Patent ID: 7500545

Claim:
A brake lever apparatus for a bicycle comprising: a master cylinder having a master cylinder chamber; a master cylinder piston disposed for reciprocal motion within the master cylinder chamber; a brake lever for moving the master cylinder piston; a mounting assembly configured so that the brake lever may be mounted in front of a bicycle handlebar when the brake lever apparatus is mounted to the handlebar so that the brake lever is pulled rearwardly to operate the master cylinder piston for pressing against hydraulic fluid in the master cylinder chamber; and a fluid reservoir including: a first reservoir having a first reservoir chamber in fluid communication with the master cylinder chamber for supplying hydraulic fluid to the master cylinder chamber; wherein at least a portion of the first reservoir chamber is disposed below a portion of the master cylinder chamber when the brake lever apparatus is mounted to the handlebar such that the brake lever is mounted in front of the handlebar; wherein a surface below the master cylinder forms an upper surface of the first reservoir chamber; a second reservoir having a second reservoir chamber in fluid communication with the first reservoir chamber; wherein the second reservoir chamber includes an air entrainment surface; and wherein the air entrainment surface is positioned higher than the upper surface of the first reservoir chamber when the brake lever apparatus is mounted to the handlebar such that the brake lever is mounted in front of the handlebar; and wherein the master cylinder has a port in fluid communication with the first reservoir chamber, wherein the port faces a bottom surface of the fluid reservoir.