Spoked vehicle wheel
OwnerRaphael Schlangerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle wheel, including a rim, a hub, and a plurality of spokes, a first anchor to connect one of the spokes to one of the rim and hub at a connection interface. One of the spokes is pre-tensioned by a pre-tensioning means. The first anchor may be manipulated between: (i) a released orientation where the connection interface is longitudinally released from the spoke to permit independent longitudinal displacement therebetween; and (ii) an engaged orientation where the connection interface is longitudinally connected to said spoke to limit independent longitudinal displacement between the two and to maintain the pre-tension of said spoke. The pre-tensioning means is discreet from the first anchor.
Claims28
A vehicle wheel, comprising:
- a peripheral wheel rim;
- a central hub with an outer flange;
- a plurality of spokes extending between said rim and said hub, each spoke having a first portion connected to said rim, a second portion longitudinally opposed to said first portion and connected to said hub, a span portion between said rim and said hub, a longitudinal axis, and a tensile axis of applied tensile load along said span portion;
- a bracing element including at least a portion of one of said rim and hub;
- a first anchor to connect one of said spokes to one of said rim and said hub at a connection interface;
- wherein said one of said spokes is a spoke that is pre-tensioned by an applied pre-tension load;
- wherein said first anchor may be manipulated between:
- (i) a released orientation where said connection interface is longitudinally released from said spoke to permit independent longitudinal displacement therebetween;
- and (ii) an engaged orientation where said connection interface is longitudinally connected to said spoke to limit independent longitudinal displacement therebetween and to maintain said pre-tension of said spoke;
- wherein said applied pre-tension load is applied discreetly from said first anchor.
A method for assembling a vehicle wheel, wherein said vehicle wheel comprises:
- a peripheral wheel rim;
- a central hub with an outer flange;
- a plurality of spokes extending between said rim and said hub with a first portion connected to said rim, a second portion longitudinally opposed to said first portion and connected to said hub, a span portion between said rim and said hub, a longitudinal axis, and a tensile axis of applied tensile load along said span portion;
- a bracing element including at least a portion of one of said rim and hub;
- said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) initially applying pre-tension to an individual one of said spokes by an applied pre-tension load;
- (b) subsequently longitudinally connecting said individual one of said spokes to said bracing element at a connection interface therebetween while said pre-tension is applied to said spoke;
- whereby said pre-tension is maintained by said connection interface.
A method for applying pre-tension to a spoke of a vehicle wheel, wherein said vehicle wheel comprises:
- a peripheral wheel rim;
- a central hub with an outer flange;
- a plurality of spokes, including a first spoke and a second spoke, extending between said rim and said hub, each spoke having a first portion connected to said rim, a second portion longitudinally opposed to said first portion and connected to said hub, a span portion between said rim and said hub, a longitudinal axis, and a tensile axis of applied tensile load along said span portion;
- a bracing element including at least a portion of one of said rim and hub;
- said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) initially applying a first pre-tension load to a first spoke of said plurality of spokes to achieve a first pre-tension of said first spoke and applying a second pre-tension load to a second spoke of said plurality of spokes to achieve a second pre-tension of said second spoke, wherein said first pre-tension load is applied independently of said second pre-tension load;
- (b) subsequently connecting said first spoke to said bracing element at a first connection interface while said first pre-tension load is applied to said first spoke and connecting said second spoke to said bracing element at a second connection interface while said second pre-tension load is applied to said second spoke.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.