Field spoke repair kit
OwnerCharlie W. Chiinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a bicycle wheel repair kit for joining a first segment of a spoke to a second segment of the spoke, the first segment extending radially outward from a wheel hub to terminate in a first free end and the second segment extending radially inward from a wheel rim to terminate in a second free end. The kit may include a coupler including a first engagement member and a second engagement member. The first engagement member is configured to engage the first free end. The second engagement member is generally opposite the first engagement member and configured to engage the second free end. The coupler is configured such that a distance between the first engagement member and the second engagement member can be adjusted.
Claims33
A bicycle wheel repair kit for joining a first segment of a spoke to a second segment of the spoke, the first segment extending radially outward from a wheel hub to terminate in a first free end and the second segment extending radially inward from a wheel rim to terminate in a second free end, the kit comprising:
- a coupler comprising a first engagement member configured to engage the first free end and a second engagement member generally opposite the first engagement member and configured to engage the second free end, wherein the coupler is configured such that a distance between the first engagement member and the second engagement member can be adjusted;
- and
- a replacement spoke nipple including:
- a spoke receptor end configured to threadably receive the end opposite the second free end;
- and a rim attachment end including at least one member configured to bias away from the rim attachment end, the replacement spoke nipple thereby being configured to facilitate the end opposite the second free end being configured to engage the rim.
A repaired bicycle wheel comprising:
- a hub, a rim offset from and circumferentially extending about the hub, and a spoke comprising:
- a first segment extending radially outward from the hub to terminate in a first free end;
- and a second segment extending radially inward from the rim to terminate in a second free end;
- and
- a spoke repair assembly comprising a first member engaging the first free end, a second member engaging the second free end, and an intermediate member joining the first member to the second member to create a joined spoke assembly comprising the first segment, spoke repair assembly and second segment, the intermediate member being adjustable relative to the first member and the second member so as to adjust tension in the joined spoke assembly,
- wherein:
- a longitudinal axis of the first segment and a longitudinal axis of the second segment are axially offset in the joined spoke assembly.
A method of repairing a bicycle wheel, the method comprising:
- provide a bicycle wheel comprising a hub, a rim offset from and circumferentially extending about the hub, and a broken spoke comprising:
- a first segment extending radially outward from the hub to terminate in a first free end;
- and a second segment extending radially inward from the rim to terminate in a second free end;
- provide an adapter hub spoke comprising a first end and a second end opposite the first end;
- operably couple the first end of the adapter hub spoke to the hub;
- connect a first spoke engagement member to the second end of the adapter hub spoke;
- connect a second spoke engagement member to the second free end;
- operably couple the first spoke engagement member to the second spoke engagement member with an intermediate member;
- and
- displace at least a portion of the intermediate member to bring about a reduction in distance between the first spoke engagement member and the second spoke engagement member,
- wherein:
- to operably couple the first end of the adapter hub spoke to the hub includes hooking the first end into a hole in the hub formerly occupied by a portion of the first segment or hooking the first end into an intersection between at least two non-broken spokes.
A method of repairing a bicycle wheel, the method comprising:
- provide a bicycle wheel comprising a hub, a rim offset from and circumferentially extending about the hub, and a broken spoke comprising:
- a first segment extending radially outward from the hub to terminate in a first free end;
- and a second segment extending radially inward from the rim to terminate in a second free end;
- provide an adapter rim spoke comprising a first end and a second end opposite the first end;
- operably couple the first end of the adapter rim spoke to the rim;
- connect a first spoke engagement member to the second end of the adapter rim spoke;
- connect a second spoke engagement member to the first free end;
- operably couple the first spoke engagement member to the second spoke engagement member with an intermediate member;
- and
- displace at least a portion of the intermediate member to bring about a reduction in distance between the first spoke engagement member and the second spoke engagement member,
- wherein:
- to operably couple the first end of the adapter rim spoke to the rim includes threading the first end into the rim.
A method of repairing a bicycle wheel, the method comprising:
- provide a bicycle wheel comprising a hub, a rim offset from and circumferentially extending about the hub, and a broken spoke comprising:
- a first segment extending radially outward from the hub to terminate in a first free end;
- and a second segment extending radially inward from the rim to terminate in a second free end;
- provide an adapter rim spoke comprising a first end and a second end opposite the first end;
- operably couple the first end of the adapter rim spoke to the rim;
- connect a first spoke engagement member to the second end of the adapter rim spoke;
- connect a second spoke engagement member to the first free end;
- operably couple the first spoke engagement member to the second spoke engagement member with an intermediate member;
- and
- displace at least a portion of the intermediate member to bring about a reduction in distance between the first spoke engagement member and the second spoke engagement member,
- wherein:
- to operably couple the first end of the adapter rim spoke to the rim includes replacing a spoke nipple that came with the rim with a replacement spoke nipple and threading the first end into the replacement spoke nipple.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.