Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – Rim
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-16
2002-06-11
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
Rim
C301S095104
Reexamination Certificate
active
06402255
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a bicycle wheel rim, more particularly to a bicycle wheel rim capable of mounting selectively with a circular disc and a set of spokes.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, a conventional bicycle wheel rim
1
includes spaced-apart left and right annular tire retaining walls
12
and an annular spoke mounting wall
11
interconnecting the tire retaining walls
12
. The spoke mounting wall
11
is formed with a plurality of angularly displaced spoke mounting holes
15
which are arranged along length of the spoke mounting wall
11
for retaining spoke fasteners
14
therein. The tire retaining walls
12
and the spoke mounting wall
11
cooperatively confine a tire retaining space
2
for retaining a bicycle tire
20
therein.
The bicycle tire
20
typically includes an inflatable inner tire body
21
and an outer tire body
22
enclosing the inner tire body
21
, as shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3
. During the installation of the bicycle tire
20
, the inner tire body
21
is first sleeved on the wheel rim
1
before inflation. The inner tire body
21
is usually disposed deeply in the tire retaining space
2
and close to the spoke mounting wall
11
, and cannot be easily gripped when the outer tire body
22
is to be subsequently installed on the wheel rim
1
.
Recently, it has been suggested in the art that the spokes be replaced with a circular disc made of aluminum-magnesium alloy. However, the circular disc can only be mounted on a rim body which is specially designed and which is provided with means for mounting the circular disc. It is desirable to provide a bicycle wheel rim which can be mounted with the aforesaid circular disc and which can be alternatively mounted with a set of spokes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a bicycle wheel rim capable of mounting selectively with a circular disc and a set of spokes.
Accordingly, the bicycle wheel rim of the present invention includes an integrally formed annular rim body with a central axis. The rim body has annular left and right tire retaining walls, and an annular base wall interconnecting the tire retaining walls. The tire retaining walls are spaced apart from each other. Each of the tire retaining walls has a radial inner edge proximate to the central axis of the rim body, a radial outer edge distal to the central axis of the rim body, and an intermediate portion between the radial inner and radial outer edges. The annular base wall has a radial inner face facing the central axis, a radial outer face opposite to the radial inner face, a left section which has a left terminating edge connected to the radial inner edge of the left tire retaining wall and a right terminating edge, a right section which has a right terminating edge connected to the radial inner edge of the right tire retaining wall and a left terminating edge, and a vaulted portion interconnecting the right terminating edge of the left section and the left terminating edge of the right section. The vaulted portion is vaulted in a radial outward direction relative to the left and right sections so as to define an annular recess in the radial inner face and an annular protrusion on the radial outer face. The annular recess is adapted for retaining a peripheral portion of a circular disc therein. Optionally, the base wall is formed with a plurality of spoke mounting holes which are distributed in the left and right sections and which are adapted for retaining spoke fasteners therein.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3602550 (1971-08-01), Patane et al.
patent: 4645267 (1987-02-01), Weld
patent: 4660893 (1987-04-01), Huntzinger
patent: 4729604 (1988-03-01), Dietz
patent: 4969693 (1990-11-01), Molson
patent: 4978174 (1990-12-01), Nosler
patent: 5064250 (1991-11-01), Yashiro et al.
patent: 5551763 (1996-09-01), Alsman
patent: 6089672 (2000-07-01), Chen
patent: 6145937 (2000-11-01), Chen
Alex Machine Industrial Co., Ltd.
Morano S. Joseph
Nguyen Long Bao
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