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US 8,707,823 B2Granted
Bicycle component and method for making such a component
AssigneeCampagnolo S.r.l.
InventorGiuseppe Dal Prá
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pedal crank for a bicycle comprising structural fibers incorporated in a matrix of polymeric material which has two seats in which two metal inserts are received. The seats have a mouth which opens onto the outer surface of the pedal crank and have a geometry such as to allow the insertion of the inserts from outside of the pedal crank.
Claims18
A bicycle component comprising:
- a body of structural fibers randomly incorporated in a matrix of polymeric material, the body has opposed surfaces, spaced apart ends, and at least one seat that has an opening that extends between the opposed surfaces with
- a mouth at a first end of the opening;
- and
- a base at a second end of the opening that is not greater than the size of the mouth end;
- and
- walls with cross-sections that do not increase from the mouth to the base;
- and,
- at least one first metal insert that is received within the opening of the at least one seat and has a widened head portion that engages with a portion of the body surrounding the at least one seat opening and is dimensioned to define a gap between it and the at least one seat opening that receives an adhesive that fixes the metal insert in the at least one seat opening and renders the bicycle component suitable for mechanical coupling with at least one element of a bicycle to transmit force.
5 more elements
A bicycle component, comprising:
- an elongate body of composite material formed of structural fibers randomly incorporated in a matrix of polymeric material;
- at least one insert that has a widened head portion;
- at least one seat formed as an opening in the body that houses the at least one insert and the widened head portion engages with a contact surface surrounding the opening;
- and a coupling between the at least one seat and the at least one insert, the coupling comprising an outer surface of the at least one insert joined with an inner surface of the opening and having a first coupling zone wherein the outer surface and inner surface form an interference fit between the insert and the opening and a second coupling zone adjacent to the first coupling zone wherein an adhesive is interposed between the outer surface and the inner surface.
1 more element
A bicycle crank arm comprising:
- a body of composite material formed of structural fibers randomly incorporated in a matrix of polymeric material;
- at least one insert that has a widened head portion and coupled with one of a pedal crank or a pedal;
- and
- at least one opening having an axial extension formed in the body and housing the at least one insert and the widened head portion engages with a contact surface surrounding the opening;
- wherein, a first coupling zone is defined between the body and the at least one insert along a first portion of the axial extension of the at least one opening, and a second coupling zone is defined between the body and the at least one insert along a second portion of the axial extension of the at least one opening, the body and the at least one insert being separated by a first distance in the first coupling zone, and a second distance that is greater than the first distance in the second coupling zone.
2 more elements
A bicycle component comprising:
- a body made from structural fibers randomly incorporated in a matrix of polymeric material;
- at least two seats each having openings therein, the openings each comprising:
- a mouth at a first end of the openings;
- a base at a second end of the openings opposite the first end being of a size not greater than the size of the mouth end and defining a contact surface surrounding the said openings;
- and
- walls with cross-sections that do not increase from the mouth to the base;
- and
- at least one metal insert that has a widened head portion, and engages with the contact surface surrounding the openings;
- wherein the seats and the metal inserts are mechanically coupled using coupling surfaces on the seats and metal inserts that are cylindrically shaped and the coupling surface of the seats has, in at least one portion thereof, an inner threading defining a threaded hole;
- and
- wherein the body is adapted to mechanically couple with at least one element of a bicycle to transmit force and the body has a circular contact surface extending above a surface of the body and the widened head portion of the at least one metal insert abuts against the circular contact surface.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.