Bicycle Axle Assembly Anti-Rotational Nut Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bicycle wheel quick release mechanisms often require assistance to remove and reinstall wheels, and they can lose axle retaining force during removal, making it difficult for a single person to manage.
Innovation Solution
A bicycle axle assembly featuring a nut member with a first and second part, including anti-rotational structures that move between engaged and disengaged positions, allowing for single-handed removal and reinstallation while maintaining the original axle retaining force, utilizing a locking projection to secure the wheel to the frame.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a typical quick release mechanism with a skewer and cam structure is used, then wheel removal and reinstallation is facilitated, but it requires assistance from another person to stabilize the bicycle during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The nut member is designed to self-stabilize during wheel removal and reinstallation by engaging its projection with the dropout, eliminating the need for another person to hold the bicycle. The anti-rotational structures between the first and second parts provide self-limiting rotation that maintains stability throughout the operation.
2Ease of operation
If a typical quick release mechanism is used, then wheel removal is enabled, but the axle retaining force is lost during removal
Solution Approach 1:
The nut member transitions dynamically between states: during removal, the anti-rotational structures disengage to allow rotation; during reinstallation, they re-engage to restore axial retention. The projection continuously engages the dropout to maintain lateral stability throughout the entire cycle, preserving axle retaining force when needed.
3Ease of operation
If a nut member with anti-rotational structures is used, then single-handed operation is enabled, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The nut member is segmented into a first part and a second part with distinct functions: the first part provides threading and anti-rotational structures, while the second part provides the projection for dropout engagement. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function while working together to achieve single-handed operation.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A bicycle axle assembly (14) has a nut member t(26, 126, 226) hat includes a first part (50, 150, 250) and a second part (52, 152, 252). The first part has an internal thread. The second part has a projection (54, 154, 254) that is arranged to engage a dropout (48) of a bicycle frame. The first and second parts have first and second anti-rotational structures (56156, 256; 58, 158, 258), respectively, that move relative to each other between an engaged position, in which the first and second parts are non-rotatably engaged relative to each other by the first and second anti-rotational structures, and a disengaged position, in which the first and second mating anti-rotational structures are disengaged such that the first and second parts rotate relative to each other.