Hydraulic brake control device with handlebar proximal hose attachment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11794848-B2
Application number	US-202117548063-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2021
Priority date	Dec 14, 2020
Publication date	Oct 24, 2023
Grant date	Oct 24, 2023

Abstract

A control device for a hydraulic brake for a bicycle includes a reservoir for hydraulic fluid. The reservoir has a variable volume. The control device also includes a reservoir cover at least partially defining the reservoir, and a support that is attachable to a handlebar of the bicycle via an inner annular surface of the support. A handlebar proximity zone is radially outer relative to the inner annular surface of the support and is within two centimeters of the inner annular surface of the support. At least part of the reservoir cover is within the handlebar proximity zone.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A brake control device for a bicycle, the brake control device comprising:
a housing including a support that is configured to be attached to a handlebar of the bicycle via an inner annular surface of the support, the inner annular surface defining a clamp surface axis, the clamp surface axis extending longitudinally along the inner annular surface;
a reservoir for hydraulic fluid, the reservoir being within the housing;
a cylinder having an interior defined by a cylinder wall, the cylinder extending along a cylinder axis, the interior of the cylinder being in communication with the reservoir;
a piston positioned within the interior of the cylinder, the piston being configured to move within the cylinder and along the cylinder axis;
an actuator pivotably attached to the housing, the actuator being operatively connected to the piston within the interior of the cylinder; and
an outlet port in communication with the interior of the cylinder, the outlet port being configured to attach to a hydraulic brake line of the bicycle, wherein the outlet port has an outlet port axis, the outlet port axis being a central axis extending through the outlet port,
wherein the outlet port axis bisects both the cylinder axis and the clamp surface axis at a same acute angle.

2. The brake control device of claim 1 , wherein the outlet port axis is different than the cylinder axis in that the outlet port axis is at a positive acute angle relative to the cylinder axis.

3. The brake control device of claim 1 , wherein the outlet port axis is at a positive acute angle relative to the clamp surface axis.

4. The brake control device of claim 1 , wherein the outlet port axis is parallel to the clamp surface axis.

5. The brake control device of claim 1 , further comprising a pivot, the actuator being pivotably attached to the housing via the pivot,
wherein the reservoir and the pivot are on opposite sides of a clamp plane.

6. A control device mountable to a handlebar of a bicycle, the control device comprising:
a housing including a support that is configured to be attached to the handlebar via an inner annular surface of the support, the inner annular surface defining a clamp surface axis, the clamp surface axis extending longitudinally along the inner annular surface of the support;
a reservoir for hydraulic fluid, the reservoir being within the housing;
a cylinder having an interior defined by a cylinder wall, the cylinder extending along a cylinder axis, the interior of the cylinder being in communication with the reservoir;
a piston positioned within the interior of the cylinder, the piston being configured to move relative to the cylinder and along the cylinder axis; and
an outlet port in communication with the interior of the cylinder, the outlet port being configured to connect to a hydraulic brake line of the bicycle, wherein the outlet port has an outlet port axis, the outlet port axis being a central axis extending through the outlet port,
wherein the outlet port axis is at a first acute positive angle relative to the cylinder axis, the cylinder axis is at a second acute positive angle relative to the clamp surface axis, and the outlet port axis is at a third positive acute angle relative to the clamp surface axis, and
wherein the first positive acute angle, the second positive acute angle, and the third positive acute angle are same angles.

7. The control device of claim 6 , wherein the outlet port axis, the cylinder axis, and the clamp surface axis are coplanar.

8. The control device of claim 6 , further comprising:
an actuator that is operatively connected to the piston within the interior of the cylinder; and
a pivot, the actuator being pivotably attached to the support or the housing via the pivot and being pivotable relative to the support via the pivot about a pivot axis.

9. A brake control device for a bicycle, the brake control device comprising:
a housing including a support that is configured to be attached to a handlebar of the bicycle via an inner annular surface of the support, the inner annular surface defining a clamp surface axis, the clamp surface axis extending longitudinally along the inner annular surface;
a reservoir for hydraulic fluid, the reservoir being within the housing;
a cylinder having an interior defined by a cylinder wall, the cylinder extending along a cylinder axis, the interior of the cylinder being in communication with the reservoir;
a piston positioned within the interior of the cylinder, the piston being configured to move within the cylinder and along the cylinder axis;
an actuator pivotably attached to the housing, the actuator being operatively connected to the piston within the interior of the cylinder; and
an outlet port in communication with the interior of the cylinder, the outlet port being configured to connect to a hydraulic brake line of the bicycle, wherein the outlet port has an outlet port axis, the outlet port axis being a central axis extending through the outlet port,
wherein the outlet port axis bisects both the cylinder axis and the clamp surface axis at acute angles within five (5) degrees of each other.

Assignees

• Sram Llc

Inventors

• Dunlap Charles
• Jordan Brian
• Snead Braden

Classifications

• B62L3/023 Primary

  acting on fluid pressure systems · CPC title

• B62K23/06

  Levers · CPC title