Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – Hub
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-22
2001-05-01
Stormer, Russell D. (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
Hub
C384S545000, C192S217300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224166
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bicycle hub, more particularly to a bicycle hub that can bear a greater amount of impact forces during advancing of the bicycle.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1
illustrates a conventional bicycle hub
1
. The bicycle hub
1
includes a hub shell
7
having two opposite ends, and an axle
2
extending through the two opposite ends of the hub shell
7
. Each of the two opposite ends of the hub shell
7
is formed with an inner recess
101
. A bearing receiving bowl
3
is received in the inner recess
101
, and has an inner race groove
301
for receiving a ball-bearing unit
4
therein. Each ball-bearing unit
4
is confined by the inner race groove
301
and an outer race member
5
that extends into the inner race groove
301
to abut against the ball-bearing unit
4
. A threaded nut
6
is sleeved on and engages threadedly the axle
2
for abutting tightly against the outer race member
5
.
It is noted that a great amount of impact forces from the axle
2
are transmitted to the bearing receiving bowl
3
and the outer race member
5
during advancing of the bicycle. This may result in damage to the bearing receiving bowl
3
and the outer race member
5
. Since the bearing receiving bowl
3
is generally formed by punching a steel sheet to a desired shape, it is not sufficiently strong and is liable to be deformed and break when subjected to high impact forces during advancing of the bicycle on rugged and uneven surfaces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bicycle hub that is capable of overcoming the aforementioned problem.
Accordingly, a bicycle hub of this invention comprises: a hollow hub shell having opposite first and second end portions; an axle extending rotatably through the first and second end portions of the hub shell, the axle being formed integrally with diameter-enlarged first and second inner race portions that are respectively disposed in the first and second end portions of the hub shell, each of the first and second inner race portions being formed with an inner race groove that opens toward a respective one of the first and second end portions of the hub shell; annular first and second cap members sleeved rotatably on the axle, each of the first and second cap members having an outer race forming portion that extends into and that is mounted to a respective one of the first and second end portions of the hub shell, the outer race forming portion being formed with an outer race groove that opens toward the inner race groove in a respective one of the first and second inner race portions of the axle; and first and second ball-bearing units, the first ball-bearing unit being confined by the inner and outer race grooves in the first inner race portion and the outer race forming portion of the first cap member, the second ball-bearing unit being confined by the inner and outer race grooves in the second inner race portion and the outer race forming portion of the second cap member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 576147 (1897-02-01), Patterson
patent: 606217 (1898-06-01), Hoffman
patent: 616094 (1898-12-01), Farnell
patent: 696036 (1902-03-01), Glover
patent: 533321 (1922-02-01), None
patent: 5583 (1896-03-01), None
Kun Teng Industry Co., Ltd.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Stormer Russell D.
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