Derailleur Mounting Bracket With Coaxial Frame Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing derailleur mounting systems for human-powered vehicles are complex and require significant design changes to the frame and components, complicating assembly and integration of additional components like electric devices.

Innovation Solution

A bracket apparatus with a frame, derailleur, and component attachment portions that allow for simplified mounting and alignment with hub axles, featuring coaxial openings and fasteners to minimize design changes, enabling reliable attachment of derailleurs and electric components while maintaining structural integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a complex mounting system is used to attach the derailleur to the frame, then the attachment reliability is improved, but the device complexity and assembly difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment reliabilityVSAvoidmounting system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bracket apparatus is divided into three distinct attachment portions: a frame attachment portion for mounting to the frame, a derailleur attachment portion for mounting the derailleur, and a component attachment portion for mounting additional components. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function while simplifying the overall mounting system compared to complex integrated solutions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bracket apparatus serves as an intermediary component between the frame and the derailleur, and additionally between the frame and other components. By introducing this intermediate bracket structure with specifically designed attachment openings and fasteners, the patent achieves reliable attachment without requiring complex direct mounting systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If design changes are made to the frame and components to accommodate new mounting systems, then the adaptability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting adaptabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The bracket apparatus is designed with universal attachment openings and fastener interfaces that can accommodate various components. The frame attachment opening can receive different types of fasteners, and the component attachment portion can mount multiple different components, making the bracket a universal mounting solution that reduces the need for design changes in the frame and components themselves.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The bracket apparatus is pre-configured with the necessary attachment openings and fastener interfaces before assembly. The frame attachment opening is designed to be coaxial with the hub axle, and the derailleur attachment opening is designed to be coaxial with the derailleur fastener, allowing for straightforward assembly without requiring complex design modifications to existing components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If multiple components are mounted to the frame directly, then the device complexity is reduced, but the alignment precision and structural integrity decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of componentsVSAvoidalignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The bracket apparatus introduces an additional spatial dimension for component mounting by providing a component attachment portion that is spaced apart from both the frame attachment portion and the derailleur attachment portion. This creates a third dimension for component placement, allowing for precise alignment and balanced distribution of components while maintaining structural integrity through the distributed attachment architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS12441435B2Bracket apparatus and bracket assembly
Publication Date: 2025.10.14 SHIMANO INC
  • US12441435B2 patent drawing
  • US12441435B2 patent drawing
  • US12441435B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A bracket apparatus for mounting a derailleur to a frame of a human-powered vehicle comprises a frame attachment portion, a derailleur attachment portion spaced apart from the frame attachment portion, and a component attachment portion spaced apart from the frame attachment portion and the derailleur attachment portion.