Bicycle derailleur

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10065705-B2
Application number	US-201514879410-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2015
Priority date	Feb 5, 2015
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

A bicycle derailleur is provided with a base member, a chain guide, a linkage assembly and a cable fixing structure. The base member is configured to be mounted to a bicycle frame. The chain guide is movable between retracted and extended positions with respect to the base member. The linkage assembly operatively couples the chain guide to the base member. The cable fixing structure is configured to fix an operation cable that moves the linkage assembly in response to an operation of the operation cable. The cable fixing structure is mounted to one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly. The cable fixing structure includes a cable attachment member to which the operation cable is fixed. The cable attachment member is movable with respect to the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly with the operation cable being fixed to the cable attachment member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle derailleur comprising:
a base member configured to be mounted to a bicycle frame;
a chain guide configured to be movable between a retracted position and an extended position with respect to the base member;
a linkage assembly operatively coupling the chain guide to the base member; and
a cable fixing structure configured to fix an operation cable that moves the linkage assembly in response to an operation of the operation cable, the cable fixing structure being mounted to one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly, and the cable fixing structure including:
a cable attachment member to which the operation cable is fixed, the cable attachment member being movable with respect to the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly in a state where the operation cable is fixed to the cable attachment member,
a fastener configured to fix the operation cable to the cable attachment member, the fastener extending through the cable attachment member in a direction of a fixing axis, the fastener being rotatably mounted in a fixing direction about the fixing axis to fix the operation cable to the cable attachment member, and
a cable tension adjusting structure configured to move the cable attachment member relative to the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly, the cable tension adjusting structure including an adjusting member to adjust a position of the cable attachment member with respect to the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly about the fixing axis.

2. The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1 , wherein
the cable fixing structure is mounted to the linkage assembly.

3. The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1 , wherein
the adjusting member is a screw that is threaded into a bore of the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly.

4. The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1 , wherein
the adjusting member is configured to abut an abutment of the cable attachment member for restricting a movement of the cable attachment member in a cable releasing direction.

5. The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1 , wherein
the cable attachment member is configured to be movable in a cable pulling direction in the state where the operation cable is fixed to the cable attachment member.

6. The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1 , wherein
the cable attachment member includes a restricting structure that is configured to selectively restrict a movement of the cable attachment member in a cable pulling direction.

7. The bicycle derailleur according to claim 6 , wherein
the restricting structure includes a first tool access portion, which is configured for a tool to access in order to restrict the movement of the cable attachment member in the cable pulling direction.

8. The bicycle derailleur according to claim 7 , wherein
the cable fixing structure includes a cable tension adjusting structure configured to move the cable attachment member relative to the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly,
the cable tension adjusting structure includes an adjusting member to adjust a position of the cable attachment member with respect to the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly, and
the adjusting member includes a second tool access portion, which is configured for the tool to access to operate the adjusting member, the first and second tool access portions have profiles configured such that the tool can access both the first and second tool access portions.

9. The bicycle derailleur according to claim 7 , wherein
the cable fixing structure includes a cable tension adjusting structure configured to move the cable attachment member relative to the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly,
the cable tension adjusting structure includes an adjusting member to adjust a position of the cable attachment member with respect to the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly, and
the adjusting member includes a second tool access portion, which is configured for a tool to access to operate the adjusting member, the second tool access portion being arranged relative to the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly to prohibit the tool from accessing the second tool access portion while the chain guide is positioned in one of the retracted position and the extended position.

10. The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1 , wherein
the cable attachment member is rotatably mounted around the fixing axis.

11. The bicycle derailleur according to claim 10 , wherein
the cable fixing structure includes a cable tension adjusting structure configured to move the cable attachment member relative to the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly,
the cable tension adjusting structure includes an adjusting member to adjust a position of the cable attachment member with respect to the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly, and
the adjusting member is configured to abut an abutment of the cable attachment member to define an angular position of the cable attachment member about the fixing axis.

12. The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1 , wherein
the cable fixing structure is free of an outer casing holder in which an end of an outer casing of the operation cable is held.

13. The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1 , wherein
the cable attachment member includes a cable clamping portion to which the operation cable is clamped, the cable attachment member being configured to selectively rotate in a cable pulling direction and a cable releasing direction by the operation of the adjusting member.

14. The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1 , further comprising
a cover configured to be detachably attached to the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly to cover the cable fixing structure.

15. The bicycle derailleur according to claim 14 , wherein
the cover includes a cable holder configured to hold an end of the operation cable.

16. A bicycle derailleur comprising:
a base member configured to be mounted to a bicycle frame;
a chain guide configured to be movable between a retracted position and an extended position with respect to the base member;
a linkage assembly operatively coupling the chain guide to the base member; and
a cable fixing structure configured to fix an operation cable that moves the linkage assembly in response to an operation of the operation cable, the cable fixing structure being mounted to one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly, and the cable fixing structure including:
a cable attachment member to which the operation cable is fixed, the cable attachment member being movable with respect to the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly in a state where the operation cable is fixed to the cable attachment member,
a cable tension adjusting structure configured to move the cable attachment member relative to the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly, the cable tension adjusting structure including an adjusting member to adjust a position of the cable attachment member with respect to the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly, and
a fastener configured to fix the operation cable to the cable attachment member, the fastener extending through the cable attachment member in a direction of a fixing axis, the adjusting member being configured to abut an abutment of the cable attachment member to define an angular position of the cable attachment member about the fixing axis configured to move the cable attachment member relative to the one of the chain guide and the linkage assembly, the cable attachment member

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Kuwayama Kazuya
• Emura Atsuhiro

Classifications

• B62M9/1342 Primary

  characterised by the linkage mechanisms · CPC title

• B62M9/137

  Mounting or guiding of cables · CPC title

• B62M9/136 Primary

  Chain guides; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• B62M9/1346

  using cams or plates · CPC title

• B62M9/1344 Primary

  limiting or positioning the movement · CPC title