Adjustable handlebar for bicycle

• US 4,682,509 A
• Filed: 06/06/1985
• Issued: 07/28/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Cycle Co., Ltd. (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Cycle Co., Ltd. (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Takamiya, Kikuzo, Ishibashi, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Gary L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lindsey, Rodney M.
• Application Number:
  US06/742,224
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 74/551.5, 74/551.4, 74/551.3, 74/551.7, 74/551.8, 74/551.1, 403/323, 403/97, 403/93, 403/94, 403/374, 403/96, 403/330, 292/57, 280/278, 280/287, 280/271
• US Class Current: 74/551.4
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/16 having adjustable parts therein
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32368 including radial interengaging tongue and slot or serrations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20798 Sectional
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20804 Simultaneously movable

Abstract

An adjustable handlebar for a bicycle according to the invention comprises two handlebar members whose adjacent ends are pivotally supported by two bolts whose extended axes are crossing in front of the bicycle, gear teeth formed in the adjacent ends of the handlebar members so as to pivotally move one handlebar member by pivotally moving the other handlebar member, two sets of isosceles triangle-shaped thrust serrations at adjacent ends of the handlebar members and an upper portion of a handlebar stem, thereby anchoring the handlebar members when the bolts are tightened and moving the adjacent ends of the handlebar members away from the upper portion of the handlebar stem when the bolts are loosened and the handlebar members are rotated, and a cam and cam follower assembly having a lever for engaging and disengaging the serrations, thereby simply changing positions of handlebar members symmetrically. The upper portion of the handlebar stem is formed by a rear part and a front part pivotally movable relative to the rear part in a substantially vertical direction about a substantially horizontal axis in transverse direction of the bicycle and clamped to the rear part by the clamping means, thereby enabling inclined angles of grips of the handlebar to be changed.

Claims

1. An adjustable handlebar for a bicycle, comprising two handlebar members whose adjacent ends are pivotally supported by two fasteners extending from an upper portion of a handlebar stem, gear teeth formed on said adjacent ends of the handlebar members and in mesh with each other such that when one of said handlebar members is pivotally moved about one of said fasteners, the other handlebar member is also pivotally moved about the other fastener, anchoring means provided between engaging surfaces of said upper portion of said handlebar stem and of said adjacent ends of said handlebar members for anchoring said handlebar members, and a cam and cam follower assembly having a lever for engaging and disengaging said anchoring means, said cam and cam follower assembly comprising a cam holder adjacent to and in front of said adjacent ends of said handlebar members, and a retainer plate adjacent to and in front of said cam holder, said cam holder and retainer plate including opposed recesses to form in their adjacent portions a cam fitting cylindrical space, said fasteners passing through said cam holder and said retainer plate so as to permit said holder and plate to slide thereon when the fasteners are loosened, and a cam lever formed at one end with ellipsoid-shaped cams extending in lateral directions and received in said cam fitting cylindrical space to move said cam holder away from said retainer plate when said ellipsoid-shaped cams are rotated in said cylindrical space by moving said cam lever.

2. An adjustable handlebar as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cam lever further comprises a lever lock slidably movable on a main body of said cam lever and always springly urged in the front direction and provided at its front end with at least one pawl engageable with a projection of said cam holder, thereby preventing the cam lever from being moved until said lever lock is retracted against the springly urged action.

3. An adjustable handlebar as set forth in claim 2, wherein said cam lever is further formed on the other end with a grip and a clearance between a front portion of said grip and said main body of said cam lever, said lever lock is formed in a U-shaped cross-section so as to be fitted on said main body of said cam lever such that a rear part of said lever lock is inserted in said clearance and legs of said U-shaped lever lock embrace said main body of said cam lever, and said cam lever further comprises a coil spring received in a slot formed in said main body of said cam lever and a pin slidably received in said slot formed in said main body and retained with its ends in apertures formed in said legs of said U-shaped lever lock so as to urge said U-shaped lever lock in the front direction by said coil spring.

4. An adjustable handlebar as set forth in claim 3, wherein said lever lock is further formed with a latch with which a cyclist retracts said lever lock by fingers.

5. An adjustable handlebar as set forth in claim 4, wherein said latch is formed like stairs inclined as a whole.

6. An adjustable handlebar as set forth in claim 3, wherein said pawl is formed on its underside with an inclined surface which engages said projection of said cam holder so as to permit said pawl to move beyond said projection of said cam holder during moving said cam lever, thereby enabling said cam lever to be in a locked position without manually retracting said lever lock.

7. An adjustable handlebar as set forth in claim 1, wherein extensions of axes of said fasteners cross in front of the bicycle.

8. An adjustable handlebar for a bicycle, comprising two handlebar members whose adjacent ends are pivotally supported by two bolts threadedly engaged in screw-threaded apertures formed in an upper portion of a handlebar stem, extensions of axes of said bolts crossing in front of the bicycle, gear teeth formed on said adjacent ends of the handlebar members and in mesh with each other such that when one of said handlebar members is pivotally moved about one of said bolts, the other handlebar member is also pivotally moved about the other bolt, two sets of thrust serrations in opposition to each other and respectively formed on engaging surfaces of said handlebar stem and said handlebar members, said serrations having radial crests, isosceles triangle-shaped in section and positioned concentrically to said bolts, coil springs arranged about said bolts and received in spaces formed in said adjacent ends of said handlebar members along said bolts to urge said adjacent ends of the handlebar members away from said upper portion of said handlebar stem, thereby positively disengaging said serrations when said bolts are loosened, a cam holder adjacent to and in front of said adjacent ends of said handlebar members, a retainer plate adjacent to and in front of said cam holder said cam holder and retainer plate including opposed recesses to form in their adjacent portions a cam fitting cylindrical space, said bolts passing through said cam holder and said retainer plate so as to permit said cam holder and said retainer plate to slide thereon when the bolts are loosened, and a cam lever formed at one end with ellipsoid-shaped cams extending in lateral directions and received in said cam fitting cylindrical space to move said cam holder away from said retainer plate when said ellipsoid-shaped cams are rotated in said cylindrical space by moving said cam lever, and said cam lever further comprising a lever lock slidably movable on a main body of said cam lever and always springly urged in the front direction and provided at its front end with at least one pawl engageable with a projection of said cam holder, thereby preventing the cam lever from being moved until said lever lock is retracted against the springly urged action.