Operating device for human-powered vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11390353-B2
Application number	US-202016864169-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2020
Priority date	May 1, 2020
Publication date	Jul 19, 2022
Grant date	Jul 19, 2022

Abstract

An operating device for a human-powered vehicle comprises a base member and an operating member. The base member extends in a longitudinal direction. The base member includes a first end portion and a second end portion. The second end portion includes a cover portion provided on a reverse side of the first end portion in the longitudinal direction. The operating member includes an outer surface configured to face away from the first end portion in a rest state where the operating member is in a rest position. The cover portion is configured to be arranged on a pivotal movement track of the operating member so as to at least partly overlap with the outer surface of the operating member in the rest state as viewed in the longitudinal direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An operating device for a human-powered vehicle, comprising:
a base member extending in a longitudinal direction, the base member including
a first end portion configured to be coupled to a handlebar, and
a second end portion opposite to the first end portion in the longitudinal direction, the second end portion including a cover portion provided on a reverse side of the first end portion in the longitudinal direction; and

an operating member pivotally coupled to the base member about a pivot axis between a rest position and an operated position, the operating member including an outer surface configured to face away from the first end portion in a rest state where the operating member is in the rest position,
the cover portion being configured to be arranged on a pivotal movement track of the operating member so as to at least partly overlap with the outer surface of the operating member in the rest state as viewed in the longitudinal direction,
the operating member including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion opposite to the proximal end portion,
the proximal end portion being closer to the pivot axis than the distal end portion,
the cover portion including a lowermost end,
the outer surface including an uppermost end,
the lowermost end of the cover portion being closer to the distal end portion of the operating member than the uppermost end of the outer surface in the rest state,
the base member including an upper surface and a lower surface,
the upper surface defining an upper reference line extending along the longitudinal direction,
the lower surface defining a lower reference line extending along the longitudinal direction,
a first distance from the upper reference line to the lowermost end in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction being larger than a second distance from the lower reference line to the lowermost end in the perpendicular direction, the upper reference line being closer to the lower reference line in the perpendicular direction than a portion of the second end portion which is the farthest from the pivot axis in the perpendicular direction in the second end portion, and
the cover portion being overlapped with the operating member and the pivot axis when viewed from the longitudinal direction, the pivot axis being disposed between the upper reference line and the lower reference line.

2. An operating device for a human-powered vehicle, comprising:
a base member extending in a longitudinal direction, the base member including
a first end portion configured to be coupled to a handlebar, and
a second end portion opposite to the first end portion in the longitudinal direction, the second end portion including a cover portion provided on a reverse side of the first end portion in the longitudinal direction;

an operating member pivotally coupled to the base member about a pivot axis between a rest position and an operated position, the operating member including an outer surface configured to face away from the first end portion in a rest state where the operating member is in the rest position, the first end portion being provided on a first side of the pivot axis in the longitudinal direction, the second end portion being provided on a second side of the pivot axis in the longitudinal direction, the second side being opposite to the first side with respect to the pivot axis in the longitudinal axis; and
circuitry provided on the second side of the pivot axis in the longitudinal direction,
the cover portion having a curved shape as viewed along the pivot axis, the cover portion being overlapped with the operating member and the pivot axis when viewed from the longitudinal direction.

3. The operating device according to claim 2 , wherein
the curved shape of the cover portion is concave toward the first end portion as viewed along the pivot axis.

4. The operating device according to claim 3 , wherein
the curved shape is configured to position a rider's finger.

5. An operating device for a human-powered vehicle, comprising:
a base member extending in a longitudinal direction, the base member including
a first end portion configured to be coupled to a handlebar, and
a second end portion opposite to the first end portion in the longitudinal direction, the second end portion including a cover portion provided on a reverse side of the first end portion in the longitudinal direction;

an operating member pivotally coupled to the base member about a pivot axis between a rest position and an operated position, the operating member including an outer surface configured to face away from the first end portion so as to at least partly overlap with the cover portion in a rest state where the operating member is in the rest position as viewed in the longitudinal direction, the first end portion being provided on a first side of the pivot axis in the longitudinal direction, the second end portion being provided on a second side of the pivot axis in the longitudinal direction, the second side being opposite to the first side with respect to the pivot axis in the longitudinal axis; and
circuitry provided on the second side of the pivot axis in the longitudinal direction,
the base member including
a main body provided between the first end portion and the second end portion, and
an attachment member to which the cover portion of the second end portion is provided,

the attachment member being made of a first material different from the main body, and
the cover portion being overlapped with the operating member and the pivot axis when viewed from the longitudinal direction.

6. The operating device according to claim 5 , wherein
the first material includes a glass fiber reinforced material.

7. The operating device according to claim 5 , wherein
the main body is made of a second material different from the first material.

8. The operating device according to claim 7 , wherein
the second material includes a carbon fiber reinforced material.

9. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein
a clearance is provided between the base member and the outer surface of the operating member in the rest state.

10. The operating device according to claim 9 , wherein
the clearance is provided between the base member and the outer surface of the operating member in the longitudinal direction in the rest state such that the operating member is pivotally moved with respect to the base member between the rest position and the operated position.

11. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the outer surface is provided between the pivot axis and the cover portion of the base member in the rest state.

12. The operating device according to claim 11 , wherein
the outer surface is provided between the pivot axis and the cover portion in the longitudinal direction in the rest state.

13. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the lowermost end is closer to the distal end portion of the operating member than the pivot axis in the rest state in the perpendicular direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

14. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second end portion includes a lateral surface and an additional lateral surface provided on a reverse side of the lateral surface in an axial direction of the pivot axis, and
the second end portion has an asymmetrical shape with respect to a transverse center plane of the second end portion, the transverse center plane being defined to bisect a transverse length defined between the lateral surface and the additional lateral surface.

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Hidaka Yuichiro
• Sakai Takuma
• Komada Yasuyuki
• Kakehashi Shun

Classifications

• B62K21/16

  having adjustable parts therein · CPC title

• B62J6/16

  Arrangement of switches · CPC title

• B62K23/06 Primary

  Levers · CPC title

• B62M25/04

  hand actuated · CPC title

• B62K23/02

  hand actuated (arrangements of controls on handle-bars of engine-driven cycles B62K11/14) · CPC title