Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
  • B60B21/00—Rims
  • B60B21/02—Rims characterised by transverse section
  • B60B21/04—Rims characterised by transverse section with substantially radial flanges
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
  • B60B1/00—Spoked wheels; Spokes thereof
  • B60B1/02—Wheels with wire or other tension spokes
  • B60B1/0261—Wheels with wire or other tension spokes characterised by spoke form
  • B60B1/0276—Wheels with wire or other tension spokes characterised by spoke form the spoke being crooked in the middle and having double length
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
  • B60B21/00—Rims
  • B60B21/02—Rims characterised by transverse section
  • B60B21/025—Rims characterised by transverse section the transverse section being hollow
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
  • B60B21/00—Rims
  • B60B21/06—Rims characterised by means for attaching spokes, i.e. spoke seats
  • B60B21/062—Rims characterised by means for attaching spokes, i.e. spoke seats for bicycles

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a wheel, particularly for cycles or motorcycles.
• wheels for cycles which are constituted substantially by a rim, with which a tire or inner tube is associated and which is connected to a hub by means of adapted spokes.
• a first consequence of this choice entails the need to impose very high tensions on the spokes, in order to make the wheel more rigid, but this entails possible breakage of the rim.
• the use of wheels with a reduced number of spokes has been found to entail an increase in the vibrations of the wheel, due to the alternating arrangement of the spokes with respect to the frame, which due to the tension to which they are subjected entails continuous and alternating oscillations with respect to the plane of arrangement of the rim.
• US 6,231,128 Bl discloses a bicycle wheel which comprises an annular rim, which has a V-shaped cross-section with a rounded vertex and on the sides of which, approximately in a central region located between said vertex and a resting base for a tubular tire, there are two openings, which have approximately the same axis and through which it is possible to arrange the head of a spoke which is formed monolithically and whose ends are crossed and coupled for example at the hub.
• a further drawback that can be observed in this background art is that since the openings for the passage of the spoke are provided at the sides of the rim, such spokes can interfere with the brakes of the bicycle, both in case of breakage of a single rod that constitutes the spoke and in case of displacement of the brake pad, for example due to loosening of the fixing screw.
• US 6,428,113 B2 is also known which discloses a bicycle wheel with tensioned spokes which comprises a rim which has, in cross-section, a substantially V-shaped configuration with a rounded vertex and is provided internally with strengthening flanges; on the surface where the tire or inner tube rests on the rim, as well as on the flanges and on the lateral surfaces for connection to the vertex, there are, along the same axis, holes for the positioning and subsequent tightening of the ends of two distinct spokes.
• the aim of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks noted above, by providing a wheel, particularly for cycles or motorcycles, which in case of breakage of a spoke prevents any lateral wobble of the wheel indicated in the cited background art, thus allowing to continue the race.
• an object of the invention is to propose a wheel whose spokes can be associated with the rim rapidly and easily, avoiding inelastic deformations, so as to extend its life cycle.
• Another object is to provide a wheel in which the sides of the rim are not subjected to high loads, so as to limit the possibility of fatigue/breakage of the rim.
• Another object is to provide a wheel in which the placement of the spokes does not interfere with the brake pads during normal sports practice, if a spoke breaks and in case of unintentional displacement of the brake pads, for example due to loosening of the fixing screw.
• Another object is to provide a wheel in which it is possible to achieve optimum transmission of torque from the hub to the rim.
• a wheel particularly for cycles or motorcycles, which comprises a rim which has, in transverse cross-section, a polygonal shape, characterized in that it has, at the internal region, an insert or guide which is arc-like, for the resting and sliding of a complementarily shaped end of a spoke which is shaped like an open loop and can be inserted at appropriately provided openings formed in said rim in a region that is adjacent to said arc-like guide or insert.
• Figure 1 is a partially sectional side view of a rim of a bicycle with the spoke associated therewith, which in turn is interconnected with the hub of a rear wheel;
• Figure 2 is a view, similar to the preceding one, of the interconnection of the spoke with a front wheel;
• Figure 3 is a front or rear view of a single spoke;
• Figure 4 is a top view of the spoke according to Figure 3;
• Figure 5 is a side view of the spoke
• Figure 6 is a view of a detail of the interconnection of the spoke with the rim
• Figure 7 is a view, similar to the preceding one, of a further embodiment of the rim
• Figure 8 is a view, similar to the view of Figure 1, of the use of an asymmetric rim
• Figures 9 and 10 are views, similar to the views of Figures 6 and 7, of the use of an asymmetric rim;
• Figure 11 is a sectional view of the rim in a symmetrical version;
• Figure 12 is a view, similar to the preceding one, of the asymmetric rim;
• Figures 13, 14 and 15 are top views of some of the possible arrangements of the spoke;
• Figures 16 to 25 are views of the steps for coupling a single spoke to the rim;
• Figures 26 to 32 are views of further forms of the rim with the insert or guide inside it.
• a wheel particularly usable for cycles and for motorcycles, comprises a rim 1, which has, in a transverse cross- section, a polygonal shape, preferably a V-shape, which has a rounded vertex 2 which is blended at the sides 3 a, 3b to a supporting base 4 for a tire or inner tube, which is not shown.
• the sectional shape of the rim 1 can also be square or rectangular or
• an insert or guide 6 which has, in the direction of the overlying base 4, an arc- like shape for the resting and sliding of a complementarily shaped end 7 of a spoke 8.
• the insert or guide 6 can be constituted by an element that is applied or obtained during the provision of the rim 1, as shown for example in Figures 6 and 7.
• the transverse sectional shape of the rim 1 can be of a type which is mirror- symmetrical with respect to a midplane of the base 4 or can be of the asymmetric type, as shown for example in Figures 8, 9, 10 and 12, in which the vertex 2 lies on a plane 10 which is parallel and therefore spaced with respect to the midplane 9 of the base 4.
• one side of the rim 1 for example the side 3b that is directed, relative to a hub 11, on the opposite side with respect to gears 12, is substantially parallel to the midplane 9.
• the plane 10 corresponds to the midplane of the hub 11.
• the spoke 8 is constituted by a single wire, which is bent approximately halfway along its length so as to define the arc-like end 7, which is shaped so as to be able to rest and slide at the insert or guide 6 that is present within the rim 1.
• the spoke 8 can be of the type shown for example in Figure 3, in which arms 14a, 14b are defined which are mutually crossed or straight.
• the arms 14a, 14b can be arranged symmetrically or not with respect to the midplane 9 of the base 4, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or can be symmetrical with respect to the plane 10 that passes through the vertex 2 and through the central region of the hub 1 1, as shown in Figure 8.
• the arrangement of the arms 14a, 14b is such that they lie at mutually parallel planes, as shown in Figures 13, 14 and 15, such planes not coinciding with the plane of arrangement of the end 7.
• Another particularity of the wheel is that on the wheel 1 there are, on the sides 3a, 3b and in a region which is adjacent, and therefore very close, to the insert or guide 6, a plurality of pairs of holes 15a, 15b, in which it is possible to insert the spoke 8.
• each one of the pairs of holes 15a, 15b can be provided along an axis which is more or less inclined with respect to the axis of arrangement of the insert or guide 6 or along an axis which is perpendicular thereto, as shown in Figure 14.
• Figures 16 to 25 illustrate the method for quick and easy coupling of each spoke 8 to the provided pair of holes 15a, 15b of the rim 1 : it is in fact sufficient to insert for example the tip, which is conveniently threaded, for example of the arm 14a at the hole 15b and at the hole 15a and then move closer to the vertex 2 the end 7 and impose on the spoke 8 a rotation which arranges it approximately at right angles to the rim 1.
• the wheel particularly for cycles or motorcycles, according to the present invention, has fully achieved the intended aim and objects, since the spoke can be formed as rigid but with controlled detensioning, i.e. the arms 14a, 14b behave like a rigid triangular structure, in which the third side is constituted by the hub 11 , when they are tensioned, also thanks to the strain-hardening of the metal of the spoke in the arc-like region of the insert or guide 6 and of the friction of its end 7 caused by its tension.
• the rigidity is due to the preforming of the molding process, which hardens the resin component of the composite.
• the particular configuration of the spoke 8, of the open- loop type and provided with an arc-like end 7, allows to insert the spoke rapidly and easily at the rim without therefore imposing thereon inelastic deformations and therefore extending its life cycle.
• the spoke in its coupling to the rim, does not load its sides 3a, 3b, since the spoke 8 does not engage rigidly the rim 1.
• the presence of the insert or guide 6 on which the end 7 of the spoke 8 rests and slides allows to distribute traction in a balanced manner on a large part of the internal region of the rim 1, and this extends the life cycle of the rim or can allow to provide a lighter rim for an equal life cycle.
• the spoke thus provided does not have "tight" bends which might weaken it, and in this case also, therefore, there is a further characteristic that extends its life cycle or allows to provide it in a lighter form for an equal life cycle.
• the wheel allows not only to continue racing in case of breakage of a spoke but also to have no vibration effect when loaded due to dynamic detensioning of the spokes.
• the wheel thus obtained is easy to assemble, and the spoke is easy and quick to replace, without even requiring to remove the tire.
• the spoke In view of the shape of the rim and of the spoke it is possible to use a tubeless rim and to provide a wheel that is compatible with tubeless tires thanks to the lateral insertion of the spokes, which does not force to provide holes in the upper part or base 4 of the rim 1.
• the result in terms of camber on the freewheel side or on the disc brake side is maximum, and so is the displacement to the left of the left flange while maintaining the left side- right side tensions identical or similar; this allows to provide a wheel whose characteristics of lateral and torsional rigidity are extremely high, while maintaining a low weight and a modest cost.
• the wheel can be of any type, such as for example a racing wheel or an MTB or cruiser wheel.
• the materials employed may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.
• the sectional shape of the rim 1 can also be square or rectangular or U-shaped or pentagonal, as shown in Figures 26 to 32.
• the spoke 8 can be constituted for example by a single spoke formed by a single long cord, for example made of composite material, for example made of the material known by the trademark Kevlar or other fibers, such as aramid or carbon fibers; such single cord is inserted in each instance in the pair of holes 15a, 15b to be then guided and/or locked stably or temporarily on appropriately provided means formed on the hub and then reinserted in another pair of holes 15a, 15b, et cetera.
• a single spoke formed by a single long cord for example made of composite material, for example made of the material known by the trademark Kevlar or other fibers, such as aramid or carbon fibers

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Braking Arrangements (AREA)
• Tires In General (AREA)
• Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)
• Pens And Brushes (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=41151826

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (5)

Citations (8)

Family Cites Families (12)

• 2008
  • 2008-11-18 IT ITTV2008A000147A patent/IT1391976B1/it active
• 2009
  • 2009-11-16 CN CN2009801459356A patent/CN102292221A/zh active Pending
  • 2009-11-16 WO PCT/EP2009/065245 patent/WO2010057857A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2009-11-16 EP EP09760134A patent/EP2364256A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2009-11-16 US US12/998,657 patent/US20110272999A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (8)

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