Hydraulic brake control device with handlebar proximal hose attachment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12097927-B2
Application number	US-202318353619-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2023
Priority date	Dec 14, 2020
Publication date	Sep 24, 2024
Grant date	Sep 24, 2024

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 and a clamp plane, the clamp surface axis extending longitudinally along the inner annular surface and the clamp plane being perpendicular to the clamp surface axis and intersecting the inner annular surface, wherein a handlebar proximity zone is radially outer relative to the inner annular surface of the support and is within 40 millimeters of the inner annular surface of the support;
a reservoir for hydraulic fluid, the reservoir being within the housing, wherein the reservoir is within the handlebar proximity zone and does not intersect the clamp plane; and
a pivot for pivotably attaching a lever to the housing via the pivot, the lever being pivotably attached to the housing via the pivot and the lever being pivotable relative to the housing via the pivot about a pivot axis;
wherein the pivot axis is within the handlebar proximity zone.

2. The brake control device of claim 1 , the brake control device further comprising:
a bleed port in communication with the reservoir.

3. The brake control device of claim 2 wherein the bleed port is within the handlebar proximity zone.

4. The brake control device of claim 2 wherein the bleed port is at a high point of the reservoir.

5. The brake control device of claim 2 wherein the bleed port is adjacent to a reservoir cover.

6. The brake control device of claim 2 , the brake control device further comprising:
a cylinder having an interior defined by a cylinder wall, the interior of the cylinder being in communication with the reservoir; and
an outlet port in communication with the interior of the cylinder, the outlet port being configured to be connected 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, and the outlet port axis is parallel to the clamp surface axis wherein the outlet port is within the handlebar proximity zone.

7. The brake control device of claim 6 , wherein the bleed port and outlet port are on opposite sides of the clamp plane.

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

9. The brake control device of claim 6 , wherein the pivot axis is within 38 millimeters of the inner annular surface of the support.

10. 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 and a clamp plane, the clamp surface axis extending longitudinally along the inner annular surface and the clamp plane being perpendicular to the clamp surface axis and intersecting the inner annular surface, wherein a handlebar proximity zone is radially outer relative to the inner annular surface of the support and is within 40 millimeters of the inner annular surface of the support;
a pivot for pivotably attaching a lever to the housing via the pivot, the lever being pivotably attached to the housing via the pivot and the lever being pivotable relative to the housing via the pivot about a pivot axis;
a reservoir for hydraulic fluid, wherein the reservoir does not intersect the clamp plane;
a bleed port in communication with the reservoir;

wherein the bleed port is within the handlebar proximity zone.

11. The brake control device of claim 10 further comprising:
a cylinder having an interior defined by a cylinder wall, the interior of the cylinder being in communication with the reservoir; and
an outlet port in communication with the interior of the cylinder, the outlet port being configured to be connected 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 is within the handlebar proximity zone.

12. The brake control device of claim 11 , wherein the outlet port axis is parallel to the clamp surface axis.

13. The brake control device of claim 11 , wherein the outlet port and the bleed port are on opposite sides of the clamp plane.

14. The brake control device of claim 10 , wherein the bleed port and the pivot axis are on opposite sides of the clamp plane.

15. The brake control device of claim 10 , wherein the pivot axis is within 38 millimeters of the inner annular surface of the support.

16. 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 and a clamp plane, the clamp surface axis extending longitudinally along the inner annular surface and the clamp plane being perpendicular to the clamp surface axis and intersecting the inner annular surface, wherein a handlebar proximity zone is radially outer relative to the inner annular surface of the support and is within 40 millimeters of the inner annular surface of the support;
a reservoir for hydraulic fluid within the housing, the reservoir being disposed within the handlebar proximity zone a distance along the clamp surface axis apart from the inner annular surface of the support;
a cylinder having an interior defined by a cylinder wall, the interior of the cylinder being in communication with the reservoir; and
an outlet port in communication with the interior of the cylinder, the outlet port being configured to be connected to a hydraulic brake line of the bicycle, wherein the outlet port is within the handlebar proximity zone.

Assignees

• Sram Llc

Inventors

• Dunlap Charles
• Jordan Brian
• Snead Braden

Classifications

• F15B15/1414

  with non-rotatable piston · CPC title

• B62K23/06

  Levers · CPC title

• B62L3/023 Primary

  acting on fluid pressure systems · CPC title