# US 9,434,448 B2 · Bicycle derailleur > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,434,448 B2 - Document ID: US9434448B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/529,426 - Filed: 2014-10-31 - Published: 2016-05-05 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-31 - Assignees: Shimano Inc. - Applicants: Shimano Inc. - Inventors: Takafumi Nishino - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434448B2 ## CPC - B62M 9/137: Mounting or guiding of cables - B62M 9/1342: characterised by the linkage mechanisms - B62M: RIDER PROPULSION OF WHEELED VEHICLES OR SLEDGES; POWERED PROPULSION OF SLEDGES OR {SINGLE-TRACK} CYCLES; TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SUCH VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of transmissions in vehicles in general B60K; transmission elements per se F16) ## Abstract A bicycle derailleur comprises a base member, a chain guide, a first link, and a wire guide. The base member is configured to be coupled to a bicycle frame. The chain guide is configured to guide a bicycle chain. The first link is configured to couple the chain guide to the base member so that the chain guide is movable relative to the base member between a retracted position and an extended position. The wire guide includes only one wire guiding portion configured to guide an inner wire of a control cable which is in at least one of a top pull arrangement and a bottom pull arrangement. The wire guide is a separate member from the first link and configured to be attached to the first link. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bicycle derailleur comprising: a base member configured to be coupled to a bicycle frame; a chain guide configured to guide a bicycle chain; a first link configured to couple the chain guide to the base member so that the chain guide is movable relative to the base member between a retracted position and an extended position; and one of a wire guide and an additional wire guide which are separate members from the first link and which are selectively attached to the first link, the wire guide including a wire guiding portion configured to guide an inner wire of a control cable which is in a top pull arrangement, the additional wire guide including an additional wire guiding portion configured to guide an inner wire of a control cable which is in a bottom pull arrangement. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1, wherein the wire guide and the additional wire guide are configured to be detachably attached to the first link to be replaceable with each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1, wherein the wire guide is configured to be detachably attached to the first link to be replaceable with another wire guide. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1, wherein the wire guide is configured to be attached to the first link so that the wire guide is disposed at one of a first orientation and a second orientation relative to the first link, the second orientation is different from the first orientation, the wire guiding portion is configured to guide the inner wire of the control cable which is in one of the top pull arrangement and the bottom pull arrangement in a first state where the wire guide is disposed at the first orientation relative to the first link, and the wire guiding portion is configured to guide the inner wire of the control cable which is in another of the top pull arrangement and the bottom pull arrangement in a second state where the wire guide is disposed at the second orientation relative to the first link. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 4, wherein the first link includes a first end configured to be pivotally coupled to the base member about a first pivot axis, and a second end configured to be pivotally coupled to the chain guide about a second pivot axis, and when viewed from an axial direction of the first pivot axis, the wire guiding portion in the first state of the wire guide is disposed on an opposite side of the wire guiding portion in the second state of the wire guide relative to a reference line extending between the first end and the second end. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 5, wherein the second orientation is an orientation where the wire guide is turned approximately 180 degree about a rotational axis parallel to the first pivot axis relative to the first link from the first orientation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 4, wherein the wire guide includes a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, and the second orientation is an orientation where the wire guide is turned over so that positions of the first side and the second side are replaced relative to the first link. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1, wherein the wire guiding portion includes a guide hole through which the inner wire is to extend. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1, wherein the wire guiding portion includes a guide groove through which the inner wire is to extend. ### Claim 10 A bicycle derailleur comprising: a base member configured to be coupled to a bicycle frame; a chain guide configured to guide a bicycle chain; a first link configured to couple the chain guide to the base member so that the chain guide is movable relative to the base member between a retracted position and an extended position; and a wire guide which is a separate member from the first link, the wire guide being configured to be attached to the first link so that the wire guide is disposed at one of a first orientation and a second orientation relative to the first link, the second orientation being different from the first orientation, the wire guide including a top-pull wire guiding portion configured to guide an inner wire of a control cable in a first state where the wire guide is at the first orientation relative to the first link, and a bottom-pull wire guiding portion configured to guide the inner wire of the control cable in a second state where the wire guide is at the second orientation relative to the first link, the bottom-pull wire guiding portion being different from the top-pull wire guiding portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 10, wherein the first link includes a first end configured to be pivotally coupled to the base member about a first pivot axis, and a second end configured to be pivotally coupled to the chain guide about a second pivot axis, when viewed from an axial direction of the first pivot axis, the top-pull wire guiding portion and the bottom-pull wire guiding portion are disposed on a first wire side relative to a reference line extending between the first end and the second end in the first state, when viewed from the axial direction of the first pivot axis, the top-pull wire guiding portion and the bottom-pull wire guiding portion are disposed on a second wire side relative to the reference line in the second state, and the second wire side is opposite to the first wire side relative to the reference line. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 10, wherein the wire guide includes a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, and the second orientation is an orientation where the wire guide is turned over so that positions of the first side and the second side are replaced relative to the first link. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the top-pull wire guiding portion and the bottom-pull wire guiding portion includes a guide hole through which the inner wire is to extend. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the top-pull wire guiding portion and the bottom-pull wire guiding portion includes a guide groove through which the inner wire is to extend. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1, wherein the wire guide includes an engagement opening, the additional wire guide includes an additional engagement opening, and the first link includes an attachment structure including an attachment base portion, the attachment base portion being configured to be provided in one of the engagement opening and the additional engagement opening in a state where the one of the wire guide and the additional wire guide is attached to the first link. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 15, wherein the attachment base portion is configured to prevent the one of the wire guide and the additional wire guide from moving relative to the first link. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1, wherein the wire guide includes a pivot hole, the additional wire guide includes an additional pivot hole, and the first link includes a first body and a first link pin that is configured to pivotally connect the first body to the base member and configured to extend through one of the pivot hole and the additional pivot hole in a state where the one of the wire guide and the additional wire guide is attached to the first link. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1, wherein the one of the wire guide and the additional wire guide is configured to be non-detachably attached to the first link. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 1, wherein the wire guiding portion includes a guide hole through which the inner wire is to extend. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The bicycle derailleur according to claim 19, wherein the additional wire guiding portion includes an additional guide hole through which the inner wire is to extend.