Front forks for bicycles
AssigneeSram, LLC
InventorsChi Hui Su, Hong Chou Lee, Chu Chen Wang, En-Chieh Chen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Example front forks for bicycles are described herein. An example front fork includes a crown having a top side and a bottom side opposite the top side. The crown defines an opening between the top side and the bottom side. The front fork includes a first leg and a second leg coupled to and extending from the bottom side of the crown. The front fork also includes a steerer tube disposed in the opening of the crown and extending from the top side of the crown. The steerer tube and the crown coupled by a weld at or near the bottom side of the crown.
Claims20
A front fork for a bicycle, the front fork comprising:
- a crown having a top side and a bottom side opposite the top side, the crown defining an opening between the top side and the bottom side;
- a first leg and a second leg coupled to and extending from the bottom side of the crown;
- a steerer tube disposed in the opening of the crown and extending from the top side of the crown, the steerer tube and the crown coupled by a weld at or near the bottom side of the crown;
- and
- at least one feature to align a bottom end surface of the steerer tube relative to the bottom side of the crown, wherein the weld is formed at a joint between the bottom end surface of the steerer tube and the bottom side of the crown.
A front fork for a bicycle, the front fork comprising:
- a crown having a top side, a bottom side opposite the top side, and an opening extending between the top side and the bottom side;
- one or more legs coupled to and extending from the bottom side of the crown;
- a steerer tube disposed in the opening of the crown, the steerer tube having an end portion extending outward from the bottom side, the end portion welded to the bottom side of the crown;
- and
- at least one feature to align the end portion of the steerer tube relative to the bottom side of the crown.
A method of assembling a front fork for a bicycle, comprising:
- coupling first and second legs to a bottom side of a crown, the crown having a top side opposite the bottom side, the crown defining an opening between the top side and the bottom side;
- inserting a steerer tube into the opening in the crown;
- aligning, with at least one alignment feature, a bottom end surface of the steerer tube relative to the bottom side of the crown;
- and
- welding the steerer tube and the crown using a solid-state welding process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.