Disclosed herein are systems and techniques for producing complex components using a reinforced thermoplastic material. The complex components can include contoured or curved outer surfaces, and in some cases define a cavity. In certain examples, one or more thermoplastic materials are arranged to form a wheel component, such as that adapted to define a rim of the bicycle. Thermal bonding can be used to join multiple reinforced thermoplastic materials to one another in order to form a cavity of the wheel component or other complex shape. In certain examples, a portion of a tooling assembly can be pressurized to maintain a shape of the cavity during thermal bonding and cooling. This can remove the need for a sacrificial bladder or other structure that would maintain the shape of the cavity, allowing for a seamless final component, optionally absent indicia of bladder exit or other seams.

A spoke attachment flange for a bicycle wheel hub and a method for mounting spokes on the flange are disclosed. The flange has an annular body with a plurality of seats for housing enlarged spoke heads. At least one seat has an access opening configured to allow the insertion of the enlarged head in the seat. An outlet opening on the annular body is configured to allow a stem of the spoke to exit from the seat. The access opening and the outlet opening are connected through a connection channel that extends from the access opening towards the outlet opening without reaching a radially outer surface.

A wheel with flexible spokes, including a rim and hub, and spokes between the rim and hub made of fibrous material that causes the spokes to be both lighter in weight and stronger than comparable steel spokes. The spokes are also flexible and resilient such that they can bend while retaining their integrity and strength.

The present invention discloses a carbon fiber spoke and a manufacturing method thereof. The carbon fiber spoke includes a spoke body made of carbon fiber, a screw bushing that is fit and connected with rim and a nut cap bushing that is fit and connected with the hub. Two end parts of the spoke body are provided with solid joints. The outside surface of the solid joint is provided with a first tapered section. The screw bushing and the nut cap bushing are provided with penetrable mounting holes. The hole wall surrounding the mounting hole is provided with a second tapered section. The mounting hole of the screw bushing and the mounting hole of the nut cap bushing are respectively fixed to the two solid joints; the second tapered section of the mounting hole and the first tapered section of the solid joint are fit and connected together.

Disclosed herein are systems and techniques for producing complex components using a reinforced thermoplastic material. The complex components can include contoured or curved outer surfaces, and in some cases define a cavity. In certain examples, one or more thermoplastic materials are arranged to form a wheel component, such as that adapted to define a rim of the bicycle. Thermal bonding can be used to join multiple reinforced thermoplastic materials to one another in order to form a cavity of the wheel component or other complex shape. In certain examples, a portion of a tooling assembly can be pressurized to maintain a shape of the cavity during thermal bonding and cooling. This can remove the need for a sacrificial bladder or other structure that would maintain the shape of the cavity, allowing for a seamless final component, optionally absent indicia of bladder exit or other seams.

A spoked wheel structure for a vehicle includes a wheel rim having a channel for accommodating a tire, a wheel hub adapted to be rotatably mounted with respect to the vehicle, and a plurality of wheel spokes mounted interposed and tightened between the wheel hub and the wheel rim, wherein each wheel spoke includes an elongated spoke stem and an enlarged spoke head. The wheel rim includes a plurality of spoke engaging seats being configured to receive and retain a respective spoke. Each spoke seat includes a through hole including a first hole portion, a second hole portion, and a hole retaining surface configured to abuttingly retain the enlarged spoke head when the respective spoke is tightened between the wheel rim and the wheel hub. The wheel structure also includes safety elements engageable in the spoke seats to press each enlarged spoke head against the respective hole retaining surface.

A spoked wheel structure for a vehicle includes a wheel rim having a channel for accommodating a tire, a wheel hub adapted to be rotatably mounted with respect to the vehicle, and a plurality of wheel spokes mounted interposed and tightened between the wheel hub and the wheel rim, wherein each wheel spoke includes an elongated spoke stem and an enlarged spoke head. The wheel rim includes a plurality of spoke engaging seats being configured to receive and retain a respective spoke. Each spoke seat includes a through hole including a first hole portion, a second hole portion, and a hole retaining surface configured to abuttingly retain the enlarged spoke head when the respective spoke is tightened between the wheel rim and the wheel hub. The wheel structure also includes safety elements engageable in the spoke seats to press each enlarged spoke head against the respective hole retaining surface.

An abutment interface located between a spoke attachment nipple and a bridge of a rim to properly align the tensioned spoke with the rim. The abutment interface includes a first washer with a radially inner face that abuts the bridge and a radially outer face that abuts with a radially inner face of a second washer that has a radially outer face that abuts an enlarged head on the nipple. The faces of two washers are complimentarily shaped and adjust with respect to each other and the nipple head. An initial adjustment takes place when the fixing the spoke to the rim and the washers prevent any further adjustment when fixing the spoke to the rim.

A wheel assembly includes a mounting plate for attachment to a rotatable axle; a plurality of friction plates each engaging one of a plurality of parts of a tire assembly; and a plurality of cable members each connecting the mounting plate to the tire assembly such that each cable member extends radially outward through a first hole in one of the friction plates and radially inward through a second hole in the one friction plate to form a loop about the one friction plate and the one part of the plurality of parts of the tire assembly.

A nonpneumatic tire includes a tread portion, an upper ring, and a plurality of spokes extending radially downward from the upper ring. Each spoke is configured to carry a load while in tension and while in compression. The upper ring and the plurality of spokes are part of a unitary component constructed of a single material. Each spoke terminates at a lower end having a spoke mount with an opening configured to engage a corresponding hub mount. Each spoke is under substantially no tension when the tread portion is not in contact with a ground surface and when each spoke mount is disengaged from its corresponding hub mount. Each spoke is under tension when the tread portion is not in contact with the ground surface and when each spoke mount is engaged with its corresponding hub mount.