Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – Tension wheel; e.g. – spoke
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-08
2001-02-13
Stormer, Russell D. (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
Tension wheel; e.g., spoke
C301S095110
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186598
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bicycle wheel rim, more particularly to a bicycle wheel rim which has an enhanced strength to resist impact applied on tire retaining walls thereof and which can be made using a simplified manufacturing process.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional bicycle wheel rim is generally produced by forming a metal strip, such as from extruded aluminum, cutting and bending the metal strip to form an annular shape with a predetermined size, and bonding two opposite end portions of the metal strip to form an annular frame.
FIG. 1
illustrates the cross-section of the conventional bicycle wheel rim
1
which includes spaced left and right tire retaining walls
11
, and an annular spoke mounting wall
12
interconnecting radial inner edges of the tire retaining walls
11
. However, the bicycle wheel rim
1
does not have a sufficient strength, especially when it is used for a racing bicycle.
FIGS. 2 and 3
illustrate another conventional bicycle wheel rim
2
which includes left and right tire retaining walls
21
for retaining a bicycle tire
26
therebetween, a spoke mounting wall
22
interconnecting radial inner edges of the tire retaining walls
21
, and a reinforcing wall
23
interconnecting the tire retaining walls
21
and disposed radially and outwardly of the spoke mounting wall
22
. The spoke mounting wall
22
is formed with a plurality of spoke mounting holes
221
for mounting spoke fasteners
244
thereon. The reinforcing wall
23
is formed with a plurality of through holes
231
which are larger than and which are aligned with the spoke mounting holes
221
, respectively, to permit extension of the spoke fasteners
244
therethrough. To mount spokes
243
on the wheel rim
2
, a plurality of sockets
25
are required. The sockets
25
are disposed in the wheel rim
2
between the through holes
231
and the spoke mounting holes
221
to guide insertion of the spoke fasteners
244
into the spoke mounting holes
221
. A bicycle tire
26
is then installed on the wheel rim
2
by retention between the tire retaining walls
21
. Since the reinforcing wall
23
is formed with through holes
231
, the bicycle tire
26
generally includes an inflatable inner tire body
261
and an outer tire member
262
enclosing the inner tire body
261
. In order to protect the inner tire body
261
from being damaged by peripheries of the through holes
231
, a lining
263
is provided around the reinforcing wall
23
for lining the inner tire body
261
.
Although the wheel rim
2
is provided with a reinforcing wall
23
to result in an increased strength, the wheel rim
2
suffers from the following drawbacks:
(1) During manufacture, through holes
231
and spoke mounting holes
221
should be formed by punching the reinforcing wall
23
and the spoke mounting wall
22
, respectively. Since the through holes
231
and the spoke mounting holes
221
have different sizes, the punching process is relatively complicated.
(2) During assembly, each of the sockets
25
is extended through an aligned pair of the through holes
231
and the spoke mounting holes
221
. Then, each of the spoke fasteners
244
is extended into the sockets
25
and is retained therein for fastening a respective one of the spoke
243
thereon. The assembly procedure is both time and labor-consuming, and is uneconomical. Moreover, the sockets
25
must be formed to suit the sizes of the through holes
231
and the spoke mounting holes
221
and the distance between the same. Formation of the sockets
25
thus increases the manufacturing costs for the bicycle wheel rim
2
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a bicycle wheel rim which has an enhanced strength to resist impact applied on tire retaining walls thereof and which can be made using a simplified manufacturing process.
Accordingly, the bicycle wheel rim of the present invention includes a unitary integrally formed rim body which has annular left and right tire retaining walls that are spaced apart from each other, and an annular bridging portion. Each of the tire retaining walls has a radial inner section proximate to a central point of the wheel rim, a radial outer section distal to the central point of the wheel rim, and an intermediate section between the radial inner and radial outer sections. The radial outer sections of the tire retaining walls are adapted for retaining a bicycle tire therebetween. The bridging portion interconnects the intermediate sections of the tire retaining walls, and cooperates with the tire retaining walls to provide the rim body with a generally H-shaped cross-section.
REFERENCES:
patent: 365091 (1887-04-01), Owen
patent: 5499864 (1996-03-01), Klein et al.
patent: 5651591 (1997-07-01), Mercat et al.
patent: 5653510 (1997-08-01), Osborne
patent: 1289921 (1961-05-01), None
patent: 2351803 (1975-07-01), None
Alex Machine Industrial Co., Ltd.
Ohlandt Greeley Ruggiero & Perle L.L.P.
Stormer Russell D.
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