Bicycle Front Derailleur Mounting Bracket Vertical Axis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern bicycle frame configurations often result in interference between the front derailleur mounting member and other frame components, particularly at crowded locations near the bottom bracket hanger, making it difficult to avoid mechanical conflicts.
Innovation Solution
A bicycle front derailleur with a mounting bracket that includes a fixed portion with a vertical fastener axis, allowing for secure attachment to the bicycle frame while maintaining proximity to pivot joints, and featuring a flange that protrudes from the main body to accommodate the chain guide's movement without obstructing the pivot joint area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the front derailleur is mounted near the bottom bracket hanger, then the derailleur can be positioned close to the pivot joint for compact design, but interference occurs between the mounting member and the pivot joint of the chain stays
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket utilizes the vertical dimension by extending a mounting arm downward from the chain stay to the bottom bracket hanger area. This vertical extension allows the derailleur mounting to occur in a different spatial plane than the pivot joint, eliminating interference while maintaining proximity. The bracket effectively moves the mounting operation from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane, resolving the spatial conflict.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting bracket acts as an intermediary component between the chain stay and the bottom bracket hanger. It provides a mounting surface for the front derailleur while being positioned to avoid interference with the pivot joint. The bracket serves as a mediator that enables close proximity mounting without direct conflict between the derailleur mounting and the pivot joint structures.
2Strength
If the mounting bracket is positioned close to the pivot joint, then the pivot joint can be designed wider and stronger, but the mounting bracket must avoid occupying space between the pivot joint and the front sprocket
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket resolves the space conflict by utilizing the vertical dimension. The mounting arm extends vertically downward from the chain stay, allowing the bracket to be positioned close to the pivot joint horizontally while occupying a different vertical space. This prevents the bracket from interfering with the front sprocket area while still enabling the pivot joint to be designed wider and stronger.
Data Source
AI summary
A bicycle front derailleur including a chain guide; a linkage assembly; and a mounting bracket configured to mount the chain guide to a bicycle frame such that the chain guide is movable with respect to the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket includes at least one fixed portion adapted to receive a fastener to fix the fixed portion so that an axis of the fastener extends toward a bottom bracket hangar of the bicycle frame when the fixed portion is fixed to the bicycle frame via the fastener. The axis of the fastener is generally vertical.