US-12617488-B2 - Two-wheeled vehicle with configurable idler

Abstract

An idler for a two-wheeled vehicle is disclosed. In one embodiment the idler includes a cog configured to rotate about an idler axis; a bearing received in the cog; an idler mount coupled to a suspended body of the two-wheeled vehicle, the idler mount including: a body, an aperture formed in the body, and a flange extending from the body around the aperture. The bearing is received on an outer surface of the flange, the idler axis and a link body pivot axis of a suspension of the two-wheeled vehicle are located within the aperture, and the idler axis and the link body pivot axis are separated from one another by an offset amount.

Inventors

• Peter Zawistowski

Assignees

• YETI CYCLING, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20220909

Claims (18)

1. 1 . An idler assembly for a two-wheeled vehicle comprising: an idler mount on a suspended body of a two-wheeled vehicle, the idler mount defining a selectively positionable idler axis; and a cog configured to rotate about the idler axis, wherein the idler axis is selectively positionable by removing the idler mount from the idler assembly and installing a second idler mount defining a second idler axis about which the cog is configured to rotate.
2. 2 . The idler assembly of claim 1 , wherein the idler axis or the second idler axis is selectively positionable within two or fewer degrees of freedom.
3. 3 . The idler assembly of claim 2 , wherein the idler mount or the second idler mount is reconfigurable to move the respective idler axis or second idler axis with one or fewer degrees of freedom with respect to the suspended body.
4. 4 . The idler assembly of claim 3 , wherein the idler mount or second idler mount includes a first plurality of cam surfaces and a second plurality of cam surfaces formed in respective slots formed in the respective idler mount or second idler mount.
5. 5 . The idler assembly of claim 4 , wherein the idler mount or the second idler mount is releasably securable to two anchors associated with the suspended body by respective fasteners that guide the respective idler mount or second idler mount along the respective first and second plurality of cam surfaces.
6. 6 . The idler assembly of claim 3 , wherein the idler mount or the second idler mount includes one or more curved cam surfaces formed therein.
7. 7 . The idler assembly of claim 1 , wherein the idler axis or the second idler axis is separate from an instantaneous velocity center of a suspension linkage of the vehicle.
8. 8 . The idler assembly of claim 1 , wherein the idler axis or the second idler axis is independently moveable with respect to an instantaneous velocity center of a suspension linkage of the vehicle.
9. 9 . The idler assembly of claim 1 , wherein the idler axis or the second idler axis is moveable to a position where at least a portion of the idler overlaps with an IVC of a suspension linkage of the vehicle.
10. 10 . The idler assembly of claim 1 , wherein the idler axis or the second idler axis is moveable to a position concentric with an IVC of a suspension linkage of the vehicle.
11. 11 . The idler assembly of claim 1 , wherein the idler mount or the second idler mount is reconfigurable within a plane defined by a vertical direction and a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
12. 12 . The idler assembly of claim 1 , wherein the idler mount or the second idler mount includes one or more cam surfaces formed therein.
13. 13 . The idler assembly of claim 12 , wherein the idler mount or the second idler mount is releasably securable to an anchor associated with the suspended body by a fastener that guides the respective idler mount or second idler mount along the one or more cam surfaces.
14. 14 . The idler assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more cam surfaces are formed in a slot formed in the idler mount or the second idler mount.
15. 15 . The idler assembly of claim 1 , wherein the idler mount or the second idler mount is reconfigurable to move the respective idler axis or second idler axis to at least two discrete positions with respect to the suspended body.
16. 16 . The idler assembly of claim 1 , wherein selectively positioning the idler axis affects a performance characteristic of a suspension linkage.
17. 17 . An idler assembly for a two-wheeled vehicle comprising: an idler mount on a suspended body of a two-wheeled vehicle, the idler mount defining a selectively positionable idler axis; and a cog configured to rotate about the idler axis, wherein the idler mount comprises: an inner bracket including a first boss having a first face; an outer bracket including a second boss having a second face, wherein the first and second faces are arranged in a facing relationship to form an idler mount structure suitable to receive an inner race of a bearing, and the cog is coupled to an outer race of the bearing.
18. 18 . An idler assembly for a two-wheeled vehicle comprising: a cog configured to rotate about an idler axis; an idler mount selectively positionable on a suspended body of the two-wheeled vehicle, the idler mount including: an inner bracket including a first boss having a first face; an outer bracket including a second boss having a second face, wherein: the first and second faces are arranged in a facing relationship to form a structure suitable to receive an inner race of a bearing, and the cog is coupled to an outer race of the bearing.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/242,211, filed 9 Sep. 2021, entitled “Idler” which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The technology described herein relates to vehicle suspension systems, specifically, to linkages and drive trains within a vehicle suspension system. BACKGROUND Vehicle suspension terminology depends upon the reference frame considered. Consider a static vehicle that has two wheels, each of which are supported by the ground. Such vehicles can include a suspended body and a non-suspended body operatively coupled to each wheel. In a two-wheel vehicle, such as a bicycle, electric bicycle or pedelec or motorcycle, etc. there is typically one rear wheel known as the driven wheel, which includes a driven cog. The driven cog is often part of a group of cogs called a cassette wherein different cog sizes may be shifted into to alter the gear ratio. There is also one front wheel. The driving cog is typically coupled to the suspended body. A derailleur mechanism may be used to shift the driving chain or belt into various driven cogs of the cassette. The driving cog, which is connected to the driven cog via the driving chain/belt, is rotated by a crank under human power, or by a motor, or by combined motor and human power. The reaction of the driven wheel and the ground causes the vehicle to accelerate forward, or in the general direction from the rear wheel to the front wheel. Rearward is then defined as the general direction from the front wheel to the rear wheel. A linkage operatively couples the suspended body and the driven wheel. A linkage may be composed of multiple bodies (often referred to as links or members) that are typically coupled to each other in a manner that allows the bodies the suspended body and the non-suspended body to move relative to one another, such as by flexing, camming, rotating, and/or translating relative to one another. The linkage constrains the movement of the suspended body and the non-suspended body relative to one another, during which movement of the driven wheel and brake on the non-suspended body may move relative to the suspended body. A combination of damper(s) and/or spring(s) is/are typically arranged to react to relative motion between the suspended body and the driven wheel. The linkage may be highly responsible for the vehicle's dynamic response to acceleration and deceleration as well as the mechanical advantage over the shock/damper. While the shock/damper may resist movement of the suspension linkage, the path of the driven wheel and/or driven wheel axis between extended and compressed positions of the suspension linkage is not affected by the presence or absence of the shock/damper. The shock/damper does not affect the degrees of freedom of the suspension linkage. The shock/damper does not affect the relative motion of the links making up the suspension linkage is not affected. The information included in this Background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes and is not to be regarded subject matter by which the scope of the invention as defined in the claims is to be bound. SUMMARY The technology disclosed herein relates to vehicle suspension linkages. In one embodiment, a two-wheel vehicle suspension linkage is provided. The suspension includes a suspended body 1, a link body 2, a link body 3, a link body 4, a link body 5, and a link body 6 operatively coupled with one another and a idler cog 56 with rotation axis 75 that is pivotally connected to suspended body 1. Link body 2 is the wheel carrier and the brake carrier body in this embodiment. The link body 3 includes jointed connections with the suspended body 1 defining PIVC[1][3], the link body 4 defining PIVC[3][4], and the link body 6 defining PIVC[3][6]. Idler cog rotation axis 75 is coincident to PIVC[1][3]. The link body 4 includes an additional jointed connection with the link body 2 defining PIVC[2][4]. The link body 5 includes additional jointed connections with suspended body 1 defining PIVC[1][5], link body 2 defining PIVC[2][5], and the link body 6 defining PIVC[5][6]. The suspension may be coupled to a damper unit configured to resist movement between two or more of the suspended body 1, link body 2, link body 3, link body 4, link body 5, or link body 6. The damper unit may include an extension body or bodies to increase its effective length. In yet another embodiment, a two-wheel vehicle suspension linkage is provided. The suspension includes a suspended body 1, a swingarm body 2, a link body 3, a link body 4, a link body 5, and a link body 6 operatively coupled with one another and a idler cog 56 with rotation axis 75 that is pivotally connected to suspended body 1. In various embodiments, the link