# US 9,434,444 B2 · Bicycle hydraulic actuating device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,434,444 B2 - Document ID: US9434444B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/075,333 - Filed: 2013-11-08 - Published: 2015-05-14 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-08 - Assignees: Shimano Inc. - Applicants: Shimano Inc. - Inventors: Osamu Kariyama; Daisuke Nago; Masahiro Nakakura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434444B2 ## CPC - B62L 3/023: {acting on fluid pressure systems} - B60T 7/102: {by means of a tilting lever} - B62L: BRAKES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES {(arrangements in cycles for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions B60T8/00)} - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES ## Abstract A bicycle hydraulic actuating device is provided with a housing, a non-linear piston and an operating member. The housing defines a chamber and has a fluid outlet. The non-linear piston is movably disposed in the chamber along a non-linear movement path between a first position and a second position. The operating member is operatively coupled to the non-linear piston so as to move the non-linear piston within the chamber between the first position and the second position in response to movement of the operating member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bicycle hydraulic actuating device comprising: a housing defining a chamber and having a fluid outlet; a non-linear piston movably disposed in the chamber along a non-linear movement path between a first position and a second position; and an operating member operatively coupled to the non-linear piston so as to move the non-linear piston within the chamber between the first position and the second position in response to movement of the operating member, the non-linear piston including a hub portion defining a pivot axis of the non-linear piston and an operated portion projecting outwardly from the hub portion and extending out of the chamber of the housing to contact the operating member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 1, further comprising a base member adapted to fixed to a bicycle part and operatively coupled to the housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 1, wherein the non-linear piston is pivotally mounted within the chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 1, wherein the operating member is configured to pivot around the pivot axis of non-linear piston. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 4, wherein the operating member is configured to be a lever member having a first end connected to the non-linear piston and a second end that extends outwardly from the non-linear piston. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 1, further comprising a biasing element biasing the non-linear piston to the first position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 1, wherein the non-linear piston includes a sealing member that is in sealing contact with the housing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 7, wherein the chamber is at least partially defined by a first side surface, a second side surface and a transverse surface, the transverse surface extending between the first and second side surfaces of the housing, the sealing member contacts the transverse surface at two angularly offset points with respect to the pivot axis. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 8, wherein the transverse surface includes a first curved portion contacting a first contact portion of the sealing member and a second curved portion contacting a second contact portion of the sealing member, the first and second curved portions being non-continuous arcs. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 9, wherein the first curved portion has a larger radius of curvature than the second curved portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 9, wherein the second curved portion is located closer to the pivot axis than the first curved portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 9, wherein the transverse surface further includes a non-seal contact portion disposed between the first and second curved portions and configured without contacting the first and second contact portions of the sealing member as the non-linear piston moves between the first position and the second position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 7, wherein the non-linear piston includes a first vane extending outwardly from the hub portion in a radial direction with respect to the pivot axis and a second vane extending outwardly from the hub portion in a radial direction with respect to the pivot axis, the first vane having a free end with the first contact portion of the sealing member disposed thereon, and the second vane having a free end with the second contact portion of the sealing member disposed thereon. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 13, wherein the first vane has a first length as measured from the pivot axis to a radially outermost point of the first vane with respect to the pivot axis; and the second vane has a second length as measured from the pivot axis to a radially outermost point of the second vane with respect to the pivot axis, the second length of the second vane being smaller than the first length of the first vane. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 2, further comprising a mechanical shifting unit operatively mounted on the base member and configured to operate a bicycle gear shifting component. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 15, wherein the mechanical shifting unit has a shift lever protruding out of the base member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 2) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 2, further comprising an electric control unit operatively mounted on at least one of the operating member and the base member so as to operate an electrical bicycle component. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 17, wherein the electric control unit includes a switch unit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 18, wherein the switch unit is mounted on the operating member. ### Claim 20 (depends on 2) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 2, wherein the base member includes a gripping portion configured to be gripped by a bicycle rider. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 1, wherein the operating member is configured to be a lever member moving between a rest position and an operated position. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 21, further comprising a lever reach adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the rest position of the lever member. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The bicycle hydraulic actuating device according to claim 1, further comprising a piston position adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the first position of the non-linear piston along a non-linear movement path.