial distance from the bearing on the cover side. The left axial bearing on the cover side implemented as a sliding bearing serves as a centering fitting 109 for the rotary shaft body 50. A single seal, namely the aforementioned O-ring 85, seals the entire housing. The housing cover 19 is centered on the housing in the form of the movable element (P knuckle) 16 by means of a centering fitting 112, which is defined by the outer diameter of the housing cover 19 and the inner diameter on the housing (movable element or P knuckle) 16. The cover element 19 is also axially held on the movable element (P knuckle) 16 in a defined manner by means of an axial stop 103 between the housing cover and the housing.

[0174] Just as in the first embodiment as well, the coupling joint 65, which can be确切地 called a spring flange, is implemented as a combined type, for example, two-piece, which may bring manufacturing technology advantages.

[0175] The relevant advantages in practice of the embodiment of the present invention described herein compared to the known solutions of the prior art, especially compared to the known solutions in DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 and the corresponding US 9,463,846 B2, can be simply seen from FIGS. 16 and 17, which compare the implementation of the second embodiment (see FIG. 16b) with the known solution in FIG. 15 of DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 / US 9,463,846 B2 (see FIGS. 16a and 17). In FIGS. 16a and 17, the same reference numerals are used for the elements that are in a sense corresponding to or equivalent to the elements of the embodiment of the present invention, and for some elements, the reference numerals from FIGS. 15 to 17 and the corresponding descriptions of the fourth embodiment of DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 / US 9,463,846 B2 are used in parentheses. Here, express reference is made to the description of the known solutions in the above-mentioned publications, and the associated FIGS. 15 to 17 of DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 / US 9,463,846 B2 and all the rest thereof are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Therefore, the entire content of DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 / US 9,463,846 B2 belongs to the disclosure content of this specification.

[0176] As shown in FIG. 16a, on one side, the torsion helical spring 44 of the known solution engages in a form-fitting manner with the forming element F of the movable element 16, and on the other side, it engages with an intermediate washer (352), which can be referred to as a "P-Washer". The torsion spring 44 accommodated in the annular second socket is coupled to the outer cover plate 28 of the chain guide assembly by means of this intermediate washer, so as to transmit the pre-tension of the torsion spring 44 to the chain guide assembly. The outside of the torsion spring is not sealed. There is even an air gap P between the movable element (P knuckle) 16 and the intermediate washer 352. The friction device 70 is composed of a friction plate 99 and a friction flange of a bushing 61 (352) surrounding the rotating shaft body 50.

[0177] By means of the bushing 61 (362), the rotating shaft body 50 is supported on a sleeve-shaped insert (392) that is anti-rotationally held in the body of the movable element 16 by means of rotary bearings (390) and (394), or directly supported on the body of the movable element (P knuckle). As shown in FIG. 16A of the above-mentioned publication, the insert (392) refers to an element that is implemented as a hexagon on the outer periphery and is embedded in the movable element 16. The axial distance LA of the bearing configuration formed by these two bearings (390) and (394) is much smaller than the bearing distance LA in the embodiment of the present invention. In the previously known embodiment, only a small part of the axial structural space of this bearing configuration is utilized, thus leaving a relatively large axial protrusion U, which is much larger than the corresponding protrusion U in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0178] In addition, in the known solutions of the prior art, the tolerance chain TK from the shroud sleeve to the movable element is much longer than that of the embodiment of the present invention for comparison. For this reason, reference can be made complementarily to FIG. 13.

[0179] According to the known solution, only the force flow D of the damping force for the damping device extends on the rotating shaft 50, while the force flow T for the pre-tension does not extend thereon. The force flow T directly extends between the outer cover plate 28 or the intermediate washer (352) that can be counted as this cover plate and the movable element 16. For further details of the known solution, reference can be made to the detailed description of the fourth embodiment of FIGS. 15 to 17 in DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 / US 9,463,846 B2, and the description of the previous embodiments based on this description.

[0180] As can be seen from FIG. 16, the embodiment of the present invention is much more compact axially than the known solutions of the prior art. In terms of the so-called "heal clearance", a huge axial space advantage BV is generated. This is achieved by the ingenious layout of different internal components or by positioning them in an axial order of components different from the known solutions. Specifically, it is achieved in a way that they overlap axially with each other or within the axial extension range of the torsion spring without a significant increase in the required radial structural space. The corresponding advantages are also generated in the case where the rear transmission is equipped with another damping device and in the case where the rear transmission is not provided with a damping device.

[0181] FIG. 18 shows a third embodiment of the bicycle chain transmission according to the second structural solution of the present invention, which has significant changes in the embodiment of the damping device. Hereinafter, the same reference numerals as those in the previous description of the first and second embodiments will be used for corresponding or similar elements, and only the differences from these embodiments will be described.

[0182] According to the third embodiment, the damping device 38 is implemented as a so-called coil spring clutch 111, which can be called a helical spring 111a of the coil spring. One side is held non-rotatably on the holding device 77 of the housing cover 19, and the other side is engaged in a friction fit with the cylindrical shoulder 113 of the rotary shaft body 50 on at least some of its spring coils. This coil spring 111a simultaneously forms a friction device and a coupling device in the form of a freewheel, because the coil spring generates different magnitudes of frictional torque according to the rotational direction of the rotary shaft body 50 relative to the housing cover 19 and thus relative to the movable element (P knuckle) 16. The rotational direction of the coil spring 111a is selected such that when the rotary shaft body 50 is twisted in the direction L (see FIG. 2) opposite to the tensioning direction S, the coil spring is further pulled by the acting frictional force, so that a larger damping force acts on the rotary shaft and thus on the chain guiding assembly, and this damping force counteracts the undesired loosening of the chain tension. The frictional fit engagement between the rotary shaft body 50 and the coil spring 111a is loosened in the tensioning direction S, so that only a very small or even gradually zero frictional force is applied, and thus no significant damping force is applied.

[0183] The coil spring 111a serving as a damping spring can be simply pressed radially inwardly against the holding device 77, which is embodied as a sleeve section of the cover 19, or alternatively, pressed radially outwardly against a corresponding holding section, in order to preferably be held anti-rotationally there as described above and be in a frictional engagement with a surface section of the rotary shaft body 50 in the radial interior. As an alternative, the coil spring serving as a damping spring is likewise preferably anti-rotationally coupled in the radial interior with a section of the rotary shaft body in a rotational direction opposite to the rotational direction of the coil spring 111a, wherein the coil spring is in a frictional engagement with the sleeve section of the cover 19 or an inner peripheral section of such a section on at least some of its spring coils in the radial exterior.

[0184] When the damping device 38 is implemented as a coil spring in the manner proposed here, the coupling joint 65 does not perform any functions related to the friction device 70 or the damping device 38. The coupling joint 65 is only used to couple the torsion helical spring 44 to the rotary shaft body 50. For this purpose, the coupling joint 65 is arranged anti-rotationally on the rotary shaft body and is held on this outer periphery in an axially defined manner by a shoulder 115 on the outer periphery. As can be seen from the comparison with FIG. 3, in other respects, the third embodiment has many similarities with the first embodiment.

[0185] For all three embodiments shown, the advantages over the known solutions in DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 / US 9,463,846 B2, which are described in connection with FIGS. 16, 17 and 13, are achieved.

[0186] The foregoing embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 17 apply a friction washer and roller freewheel clutch device similar to that in the published case DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 or US 9,463,846 B2, but overcome the main disadvantages of the prior art, particularly in terms of dimensions, tolerance chains, clearance-free, sealing, robustness, operating safety, and installation and maintenance. The third embodiment shows that the corresponding advantages can likewise be achieved with a completely different type of damping device, and the corresponding advantages can also be achieved in an embodiment without any damping device. This enables a significantly improved rear transmission, and thus a significantly improved chain shifting device and an overall improved bicycle.

[0187] As described above, the present invention mainly relates to a novel structure of a spring-damper system in the P-knuckle (movable element) 16 of a gearshift mechanism, and this structure achieves a series of improvements within the scope of the problems described at the beginning of this article. The following is a summary description of the different structural solutions proposed by the present invention and the advantages achieved, without restricting the generality mainly with reference to the second embodiment in FIGS. 10 to 17, and the known solutions shown in FIGS. 16a) and 17 according to DE 10 2014 225 036 A1 (hereinafter referred to as DE´036) / US 9,463,846 B2 (hereinafter referred to as US´846).

[0188] The present invention proposes to integrate the spring-damper system into a practical and pre-assemblable subassembly independently, referring to FIGS. 10 to 12 and FIGS. 8 and 9 for the first embodiment. Different from the prior art described at the beginning of this article, especially DE´036 / US´846, in the gearshift mechanism or spring-damper system of the present invention, the spring torque and damping torque are transmitted to the gearshift mechanism housing through an axis (rotating shaft body).

[0189] In the prior art, so far, usually only the damping torque is transmitted through the axis, while the spring torque is transmitted to the gearshift mechanism housing alone through a P-Washer (a cover plate between the outer cover and the spring housing) or directly from the spring end. Different from the prior art, the torque support of the spring and damper on the P-knuckle is also implemented through a shared interface on the existing multi-functional housing cover. In the prior art, so far, the spring torque is supported on the P-knuckle (movable element) alone through a forming element for the spring end, and the damping torque is supported on a hexagonal insert for the roller freewheel clutch device.

[0190] Subsequently, the force flow from the shield to the spring housing / P-knuckle in the preferred embodiment of the present invention is described. These force flows are mainly shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 16.

[0191] Force flow of the damping torque: 1. Axis (rotating shaft body) 50 -> friction washer 99 (through the shape-matching shaped mating elements on the axis and the friction washer) 2. Friction washer 99 -> bushing 61 (frictional torque between the friction washer 99 and the friction flange 63 of the bushing 61) 3. Bushing 61 -> roller freewheel clutch device 60 (directional decoupling of the damping torque) 4. Roller overrunning clutch 60 -> housing cover 19 (by means of a rotationally fixed press fit friction fit of the roller overrunning clutch 60 in the housing cover 19) 5. Housing cover 19 -> P knuckle 16 (by means of a friction fit between the housing cover 19 and the P knuckle 16, or by means of corresponding profiling elements of the housing cover in the P knuckle, such as bayonet connectors). The illustrated embodiment here has a multi-start thread with a correspondingly large pitch.

[0192] Force flow of the spring moment: 1. Axis (rotating shaft body) 50 -> spring flange (coupling joint) 65 (by means of shape-matching shape-fitting elements on the axis 50 and the spring flange 65) 2. Spring flange 65 -> right spring end 44b (by means of profiling elements or notches for hanging the spring end 44b on the spring flange 65, see FIGS. 10 and 12) 3. Left spring end 44a -> housing cover 19 (by means of profiling elements or notches for hanging the spring end 44a on the housing cover 19, see FIGS. 10, 13 and 14) 4. Housing cover 19 -> P knuckle 16 (the same as item 5 of the damping moment above)

[0193] The variable force flow obtained in the above manner mainly causes the left spring end of the first elastic energy storage device 44 to rest on the P knuckle, and the right spring end to act in a driving manner on the rotating shaft body (axis) and thus on the gearshift mechanism housing. This is contrary to the prior art, in which the right spring end rests on the P knuckle and the left spring end acts on the gearshift mechanism housing, see FIG. 16. This difference in the embodiments of the present invention results in the formation of a left-wound helical torsion spring 44, whereas this helical torsion spring is right-wound in the prior art.

[0194] The structure proposed by the present invention enables a particularly compact structural form of the spring-damper unit and the movable element (P knuckle). The variable force flow, the redesign of the main components and assemblies and the change in the relative layout, as well as the integration of the components and assemblies into a spring damper unit enable a significantly improved bearing configuration with a maximum support width, see FIG. 16. This in turn reduces the width of the support points, thus further saving space.

[0195] Furthermore, implementing the right bearing as a journal 81 in the P-steering knuckle enables an axial overlap of the bearing with the pretension nut (adjusting element) 76 and the spring flange 65 (i.e., the coupling section 65 that connects the torsion spring to the rotating shaft body), thereby saving structural space particularly in the transverse direction. Additionally, the pretension nut can have a significantly narrower implementation because its abutment on the torsion-protected spring flange does not require any additional screw locking or stuffing, see Fig. 16, as the pretension nut 76 serving as the adjusting element can be tightened onto the spring flange 65. Such screw locking can be used to prevent unauthorized operation by the user or increase the difficulty of such operation, but is also reasonable within the scope of the implementation of the embodiments of the present invention. The structural width of the pretension nut can thus be reduced because, due to the significantly increased diameter of the friction washer 99, a smaller pretension of the pretension spring 80 of the friction device 70 (exemplarily implemented as a disc spring pack 80 in the embodiment of the present invention) is sufficient.

[0196] On the one hand, the larger diameter of the friction washer 99 of the second embodiment or the friction flange of the coupling section 65 of the first embodiment, and on the other hand, the correspondingly larger diameter of the friction flange 63 of the damper bushing 61 also ensure a larger friction area of the friction device and a correspondingly smaller contact pressure per unit area, thereby reducing wear, and also ensure better repeatability or stability of the desired frictional torque over the product life. A larger diameter of the friction washer can also be achieved by the integrated structure of the spring-damper assembly of the present invention, and this assembly may not be provided with the cylindrical elements required for spring guidance and sealing in the prior art (see Figs. 16a and 17).

[0197] The left end of the bushing 61 (see Figs. 10, 13, 14, and 16) is preferably provided with an inclined stop surface and a corresponding stop surface on the axis (rotating shaft body) 50. Thus, with the same pretension, the frictional torque of the friction pair increases, and this frictional torque also contributes to increasing the frictional torque of the friction pair between the friction washer or friction flange and the bushing. Additionally, this inclined stop surface or friction surface has a centering effect, which is beneficial for the axis guidance and service life of the roller freewheel clutch device.

[0198] Other advantages of the embodiments of the present invention:

[0199] Based on the present invention, the P knuckle assembly can be constructed as, for example, a closed and completely sealed housing, which is penetrated by the shroud shaft (rotating shaft body) 50 only at one point, namely on the housing cover 19. The difference from the prior art is that at least the torsion spring is not sealed (see the upper part of Fig. 16), and due to the relatively large radial diameter of the spring moment force flow, relative environmental sealing is actually meaningless. This causes corrosion problems or undesired changes in the return moment in the prior art.

[0200] Based on the proposal presented herein, only one sliding seal is required to completely seal all components of the spring-damper assembly, including the torsion spring. Additionally, this seal can be particularly advantageously arranged on a very small axial diameter, such that the frictional force, frictional path, and wear of the seal are significantly reduced compared to the prior art.

[0201] The sealing of the drilled hole in the housing cover for the left spring end can be achieved by a static sealing element, such as the sealing cover 103 (see Figs. 10, 13, and 14). Alternatively, a blind hole or blind hole recess for the spring end can also be implemented in the housing cover 19. Similarly, the housing cover 19 can be simply sealed relative to the movable element (P knuckle) 16 serving as the housing in a common manner, such as using an O-ring. In the embodiment shown in the figures with a thread (preferably a multi-start thread, and the pitch is preferably 2 - 8 mm), an effective seal has been formed between the housing cover 19 and the housing (P knuckle) 16 by the axial clamping force formed.

[0202] The special feature of the layout in the installed state proposed herein is that the cover spring always provides a tightening torque for screwing between the housing cover and the P knuckle, in other words, always causes the thread of the housing cover 19 to be tightened in the P knuckle 16. This effectively prevents the loosening of the housing cover thread and ensures that the housing cover is permanently sealed by the axial stop surface (see Fig. 13) without the need for additional sealing elements. Additionally, the axial stop of the housing cover 19 on the P knuckle 16 helps to form a shorter tolerance chain, which is beneficial for improving the positioning accuracy of the guide roller 32 as desired in the shift mechanism cover. For this purpose, refer to the tolerance chains shown by the thick black arrows in Figs. 13 and 16. The sum of the lengths of the thick arrows is the corresponding tolerance chain.

[0203] The outer diameter of the housing cover 19 is centered on the P knuckle 16 by its fit with the inner diameter, referring particularly to Fig. 13. This, together with the maximum support width of the aforementioned axial bearing (see Fig. 16), also helps with centering, thus being beneficial for the coaxiality and stiffness of the axis (rotating shaft body) relative to the housing or P knuckle.

[0204] In order to unscrew the spring-damper subassembly from the movable element (P steering knuckle) 16 in a tool-free manner, in the illustrated embodiment, in addition to the "cage stop" that defines the movement of the cage during operation, i.e., the end stop of the cage against the elastic force, the gearshift mechanism housing is also provided with a cage stop in the reverse rotation direction, i.e., along the direction of the elastic force, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. Advantageously, the same rotary stop 103 on the housing cover 19 can be used both for abutting against the end stop 89b and for abutting against the cage stop 89a. In this case, preferably, the left end 44a of the helical torsion spring 44 or the sealing cover 103 for the left spring end, or the correspondingly protruding formed element on the housing cover 19 is used as the rotary stop 103.

[0205] As described above, a bicycle transmission is provided, which has a base element (12) that can be mounted on a bicycle frame, a movable element (16) that is movably coupled to the base element (12) and has a socket (17), a rotary shaft body (50) that is supported in the socket in the movable element (16) so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis (A), and a chain guiding assembly (25) that can rotate relative to the movable element about the rotation axis (A) and is non-rotatably coupled to the rotary shaft body (50). The elastic energy storage device (44) is configured to apply a pre-tension to the chain guiding assembly, which pre-tensions the chain guiding assembly relative to the movable element (16) in a defined rotation direction.

[0206] According to a first aspect, a damping device (38) that directly or indirectly takes effect between the movable element (16) and the chain guiding assembly has a coupling device (60) that is arranged in the axial extension region of the first elastic energy storage device (44) in a radially located manner within the first elastic energy storage device. The damping device is coupled to at least one of a support device that is stationary relative to the movable element and the rotary shaft body (50) by means of the coupling device.

[0207] According to a second aspect, the first elastic energy storage device (44) is coupled to the chain guiding assembly (25) by means of the rotary shaft body (50), so that the pre-tension is applied to the chain guiding assembly by means of the rotary shaft body.

[0208] According to a third aspect, the rotary shaft body (50) is rotatably supported on a cover element (19) by means of a rotary bearing. The cover element is fixed to the movable element (16), and together with the rotary shaft body (50) extending through the through hole of the cover element, closes the socket (17) of the movable element (16).

[0209] From the above discussion, it will be understood that the present invention can be embodied in various example forms, including but not limited to the following: Example 1. A rear bicycle transmission, comprising: A basic component that can be installed on a bicycle frame; A movable component having a socket, which is movably coupled to the basic component; A rotating shaft body supported in the socket of the movable component in a manner that can rotate around a rotation axis; A chain guiding assembly that can rotate relative to the movable component around the rotation axis, and is anti-rotationally coupled to the rotating shaft body; A first elastic energy storage device configured to apply a pre-tension force to the chain guiding assembly to pre-tension the chain guiding assembly relative to the movable component in a first rotation direction; and A damping device configured to apply a damping force to the chain guiding assembly through the rotating shaft body, and support a reaction force corresponding to the damping force on a support device that is stationary relative to the movable component, wherein the damping device includes a coupling device, and the damping device is coupled to at least one of the support device and the rotating shaft body through the coupling device; It is characterized in that the coupling device is arranged in an axial extension area of the first elastic energy storage device in a manner that is radially located within the first elastic energy storage device. Example 2. The rear bicycle transmission according to Example 1, wherein the coupling device is implemented as a friction device that is frictionally engaged with at least one of the rotating shaft body and the support device in order to generate a damping force. Example 3. The rear bicycle transmission according to Example 1 or 2, wherein the coupling device is implemented as a freewheel clutch configured to apply a damping force to the chain guiding assembly through the rotating shaft body or participate in this operation. Example 4. The rear bicycle transmission according to any one of Examples 1 to 3, wherein the first elastic energy storage device is coupled to the chain guiding assembly through the rotating shaft body, so as to apply a pre-tension force to the chain guiding assembly through the rotating shaft body. Example 5. The rear bicycle transmission according to any one of Examples 1 to 4, wherein the rotating shaft body is rotatably supported on a cover element by means of a rotating bearing, the cover element is fixed to the movable component, and together with the rotating shaft body extending through a through hole of the cover element, closes the socket of the movable component. Example 6. A rear bicycle transmission, comprising: A basic component that can be installed on a bicycle frame; A movable element having a socket, movably coupled to the base element; A rotary shaft body supported in the socket of the movable element so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis; A chain guiding assembly rotatable relative to the movable element about the rotation axis, anti-rotationally coupled to the rotary shaft body; and A first elastic energy storage device configured to apply a pre-tensioning force to the chain guiding assembly to pre-tension the chain guiding assembly relative to the movable element in a first rotation direction; Characterized in that the first elastic energy storage device is coupled to the chain guiding assembly by the rotary shaft body, so that the pre-tensioning force is applied to the chain guiding assembly by the rotary shaft body. Example 7. A rear bicycle derailleur as described in Example 6, wherein a damping device is configured to apply a damping force to the chain guiding assembly by the rotary shaft body and support a reaction force corresponding to the damping force on a support device stationary relative to the movable element, wherein the damping device includes a coupling device, and the damping device is coupled to at least one of the support device and the rotary shaft body by the coupling device. Example 8. A rear bicycle derailleur as described in Example 7, wherein the rotary shaft body and the damping device are integrated into a structural unit, and the structural unit is receivable in the socket of the movable element and fixable to the movable element. Example 9. A rear bicycle derailleur as described in Example 8, wherein the structural unit has a cover element axially closely adjacent to the chain guiding assembly, and together with the rotary shaft body extending through a through hole of the cover element, closes the socket and is fixed to the movable element. Example 10. A rear bicycle derailleur as described in Example 8 or 9, wherein the first elastic energy storage device is also integrated into the structural unit. Example 11. A rear bicycle derailleur as described in any one of Examples 7 to 10, wherein one / the cover element closing the socket has a holding device for a freewheel clutch of the damping device, and by the holding device, a reaction force of a damping force applied to the chain guiding assembly relative to the rotary shaft body is supported on the cover element. Example 12. A rear bicycle derailleur as described in any one of Examples 6 to 11, wherein the rotary shaft body is rotatably supported on the movable element by a first rotary support member, and the first rotary support member is provided in a region of the movable element axially defining the socket and facing away from the chain guiding assembly, wherein the first rotary support member includes a journal extending into the socket and a bushing accommodating the journal, and the rotary shaft body is rotatably supported on the journal by the bushing. Example 13. A rear bicycle transmission as described in any one of Examples 6 to 12, wherein the rotary shaft body is rotatably supported on one / the lid element closing the socket by means of a second rotary bearing provided within the region of the through-hole or adjacent to the through-hole. Example 14. A rear bicycle transmission as described in any one of Examples 6 to 13, wherein the first elastic energy storage device is in form-fitting coupling with one / the lid element closing the socket in a first coupling region and in form-fitting coupling with a coupling joint that projects radially from the rotary shaft body and is non-rotatably provided on the rotary shaft body in a second coupling region, so that a pre-tension force is applied to the rotary shaft body via the coupling joint and thus to the chain guiding assembly. Example 15. A rear bicycle transmission as described in any one of Examples 6 to 14, wherein the coupling of one / the damping device or the friction surfaces that can be coupled to the rotary shaft body are pre-tensioned relative to each other by means of a second elastic energy storage device, and, in the case of establishing a closed force flow, the first and second axial pressures applied along opposite axes to the rotary shaft body via the second elastic energy storage device are supported on the rotary shaft body. Example 16. A rear bicycle transmission as described in Example 15, wherein an adjusting element is in thread engagement with an external thread on an end region of the rotary shaft body that is spaced apart from the chain guiding assembly and is used to adjust the axial pre-tension force of the second elastic energy storage device. Example 17. A rear bicycle transmission as described in Example 16, wherein the adjusting element defines an axial stop for one / the coupling joint that is in form-fitting coupling with the coupling region of the first elastic energy storage device and participates in applying the pre-tension force of the first elastic energy storage device to the chain guiding assembly via the rotary shaft body. Example 18. A rear bicycle transmission as described in Example 16, wherein the support configuration that supports the axial pressure applied to the rotary shaft body via the second elastic energy storage device and has a friction surface includes one / the coupling joint that is in form-fitting coupling with the coupling region of the first elastic energy storage device and participates in applying the pre-tension force of the first elastic energy storage device to the chain guiding assembly via the rotary shaft body. Example 19. A rear bicycle transmission, comprising: A base element that can be mounted on a bicycle frame; A movable element having a socket that is movably coupled to the base element; A rotary shaft body rotatably supported in the socket in the movable element about a rotation axis; A chain guide assembly rotatable about the axis of rotation relative to a movable element, anti-rotationally coupled to the rotating shaft body; and A first elastic energy storage device configured to apply a pre-tensioning force to the chain guide assembly that pre-tensions the chain guide assembly relative to the movable element in a first rotational direction; Characterized in that the rotating shaft body is rotatably supported on a lid element by means of a rotary bearing, the lid element being fixed to the movable element and, together with the rotating shaft body extending through a through-hole in the lid element, closing the socket of the movable element. Example 20. A rear bicycle transmission as described in Example 19, wherein the rotating shaft body is rotatably supported on the movable element by means of another rotary bearing, the other rotary bearing being provided in a region of the movable element that axially defines the socket and faces away from the chain guide assembly, wherein the other rotary bearing includes a journal extending into the socket and a bushing that houses the journal, and wherein the rotating shaft body is rotatably supported on the journal by means of the bushing. Example 21. A rear bicycle transmission as described in Example 19 or 20, wherein a damping device is configured to apply a damping force to the chain guide assembly via the rotating shaft body and to support a reaction force corresponding to the damping force on a support device stationary relative to the movable element, wherein the damping device includes a coupling device by means of which the damping device is coupled to at least one of the support device and the rotating shaft body. Example 22. A rear bicycle transmission as described in any one of Examples 19 to 21, wherein the first elastic energy storage device is coupled to the chain guide assembly via the rotating shaft body, such that the pre-tensioning force is applied to the chain guide assembly via the rotating shaft body.

[0210] 1: Bicycle frame 10: Bicycle transmission 12: Base element 14: Fixed element 16: Movable element, P-knuckle 16a: Internal thread, thread configuration 17: Socket 18: Balancer 19: Lid element 19a: External thread, thread configuration 19b: Opening, through-hole and bearing opening 19c: Groove, coupling notch 20: Connecting element 22: Connecting element 25: Chain guide assembly 26: Chain guiding device 28: Cover plate 28a: Coupling opening 28b: Screw-in opening 29: Surface 30: Inner cover plate 32: Guide wheel, guide roller 38: Damping device, damper assembly 44: Energy storage device, torsion spring 44a: Spring end, outer end, coupling area 44b: Spring end, inner end, coupling area 50: Axis, cage shaft, rotating shaft body 51a: Coupling section 51b: End section, end zone 51c: Flat part 51d: Annular edge 51e: Bearing section 53: Washer 54: Axial screw, screw 59: Steel sleeve 60: Coupling device, freewheel clutch, roller clutch, roller freewheel clutch device 60a: Clutch element, sleeve-shaped element 60b: Roller element, roller, roller one-way clutch device 61: Clutch element, bushing 63: Friction flange 65: Coupling joint 65b: Coupling notch 70: Friction device 75: Locking joint, screw lock 75a: Coupling structure 76: Adjusting element, preloading nut, adjusting joint, adjusting nut 77: Support device, holding device, holding sleeve 79: Bushing 80: Disc spring arrangement, disc spring group, energy storage device, pre-tensioned spring 81: Journal 83: Structural unit 84: Spacer washer 85: O-ring 87: Annular groove, receiving groove 89: Receiving groove 89a: End stop, tip, shroud stop, rotation stop 89b: End stop, tip, shroud stop 91: Stop screw 99: Friction washer, friction plate 101: Centering element 103: Sealing cover, stop 105: Profile 107: Shroud sleeve 109: Centering fitting 111: Coil spring clutch, coupling device, friction device, overrunning clutch 111a: Helical spring, coil spring 112: Centering fitting 113: Shoulder 115: Shoulder 352: Intermediate gasket, bushing 362: Bushing 390: Rotary bearing, bearing 392: Insert 394: Rotary bearing, bearing A: Rear wheel axle B: Viewing direction BV: Spatial advantage CR: Front sprocket D: Arrow line, force flow d: Additional force flow F: Forming element K: Chain LA: Axial distance, bearing distance R: Pinion set RD: Gearshift mechanism, rear transmission L: Pivoting direction P: Air gap S: Chain tensioning direction T: Force flow TK: Tolerance chain U: Protrusion V: Forward direction

Claims

1. A rear bicycle derailleur (RD), comprising: A base element (12) that can be mounted on a bicycle frame (1); a movable element (16) having a socket (17) and movably coupled to the base element (12); a rotating shaft (50) supported in the movable element (16) in the socket (17) in a manner rotatable about a rotation axis (A); a cover element (19) that closes the socket (17); a chain guide assembly (25) rotatable relative to the movable element (16) about the rotation axis (A), the chain guide assembly (25) being antirotatably coupled to the rotating shaft (50) and further mounted on the movable element (16); a first elastic energy storage device (44) configured to apply a pretension to the chain guide assembly (25) to pretension the chain guide assembly (25) relative to the movable element (16) in a first rotation direction (S); The first elastic energy storage device (44) is arranged in the socket (17) of the movable element (16). The cover element (19) has an external thread (19a) on its outer periphery, which can be screwed into an internal thread (16a) on the inner periphery of the socket (17) and thereby connected to the movable element (16). One of the two elements, the cover element (19) and the chain guide assembly (25), has an annular groove (89) containing two stop ends (89a, 89b) on its end facing the other element (25, 19). Furthermore, one of the two components, the cover element (19) and the chain guide assembly (25), has a stop protrusion (91, 103) on its end facing the other component (19, 25). When the chain guide assembly (25) is mounted on the movable element (16), the stop protrusion extends into the groove (89), such that the stop protrusion (91, 103) together with the stop ends (89a, 89b) of the annular segment groove (89) constitute two rotational end stops for the rotation (S, L) of the chain guide assembly (25) relative to the cover element (19). The cover element (19) can be screwed into the internal thread (16a) of the movable element (16) by manually rotating the chain guide assembly (25) by means of the rotating end stop (S, L) without tools, and the cover element can be screwed out of the internal thread of the movable element (16) without tools.

2. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in claim 1, wherein, The cover element (19) has an annular segment groove (89) containing the two stop ends (89a, 89b) on its end side facing the chain guide assembly (25), and the chain guide assembly (25) has stop protrusions (91, 103) on its end side facing the cover element (19), the stop protrusions extending into the groove (89) when the chain guide assembly (25) is mounted on the movable element (16).

3. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The stop protrusions (91, 103) are formed by a stop screw (91) that can be screwed into the chain guide assembly (25), or generally by an end (44a) of the first elastic energy storage device (44) extending from the end side of the cover element (19) facing the chain guide assembly (25).

4. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in claim 1, wherein, The first elastic energy storage device (44) is coupled to the chain guide assembly (25) via the rotating shaft (50), thereby applying the pretension to the chain guide assembly (25) via the rotating shaft (50).

5. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in claim 4, wherein, The chain guide assembly (25) can be anti-rotatedly coupled to the rotating shaft (50) by means of polygonal devices (51a, 28a).

6. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in claim 5, wherein, The rotating shaft (50) is rotatably supported on the cover element (19) by means of a rotating support provided in or adjacent to the through hole (19b), wherein the cover element (19) together with the rotating shaft (50) extending through the through hole (19b) of the cover element (19) preferably airtightly seals the socket (17) of the movable element (16).

7. A rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as claimed in claim 1 or 4, wherein a damping device (38) is configured to apply a damping force to the chain guide assembly (25) via the rotating shaft (50) and to support a reaction force corresponding to the damping force on a support device (77) stationary relative to the movable element (16), wherein, The damping device (38) includes a coupling device (60, 111) by means of which the damping device (38) is coupled to at least one of the support device (77) and the rotating shaft (50).

8. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in claim 7, wherein, The coupling device (60) is implemented as a friction device (111) that engages frictionally with at least one of the rotating shaft (50) and the support device (77) to generate the damping force.

9. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in claim 7, wherein, The coupling device (60) is implemented as a freewheel clutch (60, 111), which is configured to apply the damping force to the chain guide assembly (25) via the rotating shaft (50) or participate in this operation.

10. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in claim 1 or 4, wherein, The rotating shaft (50) and the damping device (38) are integrated in a single structural unit (83), which is accommodated in the socket (17) of the movable element (16) and can be fixed to the movable element (16).

11. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in claim 10, wherein, The structural unit (83) includes the cover element (19).

12. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in claim 11, wherein, The first flexible energy storage device (44) is integrated into the structural unit (83).

13. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in claim 12, wherein, The cover element (19) has a retaining device (77) for the freewheel clutch (60, 111) of the damping device (38), by means of which the cover element (19) can support the reaction force of the damping force applied to the chain guide assembly (25) via the rotating shaft (50).

14. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in any one of claims 1, 4, or 6, wherein, The rotating shaft (50) is rotatably supported on the movable element (16) by means of a first rotating support (81, 51b), the first rotating support being disposed on the movable element (16) in an axially defined region of the socket (17) away from the chain guide assembly (25), wherein the first rotating support (81, 51b) includes a journal (81) extending into the socket (17) and a bushing (51b) accommodating the journal (81), and wherein the rotating shaft (50) is rotatably supported on the journal (81) by means of the bushing (51b).

15. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in claim 1 or 4, wherein, The first elastic energy storage device (44) is shaped-fitted with the cover element (19) that closes the socket (17) in the first coupling region (44a) and shaped-fitted with a coupling joint (65) that extends radially from the rotating shaft (50) and is anti-rotatingly disposed on the rotating shaft (50) in the second coupling region (44b), thereby applying the pretension to the rotating shaft (50) and further to the chain guide assembly (25) via the coupling joint.

16. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in claim 15, wherein, The second elastic energy storage device (80) pre-tensions the friction surfaces of the damping device, which are coupled or coupled to the rotating shaft (50), relative to each other, and supports the first axial pressure and the second axial pressure applied by the second elastic energy storage device (80) in opposite directions on the rotating shaft (50) in the case of establishing a closed force flow.

17. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in claim 7, wherein, The adjusting element (76) engages with the external thread on the internal thread of the rotating shaft (50) at a distance from the chain guide assembly (25) on the end section (51b), and is used to adjust the axial pretension of the second elastic energy storage device (80).

18. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in claim 17, wherein, The adjusting element (76) defines an axial stop for the coupling joint (65), which is form-fitted to the coupling region (44b) of the first elastic energy storage device (44) and participates in applying the pretension (44) of the first elastic energy storage device to the chain guide assembly (25) via the rotating shaft (50).

19. The rear bicycle derailleur (RD) as described in claim 18, wherein, The support configuration on the rotating shaft (50) that supports the axial pressure applied by the second elastic energy storage device (80) and has a friction surface includes the coupling joint (65), which is shape-fitted to the coupling area of ​​the first elastic energy storage device (44) and participates in applying the pretension of the first elastic energy storage device (44) to the chain guide assembly (25) via the rotating shaft (50).

20. A chain guide assembly (25) for a rear bicycle derailleur (RD), comprising a movable element (16) having an internal thread (16a), a rotating shaft (50), and a cover element (19) having an external thread (19a) for connection with the internal thread (16a) of the movable element (16), wherein the cover element (19) has a groove (89) including stop ends (89a, 89b) on its end side facing the chain guide assembly (25), characterized in that a coupling opening (28a) formed on a cover plate (28) has a polygonal geometry for anti-rotatingly accommodating a coupling section (51a) of the rotating shaft (50) whose shape is complementary to its own; And a stop protrusion (91) facing the end side of the rear bicycle derailleur (RD), the stop protrusion (91) working together with the stop ends (89a, 89b) to form a rotating end stop (89a, 89b), by which the rotating end stop (89a, 89b) allows the cover element (19) to be screwed into the internal thread (16a) through the chain guide assembly (25) without tools, and the cover element (19) to be screwed out of the internal thread (16a) without tools.

21. The chain guide assembly (25) as claimed in claim 20, wherein the stop protrusion is formed by a stop screw (91) screwable into a screw-in opening (28b) of the chain guide assembly (25).

22. A self-operated, pre-installable structural unit (83) for a rear bicycle derailleur (RD), comprising a movable element (16) having an internal thread (16a) and a chain guide assembly (25) having a stop protrusion (91), characterized in that a cover element (19) having an external thread (19a) for connection with the internal thread (16a) of the movable element (16), wherein the cover element (19) has a groove (89) including stop ends (89a, 89b) on its end side facing the chain guide assembly (25), the groove (89) cooperating with the stop protrusion (91) to form rotating end stops (89a, 89b), by which the rotating end stops (89a, 89b) allow the structural unit (83) to be screwed into the chain guide assembly (25) without tools. The internal thread (16a) allows the structural unit (83) to be unscrewed from the internal thread (16a) without tools; a rotating shaft (50) rotatably mounted in a through hole (19b) of the cover element (19) and having a polygonal geometry coupling section (51a) for anti-rotation engagement with a coupling opening (28a) of the chain guide assembly (25); and a first elastic energy storage device (44) configured to apply pretension to the chain guide assembly (25) via the rotating shaft (50) and simultaneously supported on the cover element (19).

23. The structural unit (83) as claimed in claim 22, wherein the damping device (38) is configured to apply a damping force to the rotating shaft (50) and support a corresponding reaction force on the retaining device (77) of the cover element (19).

24. The structural unit (83) as claimed in claim 23, wherein the damping device (38) includes a freewheel clutch (60, 111).

25. The structural unit (83) as claimed in claim 23 or 24, wherein the damping device (38) includes a second elastic energy storage device (80) whose axial pressure is fully supported by the rotating shaft (50), thereby establishing a closed force flow.

26. A mounting assembly for a rear bicycle derailleur (RD) comprising: a chain guide assembly (25) as described in claim 20 or 21; and a structural unit (83) as described in any one of claims 22 to 25, the structural unit (83) being inserted into a movable element (16) of the rear bicycle derailleur (RD) and for rotatably supporting the chain guide assembly (25).

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