Abstract:
A bicycle is provided including a tubular frame having interconnected tubes defining hollow passageways. A curvilinear hollow handlebar is operatively coupled to the frame. The handlebar includes at least one aperture and an opening providing access to the passageways in the frame. A control lever is operatively mounted to the handlebar for controlling a component of the bicycle. A control cable has a first end fixedly secured to the control lever and a second end adapted to be secured to the component of the bicycle for actuation thereof. The control cable extends through the aperture into the handlebar and through the opening of the handlebar into the passageways of the frame between the first and second ends to conceal the control cable within the frame and the handlebar.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to and all the benefits of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/634,846, filed on Dec. 10, 2004 and entitled “Method To Conceal Bicycle Control Cables Within The Handlebars, Stem And Frame.” 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The invention relates to a bicycle and, more particularly, to a bicycle and method of concealing control cables within the handlebars, stem and frame of the bicycle.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Bicycles include control cables, which are used to control front and rear wheel braking systems and front and rear shifting mechanisms, such as front and rear derailleurs. Typically, the control cables are routed from brake and shift levers to the braking systems and derailleurs, using one of two possible methods or a combination thereof.  
         [0006]     In a first method, the control cables exit the brake and/or shift levers mounted to a handlebar and are routed along the handlebar. The portion of the control cables routed along the handlebar is concealed underneath padding of the handlebar. At a point, slightly ahead of the point where the handlebar is affixed to a stem, the control cables are exposed and routed directly to attachment points on the frame of the bicycle. Typically, clips, bosses or other means are used to affix the control cables to the frame. A generally large loop of control cable runs between the handlebar and frame, to allow for turning of the handlebar.  
         [0007]     In a second method, similar to the first, the control cables exit the brake and/or shift levers and are routed directly to the cable attachment points on the frame. In this methodology, there is no attempt made to conceal the control cables along the handlebar.  
         [0008]     In either method, the exposed portion of the control cables detracts from the overall aesthetics of the bicycle, as well as potentially obscuring any artwork or graphics applied to the bicycle. Additionally, the exposed cable segments are susceptible to snagging, fouling and corrosion, while adversely contributing to the overall aerodynamic drag on the bicycle.  
         [0009]     Current bicycle designs do not address the aforementioned problems. Some bicycles do provide for routing of the control cables through the frame, but maintain the exposed segments of cable between the handlebar and the cable attachment points on the frame. Systems incorporating variants of this methodology are detailed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,478,100, 4,768,798, and 4,974,864.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     According to one aspect of the invention, a bicycle is provided including a tubular frame having interconnected tubes defining hollow passageways. A curvilinear hollow handlebar is operatively coupled to the frame. The handlebar includes at least one aperture and an opening providing access to the passageways in the frame. A control lever is operatively mounted to the handlebar for controlling a component of the bicycle. A control cable has a first end fixedly secured to the control lever and a second end adapted to be secured to the component of the bicycle for actuation thereof. The control cable extends through the aperture into the handlebar and through the opening of the handlebar into the passageways of the frame between the first and second ends to conceal the control cable within the frame and the handlebar.  
         [0011]     According to another aspect of the invention there is provided, a method of concealing a control cable within a handlebar, stem, fork and frame of a bicycle, the method comprising the step of routing the cable into the handlebar and through the handlebar, stem, fork and frame, to conceal the cable within an envelope of the primary structural components of the bicycle. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     Advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a bicycle according to the preferred embodiment of the invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is an opposing side view of the bicycle;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a handlebar and fork assembly of the bicycle of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the handlebar and fork assembly;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the handlebar and fork assembly;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the fork assembly;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the handlebar and control cables;  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the handlebar with the control cables in phantom;  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of the handlebar and fork assembly of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 , with the fork in a straight ahead position;  
         [0023]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  11 - 11  of  FIG. 9 , with the fork in the straight ahead position; and  
         [0024]      FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  11 - 11  of  FIG. 10 , with the fork rotated away from the straight ahead position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0025]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the preferred embodiment of the invention includes a bicycle, generally shown at  10 , having a curvilinear handlebar  12  operatively coupled to a tubular frame, generally indicated at  14 . Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 7 , the handlebar  12  includes apertures  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  for receiving control cables  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  originating at control levers  32 ,  34  that are operatively mounted to the handlebar  12 . The apertures  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  allow the control cables  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  to be routed from the control levers  32 ,  34  directly into the handlebar  12 , in such a manner as to substantially conceal them, thus improving the aesthetics of the bicycle  10 . Handlebar tape, grips or a cover could additionally be incorporated, to further conceal the control cables  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30 . The control cables may be for example a push-pull Bowden-type cable assembly. The number of apertures, their position and configuration, as well as handlebar style, may be varied without affecting the fundamental spirit or scope of the invention.  
         [0026]     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3  and  7 , each of the control levers  32 ,  34  operatively mounted to the handlebar  12  include a brake lever  36 ,  38  and a shift lever  40 ,  42 . The front brake cable  24  and front derailleur cable  26  extend between first ends  44 ,  46  fixedly secured to the brake and shift levers  36 ,  40  and second ends  48 ,  50  adapted to be secured to a front brake  52  and front derailleur  54 , respectively. The front brake and derailleur cables  24 ,  26  control the front brake  52  and front derailleur  54  when the brake and shift levers  36 ,  40  are actuated. The rear brake cable  28  and rear derailleur cable  30  extend between first ends  56 ,  58  fixedly secured to the brake and shift levers  38 ,  42  and second ends  60 ,  62  adapted to be secured to a rear brake  64  and rear derailleur  66 , respectively. The rear brake and derailleur cables  28 ,  30  control the rear brake  64  and rear derailleur  66  when the brake and shift levers  38 ,  42  are actuated. Additional control cables, levers, electric wires or alternate systems and control lever configurations could be included without changing the fundamental spirit or scope of the invention  
         [0027]     Referring to  FIG. 9 , a stem  68  for securing the handlebar  12  to the frame  14  of the bicycle  10  includes an axial bore  70  therethrough. The stem  68  extends between a first end  72  fixedly secured to the handlebar  12  and a second end  74  fixedly secured to a fork, generally indicated at  76 , rotatably coupled to the frame  14 . The control cables  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  exit the handlebar  12  via an opening  78 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , located in the rear of the center section of the handlebar  12 . Referring again to  FIG. 9 , this opening  78  communicates with the axial bore  70  of the stem  68  and allows for unhindered passage of the control cables  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  through the stem  68 .  
         [0028]     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2 , and  9 , the tubular frame  14  of the bicycle  10  includes a seat tube  80 , head tube  82 , top tube  84 , down tube  86 , and a bottom bracket  88  interconnected to define hollow passageways  90  therethrough. The top tube  84  extends between upper ends  92 ,  94  of the seat tube  80  and head tube  82 . The down tube  86  extends between lower ends  96 ,  98  of the seat tube  80  and head tube  82 . A pair of chain stays  100 ,  102  extend from the bottom bracket  88  to a rear drop-out  104 . A pair of seat stays  106 ,  108  extend from the upper end  92  of the seat tube  80  to the rear drop-out  104 . In the preferred embodiment, connection points between the tubes are welded, but any suitable joining process such as gluing or press-fitting may be used.  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 9 , the fork  76  includes a fork steerer tube  110  extending through the head tube  82  of the frame  14 . Upper and lower headset bearing assemblies  112 ,  114  are disposed in the upper and lower ends  94 ,  98  of the head tube  82 . The stem  68  is fixedly secured to the fork steerer tube  110  via a standard pinch bolt clamping arrangement. As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , a shim  116  is disposed within the head tube  82  adjacent to the fork steerer tube  110  to improve the clamping action between the stem  68  and the fork steerer tube  110 . Further, the shim  116  serves to enhance and stiffen the interface between the fork steerer tube  110  and the upper headset bearing assembly  112 .  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 9 , the stem  68  also includes a stem cap  118  having tension bolts  120  for adjusting the preload of the bearings in the upper and lower headset bearing assemblies  112 ,  114 . Preloading of the bearings is achieved by loosening stem clamping bolts  122 , and adjusting the tension bolts  120  of the stem cap  118 , which are attached to the fork steerer tube  110  via an integral bar  124 . Once the desired level of preload is achieved, the stem clamping bolts  122  are tightened, as required.  
         [0031]     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 9 , the fork steerer tube  110  of the fork  76  includes an axial bore  126  extending between a top end  128  and a bottom end  130 . The control cables  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  enter the top end  128  of the fork steerer tube  110  via a front slot  132 , incorporated into the fork steerer tube  110 . The front brake cable  24  is routed through the axial bore  126  of the fork steerer tube  110  and exits at the bottom end  130  to be secured to the front brake  52 , as shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0032]     The rear brake cable  28 , and the front and rear derailleur cables  26 ,  30  exit the fork steerer tube  110  through a rear slot  134  in the fork steerer tube  110 . The rear brake, front and rear derailleur cables  28 ,  26 ,  30  are then routed along a flat rear face  136  of the fork steerer tube  110 , through the upper headset bearing assembly  112 , into the head tube  82  of the frame  14 . The rear brake, front and rear derailleur cables  28 ,  26 ,  30  are then routed into the frame  14  via a passage  138 , which communicates between the head tube  82  and the down tube  86 . The rear brake cable  28  exits the down tube  86  via an opening  140  to be secured to the rear brake  64 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The front derailleur cable  26  is routed from the down tube  86  into the seat tube  80  and exits the seat tube  80  via an opening  142  to be secured to the front derailleur  54 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The rear derailleur cable  30  is routed from the down tube  86  into one of the chain stays  102  and exits the chain stay  102  via an opening  144  to be secured to the rear derailleur  66 , as shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0033]     This method allows the control cables  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  to pass through the handlebar  12 , stem  68 , and frame  14  in a manner, which is unhindered and does not hinder the bicycle&#39;s steering mechanism, as shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . It should be obvious to one skilled in the art that an additional passage  146  could be placed between the head tube  82  and top tube  84 , facilitating alternate control cable routing configurations within the frame  14  of the bicycle  10 , without altering the fundamental spirit and scope of the invention.  
         [0034]     The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.