Composite bicycle frame with integral electrical interconnections and method of manufacturing same
AssigneeIndustries Rad Inc.
InventorGuillaume SENECHAL
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A composite bicycle frame which comprises of a main frame including interconnected tubes and substantially composed of a composite material and having a composite layup structure. At least one electric wire electrically interconnects electrical components mounted to or in the frame. The at least one electric wire is embedded in the composite material structure forming the composite main frame. The electric wire has connectable conductive ends at each of the opposed ends thereof.
Claims19
A composite bicycle frame comprising:
- a main frame including interconnected tubes, the main frame being substantially composed of a composite material and having a composite layup structure;
- and
- at least one electric wire adapted for electrically interconnecting electrical components mounted to or in the frame, the at least one electric wire being embedded in the composite material structure forming the composite main frame, the electric wire having connectable conductive ends at each of the opposed ends thereof.
A bicycle comprising:
- an electrical system mounted to the bicycle, the electrical system comprising at least a first electrical element and a second electrical element;
- and
- a frame including interconnected tubes, the frame being substantially composed of a composite material and having a composite layup structure, the frame having at least one signal-carrying cable embedded in the composite layup structure thereof such as to be integrally formed within the composite material of frame, the signal-carrying cable electrically interconnecting the first and second electrical elements of the electrical system.
A method for manufacturing a composite bicycle frame having a composite layup structure, the composite bicycle frame comprising a main frame including interconnected tubes and a bottom bracket secured to some of said tubes, the method comprising the steps of:
- partially forming the main frame with layers of composite fibre and/or molding compound;
- providing the partially formed main frame with at least an electric wire laid within the layers of the composite fibre or said molding compound, the electric wire having connectable conductive ends;
- completing the main frame with the electric wire embedded within the composite layup structure of the composite bicycle frame and the connectable conductive ends exposed;
- and
- curing the main frame of composite fibre layers and/or molding compound in a mold to form the composite bicycle frame with the electric wire embedded within the composite layup structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.