Cable routing system of bicycle and stem thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10953948-B2
Application number	US-201815994684-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2018
Priority date	May 31, 2018
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A cable routing system of a bicycle, including a stem having a receiving space and an engaging hole communicating with the receiving space, a frame, a fork, an expander, and at least one cable. A head tube of the frame has a top portion having an upper mounting hole and a bottom portion having a lower mounting hole. The fork sequentially passes through the lower mounting hole, the upper mounting hole, and the engaging hole to be connected to the stem. The expander is disposed in a steering tube of the fork and has at least one cable passage communicating with the receiving space and the engaging hole. The cable extends into the steering tube from outside by passing through the receiving space and the cable passage. An end of the cable is connected to a bicycle controller, and another end thereof is connected to a bicycle component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stem of a bicycle, wherein the bicycle includes a handlebar, a frame including a head tube, and a fork; the stem has a receiving space therein; an end of the stem has a first clamping member and a second clamping member, wherein the first clamping member is adapted to be engaged with the second clamping member to fix the handlebar; another end of the stem has an engaging hole communicating with the receiving space; the stem has a bottom portion; the engaging hole is located on the bottom portion of the stem; the head tube has a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the top portion has an upper mounting hole, and the bottom portion has a lower mounting hole; the fork includes a steering tube, which sequentially passes through the lower mounting hole, the upper mounting hole, and the engaging hole to be connected to the stem, so that the stem is engaged with the steering tube and is located on the top portion of the head tube; the stem is characterized in that:
when the stem is engaged with the steering tube and is located on the top portion of the head tube, the bottom portion of the stem faces the top portion of the head tube; the bottom portion of the stem further comprises a communicating hole which is curved in shape, wherein the communicating hole and the engaging hole are disposed apart from each other, and the communicating hole communicates with the receiving space of the stem;
wherein the first clamping member is disposed with a first notch, and a first inner threading groove is disposed in the first notch of the first clamping member; the second clamping member is disposed with a second notch, and a second inner threading groove is disposed in the second notch of the second clamping member; the handlebar is located in the first notch and the second notch by engaging the first clamping member with the second clamping member, wherein the first inner threading groove and the second inner threading groove form a first hole which communicates the receiving space and outside of the stem, so that the cable is capable of entering the receiving space via the first hole from outside of the stem.

2. The stem of claim 1 , further comprising a body and a top cap, wherein the body has the engaging hole and the communicating hole; the top cap covers the engaging hole from a top of the body, and is fixed on the body, wherein an inner surface of the top cap facing the engaging hole and a portion of the body which is provided with the engaging hole are spaced from each other by a gap.

3. The stem of claim 2 , wherein a shape of the top cap matches with a shape of the body, and a top surface of the top cap is a substantially smooth surface, which is adapted to lower a wind resistance.

4. The stem of claim 2 , wherein the gap between the top cap and the body is no less than 3 mm.

5. The stem of claim 1 , further comprising an expander disposed in the steering tube of the fork and is located in the engaging hole; a fixing bolt is screwed with the expander, so that an outer diameter of the expander expands to be tightly fixed in the steering tube, wherein the expander has at least one cable passage; the at least one cable passage communicates with the receiving space via the engaging hole, and is capable of being passed through by a cable which enters an inside of the steering tube via the receiving space.

6. The stem of claim 1 , wherein the communicating hole has a central angle of no less than 45 degrees and no greater than 135 degrees.

7. The stem of claim 6 , wherein a maximum width of the communicating hole is no less than 3 mm and no greater than 30 mm.

8. The stem of claim 1 , wherein a gap between the engaging hole and the communicating hole is no less than 0.1 mm and no greater than 30 mm.

9. The stem of claim 5 , wherein a width of the at least one cable passage of the expander is no less than 2 mm and no greater than 10 mm.

10. A stem of a bicycle, wherein the bicycle includes a handlebar, a frame including a head tube, and a fork; the stem has a receiving space therein; an end of the stem has a first clamping member and a second clamping member, wherein the first clamping member is adapted to be engaged with the second clamping member to fix the handlebar; another end of the stem has an engaging hole communicating with the receiving space; the stem has a bottom portion; the engaging hole is located on the bottom portion of the stem; the head tube has a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the top portion has an upper mounting hole, and the bottom portion has a lower mounting hole; the fork includes a steering tube, which sequentially passes through the steering tube, the lower mounting hole, the upper mounting hole, and the engaging hole to be connected to the stem, so that the stem is engaged with the steering tube and is located on the top portion of the head tube; the stem is characterized in that:
when the stem is engaged with the steering tube and is located on the top portion of the head tube, the bottom portion of the stem faces the top portion of the head tube; the bottom portion of the stem further comprises a communicating hole which is curved in shape, wherein the communicating hole and the engaging hole are disposed apart from each other, and the communicating hole communicates with the receiving space of the stem; wherein a side of the first clamping member is disposed with at least one first outer threading groove, and a side of the second clamping member is disposed with at least one second outer threading groove, wherein by engaging the first clamping member and the second clamping member, the at least one first outer threading groove and the at least one second outer threading groove form at least one second hole which communicates with the receiving space and outside of the stem, so that the cable is capable of entering the receiving space via the second hole from outside of the stem.

11. A cable routing system of a bicycle, comprising:
a stem including a body and a top cap, wherein the body has a bottom portion, an engaging hole, and a communicating hole which is curved in shape; the engaging hole and the communicating hole are disposed on the bottom portion of the body of the stem and are arranged apart from each other; a shape of the top cap matches with a shape of the body; the top cap is fixed on the body; the top cap and the body are enclosed to form a receiving space communicating with the engaging hole;
a frame including a head tube, wherein the head tube has a top portion and a bottom portion; the top portion has an upper mounting hole, and the bottom portion has a lower mounting hole;
a fork including a steering tube, wherein the steering tube sequentially passes through the lower mounting hole, the upper mounting hole, and the engaging hole to be connected to the stem, so that the stem is engaged with the steering tube and is located on the top portion of the head tube; the bottom portion of the body of the stem faces the top portion of the head tube;
an expander which is disposed in the steering tube of the fork by being screwed with a fixing bolt, wherein the expander has at least one cable passage, which communicates with the receiving space and the engaging hole; and
at least one cable, wherein the at least one cable extends into the steering tube from outside by passing through the receiving space of the stem and the at least one cable passage; an end of the at least one cable is connected to a bicycle controller, and another end thereof is connected to a bicycle component;
wherein the body further comprises a first clamping member and a second clamping member; a first inner threading groove is disposed in a first notch of the first clamping mem

Assignees

• Tien Hsin Industries Co Ltd

Inventors

• Vandermolen Mark
• Gu Hung-Mao

Classifications

• B60T11/046

  Using cables (B60T11/043 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16D2125/62

  Fixing arrangements therefor, e.g. cable end attachments · CPC title

• B62M25/02

  with mechanical transmitting systems, e.g. cables, levers · CPC title

• B62K19/32 Primary

  Steering heads (bearings therefor B62K21/06) · CPC title

• B62L3/02

  for control by a hand lever (hand levers for control of cycles in general B62K23/06) · CPC title