REUSABLE CUP FOR CABLE LUBRICATION

Abstract

A device facilitating the lubrication of cable housings comprising a reservoir for liquid lubricant, a radial longitudinal slot, a cinching flap to hold the device in place and assure a secure seal, and a hole shaped to allow the use of a single device with cable housings of different types. The present invention relates to the maintenance of mechanical cable systems, especially the lubrication of bicycle cable systems.

Claims

1. A device for supplying a fluid to a cable and a cable housing, comprising: a reservoir that can surround a cable housing, and a slot in the reservoir wherein the reservoir can be placed around the cable housing without requiring access to an open end of the cable housing, wherein the reservoir has an opening linking the reservoir to an end of the cable housing, whereby fluid can flow from the reservoir to the cable and cable housing, wherein the reservoir is configured to stay in place and stay sealed against the outside of the cable housing.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is made of flexible material.

3. The device of claim 1 where the means for the device to stay in place and sealed against the outside of the cable housing is a cinching flap and locking post whereby force may be maintained on the device against the cable housing.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein one side of the reservoir is open whereby the contents of the reservoir can be observed.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the slot is a radial longitudinal slot.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the device is a single piece.

7. What is claimed is a method for lubricating a cable and cable housing comprising, installing a reusable lubricant reservoir at one end of a cable housing such that the reservoir is sealed against the outside of the cable housing and an opening in the reservoir connects to the open end of the cable housing, without requiring access to an open end of the cable, providing fluid lubricant to the reservoir, allowing the lubricant to flow into the cable housing and saturate the cable and cable housing, and removing the reservoir without damaging the reservoir.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] FIG. 1 is a top view perspective drawing of a preferred embodiment of the present device.

[0042] FIG. 2 is a bottom view perspective drawing of a preferred embodiment of the present device.

[0043] FIG. 3 is perspective drawing of a preferred embodiment of the present device, showing it in place on a cable and cable housing.

[0044] FIG. 4A, 4B, 4C are side views of different types of cable housing terminations.

[0045] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing cable housing segments used at the front of a bicycle.

[0046] FIG. 6 is a top view of a bicycle showing cable and cable housing segments used for brakes and shifters of a bicycle.

[0047] FIG. 7 is a side view of a bicycle showing cables, cable housing segments and cable stops on a bicycle.

[0048] FIG. 8 is a side view of a bicycle showing a preferred embodiment mounted on cable housing segments on a bicycle as it would be in use.

[0049] FIGS. 9A, 9B, 9C, and 9D are section views of a preferred embodiment showing different types of lubricant exit holes.

DRAWINGSREFERENCE NUMERALS

[0050] 10 cable lubrication device [0051] 20 outer wall [0052] 30 radial longitudinal slot [0053] 35 lubricant reservoir [0054] 40 lubricant exit hole [0055] 42 tapered lubricant exit hole showing compression against cable housing [0056] 44 stepped and tapered lubrication exit hole [0057] 46 stepped lubrication exit hole [0058] 50 cinching flap [0059] 60 locking hole [0060] 70 locking post [0061] 80 cable housing with no ferrule [0062] 82 cable housing with plastic ferrule [0063] 84 cable housing with metal ferrule [0064] 85 plastic ferrule [0065] 86 metal ferrule [0066] 90 cable [0067] 91 rear derailleur cable [0068] 92 front derailleur cable [0069] 94 rear brake cable [0070] 99 large diameter cable housing [0071] 202 top tube [0072] 204 head tube [0073] 206 front derailleur top tube cable stop at head tube [0074] 210 front derailleur cable housing segment at front derailleur control [0075] 215 front derailleur control [0076] 220 front brake cable housing [0077] 225 front brake cable control lever [0078] 228 front brake assembly [0079] 230 rear derailleur cable housing segment at rear derailleur control [0080] 235 rear derailleur control [0081] 236 rear derailleur cable top tube cable stop at head tube [0082] 237 rear derailleur cable top tube cable stop at seat tube [0083] 238 rear derailleur cable housing segment at seat tube [0084] 239 rear derailleur cable housing segment at rear derailleur [0085] 240 rear brake cable housing segment at rear brake control lever [0086] 241 rear derailleur cable stop with barrel adjuster [0087] 242 rear derailleur [0088] 245 rear brake control lever [0089] 246 rear brake cable top tube cable stop at head tube [0090] 247 rear brake cable top tube cable stop at seat tube [0091] 248 rear brake cable housing segment at seat tube [0092] 249 rear brake assembly [0093] 250 front derailleur cable top tube cable stop at seat tube [0094] 252 front derailleur cable housing segment at seat tube [0095] 254 front derailleur cable seat tube cable stop [0096] 256 front derailleur [0097] 300 rag [0098] 320 rear derailleur cable seat stay cable stop at seat tube [0099] 330 rear derailleur cable seat stay cable stop at rear derailleur [0100] 335 seat tube [0101] 340 seat stay

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0102] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the preferred embodiment of the cable lubrication device 10 of the present invention comprises an outer wall 20, a lubricant exit hole 40, a radial longitudinal slot 30 oriented to allow the device to be slid over a cable and cable housing, a cinching flap 50, a locking hole 60 and a locking post 70.

[0103] FIG. 3 shows the cable lubrication device installed on a cable and cable housing. The slot 30 is held closed and the device is held against the cable housing due to locking hole 60 in cinching flap 50 overlaying locking post 70.

[0104] Cable housing is manufactured with different outside diameters and with different types of termination. The terminating end of a cable housing may have a different diameter due to the different outside diameter of different cable housings and due to different type of ferrules used for cable housing termination. FIG. 4A shows cable housing 80 terminated with no ferrule. FIG. 4B shows cable housing 82 terminated with a plastic ferrule 85. FIG. 4C shows cable housing 84 terminated with a metal ferrule 86.

[0105] FIG. 5 shows cable systems used on a typical bicycle. Each cable system used on a bicycle connects a control to a controlled component. Front brake control lever 225 is connected to front brake cable housing 220. Front derailleur control 215 is connected to the front derailleur cable housing segment at front derailleur control 210. Rear derailleur control 235 is connected to rear derailleur cable housing segment at rear derailleur control 230. Rear brake control lever 245 is connected to rear brake cable housing segment at rear brake control lever 240.

[0106] FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show cables and cable housing segments used on a typical bicycle. Rear derailleur control 235 is attached via a continuous rear derailleur cable 91 to a corresponding controlled component, rear derailleur 242. Rear derailleur cable 91 passes through rear derailleur cable housing segment at rear derailleur control 230, rear derailleur cable top tube cable stop at head tube 236, rear derailleur cable top tube cable stop at seat tube 237, rear derailleur cable housing segment at seat tube 238, rear derailleur cable seat stay cable stop at seat tube 320, the rear derailleur cable seat stay cable stop at rear derailleur 330, the rear derailleur cable housing segment at rear derailleur 239, the rear derailleur cable stop with barrel adjuster 241 and is clamped to the rear derailleur 242.

[0107] Front derailleur control 215 is attached via a continuous front derailleur cable 92 to a corresponding controlled component, front derailleur 256. Front derailleur cable 92 passes through front derailleur cable housing segment at front derailleur control 210, front derailleur top tube cable stop at head tube 206, front derailleur cable top tube cable stop at seat tube 250, front derailleur cable housing segment at seat tube 252, front derailleur seat tube cable stop 254, and is clamped to the front derailleur 256.

[0108] Rear brake control lever 245 is attached via a continuous rear brake cable 94 to a corresponding controlled component, rear brake assembly 249. Rear brake cable 94 passes through rear brake cable housing segment at rear brake control lever 240, rear brake cable top tube cable stop at head tube 246, rear brake cable top tube cable stop at seat tube 247, rear brake cable housing segment at seat tube 248, and terminates at rear brake assembly 249.

[0109] Front brake control lever 225 is attached via a continuous front brake cable to front brake assembly 228. The front brake cable passes through front brake cable housing 220.

[0110] Each of these cable housing segment ends has some exposure to outside contaminants such as moisture and dirt. This contamination may increase friction between the cable and cable housing. Providing lubrication to the inside of the cable housing is effectively done using the present device.

Operation

[0111] To use the cable lubrication device of the present device, a bicycle cable and cable housing segment are released from their cable stops and a cable lubrication device is installed on each cable segment to be lubricated. FIG. 8 shows rear derailleur cable and rear derailleur cable housing segments positioned to be lubricated using the cable lubrication device. The three rear derailleur cable housing segments 230, 238 and 239 have been released from the rear derailleur control 235 and their cable stops 236, 237, 320, 330, and 241. The cable housing segments are advantageously arranged in a temporary fashion so that each segment has one end higher than the other end. Cable lubrication devices 10 are installed on each of the cable housing segments 230, 238, 239 by spreading open the slot 30 and sliding the device over the cable and cable housing segment. The locking hole 60 on cinching flap 50 is then stretched over and pushed down onto locking post 70. In a preferred embodiment the pressure of the mounted device 10 around the cable housing segment 230, 238, 239 with the cinching flap 50 in place over the locking post 70 is sufficient to hold the device in place on the cable housing segment during the lubrication process. Positioning of the cable housing segments may be aided by placing a weight, such as a rag 300, on some part of the cable while the rear derailleur cable 91 is hooked on a suitable part of the bicycle such as rear derailleur cable seat stay cable stop at seat tube 320 as shown in FIG. 8. The cable lubrication device 10 is of sufficiently low weight that it does not disturb the temporary positioning of the cable housing segment.

[0112] With a cable lubricator device 10 in place on each of the cable housing segments 230, 238, 239, as shown in FIG. 8, liquid lubricant can then be provided to the volumes formed by the lubricant device reservoir 35, the cable housing segments 230, 238, 239 and the cable 91. The lubricant can then run out of the reservoir 35 and down into the cable housing segments 230, 238, 239. Completion of the flow of lubricant through any cable housing segment can be verified by examining the cable below the cable housing segments to see whether the cable has been wetted by the lubricant. Alternatively, if there is sufficient exposed cable, the cable lubricant device 10 filled with lubricant, while still connected to a cable housing segment, for example cable segment 238, along with the cable housing segment 238, can be moved up and down the cable to facilitate the distribution of oil along the cable.

[0113] The prior example describes the lubrication of a rear derailleur control cable and rear derailleur cable housing segments. A similar description applies for the lubrication of other cables and cable housing segments.

[0114] The prior description is intended to describe a possible implementation and use of the present invention but is not intended to restrict the invention to only this description.

[0115] A preferred method for using the cable lubrication device is to arrange a cable housing segment to be lubricated such that one end of a segment of cable housing segment is higher than the other to facilitate the flow of lubricant by the force of gravity. This method is well suited to bicycles, where the cable systems are typically accessible and can be temporarily reoriented.

[0116] The diameter to which the cable lubricating device must seal may vary due to different manufacturers, whether the cable is a shift control cable or a brake control cable, and due to the presence or absence of a ferrule at the end of the cable housing. FIG. 4A shows cable 90 and cable housing 80 terminated with no ferrule. FIG. 4B shows cable 90 and cable housing 82 terminated with a plastic ferrule 85. FIG. 4C shows cable 90 cable housing terminated with metal ferrule 86.

[0117] FIGS. 9A, 9B, 9C, and 9D show cross section views of the cable lubrication device with different hole characteristics that may be advantageous in achieving a seal between the cable lubrication device and the cable housing sufficient to avoid leaking of lubricating fluid during use. FIG. 9A shows a cable lubricating device 10 with a tapered lubricant exit hole 42 with a cable housing 98 in place. FIG. 9B shows a large diameter cable housing 99 in use with the same tapered hole 42 of FIG. 9A. In FIG. 9B the lubricant exit hole is compressed and sealed against the large diameter cable housing 99. FIG. 9C shows a stepped and tapered lubrication exit hole 44 which may be a desired shape to accommodate cable housings of different diameters. FIG. 9D shows a stepped diameter lubricant hole 46 which may be a desired shape to accommodate cable housings of different diameters.

[0118] It can be seen from the preceding description that a method and device for lubricating cable has been provided that offers a number of advantages over the prior art. The cable lubrication device comprises a lubricant reservoir that is open on the top to facilitate filling with lubricant and allows the level of the lubricant in the reservoir to be observed and therefore the progress of lubricant flow into the cable housing to be monitored. As the level of lubricant decreases, the user is provided visual confirmation that the lubricant is draining into the cable housing.

[0119] In a preferred embodiment the cable lubricating device is molded as a single piece from a suitable material such as polysiloxane. This provides for a device that has enough elasticity such that it makes a seal around the cable housing that is adequate to prevent the lubricant from leaking out. Because the device can be made of flexible material it can be cleaned by rolling it in a rag. The device can be manufactured so that it weighs less than 15 grams and can therefore be placed on a cable housing and not pull the cable housing segment out of the temporary positioning of the cable housing segment as shown for example in FIG. 8, which position may be desirable for allowing gravity to force the flow of lubricant into the cable housing segment. The device could be made in a plurality of sizes to fit cable housings with different diameters.

[0120] The preferred method of use relies on gravity to pull the lubrication from the cable lubrication device down into the cable housing. Prior art devices are designed to be used with lubricants under pressure, for example, lubricant in a pressurized can. It is desirable to avoid using pressurized lubricant because this avoids the inconvenience, expense and environmental impact of using a pressurized lubricant.

[0121] Because the device is made as a single piece, it can be made less expensively than a device that consists of multiple parts. The device saves time over devices that must be screwed into place because it slips over a cable and does not require disassembly and later re-assembly of the cable or cable housing system.

[0122] Because bicycle cable controls for derailleurs and brakes often have multiple cable housing segments it is an advantage that the present embodiment of the reusable cup can be installed and removed quickly. It is further an advantage that the reusable cup does not need to be monitored or held in place while the lubricating fluid is draining from the device into the cable housing. This allows the user to put multiple lubrication devices in place and then allow the lubricant to flow into the cable housing segments without further intervention by the user. It is a further advantage over prior art that the present device does not require access to an open end of a cable and cable housing, but can be placed on a cable housing while the cable is still left in place at both ends, and that the cable does not need to be adjusted as part of the process of cable lubrication when using the device.

[0123] While I have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, SCOPE

[0124] A cable lubrication device has been described that in a preferred embodiment offers improvements over prior art. Specifically, the present device:

[0125] Can be made light in weight because it does not need to withstand elevated lubricant pressure. The light weight facilitates temporarily re-orienting cables and cable housing segments to allow gravity to move lubricant into the cable housing.

[0126] Utilizes non-pressurized lubricanttherefore minimizes bicycle maintenance cost over devices requiring pressurized lubricant.

[0127] Allows quick installation and removaldoes not require any complex operation such as threading or screwing to put into place and use.

[0128] Ease of usedoes not require extensive training to use.

[0129] Ease of installationdoes not require any tools to install. Can be installed on any segment of housing. Does not require access to a free segment of housing.

[0130] Saves moneyreduces the need to replace cables and cable housings.

[0131] Versatilityusable on wide range of bicycle and cable geometriesthe present device can be put into place and used when as little as no bare cable is accessible and can be used on cable housings with a variety of diameters. Device allows for back and forth movement along the cable to distribute the lubricant when extended bare segments of cable are available.

[0132] Simplicitysingle piece, single material construction and no metal parts, leading to a lower cost to manufacture.

[0133] Easy to cleanbecause the device can be made flexible it can be cleaned by rolling it in a rag.

[0134] Long lifecan be manufactured out of materials that will not degrade when exposed to common lubricants and will not break when dropped.

[0135] Prior art devices like the Cable Luber are typically used on the cables of motorized vehicles such as motorcycles and four wheelers. Those cables are difficult to access and cannot be released from their mounting points. For this reason they cannot be placed into different orientations for service where gravity is used to force lubricant into the cable housing.

[0136] In conclusion, insofar as I am aware, there is no tool available that allows a technician to quickly and effectively lubricate a bicycle cable system with the cable system in place on the bicycle.