Patent ID: 6132327
Filing Date: 2000-10-17
Classification: B62M

Abstract:
Control system for a bicycle front derailleur, comprising:a plurality of gears associated with the crankshaft of a bicycle,a front derailleur mounted on the frame of the bicycle, comprising a fork member movable in a direction parallel to axis of gears for causing the chain of the bicycle to shift from one to the other of said gears,a control device for the front derailleur, including a movable control member operatively connected to the fork member of the front derailleur by means of a flexible cable,indexing means associated with the movable control member, adapted to define a number of predetermined stable positions of said movable control member, said number being greater than the number of said gears,sensor means for sensing the operative position of said movable control member,an electronic display adapted to display a number or symbol identifying the gear which is being engaged by the chain, andelectronic control means adapted to receive signals coming from said sensor means and to cause the number or symbol identifying the selected gear to be displayed on said electronic display, on the basis of a predetermined correlation law between the detected position of said movable control member and the number or symbol to be displayed on the electronic display,wherein said electronic control means are arranged in order to detect whether the movable control member is being driven to shift the chain to a smaller or a greater gear, and in order to apply two different correlation laws, for chain shifts towards smaller or greater gears respectively, between the position of the movable control member as detected by said sensor means and the number or symbol to be displayed on said electronic display.