Adjustment mechanism
AssigneeBell Sports, Inc.
InventorMichael J. Musal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustment mechanism comprises a dial comprising an inner wall defining a hole passing through the dial, the inner wall comprising a ledge having one or more cutouts. The mechanism further comprises a base comprising a first set of teeth and an actuator comprising a second, the second set of teeth configured to engage the first set of teeth and allow the actuator to be rotated in a first direction but not in a second opposite direction. The actuator further comprises one or more drive-dogs configured to engage a cutout on the inner wall of the dial, each drive-dog comprising a ramped edge configured to disengage the drive-dog from the cutout and lift the second set of teeth from the first set of teeth when the dial is rotated in the second direction.
Claims22
An adjustment mechanism, comprising:
- a generally cylindrical dial comprising an inner wall defining a hole passing through the dial, the inner wall comprising a ledge having one or more cutouts;
- a base comprising a first set of teeth;
- an actuator comprising a second set of teeth, the second set of teeth configured to engage the first set of teeth and allow the actuator to be rotated in a first direction but not in a second opposite direction;
- the actuator further comprising one or more drive-dogs, each drive-dog configured to engage a cutout on the inner wall of the dial, each drive-dog comprising a ramped edge configured to disengage the drive-dog from the cutout and to lift the second set of teeth of the actuator from the first set of teeth of the base when the dial is rotated in the second direction;
- and
- wherein the actuator is configured to tighten an adjusted mechanism when the dial is rotated in the first direction and loosen the adjusted mechanism when the dial is rotated in the second direction.
An adjustment mechanism, comprising:
- a generally cylindrical dial comprising an inner wall defining a hole passing through the dial, the inner wall comprising a ledge having one or more cutouts;
- a base comprising a first set of teeth;
- a cylindrical shuttle comprising a second set of teeth, the second set of teeth configured to engage the first set of teeth of the base and allow an actuator coupled to the shuttle to be rotated in a first direction but not in a second opposite direction;
- the shuttle further comprising one or more drive-dogs, each drive-dog configured to engage a cutout on the inner wall of the dial, each drive-dog comprising a ramped edge configured to disengage the drive-dog from the cutout and to lift the second set of teeth of the shuttle from the first set of teeth of the base when the dial is rotated in the second direction;
- and
- wherein the actuator is configured to tighten an adjusted mechanism when the dial is rotated in the first direction and loosen the adjusted mechanism when the dial is rotated in the second direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.