Adjusting device for a control cable for a bicycle
AssigneeShimano Industrial Company Limited
InventorMasashi Nagano
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The device adjusts the length of a control cable which is interposed between an operating machine, such as a derailleur, and a control device therefor. The device is provided with a temporary stop mechanism for temporarily, stepwise stopping rotation of an adjuster. The device also includes a clicking mechanism by which an operator senses a clicking action when rotating the adjuster. The stop interval for the clicking mechanism is set to be larger than the minimum incremented stroke of the control cable required for adjustment thereof one increment at a time.
Claims9
An adjusting device for adjusting a length of a control cable to adjust an operating position of a bicycle derailleur having a chain guide for shifting a driving chain from one sprocket to another of a multi-stage sprocket assembly, said sprocket assembly having sprockets each having a stable region with a predetermined width within which said driving chain can travel thereon without producing noise by contact with said sprocket or said chain guide when said derailleur is in an operation position, whereby to avoid said noise said chain guide is required to be in proper position within said stable region of a particular sprocket when said chain is being shifted by said derailleur onto said particular sprocket, said length of said control cable being adjustable to cause said chain guide to be in said proper position within said stable region of said particular sprocket, said device comprising:
- (a) a mounting member,
- (b) an adjuster comprising (i) a shaft screwably mounted on said mounting member such that said adjuster is axially movable with respect to said mounting member responsive to rotation of said shaft relative to said mounting member and (ii) a receiving portion for receiving therein said control cable,
- (c) a clicking mechanism for providing a clicking noise each time said adjuster is rotated by a given angle relative to said mounting member, said clicking mechanism including a temporary stop means including a clicking member supported non-rotatably relative to said adjuster and including a plurality of engaging protuberances, said mounting member including a plurality of engaging recesses for engagement with said engaging protuberances, and
- a spring means interposed between said adjuster and said clicking member to bias said clicking member toward said mounting member,
- said given angle having a magnitude such that when said adjuster is rotated by said given angle, said length of said control cable is adjusted and said chain guide is adjusted in position an amount adapted to be one of (i) equal to and (ii) slightly less than said predetermined width of said stable region, whereby when said chain guide is located outside said stable region and said adjuster is rotated by said given angle, said chain guide is positioned in said proper position within said region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.