TWI846059B - Highly adaptable bicycle through axle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention reveals a highly adaptable bicycle through axle comprising a spindle and a washer, wherein the washer comprises an inner face and outer face, and the inner face is not parallel with the outer face, and thus matching bicycles with different specifications.

Description

Highly adaptable bicycle through-axle

A bicycle through-axle.

Through axles are safer because they can withstand greater torque and reduce the chance of wheels coming loose. They have gradually replaced traditional quick releases and become a rapidly developing feature in modern bicycles. Among them, through axles with tapered joints are widely used because they have a larger locking area and can provide more stable support. However, the existing through axles with tapered joints have many specifications and cannot be shared with different frame hooks or suspensions, resulting in increased production costs and making it difficult for users to identify and choose the through axle that suits their bicycles. Therefore, developing a bicycle through axle that can be highly adaptable to various specifications has become a goal that the relevant field is eager to develop.

In order to improve the problem that the manufacturing cost increases due to the numerous specifications of through axles and it is difficult for users to identify and select a through axle that suits their bicycles, the present invention provides a highly adaptable bicycle through axle.

The invention provides a highly adaptable bicycle through-axle, which comprises: a central axle, which comprises a tail end and a head end respectively defined at two ends, the tail end having a threaded surface formed on an outer surface of the tail end; the head end comprising a large head portion, the large head portion being a cylinder toward the head end, defining a circular annular surface; the large head portion shrinks inward toward the surface of the tail end to form a tapered joint surface, the tapered joint surface forms a first angle with an axial direction of the central axle; and a washer, which comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface corresponds to the tapered joint surface, the outer surface has a second angle with the axial direction, and the first angle and the second angle are different.

The second angle ranges from 40° to 140°.

Furthermore, the washer is in a ring shape, and a peripheral surface thereof includes an opening.

Furthermore, the inner surface of the washer has a recessed portion, and a lubricating member is placed in the recessed portion.

Preferably, the inner surface of the washer has a recessed portion for storing lubricating grease.

Furthermore, the outer surface of the spindle has one or more protrusions, so that the outer surface of the washer contacts the protrusions and can only rotate on the spindle.

Furthermore, the washer completely covers an annular surface of the cylinder of the large head and the conical joint.

By means of the above technical means, the present invention can adapt to the specifications of many bicycles by simply changing the characteristics of the washer, thereby reducing production costs and making it more convenient for users to use.

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following is a brief introduction of the drawings required for the description of each embodiment. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some examples or embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, the present invention can also be applied to other similar scenarios based on these drawings without creative work. Unless it is obvious from the language environment or otherwise explained, the same reference numerals in the figures represent the same structure or operation.

Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, which are an embodiment of a highly adaptable bicycle through-axle 10 provided by the present invention. The through-axle 10 includes a spindle 11, and the spindle 11 includes a tail end and a head end respectively defined at two ends. The tail end has a threaded surface 121 formed on an outer surface 12 of the tail end; the head end includes a large head portion 13, and the large head portion 13 is a cylinder toward the head end, which defines a circular annular surface 131; the large head portion 13 is inwardly contracted toward the surface of the tail end to form a conical joint surface 13 2. The tapered joint 132 forms a first angle A with an axial direction C of the spindle 11; the highly adaptable bicycle through-axle 10 also includes a washer 14, which includes an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface corresponds to the tapered joint 132, and the outer surface has a second angle B with the axial direction C, and the first angle A and the second angle B are different, and the second angle B corresponds to an inclined surface of a bicycle front fork for fixing the through-axle; wherein the angle range of the second angle B is 40° to 140°.

Please refer to FIG. 3 , which is a second embodiment of a highly adaptable bicycle through-axle 10 provided by the present invention. An opening 142 is included on a circumferential surface 141 of the washer 14 . The opening 142 can expand after a force is applied, making it easier to install or remove the washer 14 on the tapered interface 132 of the spindle 11 .

Please refer to FIG. 4 , which is a third embodiment of a highly adaptable bicycle through-axle 10 provided by the present invention. In this embodiment, the inner surface of the washer 14 includes a recess 143, and a lubricant 144 is placed in the recess 143. The lubricant 144 can be any material that reduces the friction between the washer 14 and the tapered interface 132. Preferably, the lubricant 144 is a polytetrafluoroethylene belt or a lubricant.

Please refer to FIG. 5 , which is a fourth embodiment of a highly adaptable bicycle through-axle 10 provided by the present invention. In this embodiment, the conical joint 132 of the big head 13 includes a groove 145, and a lubricant 144 is placed in the groove 145. The lubricant 144 can be any material that reduces the friction between the conical joint 132 and the washer 14. Preferably, the lubricant 144 is a polytetrafluoroethylene belt or a lubricant.

Further, please refer to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 , which are respectively the first and fifth embodiments of a highly adaptable bicycle through-axle 10 provided by the present invention. Please refer to FIG. 5 , in the first embodiment, the outer surface 12 of the spindle 11 has four protrusions 122 near the large head 13, and the outer surface of the washer 14 can abut against the protrusions 122 so that the inner surface of the washer 14 is fixedly attached to the tapered interface 132 of the large head 13, and can only rotate along the axial direction C but cannot slide arbitrarily on the outer surface 12 of the spindle 11. Referring to FIG. 6 , in the fourth embodiment, the outer surface 12 of the spindle 11 has two larger protrusions 122 near the large head portion 13, so that the inner surface of the washer 14 is fixedly attached to the tapered contact surface 132 of the large head portion 13 without sliding. The protrusions 122 can facilitate the user to install the washer 14 and prevent it from slipping when the highly adaptable bicycle through-axle 10 is installed on a bicycle.

Further, please refer to FIG. 8 , which is a sixth embodiment of a highly adaptable bicycle through-axle 10 provided by the present invention. The inner surface of the washer 14 completely covers the conical contact surface 132 and the annular surface 131 of the large head portion 13, so that the washer 14 of this embodiment can have a larger contact surface with the large head portion 13 to reduce the chance of the washer 14 accidentally falling off.

From the above description, it can be seen that the present invention achieves the following effects:

1. The manufacturing of through-axle axles no longer requires the creation of additional molds and the design of features of different specifications according to various specifications. Only one through-axle needs to be manufactured and matched with a customizable washer, the outer surface of which can correspond to the tapered joint of different bicycle front fork through-axle fixings to adapt to various bicycle application scenarios.

2. Users no longer need to worry about using a through axle that does not match the specifications, and because the axle of the through axle does not need to be customized according to the specifications of different bicycles, the manufacturing cost is greatly reduced, and users can therefore choose a more economical through axle.

It should be noted that, according to the explanation and elaboration of the above specification, the technical personnel in the field to which the present disclosure belongs can also change and modify the above implementation. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific implementation disclosed and described above, and some equivalent modifications and changes to the present disclosure should also be within the scope of protection of the claims of the present disclosure. In addition, although this specification uses some specific terms, these terms are only for the convenience of explanation and do not constitute any limitation to the invention.

10: Highly adaptable bicycle through-axle 11: Spindle 12: Outer surface 121: Threaded surface 122: Protrusion 13: Big head 131: Circular surface 132: Conical joint 14: Washer 141: Circumferential surface 142: Opening 143: Recess 144: Lubricant 145: Groove A: First angle B: Second angle C: Axial

Figure 1 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the present invention Figure 2 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the present invention Figure 3 is a partially enlarged three-dimensional schematic diagram of the second embodiment of the present invention Figure 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional schematic diagram of the third embodiment of the present invention Figure 5 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional schematic diagram of the fourth embodiment of the present invention Figure 6 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the present invention Figure 7 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional schematic diagram of the fifth embodiment of the present invention Figure 8 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional schematic diagram of the sixth embodiment of the present invention

13: Big head 131: Circular ring surface 132: Conical joint 14: Washer 141: Circumferential surface A: First angle B: Second angle C: Axial

Claims (9)

A highly adaptable bicycle through-axle comprises: a spindle, which comprises a tail end and a head end respectively defined at two ends; the head end comprises a large head portion, the large head portion is a cylinder toward the head end, and defines a circular annular surface; the large head portion shrinks inward toward the surface of the tail end to form a conical joint, and the conical joint forms a first angle with an axial direction of the spindle; and a washer, which comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface corresponds to the conical joint surface, and the outer surface has a second angle with the axial direction, and the first angle and the second angle are different. A bicycle through axle as described in claim 1, wherein the second angle ranges from 40° to 140°. In the bicycle through-axle as described in claim 2, the washer is in the shape of a ring, and one of its circumferential surfaces includes an opening. In the bicycle through-axle as described in claim 2, the inner surface of the washer has a recessed portion, and a lubricating member is placed in the recessed portion. In the bicycle through-axle as described in claim 3, the inner surface of the washer has a recessed portion, and the recessed portion stores a lubricating grease. As described in claim 2, the through-axle of a bicycle has a groove on the conical joint of the large head portion, and the groove stores a lubricant. As described in claim 3, the through-axle of a bicycle has a groove on the conical joint of the large head portion, and the groove stores a lubricating grease. In the bicycle through-axle as described in claim 3, one of the outer surfaces of the axle has one or more protrusions, so that the outer surface of the washer contacts the protrusions and can only rotate on the axle. In the bicycle through-axle as described in claim 3, the washer completely covers the annular surface of the cylinder of the big head and the tapered joint.

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