Patent ID: 8069749

Claim:
A shift control apparatus for a bicycle comprising: an output transmission member that moves to at least a first output position and a second output position; a position maintaining mechanism including: a position maintaining member that moves between a position maintaining position and a position release position, wherein, when the position maintaining member is in the position maintaining position, the position maintaining member maintains the output transmission member in one of the first output position and the second output position, and wherein, when the position maintaining member is in the position release position, the position maintaining member allows the output transmission member to move toward the other one of the first output position and the second output position; and a cam follower coupled to the position maintaining member; and a release control mechanism including: a manually-operated release member comprising a manually-operated release lever that moves between a first release member position and a second release member position, wherein the release control mechanism moves the position maintaining member to the position release position as the release member moves from the first release member position toward the second release member position and allows the position maintaining member to return to the position maintaining position as the release member continues to move toward the second release member position during a same operation of the release member from the first release member position toward the second release member position that moved the position maintaining member to the position release position without controlling a rate of movement of the position maintaining member to the position maintaining position during a time that the release member continues to move toward the second release member position and the position maintaining member moves toward the position maintaining position; and a cam member coupled to the release member, wherein the cam member moves the position maintaining member to the position release position as the release member moves toward the second release member position and allows the position maintaining member to return to the position maintaining position as the release member continues to move toward the second release member position; wherein the cam member has a first portion rotatably coupled relative to the release lever and a second portion defining a cam lobe that contacts the cam follower such that the cam member rotates as the release lever moves toward the second release member position.