Wheel Hub

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to mechanisms for sensing the speed of a wheel of a scooter type motorcycle which has an anti lock brake system or ABS.

Background of the invention

Generally, a signal generating mechanism and a signal-receiving device is mounted in the vicinity of wheel of a two-wheeler to generate signal for activating speed-sensing mechanism. Wheel speed sensing is one of the inputs for the electronic control unit (ECU) of an ABS vehicle apart from other inputs. The speed sensed by the ECU is used for charging response of other elements of ABS. The wheel speed can be sensed many ways by mounting a sensor and a sensor wheel, where former is stationary and latter is rotating. The sensor unit is a electronic unit with hall effect or other similar arrangement. The signal generator for the sensor to sense is mounted on the rear and front hub of the wheel to close proximity of sensor unit. The sensor works on the principle of change in distance between sensor face and sensor wheel.

Typically, wheels for two-wheelers particularly scooters are constructed by a combination of sheet metal pressed rim with an attach nut bracket provided with holes and a light alloy wheel hub with mounting holes in order to attach it to the rim. The hub generally houses the brake drum and the bearing housing arrangement. The front wheel generally has a dead axle and the rear wheel is provided with a live axle. In the aforementioned arrangement the wheel can be dismantled easily by removing the attachment bolts without disturbing or dismantling the hub.

In another type of wheel, the wheel is completely made of light alloy material, which includes rim, hub and the drum portion. Whenever there is a need to remove the wheel, it has to be dismantled completely including the hub. In order to provide an effective way of installing sensor element on a scooter type motorcycle, where installation of toner ring or pulsar ring with a flat disc type is extremely difficult due to construction of wheel hub and wheel rim with small diameter.

Generally scooters with small wheel are bolted on a live axle that is supported on the crankcase compared to a motorcycle with large wheel diameter, the rear wheel is not mounted on dead axle and supported on both side of the wheel. This construction of wheel in rear for scooter makes it difficult to install a flat type speed-sensing element.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to overcome the above limitations.

Summary of the invention:
The present invention has been devised in view of the above difficulties and it is therefore an object of the present invention is to provide flexibility in mounting orientation of the speed sensing element or sensor such that the sensor's sensing face or edge is parallel to the edge of the slot formed on the toner assembly or wheel hub.

Another objective of the present invention is to facilitate mounting of the sensing element or sensor on the two-wheeler so that obstruction of other components is minimized.

Another objective of the present invention is to facilitate mounting of the sensing element or sensor on the two-wheeler so that assembly and disassembly of wheel rim is simpler without disturbing the toner wheel.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a sensing system that can be mounted both on front and rear wheel.
Another objective of the present invention is to locate the sensor that will render it easy for assembling and servicing.

Further objective of the present invention is to make the system cost effective and this objective is achieved by reduction in length of sensor cable and other associated advantages in manufacturing.

Accordingly, a speed-detecting device for determining speed of a vehicle is provided with a steel cup mounted on wheel hub and a pulse counting sensor mounted on the side of the said vehicle body wherein the said steel cup comprises pulse-detecting slots.

Brief description of drawings

Figure 1 illustrates side view of a scooter type motorcycle

Figure 2 and 3 illustrate various views of the cup on the wheel hub according to the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention:

A first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 is now explained.

Figure 1 illustrates the side view of a concerned scooter type motorcycle wherein all the embodiments viz. left side cover mounting, right side cover mounting, rear fuel tank cover and an under cowl.

Scooter-type vehicles, or scooters, include a frame assembly, which usually supports the body of a scooter, along with front and rear wheels. A frame assembly for a scooter-type vehicle comprises of at least one front wheel, at least one rear wheel and a vehicle body.

Typically, a frame structure 101 for a scooter type motorcycle comprises a main frame and may also have a sub-frame. The sub-frame is attached to the mainframe using appropriate fastening members. All the other components such as the body panels, the engine 102, and the electrical units are mounted on the main frame and the sub frame either directly or by means of brackets and fastening members.

The frame assembly includes a head tube, which supports a front wheel suspension assembly 103 of the vehicle. An upper frame extends from the head tube to a rearward end of the vehicle body. A swing arm 104 is pivotally supported by the upper frame and supports a rear wheel of the vehicle. The frame assembly may include a lower frame removeably coupled to the upper frame and defining a space 107 there between.

The sub-frame preferably supports at least one component of the scooter-type vehicle in the space, such as a fuel tank, for example.

Typically, front 103 and rear 104 suspension assemblies are operatively positioned between the front and rear wheels and the frame assembly. The front suspension assembly commonly is a telescopic fork arrangement, while the rear suspension assembly is a swing type arrangement. In a scooter, the rear suspension swing arm typically supports a power unit 102, which is configured to drive the rear wheel of the scooter.

The power unit 102, is coupled along with a transmission assembly 108, such as a drive shaft, drive belt, or chain and sprocket assembly.

The frame assembly 101 of a scooter-type vehicle is an elongated structure, which typically extends from a forward end to a rearward end of the scooter. A scooter frame assembly generally is convex in shape, as viewed from a side elevational view. A handlebar assembly 105 and a seat assembly 106 are supported at opposing ends of the frame assembly and a generally open area is defined there between. The rear fender 109 is placed on the rearward end of the scooter. A fuel tank 110 is placed in the rear end of the vehicle along with the fuel tank cap.

The present subject matter (figure 2 and 3) embodies a wheel assembly for a scooter type two-wheeler. The frame of the said vehicle extends longitudinally and supports the front wheel and the rear wheel on front and rear ends of the two-wheeled vehicle respectively.

According to one of embodiments of the present invention, the wheel hub for both front and rear is attached with a steel cup 201.

The above said steel cup 201 is deep drawn cylindrical shaped cup with a flange 202 at the open end perpendicular to cylindrical wall that is approximately equal to three times the thickness of the cup. The face portion of the cup is provided with a projection 203 away from the face. The projection 203 is circular in shape, which is concentric to the inner diameter of the cup 201. Rectangular slots 204 are cut in circular pitched, which is spaced equally from the inner diameter. The cup 201 is provided with three holes 205 in a circular pitch. The holes 205 are spaced equidistant from the inner diameter in a circular array.

The said steel cup 201 has rectangular slots 204 on the periphery as well as on the face of the cup with clamping holes to clamp on to the wheel hub. The said steel cup is preferably ferromagnetic. The inner diameter of the said steel cup 201 is larger than the wheel hub diameter so that it can be assembled on to the wheel hub. Pitch circle diameter of said rectangular slots 204 on the face of the steel cup 201 is on axis of the sensor mounting. For the front wheels, the sensor face is mounted parallel to the face of the steel cup 201. The sensor mounting for the rear wheel is done with a bracket connecting the crankcase of the scooter type motorcycle. Similarly for the front wheels the sensor is mounted on to the bracket connecting the front fork leg 103. For rear wheel the sensor is mounted such that the sensor face is parallel to the rectangular slots 204 on the periphery of the wheel hub. The said steel cup 201 having rectangular slots 204 on both the face and periphery can be used for both front and rear wheels thereby providing flexibility of sensor mounting on front and rear wheels and a common part can be used so as to reduce manufacturing cost.

Although the subject matter has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. As such, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiment contained therein.

Claims: We claim:

1. A speed detecting device for determining speed of a vehicle comprising a steel cup 201 mounted on a wheel hub and a pulse counting sensor mounted on the side of the said vehicle body wherein the said steel cup 201 comprises pulse detecting slots 204.

2. The speed-detecting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said cup has a flange 202 at its open end that is perpendicular to cylindrical wall of the said cup.

3. The speed-detecting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the face portion of the said cup is provided with a circular projection 203 that has rectangular slots 204 on it.

4. The speed-detecting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of the said steel cup 201 is larger than the wheel hub diameter.

5. A scooter type motorcycle comprising a speed-detecting device as claimed in claim 1.