Composite Rim for a Bicycle Wheel
AssigneeSram, LLC
InventorsJoshua Poertner, Michael Hall, David Morse
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A composite rim for a bicycle wheel generally includes a radially outer tire-engaging portion, a radially inner spoke-engaging portion and first and second sidewalls. The second sidewall is spaced apart from the first sidewall. The first and second sidewalls extend between the tire engaging and spoke-engaging portions. The rim includes at least one through-hole and a pattern of through-thickness stitching reinforcement at the through-hole. The tire-engaging and spoke-engaging portions and first and second sidewalls form a toroid.
Claims26
A composite rim for a bicycle wheel comprising:
- a radially outer tire-engaging portion;
- a radially inner spoke-engaging portion;
- a first sidewall;
- a second sidewall spaced apart from the first sidewall, the first and second sidewalls extending between the tire engaging and spoke-engaging portions;
- and
- at least one through-hole;
- and
- a pattern of through-thickness stitching reinforcement at the through-hole,
- the tire-engaging and spoke-engaging portions and first and second sidewalls forming a toroid.
A method of manufacturing a composite bicycle rim comprising the steps of:
- layering a plurality of precut fibrous sheets, the sheets including a spoke-engaging portion;
- sewing together the sheets with a pattern of through-thickness stitching reinforcement along a line at the spoke-engaging portion;
- draping the plurality of precut fibrous sheets into tooling to form a toroid including a radially outer tire-engaging portion, the spoke-engaging portion disposed radially inwardly, a first sidewall, a second sidewall spaced apart from the first sidewall, the first and second sidewalls extending between tire-engaging and spoke-engaging portions;
- curing the toroid under heat and pressure;
- and
- punching a plurality of through-holes spaced circumferentially along the line of the pattern of through-thickness stitching reinforcement.
A method of manufacturing a composite bicycle rim comprising the steps of:
- layering a plurality of precut fibrous sheets, the sheets including a spoke-engaging portion;
- punching a plurality of through-holes through the precut fibrous sheets along a line at the spoke-engaging portion, the through-holes including perimeters;
- sewing together the sheets with a pattern of through-thickness stitching reinforcement at the perimeters of the through-holes;
- inserting mandrels into the through-holes;
- draping the plurality of precut fibrous sheets into tooling to form a toroid including a radially outer tire-engaging portion, the spoke-engaging portion disposed radially inwardly, a first sidewall, a second sidewall spaced apart from the first sidewall, the first and second sidewalls extending between tire-engaging and spoke-engaging portions;
- and
- curing the toroid under heat and pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.