Actuation device of a bar-end bicycle gearshift

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9823681-B2
Application number	US-201213595387-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2012
Priority date	Aug 26, 2011
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

An actuation device for bar-end bicycle gearshift comprises a mount adapted to be mounted to the end of handlebars facing forwards in the direction of travel. An actuation part is mounted on the mount in a neutral position with respect to the mount when no gearshifting is commanded. An adjuster is provided for adjusting the neutral position of the actuation part with respect to the mount. A cyclist can adjust the neutral position based on personal physical characteristics and preferences.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An adjustable bar-end bicycle gearshift, comprising:
a mount part that is configured to be mounted within a forward facing end of a handlebar so that an actuation part mounted on the mount part faces forward in a direction of travel of a bicycle,
wherein the actuation part includes a first electric actuator component and a second electric actuator component that are at predetermined positions with respect to each other, and a shift actuator,
wherein the shift actuator is associated with the actuation part so as to be able to take three operative positions:
a neutral position in which neither the first nor the second electric actuator components are activated and no gearshift is commanded,
a first shift position in which the first electric actuator component is activated and a first shift is commanded, and
a second shift position in which the second electric actuator component is activated and a second shift is commanded; and,
the actuation part includes an adjuster having a fastener within an elongated slot, the elongated slot is dimensioned and configured so that movement of the elongated slot relative to the fastener enables adjusting an angular position of the actuation part with respect to the mount part and with respect to the fastener.

2. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the shift actuator includes at least one tapered portion with a cross sectional area which reduces in a direction going away from the mount part in the direction of travel of the bicycle.

3. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the actuation part comprises a first concave upper pressing area adjacent to the mount part, and a second lower pressing area remote from the mount part.

4. Device according to claim 3 , wherein the actuation part comprises a third concave lower pressing area between the mount part and the second pressing area.

5. Device according to claim 4 , wherein the actuation part comprises a fourth upper pressing area remote from the mount part.

6. Device according to claim 5 , wherein the fourth pressing area is concave.

7. Device according to claim 3 , wherein the second pressing area is concave.

8. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the mount part comprises an expander for mounting to the end of the handlebar, said expander comprising splayable sectors and a free angular space for passage of an electric cable for connecting to the electric actuator.

9. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the first electric actuator component includes two switches and the second electric actuator component includes two strikers, and the two switches are mounted in one of said mount part and said actuation part, and the two switches are actuated by said respective strikers provided in the other of said mount part and said actuation part when the actuation part is taken into a first and into a second operative position, respectively, each of said switches being intended to command upward or downward gearshifting, respectively.

10. Device according to claim 9 , wherein the adjuster varies the angular position of the switches and/or of the strikers to adjust the two operative positions and the neutral position together.

11. Device according to claim 10 , wherein the two switches are carried by a plate mounted fixed on the actuation part, the two strikers are formed on a striker-carrying assembly fixed in an adjustable manner with respect to the mount part, and a spring is mounted acting between the actuation part and said striker-carrying assembly, to keep the actuation part in the neutral position in an absence of stresses.

12. Device according to claim 11 , wherein the adjuster comprises a lid on which the striker-carrying assembly is mounted in fixed position, the slot is formed in the lid, the fastener comprises a screw inserted in the slot to fix the lid to the mount part in adjustable position, wherein loosening of the screw makes it possible to vary the angular position of the lid and with it of the striker-carrying assembly with respect to the mount part, and retightening the screw locks the selected position.

13. Device according to claim 1 wherein said first electric actuator component comprises two switches mounted on the actuation part, accessible from a top thereof, each of said switches being designated to command upward or downward gearshifting, respectively.

14. Device according to claim 13 , wherein loosening of the fastener makes it possible to vary the angular position of the actuation part with respect to the mount part, and retightening the fastener locks the selected position.

15. An adjustable bar-end bicycle gearshift, comprising:
a mount part that is configured to be mounted within a forward facing end of a handlebar so that an actuation part mounted on the mount part faces forward in a direction of travel of a bicycle,
wherein the actuation part includes a first electric actuator component and a second electric actuator component that are at predetermined positions with respect to each other, and a shift actuator,
wherein the shift actuator is associated with the actuation part so as to be able to take three operative positions:
a neutral position in which neither the first nor the second electric actuator components are activated and no gearshift is commanded,
a first shift position in which the first electric actuator component is activated and a first shift is commanded, and
a second shift position in which the second electric actuator component is activated and a second shift is commanded; and,
the actuation part includes an adjuster having a fastener within an arcuate slot for adjusting the position of the actuation part with respect to the mount part;
whereby the actuation part is rotatable about the fastener such that the actuation part takes different angular positions with respect to the mount part.

16. An adjustable bar-end bicycle gearshift, comprising:
a mount part that is configured to be mounted within a forward facing end of a handlebar so that an actuation part mounted on the mount part faces forward in a direction of travel of a bicycle;
wherein the actuation part includes a hollow cylindrical body for housing a first electric actuator component and a second electric actuator component, and a shift actuator formed as an extension projecting radially outwardly from the hollow cylindrical body and the extension defines a forward-most portion of the actuation part,
wherein the shift actuator is associated with the actuation part so as to be able to take three operative positions:
a neutral position in which neither the first nor the second electric actuator components are activated and no gearshift is commanded,
a first shift position in which the first electric actuator component is activated and a first shift is commanded, and
a second shift position in which the second electric actuator component is activated and a second shift is commanded;
wherein the actuation part and the extension are angularly rotatable with respect to a fixed assembly and the fixed assembly is angularly rotatable with respect to the mount part,
wherein the fixed assembly is provided with a fastener for adjusting and fixing the angular position of the fixed assembly with respect to the mount part, thereby allowing the actuation part and the extension to take different angular positions with respect to the mount part.

17. The adjustable bar-end bicycle gearshift of claim 16 , wherein the extension is cantilevered from the hollow cylindrical body and faces forward in the direction of travel of the bicycle.

18. An adjus

Assignees

• Valle Maurizio
• Dal Pozzo Massimo
• Campagnolo Srl

Inventors

• Valle Maurizio
• Dal Pozzo Massimo

Classifications

• B62M25/04 Primary

  hand actuated · CPC title

• B62M25/08

  with electrical or fluid transmitting systems · CPC title

• B62K23/06

  Levers · CPC title

• Y10T74/20612

  Hand · CPC title

• G05G1/04 Primary

  Controlling members for hand actuation by pivoting movement, e.g. levers · CPC title