Abstract:
A heat-dissipating device for hydraulic brake system is provided. The device includes a heat-dissipating element and a plurality of heat-dissipating tube units. The heat-dissipating element has a heat-dissipating portion which has large surface area, and is located between a brake mechanism and an oil tube. The heat-dissipating tube units are sleeved around the oil tube in order. Thereby, the heat generated by the brake mechanism can be dissipated rapidly by the heat-dissipating element and the heat-dissipating tube units, so as to promote performance of the brake mechanism.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a heat-dissipating device, more particularly, to a heat-dissipating device for hydraulic brake system. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Generally speaking, a hydraulic brake system of a bicycle includes a brake mechanism, an oil hydraulic cylinder and an oil tube which is connected to a brake handlebar. When the brake handlebar is pressed, the liquid in the oil tube is forced to flow to the oil hydraulic cylinder and the brake mechanism, and the brake mechanism is pressed by the hydraulic force to contact the wheel so as to make a brake. 
     However, the friction resulted from the contact of the brake mechanism and the wheel can generate lot of heat to lead to a high temperature of the brake mechanism. If the temperature of the brake mechanism is unexpectedly high, the brake effect of the brake mechanism is poor, and the brake mechanism is worse in structural strength and mechanical properties, thus resulting in risks of riding. 
     Therefore, to improve brake performance and riding safety, it is very important to rapidly dissipate the heat from the brake mechanism so as to lower the temperature of the brake mechanism. In a conventional heat-dissipating mechanism as disclosed in TW TWM284806, a heat-dissipating element is disposed between an oil tube and an oil hydraulic cylinder, the heat-dissipating element is formed with plural fins to increase heat-dissipating surface area, so as to help brake mechanism to rapidly dissipate the heat. In the above conventional heat-dissipating mechanism, the oil tube and a heat-dissipating element are screwed together via a tube fixedly disposed at the distal end of the oil tube. Hence, the liquid can possible leak from the joint portion of the oil tube and the heat-dissipating element. Additionally, the assembly of the tube and the oil tube not only is inconvenient in production but also can cause a limitation to the length of the oil tube. As such, since the assembly of the tube and the oil tube is completed, it is hard to be changed. More importantly, the heat-dissipating element cannot sufficiently dissipate the heat. The liquid from the brake mechanism flows back into the oil tube, and since the oil tube is usually of non-metal material so that its heat-dissipating efficiency is poor, the heat of the liquid in the oil tube is hard to be dissipated outside. Therefore, the high-temperature liquid flows into the brake mechanism in a next brake, thus degrading the brake performance of the brake mechanism. 
     The present invention is, therefore, arisen to obviate or at least mitigate the above mentioned disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main object of the present invention is to provide a heat-dissipating device for hydraulic brake system which has larger heat-dissipating surface area so as to promote the performance of heat-dissipation and is flexibly adjustable. 
     To achieve the above and other objects, a heat-dissipating device for hydraulic brake system of the present invention includes a heat-dissipating element, a sleeve element and a plurality of heat-dissipating tube units. 
     The heat-dissipating element is hollow and has a fixation end and a connecting end corresponding to each other, wherein the fixation end is connected to and communicated with a hydraulic cylinder or a brake mechanism, the connecting end is received in an oil tube so that the heat-dissipating element and the oil tube are tightly connected and communicated with each other. The heat-dissipating element has a heat-dissipating portion disposed between the fixation end and the connecting end. 
     The sleeve element is sleeved around the joint portion of the heat-dissipating element and the oil tube and disposed at the connecting end of the heat-dissipating element. The sleeve element can strengthen the combination of the heat-dissipating element and the oil tube and improve leakage-proof effect. 
     The heat-dissipating tube units are sleeved around the oil tube and sequentially connected, and one of the heat-dissipating tube units abuts against the sleeve element. 
     The heat-dissipating device for hydraulic brake system may further includes a adjusting element, wherein the adjusting element is disposed at one end of the oil tube away from the heat-dissipating element, the heat-dissipating tube units which are sequentially connected abut against and between the sleeve element and the adjusting element and are thereby positioned, and the adjusting element is adjustable in length so as to abut against the heat-dissipating tube units and be thereby positioned. 
     Whereby, the heat-dissipating device for hydraulic brake system of the present invention can significantly improve the heat-dissipating efficiencies of the hydraulic cylinder and the oil tube, is easy to adjust and mount, and is suitable for various types of bicycles. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment(s) in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective breakdown drawing of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3A  is a partial close-up view  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 3B  is a partial close-up view according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a drawing showing a heat-dissipating device for hydraulic brake system in use according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5A  is a partial perspective view according to a third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5B  is a partial cross-sectional view according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6A  is a partial perspective view according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6B  is a partial cross-sectional view according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7A  is a partial perspective view according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7B  is a partial cross-sectional view according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8A  is a partial perspective view according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8B  is a partial cross-sectional view according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8C  is a partial perspective view according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , a heat-dissipating device for hydraulic brake system of the present invention includes a heat-dissipating element  1 , a sleeve element  2  and a plurality of heat-dissipating tube unit  3 . The heat-dissipating device can be adapted to be mounted between a brake oil tube  5  and a brake mechanism  7 . 
     The heat-dissipating element  1  is hollow and has a fixation end  11  and a connecting end  12  corresponding to each other. The fixation end  11  is adapted for being connected to and communicated with the brake mechanism  7  or a hydraulic cylinder, and the connecting end  12  is adapted for being connected to the oil tube  5  so that the heat-dissipating element  1  and the oil tube  5  are tightly connected and communicated with each other. The heat-dissipating element  1  further includes a heat-dissipating portion  13  disposed between the fixation end  11  and the connecting end  12 . Preferably, the heat-dissipating portion  13  is formed with a plurality of heat-dissipating fins, and the heat-dissipating fins project radially outward from the heat-dissipating element  1  and are arranged alternatively. More specifically, the heat-dissipating element  1  is made of metal, and the heat-dissipating fins are preferably arranged in the same plane and in fish-bone shape. A radial extent of each of the heat-dissipating fin is greater than an extent of the spacing of each two adjacent heat-dissipating fins, so as to significantly increase heat-dissipating surface area. The lengths of the heat-dissipating fins from the fixation end  11  to the connecting end  12  are gradually decreased. The connecting end  12  has a threaded section whose outer diameter is not greater than the inner diameter of the oil tube  5 . An outer surface of the threaded section is formed with a thread (as shown in  FIG. 3A ), plural annular cams (the connecting end  12   b  as shown in  FIG. 3B ) or the like for being connected to the oil tube  5 . The heat-dissipating element  1  further includes an outer thread located between the heat-dissipating portion  13  and the threaded section. An annular recess which faces away from the fixation end and is centered about the threaded section is formed between the threaded section and the outer thread. 
     The sleeve element  2  is sleeved around the joint portion of the heat-dissipating element  1  and the oil tube  5  and disposed at the connecting end  12  of the heat-dissipating element  1 , and the sleeve element  2  can strengthen the combination of the heat-dissipating element  1  and the oil tube  5  and improve leakage-proof effect. Preferably, the sleeve element  2  has a first end and a second end, an inner surface of the first end of the sleeve element  2  is formed with an inner thread for being connected to the outer thread of the heat-dissipating element  1 , an inner surface of second end of the sleeve element  2  is formed with a necked section having a smaller inner diameter, so that a space is formed between the necked section and the annular recess of the heat-dissipating element  1 . The heat-dissipating device for hydraulic brake system further includes an elastic washer  14  which is sleeved around the oil tube  5  and retained between the sleeve element  2  and the oil tube  5 . That is, the washer  14  is located in the space between the necked section and the annular recess so as to avoid the leakage. 
     The heat-dissipating tube units  3  are sleeved around the oil tube  5  and sequentially connected, and one of the heat-dissipating tube units  3  abuts against the sleeve element. Preferably, the heat-dissipating tube units  3  include cooperative engaging mechanisms, so that the heat-dissipating tube units  3  can be sequentially connected and conduct the heat from the heat-dissipating element  1  and dissipate the heat outside. 
     In a preferable embodiment according to the present invention, a heat-dissipating device for hydraulic brake system further includes a adjusting element  4  which is disposed at the remote end (away from the heat-dissipating element  1 ) of the oil tube  5 . The heat-dissipating tube units  3  which are sequentially connected abut against and between the sleeve element  2  and the adjusting element  4  and are thereby positioned. The adjusting element  4  is adjustable in length so as to abut against the heat-dissipating tube units  3  and be thereby positioned. Preferably, the adjusting element  4  includes an external tube  41 , an internal tube  42  and an elastic element  43 . An inner surface of the external tube  41  is formed with an inner threaded section  411 , and an outer surface of the internal tube  42  is formed with an outer threaded section  421 . The inner surface of the external tube  41  is formed further with a first blocking portion  412  protruding inwardly, and the outer surface of the internal tube  42  is formed further with a second blocking portion  422  protruding outwardly. The inner threaded section  411  of the external tube and the outer threaded section  421  of the internal tube are screwed together, the second blocking portion  422  is located in the external tube  41 , and the elastic element  43  abuts against and between the first blocking portion  412  and the second blocking portion  422 . The length of the adjusting element  4  can be changed via screwing the external tube  41 , such that the adjusting element  4  can abut against the heat-dissipating tube units  3 . 
     In actual use, the heat-dissipating element  1  is connected to an oil hydraulic cylinder or the brake mechanism  7  via its fixation end  11 , and the remote end of the oil tube  5  away from the heat-dissipating element  1  is adapted for receiving a joint head  6  having a threaded portion  62 . An end of the joint head  6  may have a thread  61  for being connected to a brake handlebar  8 . Preferably, a washer  63  may be disposed between the joint portion of the oil tube  5  and the joint head  6  and the adjusting element  4  so as to improve the leakage-proof effect. 
     In a preferable embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  according to the present invention, an outer surface of a sleeve element  2   a  is formed with at least one groove  21  so as to increase heat-dissipating surface area. 
     In a preferable embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B  according to the present invention, a heat-dissipating element  1   a  includes a fixation end  11   a , a connecting end  12   a  and a heat-dissipating portion  13   a . A sleeve element  2   b  may be directly sleeved around the joint portion of the heat-dissipating element  1   a  and the oil tube  5  and is then fixedly positioned via pressing without thread and washer, and this can also result in a firm fixation of the sleeve element  2   b  and an excellent leakage-proof effect. 
     In a preferable embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B  according to the present invention, a heat-dissipating element  1   b  includes a smooth recessed heat-dissipating portion  13   b . In a heat-dissipating element  1   c  of a preferable embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B  according to the present invention, the structure of the heat-dissipating element  1   c  is much simplified. The heat-dissipating element  1   c  has a smaller fixation end  11   c  and a smaller heat-dissipating portion  13   c  in size. Heat-dissipating element may be composed of two parts, such as a heat-dissipating element  1   c ′ as shown in  FIG. 8C . 
     Given the above, the heat-dissipating device for hydraulic brake system of the present invention has a simple and flexibly-assembled structure, can provide function of leakage-proofing, has larger heat-dissipating surface area, can provide protection for the oil tube, and is flexibly adjustable. 
     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.