Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100033006 | Vehicle wheel spoke connection - A wheel, comprised of a peripheral wheel rim, a central hub with a central axle and an outer flange, a plurality of spokes extending between the rim and hub, a connecting element connected to at least one of said spokes, and a bracing element connected to said connecting element. The spokes have a first portion connected to the rim and a second portion opposed to the first portion and connected to the hub and a span portion between the rim and hub. The spoke is a generally slender element with a longitudinal axis and also has a tensile axis of applied tensile load along the span portion. The bracing element includes at least a portion of at least one of the rim and hub. The connecting element includes a first portion and a second portion, with the first portion integrally joined to the second portion at a joining interface. This integral joinder of the first portion and second portion of the connecting element serves to at least one of retain and engage the spoke to the connecting element. | 02-11-2010 |
20100170762 | Torque coupling assembly - A torque coupling assembly that includes a rotationally driving assembly with a rotationally fixed driving axle element and a rotatable driving shell element, and an axial axis of rotation; a rotationally driven assembly, with a rotationally fixed driven axle element and a rotatable driven shell element, and an axial axis of rotation; a frame element with at least two axially spaced mounting elements for mounting of said torque coupling assembly; where the rotatable driving shell includes an axial projection anchored thereto, with a tip portion located axially distal from the driving shell and a root portion axially proximal to the driving shell, and an axially relieved portion circumferentially adjacent the axial projection; where the rotatable driven shell includes an axial projection anchored thereto, with a tip portion located axially distal from the driven shell and a root portion axially proximal to the driven shell, and an axially relieved portion circumferentially adjacent the axial projection; where, in an assembled or installed position, the driving assembly and the driven assembly are both connected to the frame the axial projection of the driving shell is aligned to engage the axial projection of the driven shell with an axial overlie engagement to rotatably transmit torque between the driving shell and the driven shell; where, in a removed or uninstalled position, one of the driving assembly and the driven assembly may be displaced in a generally radial direction relative to the frame and the other of the rotational driving assembly and the rotational driven assembly; where at least one of the driving assembly and the driven assembly includes ramped lead-in geometry adjacent the axial projection(s); and optionally where at least one of the driving assembly and the driven assembly includes shielding geometry adjacent and the axial projection, where the shielding geometry extends to axially overlap at least a portion of the axial projection. | 07-08-2010 |
20100253132 | Vehicle wheel rim - A vehicle wheel, including a peripheral rim with a radially outboard spoke bed and an apex region radially inboard from the spoke bed portion; a central hub with a hub flange; a plurality of spokes extending between the rim and hub, with a first portion connected to the spoke bed and a second portion connected to the hub flange. The apex region includes a first apex portion and a second apex portion axially adjacent the first apex portion and a circumferential seam between the first apex portion and the second apex portion. | 10-07-2010 |
20100301662 | Connecting system for tensile elements - An improved connecting system for a vehicle wheel spoke, including a spoke having an end portion, a span portion and a cross-section thereof, a connecting element; a bracing element such as a rim or hub, a tensile axis of applied tensile load along the span portion, and a longitudinal axis along the spoke. The connecting element is made of hardened molding material and the spoke is overmolded by the connecting element during solidification of the hardened molding material. The connecting element is joined to the spoke at an overmolded interface and the connecting element is connected to the bracing element. | 12-02-2010 |
20100326233 | BICYCLE CRANK ASSEMBLY - An improved bicycle crankshaft assembly, including a crank axle with an axial axial axis, a first axle end, and a second axle end axially opposed to the first axle end; a first crank arm connected to the crank axle at a first crank arm interface adjacent the first axle end; a second crank arm connected to the crank axle at a second crank arm interface axially spaced from the first crank arm interface; a first bearing surrounding said crank axle adjacent said first axle end for rotation of said crank axle about said axial axis; a second bearing surrounding the crank axle and axially spaced from the first bearing. The crank axle includes reinforcement fibers for structural reinforcement of the crank axle and the crank axle is an integral crank axle that extends through the first bearing and the second bearing. | 12-30-2010 |
20110101768 | Vehicle wheel spoke connection - An improved vehicle wheel, including a rim, a hub with a central axle and an outer flange, a plurality of spokes extending between the rim and hub and a connecting element connected to at least one of the spokes. The spoke is a generally slender element with a longitudinal axis with a span portion between the rim and hub and a tensile axis of applied tensile load along the span portion. At least one of said rim and hub constitutes a bracing element. The connecting element includes an external surface and an internal cavity with an internal surface adjacent said spoke. The connecting element is joined to the spoke by means of a crimped joinder such that said external surface is pressed inwardly to plastically deform said connecting element to displace the internal surface toward the spoke. The crimped joinder supports tensile load through an engagement interface. | 05-05-2011 |
20110278912 | Quick release hub assembly - A quick release hub assembly, comprising a stationary axle element with a first outer face and an axially opposed second outer face and an opening that extends axially between the first outer face and the second outer face, a rotatable hub shell element that is rotatable about the axle element and a quick release skewer assembly that includes a first skewer element with a first gripping face and a first collar portion extending axially inboard of the gripping face and a second skewer element with a second gripping face and a skewer shaft connecting the first skewer element and the second skewer element. The first gripping face is axially opposed and facing the second gripping face and the axial distance between the first gripping face and the second gripping face is selectively variable. The first gripping face is axially outboard the first outer face and the second gripping face is axially outboard the second outer face and the quick release skewer assembly extends through the opening. The first skewer element is connected to the skewer shaft by means of a connection at a location that is axially inboard of the first gripping face. Preferably including a frame with a frame element with first and second mounting portions, where the first collar portion includes locating geometry to provide radially positioning alignment with the first mounting portion. | 11-17-2011 |
20120067676 | VEHICLE WHEEL BRAKING SYSTEM - A braking system for a wheel of a vehicle includes a regenerative brake unit and a friction brake unit. The regenerative brake unit comprises a generator including a rotor and a stator. The rotor is fixedly attached to the wheel and includes a moving friction surface integrally constructed thereon. The friction brake unit includes a stationary friction surface that engages the moving friction surface of the rotor when the friction brake unit is actuated. | 03-22-2012 |
20130043712 | Vehicle Wheel spoke connection - A vehicle wheel, comprising a rim, a hub, a plurality of spokes extending between the rim and hub, a bracing element including a hole with a central axis, a sidewall, a longitudinally inward entrance, and at least one of an engagement surface and an engagement edge outward of the entrance, a connecting element comprising a multiplicity of discreet segments. The bracing element comprises at least a portion of one of the rim and hub. At least one segment includes a laterally projecting overhanging surface. The first segment is positioned within the hole, with the overhang surface overlying one of the engagement surface and engagement edge in an overlie engagement. The second segment is positioned within the hole to include an opening between the first and second segments. The spoke is positioned within the opening and is connected to the connecting element with the overlie engagement to support spoke tensile load. | 02-21-2013 |
20130043713 | Vehicle wheel spoke connection - A vehicle wheel, comprising a rim, a hub, a plurality of spokes extending between the rim and hub, a bracing element including a hole with a central axis, a sidewall, a longitudinally inward entrance, and at least one of an engagement surface and an engagement edge outward of the entrance, a connecting element connected to the bracing element, including an opening extending along an opening axis, and a multiplicity of prongs, with at least one of the prongs including a lateral overhang surface. The connecting element is resilient and may be flexed between collapsed and expanded orientations and is positioned within the hole, with the overhang surface overlying one of the engagement surface and engagement edge in a first overlie engagement. The spoke includes a laterally projecting surface to overlie the connecting element in a second overlie engagement that is preferably located longitudinally outwardly of the first overlie engagement. | 02-21-2013 |
20130043714 | Vehicle wheel spoke connection - A vehicle wheel, comprising a rim, a hub, a plurality of spokes extending between the rim and hub, a bracing element including a hole with a central axis, a sidewall, a longitudinally inward entrance, and at least one of an engagement surface and an engagement edge outward of the entrance, a connecting element connected to the bracing element, including an opening extending along an opening axis, and a multiplicity of prongs, with at least one of the prongs including a lateral overhang surface. The connecting element is resilient and may be flexed between collapsed and expanded orientations and is positioned within the hole, with the overhang surface overlying one of the engagement surface and engagement edge. The spoke is connected to the connecting element by a threaded engagement with the central opening. | 02-21-2013 |
20130181503 | VEHICLE WHEEL SPOKE CONNECTION - A vehicle wheel, comprising: a rim; a hub; a plurality of spokes with a span portion extending between the rim and hub; a bracing element including a hole with a central axis, and an engagement surface; and a connector connected to the bracing element, including an overhang. The bracing element comprises a portion of the rim and/or hub. The connector may be laterally displaced relative to the bracing element between a first lateral position and a second lateral position, where the connector may pass within the hole in the first lateral position and the overhang is engaged to the engagement surface in the second lateral position to limit displacement of the connector. The spoke simultaneously contacts the hole and the connector to maintain the connector in the second lateral position. With the connector in the second lateral position, the spoke is engaged to at least one of the bracing element and the connector to support spoke tension forces. | 07-18-2013 |
20130270893 | VEHICLE WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY - A vehicle wheel hub assembly comprising an axle element that is rotationally stationary about an axial axis, and a hub shell element rotatable about the axle element, including a first end portion and a second end portion axially spaced from said first end portion. The axle element includes a control shaft that is axially displaceable relative to the hub shell element between an axially extended position and an axially retracted position. The control shaft includes an engagement end and a control end. In the extended position, the engagement end is axially distal from the second end portion and, in the retracted position, the engagement end is axially proximal to the second end portion relative to said extended orientation. Including a releasable axial retaining means to control the axial movement of the control shaft relative to the hub shell. | 10-17-2013 |
20130300186 | VEHICLE WHEEL SPOKE CONNECTION - A vehicle wheel, comprising: a rim; a hub; a plurality of spokes; a bracing element including a hole, a hole sidewall, and an engagement surface outward of the hole; and a connecting element with a spoke opening and an overhang surface. The spoke is connected to the connecting element and the connecting element is connected to the bracing element at the hole, with the bracing element comprising one of the rim and hub. With the spoke maintaining alignment with the connector, the connecting element may be transitioned between an insertion orientation where the connecting element may be inserted in the hole and an engagement orientation where the connecting element is engaged to the bracing element, with a toggle angle between the insertion and engagement orientations. The hole is preferably a circular hole. The spoke opening preferably includes internal threads to mate with external threads of the spoke. | 11-14-2013 |
20130320748 | VEHICLE WHEEL RIM - A vehicle wheel, including: a peripheral rim with a radially outboard spoke bed and an apex region radially inboard from the spoke bed portion; a central hub with a hub flange; and a plurality of spokes extending between the rim and hub, with a first portion connected to the spoke bed and a second portion connected to the hub flange. The apex region includes a first apex portion and a second apex portion adjacent the first apex portion and a seam between the first apex portion and the second apex portion. Including a spanning element to span across said seam to retain said first apex portion to said second apex portion. | 12-05-2013 |