Bicycle clamp structure and bicycle operating device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9759243-B2
Application number	US-201414285559-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2014
Priority date	Oct 3, 2013
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

A bicycle clamp structure comprises a first clamp member and a second clamp member. The first clamp member includes a first clamp body having an inner curved surface defining a first inner radius. The second clamp member is configured to clamp a bicycle tube member between the first clamp member and the second clamp member. The second clamp member includes a second curved surface defining a second inner radius different from the first inner radius of the first clamp body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle clamp structure comprising:
a first clamp member including a first clamp body having a first innermost curved surface of the first clamp body defining a first inner radius;
a second clamp member configured to clamp a bicycle tube member between the first clamp member and the second clamp member, the second clamp member including a second innermost curved surface of the second clamp member defining a second inner radius different from the first inner radius of the first clamp body; and
a connecting structure including at least two holes and a bolt, the connecting structure fixedly connecting the first clamp body of the first clamp member with the second clamp member,
the first clamp member includes an additional body that is a separate member from the first clamp body, the additional body having an outer circumferential surface that is in direct contact with the first innermost curved surface of the first clamp body, the additional body having a portion with an opening through which the bolt extends,
the bicycle clamp structure defines a clamp opening through which a bicycle handlebar is to extend, and
the first innermost curved surface of the first clamp body is an innermost circumferential surface of the first clamp body about an axis of the clamp opening.

2. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the first inner radius is larger than the second inner radius.

3. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the bicycle tube member comprises the bicycle handlebar.

4. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 3 , wherein
the second innermost curved surface is configured to contact the bicycle handlebar.

5. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 3 , wherein
the additional body includes a third curved surface to contact the bicycle handlebar.

6. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 5 , wherein
the second innermost curved surface and the third curved surface are configured to define the clamp opening through which the bicycle handlebar is to extend.

7. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 5 , wherein
the third curved surface defines a third inner radius, and
the first inner radius is larger than the third inner radius.

8. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the second clamp member is a separate member from the first clamp member and is pivotally connected to the first clamp member.

9. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a further connecting structure to pivotably connect the second clamp member to the first clamp member.

10. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 9 ,
wherein the further connecting structure includes at least one hole and at least one pivot pin.

11. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a further connecting structure including at least one hole and at least one pivot pin to pivotably connect the second clamp member to the first clamp member.

12. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a connector arranged between the first clamp member and the second clamp member;
a further connecting structure to connect the first clamp member with the connector; and
an additional connecting structure to connect the second clamp member with the connector.

13. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 12 ,
wherein the further connecting structure includes at least one hole and at least one pivot pin; and
wherein the additional connecting structure includes at least one hole and at least one fixing pin.

14. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 12 ,
wherein the further connecting structure includes at least one hole and at least one pivot pin; and
wherein the additional connecting structure includes at least two holes and at least two fixing pins.

15. A bicycle operating device comprising:
an operating structure including at least one of a brake operating device and a shift operating device configured to operate a bicycle component; and
the bicycle clamp structure according to claim 1 , the bicycle clamp structure being configured to detachably couple the operating structure to the bicycle tube member.

16. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the connecting structure fixedly connects the first clamp body with the second clamp member so that the first clamp body cannot pivot with respect to the second clamp member about an axis orthogonal to the bolt.

17. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a connector arranged between the first clamp member and the second clamp member;
a further connecting structure including at least one hole and at least one pivot pin to connect the first clamp member with the connector; and
an additional connecting structure including at least one hole and at least one pivot pin to connect the second clamp member with the connector.

18. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first innermost curved surface of the first clamp body is configured to not directly contact the bicycle handlebar when the bicycle clamp structure is mounted to the bicycle handlebar.

19. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 1 ,
wherein the additional body includes a third curved surface;
wherein the second innermost curved surface and the third curved surface are configured to define the clamp opening through which the bicycle handlebar is to extend; and
wherein the first innermost curved surface of the first clamp body is configured to not directly contact the bicycle handlebar when the bicycle handlebar is provided within the clamp opening.

20. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 1 ,
the second innermost curved surface is configured to directly contact the bicycle handlebar when the bicycle clamp structure is mounted to the bicycle handlebar, and
the additional body includes a third innermost curved surface of the additional body that is configured to directly contact the bicycle handlebar when the bicycle clamp structure is mounted to the bicycle handlebar.

21. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 20 ,
the first innermost curved surface of the first clamp body is configured to be spaced apart from the bicycle handlebar when the bicycle clamp structure is mounted to the bicycle handlebar.

22. The bicycle clamp structure according to claim 1 ,
the second clamp member is pivotally connected to the first clamp member to pivot about a pivot axis that is parallel to the axis of the clamp opening of the bicycle clamp structure through which the bicycle tube member is to extend.

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Hirotomi Shinya
• Miki Yoshimitsu
• Fujiwara Takaaki

Classifications

• F16B2/10 Primary

  using pivoting jaws · CPC title

• Y10T74/20822

  Attachments and accessories · CPC title

• B62L3/023

  acting on fluid pressure systems · CPC title

• Y10T74/20396

  Hand operated · CPC title

• B62L3/026 Primary

  actuation by a turning handle or handlebar · CPC title