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US 4,768,798 AGranted
Internal cable arrangement for bicycle frame
OwnerCurtis H. Reed, William D. Groveinventors
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OwnerCurtis H. Reed, William D. Groveinventors
Estimating the term…
In a bicycle frame adapted for internal control cabling, at least one control cable entrance port is located through the wall of the frame at a position ahead of the steering axis, such a port providing a bend-free cable path into and through the interior of the frame. This path passes laterally between the inner wall of the frame and the outer wall of the steering tube of a front wheel fork. A range of applicable port locations permits multiple internal cables to be installed together without interference. The frame configuration and associated cable guidance elements thereby facilitated provide direct cable paths to actuated devices such as a rear brake, front derailleur and rear derailleur. Because such paths are relatively short, incur minimal cable bending, and do not require outer cable within the frame, control actuation is characterized by particularly low levels of friction and elasticity.
In a bicycle frame having upper and lower headset bearing bores, the frame characterized by a steering axis, the steering axis coincident with the axial centerline of the steering tube of an inserted front wheel fork, the steering tube passing through and between the upper and lower headset bearing bores, the steering axis positioned and aligned through the centers of the upper and lower headset bearing bores, the improvement wherein at least one control cable entrance port is provided through the wall of the frame, said port intersecting that portion of the frame outer wall which is forward of the steering axis, the rearwardly projected centerline of said port laterally offset from the steering axis by a distance greater than the outside radius of the steering tube.
In a bicycle frame having a head tube portion joined with the forward end of a spine tube portion, the head tube portion in substantially perpendicular alignment with the spine tube portion, the head tube portion having an upper end bore aligned with a lower end bore, the bores to accept respective upper and lower headset bearings, the headset bearings to rotatably mount the steering tube of a front wheel fork, the bicycle steering axis passing through the centers of the upper and lower bores, the improvement wherein at least one control cable entrance port is located through the wall of the head tube portion, said port intersecting that outer surface of the head tube portion which is ahead of the steering axis, the centerline of said port oriented in substantial parallel alignment with the spine tube portion, the rearwardly projected centerline of said port laterally offset from the steering axis by a distance greater than the outside radius of the steering tube, the rearwardly projected centerline of said port intersecting the annular clearance between the inside wall of the head tube portion and the outside wall of the steering tube, the centerline of said port projecting rearwardly into the interior of the spine tube portion, thereby providing a bend-free cable path into and along the interior of the spine tube portion of the frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.