Abstract:
A collapsible control lever comprises an assembling member, a rotation seat, a first torsion spring, an handle, and a pivoting rod. One end of the rotation seat is pivoted to the assembling member. The first torsion spring is assembled between the assembling member and the rotation seat. One end of the handle has a ball socket. One end of the pivoting rod has a ball head which is passing through and pivoted to the ball socket and the other end thereof is passing through and assembled to the rotation seat to provide to be folded and rotated in multiple angles with an external force. It provides a multi-angle collapsible control lever to increase the ranges of bending and rotation. A single element is provided a three-dimension range to achieve the effects of collapsing and rotating and the structure is simplified.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a collapsible control lever which is applied to a bicycle or a motorcycle to control the operation of the brake or clutch. The lever will fold itself under any impact or crash so it would not result in serious damage. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The brake levers or clutch levers of motorcycles of bicycles are generally the most outwardly installed portion on the handlebar. Any strike, impact or even a minor spill could bend or break the levers, for instance, in the event of the motorcycle or bicycle tipping from its kickstand or work stand. Consequently, the rider would have to discontinue the race or off-road riding. It is even more troublesome while the rider is in a great distance away from the city. 
     There have been quite a few prior arts disclosed, for example, TW patent no. M434721 and M434726, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,720,303, U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,611, U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,936, U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,445, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,921,747, attempting to overcome the above-mentioned issues. 
     Please refer to U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,611, it disclosed that the collapsible lever includes three sections: a pivot stand  26 , a base  66 , and a handle  68 . The pivot stand  26  is used for fixing the handle. A pivot shaft  60  is further interposed between the pivot stand  26  and the base  64  for providing the base  64  to oscillate in a limiting angle and be braked. The base  64  has two frame portions  92 ,  98  which are pivoted with each other with a bolt  124 . It may provide the frame portion  98  to contact and slide relative to the sliding surfaces  112 ,  116  of the frame portion  92  with the sliding surfaces  114 ,  118  of the frame portion  98 . The frame portion  98  has an U-shaped mount  96  for pivoting with the hinge pivot  74  to rotate. The combination of the bolt  124  and frame portions  92 ,  98  is provided an effect of collapsible pivot, and the other combination of the hinge pivot  74 , the handle  68 , and the U-shaped mount  96  is also provided the effect of collapsible pivot. Because the two pivoting positions have different directions, they provide an effect of multi-directional collapsible rotation. 
     One of the two rotation directions of U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,611 is the combination of the bolt  124  and the frame portions  92 ,  98  for providing the handle  68  to pivot upward and downward relative to a bicycle while riding (that is, pivoted with the second axis of rotation  72 ), and the other thereof is the combination of the hinge pivot  74 , handle  68 , the U-shaped mount  96  for providing the handle  68  to pivot between the handle grip  24  and a front direction of the bicycle while riding. The rotation angle of the handle  6  is ranged in 30 degree. The sliding surfaces  114 ,  118 ,  112 ,  116  are engaged with each other with convex-concave structures. Once the frame portion  98  is rotated relative to the frame portion  92 , the coil spring  136  may be compressed by the flat cap  138  which the bolt  124  is passing through till the convex structure of the frame portions  98 ,  92  is slid to the concave structure thereof to abut against the coil spring  136  and back to a convex surface which is arranged between two concave surfaces quickly to be positioned while the convex sliding surfaces of the frame portions  98 ,  92  are abutted against with one another although the sliding surfaces  114 ,  118 ,  112 ,  116  may be slid relative to each other. Therefore, the fame portions  98 ,  92  may be not reset automatically and may not be operated normally while they are pivoted to a specific angle (that is, the handle  68  is oscillated upward or downward). The coil spring  136  is just provided the function of quickly positioning. Once the handle  68  is pivoted (or oscillated) upward or downward, the handle  68  needs to be manually adjusted to general braking position to provide the operation of brake or clutch. The lever of U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,611 is inconvenient in operation. Simultaneously, U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,611 needs more elements to assemble to achieve the pivot in two different directions. The structure and assembly are complicated to achieve the effect of multi-directional pivot or oscillation to prevent from being damaged. It can be seen that the pivot of the oscillating direction of each combination is linear and two linear movements result in multi-directional pivot or oscillation. 
     The linear movement of each combination may be not reset automatically. U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,611 analyzed by Kinematic of Machinery may achieve multi-directional pivot or oscillation by a connecting rod which includes three pieces and two axes. 
     The prior art is used two axes to provide other elements to rotate relatively. The arrangement positions of the two axes are respectively in a forward and horizontal direction and an upward and vertical direction to provide the effect of multi-directional collapsible rotation. 
     Please reference to U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,936, U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,445, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,921,747, they disclosed that a collapsible control lever. It includes a handlebar mount  68 , an intermediate section  70  and a lever section  72 . The handlebar mount  68  is fixed at the handlebar  50  with the clamp plate  76  and the clamp bolts  78 . The intermediate section  70  are pivoted to the handlebar mount  68  with a lever pivot bolt  100  to provide the intermediate section  70  to rotate relative to the handlebar mount  68 . One end of the lever section  72  has a pivot portion  90  and pivoted to the intermediate section  70  with a deflection pivot bolt  104  to rotate relatively. The lever section  72  is rotated toward the direction distant from the handlebar  50  and provided to rotated outwardly and relative to the intermediate section  70 . The intermediate section  70  is rotated relative to the handlebar mount  68  and toward the handlebar  50  and provided the operation of brake or clutch. The above mentioned two rotating directions are limited by the direction of force. It only provides the rotation whose direction is synchronized with the direction of force. It may not achieve the effect of mutual rotation. 
     The above mentioned U.S. patents, U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,936, U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,445, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,921,747, are cooperated with the lever pivot bolt  100  to rotate relative to the handlebar mount  68  by the intermediate section  70  so that the lever section  72  and the intermediate section  70  are rotated close to the handlebar  50  together to mainly provide the operation of brake or clutch. The pivot angle forced by an external force is limited. Taking the riding direction for example, it is only provided the lever section  72  to rotate in an angle backwardly. Furthermore, the pivot portion  90  arranged at one end of the lever section  72  is cooperated with the deflection pivot bolt  104  to pivot to the intermediate section  70 . Taking the riding direction for example, it is only provided the lever section  72  the rotate relative to the intermediate section  70  in the forward and horizontal direction. From the above mentioned contents, it may be known that the lever pivot bolt  100  and the deflection pivot bolt  104  are almost in parallel and respectively provided the intermediate section  70  and the lever section  72  to rotate close or opposite to the handlebar  50 . The rotation angle is limited by the rotation in the forward and horizontal direction. It can be seen that the rotation angle is limited extremely. It is mainly provided the lever section  72  to rotate relative to the intermediate section  70  toward the forward and horizontal direction with the pivot portion  90 . It is impossible to provide to rotate in more other angles. 
     The above mentioned U.S. patents, U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,936, U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,445, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,921,747, analyzed by Kinematic of Machinery may be achieved the pivot range in forward and horizontal direction and the multi connecting rods include two pieces and one axis. 
     However, the folded range of each rotation shaft may be limited by the elements which are assembled with each other and only provided two-dimensional folding and rotation in a specific angle rotation range. It must depend on the two rotation shafts to be folded and rotated in three dimensions. 
     In view of the foregoing circumstances, the inventor has invested a lot of time to study the relevant knowledge, compare the pros and cons, research and develop related products. After quite many experiments and tests, the “collapsible control lever” of this invention is eventually launched to improve the foregoing shortcomings, to meet the public use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main object of this invention is providing a collapsible control lever. The bending and rotation ranges may be improved. The three-dimensional angled folding rotation may be achieved by one element and the structure may be simplified. 
     In order to achieve above mentioned object, a collapsible control lever comprises an assembling member, a rotation seat, a first torsion spring, a handle, and a pivoting rod, wherein: the assembling member has an assembly portion, one end of the rotation seat is pivoted to the assemble portion, two ends of the first torsion spring are respectively fixed to the assembly portion and the rotation seat, and the rotation seat is pivoted relative to the assembly portion and then reset by the first torsion spring; and a ball socket is arranged at one end of the handle, a ball head is arranged at one end of the pivoting rod and pivoted at the ball socket, and the other end of the pivoting rod opposite to the end arranged the ball head is assembled to the rotation seat, and a surface of the ball socket of the handle is freely pivoted or oscillated and moved non-directionally relative to a surface of the ball head. 
     In some embodiments, the handle has a cross groove fluidly communicated with the ball socket, the rotation seat has a through hole, the pivoting rod includes an assembly section connected with the ball head, the assembly section of the pivoting rod is passing through the cross groove and pivoted to one end of the through hole and then a fixing screw is passing through the assembly portion and screwed with the assembly section for fixing. 
     In some embodiments, the handle is extended to form a cylinder arranged adjacent to the ball socket, the collapsible control lever further comprises a second torsion spring covered the cylinder, two ends of the second torsion spring are respectively fixed to the cylinder and the rotation seat, and the handle is pivoted relative to the pivoting rod and then reset by the second torsion spring. 
     The collapsible control lever may further comprise a cover bushing for covering the cylinder and shielding the second torsion spring, a concave groove is arranged at a tail end of the cylinder in an axial direction, and a fixing member is embedded in the concave groove and abutted against a surface of the cover bushing so that the cover bushing is positioned at the cylinder. 
     In some embodiments, an arc side positioning groove is arranged at a peripheral of the rotation seat along a rotating direction, the assembling member has a positioning hole fluidly communicated with the assembly portion, a positioning bolt is passing through the positioning hole and a peripheral of the positioning bolt is ranged in the arc side groove, and a locking screw is screwed at the positioning hole and abutted against and limited the positioning bolt to prevent from separating from the positioning hole. 
     In some embodiments, an adjusting screw hole is formed in the cross groove, a convex block is arranged at the end of rotation seat extended outwardly and toward the cross groove, one end of an adjusting screw is screwed with the adjusting screw hole and axially moved relative to the adjusting screw hole so that the other end of the adjusting screw opposite to the end screwed with the adjusting screw hole is protruded to the cross groove and abutted against and limited a surface of the convex block. 
     In some embodiments, the arc side positioning groove is ranged between 0.334 and 0.667 of a circumference of the rotation seat for providing the rotation seat to rotate relative to the assembling member angled from 120 degree to 240 degree. 
     In some embodiments, the cross groove of the handle provides a moving range of the assembly section of the pivoting rod while the handle is folded and rotated forwardly, and the handle is folded and rotated forwardly and in a largest angle of 120 degree with the ball socket being relative to the ball head of the pivoting rod. 
     The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a exploded view of a collapsible control lever of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of an handle and a pivoting rod of the collapsible control lever of the present invention viewed in another angle; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the collapsible control lever of the present invention while being assembled to a connection base; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the collapsible control lever of the present invention viewed in another angle; 
         FIG. 5  is a view of the collapsible control lever of the present invention while the handle is oscillated as a spherical track; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the collapsible control lever of the present invention while the handle is collapsible rotated relative to the assembling member; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the collapsible control lever of the present invention before the handle is collapsible rotated relative to the assembling member; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the collapsible control lever of the present invention while the handle is collapsible rotated relative to the assembling member; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the collapsible control lever of the present invention while being assembled; 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of the collapsible control lever of the present invention before the handle and a rotation seat are collapsible rotated relative to the assembling member; 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of the collapsible control lever of the present invention while the handle and a rotation seat are collapsible rotated relative to the assembling member; 
         FIG. 12  is a view of the collapsible control lever of the present invention viewed in another angle while the handle is collapsible rotated relative to the assembling member; 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the collapsible control lever of the present invention while the handle and the rotation seat are collapsible rotated relative to the assembling member; and 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the collapsible control lever of the present invention while the handle and the rotation seat are collapsible rotated. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     To describe clearly that the present invention achieves the foregoing object and function, the technical features and desired function are described with reference to a preferred embodiment and accompanying drawings. 
     Please reference to  FIGS. 1-5 , a collapsible control lever of the present invention of the present invention may comprise an assembling member  1 , a rotation seat  2 , a first torsion spring  3 , a handle  4 , and a pivoting rod  5 . The assembling member  1  has an assembly portion  11 . One end of the rotation seat  2  is pivoted to the assemble portion  11 . The first torsion spring  3  is arranged between the assembly portion  11  and the rotation seat  2 . Two ends of the first torsion spring  3  are respectively fixed to the assembly portion  11  and the rotation seat  2 . The rotation seat  2  is pivoted relative to the assembly portion  11  and then reset by the first torsion spring  3 . A ball socket  41  is arranged at one end of the handle  4 . A ball head  51  is arranged at one end of the pivoting rod  5  and pivoted at the ball socket  41 . A surface of the ball socket  41  of the handle  4  is freely pivoted (or oscillated) and moved non-directionally relative to a surface of the ball head  51  (shown as in  FIG. 5 , the handle  4  may be moved from the solid-line position to the dash-line position, and the moving direction of the handle  4  is moved in multi directions shown as the arrow, and the multi-directional moving range of the handle  4  is ranged in the spherical track range illustrated by the dash line). The other end of the pivoting rod  5  opposite to the end arranged the ball head  51  is assembled to the rotation seat  2 . 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the assembling member  1  may be mounted on a grip of a bicycle or a motorcycle (not shown), such like the use of brake or clutch. Based on the above mentioned structure, once the bicycle or motorcycle is slid and tilted and the end of the handle  4  of the collapsible control lever opposite to the ball socket  41  is collided with ground or other object, such as vehicles or pedestrian, the handle  4  may be rotated relative to the pivoting rod  5  with a three-dimensional rotation based on a rotation surface which is a surface of the ball socket  41 . It may achieve to suitably fold the collapsible control lever to differentiate from the conventional handlebar which needs two shafts to achieve the three-dimensional rotation and folding. It may also simplify the structure and elements. That is, it may achieve the same characteristic(s) or function(s) with less elements. 
     Especially, the surface of the ball socket  41  of the handle  4  is pivoted corresponding to the surface of the ball head  51  so as to make the surface of the handle  4  be capable for moving relative to the surface of the ball head  51 . Therefore, when the vehicle (bicycle or motorcycle) installed the collapsible control lever of the present invention is tilted laterally and fallen down and the handle  4  is collided to the ground, the handle  4  may be freely pivoted (oscillated) relative to the ball head  51  and moved non-directionally so that the rider may be not injured by the handle  4  which is directly arranged upwardly while the rider is fallen down and has a forward inertia force. 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 1, 6, and 8 , the handle  4  has a cross groove  42  fluidly communicated with the ball socket  41 . The rotation seat  2  has a through hole  21 . The pivoting rod  5  includes an assembly section  52  connected with the ball head  51 . The assembly section  52  of the pivoting rod  5  is passing through the cross groove  42  and pivoted to one end of the through hole  21  and then a fixing screw  53  is passing through the assembly portion  11  and screwed with the assembly section  52  for fixing. With the ball head  51  of the pivoting rod  5  is pivoted to the ball socket  41  and the assembly section  52  of the pivoting rod  5  is installed in the through hole  21  of the rotation seat  2  and fixed by the fixing screw  53 , the handle  4  may effectively rotate relative to the pivoting rod  5  in three dimensions and simultaneously the fixing screw  53  may effectively make the assembly section  52  of the pivoting rod  5  install into the through hole  21  of the rotation seat  2  firmly while the handle  4  is influenced by an external force. 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 1 and 9 , the handle  4  is extended to form a cylinder  43  arranged adjacent to the ball socket  41 . The collapsible control lever of the present invention further comprises a second torsion spring  6  covered the cylinder  43 . Two ends of the second torsion spring  6  are respectively fixed to the cylinder  43  and the rotation seat  2 . The handle  4  is pivoted relative to the pivoting rod  5  and then reset by the second torsion spring  6 . The collapsible control lever of the present invention may further comprise a cover bushing  7  for covering the cylinder  43  and shielding the second torsion spring  6 . A concave groove  44  is arranged at a tail end of the cylinder  43  in an axial direction. A fixing member  71  is embedded in the concave groove  44  and abutted against a surface of the cover bushing  7  so that the cover bushing  7  is positioned at the cylinder  43 . Because the second torsion spring  6  is covered the cylinder and two ends of the second torsion spring  6  are respectively fixed to the cylinder  43  and the rotation seat  2 , the handle  4  may be reset by the second torsion spring  6  while the handle  4  is influenced by the external force. Furthermore, the cover bushing  7  is covered the cylinder  43  and fixed by the fixing member  71  so that the cover bushing  7  may effectively shielding the second torsion spring  6  to prevent from the needless collision and smirch to keep better cleanness. 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 1 and 7 , an adjusting screw hole  45  is formed in the cross groove  42  of the handle  4 . A convex block  22  is arranged at the end of rotation seat  2  extended outwardly and toward the cross groove  42 . One end of an adjusting screw  46  is screwed with the adjusting screw hole  45  and axially moved relative to the adjusting screw hole  45  so that the other end of the adjusting screw  46  opposite to the end screwed with the adjusting screw hole  45  is protruded to the cross groove  42  and abutted against and limited a surface of the convex block  22 . The distance of the collapsible control lever of the present invention installed to the grip to adapt various users with different long fingers to press the handle  4  through rotating the adjusting screw  4  relative to the adjusting screw hole  45  to move axially and further adjusting an angle angled between the handle  4  and the rotation seat  2 . 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 6 and 8 , it must be mentioned that the handle  4  is folded and rotated in a largest angle which is 120 degree from an original position toward a front direction (the front direction means that a front direction of a vehicle). When the handle  4  is forced from a rear direction toward the front direction, the handle  4  may be folded and rotated forwardly and in the largest angle of 120 degree with the ball socket  41  being relative to the ball head  51  of the pivoting rod  5 . The cross groove  42  of the handle  4  may provide a moving range of the assembly section  52  of the pivoting rod  5  while the handle  4  is folded and rotated forwardly. And simultaneously, the handle  4  may twist the second torsion spring  6  tightly. And then, the second torsion spring  6  may be recovered and the handle  4  may be driven to reset while the external force is removed. 
     It is worth mentioning that an arc side positioning groove  23  is arranged at a peripheral of the rotation seat  2  along a rotating direction. The assembling member  1  has a positioning hole  12  fluidly communicated with the assembly portion  11 . A positioning bolt  13  is passing through the positioning hole  12  and a peripheral of the positioning bolt  13  is ranged in the side positioning groove  23 . A locking screw  14  is screwed at the positioning hole  12  and abutted against and limited the positioning bolt  13  to prevent from separating from the positioning hole  12 , shown as in  FIGS. 1, 10, and 11 . 
     It must be mentioned that the handle  4  is not limited to rotate in an one-way direction although the handle  4  is pivoted in an angle pivoting range of 120 degree which is drew with a dash line and a solid line in  FIG. 11 . It shows that the handle  4  has the angle pivoting range of 120 degree while the handle  4  is influenced by the external force. After the external force is removed, the handle  4  is reset by the first torsion spring  3  so that the handle  4  may be rotated in the angle pivoting range of 120 degree. An extension length of the arc side positioning groove  23  is 0.334 of a circumference of the rotation seat  2  to meet the angle pivoting range of 120 degree what the rotation seat  2  (handle  4 ) is relative to the assembling member  1 . In  FIG. 12 , the handle  4  is individually rotated relative to the assembling member  1  in the front direction the vehicle. 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the extension length of the arc side positioning groove  23  is 0.667 of the circumference of the rotation seat  2 . According to above mentioned structure, the handle  4  and the rotation seat  2  are together rotated relative to the assembling member  1  in an angle pivoting range of 240 degree. The volume of the cylinder  43  and the cover bushing  7  may be reduced or the distance between the assembly portion  11  and the assembling member  1  may be increased to prevent the limitation and rotation of the handle  4  and the rotation seat  2  relative to assembling member  1  from colliding and further successfully achieve to rotate in the above mentioned angle pivoting range. 
     The collapsible control lever of the present invention belongs to the type of two pieces and one axis. Although the collapsible control lever of the present invention is similar to U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,936, U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,445, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,921,747, the surface of the ball socket  41  of the handle  4  of the present invention is freely pivoted (oscillated) and moved non-directionally relative to the surface of the ball head  51 . Compared to the prior arts, the rotation range of the present invention is not limited very much so that the handle  4  may be operated forward and backward, upward and downward, and/or forward and backward. That is, there are much more moving angles, such as the spherical track, if pivoting (oscillating) in an inclined direction. Compared to U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,611, the present invention is simplified with one piece and one axis. It is not only simplified the assembly and the number of the elements, but also has much more pivoting (oscillating) range. At the same time, the handle  4  may be reset after pivoting (oscillating). 
     The foregoing descriptions are merely the exemplified embodiments of the present invention, where the scope of the claim of the present invention is not intended to be limited by the embodiments. Any equivalent embodiments or modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention are therefore intended to be embraced. 
     The disclosed structure of the invention has not appeared in the prior art and features efficacy better than the prior structure which is construed to be a novel and creative invention, thereby filing the present application herein subject to the patent law.