Tubular composite structural parts having clamp area...

Joints and connections – Interfitted members – Peripheral enlargement – depression – or slot on one member is...

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C403S012000, C403S374300, C403S377000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06176640

ABSTRACT:

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS, IF ANY
None.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the manufacture of high performance bicycle components and, more specifically, to prevention or minimization of cracking of tubular components due to stresses induced therein by clamps.
2. Prior Art
High performance cycling requires a frame and other components of a bicycle to possess strength, rigidity, and light weight. As is well known, tubular bicycle frames and parts thereof, handlbars, seat posts and other structural components of bicycles and other structures may be made of metal or metal alloys such as steel, aluminum and titanium or they may be made of high strength composites such as carbon or fiberglass reinforced cured resins. In some instances metal tubes may have a composite outer layer bonded thereto. Tubular structural members that are manufactured from composite materials are particularly subject to damage due to clamping since clamping of an end of an inner tube such as a bicycle seat post, handlebar stem or handlebars into an outer tube which is compressed by a C-shaped clamp has been found to quickly destroy the structural integrity of composites through gouging, fretting and point loading. One manner of addressing this problem is through the use of a double articulated clamp such as a two hinge pin clamp for a bicycle handlebar as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/150,626 by Osborne and owned by the assignee of the present invention.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide high strength light weight tubular composite structural parts in which the incidence of cracking due to clamping stresses of telescopically clamped parts is significantly reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention accordingly provides a tubular composite structural inner tube part having a convex surface area engageable with a concave surface of an outer tube part which has a split having facing edges which are drawn together during clamping to telescopically fasten said inner tube part to an outer tube part, said convex surface area of said inner tube part having a clamp side area to be positioned between the facing edges of said outer tube split in the area of an outer tube clamp such that said facing edges of said outer tube split do not engage said clamp side area of said inner tube part during clamping.


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