Patents Assigned to SRAM, LLC
  • Patent number: 8485320
    Abstract: A bicycle brake actuated by a control cable has a first main brake arm and a second main brake arm mounted for pivotable movement with respect to the first main brake arm. A first transfer brake arm is pivotally connected to the first main brake arm, and a second transfer brake arm is pivotally connected to the first transfer brake arm and pivotally connected to the second main brake arm. The first main brake arm has a cable guide for receiving the control cable. The first transfer brake arm has a cable anchor for receiving the control cable, the control cable extending between the cable guide and the cable anchor. The first main brake arm and second main brake arm each support a brake shoe and apply braking force to a wheel when actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Brian Jordan
  • Patent number: 8464844
    Abstract: A control assembly is mountable to a handlebar. The control assembly features a housing mountable to the handlebar and a brake actuation mechanism including a brake lever pivotally connected to a housing. The brake lever defines a fluid cavity inside the brake lever such that the fluid cavity pivots with the lever relative to the housing. A piston is provided in the fluid cavity and also pivots with the lever relative to the housing. Actuation of the lever causes the piston to move in the fluid cavity to provide compressive force to a fluid. The fluid cavity is in fluid communication with a hydraulic line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Brian Jordan
  • Patent number: 8464845
    Abstract: A master cylinder for a bicycle hydraulic disc brake configured to be disposed on either a right or left portion of a bicycle handlebar without effecting operation of the master cylinder by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Wayne R. Lumpkin
  • Patent number: 8459142
    Abstract: A reach-adjustable lever assembly mounted to a handlebar for actuating one of a gear-change and braking device. The lever assembly generally including a support member, a lever pivotably connected to the support member and a reach adjust mechanism. The reach adjust mechanism includes a follower, a cam and a cam seat for retaining the cam in a current user-selectable position. The follower is fixedly supported on one of the support member and the lever and the cam is rotatably supported on the other of the support member and the lever. The cam has a plurality of user-selectable positions. The lever is rotatably biased toward a rest position to position the cam against the follower. The cam and the follower are configured to provide a different rest position of the lever for each of the user-selectable positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: James Orrico, Matt Morris, Paul Feurstein
  • Publication number: 20130139642
    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 6, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Markus Reiter, Raymond Florczyk, Henrik Braedt
  • Patent number: 8448761
    Abstract: A valve mechanism for a gas spring suspension system that equalizes the gas between positive and negative gas chambers when the pressure in the negative gas chamber exceeds the pressure in the positive gas chamber. The suspension system includes a tube, a piston assembly slidably displaceable along the tube and a valve mechanism. The piston assembly separates the tube into the positive gas chamber and the negative gas chamber. The valve mechanism is configured to permit gas flow between the positive and negative gas chambers when the gas pressure in the negative gas chamber exceeds the gas pressure in the positive gas chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Shipman, John Cheever, Michael Nono
  • Publication number: 20130127145
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a body, an actuator assembly and an actuator control assembly. 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: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: SRAM, LLC
  • Publication number: 20130112510
    Abstract: A hydraulically actuated rim brake with a pair of brake arms. Both brake arms may rotate about a common axis, which is the axis of a single bolt that mounts the assembly to the bicycle. The system has one piston slidably disposed in a piston cylinder. The piston's cylinder may be formed in one of the two brake arms. Actuation of the piston in the cylinder causes movement of both brake arms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Jordan, Christopher Shipman, Neil Swanson
  • Publication number: 20130061705
    Abstract: Electronic shifting systems, mechanisms and methods of using the systems to operate a bicycle that allows front and rear gear changer mechanisms to be controlled with only two switches. The switches can be arranged so that each hand is only required to operate one switch to shift the bicycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: BRIAN JORDAN
  • Patent number: 8393449
    Abstract: A brake actuation assembly for a hydraulic brake system of a handlebar-steered vehicle, the brake actuation assembly including a housing mountable to a handlebar of the vehicle and having a chamber formed therein. A piston assembly is received and axially guided within the chamber. A linkage is pivotally attached to the housing and the piston assembly and a lever blade is connected to the linkage to effect movement of the linkage, wherein movement of the linkage produces a variable rate of travel of the piston assembly relative to the travel of the lever blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Charles E. Dunlap
  • Publication number: 20130049322
    Abstract: A hub for a bicycle, including a hub body, and a torque tube disposed in the hub body. A first mating element is disposed at a first end of the torque tube and a second mating element is disposed at a second end thereof. Each of the first mating element and the second mating element includes an anti-rotation hub feature, and the torque tube transfers torque between the first mating element and the second mating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Russell L. Rose, Jesse Jakomait
  • Publication number: 20130043717
    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 and one or more integral bumper is located on an outermost radial extent or peak portion of the radially outer tire-engaging portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Josh Poertner, Michael Hall, David Morse
  • Publication number: 20130029795
    Abstract: A front derailleur for use on devices such as bicycles includes a moveable chain guide for engaging a chain and able to cause the chain to be moved between two or more chainrings. The guide includes a first discrete alignment indicator and a second discrete alignment indicator for aligning the derailleur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Jordan, Mark V. Santurbane
  • Publication number: 20130008751
    Abstract: A brake actuation assembly for a hydraulic brake system of a handlebar-steered vehicle, the brake actuation assembly including a housing mountable to a handlebar of the vehicle and having a chamber formed therein. A piston assembly is received and axially guided within the chamber. A linkage is pivotally attached to the housing and the piston assembly and a lever blade is connected to the linkage to effect movement of the linkage, wherein movement of the linkage produces a variable rate of travel of the piston assembly relative to the travel of the lever blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Charles Emmett Dunlap, III
  • Patent number: 8342614
    Abstract: A composite rim for a bicycle wheel generally includes a radially outer tire-engaging portion, a radially inner spoke-engaging portion and first and second sidewalls. The second sidewall is spaced apart from the first sidewall. The first and second sidewalls extend between the tire engaging and spoke-engaging portions. The rim includes at least one through-hole and a pattern of through-thickness stitching reinforcement at the through-hole. The tire-engaging and spoke-engaging portions and first and second sidewalls form a toroid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Joshua Poertner, Michael Hall, David Morse
  • Publication number: 20120235332
    Abstract: A control assembly for an in-line bicycle shock absorber can include a control member rotatably mounted to a housing of the shock absorber, the control member having an interior bore, and with one end of the bore being closed and another end of the bore being open. The control assembly also includes a piston slidably mounted within the interior bore of the control member. The control member is rotated to adjust a first characteristic of the shock absorber and the piston is displaced within the interior bore to adjust a second characteristic of the shock absorber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Jordan, Steven Olds, Christopher Shipman, Kevin Wesling
  • Publication number: 20120181120
    Abstract: A bicycle brake actuated by a control cable has a first main brake arm and a second main brake arm mounted for pivotable movement with respect to the first main brake arm. A first transfer brake arm is pivotally connected to the first main brake arm, and a second transfer brake arm is pivotally connected to the first transfer brake arm and pivotally connected to the second main brake arm. The first main brake arm has a cable guide for receiving the control cable. The first transfer brake arm has a cable anchor for receiving the control cable, the control cable extending between the cable guide and the cable anchor. The first main brake arm and second main brake arm each support a brake shoe and apply braking force to a wheel when actuated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Brian Jordan
  • Publication number: 20120160625
    Abstract: A control assembly is mountable to a handlebar. The control assembly features a housing mountable to the handlebar and a brake actuation mechanism including a brake lever pivotally connected to a housing. The brake lever defines a fluid cavity inside the brake lever such that the fluid cavity pivots with the lever relative to the housing. A piston is provided in the fluid cavity and also pivots with the lever relative to the housing. Actuation of the lever causes the piston to move in the fluid cavity to provide compressive force to a fluid. The fluid cavity is in fluid communication with a hydraulic line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Brian Jordan
  • Publication number: 20120157250
    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: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Brian Jordan
  • Patent number: 8167328
    Abstract: A suspension system for a handlebar-steered vehicle includes an upper tube, a lower tube reciprocally slidable relative to the upper tube. A positive spring assembly biases the upper and lower tubes away from each other. A piston assembly is attached to the lower tube. The suspension includes a travel adjustment mechanism including a locking mechanism and an actuator. The locking mechanism is connected to the positive spring assembly and selectively maintains a first portion of the positive spring assembly in a compressed state with the upper and lower tubes drawn toward each other. The actuator is operatively connected to the locking mechanism to releasably engage the locking mechanism to maintain the first portion of the positive spring assembly in the compressed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Powell, James Osbourne