Bicycle Handle With Nested Soft Sleeve for Clamping Comfort

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bicycle handles with hard inner sleeves and separate clamping elements lack comfort and secure gripping, especially when gripped far outside, due to the hard materials used in the clamping region, and often require complex assembly processes.

Innovation Solution

A bicycle handle design featuring an inner sleeve surrounded by a softer handle element, with a clamping element entirely surrounded by a protective sleeve made from the same material, providing improved comfort and secure gripping by preventing deformation and facilitating assembly through overmolding and integrated design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a hard inner sleeve and clip-like clamping element are used for secure fastening, then the clamping fixation on the handlebar is secure, but the gripping comfort deteriorates when gripped in the clamping region

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclamping fixationVSAvoidgripping comfort

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The handle element is designed with different material properties in different regions: the clamping region uses harder material for secure fastening, while the gripping regions use softer material for comfort. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between secure clamping and comfortable gripping.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The handle element is surrounded by an outer protective element that completely encloses the clamping element in the clamping region. This nested structure allows the hard clamping element to perform its function while being protected by the softer outer element, eliminating the discomfort of direct contact with hard materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of operation

If a separate protective element surrounds the clamping element, then the gripping comfort is improved, but the assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegripping comfortVSAvoidassembly process

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The handle element and outer protective element are combined into a single integrated component through overmolding. The softer material of the handle element is overmolded directly onto the harder inner sleeve and clamping element, creating a unified structure that provides both comfort and secure fastening without requiring separate assembly steps for multiple components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If a soft protrusion surrounds the clamping element, then the gripping comfort is improved, but the connection security deteriorates as it slips on the clamping element

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegripping comfortVSAvoidconnection security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The handle element is created as a composite structure with an inner sleeve of hard material providing structural integrity and clamping force, surrounded by softer material providing comfort. This composite construction ensures both secure connection and comfortable gripping without the slippage issues of purely soft materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS10336396B2Bicycle handle

Publication Date: 2019.07.02 ERGON INT GMBH

AI summary

A bicycle handle has an inner sleeve surrounded by a handle element. In a clamping region, the inner sleeve is surrounded by a clamping element, in particular in a clip-like manner. The clamping element is at least partly surrounded by a protective sleeve, wherein it is preferred that the protective sleeve is surrounded with softer material, in particular the material of the handle element.