EP0361335A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Change-speed lever apparatus for use in bicycle
Assignee: Shimano Inc
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Filing: 1989-09-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-09-22
Abstract
Abstract A change-speed lever apparatus for use in a bicycle. The apparatus has a winding member (20) for winding up a change-speed control cable and a cable-pulling lever (60) operable to pull the cable by causing the winding member to pivot only in a cable winding direction. The cable-pulling lever returns to its home position after completion of change-speed operation. The improved apparatus includes a position maintaining mechanism for stepwisely maintaining a position of the winding member and a release lever (70) operable to release the position maintaining mechanism. The release lever also returns to its home position after completion of release operation. At the respective home positions, the cable-pulling lever and the release lever are operable in substantially same directions to enable a cyclist to disregard the direction of lever operations. Further, the home positions of the levers are disposed at different yet adjacent locations relative to a direction normal to the lever operating directions. Hence, the lever operations, i.e. change-speed operations do not require much movement of the cyclist's thumb. Consequently, the apparatus provides speedy and accurate change speed operations.
Inventors
- 👤 Masashi Nagano
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 09:09
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62M; B62M25/00; B62M25/02; B62M25/04; B62M25/045; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/15; Y10T74/1526; Y10T74/1553; Y10T74/1555; Y10T74/1558; Y10T74/1577; Y10T74/1581; Y10T74/20; Y10T74/20012; Y10T74/20018; Y10T74/20037; Y10T74/20043; Y10T74/20085; Y10T74/20098; Y10T74/20207; Y10T74/20256; Y10T74/20268; Y10T74/2028; Y10T74/20287; Y10T74/20396; Y10T74/20402; Y10T74/2042; Y10T74/20438
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
234 words
In a change-speed lever apparatus for use in a bicycle, the apparatus having: a fixed member; a winding member for winding up a change-speed control cable, the winding member being pivotably supported to the fixed member and normally urged in a cable rewinding direction, and a cable-pulling lever for pulling the cable for a change-speed operation as the lever is operated in a first direction against the urging force along the cable rewinding direction thereby to cause the winding member to pivot only in the cable winding direction via a oneway mechanism, the cable-pulling lever being returned to a home position thereof by cable-pulling lever urging means, the improvement comprising: a position maintaining mechanism including a first engaging member and a plurality of first engaging portions stepwisely engageable with the first engaging member to maintain a position of the winding member; and a release lever operable to release the engagement between the first engaging member and the first engaging portion with an operation of the release lever in a second direction thereby to effect a change-speed operation by permitting the winding member to pivot in the cable rewinding direction with the cable rewinding urging force, the release lever being returned to a home position thereof by release lever urging means; said first direction of the cable-pulling lever and said second direction of the release lever at said respective home positions being substantially the same.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
234 words
In a change-speed lever apparatus for use in a bicycle, the apparatus having: a fixed member; a winding member for winding up a change-speed control cable, the winding member being pivotably supported to the fixed member and normally urged in a cable rewinding direction, and a cable-pulling lever for pulling the cable for a change-speed operation as the lever is operated in a first direction against the urging force along the cable rewinding direction thereby to cause the winding member to pivot only in the cable winding direction via a oneway mechanism, the cable-pulling lever being returned to a home position thereof by cable-pulling lever urging means, the improvement comprising: a position maintaining mechanism including a first engaging member and a plurality of first engaging portions stepwisely engageable with the first engaging member to maintain a position of the winding member; and a release lever operable to release the engagement between the first engaging member and the first engaging portion with an operation of the release lever in a second direction thereby to effect a change-speed operation by permitting the winding member to pivot in the cable rewinding direction with the cable rewinding urging force, the release lever being returned to a home position thereof by release lever urging means; said first direction of the cable-pulling lever and said second direction of the release lever at said respective home positions being substantially the same.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 1, further comprising: a limiting mechanism for limiting a pivotal amount of said winding member in the cable rewinding direction effected with an operation of said release lever to a predetermined amount.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 2, wherein said cable-pulling lever pivots about a first shaft relative to said fixed member whereas said release lever pivots about a second shaft relative to said fixed member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 3, wherein said first shaft and said second shaft are oriented substantially in parallel with each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 4, wherein said winding member pivots about said first shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 5, wherein said limiting mechanism includes a second engaging portion and a second engaging member engageable with said second engaging portion with an operation of said release lever, said limiting mechanism limiting the pivotal amount of said winding member in the rewinding direction through engagement between said second engaging portion and said second engaging member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 6, wherein said position maintaining mechanism further includes a positioning member, said first engaging portions being formed of a plurality of recesses defined in said positioning member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 7, wherein said limiting mechanism further includes a restricting member, said second engagging portion being formed of a plurality of recesses defined in said restricting member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 8, wherein said positioning member is rotatable in unison with said restricting member and said winding member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 9, wherein said first engaging portions are provided about a periphery of said positioning member whereas said second engaging portions are provided about a periphery of said restricting member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 10, wherein said first engaging member comprises a claw member urged toward said first engaging portions by an urging means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 10, wherein said first engaging member comprises a ball member urged toward said first engaging portions by an urging means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
195 words
In a change-speed lever apparatus for use in a bicycle, the apparatus having: a fixed member; a cable-pulling lever having a cable-pulling control portion and adapted for pulling and maintaining a change-speed control cable for a change-speed operation as the cable-pulling portion is operated in a first direction, the cable-pulling lever being returned to a home position thereof after completion of the lever operation in the first direction, the change-speed apparatus comprising: a release lever having a release control portion and operable to release the cable-pulling condition with an operation of the release control portion in a second direction, the release lever being returned to a home position thereof after completion of the lever operation in the second direction; said first direction of the cable-pulling control portion and said second direction of the release control portion at said respective home positions being substantially the same; when said cable-pulling lever and said release lever are rested at the respective home positions theroef, said cable-pulling control portion and said release control portion being located at different positions in a direction normal to said first and second directions and at the same time being located adjacent each other.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
195 words
In a change-speed lever apparatus for use in a bicycle, the apparatus having: a fixed member; a cable-pulling lever having a cable-pulling control portion and adapted for pulling and maintaining a change-speed control cable for a change-speed operation as the cable-pulling portion is operated in a first direction, the cable-pulling lever being returned to a home position thereof after completion of the lever operation in the first direction, the change-speed apparatus comprising: a release lever having a release control portion and operable to release the cable-pulling condition with an operation of the release control portion in a second direction, the release lever being returned to a home position thereof after completion of the lever operation in the second direction; said first direction of the cable-pulling control portion and said second direction of the release control portion at said respective home positions being substantially the same; when said cable-pulling lever and said release lever are rested at the respective home positions theroef, said cable-pulling control portion and said release control portion being located at different positions in a direction normal to said first and second directions and at the same time being located adjacent each other.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
54 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 13, wherein said cable-pulling control portion and said release control portion at the home positions thereof being disposed side by side along the longitudinal direction of a grip portion when said lever apparatus is attached to the vicinity of the grip portion of the steering handle.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 14, wherein said release control portion is disposed more distant from said grip portion than said cable-pulling control portion is when said lever apparatus is attached to the vicinity of the grip portion of the steering handle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
52 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 15, wherein said cable-pulling lever pivots about a first shaft relative to said fixed member whereas said release lever pivots about a second shaft relative to said fixed member, said first shaft and said second shaft being oriented substantially in parallel with each other.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
82 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 16, wherein said cable-pulling control portion and said release control portion at the respective home positions thereof are located at one side of said steering handle bar and opposite to a side of the hanble bar coming into contact with inter-digital pads of a cyclist's hand as gripping said grip portion, said first and second directions being set along a bending direction of the thumb of the cyclist's hand as gripping the grip portion.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
54 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 17, wherein said steering handle comprises a flat handle bar, said cable-pulling control portion and said release control portion being located under said handle bar at said home positions when said lever apparatus is attached to the vicinity of the grip portion of the steering handle.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
67 words
A change-speed lever apparatus as defined in Claim 13, wherein said cable-pulling lever pivots about a first shaft relative to said fixed member, said cable-pulling control portion and said release control portion at said home positions being arranged side by side along a direction normal to said first shaft, with said release control portion being located closer to said first shaft than said cable-pulling control portion is.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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