Abstract:
A covering hood for a bicycle component that is gripped or grasped when in use is provided. The hood may be used, for example, for covering a supporting body of an integrated device for controlling the brake and derailleur of a bicycle. The hood comprises areas with differentiated compliance.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a covering sheath or hood for a bicycle component that is gripped or grasped when in use. The invention relates in general to a hood applicable to any bicycle component that is designed to be gripped or grasped when used, such as for example a portion of bicycle handlebar. Particularly the component can be the straight or curved ends of the handlebar itself, or an auxiliary gripping appendage that can be installed on the handlebar. This can be for example, a lever for actuation of a device on board the bicycle, such as a lever for brake actuation or a lever for derailleur actuation of a bicycle.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     In the specific case of an integrated control device used in competition bicycles, the hood according to the invention is designed to be applied to the support of the control device mounted on each of the curved ends of the handlebar. In effect, the supporting bodies of the right and left devices serve as two extensions of the handlebar that a cyclist can easily grip.  
         [0003]     An integrated control device normally comprises a lever for brake actuation and a controller for the front or rear derailleur. In the case where a derailleur is controlled by an electrical actuator, electrical switches can be used that are operated by respective push-buttons that are carried by the supporting body of the controller and are covered by the sheath or hood. Furthermore, the control device may also comprise one or more push-buttons electrically connected to a cycle computer that enable a cyclist to interact in the selection of the different operating modes of a cycle computer, said selection being known as “mode select.” Such devices enable the cyclist to grip the handlebar in a position corresponding to the respective supporting bodies and to actuate the brake, derailleur, or operating modes of the cycle computer without, however, changing hand position on the supporting body.  
         [0004]     The use of a hood, of substantially uniform thickness, covering the aforesaid supporting body of the control device, which functions as a protective element and at the same time enables a more convenient grip is known. The applicant has determined that the use of hoods, normally consisting of elastomeric material, on the aforesaid control devices involves some drawbacks.  
         [0005]     Firstly, prolonged gripping of the supporting body or of the ends of the handlebar (whether straight or curved) by the cyclist, in particular during competitions, may cause discomfort in the areas of the cyclist&#39;s hand that are subjected to greater pressure. This discomfort can even lead to bone lesions or to micro-abrasions of the skin.  
         [0006]     Another drawback is that the covering of a support body by a hood sometimes renders actuation of electrical push-buttons set thereunder difficult for the cyclist.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0007]     The present invention relates to a hood for covering a bicycle control device wherein the hood comprises a main body and at least one area having a differentiated softness or compliance with respect to the main body of the hood. When the area is of greater compliance, it is located in a position that comes in contact with a portion of a cyclist&#39;s hand when the device is used. Alternatively/additionally, the hood may comprise at least one area of reduced compliance that can be located in a position corresponding to the location of push-buttons.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     The purposes and advantages above mentioned will be illustrated in greater detail in what follows with reference to the appended drawings, which are provided purely by way of non-limiting example and wherein:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the covering sheath according to the invention, in use with a known integrated control device;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is the control device of  FIG. 1  provided with the sheath according to the invention, applied to a curved handlebar and with the cyclist&#39;s hand in a normal position of use;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of an alternate embodiment of the sheath of the invention, applied to a known integrated control device;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a side view of another alternate embodiment of the sheath according to the invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a further alternate embodiment of the sheath according to the invention, in use with an electrical gear-changer control device;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a further alternate embodiment of the sheath according to the invention, in use with an electrical gear-changer control device;  
         [0015]     FIGS.  7  to  12  illustrate cross-sectional views according to a longitudinal vertical plane of alternate embodiments of the sheath;  
         [0016]      FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII of the sheath of  FIG. 6 ; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 14  is a side view of another alternate embodiment of the sheath according to the invention  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]      FIGS. 1 and 2  depict an integrated control device  1  for a brake and a bicycle derailleur. The device  1  is a right-hand version, i.e., mounted on the right end of a handlebar  4 . (It is also evident that the following description may be adapted for a control device mounted on the left.) The device illustrated, excluding the sheath  5  according to the invention, may be of any known type.  
         [0019]     The device  1  comprises a brake lever  2 , supported in an articulated way by a supporting body  1   a  that is covered by a sheath or hood  3  made of an elastomeric material. The body  1   a  can be fixed in a conventional way ( FIG. 2 ) to a bicycle handlebar  4 . In the case of the version illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the supporting body  1   a  of the device  1  integrates an actuation mechanism of one of the two bicycle derailleurs, including a lever  5  positioned behind the brake lever  2  and a further lever  5 ′ (shown in  FIG. 14 ), that is positioned on the inside (i.e., facing the center of the handlebar). The two levers actuate the derailleur in the two opposite directions of gear-shifting, i.e., upshifting and downshifting.  
         [0020]     The hood  3  that covers the supporting body  1   a,  of the device  1  presents a generally tubular conformation, with a top wall  3   a,  a bottom wall  3   b,  an external side wall  3   c,  and an internal side wall  3   d.  The hood  3  can also exclude the aforesaid bottom wall. When the hood is designed to be inserted on the ends of the handlebar, whether these are straight or curved, it may have a substantially cylindrical conformation, the cylinder possibly being closed or open.  
         [0021]      FIGS. 1 and 2 , show the top wall  3   a  with two areas  8 ,  9  of increased compliance compared to the main body of the hood  3 . The main body of the hood  3  has a first Shore A hardness rating of about 55 to about 60. Areas  8  and  9  have a second Shore A hardness rating of about 30 to about 35.  
         [0022]     In the example illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the two areas  8  and  9  comprise inserts received within corresponding openings formed in the wall of the hood  3 , and are located in a position corresponding to contact areas of a cyclist&#39;s hand that are subjected to greater pressure. More precisely, area  8  comes in contact with the portion of the cyclist&#39;s hand located between the thumb and forefinger and area  9  that is positioned laterally shifted in the direction of the external side wall  3   c  with respect to area  8 , comes in contact with the palm of the hand. In the case where the hood is associated with the ends of the handlebar, as mentioned above, areas of greater compliance are similarly located in a position corresponding to the portion of the cyclist&#39;s hand between the thumb and forefinger or in a position corresponding to the palm of the hand.  
         [0023]     The areas of greater compliance than the main body the hood will be indicated below simply as areas of greater or increased compliance.  
         [0024]     In a first embodiment, hood  3  is made of an elastomeric material, and the areas of increased compliance  8 ,  9  comprise inserts which are also made of an elastomeric material, but which present a greater compliance as compared to the main body of the sheath  3 . Said result may be obtained by the use of an elastomeric material having a different hardness and/or density, or by an appropriate conformation of the inserts  8 ,  9 , as will be described in detail below.  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  illustrates an alternate embodiment having a single area of increased compliance  80 , in a position corresponding to top wall  3   a.  Area  80  entirely covers a longitudinal zone extending from a front portion of top wall  3   a,  corresponding to an area  80   a  of contact of the cyclist&#39;s hand between the cyclist&#39;s thumb and forefinger, to a rear portion of top wall  3   a,  corresponding to an area  80   b  of contact of the cyclist&#39;s palm.  
         [0026]     Furthermore, referring to  FIG. 4 , the hood according to the invention may also comprise a third area of increased compliance. As indicated by  11 , the third area corresponds to the bottom surface  3   b  of the hood, where the cyclist&#39;s fingers (see  FIG. 2 ) close around the body of the device  1 . Like areas  8 ,  9 , area  11  is defined by an insert mounted within a corresponding seat in the bottom wall  3   b  of the sheath  3 . The material forming area  11  preferably has a Shore A hardness rating ranging from 30 to 35 as in areas  8  and  9 .  
         [0027]      FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate an alternate embodiment of the control device in which the derailleur actuation is controlled electronically. The control device comprises a pair of push-buttons  6 , covered by corresponding portions  10  of the hood  3 . The push-buttons  6  control the derailleur in upshifting and downshifting.  FIGS. 5 and 6  further illustrate a third actuating push-button  7 , designed to control the mode of operation of a display unit associated with a bicycle. Push-button  7  may likewise be provided in the “mechanical-shift” version illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  14 , on the inner side of the control  1 .  
         [0028]     The hood further comprises three portions  10  that cover the push-buttons  6 ,  7 , each defined by an insert (see also  FIG. 13 ). The insert may be fixed in any known way, for example by vulcanization, within a respective seat  10   a  formed in the wall of the hood  3 . The portions of sheath  10  are made of a material which has lower or decreased compliance with respect to the material of the main body the sheath, so as to provide to the cyclist a greater sensitivity in actuation. Such material preferably has a third Shore A hardness rating of about 80 to about 85 which is higher than that of the main body of the hood  3 . Said portions  10 , preferably but not necessarily, present an outer surface shaped and/or colored to facilitate identifying of the push-buttons by the cyclist.  
         [0029]      FIG. 7  illustrates a cross-sectional view in a longitudinal vertical plane of the hood  3  in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2  comprising areas  8 ,  9  of increased compliance.  FIG. 7  shows that each of said areas is defined by an insert made of an elastomeric material with a different density and/or hardness from those of the elastomeric material that forms the main body of the hood  3 . Any suitable material, for example a synthetic material or a silicone material, may be used both for the hood  3 , and for the inserts  8 ,  9 . Each of said inserts is received, through a shape fit, in an opening  12  of the top wall  3   a  of the hood  3 . The edge of the opening  12  comprises a lip  13 , upon which a peripheral edge  14  of each insert matingly engages, so as to prevent the insert from coming out of the hood. In use, any sliding of insert  8 ,  9  out of the hood  3  in a direction towards the interior of the hood  3  is prevented by the surface of the body  1   a  on which the hood  3  is applied.  
         [0030]     It should again be noted that the thickness of each insert  8 ,  9  in  FIG. 7  is greater than the thickness of the wall  3   a  of the sheath, so that it projects from the adjacent surface of the hood. It is also possible to configure the inserts with their outer surfaces flush with the adjacent surface of the hood.  
         [0031]      FIG. 8  illustrates a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment that also comprises a bottom insert  11 . What is indicated above, regarding the material and the arrangement of the inserts  8 ,  9 , is also applicable to the insert  11 . The  FIG. 8  embodiment&#39;s three inserts lack the lip  13 ; rather they are fixed to the edges of the respective openings  12  by vulcanizing.  
         [0032]     Finally, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the inserts  8 ,  9 ,  11  comprise lightening grooves  15  that also define wall portions of reduced thickness that are more compliant.  
         [0033]      FIG. 9  shows an alternate embodiment in which the areas of increased compliance  8 ,  9 ,  11  are integral, i.e., of a single piece, with the hood  3 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , each area is defined by a cushioned portion, containing a flattened cavity  16 , which may for example be filled with a fluid, for example air, or a gas, or a liquid, or a material in the form of a gel or silicone material. Each cavity  16  thus defines a thin wall  17  functioning as a cushion.  
         [0034]      FIG. 10  illustrates a similar solution to that of  FIG. 9 , with reference to cavities  16  filled with a fluid, but which, this time, are set inside fixed inserts within respective openings of the wall of the hood.  
         [0035]      FIG. 11  illustrates a solution in which the hood  3  is made of a single piece and comprises, on its internal surface, open cavities  18  that define thin walls  19  in positions corresponding to the areas  8 ,  9 ,  11  that function as cushions. When mounted, the cavities  18  are closed by the surface of the body  1   a  on which the hood is mounted, and can receive a fluid within them, in a way similar to the embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 9 and 10 .  
         [0036]      FIG. 12  illustrates a further example, that differs from that of  FIG. 10  in that the inserts are bonded or joined by molding on the outer surface of the sheath.  
         [0037]      FIG. 13  highlights the detail, in a cross-sectional view, of the area of reduced compliance  10  associated with one of the push-buttons  6  consisting of an insert which, as previously mentioned, may be fixed to the hood  3  by vulcanizing. Any other known method of fixing may be used, such as for example a shape fit. It is then to be noted that the particular shape, which is slightly rounded towards the outside of said insert, can be easily found by the cyclist&#39;s thumb.  
         [0038]     The hood may be prepared by firstly pouring a silicon rubber having a Shore A hardness rating of about 30 to about 35 in molds having the shape of the inserts  8 ,  9 ,  11  to be obtained, and then “partially” (preferably 50% cured) curing them. The partially cured inserts  8 ,  9 ,  11  are then placed in the appropriate places of a mold having the shape of the hood  3  to be obtained. A silicon rubber, preferably having a Shore A hardness rating of about 55 to about 60, is then poured in the mold so as to partially embed the softer inserts. Both the inserts and hood are then fully cured to form the hood. This is performed in two separate curing steps because the harder silicon rubber needs less curing time than the softer one. The curing time of the harder silicon rubber in the specific example is about half that of the softer one.