Bicycle rim and method of manufacturing
AssigneeDt Swiss Inc.
InventorAndreas HENIG
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bicycle rim for bicycles with a rim body with a visible surface perceptible in proper operation, wherein a supporting structure of the rim body is made from fibrous composite materials of prepreg layers is disclosed. The rim body includes rim flanks disposed opposite one another, a rim well, and a rim base. The visible surface is formed by a thin non-woven layer on the supporting structure, so as to form directly during manufacturing, an optically appealing, visible surface on the rim body, involving no postprocessing. The non-woven layer forms on the rim body, an outer layer of a composite layer. The composite layer includes a prepreg layer and the non-woven layer.
Claims15
A bicycle rim for bicycles, comprising:
- at least one rim body with a visible surface perceptible in proper operation;
- wherein a supporting structure of the rim body is manufactured from fibrous composite materials consisting of prepreg layers;
- wherein the rim body comprises rim flanks disposed opposite one another, a rim well, and a rim base;
- the visible surface is formed by a thin, non-woven layer on the supporting structure, so as to form during manufacturing, an optically appealing, visible surface on the rim body;
- and
- the non-woven layer on the rim body is an outer layer of a composite layer, which comprises at least one prepreg layer and the non-woven layer.
A method of manufacturing a bicycle rim having at least one rim body, the supporting structure of which is manufactured from a fibrous composite material of prepreg layers, wherein the rim body comprises rim flanks disposed opposite one another, a rim well, and a rim base,
- comprising:
- forming a perceptible (visible) surface on the rim body which is visible in proper operation, a composite layer of a thin, non-woven layer and at least one prepreg layer is inserted into the manufacturing mold so that the non-woven layer bears against the manufacturing mold, so that the visible surface is formed by the thin non-woven layer, and the supporting structure is formed by the prepreg layers, so as to form during manufacturing an optically appealing, visible surface on the rim body,
- and that the non-woven layer on the rim body is an outer layer of a composite layer, which comprises at least one prepreg layer and the non-woven layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.