Hydraulic disc brake lever assembly
AssigneeShimano Inc.
InventorsShinichi Takizawa, Etsuyoshi Watarai, Tatsuya Matsushita
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A brake lever assembly for actuating a hydraulic disc brake system is shown and described. The brake lever assembly provides two-stage braking by operatively connecting a lever to first and second pistons contained in a master cylinder. The first and second pistons are operatively connected to one another such that they move together until the first piston reaches a threshold distance from a top end of the master cylinder, after which the second piston moves with respect to the first piston.
Claims20
A master cylinder assembly comprising:
- a master cylinder having a length defining an axis, a top end and a bottom end, the master cylinder further defining a threshold distance along the axis from the top end of the master cylinder;
- a first piston disposed in and movable within the master cylinder, the first piston defining a distance along the axis from the top end of the master cylinder;
- a second piston disposed in and movable within the master cylinder, the second piston being operatively connected to the first piston;
- wherein when the distance from the first piston to the top end of the master cylinder is at least the threshold distance, the second piston is movable with respect to the first piston.
A master cylinder assembly comprising:
- a master cylinder having a top end, a bottom end, and a length, the master cylinder further defining a first movement region along a first portion of its length;
- a master piston assembly, comprising first and second pistons, the first and second pistons being disposed in and movable within the master cylinder;
- wherein when the master piston assembly is located within the first movement region, the first piston is movable together with the second piston and when the master piston assembly is at least partially outside of the first movement region, the second piston is movable with respect to the first piston.
A master cylinder assembly, comprising:
- a master cylinder;
- first and second pistons disposed in the master cylinder;
- means for selectively causing the first and second pistons to move together within the master cylinder and for causing one of the first and second pistons to move with respect to the other of the first and second pistons.
A hydraulic brake lever system, comprising:
- a lever having a range of travel comprising first and second regions;
- a master cylinder assembly having hydraulic fluid contained therein and a fluid exit port, the lever being operatively connected to the master cylinder assembly;
- wherein when the lever is in the first region, moving the lever a distance delivers a first volume of hydraulic fluid from the exit port, when the lever is in the second region, moving the lever the distance delivers a second volume of hydraulic fluid from the exit port, and the first volume is greater than the second volume.
A hydraulic disc brake lever assembly, comprising:
- a housing;
- a lever connected to the housing and having a neutral position, a first actuating position, and a second actuating position with respect to the housing;
- first and second pistons disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the lever;
- wherein the movement of the lever from the neutral position to the first position causes the first and second pistons to move together, and the movement of the lever from the first actuating position to the second actuating position causes the second piston to move with respect to the first piston.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.