Patents Assigned to SRAM, LLC
  • Publication number: 20140102237
    Abstract: The invention provides a wireless control system for a bicycle, including at least one shift actuator generating an input signal when actuated and a master control unit transmitting a shift signal responsive to the input signal. At least one electromechanical gear changer is provided and includes a gear changer control unit. The gear changer control unit receives the shift signal from the master control unit and controls the at least one electromechanical gear changer corresponding to the received shift signal. The gear changer control unit listens for the shift signal during a part of an awake mode cycle time, the master control unit transmitting the shift signal for a message duration time which is greater than the awake mode cycle time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Jordan, Todd Squires
  • Publication number: 20140100069
    Abstract: A solitary chainring of a bicycle front crankset for engaging a drive chain, including a plurality of teeth formed about a periphery of the chainring, the plurality of teeth consisting of an even number. The plurality of teeth includes a first group of teeth and a second group of teeth arranged alternatingly between the first group of teeth. The first group of teeth and the second group of teeth are equal in number. Each of the first and second group of teeth include an outboard side and an inboard side opposite the outboard side and each tooth of the first group of teeth includes at least a first protrusion on the outboard side thereof and each tooth of the second group of teeth are free of the first protrusions on the outboard side and the inboard side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Markus Reiter, Raymond Florczyk, Henrik Braedt
  • Publication number: 20140087901
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides an electromechanical rear derailleur for a bicycle including a base member that is configured to be coupled to a frame member of a bicycle. The derailleur includes a movable member and a link mechanism that movably couples the movable member to the base member. A motor is positioned at the movable member to move the movable member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Shipman, Brian Jordan
  • Publication number: 20140088828
    Abstract: A control system for adjusting suspension settings of a bicycle, including a bicycle sensor configured to sense a coasting condition and a non-coasting condition and generate input signals indicative of the sensed condition, and a control unit in communication with the bicycle sensor and configured to generate output signals in response to the input signals, the output signals receivable by the bicycle suspension to selectively adjust the suspension settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin J. Wesling, Russell Rose, James Meyer, Jeremiah Boobar
  • Patent number: 8678962
    Abstract: A front derailleur for use on devices such as bicycles is movable about a yaw axis while it moves laterally. The front derailleur may include a linkage in between a mount and a cage, with the linkage pivoting about two non-parallel axes. The front derailleur may include a linkage in between the mount and the cage that has links of different effective lengths. The front derailleur may include a single link and a cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Brian Jordan
  • Publication number: 20140028079
    Abstract: A bicycle wheel including a rim with one or more counterweight assembly. Each of the one or more counterweight assembly includes a receiver attached to the rim and a counterweight that is attached to the receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin J. Wesling, Josh Poertner, Nathan Luman
  • Publication number: 20140015307
    Abstract: A FRP rim for a bicycle, including a radially outer tire-engaging portion and a radially inner spoke-engaging portion. A first sidewall is in a spaced configuration with a second sidewall. The first and second sidewalls extend between the radially outer tire-engaging portion and the radially inner spoke-engaging portion. A brake track is disposed on each of the first and second sidewalls including a layer of microparticles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Josh Poertner, Michael Hall, David Morse
  • Publication number: 20140013875
    Abstract: An actuator for pulling and releasing a bicycle control cable, including an actuator body including a hollow interior. A plunger is disposed in the hollow interior and is axially movable. The plunger includes at least one driving lug and at least one latching lug. A latching ring is rotatably disposed in the hollow interior, the rotation of which by the plunger lugs creates a cable pull and a cable release state of the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Eric Neeley
  • Publication number: 20130341128
    Abstract: A rim brake with a synchronous link mechanism for synchronizing the movement of a pair of brake arms. The rim brake may be a hydraulic rim brake. The hydraulic rim brake may include a slave cylinder formed in one of the pair of brake arms including a piston, wherein the piston contacts the other of the pair of brake arms to impart movement thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Brian T. Jordan, Andreas Vonend, Andreas Guender
  • Publication number: 20130333994
    Abstract: A hydraulic brake control apparatus for attaching to an open ended handlebar of a vehicle, the handlebar having a longitudinal axis. A brake housing is attachable to the handlebar, the brake housing including a first section residing outside the handlebar and abutting the open end of the handlebar, and a second section sized and shaped to be received inside the handlebar. A master cylinder is disposed within the first section, the master cylinder having a bore with a bore axis that is oriented transverse to said axis of the handlebar and a master cylinder actuator is in operative association with the master cylinder. A micro-adjust mechanism, a macro-adjust mechanism, and a clamp mechanism is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Brian T. Jordan, Andreas Vonend, Andreas Guender
  • Patent number: 8561402
    Abstract: A master cylinder assembly for a hydraulic actuation system for a handlebar-steered vehicle. The master cylinder assembly generally includes a housing mountable to a frame member of the handlebar-steered vehicle and having a chamber including a fluid cavity with first and second fluid cavity regions. The first fluid cavity region is in fluid communication with the hydraulic actuation system. The housing includes discrete first and second housing portions. The first housing portion has first and second end portions. The first end portion of the first housing portion extends axially into the second fluid cavity region creating an annular gap radially outboard of the first end portion extending into the second fluid cavity region. The second end portion of the first housing portion is connected to the hydraulic actuation system. A piston assembly includes a piston slidably disposed within the fluid cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Charles Emmett Dunlap, III, Braden Snead
  • Patent number: 8550944
    Abstract: A multi-speed sprocket assembly configured to receive a bicycle chain including a plurality of pairs of inner link plates, a plurality of pairs of outer link plates and plurality of rollers connecting the pairs of inner and outer link plates. The multi-speed sprocket assembly generally includes a smaller diameter sprocket and a larger diameter sprocket rotated about a rotation axis in a driving direction. The smaller and larger diameter sprockets include first and second pluralities of teeth spaced about their peripheries, respectively. The larger diameter sprocket has an inboard side including first and second projections axially extending therefrom. The second projection is disposed circumferentially aft, opposite the driving direction, and radially outwardly of the first projection. The first and second projections simultaneously support one outer link plate as the bicycle chain shifts from the smaller diameter sprocket to the larger diameter sprocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Patrick Esquibel
  • Publication number: 20130252778
    Abstract: The invention relates to an internal gear hub for a bicycle includes a rotating cam which locates against a retractable cam follower within a multiple speed internal gear hub. The position of the cam determines which speed is selected. The cam is actuated by reversing the direction of the drive input (pedaling backwards) by a fixed or predetermined amount of rotation. The cam follower is retracted when the drive input is reversed and when the rotation is greater than that required to rotate the cam into the next position. When the cam follower retracts, the cam will return to a default position and will select a default speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Andrew Samways
  • Patent number: 8517153
    Abstract: A valve for a suspension damping system having a valve body and a shim valve assembly that permits fluid flow in two directions. The valve body separates a first fluid chamber from a second fluid chamber and has at least one fluid port therethrough between the first and second chambers. The shim valve assembly is coupled to the valve body and configured to control fluid flow across the valve body. The shim valve assembly includes a first shim having at least one fluid port and a second shim configured to seal the first shim fluid port. The first and second shims are flexible in a first direction under fluid pressure to permit fluid flow between the first and second fluid chambers, providing a first resistance to fluid flow. The second shim seals fluid flow through the first shim fluid port during flow in the first direction. The second shim is flexible in a second direction under fluid pressure to permit fluid flow between first and second fluid chambers, providing a second resistance to fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey J. Baltes
  • Patent number: 8505393
    Abstract: The present application relates to an input torque measuring device for a drive train of a bicycle. The drive train includes a first crank arm and a second crank arm. An inboard end of each crank arm is rotatably mounted to the bicycle at a bottom bracket of the bicycle. At least one chain ring is configured to rotate a driven wheel of the bicycle. A spider is connected to the first crank arm adjacent the bottom bracket and extends out to the at least one chain ring. The spider is configured to transmit force applied to the crank arms directly to the at least one chain ring. The spider may include a plurality of sensors configured to respond to the force applied by the spider to the at least one chain ring. The sensors produce an electronic signal relative to the force transmitted by the spider to the at least one chain ring and a processor configured to receive the electronic signals from each sensor of the spider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: James Isaac Meyer
  • Publication number: 20130203532
    Abstract: A bicycle rear derailleur including a base member and a movable member movably coupled to the base member. A chain guide assembly is rotatably connected to the movable member and a damper assembly is operatively disposed between the chain guide assembly and the movable member. The damper assembly includes a damper disposed in the movable member, and a one-way clutch disposed between the damper and the chain guide assembly. The one-way clutch is configured to permit damping when the chain guide assembly rotates in a first direction. The damper is disposed exteriorly of the one-way clutch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Brian Jordan
  • Patent number: 8496094
    Abstract: A coil spring suspension designed for a handlebar-steered vehicle. The coil spring suspension generally includes a first tube, a coil spring, a shaft and a guide. A first end of the coil spring is disposed within the first tube and fixedly supported proximate a first end of the first tube. The coil spring extends beyond a second end of the first tube. The shaft fixedly supports a second end of the coil spring. The shaft and the first tube are slidably displaced relative to each other upon suspension loading to lengthwise compress the coil spring. The guide is disposed within the first tube and connected to the coil spring between the first and second ends of the coil spring. The guide is displaced with the coil spring under suspension loading and limiting lateral displacement of the coil spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Powell
  • Patent number: 8490995
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a body, an actuator assembly and an actuator control assembly. The body is attached to a handlebar of a handlebar-steered vehicle. The actuator assembly includes a lever arm in pivoting engagement with the body about a pivot axis spaced apart from an axis of a handlebar to which the body is attached. The lever arm is associated with a suspension adjust cable. The actuator control assembly includes a locking assembly and an adjustment assembly. The locking assembly is associated with each of the body and the actuator assembly. The locking assembly is capable of preventing pivoting of the actuator relative to the body in a first position corresponding to a first suspension setting. The adjustment assembly is associated with each of the body and the actuator assembly. The adjustment assembly is capable of preventing pivoting of the actuator relative to the body in a second position corresponding to a second suspension setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Hunt, Bernd Kretschmer, Kevin F. Wesling
  • Publication number: 20130184110
    Abstract: A solitary chainring of a bicycle front crankset for engaging a bicycle drive chain, including a plurality of teeth formed about a periphery of the chainring. One or more clearance chamfer surfaces are formed on the chainring body, each of the chamfer surfaces substantially centered between adjacent pairs of the plurality of teeth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Markus Reiter
  • Publication number: 20130180815
    Abstract: A hydraulic brake mechanism is described including a housing. A master cylinder assembly is disposed within the housing, and the master cylinder assembly includes a fluid chamber. The fluid chamber includes a first chamber portion having a first diameter and a second chamber portion having a second diameter, with the first diameter greater than the second diameter. The fluid chamber includes a transition region between the first and second chamber portions. The mechanism includes a piston assembly having a piston disposed within the fluid chamber. A first seal is configured to sealingly engage between the first chamber portion and the piston, and a second seal is configured to sealingly engage between the second chamber portion and the piston. The mechanism includes an outlet port extending from the fluid chamber from or adjacent the transition region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Charles E. Dunlap, Paul Feuerstein