Bicycle control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9199688-B2
Application number	US-13850908-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2008
Priority date	Jun 13, 2008
Publication date	Dec 1, 2015
Grant date	Dec 1, 2015

Abstract

A bicycle control device is provided with a main support shaft, a first control unit and a second control unit. Each of the control units includes a wire takeup element, a positioning structure and an operating member. The wire takeup elements are both rotatably mounted on the main support shaft. The positioning structures are operatively coupled to their respective wire takeup elements to selectively maintain their respective wire takeup elements in one of at least two positions. The operating members are operatively coupled to their respective positioning structure to change a current position of their respective wire takeup element. The first wire takeup element is stationary when the second operating member is operated to change the current position of the second wire takeup element such that the current position of the first wire takeup element always remains the same in response to operation of the second operating member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle control device comprising:
a main support shaft;
a clamp configured to be coupled to a handlebar of a bicycle;
a first control unit including a first wire takeup element rotatably mounted on the main support shaft, a first positioning structure operatively coupled to the first wire takeup element to selectively maintain the first wire takeup element in one of at least two positions, and a first operating member operatively coupled to the first positioning structure to change a current position of the first wire takeup element; and
a second control unit including a spring member, a second wire takeup element rotatably mounted on the main support shaft, a second positioning structure operatively coupled to the second wire takeup element to selectively maintain the second wire takeup element in one of at least two positions, and a second operating member operatively coupled to the second positioning structure to change a current position of the second wire takeup element, the second operating member being disposed between the first operating member and the clamp in an axial direction of the main support shaft,
the first wire takeup element being stationary when the second operating member is operated to change the current position of the second wire takeup element such that the current position of the first wire takeup element always remains the same in response to operation of the second operating member,
the second operating member including a lever member with a movement transmitting pin, the lever member being configured to be biased by a force exerted by the spring member in a first direction to a first lever position, and being movable between the first lever position and a second lever position in a second direction opposite the first direction, and
the second positioning structure including a lock member with a cam groove, the lock member being configured to pivot about a pivot axis of the lock member in response to a movement of the lever member, the cam groove of the lock member selectively receiving the movement transmitting pin, the can groove of the lock member engaging the movement transmitting pin to retain the lever member in the second lever position when the lever member is in the second lever position, the movement transmitting pin being free from engagement with the lock member when the lever member is in the first lever position, and the movement transmitting pin moving closer to the pivot axis of the lock member as the lever member moves from the first lever position to the second lever position.

2. The bicycle control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first control unit further includes a third operating member operatively coupled to the first positioning structure, with the first operating member being configured to rotate the first wire takeup element in a first rotational direction and the third operating member being configured to rotate the first wire takeup element in a second rotational direction that is opposite the first rotational direction.

3. The bicycle control device according to claim 2 , wherein
the first and third operating members are rotatably mounted on the main support shaft.

4. The bicycle control device according to claim 3 , wherein
the first operating member is rotatable in the first rotational direction to rotate the first wire takeup element in the first rotational direction, and the third operating member is rotatable in the second rotational direction to rotate the first wire takeup element in the second rotational direction.

5. The bicycle control device according to claim 4 , wherein
the first and third operating members are each a trigger lever that returns to a rest position after being moved to an operating position to change the current position of the first wire takeup element.

6. The bicycle control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second positioning structure cooperates with the lever member to selectively retain the second wire takeup element in a first takeup element position when the lever member is in the first lever position and retain the second wire takeup element in a second takeup element position when the lever member is in the second lever position.

7. The bicycle control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the clamp has a shaft support portion supporting the main support shaft, and
the second operating member is disposed between the first operating member and the shaft support portion of the clamp in the axial direction of the main support shaft.

8. The bicycle control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the cam groove is disposed between a distal end of the lock member and the pivot axis of the lock member.

9. The bicycle control device according to claim 8 , wherein
the cam groove of the lock member is intersected by a radius extending from the pivot axis of the lock member to the distal end of the lock member.

10. The bicycle control device according to claim 9 , wherein
the movement transmitting pin is intersected by the radius extending from the pivot axis to the distal end as the lever member moves from the first lever position to the second lever position.

11. The bicycle control device according to claim 8 , wherein
the second positioning structure further includes a biasing member; and
the lock member further includes a control tab with the pivot axis being disposed between the control tab and the distal end of the lock member, the control tab contacting and moving the biasing member as the lever member moves from the first lever position to the second lever position.

12. The bicycle control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second positioning structure further includes a biasing member having first and second free ends, and
the lock member further includes a control tab, the control tab contacting both the first and second free ends of the biasing member with the lever member being in the first lever position, and the control tab moving the first free end and separating from the second free end as the lever member moves from the first lever position to the second lever position.

Assignees

• Shahana Satoshi
• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Shahana Satoshi

Classifications

• Y10T74/20438

  Single rotatable lever [e.g., for bicycle brake or derailleur] · CPC title

• B62K23/06 Primary

  Levers · CPC title

• B62M25/04

  hand actuated · CPC title