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US 7,090,307 B2Granted
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.
Claims19
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 opening having a central axis extending therethrough;
- and
- a plurality of reinforcement members 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 being bonded to the spoke attachment portion and being a one-piece unitary member, each of the reinforcement members having inner threads configured to directly couple a threaded end of a spoke and having a base section including:
- a rim facing surface contacting an outer surface of the spoke attachment portion of the rim,
- an exterior facing surface that faces in an opposite direction from the rim facing surface, and
- a through opening that is aligned with one of the attachment openings,
- each of the reinforcement members not having a cylindrical projection extending from the exterior facing surface in an inner radial direction and the interior surface being free from contact with the reinforcement member.
5 more elements
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 and a plurality of circumferentially spaced attachment openings with each opening having a central axis extending therethrough;
- and
- a plurality of reinforcement members 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 having a base section and being bonded to the spoke attachment portion by melting metal to form a bond between the outer surface of the spoke attachment portion of the rim and the base section and having inner threads configured to directly couple a threaded end of a spoke, each of the reinforcement members being a one-piece unitary member, the base section including
- a rim facing surface contacting an outer surface of the spoke attachment portion of the rim,
- an exterior facing surface that faces in an opposite direction from the rim facing surface, and
- a through opening that is aligned with one of the attachment openings,
- each of the reinforcement members not having a cylindrical projection extending from the exterior facing surface in an inner radial direction and the interior surface being free from contact with the reinforcement member.
5 more elements
A bicycle rim comprising:
- an annular tire attachment portion adapted to have a tire mounted thereon, the tire attachment portion including an annular bridge section extending between a pair of annular tire support sections to form a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional shape;
- an annular spoke attachment portion fixedly coupled with the tire attachment portion, the spoke attachment portion including an interior surface and a plurality of circumferentially spaced attachment openings with each opening having a central axis extending therethrough, the spoke attachment portion being fixedly coupled to the tire attachment portion to form an annular hollow area therebetween;
- and
- a plurality of reinforcement members 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 being bonded to the spoke attachment portion and being a one-piece unitary member, each of the reinforcement members having inner threads configured to directly couple a threaded end of a spoke and having a base section including
- a rim facing surface contacting an outer surface of the spoke attachment portion of the rim,
- an exterior facing surface that faces in an opposite direction from the rim facing surface, and
- a through opening that is aligned with one of the attachment openings,
- each of the reinforcement members not having a cylindrical projection extending from the exterior facing surface in an inner radial direction and the interior surface being free from contact with the reinforcement member.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.