Aerodynamic Bicycle Disc Wheel Assembly
OwnerBrad J. Addink, William E. Millerinventors
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Abstract
An aerodynamic disc wheel assembly includes a pair of generally symmetrical hourglass shaped sidewalls extending from a hub to a brake engaging portion of a wheel. The sidewalls include a radially inwardly positioned widened hub portion, a radially outwardly disposed brake engaging portion, and a two part central portion extending between the hub portion and the brake engaging portion. The assembly further includes an oval shaped end cap for engaging the disc wheel to spinningly receive a bicycle hub.
Claims20
An aerodynamic disc wheel assembly comprising a pair of symmetrical hourglass shaped sidewalls extending from a hub to a brake engaging portion of the wheel the sidewalls comprising:
- a radially inwardly positioned widened hub portion
- a radially outwardly disposed generally planar brake engaging portion, and
- a two part central portion extending between the hub portion and the brake engaging portion, wherein the central portion has a first section that curves inwardly from a widest point to a narrowest point and a second section that curves outwardly from the narrowest point to the brake engaging portion.
An end cap for a disc wheel, the end cap comprising:
- an outer oval shaped front wall defining a through bore configured to receive an axle;
- a radially outwardly facing side wall extending from an edge of the front wall and tapering inward to define a forward face and a rear face;
- and
- wherein said end cap defines a space behind the forward face to spinningly receive a bicycle hub.
A method of forming a bicycle disc wheel assembly comprising:
- forming a rim having a width and for supporting a tire;
- extending a pair of disc walls between generally opposite sides of the rim to a hub shell such that each disc wall has a lenticular cross-sectional shape that has a widest portion proximate the hub and a narrowest portion offset inwardly from the rim;
- and
- bonding a first end of each of the disc walls to the rim and a second end of each of the disc walls to a hub shell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.