Abstract:
The present invention provides a bicycle rim assembly adapted to be coupled to a hub to create a bicycle wheel. The rim assembly includes a rim and a cover coupled to the rim. The rim defines a central plane and comprises an annular inner wall and an annular outer wall cooperating with the inner wall to define a cavity. The rim further includes annular projections spaced laterally relative to the central plane and extending substantially radially outwardly from the outer annular wall. The cover includes sidewalls disposed on lateral sides of the rim adjacent the projections, each sidewall including a lateral inner portion having a lateral thickness. The cover further includes an annular ring portion interconnecting the sidewalls, the annular ring portion including a radial thickness less than the lateral thickness of the lateral inner portion of the sidewalls. Preferably, the rim comprises a metallic material and the cover comprises a non-metallic material. For example, the rim can comprise aluminum or an epoxy matrix composite, and the cover can comprises a polymeric material, such as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. In addition, a radial thickness of the entire cover is preferably substantially less than a radial thickness of the entire rim.In one embodiment, the projections include a laterally inwardly facing surface, a laterally outwardly facing surface, and a radially outwardly facing surface. In this embodiment, the cover engages at least a portion of each of the laterally inwardly facing surface, the laterally outwardly facing surface, and the radially outwardly facing surface. Preferably, each annular projection has a smoothly radiused radially outwardly facing surface, and each laterally outwardly facing surface that lies in a radial plane substantially parallel to the central plane.
Abstract:
A bicycle wheel including a hub and a rim coupled to the hub. The wheel also includes a cover that is coupled to rim and that defines a bead seat engageable by a tire. The rim can have a first annular feature and the cover can have a second annular feature that is complementary to the first annular feature to attach the cover to the rim.
Abstract:
A bottom surface portion of a lockring groove defined by a rim base is formed to be an inclined surface on which a load in a radial direction acts through a lockring. A leg portion of the lockring having an annular body engaged thereto is formed to be an inclined surface so as to abut the inclined surface of the lockring groove defined by the rim base.
Abstract:
A retaining ring (30) for use in combination with a wheel rim (10) having a separable bead flange (14) to secure the separable bead flange on the rim in the absence of a properly inflated tire is characterized by an inboard facing portion (30a) and an outboard facing portion (30b) and a split in the ring defining terminal ends, (32,33) each terminal end having a circumferentially oriented first bore (36,37) in the inboard facing portion (30a) and a second bore (38,39) in the outboard facing portion (30b) at an angular relationship with respect to the first bore. A groove (40,41)(70,71) in the outer surface of the retaining ring (30) interconnects each first bore with each second bore and a steel lockwire (50) is threaded through the bores from one terminal end to the other and seated in the grooves and the ends of the wire (50a,50b) are twisted together to lock the terminal ends (32,33) in a specific spaced orientation (d) such that the ring may expand a limited amount when subjected to centrifugal forces tending to expand the ring and the wire (50) limits the amount of such expansion and maintains the separable bead flange (14) on the wheel rim (10).
Abstract:
A relatively simple and highly efficient safety system for retaining the tires, which are mounted on the front wheels of heavy, over-the-road vehicle such as trucks, buses and the like, in the event of gradual or sudden deflation of the tires. Such tires are locked onto rims of the two or three-piece types, mounted on disc or spoked wheels. The important and essential features of the present invention reside in the provision of a radially - extending locking lug detachably mounted on and rigidly secured to a spoke of the wheel or in the ventilating holes in disc wheels and which terminates at its outer end in a position to contact the outer flange of a two-piece rim installation, or in the case of a three-piece rim installation, to contact the outer flange and to overlie the radially-split locking ring. Thus the tire and flange are prevented from becoming detached from the rim in two-piece rim constructions, and the flange, tire and locking ring are prevented from becoming detached from the rim upon deflation of the tires mounted on three piece rims. An embodiment of the present invention also prevents circumferential movement of the rim constructions and the tires mounted thereon.