Bicycle rim
AssigneeShimano Inc.
InventorShinpei Okajima
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bicycle rim is provided that includes a tire attachment portion, a spoke attachment portion and a plurality of reinforcement members. The spoke attachment portion is fixedly coupled with the tire attachment portion. The spoke attachment portion includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced attachment openings. The reinforcement members are fixedly coupled to the spoke attachment portion at the attachment openings to effectively increase the thickness of the spoke attachment portion of the rim at the attachment openings. Each of the reinforcement members is bonded to the spoke attachment portion. The through openings are aligned with the attachment openings.
Claims18
A bicycle rim comprising:
- an annular tire attachment portion adapted to have a tire mounted thereon;
- an annular spoke attachment portion fixedly coupled with the tire attachment portion, the spoke attachment portion including an interior surface, a pair of annular side sections and an inner annular section to form a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional shape with an annular hollow area, the spoke attachment portion further including a plurality of circumferentially spaced attachment openings with each of the attachment openings having a central axis extending therethrough;
- and
- a plurality of reinforcement members having a base section and a tubular section formed as a one-piece unitary member, the base sections being fixedly bonded to the spoke attachment portion at the attachment openings to effectively increase the thickness of the spoke attachment portion of the rim at the attachment openings without forming a through hole in areas of the annular spoke attachment portion that surround the attachment openings, the tubular sections extending through the attachment openings into the annular hollow area, each of the reinforcement members being free from contact with the interior surface of the annular spoke attachment portion,
- each of the base sections including:
- a rim facing surface contacting an outer surface of the spoke attachment portion of the rim,
- an exterior facing surface facing in an opposite direction from the rim facing surface with the exterior facing surface being free of a cylindrical projection extending from the exterior facing surface in an inner radial direction, and
- a through opening that is aligned with one of the attachment openings and a bore of one of the tubular sections.
A bicycle rim comprising:
- an annular tire attachment portion adapted to have a tire mounted thereon;
- an annular spoke attachment portion fixedly coupled with the tire attachment portion, the spoke attachment portion including an interior surface, a pair of annular side sections and an inner annular section to form a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional shape with an annular hollow area, the spoke attachment portion further including a plurality of circumferentially spaced attachment openings;
- and
- a plurality of reinforcement members formed as a one-piece unitary member, each of the reinforcement members being fixedly bonded to the spoke attachment portion at the attachment openings by a heat fused method to effectively increase the thickness of the spoke attachment portion of the rim at the attachment openings, each of the reinforcement members being free from contact with the interior surface of the annular spoke attachment portion,
- each of the reinforcement members including:
- a rim facing surface contacting an outer surface of the spoke attachment portion of the rim,
- an exterior facing surface facing in an opposite direction from the rim facing surface with the exterior facing, and
- a through opening aligned with one of the attachment openings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.