Bicycle rim

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10293635-B2
Application number	US-201715499204-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2017
Priority date	May 7, 2010
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

A rim for a bicycle wheel that includes a tire, hub and spokes. The bicycle rim generally includes a radially outer tire-engaging portion, a radially inner spoke-engaging portion, a first sidewall and a second sidewall spaced apart from the first sidewall. The first and second sidewalls extend between the tire engaging and spoke-engaging portions. The tire-engaging and spoke-engaging portions and first and second sidewalls form a toroid. The rim when attached to the tire forms a side profile and a transverse cross section that positions a center of pressure of the rim.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A rim for a bicycle, the rim configured to attach to a tire and spokes of a bicycle wheel, the bicycle rim comprising:
a tire-engaging portion;
a spoke-engaging portion disposed radially inward of the tire engaging portion;
a first sidewall; and
a second sidewall spaced apart from the first sidewall, the first and second sidewalls extending between the tire-engaging and spoke-engaging portions;
the tire-engaging portion, the spoke-engaging portion, the first sidewall, and the second sidewall forming a toroid in a transverse cross section of the rim,
wherein the rim when attached to the tire forms a side profile and the transverse cross section positions a center of pressure on the side profile rearward of a steering axis of the rim.

2. The rim of claim 1 , wherein the tire engaging portion and a spoke opening of the spoke-engaging portion are disposed in opposing sides of the toroid.

3. The rim of claim 1 , wherein the transverse cross section formed by the rim and the tire mounted thereto is substantially elliptical in shape with the tire-engaging portion and the spoke-engaging portion forming opposing ends of the substantially elliptical shape.

4. The rim of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the maximum height of the rim to the maximum width of the rim ranges from 1.5 to 5.

5. The rim of claim 1 , wherein a maximum height of the rim is greater than 40 millimeters.

6. The rim of claim 1 , wherein a maximum height of the rim is greater than 7% of a diameter of the rim.

7. The rim of claim 1 , wherein the transverse cross section positions the center of pressure on the side profile rearward and below a steering axis of the rim.

8. A rim for a bicycle configured for use with a tire, hub and spokes, the bicycle rim comprising:
a tire-engaging portion;
a spoke-engaging portion disposed radially inward of the tire engaging portion;
a first sidewall; and
a second sidewall spaced apart from the first sidewall, the first and second sidewalls extending between the tire-engaging and spoke-engaging portions;
the tire-engaging portion, the spoke-engaging portion, the first sidewall, and the second sidewall forming a toroid in a transverse cross section of the rim,
wherein the rim when attached to the tire forms a side profile and the transverse cross section positions a center of pressure on the side profile below a steering axis of the rim.

9. The rim of claim 8 , wherein when the tire is attached to the tire-engaging portion, the rim and wheel transverse cross section is substantially elliptical in shape and the tire-engaging portion and the spoke-engaging portion form opposing ends of the elliptical shape.

10. The rim of claim 8 , wherein a ratio of a maximum height of the rim to a maximum width of the rim ranges from 1.5 to 5.

11. The rim of claim 8 , wherein a height of the rim is greater than 40 millimeters.

12. The rim of claim 8 , wherein a maximum height of the rim is greater than 7% of a diameter of the rim.

13. The rim of claim 8 , wherein the transverse cross section positions the center of pressure on the side profile below and rearward of a steering axis of the rim.

Assignees

• Sram Llc

Inventors

• Poertner Joshua
• Hall Michael

Classifications

• B60B2900/1216

  due to air-drag · CPC title

• B60B21/028

  the shape of hump · CPC title

• B60B5/02

  made of synthetic material · CPC title

• B60B1/003

  specially adapted for bicycles (B60B1/041 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60B21/025 Primary

  the transverse section being hollow · CPC title