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US 7,658,450 B2Granted
Wheel with tension spokes and a method of manufacturing such wheel
AssigneeSalomon S.A.
InventorsJean-Pierre Mercat, Fabrice Augris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheel including a peripheral rim, a central hub, and spokes connecting extending and tensioned between the rim and the hub, as well as a method for manufacturing such a wheel. The method includes distributing the spokes in two groups, a first group of spokes lacking a tensioning device, and a second group of spokes having a tensioning device; assembling the spokes to the rim and to the hub, and then adjusting the tension of the spokes with tensioning devices of the second group of spokes.
Claims30
A bicycle tensioned wheel comprising:
- a central hub having a pair of laterally spaced-apart spoke-connecting regions, each of said regions of the hub having a device for connecting spokes;
- a peripheral rim having spoke-connecting regions;
- a plurality of spokes extending between the spoke-connecting regions of the rim and the hub;
- each of the plurality of spokes having a pair of ends and an elongated body between the pair of ends;
- a first end of each of the plurality of spokes being connected to a respective one of the spoke-connecting regions of the hub;
- a second end of each of the plurality of spokes being connected to a respective one of the spoke-connecting regions of the rim;
- the plurality of spokes comprising at least two sets, said two sets of spokes comprising:
- a first set of spokes lacking any adjustable spoke-tensioning device, each of the spokes of the first set of spokes being made of non-metallic composite material;
- a second set of spokes having an adjustable tensioning device between first and second ends of each of the spokes of the second set.
6 more elements
A wheel according to 1, wherein:
- the spokes of the first set of spokes have an enlarged head at each of their ends and a continuous wire-shaped body between the ends.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.