Bicycle derailleur and method
AssigneeSram, LLC
InventorsBrian Jordan, Mark V. Santurbane
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A front derailleur for use on devices such as bicycles includes a moveable chain guide for engaging a chain and able to cause the chain to be moved between two or more chainrings. The guide includes a first discrete alignment indicator and a second discrete alignment indicator for aligning the derailleur.
Claims15
A front derailleur for a bicycle having a frame member and a plurality of chainrings, one of the chainrings defining a chainring plane, the front derailleur comprising:
- a mount attachable to the frame member;
- a moveable chain guide separate from the mount, the moveable chain guide including inner and outer cage plates;
- a linkage coupling the moveable chain guide to the mount;
- and
- first and second discrete alignment indicators disposed on the moveable chain guide, the first and second discrete alignment indicators located between the inner and outer cage plates, the derailleur moveable to position the first and second discrete alignment indicators within, a target plane to indicate an aligned position of the moveable chain guide relative to the one of the chainrings, wherein the target plane is one of coincident with or parallel to the chainring plane.
A method of aligning a front derailleur of a bicycle having a frame member and a plurality of chainrings, one of the plurality of chainrings defining a chainring plane, wherein the front derailleur includes a mount attachable to the frame member, a moveable chain guide coupled to the mount by a linkage and including inner and outer cage plates, and first and second discrete alignment indicators disposed on the moveable chain guide, the first and second discrete alignment indicators located between the inner and outer cage plates, the method comprising:
- mounting the front derailleur to the frame member with the mount;
- moving the front derailleur to position the first discrete alignment indicator and the second discrete alignment indicator within a target plane to indicate an aligned position of the moveable chain guide relative to the one of the chainrings, wherein the target plane is one of coincident with or parallel to the chainring plane;
- and
- fixing the front derailleur in the aligned position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.