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US 9,346,319 B2Granted
Advanced composite rim having molded in spoke holes
AssigneeENVE Composites, LLC
InventorJason Schiers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention comprise a composite rim used in spoked wheels, such as bicycle wheels, having molded-in spoke holes along with a method of fabricating the composite rim. Advantageously, the present invention dramatically improves the bearing and loading strength of prior art composite rims, which drill the spoke holes therein after fabrication of the rim hoop.
Claims41
A method of fabricating a rim, comprising:
- laying up a laminate comprising pre-consolidated composite material;
- positioning the laminate in mold tooling;
- placing a plurality of spoke hole pins through the laminate prior to consolidation in locations corresponding to the desired location of spoke holes in the rim;
- consolidating the laminate under heat and pressure;
- removing the rim from the mold tooling;
- removing the spoke hole pins from the rim;
- and
- wherein a plurality of alignment features are formed on the mold tool, each feature of the plurality corresponding to a spoke hole channel of the plurality of spoke hole channels and wherein said placing a plurality of spoke hole pins through the laminate further comprises (a) placing an end of the spoke hole pins on a spoke hole insertion tool, (b) keying the spoke hole insertion tool to an alignment feature, and pressing the spoke hole pin through the laminate using the tool.
5 more elements
A method of fabricating a bicycle rim, comprising:
- assembling first and second clam shells together to form mold tooling, wherein the clam shells when assembled together define opposing sides of a shell relief portion and a plurality of spoke pin channels extending radially inward from an interior circumferential edge of the shell relief portion, wherein the spoke pin channels are positioned at the desired location of spoke holes in the rim;
- laying up a laminate substantially comprising an epoxy and carbon fiber prepreg;
- positioning the laminate in the shell relief portion of the mold tooling;
- inserting in locations corresponding to the desired location of the spoke holes in the rim a plurality of spoke hole pins through the laminate prior to consolidation without causing appreciable damage to the continuity of the carbon fibers surrounding each spoke hole, wherein said inserting includes extending the spoke hole pins into the spoke pin channels;
- placing a bladder in a circumferential cavity formed by the laminate;
- inflating the bladder to apply pressure to the laminate;
- heating the mold tooling and laminate to cure the laminate while the spoke hole pins extend into the spoke pin channels;
- removing the rim from the mold tooling;
- removing the bladder from an interior of the rim;
- and
- removing the spoke hole pins from the rim.
8 more elements
A method, comprising:
- creating a laminate by layering plies inside a mold with an interior cavity shaped to form a rim;
- wherein the mold includes a plurality of spoke pin channels extending radially inward at positions corresponding to spoke holes of the rim;
- wherein the spoke pin channels are aligned with one another to extend within a plane;
- inserting spoke hole pins through the laminate to position fibers of the laminate around the spoke holes to curve around the edges of the spoke holes to maintain continuity of the fibers, wherein said inserting the spoke hole pins through the laminate includes inserting the spoke hole pins with an insertion tool;
- aligning the spoke hole pins with the spoke pin channels by engaging the insertion tool with an alignment structure of the mold;
- inserting the spoke hole pins into the spoke pin channels;
- consolidating the plies to form the rim;
- and
- retaining the spoke hole pins at the positions corresponding to the spoke holes with the spoke pin channels during said consolidating.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.