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US 9,597,926 B1Granted
Bicycle rim for tubeless tire
AssigneeHed Cycling Products, Inc.
InventorsSteven Arthur Hed, Christopher Andrew Edin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Bicycle rims that allow tires to be more easily mounted in a tubeless configuration are disclosed. More specifically, a bicycle rim may control the two beads of the tire with separate bead channels for each bead and a center bridge extending between the two bead channels.
Claims29
A bicycle rim adapted to seat a tubeless and tube tires, comprising:
- an annular support portion forming a continuous ring and further comprising:
- a tapered first bead channel having a bead channel diameter disposed to a first side of a centerline of the support portion, further comprising:
- a first bead channel outer sidewall sloped such that a radially outer end of the first bead channel outer sidewall is laterally outward of a radially inner end of the first bead channel outer sidewall;
- a first bead channel inner sidewall;
- a tapered second bead channel having the bead channel diameter disposed to a second side of the centerline, further comprising:
- a second bead channel outer sidewall sloped such that a radially outer end of the second bead channel outer sidewall is laterally outward of a radially inner end of the second bead channel outer sidewall;
- a second bead channel inner sidewall;
- a first bead seat portion and a second bead seat portion, the first bead seat portion disposed laterally outward of the first bead channel from the centerline and the second bead seat portion disposed laterally outward of the second bead channel from the centerline, the first bead seat portion and second bead seat portion having a bead seat diameter that is greater than the bead channel diameter, wherein the support portion has an outer surface that is free of sharp corners between the first bead channel and the first bead seat portion and between the second bead channel and the second bead seat portion;
- a first rim ledge extending from the first bead channel outer sidewall to the first bead seat portion, wherein the first rim ledge comprises a continuous straight outer surface from a transition to the first bead channel outer sidewall to the first bead seat portion that does not increase in diameter from the transition to the first bead channel outer sidewall to the first bead seat portion;
- a second rim ledge extending from the second bead channel outer sidewall to the second bead seat portion, the second rim ledge comprises a continuous straight outer surface from a transition to the second bead channel outer sidewall to the second bead seat portion that does not increase in diameter from the transition to the second bead channel outer sidewall to the second bead seat portion;
- a center bridge extending from the first bead channel inner sidewall to the second bead channel inner sidewall, wherein the center bridge has a diameter at a first lateral end and a second lateral end of the center bridge that is greater than the bead channel diameter, bead seat diameter and diameters of the first rim ledge and second rim ledge;
- and
- a first rim sidewall and a second rim sidewall disposed across the centerline and extending radially outward from the support portion, the first rim sidewall disposed at a first lateral end of the support portion and the second rim sidewall disposed at a second lateral end of the support portion.
10 more elements
A bicycle rim adapted to seat a tubeless and tube tires, comprising:
- an annular support portion forming a continuous ring and further comprising:
- a tapered first bead channel having a bead channel diameter disposed to a first side of a centerline of the support portion, further comprising:
- a first bead channel outer sidewall sloped such that a radially outer end of the first bead channel outer sidewall is laterally outward of a radially inner end of the first bead channel outer sidewall;
- a first bead channel inner sidewall, wherein a bottom of the first bead channel comprises a continuous inside curve between the first bead channel inner sidewall and the first bead channel outer sidewall;
- a tapered second bead channel having the bead channel diameter disposed to a second side of the centerline, further comprising:
- a second bead channel outer sidewall sloped such that a radially outer end of the second bead channel outer sidewall is laterally outward of a radially inner end of the second bead channel outer sidewall;
- a second bead channel inner sidewall, wherein a bottom of the second bead channel comprises a continuous inside curve between the second bead channel inner sidewall and the second bead channel outer sidewall;
- a first bead seat portion and a second bead seat portion, the first bead seat portion disposed laterally outward of the first bead channel from the centerline and the second bead seat portion disposed laterally outward of the second bead channel from the centerline, the first bead seat portion and second bead seat portion having a bead seat diameter that is greater than the bead channel diameter, wherein the support portion has an outer surface that is free of sharp corners between the first bead channel and the first bead seat portion and between the second bead channel and the second bead seat portion;
- a first rim ledge extending from the first bead channel outer sidewall to the first bead seat portion;
- a second rim ledge extending from the second bead channel outer sidewall to the second bead seat portion;
- a center bridge extending from the first bead channel inner sidewall to the second bead channel inner sidewall, wherein the center bridge has a diameter at a first lateral end and a second lateral end of the center bridge that is greater than the bead channel diameter, bead seat diameter and diameters of the first rim ledge and second rim ledge;
- and
- a first rim sidewall and a second rim sidewall disposed across the centerline and extending radially outward from the support portion, the first rim sidewall disposed at a first lateral end of the support portion and the second rim sidewall disposed at a second lateral end of the support portion.
10 more elements
A bicycle rim adapted to seat a tubeless and tube tires, comprising:
- an annular support portion forming a continuous ring and further comprising:
- a tapered first bead channel having a bead channel diameter disposed to a first side of a centerline of the support portion, further comprising:
- a first bead channel outer sidewall sloped such that a radially outer end of the first bead channel outer sidewall is laterally outward of a radially inner end of the first bead channel outer sidewall;
- a first bead channel inner sidewall, wherein a bottom of the first bead channel comprises a continuous inside curve between the first bead channel inner sidewall and the first bead channel outer sidewall;
- a tapered second bead channel having the bead channel diameter disposed to a second side of the centerline, further comprising:
- a second bead channel outer sidewall sloped such that a radially outer end of the second bead channel outer sidewall is laterally outward of a radially inner end of the second bead channel outer sidewall;
- a second bead channel inner sidewall, wherein a bottom of the second bead channel comprises a continuous inside curve between the second bead channel inner sidewall and the second bead channel outer sidewall;
- a first bead seat portion and a second bead seat portion, the first bead seat portion disposed laterally outward of the first bead channel from the centerline and the second bead seat portion disposed laterally outward of the second bead channel from the centerline, the first bead seat portion and second bead seat portion having a bead seat diameter that is greater than the bead channel diameter;
- a first rim ledge extending from the first bead channel outer sidewall to the first bead seat portion;
- a second rim ledge extending from the second bead channel outer sidewall to the second bead seat portion;
- a center bridge extending from the first bead channel inner sidewall to the second bead channel inner sidewall, wherein the center bridge has a diameter at a first lateral end and a second lateral end of the center bridge that is greater than the bead channel diameter, bead seat diameter and diameters of the first rim ledge and second rim ledge;
- and
- a first rim sidewall and a second rim sidewall disposed across the centerline and extending radially outward from the support portion, the first rim sidewall disposed at a first lateral end of the support portion and the second rim sidewall disposed at a second lateral end of the support portion.
10 more elements
A bicycle rim adapted to seat a tubeless and tube tires, comprising:
- an annular support portion forming a continuous ring and further comprising:
- a tapered first bead channel having a bead channel diameter disposed to a first side of a centerline of the support portion, further comprising:
- a first bead channel outer sidewall sloped such that a radially outer end of the first bead channel outer sidewall is laterally outward of a radially inner end of the first bead channel outer sidewall;
- a first bead channel inner sidewall;
- a tapered second bead channel having the bead channel diameter disposed to a second side of the centerline, further comprising:
- a second bead channel outer sidewall sloped such that a radially outer end of the second bead channel outer sidewall is laterally outward of a radially inner end of the second bead channel outer sidewall;
- a second bead channel inner sidewall;
- a first bead seat portion and a second bead seat portion, the first bead seat portion disposed laterally outward of the first bead channel from the centerline and the second bead seat portion disposed laterally outward of the second bead channel from the centerline, the first bead seat portion and second bead seat portion having a bead seat diameter that is greater than the bead channel diameter;
- a first rim ledge extending from the first bead channel outer sidewall to the first bead seat portion, wherein the first rim ledge is sloped radially inward from a transition to the first bead channel outer sidewall to the first bead seat portion and comprises a continuous straight sloped outer surface from the transition to the first bead channel outer sidewall to the first bead seat portion;
- a second rim ledge extending from the second bead channel outer sidewall to the second bead seat portion, wherein the second rim ledge is sloped radially inward from a transition to the second bead channel outer sidewall to the second bead seat portion and comprises a continuous straight sloped outer surface from the transition to the second bead channel outer sidewall to the second bead seat portion;
- a center bridge extending from the first bead channel inner sidewall to the second bead channel inner sidewall, wherein the center bridge has a diameter at a first lateral end and a second lateral end of the center bridge that is greater than the bead channel diameter, bead seat diameter and diameters of the first rim ledge and second rim ledge;
- and
- a first rim sidewall and a second rim sidewall disposed across the centerline and extending radially outward from the support portion, the first rim sidewall disposed at a first lateral end of the support portion and the second rim sidewall disposed at a second lateral end of the support portion.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.