Abstract:
A bicycle control apparatus configured to allow a rider to effect a release gear shift without releasing his grip from the handlebar. The bicycle control apparatus includes a brake lever and a shift lever wherein the shift lever is moveable in a first direction to perform a release shift operation and movable in a second direction toward the handlebar independently of the brake lever.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/906,730 filed on Mar. 3, 2005 entitled Bicycle Shifter. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a bicycle control apparatus, and more particularly, to a bicycle control apparatus having a brake lever and a shift lever wherein the shift lever is movable in a first direction to perform a shift operation and movable in a second direction toward the handlebar independently of the brake lever.  
         [0003]     Some bicycle road shifters position a release shift lever behind the brake lever, the shift lever being actuable inboard toward the bicycle frame to effect a cable unwinding or release operation. A disadvantage found in some such designs is that although the release shift lever is configured to pivot rearwardly toward the handlebar with the brake lever, the shift lever is not configured to pivot rearwardly independently of the brake lever. This prevents riders from positioning the release shift lever closer to the handlebar for gear shifts when not braking. Accordingly, to effect a release shift, riders must at least partially release their grips from the handlebar and reach forward with at least one finger to displace the release shift lever inboard. Other bicycle road shifters are designed to include a release shift lever on the inboard side of the shifter hood, also requiring riders to release their grips on the handlebar at least partially to push the lever down with their thumbs. Therefore, there is a need for a bicycle road shifter that allows the rider to maintain a grip on the bar while operating a gear shift lever to effect a release shift.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention provides a bicycle control apparatus that allows a rider to perform a release gear shift operation, typically a cable unwinding, without releasing his grip from the handlebar. Accordingly, the bicycle control apparatus includes a housing mountable to a bicycle handlebar, a brake lever assembly and a shift lever assembly. The brake lever assembly includes a brake lever movable toward the handlebar. The shift lever assembly includes at least one shift lever movable in a first direction to perform a release gear shift operation and movable in a second direction, toward the handlebar, independently of the brake lever. In one embodiment, the shift lever assembly may include a single shift lever configured to be movable in the first direction to perform both cable-winding and cable-unwinding gear shift operations. In other embodiments, the shift lever assembly may include discrete shift levers for cable winding and unwinding operations. The shift lever according to this invention is configured to move with the brake lever toward the handlebar during brake lever actuation. The shift lever is rotatable about a first axis in the first direction to perform the release shift operation and rotatable about a second axis in the second direction toward the handlebar. The second axis may lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first axis. In other embodiments of the present invention, the second axis need not lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first axis. Typically the brake lever is rotatable about a brake lever axis substantially parallel to the second axis of the shift lever.  
         [0005]     In one embodiment of the present invention, the shift lever includes first and second portions. Both portions of the shift lever are movable in the first direction to perform a gear shift operation, the second portion of the shift lever is movable in the second direction toward the handlebar. This configuration allows the rider to position the shift lever closer to the handlebar to perform a release shift operation without releasing his grip on the handlebar. The first and second portions of the shift lever are rotatable about the first axis in the first direction and the second portion is rotatable about the second axis in the second direction toward the handlebar. The second axis may lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first axis. In other embodiments, the second axis need not lie in a plane perpendicular to the first axis.  
         [0006]     These and other features and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description of various embodiments of the invention, taken together with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     In the drawings:  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bicycle control apparatus mounted to a drop-style handlebar according to one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a partial cross-sectional view of a bicycle control apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the bicycle control apparatus of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0011]      FIGS. 4   a - 4   f  are cross-sectional views of a holding mechanism and a drive mechanism at different stages of a cable-release operation;  
         [0012]      FIGS. 5   a - 5   h  are cross-sectional views of the holding mechanism and the drive mechanism of  FIGS. 4   a - 4   f  at different stages of a cable-pull operation;  
         [0013]      FIG. 6   a  is a perspective view of a rider&#39;s hand gripping the drop of the handlebar, the rider&#39;s index finger released from its grip on the handlebar and in contact with the shift lever positioned behind the brake lever according to a first mode of shift lever operation;  
         [0014]      FIG. 6   b  is a perspective view of a rider&#39;s hand gripping the drop of the handlebar, the rider&#39;s index finger deflecting the shift lever inboard to effect a gear shift according to a first mode of shift lever operation;  
         [0015]      FIG. 7   a  is a perspective view of the rider&#39;s hand gripping the drop of the handlebar, the rider&#39;s index finger released from its grip on the handlebar and in contact with the shift lever positioned behind the brake lever according to a second mode of shift lever operation;  
         [0016]      FIG. 7   b  is a perspective view of the rider&#39;s hand gripping the drop of the handlebar, the rider&#39;s index finger drawing the shift lever toward the handlebar according to a second mode of shift lever operation;  
         [0017]      FIG. 7   c  is a perspective view of the rider&#39;s hand gripping the drop of the handlebar, the shift lever within the rider&#39;s grasp as he twists his hand to effect a release shift operation according to a second mode of shift lever operation;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7   d  is a perspective view of the rider&#39;s hand gripping the drop of the handlebar, the rider&#39;s index finger releasing the shift lever toward its rest position behind the brake lever according to a second mode of shift lever operation; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a top view of a bicycle control apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention with a different axis orientation.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]      FIGS. 1-7  illustrate a bicycle control apparatus  10  mountable to a handlebar  12  according to one embodiment of the present invention. The bicycle control apparatus  10  generally includes a housing  18 , a shift lever assembly  21  and a brake lever assembly  23 . The housing  18  is mountable to a handlebar  12 , typically a drop-style handler found on a road bike. Looking to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the handlebar  12  includes an upper portion  13  extending across the bicycle frame (not shown), a curved portion  15  extending downward from the upper portion, and a lower portion  17  extending rearward toward the rider. The curved portion  15  and the lower portion  17  are commonly referred to as the “drops.” The housing  18  is typically mounted to the curved portion  15  of the handlebar  12  by a clamp  14  and a bolt  16 .  
         [0021]     The shift lever assembly  21  pulls or releases a control cable  11  connected to gear change mechanism (not shown) to shift between various gear positions. The gear change mechanism may be a derailleur or other external or internal gear change devices. In this embodiment, the shift lever assembly  21  generally includes the housing  18 , a shift lever  20 , a takeup member  22 , a holding mechanism  24  and a drive mechanism  26 . In this embodiment, the shift lever assembly  21  is integrated with the brake lever assembly  23 . The brake lever assembly  23  includes a brake lever  28  pivotable about a shaft  30  or brake lever axis  31 . The brake lever  28  is displaceable or movable toward the handlebar  12  to pull a brake cable (not shown) to slow the bicycle. Alternatively, the brake lever assembly may be separate from the shift lever assembly.  
         [0022]     Looking to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , in this embodiment, the housing  18  is mounted to the handlebar  12 , a mounting shaft  32  or a first axis  33  extending through the housing  18 . The shift lever  20  is biased toward a rest position, preferably tucked behind the brake lever  28 , by a preloaded shift lever return spring  38 . A first leg  40  of the shift lever return spring  38  is coupled with the housing  18  while a second leg  44  of the shift lever return spring  38  is coupled with the shift lever  20 . The shift lever  20  includes a first portion  34  rotatably mounted to the shaft  32 , and a second portion  36  preferably paddle-shaped for easy reach by the rider&#39;s fingers. The second portion  36  of shift lever  20  is configured to rotate about shaft  32  along with first portion  34 , and to rotate about a lever shaft  48  or second axis  49  mounted to the first portion  34  of the shift lever  20 . The second axis  49  may lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first axis  33 . Alternatively, the second axis  49  need not lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first axis  33 , for example, it may be parallel to the brake axis  31  (see  FIG. 8 ). The second portion  36  of the shift lever  20  is biased by a preloaded return spring  50  mounted coaxially with the lever shaft  48 . A first leg of the return spring  50  is coupled with the second portion  36  of the shift lever  20  while a second leg of the return spring  50  is supported by the first portion  34  of the shift lever  20 . In this embodiment, the second portion  36  of the shift lever  20  moves with the brake lever  28  when the brake lever  28  is actuated toward the handlebar. Further, the second portion  36  of the shift lever  20  is displaceable toward the handlebar independently of the brake lever  28 .  
         [0023]     The takeup member  22 , in this embodiment a spool, is rotatably mounted to the shaft  32 . The takeup member  22  includes a groove  52  along its periphery for receiving the control cable  11 . The takeup member  22  is biased in the cable-release direction by tension in the control cable  11  and, preferably, by a takeup member return spring  54 . The takeup member return spring  54  is biased between the takeup member  22  and the housing  18 . The return spring  54  includes a first leg  56  received in an opening  58  in the takeup member  22 , and a second leg  60  received in an opening  62  in the housing  18 .  
         [0024]     Looking to  FIGS. 2-5   h , the shift lever assembly  21  includes a ratchet wheel  64  having a plurality of teeth  66  about its periphery, while the holding mechanism  24  includes a holding pawl  68  engageable with the teeth  66  to prevent unwinding of the takeup member  22 . The ratchet wheel  64  is rotatably mounted to the shaft  32  and rotates with the takeup member  22 . The ratchet wheel teeth  66  correspond to gear positions of the gear change mechanism. Alternatively, the ratchet wheel  64  and the takeup member  22  may be formed as one piece. The holding pawl  68  is rotatable about a holding pawl pivot  70  fixed to the housing  18 , and is axially positioned by a retaining ring  72 . The holding pawl  68  includes a body  74  and a nose  76  extending from the body  74 . The holding pawl nose  76  is biased to engage the ratchet wheel teeth  66  by a preloaded holding pawl spring  78  coaxially mounted to the holding pawl pivot  70 . A first leg  80  of the holding pawl spring  78  is received in an opening in the housing  18 , and a second leg  86  is supported by the holding pawl  68 .  
         [0025]     The drive mechanism  26  includes a drive pawl  84  rotatably mounted about a drive pawl pivot  90  fixed to the shift lever  20 . The drive pawl  84  is axially positioned by a retaining ring  92 . The drive pawl  84  includes a body  94 , a nose  96  extending from the body  94 , and a tail  98 . A drive pawl spring  100  biases the drive pawl nose  96  toward the ratchet wheel teeth  66 . The tail  98  of the drive pawl  84  rests against a declutching element  88 , in this embodiment, a declutching wall  88  of the housing  18 , when the shift lever  20  is in its rest position.  
         [0026]     The shift lever  20  has two modes of operation. Prior to the first mode of operation, the shift lever  20  is biased toward a rest position, the second portion  36  of the shift lever preferably positioned behind the brake lever  28  as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 , and  6 . To perform a cable release shift, both the first and second portions  34 ,  36  of the shift lever  20  are rotated about the shaft  32  in a first direction A for a first shift movement toward the bicycle frame. In the shifter embodiment shown, the shift lever  20  may also be pivoted in the same direction for a second shift movement to pull the control cable  11 , the second shift movement being greater than the first shift movement. In alternative embodiments, the shift lever assembly  21  may be configured to perform only cable release gear changes. To shift gears in the first mode of operation, the rider partially releases his grip on the handlebar and uses a finger to push the paddle  36  inboard in direction A (see  FIGS. 6   a ,  6   b ). During the second mode of operation, before performing a shift operation, the rider draws the second portion of the shift lever  20  toward the handlebar  12  independently of the brake lever  28  ( FIGS. 7   a ,  7   b ). Then with the paddle  36  in his grasp, the rider twists his hand to perform a release shift, the shift operation performed by rotating both first and second portions  34 ,  36  about the shaft  32  to release the control cable  11  ( FIG. 7   c ). In the second mode of operation the rider need not remove his hand from the drops of the handlebar to perform a release shift, he simply twists his wrist to move the shift lever in the first direction. After the release shift, the rider may release the shift lever  20  to its rest position behind the brake lever  23  ( FIG. 7   d ) or alternatively may continue to grasp the shift lever in preparation for a subsequent release shift.  
         [0027]     Looking to  FIGS. 4   a - 4   f , a cable-release operation is described. Before the shift lever  20  is actuated, the tail  98  of the drive pawl  84  rests against the declutching wall  88  positioning the shift lever  20  in its rest position ( FIG. 4   a ). Further, the takeup member  22  and the ratchet wheel  64  are retained in a selected gear position by the holding pawl  68 , shown engaging a corresponding first tooth  102 .  
         [0028]     Looking to  FIG. 4   b , as the shift lever  20  is actuated by the rider, the lever  20  rotates about the shaft  32 , moving the drive pawl  84  away from the declutching wall  88  and pivoting the drive pawl nose  96  toward the ratchet wheel teeth  66 . Looking to  FIG. 4   c , as the lever  20  is further rotated, the drive pawl nose  96  engages the holding pawl nose  76  causing the holding pawl  68  to release the first tooth  102  of the ratchet wheel  64 . Once released, the ratchet wheel  64  rotates about the shaft  32  in the cable-release direction until the first tooth  102  engages the drive pawl nose  96 . This action provides both audible and tactile feedback to the rider signaling the rider to release the shift lever  20  to complete the cable-release operation.  
         [0029]     Looking to  FIG. 4   d , as the shift lever  20  is released toward its rest position, the ratchet wheel  64  rotates in the cable-release direction. Further, the holding pawl nose  76  moves toward engagement with a recess  104  associated with an adjoining second tooth  106  of the ratchet wheel  64 , and the drive pawl tail  98  moves toward engagement with the declutching wall  88 . As the shift lever  20  rotates further toward its rest position, the drive pawl nose  96  pivots further away from the ratchet wheel teeth  66  biased by the drive pawl as the drive pawl tail  98  bears against the declutching wall  88  ( FIG. 4   e ). When the drive pawl  84  disengages from the ratchet wheel teeth  66 , the ratchet wheel  64  rotates in the cable-release direction under the force of the control cable  11  and the takeup member return spring  54 , until the holding pawl nose  76  engages the second adjoining ratchet wheel tooth  106 , resulting in a single increment gear shift in the cable release direction. At the end of the cable-release operation, the drive pawl  84  moves back to its rest position against the declutching wall  88  ( FIG. 4   f ), positioning the shift lever  20  in its rest position.  
         [0030]     Looking to  FIGS. 5   a - 5   h , a cable-pull operation is described. Before the shift lever  20  is actuated, the drive pawl tail  98  rests against the declutching wall  88 , positioning the shift lever  20  is in its rest position ( FIG. 5   a ). So positioned, the ratchet wheel  64  is retained in a selected gear position with the holding pawl  68  engaging the first ratchet wheel tooth  102 . As the shift lever  20  is actuated by the rider in the shift direction, the drive pawl  84  moves away from the declutching wall  88 , positioning the drive pawl nose  96  toward the ratchet wheel teeth  66  ( FIG. 5   b ).  
         [0031]     Looking to  FIG. 5   c , as the shift lever  20  is further rotated, the drive pawl nose  96  engages the holding pawl nose  76 , driving the holding pawl nose  76  out of engagement with the first ratchet wheel tooth  102 . Once released, the ratchet wheel  64  rotates in the cable-release direction until the first tooth  102  engages the drive pawl nose  96 . As the shift lever  20  is further rotated in the shift direction, the drive pawl  84  drives the ratchet wheel  64  in cable-pull direction, as the holding pawl  68  free-clutches, the holding pawl nose  76  freely sliding along the ratchet wheel teeth  66  ( FIG. 5   d ).  
         [0032]     Looking to  FIG. 5   e , as the shift lever  20  is further rotated, the drive pawl  84  further rotates the ratchet wheel  64  in the cable-pull direction until the holding pawl  68  engages a next third tooth  110  on the ratchet wheel  64 , resulting in a single gear shift in the cable-pull direction. The rider is, of course, not limited to single gear shift increments in the cable-pull direction. The rider may readily shift multiple gear increments in the cable-pull direction by simply continuing to move the shift lever in the shift direction until the desired gear position is reached. Audible and tactile feedback is provided to the rider as each gear shift increment is passed.  
         [0033]     Looking to  FIG. 5   f , after the desired gear position is reached, the rider releases the shift lever  20  causing the shift lever  20  and the drive pawl  84  to rotate toward their rest positions under the force of the shift lever return spring  38 . As the shift lever  20  further rotates toward its rest position, the drive pawl tail  98  bears against the declutching wall  88  rotatably biasing the drive pawl  84  away from the ratchet wheel teeth  66  ( FIG. 5   g ). Looking to  FIG. 5   h , the drive pawl  84  is in its rest position against the declutching wall  88 , with the drive pawl nose  96  disengaged from the ratchet wheel  64 .  
         [0034]     While this invention has been described by reference to one or more preferred embodiments, it should be understood that numerous changes could be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but that it have the full scope permitted by the language of the following claims.