Abstract:
A bicycle shift control device comprises a control body supported by a mounting member, wherein the mounting member defines a handlebar mounting axis (HB); a movable operating body; a transmission that converts movement of the operating body into rotation of the control body; and an interface member movably mounted relative to the operating body. The interface member pivots around a pivot axis (P) for moving the operating body, wherein the pivot axis (P) is inclined relative to the handlebar mounting axis (HB). The interface member comprises a lever including an operating force receiving member and an operating force applying member extending from the operating force receiving member. The operating force receiving member extends from the pivot axis (P), and free ends of the operating force receiving member and the operating force applying member are spaced apart from each other.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/711,702 filed Sep. 30, 2004 and titled “Bicycle Shift Device Having a Linearly Sliding Shift Lever Operated by a Pivoting Interface Member.” 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a bicycle shift control device which operates a shifting mechanism via a shift control cable, and specifically concerns a device in which a take-up body that takes up the shift control cable is caused to rotate in the take-up direction by means of a first shift lever which freely returns to a home position, and is caused to rotate in the pay-out direction by means of a second shift lever which freely returns to a separate home position. 
     A bicycle shift control device of the type noted above for operating a shifting mechanism via a shift control cable is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,138. The shift control device includes a control body for mounting to a bicycle in close proximity to a handlebar for controlling a pulling and releasing of the shift control cable. A first lever is mounted to the control body for movement which causes the control body to effect pulling of the shift control cable, and a second lever is mounted to the control body for movement which causes the control body to effect releasing of the shift control cable. One lever is pivotally coupled to the control body, and the other lever is coupled for linear movement relative to the control body. The lever structured for linear movement is coupled to a transmission mechanism for operating the control body in such a way that very little linear movement is needed to operate the control body. The transmission mechanism includes a plurality of ratchet teeth disposed in a common plane, wherein the path of movement of the linear operating body is parallel to the plane of the ratchet teeth. 
     Since the linearly moving lever moves in a direction perpendicular to the handlebar, for optimum operation the rider must position his or her thumb directly in front of the linearly operating lever and press the lever in the direction perpendicular to the handlebar. However, during competitive riding the rider usually does not want to worry about having to precisely position the thumb to operate the shifting device. Thus, it is desirable to have a shift control device of the kind noted above wherein the rider does not have to precisely position the thumb in front of the linearly operating lever for optimum operation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to various features of a bicycle shift control device. In one embodiment, a bicycle shift control device comprises a control body supported by a mounting member, wherein the mounting member defines a handlebar mounting axis (HB); a movable operating body; a transmission that converts movement of the operating body into rotation of the control body; and an interface member movably mounted relative to the operating body. The interface member pivots around a pivot axis (P) for moving the operating body, wherein the pivot axis (P) is inclined relative to the handlebar mounting axis (HB). The interface member comprises a lever including an operating force receiving member and an operating force applying member extending from the operating force receiving member. The operating force receiving member extends from the pivot axis (P), and free ends of the operating force receiving member and the operating force applying member are spaced apart from each other. 
     Additional inventive features will become apparent from the description below, and such features alone or in combination with the above features may form the basis of further inventions as recited in the claims and their equivalents. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a particular embodiment of a shift control device according to the present invention attached to a handlebar; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the shift control device; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the shift control device; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the shift control device, taken along line IV-IV in  FIG. 2 , in an inoperative state; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the shift control device showing the linearly operating body in an operating position; 
         FIG. 6  is a detailed bottom view of the linearly operating body in a home position; 
         FIG. 7  is a detailed bottom view of the linearly operating body in an operating position; and 
         FIGS. 8-11  are top views of relevant components of alternative embodiments of the shift control device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS. 1-7  are various views of a particular embodiment of a shift control device  105  according to the present invention. As shown in those Figures, shift control device  105  is constructed for pulling and releasing a shift control cable  104 , and it includes a mounting bracket  103  with an annular mounting sleeve  103 A defining a handlebar mounting axis (HB), wherein mounting sleeve  103 A fits around a handlebar  101  to fasten bracket  103  to handlebar  101  in a known manner. An arm-shaped linearly sliding first operating body  220  ( FIGS. 4-7 ) of shift control device  105  is slidingly mounted to an intermediate bracket  227  attached to mounting bracket  103  through a screw  228 . Sliding operating body  220  is located below handlebar  101  and terminates at an end  201  forming an abutment. An interface member in the form of an operating tab  202  with an operating force receiving surface  203 , an operating force applying surface  204  and parallel spaced mounting ears  206  and  208  is pivotably coupled to corresponding parallel spaced mounting ears  210  and  212  on intermediate bracket  227  through a pivot shaft  216  and a C-clip  217 , wherein pivot shaft  216  extends through openings  221 ,  222 ,  224  and  226  in mounting ears  206 ,  208 ,  210  and  212 , respectively so that operating tab  202  pivots around a pivot axis (P). A decorative cap  232  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) having the same general structure as operating tab  202  also may be pivotably mounted to mounting ears  210  and  212  on intermediate bracket  227  or may be otherwise placed over operating tab  202  in order to vary the shape or inclination of the surface that is operated by the thumb. 
     A pivoting second operating body  130  of the shift control device  105  also extends below the handlebar  101 . A finger contacting part  132  of operating body  130 , in the form of a button, is disposed beneath and to the right of operating tab  202 . As a result, operation of both operating bodies is possible with the thumb of the hand gripping the handlebar  101 . 
     As is shown in  FIG. 3 , shift control device  105  includes a pawl support plate  106  with a supporting shaft  108  and a pivot pin  152 , all of which are rigidly fastened to bracket  103  by means of an attachment bolt  107 , a washer  107   a  and a nut  109 . A control body in the form of a take-up body  170  is mounted around supporting shaft  108  for rotation around a rotational axis (X). A first ratchet mechanism  150 , used as a first transmission, transmits the displacement of sliding operating body  220  to the take-up body  170  to cause the rotation of the take-up body  170  in one direction, and a second ratchet mechanism  160 , used as a second transmission, transmits the displacement of pivoting operating body  130  to the take-up body  170  to cause the rotation of the take-up body  170  in the other direction. In this embodiment, displacement of pivoting operating body  130  causes the take-up body  170  to pull on cable  104 , and displacement of sliding operating body  220  causes the. take-up body  170  to release cable  104 . 
     The take-up body  170  is equipped with a drum part  169  which is constructed so that the shift control cable  104  from a shifting mechanism (not shown) on the front or rear of the bicycle is taken up along a wire groove  174 . By rotating in the forward direction or reverse direction with respect to the supporting shaft  108 , the take-up body  170  takes up or pays out the shift control cable  104 . Take-up body  170  is coupled to a drive plate  171  for integral rotation therewith. As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , drive plate  171  includes a plurality of drive teeth  173  and a plurality of position retaining teeth  172 , all of which are disposed in a common plane (T), as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     Sliding operating body  220  includes a pawl pushing roller  250  rotatably mounted between roller support ears  254  and  256  disposed at a pawl operating end  258  of sliding operating body  220  through a pivot shaft  260  and a C-clip  270 , wherein pivot shaft  260  extends through openings  264  and  266  in mounting ears  254  and  256 , respectively. Sliding operating body  220  is slidingly mounted to intermediate bracket  227  between a release plate  274 , slide shims  276  and  278 , and a release plate bushing  280 , all of which are mounted to intermediate bracket  227  through bolts  282  (only one such bolt is shown in  FIG. 3 ) that extend through openings  284 ,  286 ,  288  and  290  in release plate  274 , slide shims  276  and  278  and release plate bushing  280 , respectively, and through two pairs of opposed openings  292  (only two such openings are shown in  FIG. 3 ) in intermediate bracket  227 . Sliding operating body  220  also includes an elongated opening  294  for accommodating bolts  282  so that bolts  282  do not interfere with the sliding operation of sliding operating body  220 . 
     Release plate  274  includes a spring coupling abutment  298 . One end of a return spring  300  is attached to spring coupling abutment  298 , and the other end of return spring  300  is attached to mounting ear  256  in sliding operating body  220  through an opening  304 . Return spring  300  biases sliding operating body  220  toward a home position (HP 1 ) shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 . 
     The first ratchet mechanism  150  comprises a first pawl  151  that is rotatably attached to pivot pin  152  extending from pawl support plate  106 , the plurality of position retaining teeth  172  which are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the drive plate  171 , and a spring  153  which drives the first pawl  151  clockwise (in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ) in the direction of engagement with position retaining teeth  172 . First pawl  151  includes pawl tips  151 A and  151 B for engaging position retaining teeth  172  and a pawl operating part  151 C for engaging pawl pushing roller  250  on sliding operating member  220 . The operation of first ratchet mechanism  150  is the same as in the shift control device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,138, incorporated herein by reference, so a detailed description of its operation shall be omitted. The path of motion of sliding operating body  220  is substantially parallel to the ratchet teeth plane (T). 
     The pivoting operating body  130  is equipped with a second arm part  131 , the second finger contact part  132  which is formed on the tip of the second arm part  131  in order to allow finger operation, and a pawl supporting part  133 . A spring  111  is connected between washer  107 A and pawl supporting part  133  for biasing pivoting operating body  130 , and hence finger contacting part  132 , to a second home position HP 2  shown by solid lines in  FIG. 1 . The path of motion of pivoting operating body  130 , from second home position HP 2  to a second shift position shown by broken lines in  FIG. 1 , is substantially parallel to the ratchet teeth plane (T). 
     The second ratchet mechanism  160  comprises a second pawl  161  that is rotatably attached to a pivot pin  162  extending from pawl supporting part  133 , the plurality of drive teeth  173  formed on the outer circumferential surface of the drive plate  171 , and a spring  163  which biases the second pawl  161  clockwise (in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ) in the direction of engagement with drive teeth  173 . When pivoting operating body  130  is in the home position (HP 2 ) shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a tip  161 A of pawl  161  rests on a ledge  272 D of intermediate bracket  227 , thus uncoupling pawl  161  from drive plate  172 . The operation of second ratchet mechanism  160  also is the same as the shift control device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,138, so a detailed description of its operation shall be omitted. 
     Because sliding operating body  220  operates pawl  151  by pressing pawl pressing roller  250  against pawl operating part  151 C when sliding operating body  220  moves from the first home position HP 1  shown in  FIG. 6  to a first shift position shown in  FIG. 7 , very little movement (e.g., 9 millimeters) is required to operate pawl  151 . Operating force receiving surface  203  of operating tab  202  is inclined relative to a horizontal axis (H) which, in this embodiment, is parallel to ratchet teeth plane (T). Thus, operating tab  202  will pivot counterclockwise as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  even if the rider&#39;s thumb applies a vertically downward force. As a result of the small movement required to operate pawl  151  and the inclined nature of operating tab  202 , operating tab  202  may operate sliding operating body  220  without requiring the rider to press perpendicular to the handlebar and without precision placement of the rider&#39;s thumb. Indeed, even a downward sliding motion of the thumb could operate sliding operating body  220  across the front face of shift control device  105 . 
     While the above is a description of various embodiments of the present invention, further modifications may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, operating body  220  may cause take-up body  170  to rotate in the cable pay out direction, and operating body  130  may cause take-up body  170  to rotate in the cable take-up direction. If desired, operating body  220  may be constructed for pivoting displacement, and operating body  130  may be constructed for sliding displacement with the operating tab  202  described above. Both operating bodies  220  and  130  may be sliding operating bodies, each with their own operating tab. While the path of movement of sliding operating body  220  in the above embodiment is substantially parallel to the plane of the ratchet teeth (T), the path may vary, for example, by plus or minus thirty degrees. 
     While operating tab  202  pivoted around a pivot axis (P) that was substantially parallel to the handlebar axis (HB) in the above embodiments, the pivot axis (P) could be inclined relative to the handlebar axis (HB) by any degree to accommodate different riding styles. The configuration of operating tab  202  also could be changed accordingly. For example,  FIG. 8  is a top view of relevant components of an alternative embodiment shift control device  400  wherein an interface member in the form of an operating member  404  with an operating force receiving surface  405  and an operating force applying surface  406  is connected to the right side of intermediate bracket  227  through a pivot shaft  408  so that operating member  404  pivots around a pivot axis (P) that is substantially perpendicular to handlebar axis (HB) and is substantially parallel to rotational axis (X). Also, operating member  404  moves in a direction toward a plane (PL) that contains the handlebar mounting axis (HB) and is parallel with the rotational axis (X) when sliding operating body  220  moves from the home position toward the shift position. In this case, the cyclist may operate sliding operating body  220  by a leftward and/or forward sliding motion of the thumb or finger, thereby pressing operating member  404  toward handlebar axis (HB). 
       FIG. 9  is a top view of relevant components of another alternative embodiment shift control device  420  wherein an interface member in the form of a fan-shaped operating member  424  with an operating force receiving surface  425  and an operating force applying surface  426  is connected to the left side of intermediate bracket  227  through a pivot shaft  428  so that operating member  424  pivots around a pivot axis (P) that is substantially perpendicular to handlebar axis (HB) and is substantially parallel to rotational axis (X). Operating member  424  also moves in a direction toward plane (PL) when sliding operating body  220  moves from the home position toward the shift position. In this case, the cyclist may operate sliding operating body  220  by a rightward and/or forward sliding motion of the thumb or finger, thereby pressing operating member  424  toward handlebar axis (HB). 
       FIG. 10  is a top view of relevant components of another alternative embodiment shift control device  430  wherein an interface member in the form of a lever-shaped operating member  434  with an operating force receiving surface  435  and an operating force applying surface  436  is connected to the right side of intermediate bracket  227  through a pivot shaft  438  so that operating member  434  pivots around a pivot axis (P) that is substantially perpendicular to handlebar axis (HB) and is substantially parallel to rotational axis (X). Operating member  434  also moves in a direction toward plane (PL) when sliding operating body  220  moves from the home position toward the shift position. In this embodiment, operating member  434  is an L-shaped member having an operating force receiving member  437  extending from pivot shaft  438  and an operating force applying member  439  extending from pivot shaft  438  substantially perpendicular to operating force receiving member  437  such that pivot shaft  438  is located at the junction of operating force receiving member  437  and operating force applying member  439 , and operating force applying surface  436  is disposed in front of handlebar axis (HB). Thus, the cyclist may operate sliding operating body  220  by a rearward and/or lateral sliding motion of the thumb or finger, thereby pressing operating force receiving member  437  toward handlebar axis (HB). 
       FIG. 11  is a top view of relevant components of another alternative embodiment shift control device  440  wherein an interface member in the form of a lever-shaped operating member  444  with an operating force receiving surface  445  and an operating force applying surface  446  is connected to the right side of intermediate bracket  227  through a pivot shaft  448  so that operating member  444  pivots around a pivot axis (P) that is substantially perpendicular to handlebar axis (HB) and is substantially parallel to rotational axis (X). Operating member  444  also moves in a direction toward plane (PL) when sliding operating body  220  moves from the home position toward the shift position. In this embodiment as well, operating member  444  is an L-shaped member having an operating force receiving member  447  extending from pivot shaft  448  and an operating force applying member  449  extending from pivot shaft  448  substantially perpendicular to operating force receiving member  447  such that pivot shaft  448  is located at the junction of operating force receiving member  447  and operating force applying member  449 , and operating force applying surface  446  is disposed behind handlebar axis (HB). Thus, the cyclist may operate sliding operating body  220  by a forward and/or lateral sliding motion of the thumb or finger, thereby pressing operating force receiving member  447  toward handlebar axis (HB). 
     The size, shape, location or orientation of the various components may be changed as desired. Components that are shown directly connected or contacting each other may have intermediate structures disposed between them. The functions of one element may be performed by two, and vice versa. The structures and functions of one embodiment may be adopted in another embodiment. It is not necessary for all advantages to be present in a particular embodiment at the same time. Every feature that is unique from the prior art, alone or in combination with other features, also should be considered a separate description of further inventions by the applicant, including the structural and/or functional concepts embodied by such feature(s). Thus, the scope of the invention should not be limited by the specific structures disclosed or the apparent initial focus or emphasis on a particular structure or feature.