Gear-change switch for controlling bicycle gears

US5904069A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Mannesmann Sachs AG · DE

Inventors

• Johannes Rau · Gerstetten, DE
• Bernhard Johanni · Oberwerrn, DE
• Markus Arbeiter · Würzburg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 3, 1998
• Grant date: May 18, 1999
• Expiry date: Feb 3, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T74/20438
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A gear-change switch, particularly a stepping switch for controlling gears on bicycles or similar vehicles, has a fixed housing and an actuating element rotatably mounted for rotation in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions to tension or release a traction cable for controlling the bicycle gears. The actuation element comprises a thumb-operated gear-change switch or a twist-grip gear-change switch. The advantage of the switching device lies in the considerable simplification of the design and in the production of the components in plastic material.