Operating device for human-powered vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12030580-B2
Application number	US-202218083570-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2022
Priority date	Feb 17, 2022
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

An operating device for a human-powered vehicle comprises a base, a piston, an operating member, an intermediate member, and a mounting structure. The base includes a hole. The piston is movably provided in the hole. The operating member is pivotally coupled to the base about a first pivot axis. The intermediate member is pivotally coupled to the base about a second pivot axis to transmit a pivotal movement of the operating member to the piston. The mounting structure is configured to couple the base and a handlebar of the human-powered vehicle. The mounting structure defines a mounting axis extending along the handlebar in a mounting state where the mounting structure couples the base and the handlebar. The first pivot axis is closer to the mounting axis than the second pivot axis in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the mounting axis as viewed along the first pivot axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An operating device for a human-powered vehicle, the operating device comprising:
a base including a hole;
a piston movably provided in the hole;
an operating member pivotally coupled to the base about a first pivot axis;
an intermediate member pivotally coupled to the base about a second pivot axis to transmit a pivotal movement of the operating member to the piston;
a mounting structure configured to couple the base and a handlebar of the human-powered vehicle, the mounting structure defining a mounting axis extending along the handlebar in a mounting state where the mounting structure couples the base and the handlebar; and
the first pivot axis being closer to the mounting axis than the second pivot axis in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the mounting axis as viewed along the first pivot axis.

2. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the hole has a cylinder axis and extends along the cylinder axis, and
the first pivot axis is provided between the mounting axis and the cylinder axis of the hole as viewed along the first pivot axis.

3. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the hole has a cylinder axis and extends along the cylinder axis, and
the second pivot axis is provided between the mounting axis and the cylinder axis of the hole as viewed along the first pivot axis.

4. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the hole has a cylinder axis and extends along the cylinder axis, and
the cylinder axis is inclined relative to the mounting axis as viewed along the first pivot axis.

5. The operating device according to claim 1 , further comprising
a reservoir including a reservoir chamber, wherein
the base and the piston define a hydraulic chamber in the hole,
the reservoir chamber is configured to be in communication with the hydraulic chamber, and
the reservoir chamber is closer to the mounting axis than the hydraulic chamber in the perpendicular direction as viewed along the first pivot axis.

6. The operating device according to any claim 5 , wherein
the reservoir includes a reservoir lid attached to the base, and
the reservoir lid is closer to the mounting axis than the second pivot axis in the perpendicular direction as viewed along the first pivot axis.

7. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the base has a first width defined in an axial direction with respect to the first pivot axis, and
the base has a symmetrical shape with respect to a first reference center plane defined to bisect the first width, the first reference center plane being perpendicular to the axial direction.

8. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the operating member has a second width defined in an axial direction with respect to the first pivot axis, and
the operating member has an asymmetrical shape with respect to a second reference center plane defined to bisect the second width, the second reference center plane being perpendicular to the axial direction.

9. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the operating member includes a cam surface, and
the intermediate member includes a follower configured to contact the cam surface to pivot about the second pivot axis in response to the pivotal movement of the operating member.

10. The operating device according to claim 9 , wherein
the operating member is pivotable relative to the base about the first pivot axis between a rest position and an operated position, and
the cam surface is configured to change a ratio of a stroke of the piston to a pivot angle of the operating member while the operating member is pivoted from the rest position toward the operated position.

11. The operating device according to claim 10 , wherein
the cam surface includes a convex curved surface.

12. The operating device according to claim 10 , wherein
the cam surface is configured to decrease the ratio of the stroke of the piston to the pivot angle of the operating member while the operating member is pivoted from the rest position toward the operated position.

13. The operating device according to claim 9 , wherein
the first pivot axis is closer to the mounting axis in the perpendicular direction than a contact part at which the follower contacts the cam surface as viewed along the first pivot axis.

14. The operating device according to claim 9 , wherein
the intermediate member includes an intermediate body,
the follower is rotatably coupled to the intermediate body about a rotational axis, and
the first pivot axis is closer to the mounting axis than the rotational axis in the perpendicular direction as viewed along the first pivot axis.

15. The operating device according to claim 14 , wherein
the rotational axis is positioned on a referential axis parallel to the mounting axis as viewed along the first pivot axis, and
the second pivot axis is closer to the referential axis than the first pivot axis in the perpendicular direction as viewed along the first pivot axis.

16. The operating device according to claim 15 , wherein
the referential axis is configured to move away from the first pivot axis while the operating member is pivoted from a rest position toward an operated position.

17. The operating device according to claim 14 , wherein
the hole has a cylinder axis and extends along the cylinder axis, and
the rotational axis is configured to move toward the cylinder axis while the operating member is pivoted from a rest position toward an operated position.

18. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second pivot axis is defined along the first pivot axis.

19. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second pivot axis is parallel to the first pivot axis.

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Obuchi Kohei
• Kato Yu
• Mori Kazuma
• Fujii Nobuyoshi

Classifications

• B60T11/18

  Connection thereof to initiating means · CPC title

• B60T7/102

  by means of a tilting lever · CPC title

• B62L3/023

  acting on fluid pressure systems · CPC title

• B62K23/06 Primary

  Levers · CPC title