Compression molded hub shell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9604499-B2
Application number	US-201414191774-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2014
Priority date	Feb 27, 2013
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus including a hub shell. The hub shell can include a hub body; a first spoke flange; and a second spoke flange. The first spoke flange and the a second spoke flange can include a fiber reinforced plastic. The fiber reinforced plastic can include fibers having a range of lengths between 0.2 and 3 inches.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a hub shell comprising:
a hub body;
a first spoke flange; and
a second spoke flange;

wherein:
at least the first spoke flange and the second spoke flange comprise a fiber reinforced plastic; and
the fiber reinforced plastic include fibers having a range of lengths between 0.2 and 3 inches;
wherein:
the second spoke flange comprise spoke holes;
a bundle of continuous unidirectional fibers surround each of the spoke holes;
the bundles of continuous unidirectional fibers are embedded in the fiber reinforced plastic including the fibers having the range of lengths between 0.2 and 3 inches;
the second spoke flange comprises a first set of ribs on a drive side of the second spoke flange; and
each rib of the first set of ribs is curved and comprises a first inner portion and a second outer portion such that a first spoke hole of the spoke holes located in the first inner portion is at a first angle and a second spoke hole of the spoke holes located in the second outer portion is at a second angle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fibers have an average length of about 2 inches.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a radius of the second spoke flange is about twice a radius of the hub body.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first spoke flange comprises spoke holes.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second spoke flange comprises a second set of ribs on a non-drive side of the second spoke flange.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first set of ribs comprise spoke holes, and the spoke holes are perpendicular to an axis of the hub shell.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second spoke flange is formed by compression molding.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the hub body comprises fiber reinforced plastic include fibers having a range of lengths between 0.2 and 3 inches.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a bearing seat formed to accept a bearing without further machining, where the bearing seat has a tolerance of 0.5 mm or less.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of annular, axial, and radial fiber reinforcements.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the fiber reinforcements comprise unidirectional fiber.

Assignees

• Wilke Mark
• Wilhelm Graham
• Trek Bicycle Corp

Inventors

• Wilke Mark
• Wilhelm Graham

Classifications

• B60B2310/204

  by moulding, e.g. injection moulding, i.e. casting of plastics material · CPC title

• B60B27/023 Primary

  specially adapted for bicycles · CPC title

• B60B2900/00

  Purpose of invention · CPC title

• B60B5/02

  made of synthetic material · CPC title

• B60B27/04

  housing driving means, e.g. sprockets · CPC title