Abstract:
A mounting device is shown for mounting components to a bicycle handlebar having a handlebar axis. The mounting device includes a mounting bracket mountable to the handlebar about the handlebar axis. The mounting bracket includes a first clamp portion and a second clamp portion hingedly connected to the first clamp portion to interiorly receive the handlebar. An interior channel is defined by spaced sidewalls and formed in a portion of the circumferential length of one of the first and second clamp portions, and a hole is formed through the clamp portion and opens to the channel.

Description:
[0001]    This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/205,318; filed on Sep. 5, 2008. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to bicycle suspension systems and more particularly to a bicycle suspension system including a hydraulic control assembly to operate a bicycle suspension between first and second suspension settings. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention provides a mounting device for mounting components to a bicycle handlebar having a handlebar axis. The mounting device includes a mounting bracket mountable to the handlebar about the handlebar axis. The mounting bracket includes a first clamp portion and a second clamp portion hingedly connected to the first clamp portion to interiorly receive the handlebar. An interior channel is defined by spaced sidewalls and formed in a portion of the circumferential length of one of the first and second clamp portions, and a hole is formed through the clamp portion and opens to the channel. 
         [0004]    These and other features of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description of one or more embodiments of the invention, taken together with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    In the drawings: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of a bicycle suspension system according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged portion of the bicycle suspension system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a fluid pump of the bicycle suspension system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the fluid pump of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the fluid pump of  FIGS. 3 and 4 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a fluid responder of the bicycle suspension system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the fluid responder of  FIG. 6 ; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the fluid responder of  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]      FIGS. 1-8  illustrate a bicycle suspension system  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention. The bicycle suspension system  10  generally includes a bicycle suspension  12  and a hydraulic control assembly  14  for operating the bicycle suspension  12  between first and second suspension settings. Looking to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the bicycle suspension  12  is a bicycle front suspension fork having a crown  16  that is connected to a steerer tube  18 , a first leg  20  that may contain a biasing mechanism or spring assembly, and a second leg  22  that contains a damping assembly  24 . Each of the legs  20 ,  22  includes an inner tube  26  and an outer tube  28  slidably displaceable relative to each other. The inner and outer tubes  26 ,  28  are connected at their upper ends  30  to the crown  16  and to a wheel axle (not shown) at lower ends  32 , respectively. It is to be understood that although the present invention is described with respect to a front suspension fork, the bicycle suspension may be also be embodied in a rear shock, a seat post, or in similar applications on a bicycle frame. 
         [0015]    The damping assembly  24  includes a compression piston assembly  34  that slides within the inner tube  26  during compression and rebound of the suspension, and an orifice  36  through which fluid restrictively passes to dampen fork displacement in response to an applied load. The compression piston assembly  34  includes a piston  38  that is attached to a first end  40  of a piston rod  42 . The piston rod  42  extends through an end  44  of the inner tube  26  and has a second end  46  that is nonrotatably mounted to the outer tube  28 . 
         [0016]    The bicycle suspension  12  includes a lockout mechanism  48  for adjusting the suspension  12  between being a substantially rigid setting, the first suspension setting, and a substantially compressible setting, the second suspension setting. Alternatively, the suspension  12  may be adjusted between two or more substantially compressible settings. The lockout mechanism  48  includes a valve actuating assembly  50  that has a driver  52  that is rotated to open and close a valve mechanism  54 . The driver  52  has a first end  56  rotatably connected to the hydraulic control assembly  14  and a manual knob  58 , and a second end  60  rotatably connected to the valve mechanism  54 . 
         [0017]    The valve mechanism  54  includes a valve  62  and a valve seat  64  disposed in the inner tube  26 , the valve mechanism  54  dividing the inner tube  26  into first and second fluid chambers  66 ,  68 . The orifice  36  extends through the valve seat  64  to allow fluid flow between the chambers  66 ,  68 . The valve  62  is operable between an open position, which opens the orifice  36  to permit fluid flow between the chambers  66 ,  68 , and a closed position, which closes the orifice  36  to prevent fluid flow between the chambers  66 ,  68 . The valve  62  is biased toward the closed position by a valve spring  70 . An O-ring  72  about the valve seat  64  provides a seal between the first and second fluid chambers  66 ,  68 . The valve  62  includes a valve stem  74  that extends through the valve seat  64  into the first fluid chamber  66 . An end  76  of the valve stem  74  is received in a slot  78  of the driver  52 . Upon rotation of the driver  52 , the valve  62  rotates to open or close the orifice  36  depending on the direction of rotation. 
         [0018]    The hydraulic control assembly  14  generally includes a fluid pump  80 , a fluid responder  82  and a fluid path  84  linking the fluid pump and the fluid responder. Looking to  FIGS. 3-5 , the fluid pump  80  includes a first housing  86 , a first piston  88 , and a first actuator  90 . The first housing  86  is mountable to a bicycle handlebar  91  by a clamp  92 . Although the clamp  92  is shown as being integral with the first housing  86 , alternatively, it may be discrete from the first housing  86 . The first housing  86  includes a first fluid cavity  94  for receiving the first piston  88  slidably disposed therein and a first fill hole  96  for inserting fluid into the first fluid cavity  94 . A sealing screw  98  is threaded into the first fill hole  96 . 
         [0019]    The first piston  88  includes first and second ends  100 ,  102 . The first piston  88  is slidably displaceable between a first position and a second position. The first position may correspond to a substantially compressible suspension setting and the second position may correspond to a substantially rigid suspension setting. The first end  100  of the first piston  88  is connected to the first actuator  90  and the second end  102  includes an O-ring  104  to sealably connect the second end  102  of the piston  88  to the first housing  86 . 
         [0020]    The first actuator  90  includes a push-push toggle mechanism  93  including a push-button  106 , a locking element  108  and a retaining element  110 . The push-button  106  is connected to the first end  100  of the first piston  88 . The locking element  108  is configured to receive the first piston  88  and includes a plurality of ridges  112  on an inner surface of the locking element  108  for releasably engaging with a plurality of projections  114  on an outer surface of the first piston  88 . As the first piston  88  is displaced, by pushing the push-button  106 , the projections  114  of the first piston releasably engage the ridges  112  of the locking element  108 , rotating the locking element  108  into a locked position against the stop projections  109  on the outer surface of the first piston  88 . The retaining element  108  is also configured to receive the first piston  88  for maintaining the locking element  108  in an axially fixed position. The retaining element  110  includes a plurality of anti-rotation features  116  for matingly engaging with the projections  114  on the first piston  88  to prevent rotation of the retaining element  110 . A U-shaped pin  118  secures the retaining element  110  to the first housing  86 . 
         [0021]    Looking to  FIGS. 6-8 , the fluid responder  82  includes a second housing  120 , a second piston  122  and a second actuator  124 . The second housing  120  is mountable to a cap  115  of the bicycle suspension  12  by a clamp  126 . The second housing  120  includes a second fluid cavity  128  for slidably receiving the second piston  122  therein and a second fill hole  117  for inserting fluid into the fluid cavity  128 . A sealing screw  119  is threaded into the second fill hole  117 . The second piston  122  includes first and second ends  130 ,  132 . The second piston  122  is slidably displaceable between a first position and a second position. The first position corresponds to the substantially compressible suspension setting and the second position corresponds to the substantially rigid suspension setting. The first end  130  of the second piston  122  is connected to the second actuator  124  and the second end  132  includes an O-ring  133  to sealably connect the second end  132  of the second piston  122  to the second housing  120 . The second actuator  124  includes a rack and pinion mechanism, a rack  134  or linear gear connected to the first end  130  of the second piston  122  engaging a pinion gear  136  attached to the driver  52  of the lockout mechanism  48  of the bicycle suspension  12 . A spring  125  rotatably biases the driver  52  to bias the second piston  122  toward its first position. 
         [0022]    The fluid path  84  includes the first and second fluid cavities  94 ,  128  and a flexible connector, in this embodiment a hydraulic hose  138 , extending therebetween. One end  140  of the hydraulic hose  138  is connected to the fluid pump  80  through a first connector assembly  142  and the other end  144  of the hydraulic hose  138  is connected to the fluid responder  82  through a second connector assembly  146 . The first connector assembly  142  includes a hose barb  148  having a first end  154  inserted into the end  140  of the hose  138  and a second end  156  connected to the first housing  86  of the fluid pump  80 . The second connector assembly  146  includes a hose barb  158  and a threaded insert  162 . One end  164  of the hose barb  158  is inserted into the end  144  of the hydraulic hose  138 . The other end  166  of the hose barb  158  is threaded into the threaded insert  162  which is threaded into the second housing  120  of the fluid responder  82 . A first O-ring  172  provides a seal between the hose barb  158  and the threaded insert  162 . A second O-ring  174  provides a seal between the threaded insert  162  and the second housing  120 . The fluid path  84  is discontiguous from the damping system  24  of the bicycle suspension  12 . 
         [0023]    To operate the bicycle suspension  12  between the first and second suspension settings, the push-button  106  is pushed to slidably displace the first piston  88  within the first fluid cavity  94  toward an open end  168  of the first fluid cavity  94  into its second position, causing the fluid to be displaced through the hydraulic hose  138  toward the fluid responder  82 . The displaced fluid then slidably displaces the second piston  122  within the second fluid cavity  128  into its second position, causing the rack  134  to rotate the pinion gear  136 , in turn, rotating the driver  52  of the damping system  24 . Upon rotation of the driver  52 , the valve  62  rotates to close the orifice  36  thereby locking the suspension  12 , in this embodiment. To unlock the suspension  12 , the push-button  106  is once again pushed to release the locking element  108 , thereby permitting the biased driver  52  to bias the second piston  122  toward its first position, the displacement of the second piston  122  toward its first position displaces fluid through the hydraulic hose  138  to, in turn, displace the first piston  88  toward its first position. 
         [0024]    While this invention has been described by reference to a particular embodiment, 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 embodiment, but that it have the full scope permitted by the language of the following claims.