JP3300024B2 - Speed change device for bicycle - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a fixing member connected to a bicycle handlebar and rotatably supporting a take-up body of a speed change wire. The take-up body is interlocked with the take-up body via a one-way mechanism. A first speed change lever that can be automatically rotated from the winding position to the original position while rotating the gear in the winding direction, and position holding that holds the winding body in a stepwise manner according to the winding length of the speed change wire. A shift mechanism for a bicycle including a second shift operation tool for rotating the winding body in the rewinding direction by releasing the position holding by the position holding mechanism and automatically returning the winding body from the rewinding position to the original position. Related to operating devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The above-mentioned bicycle shift operating device is provided with a shift lever even when the first shift lever or the second shift operating tool returns to the original position each time the operation is performed and the shift operation is performed to a shift position that is multisteps away. The gear is designed so that it can be used within an appropriate stroke range in which the user can easily operate the speed change gear. That is, for example, the shift in the winding direction of the shift wire may be performed by pressing the first shift lever a plurality of times, and the shift operation in the rewinding direction of the shift wire is performed by operating the second shift operating tool. Thus, the position holding by the position holding means may be released. In this type of speed change operation device, conventionally, for example, JP-A-2-88
As seen in Japanese Patent Publication No. 384, the direction in which the first shift lever is operated to wind up the speed change wire and the direction in which the second speed change operation tool is operated to rewind the speed change wire are in the same direction. Had become.

[0003]

Conventionally, when performing a shift, the first shift lever and the second shift operating tool are operated in the same direction, so that the first shift lever and the second shift operating tool are mistaken. Was sometimes operated. Also, since the gearshift operating device is provided near the grip of the handlebar,
Generally, the first shift lever and the second shift operating device are arranged so as to be operated by one thumb. However, since the position of the operation unit most suitable for the shift operation is one place, the first shift lever and the second shift operating device are arranged. Operation of either one of the two-speed operation tool tends to be very difficult. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a bicycle shift operation device which can be easily operated and easy to operate, and which can perform a shift operation while firmly supporting a steering wheel.

In order to achieve the object, the bicycle shift operating device according to the present invention has the following features.
The operating portion of the first shift lever is located within an operable range of the index finger of the hand gripping the bicycle handlebar in the attached state to the bicycle handlebar,
The operation unit of the speed change operation tool is located in the operable range of the thumb of the hand gripping the bicycle handlebar, and the first speed change lever is configured to be operated in a direction along the winding direction, and The second speed change operation tool is configured to be operated independently of the first speed change lever in a direction along the rewinding direction, and the first speed change lever and the second speed change operation tool are operated by the first speed change lever and the second speed change operation tool. The first shift lever and the second shift operating tool are supported by the fixed member such that the operating section of the first shift lever and the operating section of the second shift operating tool are close to each other.

[0005]

The first shift lever and the lever itself of the first shift operating tool, the operating tool itself, and the operating relationship between the operating position and the first shifting lever,
The speed change lever is operated in the opposite direction to the operation direction of the second speed change operation tool by the index finger of the hand supporting the handle, and
The shift operation device is firstly moved by the thumb of the hand supporting the steering wheel.
The shift lever is operated in a direction opposite to the operation direction. That is, the index finger as a dedicated finger is applied to the first shift lever, and the thumb as the dedicated finger is applied to the second shift operation tool. There is no need to select a shift lever, which is conventionally required when the shift lever is operated with the same finger. Since the handlebar is supported by gripping the handle with the handle positioned between the thumb side of the hand and the side of the other fingers, when the thumb is largely released from the handle, the thumb side supports the handle. And the support strength of the handle is reduced. On the other hand, even if the index finger is released relatively far from the handle, other fingers other than the index finger support the handle, and the support strength of the handle does not decrease much. Therefore, when operating the shift lever with the finger of the hand while supporting the handle, the degree of separation of the finger from the handlebar increases on the index finger side and decreases on the thumb side as compared to the opposite case. A decrease in handle support force due to the operation of the shift lever can be reduced. Further, the operation force required for the rewinding operation is smaller than that of the winding operation, and the shifting operation is not hindered even if the second shift operating tool is formed as a button type or a lever shorter than the first shift lever. If the second shift operation tool is a button or a short lever, and the first shift lever is formed longer, the hand other than the palm or fingers necessary for shifting can be attached to the handle as much as possible to support the handle. Speed change can be performed while strengthening.

[0006]

According to the present invention, both the first gearshift lever and the second gearshift operating tool are arranged so that the finger can easily reach them, and the first gearshift lever and the second gearshift operating tool can be easily interchanged. The speed change operation can be performed quickly and accurately. Further, the second shift operation tool can be a button type or a short lever type, and the first shift lever can be formed to be longer so that the steering wheel support can be maintained firmly even during a shift operation. Was. Further, the second speed change operation tool is formed as a button type or a short lever, so that a space for arranging the indicator is secured near the handlebar, so that the speed change indicator can be mounted in a compact and easy-to-view manner.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1, a brake lever BL is attached to a lever bracket B which is configured to be tightly connected to a handlebar H, and a first shift lever 4, a second shift lever 7 and a speed display section A are provided. In a state in which the shift operation device E including the above is attached to the lever bracket B, and the lever bracket B is connected to the handlebar H, the operating portion 4a of the first shift lever 4 is operated by the grip G of the handlebar H.
, In the same direction as the brake lever side, and located in a range that can be operated by the index finger of the hand gripping the grip G, and the operating portion 7a of the second speed change lever 7 is in the first position with respect to the grip G of the handlebar H. Operating section 4a of shift lever 4
And a brake lever device with a shift operation device for a bicycle, which is configured to be located on the opposite side to the range that can be operated by the thumb of the hand holding the grip G. In this brake lever device, the gearshift operating device E is positioned below the flat bar type handlebar H, and the lever brat B is mounted near the grip G of the handlebar H to swing the brake lever BL. By operating the brake device (not shown) for the front wheel or the rear wheel via the brake wire, the first shift lever 4 is operated.
In addition, the front or rear transmission (not shown) is operated via the transmission wire O by the swing operation of the second transmission lever 7.

The speed change operation device E is configured as shown in FIGS. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a fixing member fixedly connected to the handlebar H by being fixed to the lever bracket B. From this fixing member 1 to the handlebar H
The take-up body 2 acting on the inner wire O1 of the speed-changing wire O is rotatably supported on a support shaft 11 extending downward so as to be orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. The winding body 2 has a winding portion 22a of the inner wire O1 on the outer peripheral portion.
And a locking portion 22b for the inner wire O1, and a return spring 20 is provided to urge the inner wire O1 to return in the rewinding direction. The winding body 2 is held at its rotational position by the position holding mechanism P, released from its position holding by the position holding releasing means R, and the amount of rotation in the rewinding direction is regulated to a fixed amount by the regulating mechanism L. . As will be described later, the one-way mechanism W interposed between the first transmission lever 4 and the winding body 2 divides the original position N1 of the first transmission lever 4 and the rotation position of the winding body 2. Thus, the operability of the first shift lever 4 is improved. Further, as will be described later, the position holding mechanism P includes a first engagement portion 31 and a first engagement body 32 which are engaged stepwise,
The position holding releasing means R includes a first cam device C1, and the regulating mechanism L includes a second engagement portion 61, a second engagement body 62, and a second cam device C2. On the outer peripheral surface of the winding body 2, a number of feed teeth 21 which are a part of the one-way mechanism W are provided.
Are provided in the circumferential direction at a small pitch, and the first engaging portion 31 and the second engaging portion 61 each having a large number of teeth are provided on the inner peripheral surface. In the figure, 12 is the support shaft 11
A holding cylinder supported non-rotatably on the first engagement body 3
The second engagement body 62 is pivotally supported on the holding cylinder 12 with claw shafts 35 and 65 substantially parallel to the support shaft 11. Further, an urging spring 33 for urging the first engaging body 32 in the direction of the first engaging part 31 and a urging spring 33 for urging the second engaging body 62 with respect to the second engaging part 61 in a detaching direction. An urging spring 63 is provided. The axial direction of the support shaft 11 (
Hereinafter, it is simply referred to as “axial direction”. On the lower end side, the first shift lever 4 is swingably supported by a lever spring 5 so as to be urged to return in the reciprocating direction. On the upper end side, the second shift lever 7 is supported by a lever spring 7b. The first shift lever 4 is swingably supported by a support in a state of being urged to return in a direction opposite to the first shift lever 4. The original position N1 of the first shift lever 4 in FIG. 1 is determined by bringing the contact portion 43 provided on the first shift lever 4 into contact with the setting portion 13 protruding from the intermediate portion of the support shaft 11. . The original position N1 of the first shift lever 4 is determined by contacting the contact portion 7c provided on the second shift lever 7 with the setting portion 1a protruding from the fixed member 1.
A feed pawl 41 is pivotally supported on the first shift lever 4 to engage the feed dog 21 and transmit the operating force of the first shift lever 4 in the wire winding direction to the winding body 2. ,
The one-way mechanism W is configured by urging the feed claw 41 toward the feed dog 21 with an urging spring 42. here,
In order to release the engagement of the one-way mechanism W only when the first speed change lever 4 is at the original position N1, the fixed plate 1 in which the projection 44 protruding from the feed claw 41 is non-rotatably fitted to the support shaft 11 is fitted.
4 so as to ride on a fixed cam 45 formed on the periphery. The second shift lever 7 and each of the engaging bodies 3
2, 62, between the first and second cam devices C1, C2.
Is provided. The prime mover of each of the cam devices is provided with first and second axially protruding portions from the base of the second shift lever 7.
The first and second cam followers 34 and 64 project from the first and second engaging members 32 and 62 in the axial direction, respectively. Then, with the swing operation of the second shift lever 7, first, the second cam device C2 presses the second engagement body 62 so that the second engagement body 62 can engage with the second engagement portion 61. The first engagement body 32 and the first engagement portion 31
These cam devices are configured to be disengaged from the cam device.

The length of the second transmission lever 7 from the pivot axis to the free end is formed smaller than the length of the first transmission lever 4 from the pivot axis to the free end. That is, due to the long action of the first shift lever 4, the shift inner wire O <b> 1
In order that the rewinding operation of the thumb can be performed lightly, and the short-length action of the second shift lever 7 allows the rewinding operation of the inner wire O1 for shifting to be performed while reducing the degree of separation of the thumb from the handle grip G. I have. According to the above-mentioned configuration, due to the above-mentioned arrangement of the transmission levers 4 and 7, the transmission wire O and the brake wire are extended in parallel or substantially parallel from the transmission operating device A or the brake lever BL. It can be arranged, which is advantageous in terms of aesthetics.

Next, the operation of the speed change device constructed as described above will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first shift lever 4 is moved to the original position N1 by a pulling operation with the index finger of the hand gripping the grip G of the handlebar H.
From the operating portion 4a of the first shift lever 4 to the second shift lever 7
To the operation position 7a shown in FIG. Then, the first shift lever 4 moves forward in the X direction from the state shown in FIG. 4, the protrusion 44 of the one-way mechanism W slides down from the fixed cam 45, and the feed pawl 41 rotates in the Z direction in FIG. Engage with teeth 21. Then, while the winding body 2 moves forward through the feed claw 41, the engagement of the first engaging body 32 with the first engaging portion 31 is released, and the winding operation of the inner wire O1 of the speed change wire O is performed. I do. At this time, when the rotation of the first speed change lever 4 in the forward movement direction reaches the stroke of the engagement portion 31 at one pitch, a one-step speed change can be performed. Note that the two or more stages of shifting can be performed by once returning the first shift lever 4 to the original position N1, and then performing a forward operation of the first shift lever 4 again. In a state where the gear is shifted to the desired large-diameter gear-side gear position, the first engagement body 32 is engaged with the desired first engagement portion 31, and the rotation of the winding body 2 in the reversing direction is prevented, and The shift state in which the gear is shifted to the step on the radial gear side can be reliably maintained. Then, when the operation of the first speed change lever 4 is released after shifting as described above, the lever 4 moves back in the reverse direction by the force of the lever spring 5, and the contact between the contact portion 43 and the setting portion 13 is made. The first shift lever 4
Returns to the original position N1 and stops, preparing for the next operation. At this time, the projection 44 rides on the fixed cam 45, and the engagement between the feed pawl 41 and the feed dog 21 is released.

Next, in order to shift from the state shifted to the large-diameter gear to the small-diameter gear again, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. The operating portion 7a of the second shift lever 7 is operated so as to be pulled in the Y direction, and the operating portion 7a of the second shift lever 7 operates the first shift operating lever 4 from the original position N2 in FIG. It is swung in the direction approaching the portion 4a and operated to the rewind position D in FIG. Then, the speed change lever 7 moves forward in the Y direction from the state shown in FIG. By this operation, first, the second
After the engaging member 62 is forcibly pressed in the direction of the second engaging portion 61 and the claw portion of the second engaging member 62 enters the second engaging portion 61, the first engaging member 32 and the first The engagement with the engagement portion 31 is released as shown in FIG. At that time, the winding body 2
It reciprocates in the Y direction by an amount corresponding to the gap between the second engagement member 62 and the second engagement portion 61, that is, within one pitch of the first engagement portion 31. When the operation of the second shift lever 7 is stopped and the shift lever 7 returns to the original position, the first engagement body 32 enters a position at which the first engagement body 32 can engage with the first engagement portion 31, and then the second engagement The pressing of the second engaging member 62 is released, the second engaging member 62 is disengaged from the second engaging portion 61, and the first engaging member 32 is connected to the first engaging portion on the one-stage small-diameter gear side. The engagement between the first engagement portion 31 and the return spring 20 prevents the return movement of the winding body 2 by the engagement. it can. Also, the returned second shift lever 7 is
The original position N2 is determined by the contact between the contact portion 7b and the setting portion 1a.
And prepare for the next operation. Note that the first shift lever 4
The operation unit 4a and the operation unit 7a of the second shift lever 7 only need to be in a state where they can be approached by operation, and after the operation, even if the positions of the operation units are switched as indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. Good. According to the above configuration, the state in which the transmission wire O and the brake wire are substantially parallel to each other can be extended from the brake lever device to the transmission device side or the brake device side,
It is possible to arrange both wires compactly or to integrate them so that both inner wires are located inside the same outer wire.

As shown in FIG. 6, the speed display section A is composed of a pointer member having a triangular pointer 8 and a display panel 10 formed on the transmission case 9, and is used when the winding body 2 rotates. Accordingly, the pointer 8 is configured to rotate in the forward or reverse direction for interlocking the pointer member and the winding body 2 and to indicate one of a plurality of numerical displays provided on the display panel 10. It is. That is, the speed stage at which the transmission is shifted by the operation of the shift levers 4 and 7 to appear can be determined by knowing the numerical display indicated by the hands 8.

[Other Embodiments] Next, other embodiments of the present invention will be listed. (A) In addition to attaching the gearshift operating device A to the lever bracket B so as to be assembled to the handlebar H at once with the brake lever BL, the gearshift operating device A is provided with a connecting portion to a handlebar dedicated to the gearbox. You may comprise and implement so that it may be separately attached to the handlebar H. (B) The first shift lever 4 and the second shift lever 7 do not need to be supported on the same shaft, and both levers 4 and 7 may be pivotally supported on different support shafts. It is not necessary to orient the support shafts 7 supporting each other in parallel. (C) Instead of the second shift lever 7, a button-type operating tool may be employed. Therefore, these are collectively referred to as a second speed change operation tool 7. (D) In the above embodiment, the first and second engagement bodies 32, 6
Although 2 has a claw shape and the first and second engaging portions 31 and 61 have a large number of teeth, these relationships may be completely reversed. (E) The position holding mechanism P, the position holding releasing means R, the regulating mechanism L, and the one-way mechanism W are not limited to those shown in the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made based on known techniques. . (F) The pivot axis of the brake lever BL and the pivot axes of the transmission levers 4 and 7 may be arranged in parallel or non-parallel. (G) The speed change operation device according to the present invention can be applied to a case where the speed change operation device is used by being attached to a bent handlebar formed in various bent shapes in addition to the flat bar type handle. (H) The present invention can be practiced for both rear and front derailleur operations. Further, the present invention can be implemented for operating an internal transmission other than the external transmission.

In the claims, reference numerals are provided for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the configuration shown in the attached drawings.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a bottom view in a state where a speed change device is attached.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a first shift lever and a second shift lever.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along a roll of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram in a second shift lever operating state.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the entire speed change operation device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fixed member 2 Winding body 4 1st speed change lever 4a Operation part 7 2nd speed change operation tool 7a Operation part O1 Speed change wire M Winding position N1 Original position D Rewinding position N2 Original position W One way mechanism P Position holding mechanism H Handlebar

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A fixed member (1) connected to a handlebar (H) for a bicycle and rotatably supporting a winding body (2) of a transmission wire (O1), said winding body (2).
The first speed change mechanism, which is interlocked via a one-way mechanism (W) to rotate the winding body (2) in the winding direction and automatically return from the winding position (M) to the original position (N1). A lever (4), a position holding mechanism (P) for holding the winding body (2) in a stepwise manner in accordance with the winding length of the speed-change wire (O1), and position holding by the position holding mechanism (P). The second member is capable of rotating the winding body (2) in the rewinding direction by releasing the button and automatically returning from the rewinding position (D) to the original position (N2).
A bicycle gearshift operating device including a gearshift operating tool (7), wherein an operating portion (4a) of the first gearshift lever (4) is mounted on the bicycle handlebar (H) when the bicycle handlebar is mounted on the bicycle handlebar. (H) is located within the operable range of the index finger of the hand gripping, and the operating portion (7a) of the second speed change operation tool (7) is within the operable range of the thumb of the hand gripping the bicycle handlebar (H). And the first speed change lever
-(4) is operated in the direction along the winding direction
And the second speed change operation tool (7) is
The first shift lever (4) in a direction along a rewind direction;
Are operated independently of each other .
The operation section (4a) of the first transmission lever (4) is operated by operating the transmission lever (4) and the second transmission operation tool (7).
The first shift lever (4) and the second shift operation tool (7) are supported by the fixed member (1) in such a manner that the first shift lever (4) and the second shift operation tool (7) are arranged closer to each other and the operating portion (7a) of the second shift operation tool (7). A gearshift operating device for a bicycle. 2. The second speed change operation tool (7) is a lever.
And the length from the pivot axis of this lever (7) to the free end.
From the pivot axis of the first transmission lever (4) to the free end.
2. The bicycle speed change operation device according to claim 1, wherein the speed change operation device is formed smaller than the first gear.
Place. 3. The bicycle handlebar (H)
In the attached state, the first shift lever (4) is
Bicycle handlebar than the two-speed operation device (7)
3. The device according to claim 1, which is arranged at a position close to (H).
Speed change gear for turning vehicles.