Bicycle shift operating device with a multi-direction operating member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9797434-B2
Application number	US-46247806-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2006
Priority date	Sep 14, 2005
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A shift operating device for a bicycle comprises a mounting member structured to be mounted to the bicycle, a cable coupling member coupled to the mounting member for moving a cable in a cable pulling direction and a cable releasing direction, a positioning unit that selectively maintains the cable coupling member in a plurality of operating positions, a first operating member that moves in a first direction and in a second direction different from the first direction, and a transmission unit that transmits movement of the first operating member to the positioning unit such that the cable coupling member moves from an origin operating position toward a destination operating position when the first operating member moves in either of both the first direction and the second direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shift operating device for a bicycle transmission comprising:
a mounting member structured to be mounted to the bicycle;
a cable coupling member coupled to the mounting member for moving a cable in a cable pulling direction and a cable releasing direction;
a positioning unit that selectively maintains the cable coupling member in a plurality of operating positions, wherein each operating position corresponds to a shift position of the bicycle transmission, wherein the positioning unit includes a positioning member that moves in a gear shift initiating direction to initiate a gear shift, wherein the gear shift is movement of the cable coupling member from an origin operating position that corresponds to an origin shift position of the bicycle transmission to a destination operating position that corresponds to a destination shift position of the bicycle transmission;
a first operating member operatively coupled to the mounting member so that the first operating member moves in a first direction and in a second direction different from the first direction;
wherein the first operating member includes an operating location that moves in the same direction when the first operating member moves in either the first and second directions; and
an intermediate member operatively coupled to the operating location of the first operating member and operatively coupled to the positioning member so that the positioning member moves in the gear shift initiating direction when the first operating member moves in the first direction and so that the positioning member moves in the gear shift initiating direction when the first operating member moves in the second direction;
wherein the first operating member causes the initiation of the gear shift when the first operating member moves in the first direction, and wherein the first operating member causes the initiation of the gear shift when the first operating member moves in the second direction;
wherein the cable coupling member moves from the origin operating position toward the destination operating position in a predetermined direction to initiate the gear shift when the first operating member moves in the first direction, and wherein the cable coupling member moves from the origin operating position toward the destination operating position in the same direction as the predetermined direction to initiate the gear shift when the first operating member moves in the second direction;
wherein the first operating member has a neutral position;
wherein the first operating member moves in the first direction from the neutral position toward a first operating member gear shift initiating position;
wherein the first operating member moves in the second direction from the neutral position toward a different second operating member gear shift initiating position; and
wherein the neutral position is disposed between the first operating member gear shift initiating position and the second operating member gear shift initiating position;
wherein the first operating member automatically returns to the neutral position when a user releases the first operating member after moving the first operating member in the first direction or the second direction; and
wherein the first operating member remains in the neutral position after the user releases the first operating member.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the cable coupling member moves to a plurality of destination operating positions in response to a single movement of the first operating member in one of the first direction or the second direction from a first operating member start position to a first operating member finish position.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the positioning unit further comprises:
a plurality of abutments that move integrally with the cable coupling member; and
wherein the positioning member selectively engages the plurality of abutments to maintain the cable coupling member in the plurality of operating positions.

4. The device according to claim 3 wherein movement of the intermediate member causes the positioning member to disengage from an engaged one of the plurality of abutments so that the cable coupling member moves away from an origin operating position.

5. The device according to claim 4 further comprising a release element that communicates movement of the intermediate member to the positioning member.

6. The device according to claim 5 wherein the release element moves in a prescribed direction when the first operating member moves in the first direction, and wherein the release element moves in the same prescribed direction when the first operating member moves in the second direction.

7. The device according to claim 5 wherein the intermediate member moves in a prescribed direction when the first operating member moves in the first direction, and wherein the intermediate member moves in the same prescribed direction when the first operating member moves in the second direction.

8. The device according to claim 5 wherein movement of the cable coupling member causes the release element to move so that the positioning member reengages one of the plurality of abutments to maintain the cable coupling member in the destination operating position.

9. The device according to claim 4 further comprising:
a first pivot shaft; and
a second pivot shaft spaced apart from the first pivot shaft;
wherein the first operating member pivots around the first pivot shaft when the first operating member moves in the first direction from the neutral position; and
wherein the first operating member pivots around the second pivot shaft when the first operating member moves in the second direction from the neutral position.

10. The device according to claim 9 wherein the first operating member includes a first guide that engages the first pivot shaft and a second guide that engages the second pivot shaft, and further comprising a biasing member that biases the first operating member so that the first pivot shaft engages an end of the first guide and the second pivot shaft engages an end of the second guide.

11. The device according to claim 10 wherein the first guide has an arcuate shape.

12. The device according to claim 11 wherein the second guide has an arcuate shape.

13. The device according to claim 9 further comprising a support shaft spaced apart from the first pivot shaft and the second pivot shaft, wherein the cable coupling member rotates around the support shaft.

14. The device according to claim 4 wherein movement of the cable coupling member causes the positioning member to move so that the positioning member reengages one of the plurality of abutments to maintain the cable coupling member in the destination operating position.

15. The device according to claim 14 wherein the plurality of abutments comprise a plurality of teeth that move integrally with the cable coupling member, and wherein the positioning member comprises a pawl.

16. The device according to claim 15 wherein the pawl comprises:
a positioning pawl that engages one of the plurality of teeth to maintain the cable coupling member in one of the plurality of operating positions; and
a tooth engaging pawl that engages one of the plurality of teeth when the positioning pawl disengages from a previously engaged tooth.

17. The device according to claim 16 wherein movement of the cable coupling member causes one of the plurality of teeth to engage the tooth engaging pawl to cause the positioning pawl to engage another one of the plurality of

Assignees

• Kawakami Tatsuya
• Watarai Etsuyoshi
• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Kawakami Tatsuya
• Watarai Etsuyoshi

Classifications

• F16C1/12

  Arrangements for transmitting movement to or from the flexible member · CPC title

• B62K23/06

  Levers · CPC title

• F16C2326/28

  Bicycle propulsion, e.g. crankshaft and its support · CPC title

• F16C1/22 Primary

  Adjusting; Compensating length · CPC title

• B62M25/04

  hand actuated · CPC title