# US 12,109,839 B2 · Aerodynamic bicycle rim and wheel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,109,839 B2 - Document ID: US12109839B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/462,312 - Filed: 2023-09-06 - Published: 2023-12-21 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2009-06-09 - Assignees: Hed Cycling Products, Inc. - Applicants: Hed Cycling Products, Inc. - Inventors: Steven Arthur Hed; Christopher Andrew Edin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109839B2 ## CPC - B60B 21/025: {the transverse section being hollow} - B60B 21/02: characterised by transverse section - B60B 21/10: characterised by the form of tyre-seat or flange, e.g. corrugated (B60B21/02 takes precedence) - B60B 21/104: {the shape of flanges} - B60B 1/003: {specially adapted for bicycles (B60B1/041 takes precedence)} - B60B 3/00: Disc wheels, i.e. wheels with load-supporting disc body (non- metallic B60B5/00; wheel cover discs B60B7/00 {; disc wheels comprising rail-engaging elements B60B17/0006}) - B60B 2900/1216: due to air-drag - B60B 2900/50: Improvement of - B60Y 2200/13: Bicycles; Tricycles - B60Y 2200/134: Racing bikes - Y02T 10/88: Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses - B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An aerodynamic bicycle rim comprising: a circumferential outer portion comprising a circumferential outer surface, the circumferential outer portion adapted to seat a bicycle tire; a nose; and a set of sidewalls, each sidewall extending radially from the nose of the aerodynamic bicycle rim to a corresponding transition to the circumferential outer surface to form a rim body having a maximum rim body width that is greater than a maximum width of the bicycle tire. The aerodynamic bicycle rim is operable to seat the bicycle tire so that the aerodynamic bicycle rim and the bicycle tire form an asymmetrical cross-sectional shape. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aerodynamic bicycle rim comprising: a circumferential outer portion comprising a circumferential outer surface and forming a radially outermost edge; a nose; and a set of sidewalls, each sidewall extending radially from the nose of the aerodynamic bicycle rim to a corresponding transition to the circumferential outer surface to form a rim body having a maximum rim body width at a widest part of the rim body, a second width at a centerline of the rim body, and a rim body depth, each sidewall and corresponding transition forming a continuous outer surface around the rim body from the radially outermost edge to the nose, wherein the continuous outer surface curves laterally inward at the corresponding transition and wherein the continuous outer surface has a curved shape from the widest part of the rim body to the nose; wherein the widest part of the rim body is spaced away from the centerline of the rim body, and wherein the circumferential outer portion is adapted to seat a bicycle tire that is narrower than the maximum rim body width and the second width and is narrower than the rim body depth is deep, to form an asymmetrical cross-sectional shape having a centerline that is spaced from the widest part of the rim body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic bicycle rim of claim 1, wherein the asymmetrical cross-sectional shape of the bicycle tire and the rim body is asymmetrical about a widest portion of the asymmetrical cross-sectional shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic bicycle rim of claim 1, wherein the aerodynamic bicycle rim is operable to seat the bicycle tire such that there is a tangent line tangent to bicycle tire and tangent to a sidewall of the set of sidewalls, the tangent line having a tangent angle of less than 17 degrees. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The aerodynamic bicycle rim of claim 3, wherein the tangent angle is between 8 and 17 degrees. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The aerodynamic bicycle rim of claim 3, wherein the tangent line is tangent to the sidewall radially outward of the widest part of the rim body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The aerodynamic bicycle rim of claim 3, wherein: the corresponding transition is a radiused area at a radially outer end of the corresponding sidewall, the radiused area having a smaller radius than a proximate portion of the corresponding sidewall; and wherein the tangent line is tangent to the sidewall at the corresponding transition. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic bicycle rim of claim 1, wherein the maximum rim body width is greater than a width of a reference circle at or proximate to the radially outermost edge of the aerodynamic bicycle rim. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic bicycle rim of claim 1, wherein the circumferential outer portion comprises tire bead hooks to retain tire beads of the bicycle tire. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic bicycle rim of claim 1, wherein the maximum rim body width occurs radially closer to the radially outermost edge of the rim body than to the centerline of the rim body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The aerodynamic bicycle rim of claim 1, wherein the rim body depth is greater than or equal to 30 mm. ### Claim 11 An aerodynamic bicycle wheel comprising: a bicycle tire; a bicycle rim to which the bicycle tire is mounted, the bicycle rim comprising: a circumferential outer portion comprising a circumferential outer surface, the circumferential outer portion adapted to seat bicycle tire; a nose; and a set of sidewalls, each sidewall extending radially from the nose of the bicycle rim to a corresponding transition to the circumferential outer surface to form a rim body having a maximum rim body width at a widest part of the rim body that is wider than a maximum width of the bicycle tire, a second width at a centerline of the rim body that is wider than the maximum width of the bicycle tire and a rim body depth that is greater than the maximum width of the bicycle tire, each sidewall and corresponding transition forming a continuous outer surface around the rim body from the circumferential outer surface to the nose, wherein each sidewall has a curved shape from the widest part of the rim body to the nose; wherein the bicycle rim seats the bicycle tire so that the bicycle rim and the bicycle tire form an asymmetrical cross-sectional shape in which the widest part of the rim body is spaced from a centerline of the asymmetrical cross-sectional shape and there is a tangent line tangent to bicycle tire and tangent to a sidewall of the set of sidewalls, the tangent line having a tangent angle of less than 17 degrees. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The aerodynamic bicycle wheel of claim 11, wherein the maximum rim body width occurs radially closer to a radially outermost edge of the rim body than to the centerline of the rim body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The aerodynamic bicycle wheel of claim 11, wherein the asymmetrical cross-sectional shape of the bicycle tire and the rim body is asymmetrical about a widest portion of the asymmetrical cross-sectional shape. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The aerodynamic bicycle wheel of claim 11, wherein the tangent line is tangent to the sidewall of the set of sidewalls at a radially outermost edge of the rim body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The aerodynamic bicycle wheel of claim 11, wherein the bicycle tire is a clincher tire having tire beads and the circumferential outer portion is a clincher portion comprising tire bead hooks to retain tire beads of the bicycle tire. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The aerodynamic bicycle wheel of claim 11, wherein the widest part of the rim body overlaps the bicycle tire. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The aerodynamic bicycle wheel of claim 11, wherein the tangent line is tangent to the sidewall radially outward from the widest part of the rim body. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The aerodynamic bicycle wheel of claim 11, wherein the tangent line is tangent to the sidewall radially outward of the widest part of the rim body. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The aerodynamic bicycle wheel of claim 11, wherein the bicycle tire is a tubular tire. ### Claim 20 An aerodynamic bicycle rim comprising: a circumferential outer portion comprising a circumferential outer surface and forming a radially outer edge; a nose; and a set of sidewalls, each sidewall extending radially from the nose of the aerodynamic bicycle rim to a corresponding transition to the circumferential outer surface to form a rim body having a depth that is greater than thirty millimeters, each sidewall and corresponding transition forming a continuous outer surface around the rim body from the radially outer edge to the nose and that has a curved shape from a widest part of the rim body to the nose; wherein the aerodynamic bicycle rim is operable to seat a bicycle tire that is narrower than the widest part of the rim body and narrower than a width of the rim body at a centerline of the rim body so that the aerodynamic bicycle rim and the bicycle tire form an asymmetrical cross-sectional shape in which the widest part of the rim body is spaced from a centerline of the asymmetrical cross-sectional shape and there is a tangent line tangent to the bicycle tire and tangent to a sidewall of the set of sidewalls radially outward from the widest part of the rim body, the tangent line having a tangent angle of less than 17 degrees.