Abstract:
A tire having a radial carcass reinforcement winding within each bead around at least one heel reinforcement element and whose meridian profile, when the tire is mounted and inflated, has a constant direction of curvature in a first bead and a sidewall extending it radially, and has a tangent TT′ to the point of tangency T of the carcass reinforcement profile with the annular element of the first bead which forms with the axis of rotation an angle &phgr; which is open towards the outside and is greater than 45°, wherein, viewed in meridian section, at least the aforesaid sidewall comprises a reinforcing profiled element having, viewed in section, substantially the form of a crescent, one of the axially inner or outer faces of the crescent-shaped profiled element follows the profile of the carcass reinforcement, and the trace of the face of the crescent-shaped profiled element opposite the face of such profiled element closest to the carcass reinforcement has a single direction of curvature.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a novel tire having beads of a specified structure. In particular, the tire, when viewed in meridian section, has a radial carcass reinforcement and a bead of specified structure. The bead features a reinforcement ring that is able to move axially. The tire also features structures that are responsive to axial movement of the reinforcement ring, which modify clamping of the bead on its rim causing the clamping to increase with increasing tension of the carcass reinforcement.
Abstract:
A bicycle rim includes side portions with an outer portion extending between the side portions to form a pair of outer corners, and a spoke attachment portion. The outer portion includes a pair of ridges spaced from the outer corners. The ridges preferably divide a pair of inclined surfaces. The side portions preferably include a pair of ground braking surfaces with a pair of sloping surfaces extending from the braking surfaces to a pair of outer side surfaces. A tubeless bicycle tire is mounted on the rim and includes a tread portion, a pair of sidewalls and a pair of beads. Each bead has an inner foot surface supported on one of the ridges. Preferably, each bead has a reinforcement member with a center axis. Each ridge is preferably located between one of the center axes and an inner edge of one of the inner foot surfaces.
Abstract:
A rim for a bicycle wheel with tubeless tire comprises a radially inner peripheral wall, a radially outer peripheral wall, two circumferential side walls which connect the inner and outer peripheral walls and form two ribs which extend beyond the outer peripheral wall, for anchorage of a tubeless tire. The inner and outer peripheral walls have two holes facing one another, within which an intermediate tubular element is mounted, connected to which is a valve body of a standard type normally used for bicycle wheels provided with inner tubes.
Abstract:
A bicycle wheel rim includes a rim body having an annular spoke-mounting wall and spaced left and right annular tire-retaining walls, and a pair of wear-resisting rings. The spoke-mounting wall has two annular lateral peripheral edges. The left and right annular tire-retaining walls extend integrally, radially, outwardly and respectively from the lateral peripheral edges of the spoke-mounting wall. Each of the tire-retaining walls has an inner surface that faces the other one of the tire-retaining walls to confine a tire receiving space therewith, an outer brake pad contacting surface opposite to the inner surface, and an annular end face distal to the spoke-mounting wall. Each of the tire-retaining walls further has a tire retaining projection, formed at a corner of the end face and the inner surface for engaging a bicycle tire so as to retain the bicycle tire between the tire-retaining walls. The wear-resisting rings are made of a resilient material. Each of the wear-resisting rings extends along the end face of a respective one of the tire-retaining walls, and projects radially and outwardly relative to the end face of the respective one of the tire-retaining walls to prevent the end face from contacting directly the bicycle tire to minimize wearing of the bicycle tire.
Abstract:
A bicycle rim has rim a pair of rim flanges that defines a tire channel. A rim strip extends across the tire channel. The rim strip includes a pair of flange bumpers configured to cover the rim flanges. The flange bumpers each define a flange channel in which one of the rim flanges is received. A pair of safety humps define corresponding tire seating sections where a tire is seated when inflated. The rim strip further includes a drop seal that seals with the beads of the tire to facilitate seating of the tire during inflation.
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.
Abstract:
A bicycle wheel rim for mounting with two tire rim portions of a tire includes an outer ring wall surrounding a rotation axis of the wheel rim, and two annular flanges. Each annular flange has an inclined inner surface for abutting against a respective one of the tire rim portions. The outer ring wall has two retaining surfaces, each extending from the corresponding one of the annular flanges toward the central radial plane of the wheel rim and being inclined radially and outwardly with respect to the rotation axis. Each retaining surface and a corresponding inclined inner surface cooperatively form therebetween an included angle smaller than 90 degrees, and clamp the respective one of the tire rim portions.
Abstract:
Methods for forming a soft lip for a wheel rim are disclosed herein. The wheel rim may be a cold-formed, spun-formed, or rolled-formed cylindrical blank, wherein the blank includes an upturned outer edge. As the blank is spun, a blunting roller lowered to contact the upturned outer edge to blunt the outer edge into a work-strengthened annular bead, and finish off the external surface of the annular bead to form a soft lip.
Abstract:
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing a wheel cover and a vehicle wheel including such a wheel cover. The method for producing the vehicle wheel cover comprises the steps of: (a) providing a tooling fixture including at least a first tooling member and a second tooling member; (b) providing a wheel cover having at least a preformed outer end; (c) positioning the wheel cover onto the tooling fixture wherein the wheel cover is supported on the first tooling member and spaced apart from the second tooling member; (d) actuating the tooling fixture whereby the second tooling member is operative to engage and reshape the outer end of the wheel cover to produce a desired outer end shape; and (e) removing the wheel cover from the tooling fixture.