Bicycle Shift Brake Lever with Push Button Direction Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bicycle shifters and brake levers are complex and cumbersome, requiring multiple levers for different functions and requiring riders to remember specific lever movements for shifting directions.
Innovation Solution
A combination shift and brake lever arrangement using a single lever for both braking and shifting, with a front-to-back pivoting motion for braking and a side-to-side motion for shifting, where the shifting direction can be changed using a push button, eliminating the need to remember different lever directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple separate levers are used for braking and shifting, then each function can be controlled independently, but the device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to the need to remember different lever directions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the brake lever and shift lever into a single integrated lever that performs both braking and shifting functions. This merging eliminates the need for multiple separate levers and reduces the cognitive load of remembering different lever directions, directly resolving the technical contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The single lever is designed to perform multiple functions: braking when pulled toward the rider, and shifting gears when moved side-to-side. This multi-functionality allows one component to replace what previously required separate dedicated components, improving ease of operation without significantly increasing overall device complexity
2Device complexity
If a single lever is used for both braking and shifting, then device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation worsens due to the need to remember which direction to pivot the lever for shifting
Solution Approach 1:
The lever incorporates a push button mechanism that dynamically changes the internal routing of the cable based on whether the button is pressed or not. This dynamic adjustment allows the same side-to-side lever movement to produce opposite shifting directions depending on the button state, eliminating the need to remember lever directions and resolving the ease of operation issue
3Ease of operation
If reverse control mechanism is added to change shifting direction, then ease of operation improves by eliminating direction memory requirement, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reverse control mechanism is nested within the existing lever structure. The push button is housed inside the lever body, and its internal cable routing changes are contained within the same housing. This nesting approach allows the reverse control functionality to be added without significantly increasing the overall device complexity, while still improving ease of operation
Data Source
AI summary
A combination shift and brake lever arrangement for a bicycle, includes a single lever for performing a braking operation and a shifting operation in both directions. A braking arrangement mounts the single lever for movement in a first front to back pivoting direction to perform a braking operation, while a shifting arrangement mounts the single lever for movement in a second side to side pivoting direction different from the first pivoting direction. A shift control mechanism controls shifting of gears of the bicycle in a first shifting direction upon movement of the single lever in the second pivoting direction, while a reverse control changes over the shift control mechanism to control shifting of the gears of the bicycle in a second opposite shifting direction upon movement of the single lever in the same second pivoting direction.