Front derailleur for a bicycle
AssigneeShimano Inc.
InventorsSatoru Kojima, Naohiro Nishimoto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A front derailleur for a bicycle has a four-point link mechanism, and a control cable is attached by a screw to an end of a connecting arm fixed to one link of the four-point link mechanism. The connecting arm has an auxiliary projection. The control cable applies a torque to the link at a point of contact between the control cable and the auxiliary projection. The screw on the connecting arm is spaced from a chain guide which contacts a chain, to facilitate an operation to attach the control cable to the connecting arm.
Claims18
A front derailleur apparatus attachable to a frame of a bicycle and operable by an operating force transmitted through a control cable to shift a bicycle chain among a plurality of front chainwheels, comprising:
- a fixed section fixed to said frame;
- a chain guide for contacting said chain to shift said chain;
- a movable section disposed above said fixed section and fixedly supporting said chain guide;
- a first and a second links disposed between and pivotally connected to said fixed section and said movable section, said first and second links relatively movably connecting said movable section to said fixed section;
- a cable connector fixed to said first link for securing said control cable;
- and
- an auxiliary projection extending from said cable connector for contacting said control cable in a position substantially spaced from said cable connector.
A front derailleur apparatus attachable to a frame of a bicycle and operable by an operating force transmitted through a control cable to shift a bicycle chain among a plurality of front chainwheels, comprising:
- a fixed section fixed to said frame;
- a chain guide for contacting said chain to shift said chain, said chain guide having a first and a second guide surfaces extending substantially vertically, and an upper surface extending between said first and second guide surfaces;
- a movable section disposed above said fixed section and below said upper surface of said chain guide, and fixedly supporting said chain guide;
- a first link disposed between said fixed section and said movable section, said first link being pivotably connected to said fixed section through a first pivotal axis, and pivotably connected also to said movable section;
- a second link disposed between said fixed section and said movable section, and pivotably connected to both of said fixed section and said movable section;
- a cable connector fixed to said first link for securing said control cable;
- and
- an auxiliary projection extending from said cable connector toward said chain guide for contacting said control cable in a position substantially spaced from said cable connector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.