Shimano has filed a patent for a brand new derailleur hanger design that, fairly frankly, has us scratching our heads. Together with a UDH-style resolution for mounting a hanger to the dropout, this so-called “bracket equipment” has a second ahead mounting level that appears to mount a battery, or another digital system, from the inboard face of the chainstay.
Our first ideas? Oh, Shimano is bringing the derailleur’s battery outdoors, however then housing it on the body as an alternative. Truthful sufficient, proper? It appears affordable to carry it out for extra accessibility and fewer trouble with inner cable routing, however comparatively talking, having it out of hurt’s method can be good too.
Wanting extra intently on the contemporary patent (US 20230166813 A1), we imagine this new association might kind the premise for execution of extra thrilling know-how; a self-charging resolution, or, if we actually suppose outdoors the field, it might even be the infrastructure essential for the execution of Fox’s Suspension Enhancing Hub and Derailleur Meeting.
With potential involvement of a proposed hub dynamo, an built-in cassette cleaner and chain stabilizer, this bracket system, because of its secondary mounting system, brings with it some attention-grabbing makes use of past the straightforward mounting of a rear derailleur.
Shimano Bracket Equipment for Derailleur Mounting
Earlier than we enable our minds to run wild, let’s deal with the construction of the proposed derailleur hanger from Shimano. Very like the SRAM UDH design, the Shimano “Bracket Equipment” ties within the thru-axle mounting of the rear wheel with the mounting of the derailleur hanger. It nonetheless primarily bolts to the bike on the rear axle, with a conventional hanger retention bolt into the body, too (44). Nevertheless it seems to be like it can want a brand new nub on the body on the within of the chainstay to forestall undesirable hanger rotation. Shimano’s patent appears to keep away from increasing on that further requirement of this new ‘customary’.
There’s nothing terribly uncommon right here, besides that the inboard face of the hanger sees a channel (34/38) working down from the dropout for the routing of a cable that presumably exits the hub by way of its end-cap. Extra on that later.
Extra clearly distinctive to this derailleur hanger is the additional arm, if you’ll, that extends ahead alongside the inboard face of the chainstay to a secondary mounting level. Right here, the arm meets a element bracket (32) to which what is probably going a battery (26), and/or some type of sensor or different digital system, is mounted, and positioned on the underside of the keep.
Actually, it seems to be as if this Shimano Bracket Equipment serves a broader function than the mounting of a rear derailleur, which it does so within the regular vogue by way of threads on its lowermost portion (22).
One Chance: A part of a Self-Charging Resolution?
So, why is Shimano growing this new derailleur hanger customary?
We predict it could possibly be a part of a self-charging resolution by which an digital derailleur is powered instantly by a rear hub dynamo.
Together with this invention, Shimano can also be engaged on a number of variations of a rear hub dynamo, whereby a generator situated contained in the rear hub takes the kinetic vitality from rotation of the rear wheel and converts it into {an electrical} present. You possibly can study in regards to the specifics of that in US Patent 20230037945 A1.
Granted, the rear hub dynamo proven runs a quick-release skewer, however Shimano does provide thru-axle options on its present (entrance) dynamo hubs. Moreover, the patent doc in query additionally reveals the rear hub dynamo in use on a full suspension bike, which might invariably run a thru-axle dropout in swingarm lately. The patent particularly mentions utilization of the vitality generated by the dynamo for powering an digital rear derailleur, with vitality being transferred alongside a wire (40) exiting the hub on the drive-side end-cap.
Such an association would most-likely first discover its house on a touring bike, or commuter bike even; principally, a motorbike whereby the rear wheel very hardly ever must be eliminated. It doesn’t take quite a bit to think about the potential frustration concerned in eradicating and reinstalling a rear wheel whereby a tiny cable exiting the end-cap must be completely lined up with an equally tiny slot on the inboard face of the derailleur hanger. However possibly Shimano may have one other wi-fi vitality switch patent within the wings that will break down that barrier for extra severe off-road use?
Regardless, a rear hub dynamo coupled to an digital rear derailleur might make digital shifting a extra viable, presumably much more dependable resolution for commuter bikes than it would in any other case be with out such a self-charging resolution.
Then, down the highway (or path) we might see a lot of ultra-distance riders who’d love digital shifting with a motorbike that by no means runs out of juice.
A Second (Wilder) Chance: A part of a Suspension Enhancement Resolution?
Bear with me. Earlier this 12 months, Fox Manufacturing unit filed a patent for a Suspension Enhancing Hub and Derailleur Meeting. The innovations mentioned therein sought to remove the destructive results that chain stress exerts upon a bicycle’s rear suspension and its total journey really feel, due to this fact.
The ‘electronically decoupling’ hub can be configured to disengage its pawls within the occasion of potential pedal kickback occasions, with the intention to forestall the rider from experiencing undesirable rearward rotation of the cranks. Learn: Each downhill with the right unrestrictive suspension motion of Aaron Gwin profitable a Leogang DH World Cup with out a chain.
Equally, the clutch of the rear derailleur can be configured to electronically disengage because the chainline went into extension throughout giant compression occasions – its disengagement would enable the cage to swing forwards freely, offering little to no resistance to the motion of the rear suspension. So principally, hub & derailleur by no means limiting suspension motion.
The Fox Manufacturing unit patent described using a number of sensors and a central processing unit to coordinate hub coupling/decoupling occasions and clutch disengagement/engagement occasions to principally produce a chainless journey really feel for the rider, whereas nonetheless making certain constant chain retention.
Nonetheless, whereas the Fox Manufacturing unit patent did an incredible job of explaining how these two parts would work collectively to provide that chainless journey really feel, it didn’t go into a lot element on the infrastructure necessities for such a setup. Specifically, how precisely the hub and derailleur can be wired, or how they might be powered, even.
It doesn’t take a big stretch of the creativeness to see how Shimano’s Bracket Meeting could possibly be that lacking infrastructure. The Suspension Enhancing Hub and Derailleur Meeting is computerized and digital, in spite of everything, so would due to this fact require a centrally-housed battery (presumably 24), with a wire working to the motor related to the derailleur clutch, and one other wire working to the motor (presumably by way of groove 38) working the engagement state of the hub pawls. And naturally, it could additionally require “a communicator or an informing unit” (presumably a part of 26A) for coordination of engagement.
Certain, wi-fi communication is feasible, however wires are typically quicker and less complicated.
It’s not so unrealistic to recommend that Fox might have teamed up with Shimano to create a brand new derailleur hanger resolution for his or her still-hypothetical drivetrain parts.
Self-Cleansing and Chain-Stabilizing
There’s extra. Shimano’s Bracket Equipment can also be in a position to mount a “cleansing portion” (266). This basically includes a two-pronged construction, bolted to the secondary mounting level of the Bracket Equipment. Element 270 and 268 are positioned to fit in between sprockets 1 and a pair of, and sprockets 2 and three, respectively. Why? To scrape away muck that will in any other case construct up right here, in fact.
In one other embodiment, the Shimano Bracket Equipment features a chain stabilization module (360) bolted to the hanger portion such that it’s positioned instantly behind the dropout. Right here, a tab protrudes a brief distance towards the cassette, the place it might foreseeably forestall the chain from dropping off the smallest sprocket of the cassette into no man’s land.
So which can it’s? Will this hanger be the following gravity racing sensation, or possibly STeP(S) up Shimano Cues Di2 commuter fashion?
Tell us your ideas within the feedback.
