Bicycle operating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9592880-B2
Application number	US-201514720582-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2015
Priority date	May 29, 2014
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

A bicycle operating apparatus is provided with a base member, a ratchet, a pawl member and an operating member. The ratchet is rotatably disposed around a ratchet axis, and biased in a first direction about the ratchet axis. The operating member moves the pawl member from a first position to a second position. The pawl member has a pawl portion and first and second support portions. The pawl portion engages with the ratchet teeth while the pawl member is in the second position to regulate rotation of the ratchet in the first direction. The first support portion pivotally supports the pawl member around a first axis as the pawl member moves from the first position to the second position. The second support portion pivotally supports the pawl member around a second axis while the pawl member is in the second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle operating apparatus comprising:
a base member;
a ratchet having at least one ratchet tooth and being rotatably disposed with respect to the base member to rotate around a ratchet axis in a first direction and in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, and the ratchet being biased in the first direction;
a first pawl member movably disposed with respect to the base member between a first position and a second position;
a first operating member operatively coupled to the first pawl member to move the first pawl member from the first position to the second position,
the first pawl member comprises
a pawl portion engaged with the at least one ratchet tooth while the first pawl member is in the second position to regulate rotation of the ratchet in the first direction,
a first support portion disposed at a distance from the pawl portion and pivotally supporting the first pawl member around a first axis with respect to the base member as the first pawl member moves from the first position to the second position, and
a second support portion disposed at a distance from the pawl portion and the first support portion and pivotally supporting the first pawl member around a second axis with respect to the base member while the first pawl member is in the second position;

a shaft member fixed with respect to the base member, and having the second axis,
the second support portion separating from the shaft member while the first pawl member is in the first position and engaging the shaft member while the first pawl member is in the second position.

2. The operating apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein
the second axis is disposed on an upstream side around the ratchet axis in the first direction with respect to the first axis.

3. The operating apparatus as recited in claim 2 , wherein
the distance between the first axis and the ratchet axis is less than the distance between the second axis and the ratchet axis.

4. The operating apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein
the shaft member thither comprises a shaft main body that is fixed with respect to the base member and a roller that is rotatably provided to the shaft main body, the roller being configured to engage the second support portion.

5. The operating apparatus as recited in claim 4 , wherein
the outer shape of the roller is formed into a circular shape, and
the second support portion has a recess that corresponds to the outer shape of the roller.

6. The operating apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein
the first support portion further comprises a pivoting shaft portion defining the first axis.

7. The bicycle operating apparatus as recited in claim 6 , further comprising
a guide member contacting the pivoting shaft portion to guide the first pawl member between the first position and the second position.

8. The operating apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising
a guide member disposed on the base member to guide the first pawl member between the first position and the second position.

9. The operating apparatus as recited in any one of claim 1 , further comprising
a first biasing member biasing the first pawl member so that the pawl portion engages the ratchet while the first pawl member is in the second position.

10. The operating apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein
the first operating member is pivotally disposed between a first initial position and a first operating position around the ratchet axis.

11. The operating apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising
a coupling member coupling the first pawl member and the first operating member.

12. A bicycle operating apparatus comprising:
a base member;
a ratchet having at least one ratchet tooth and being rotatably disposed with respect to the base member to rotate around a ratchet axis in a first direction and in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, and the ratchet being biased in the first direction;
a first pawl member movably disposed with respect to the base member between a first position and a second position;
a first operating member operatively coupled to the first pawl member to move the first pawl member from the first position to the second position,
the first pawl member comprises
a pawl portion engaged with the at least one ratchet tooth while the first pawl member is in the second position to regulate rotation of the ratchet in the first direction,
a first support portion disposed at a distance from the pawl portion and pivotally supporting the first pawl member around a first axis with respect to the base member as the first pawl member moves from the first position to the second position, and
a second support portion disposed at a distance from the pawl portion and the first support portion and pivotally supporting the first pawl member around a second axis with respect to the base member while the first pawl member is in the second position; and

a coupling member coupling the first pawl member and the first operating member;
the coupling member is made of an elastic member.

13. The operating apparatus as recited in claim 10 , further comprising
a second operating member pivotally provided between a second initial position and a second operating position around the ratchet axis, and
a second pawl member pivotally provided on the second operating member to rotate the ratchet in a second direction in response to the second operating member being pivoted from the second initial position to the second operating position.

14. The operating apparatus as recited in claim 13 , further comprising
a second biasing member biasing the second pawl member toward the ratchet,
the second pawl member engaging the at least one ratchet tooth to position the ratchet while the second operating member is in the second initial position.

15. The operating apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein
the first operating member comprises an engagement portion that engages the second pawl member so that the second pawl member is separated from the at least one ratchet tooth as pivoting from the first initial position to the first operating position.

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Kawakami Tatsuya

Classifications

• B62M25/04

  hand actuated · CPC title

• Y10T74/20636

  Detents · CPC title

• Y10T74/20207

  Multiple controlling elements for single controlled element · CPC title

• B62K23/06 Primary

  Levers · CPC title

• G05G5/24

  by positive interengagement, e.g. by a pawl · CPC title