Force distributing apparatus having first and second portions for a bicycle wheel spoke

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9821597-B2
Application number	US-201615362065-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2016
Priority date	Feb 9, 2012
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A force-distributing apparatus for a bicycle wheel spoke attachment element includes a force-distributing body having a free-end first surface and a second surface disposed at an opposite side of the first surface. The first surface is disposed on a first portion of the force-distributing body, the second surface is disposed on a second portion of the force-distributing body, and the first surface may have the shape of a truncated sphere. The force-distributing body includes a spoke-receiving opening that extends into the first portion to form a spoke-receiving axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A force distributing apparatus for a bicycle wheel spoke, wherein the apparatus comprises:
a force-distributing body having an external surface, wherein the external surface includes a free-end first surface and a second surface disposed at an opposite axial side of the first surface;
wherein the first surface is disposed on a first portion of the force-distributing body;
wherein the second surface is disposed on a second portion of the force-distributing body;
wherein the first surface has the shape of a truncated sphere;
wherein the force-distributing body includes a spoke-receiving opening that extends into the first portion to form a spoke-receiving axis; and
wherein the second surface is tapered relative to the spoke-receiving axis.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first surface has the shape of a frustum of a sphere.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the second surface has a conical shape.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the second surface has the shape of a truncated cone.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the second surface has the shape of a frustum of a cone.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first surface has the shape of a frustum of a sphere, and wherein the second surface has the shape of a frustum of a cone.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the spoke-receiving opening is a blind opening.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the spoke-receiving opening extends completely through the force-distributing body.

9. A force distributing apparatus for a bicycle wheel spoke, wherein the spoke is structured to be mounted to a hub flange of a bicycle wheel hub, wherein the hub flange includes an opening with a flange-opening axis, and wherein the apparatus comprises:
a force-distributing body having an external surface, wherein the external surface includes:
a free-end first surface disposed on a first portion of the force-distributing body; and
a second surface disposed at an opposite axial side of the first surface on a second portion of the force-distributing body;

wherein the force-distributing body further includes a spoke-receiving opening that extends into the first portion to form a spoke-receiving axis;
wherein the first surface is structured to engage the hub flange when the spoke is mounted to the hub flange;
wherein the second surface is tapered relative to the spoke-receiving axis; and
wherein at least one of the first surface or the second surface is shaped to allow the spoke to move in any lateral direction relative to the flange-opening axis.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the first surface is shaped to allow the spoke to move in any lateral direction relative to the flange-opening axis when the spoke is mounted to the hub flange.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the first surface has the shape of a truncated sphere.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the first surface has the shape of a frustum of a sphere.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the second surface has a conical shape.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the second surface has a shape of a truncated cone.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the second surface has a shape of a frustum of a cone.

16. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the first surface has the shape of a frustum of a sphere, and wherein the second surface has the shape of a frustum of a cone.

17. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the spoke-receiving opening is a blind opening.

18. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the spoke-receiving opening extends completely through the force-distributing body.

Assignees

• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Koshiyama Kazuki
• Fujita Hiroshi

Classifications

• B60B1/041

  of bicycle wheels (bicycle rims characterised by means for attaching spokes B60B21/062) · CPC title

• B60B1/04

  Attaching spokes to rim or hub · CPC title

• B60B27/023

  specially adapted for bicycles · CPC title

• B60B1/042 Primary

  Attaching spokes to hub · CPC title