Bicycle control cable

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9829035-B2
Application number	US-201213474025-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2012
Priority date	Sep 29, 2011
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A bicycle control cable is provided with a central wire, an outer case and a radial protrusion. The central wire includes at least one metallic strand defining a radially outermost surface of the central wire. The outer case surrounds at least a portion of an axial length of the central wire. The outer case has a radially innermost surface. The radial protrusion spirally extends along one of either the radially outermost surface of the central wire or the radially innermost surface of the outer case in a direction intersecting with a center longitudinal axis of the bicycle control cable. The radial protrusion reduces a sliding resistance of the central wire relative to the outer case. The central wire is configured and arranged to slidably move in an axial direction with respect to the center longitudinal axis of the bicycle control cable within the outer case to operate a bicycle component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bicycle control cable comprising:
a central wire including at least one metallic strand defining a radially most surface of the central wire;
an outer case surrounding at least a portion of an axial length of the central wire, the outer case having a radially innermost surface; and
a radial protrusion non-removably attached by thermal melting the radial protrusion directly on one of either the radially outermost surface of the central wire or the radially innermost surface of the outer case and spirally extending along the one of either the radially outermost surface of the central wire or the radially innermost surface of the outer case in a direction intersecting with a center longitudinal axis of the bicycle control cable such that the radial protrusion defines a spiral gap with the one of either the radially outermost surface of the central wire or the radially innermost surface of the outer case being exposed through the gap, the radial protrusion being in sliding contact with the other one of either the radially outermost surface of the central wire or the radially innermost surface of the outer case and reducing a sliding resistance of the central wire relative to the outer case,
the central wire being configured and arranged to slidably move in an axial direction with respect to the center longitudinal axis of the bicycle control cable within the outer case to operate a bicycle component.

2. The bicycle control cable according to claim 1 , wherein
the radial protrusion has a circular cross sectional shape that reduces a sliding resistance of the central wire relative to the outer case.

3. The bicycle control cable according to claim 2 , wherein
the radial protrusion is a resin strand having a plurality of strings twined about each other.

4. The bicycle control cable according to claim 2 , wherein
the radial protrusion is a resin strand.

5. The bicycle control cable according to claim wherein
the radial protrusion is a helically wound resin strand having a pitch of is less than or equal to one millimeter.

6. The bicycle controlable according to claim 1 , wherein
the central wire includes a plurality of metal stands, and
the radial protrusion is a resin strand having a diameter that is smaller than each of the metal strands of the central wire.

7. Tire bicycle control cable according to claim 6 , wherein
the resin strand has a diameter of about 80 micrometers, and the central wire has an overall diameter of about 1.1 millimeters.

8. The bicycle control cable according to claim 1 , wherein
the radial protrusion has a first section with a first pitch and a second section with a second pitch, the first and second pitches being different from each other.

9. The bicycle control cable according to claim 8 , wherein
the second pitch of the second section is larger than the first pitch of the first section.

10. The bicycle control cable according to claim 9 , wherein
the first section is positioned at a curved section of the bicycle control cable, and wherein the second section is positioned at a straight section of the bicycle control cable, when the bicycle control cable is mounted to a bicycle frame.

11. The bicycle control cable according to claim 8 , wherein
the radial protrusion is non-movably disposed on the radially outermost surface of the central wire to move with the central wire relative to the outer case.

12. The bicycle control cable according to claim 1 , wherein
the radial protrusion includes a first strand extending spirally along the radially; outermost surface of the central wire, and a second strand extending spirally along the radially outermost surface of the central wire.

13. The bicycle control cable according to claim 12 , wherein
the first strand has a different characteristic from the second strand.

14. The bicycle control cable according to claim 12 , wherein
the first strand has a different overall diameter from the second strand.

15. The bicycle control cable according to claim 12 , wherein
the first strand is formed of a different material from the second strand.

16. The bicycle control cable according to claim 1 , wherein
the radial protrusion is non-movably disposed on the radially innermost surface of the outer case to move with the outer case.

17. The bicycle control cable according to claim 1 , wherein
the radial protrusion is made of one of a fluorocarbon polymer, an olefin polymer and a polyethylene terephthalate polymer.

18. A bicycle control cable comprising:
a central wire including at least one metallic strand defining a radially outermost surface of the central wire;
an outer case surrounding at least a portion of a axial length of the central wire, outer case having a radially innermost surface; and
a radial protrusion non-movably disposed on the radially outermost surface of the central wire and spirally extending along the radially outermost surface of the central wire in a direction intersecting with a center longitudinal axis of the bicycle control cable, the radial protrusion being a strand having a circular cross sectional shape that moves with the central wire relative to the outer case and reduces a sliding resistance of the central wire relative to the outer case,
the central wire being configured and arranged to slidably move in an axial direction with respect to the center longitudinal axis of the bicycle control cable within the outer case to operate a bicycle component.

19. The bicycle control cable according to claim 18 , wherein
the radial protrusion is attached direct to the radially outermost surface of the central wire by thermal melting.

20. The bicycle control cable according to claim 18 , wherein
the radially outermost surface of the central wire is coated by a primer layer so that the adhesion between the radial protrusion and the radially outermost surface of the central wire is enhanced.

Assignees

• Nishimura Atsuhiro
• Ose Kenji
• Asakawa Takamoto
• Kariyama Osamu
• Miki Yoshimitsu
• Iwai Tooru
• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Nishimura Atsuhiro
• Ose Kenji
• Asakawa Takamoto
• Kariyama Osamu
• Miki Yoshimitsu
• Iwai Tooru

Classifications

• B62L3/02

  for control by a hand lever (hand levers for control of cycles in general B62K23/06) · CPC title

• F16C1/267

  Details of the inner surface of the sheathing or tube, e.g. coatings · CPC title

• D07B5/005

  characterised by their outer shape or surface properties · CPC title

• Y10T74/20456

  Specific cable or sheath structure · CPC title

• F16C1/20

  Construction of flexible members moved to and fro in the sheathing · CPC title