Sram Corporation

John D Cheever

Michael W Larson

Brian T Jordan

Kevin F Wesling

Sam H Patterson

Tymme A Laun

Christopher Shipman

Andrew J Caron

David J Zimberoff

Tyler D Duston

Scott A McLaughlin

Kent A Solberg

Jeffery M Shupe

William M Yaney

James P Orrico

Georg Blaschke

Ryan A Calilung

James Osborne

Steven Olds

Edward Herrington

Eric Swaidner

Sanjeev K Mankotia

Michael Nono

Danny R Smith, Jr

Michael P Johnson

A valve mechanism for a gas spring suspension system that equalizes the gas between positive and negative gas chambers when the pressure in the negative gas chamber exceeds the pressure in the positive gas chamber. The suspension system includes a tube, a piston assembly slidably displaceable along the tube and a valve mechanism. The piston assembly separates the tube into the positive gas chamber and the negative gas chamber. The valve mechanism is configured to permit gas flow between the positive and negative gas chambers when the gas pressure in the negative gas chamber exceeds the gas pressure in the positive gas chamber.

Valve mechanism for a gas suspension system

A gas spring suspension system that adjusts the spring rate as the travel is adjusted. The suspension system includes a frame, a pressure chamber, a compression piston assembly, an adjustment assembly, a piston tube, and a shaft. The piston tube is operatively connected to the adjustment assembly and the compression piston assembly, and the compression piston assembly is configured to slidably displace along the piston tube to change the pressure in the pressure chamber. The adjustment assembly is associated with the frame and is operable to axially position the piston tube and, in turn the compression piston assembly, relative to the frame to adjust the travel of the suspension system. The shaft is configured to be variably positionable within the pressure chamber in response to axial displacement of the piston tube and the compression piston assembly by the adjustment assembly, the variable positioning of the shaft within the pressure chamber changing the pressure therein.

Adjustable gas spring suspension system

A suspension system that includes a simplified lockout mechanism and an adjustable blow-off mechanism. The system includes a valve mechanism and a valve actuating assembly, a valve mechanism housing and a resilient member disposed between the valve mechanism and the valve mechanism housing. The valve mechanism is slidably mounted along the valve mechanism housing and it separates a first chamber from a second chamber. The valve actuating assembly operates the valve mechanism between open and closed positions. The resilient member is configured to be deformable by the valve mechanism as the valve mechanism is slidably displaced by an increasing pressure in the first fluid chamber. The sliding valve mechanism is configured to collide against the valve actuating assembly when a blow-off pressure is reached in the first fluid chamber switching the valve mechanism from the closed position to the open position.

Lockout mechanism for a suspension system

An actuator apparatus controls a valve mechanism of a suspension system. The apparatus includes a valve actuating assembly and an adjuster assembly. The valve actuating assembly is operatively connected to the valve mechanism and is operable between at least two rider-selectable positions to adjust the valve mechanism between various suspension settings. The adjuster assembly is operatively connected to the valve actuating assembly for adjusting the damping characteristics corresponding to at least one of the positions of the valve actuating assembly independently of the damping characteristics corresponding to another position of the valve actuating assembly.

Actuator apparatus for controlling a valve mechanism of a suspension system

A shifting device including first and second shift control members, a takeup element, a holding member, and a release member. The takeup element configured for winding and unwinding a tensioned control cable. The first control member is rotatable about a handlebar and configured to rotate the takeup to at least pull or wind the control cable onto the takeup. The second control member is a return-to-neutral member for rotating the takeup to release the. The holding member is rotatable with the takeup and retains the takeup in select angular positions. The release member is operable for disengaging the holding member in response to the actuation or return stroke of the second control member for allowing the takeup to unwind the cable a sufficient amount to enable a single gear shift.

Bicycle gear shifter having separate shift control members for cable pull and release

A brake operating device ( ) is configured such that actuation of the brake lever ( ) around the lever pivot ( ) displaces the cable ( ) in a direction transverse to the cable length toward the lever pivot ( ), as the user is actuating the brake lever ( ). This provides at least a 33% increase in mechanical advantage over the actuation range of the brake lever ( ).

Brake actuating system

A rotatable handgrip twistshifter (,) mountable coaxially about a bicycle handlebar (,) that abruptly or discontinuously increases the mechanical advantage when shifting a front derailleur from a smaller to a larger chainring. A control cable (,) is slidably connected to the handgrip (,) such that during rotation of the handgrip (,) to effect gear shifts from the middle to larger chainrings of a triple chainring crankshaft (,), the cable (,) is abruptly dropped toward the handgrip axis of rotation thereby increasing the mechanical advantage or leverage of the shifter (,). Alternatively, the control cable (,) is slidably connected to the pivot arm (,) of a front derailleur such that during rotation of the handgrip (,) the cable (,) is deflected away from the derailleur pivot axis (,), likewise, increasing the mechanical advantage of the derailleur.

Discontinuous mechanical advantage front shifting for bicycles

A parallel-push brake assembly for bicycles that provides substantially translational motion of the brake pad using a mechanism that is relatively free of tolerance build-up or slop.

Parallel-push brake mechanism for bicycles

A brake or clutch operating device having a hand lever pivotally attached to a mounting bracket secured to a handlebar, the hand lever rotatable about a rotation axis that is offset from the pivot axis, and a transmission mechanism for converting a rotational force applied to the hand lever into a rectilinear force drawing the hand lever toward the handlebar. The transmission mechanism and hand lever configured to force rotation about the rotation axis in response to rotation of the hand lever about the pivot axis, the resulting compound motion of the hand lever following the natural arched motion of the rider's fingers during lever actuation.

Two axis hand lever

A brake operating device having a brake lever pivotally attached to a mounting bracket secured to a handlebar, the brake lever rotatable about a rotation axis that is offset from the pivot axis, and a transmission mechanism for converting a rotational force applied to the brake lever into a rectilinear force drawing the brake lever toward the handlebar. The transmission mechanism and brake lever configured to force rotation about the rotation axis in response to rotation of the brake lever about the pivot axis, the resulting compound motion of the brake lever following the natural arched motion of the rider's fingers during lever actuation.

Two axis brake lever

A parallelogram link mechanism of a bicycle derailleur has a coil spring tensioned from a first axis of the parallelogram to another axis thereof that is diametrically opposed to the first axis. The coil spring exerts a primary spring force against the rider-supplied derailleur actuation force throughout the actuation range of the derailleur. A secondary member exerts a secondary force throughout a portion of the actuation range of the derailleur, producing a substantially constant resultant actuation force experienced by the rider. The secondary member can take various forms, including an abutment member which selectively abuts the coil spring at an angle to the spring axis; a second spring internal to the first; a member which is attached to spaced-apart coils of the coil spring to limit their linear expansion; and an internal member which limits constriction of a segment of the coil spring inwardly toward the spring axis.

Hybrid spring for bicycle derailleurs

Nubbed grips for hand-rotatable bicycle gear shifters have longitudinally elongated groups of nubs (50) that are angularly spaced apart by valley regions (44). Preferably, the elastomeric nubs are formed both on a cylindrical portion and an adjacent flanged portion of the grip.

Nubbed grip for rotatable bicycle gear shifter

A detent spring for use in a rotatable grip actuating system for a Bowden tube motion translation system used to actuate a derailleur gear shifting system on a bicycle. The detent spring, which is formed of spring type metal has a U-shape, with one leg positioned in an elongated arcuate slot in a first member which rotates within a second member having notches on an inner surface which are engaged by a detent formed on the second leg of the spring.

Detent spring for rotatable grip actuating system

A bicycle derailleur gear shifting system having a rotatable handgrip actuator coupled with a derailleur shifting mechanism through a control cable system so as to control the derailleur. The derailleur (50) includes an arcuate cable entraining surface (78) which substantially reduces the variation and magnitude of the actuation ratio between control cable linear displacement and movement of the derailleur p-knuckle (88). A b-knuckle flange (160) militates against the derailment of the drive chain from the upper guide wheel while permitting maximum lateral flexing of the drive chain (48) during shifting between sprockets (46) on the freewheel. A rigid arcuate surface (174) may be provided as an extension of the b-knuckle (170) in replacement of a segment of a Bowden cable housing (38) to obviate the accumulation of water and foreign matter.

Bicycle derailleur and actuating system

A rotatable gripping surface for a derailleur-type bicycle gear shifting system is formed of a resilient material with axially extending alternating ribs and grooves. The ribs and grooves are spaced such that they fit naturally into the crooks of the rider's thumb and finger or fingers and the portion of the palm therebetween. The ribs provide an increased diameter to aid in the transmission of torque and to protrude above any mud which may have collected thereon. To further enhance the torque transmitting capabilities of the grip and the ability to remain effective in the presence of mud and other debris, the surfaces of the ribs are provided with a pattern of nubs. The hubs are engaged and deflected slightly by an operator's thumb and finger and the portion of the palm therebetween to transmit torque to the rotational grip. The deflection of the hubs as in the case of the ribs will provide for the transmission of torque in the presence of any debris such as mud which may be deposited on or between the nubs and the ribs and grooves.

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

John D Cheever