Patent ID: 7373854
Filing Date: 2008-05-20
Classification: B62K,B62M,F16C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A bicycle gear-shifting handgrip adapted to fit over a bicycle handlebar for gear-shifting a bicycle derailleur, the handgrip comprising: a cylindrical casing adapted to fix to the bicycle handlebar, the casing forming an interior space delimited by an inner surface, a circumferential flange formed on and circumferentially extending along the inner surface to divide the interior space into first and second chambers that communicate with each other by a central bore defined in the circumferential flange; a toothed ring coaxially received in the first chamber and having a first surface that is opposite to the circumferential flange and forming a plurality of tooth sets circumferentially distributed on the first surface, each set comprising a number of teeth distributed in the circumferential direction of the toothed ring, the toothed ring being axially displaceable while substantially rotatably fixed in the first chamber; a detent ring coaxially received in the first chamber and having a second surface opposing the first surface of the toothed ring and forming detent projections engageable with the teeth of each tooth set of the tooth ring; biasing means that bias the toothed ring toward the detent ring to have the detent projections releasably engaging the tooth sets; a rotatable tube adapted to rotatably fit over the handlebar, the rotatable tube having a first end extending through both the detent ring and the toothed ring and comprising means for rotatably and axially fixing the detent ring to the rotatable tube, the first end further extending through the central bore of the circumferential flange of the casing and the second chamber; and a cable-driving ring rotatably received in the second chamber and fit over the rotatable tube, the cable-driving ring comprising means for rotatably and axially fixing the cable-driving ring to the rotatable tube and means for coupling a cable that extends from the derailleur wherein rotation of the rotatable tube causes the detent ring to rotate with respect to the toothed ring, inducing a camming action between the teeth of the toothed ring and the detent projections of the detent ring to axially displace the toothed ring away from the detent ring and thus allowing the detent projections to move an adjacent tooth in each tooth set and wherein the rotation of the rotatable tube causes the cable-driving ring to rotate, which withdraws a predetermined length of the cable to induce gear-shifting of the derailleur.