Sram Corporation

Avid, Inc.

Avid Enterprises, Inc.

Other

Alto Designs, LLC

The Gates Corporation

Wayne R Lumpkin

Michael T Mayberry

A bicycle hydraulic disc brake having opposing caliper pistons riding in a pair of opposing caliper cylinders. Each caliper piston is configured to advance a brake pad operatively associated therewith into contact with a disc operatively received therebetween upon delivery of pressurized hydraulic fluid to the respective opposing caliper cylinder. A master cylinder is configured, upon actuation, to deliver pressurized hydraulic fluid to the caliper cylinders. An equalizer is provided in fluid communication with the caliper cylinders, the equalizer being configured to provide an equal volume of pressurized hydraulic fluid to each caliper cylinder upon actuation of the master cylinder.

Hydraulic bicycle disc brake having twin discrete fluid circuits to opposing cylinders of a caliper

A bicycle frame includes a substantially rigid front frame portion and a substantially rigid rear frame portion. A link is connected to the rear frame portion by a first pivot and to the front frame portion by a second pivot. A frame segment is rigidly connected at a first end to one of the rear frame portion and the front frame portion and pivotably connected at a second end to other of the rear frame portion or the front frame portion by a third pivot. The frame segment is flexible proximate the second end.

Bicycle frame rear suspension with flexing frame segment

A bicycle frame includes a substantially rigid front frame portion and a substantially rigid rear frame portion. A link is connected to the rear frame portion by a first pivot and to the front frame portion by a second pivot. A frame segment is rigidly connected at a first end to one of the rear frame portion and the front frame portion and pivotably connected at a second end to other of the rear frame portion or the front frame portion by a third pivot. The frame segment is flexible parallel to an axis of the third pivot.

A bicycle frame includes a substantially rigid front frame portion and a substantially rigid rear frame portion. A link is connected to the rear frame portion by a first pivot and to the front frame portion by a second pivot. A rear frame segment is rigidly connected at a first end to the rear frame portion and pivotably connected at a second end to the front frame portion by a third pivot. The rear frame segment is flexible parallel to an axis of the third pivot.

A bicycle sliding dropout comprising a splitting body and a slider slidably engaging the splitting body. The splitting body comprises an inner body and an outer body, the inner and outer bodies being configured to abut each other vertically and matingly engage via a mechanical interface.

Bicycle sliding dropout

Bicycle seat stay

Bicycle seat stay with bridge

A master cylinder for a bicycle hydraulic disc brake configured to be disposed on either a right or left portion of a bicycle handlebar without effecting operation of the master cylinder by a user.

Master cylinder lever for a bicycle hydraulic disc brake

A self aligning belt drive system comprises a belt drive having a plurality of longitudinally spaced inner lobes each having an alignment groove. The system further comprises at least one pulley comprising a frame configured to rotate about a rotation axis and having a circular outer rim. A plurality of circumferential teeth extend radially and axially of the rim with each tooth being configured to be received between adjacent inner lugs of the drive belt. An alignment flange extends radially between circumferential teeth. The alignment flange is configured to be received in the alignment groove and the alignment flange extends no further radially from the rotational axis than the circumferential teeth. The circumferential teeth, the alignment flange and the alignment groove are configured so that with the alignment flange received in the alignment groove, the drive belt rides on the circumferential teeth.

Belt drive system

A master cylinder for a bicycle hydraulic disc brake comprises a housing defining a cylinder, the cylinder having a first and a second end along its axis. A hydraulic fluid reservoir has a port between the hydraulic fluid reservoir and the cylinder, the port having an opening between the first and second cylinder ends. A piston having a seal resides in the cylinder with the seal between the piston and the cylinder. The seal has a leading seal edge with the leading seal edge being movable solely between the first cylinder and the port opening to vary the dead band distance between the leading seal edge and the port opening with the piston in a starting position. A lever is pivotably associated with the housing and operatively associated with the piston for moving the piston within the cylinder between the starting and a pressurized position as the lever is actuated between a rest position and an actuated position. A reach adjustment is operatively associated with the lever for varying the rest position of the lever relative to the master cylinder housing independent of movement of the leading seal edge relative to the port as the reach adjustment varies the rest position of the lever.

Master cylinder lever with variable dead band and variable reach adjustment independent of the dead band adjustment

A method of varying a rest position and a length of an actuation arc of a lever in a hydraulic disc brake system. The hydraulic disc brake system comprises a master cylinder including a cylinder having a first end and second end and a port communicating with a hydraulic fluid reservoir between the first and the second cylinder ends. A piston is received in the cylinder. The piston has a seal between the cylinder and the piston and the piston is movable within the cylinder by a lever operatively associated therewith to selectively pressurize hydraulic fluid within the cylinder by moving the seal between the port and the second end of the cylinder. The hydraulic disc brake system further comprises a caliper in fluid communication with the master cylinder. The caliper has a pair of brake pads operatively associated with a disc received therebetween. The caliper is actuated by movement of the lever in an actuation arc between a rest position and an engagement point with the pads in engagement with the disc. The length of the actuation arc is variable by movement of the engagement point relative to the rest position along the actuation arc. The method comprises varying a rest position of the lever while simultaneously substantially maintaining the length of the actuation arc as the rest position of the lever is varied and varying the length of the actuation arc while simultaneously substantially maintaining the rest position of the lever and limiting any movement of the piston seal to between the port and the first end of the cylinder as the length of the actuation arc is varied.

Method of varying a rest position and a length of an actuation arc of a lever in a hydraulic disc brake system

A method of varying a rest position of a one-piece lever in a hydraulic brake system. The hydraulic brake system comprises a master cylinder including a cylinder and a port, a piston received in the cylinder, the piston having a radial seal between cylinder and the piston, the piston being movable within the cylinder by a one-piece lever operatively associated therewith to selectively pressurize hydraulic fluid within the cylinder by closing the port. The hydraulic brake system further comprises a caliper in fluid communication with the master cylinder, the caliper having a pair of brake pads operatively associated with the disc received therebetween. The caliper is actuated by movement of the one-piece lever in an arc between a rest position and an engagement point with the pads in engagement with the disc. The length of the arc is variable by movement of the engagement point relative to the rest position along the arc. The method of varying the rest position comprises varying a rest position of the one-piece lever and maintaining the length of the arc as the rest position of the one-piece lever is varied.

Master cylinder lever with independently variable rest position and engagement point

A hydraulic disc brake master cylinder having a bar clamp attached to a master cylinder housing allowing the attachment of the master cylinder to a handle bar along a longitudinal clamp axis. The master cylinder also includes a cylinder wall associated with the master cylinder housing extending axially along the cylinder axis. The cylinder axis is not parallel to the longitudinal clamp axis. This embodiment further includes a reservoir for hydraulic fluid which includes a first wall which first wall includes only a radial portion of the cylinder exterior. The reservoir also includes an elastomeric diaphragm. The cylinder axis and the longitudinal clamp axis lie in a plane substantially bisecting the first wall. Thus, the symmetric master cylinder lever may be disposed on either the right or left portion of a handle bar without effecting operation of the master cylinder lever by a user.

Symmetric master cylinder lever for a hydraulic disc brake

A method of adjusting a lever actuated bicycle hydraulic disc brake master cylinder. The disc brake master cylinder has a housing defining a cylinder having first and second ends and a port communicating with a fluid reservoir between the first and second ends. A piston is received in the cylinder and the piston has a seal having a leading seal edge between the piston and the cylinder. The lever is operatively associated with the piston to move the piston from an unactuated position with the leading seal edge a select distance between the port and the first end of the cylinder to an actuated position between the port and the second end of the cylinder. The method of adjusting the lever actuated bicycle hydraulic disc brake master cylinder comprises varying the select distance between the port and leading edge of the seal with the piston in the unactuated position and providing a stop preventing the leading edge of the seal from moving between the port and the second end of the seal as a result of varying the select distance between the port and the leading edge of the seal with the piston in the unactuated position.

Method and apparatus for adjusting a lever actuated hydraulic disc brake master cylinder

An infrared thermometer has an elongate housing extending along an axis with an actuator at one housing end, the actuator being actuated by engagement along the axis. The housing further includes an opening at one end and a temperature sensor operatively associated with the opening. The temperature sensor can be advanced from a retracted position within the housing to an extended position operatively associated with the opening for sensing the temperature of an object. As the sensor moves between the retracted and the extended position, the sensor changes from a dormant state to a sensing state.

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Littleton, CO, United States of America

Wayne R Lumpkin