Cycle Hub Assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a cycle hub assembly and a method of producing such cycle hub assembly. The cycle hub assembly includes a wheel hub and a plurality of spoke mounting elements. The spoke mounting elements are present in two axially spaced rows positioned around the circumference of the wheel hub. Each spoke mounting element includes at least one spoke mounting hole for receiving at least part of at least one spoke. At least two adjacent spoke mounting elements are interconnected in an efficient manner such that an optimal design of the cycle hub assembly is obtained.

Claims

1. A cycle hub assembly comprising: a wheel hub; and a plurality of spoke mounting elements; wherein the spoke mounting elements are present in two axially spaced rows positioned around the circumference of the wheel hub, wherein each spoke mounting element comprises at least one spoke mounting hole for receiving at least part of at least one spoke, and wherein at least two adjacent spoke mounting elements are interconnected via at least one bridge piece, wherein at least part of said bridge piece has a width which is smaller than a width of at least one spoke mounting element connected with said bridge piece.

2. The cycle hub assembly according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of bridge pieces, wherein the spoke mounting elements of each row are interconnected via bridge pieces which at least partially have a width which is smaller than the width of at least one spoke mounting element connected with said bridge piece.

3. The cycle hub assembly according to claim 1, wherein multiple spoke mounting elements are interconnected via the same bridge piece.

4. The cycle hub assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one spoke mounting element is supported by at least one bridge piece.

5. The cycle hub assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the spoke mounting elements and bridge pieces are integrally connected.

6. The cycle hub assembly according to claim 1, wherein all spoke mounting elements and all bridges pieces of at least one row, are integrally connected.

7. The cycle hub assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the spoke mounting elements and/or at least part of the bridges pieces of at least one row are integrally connected with the wheel hub.

8. The cycle hub assembly according to claim 1, wherein the spoke mounting elements, the bridges pieces and the wheel hub are made of a single piece.

9. The cycle hub assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the spoke mounting elements and/or at least part of the bridges pieces are manufactured via 3D printing and/or wherein at least part of the wheel hub is manufactured via 3D printing.

10. (canceled)

11. The cycle hub assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the spoke mounting elements and/or at least part of the bridges pieces are at least partially made of an alloy or an alloy comprising aluminium, magnesium, and/or scandium.

12. The cycle hub assembly according to claim 1, wherein the wheel hub is at least partially made of an alloy or an alloy comprising aluminium, magnesium, and/or scandium and/or wherein at least part of the spoke mounting elements and/or at least part of the bridges pieces are at least partially made of a polymer material.

13. (canceled)

14. The cycle hub assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the centre line of at least one spoke mounting hole extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the wheel hub and/or, wherein at least part of the centre line of at least one spoke mounting hole extends in a direction substantially parallel to the radial direction of the wheel hub.

15. (canceled)

16. The cycle hub assembly according to claim 1, wherein the configuration of at least part of the bridge pieces, is designed via topology optimization.

17. The cycle hub assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one bridge piece is positioned at a distance above the wheel hub and/or, wherein at least part of the bridge pieces are substantially identical.

18. (canceled)

19. The cycle hub assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one spoke mounting element is at least partially bowl shaped, and/or wherein at least one row comprises N spoke mounting elements and wherein at least one row, = comprises a plurality of bridge pieces, wherein the number of bridge pieces is at least 0.5 N.

20. (canceled)

21. The cycle hub assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one spoke mounting element comprises at least two spoke mounting holes, wherein each spoke mounting hole is configured for receiving at least part of at least one spoke.

22. The cycle hub assembly according to claim 17, wherein at least one spoke mounting element comprises at least two receiving spaces which are oriented in opposite directions, wherein each receiving space is provided with at least one spoke mounting hole.

23. A ring shaped spoke mounting body for use in a cycle hub assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least two adjacent spoke mounting elements are interconnected via at least one bridge piece, wherein at least part of said bridge piece has a width which is smaller than a width of at least one spoke mounting element connected with said bridge piece.

24. A method of manufacturing at least one cycle hub assembly, the method comprising the steps of: providing a wheel hub; and providing a plurality of spoke mounting elements; wherein the spoke mounting elements are present in two axially spaced rows positioned around the circumference of the wheel hub, wherein each spoke mounting element comprises at least one spoke mounting hole for receiving at least part of at least one spoke, and wherein at least two adjacent spoke mounting elements are interconnected via at least one bridge piece, wherein at least part of said bridge piece has a width which is smaller than a width of at least one spoke mounting element connected with said bridge piece.

25. The method according to claim 19, wherein at least part of the spoke mounting elements and/or at least part of the bridges pieces are manufactured via 3D printing and/or, wherein at least part of the wheel hub is manufactured via 3D printing.

26. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The terms FIG., FIGS., Figure, and Figures are used interchangeably in the specification to refer to the corresponding figures in the drawings.

[0034] The invention will be further elucidated by means of non-limiting exemplary embodiments illustrated in the following figures. Herein, shows:

[0035] FIG. 1 a perspective view of a first embodiment of a cycle hub assembly according to the present invention;

[0036] FIG. 2 a side view of the cycle hub assembly as shown in FIG. 1;

[0037] FIG. 3 a front view of a second possible embodiment of the cycle hub assembly according to the present invention;

[0038] FIG. 4 a perspective view of a third possible embodiment of a cycle hub assembly according to the present invention;

[0039] FIG. 5 a side view view of the cycle hub assembly as shown in FIG. 4; and

[0040] FIG. 6 a front view of the cycle hub assembly as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0041] Within these figures, similar reference numbers correspond to similar or equivalent elements or features.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0042] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the cycle hub assembly for a bicycle according to the present invention in perspective and (longitudinal) side view, respectively. The cycle hub assembly 1 comprises a wheel hub 3, in particular an elongated, hollow wheel hub 3 through which a wheel axle of a cycle, such as a bicycle, can be inserted. On the wheel hub 3 there are two ring-shaped spoke mounting bodies 5 and 7, or rows, which can for example be manufactured using a 3D printing technique. These spoke mounting bodies 5 and 7 are spaced apart and are provided with spoke mounting elements 10. The spoke mounting elements 10 in the shown embodiment are present in two axially spaced rows and are evenly distributed around the circumference of the wheel hub 3. In the shown embodiment, each spoke mounting element 10 is provided with two spoke mounting holes 9 into which spokes, such as straight-pull spokes, can be inserted. The centre lines 9a of the spoke mounting holes 9 extend in a direction perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the axial direction 3a of the wheel hub 3, this axial direction being parallel to the centre line 3a of the wheel hub 3. This is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The centre lines 9a of the spoke mounting holes 9 extend almost in the tangential direction of the wheel hub 3. The spoke mounting bodies 5 and 7 are in the shown embodiment provided with spoke mounting bowls 11 and 13. In each spoke mounting bowl 11, 13 one of the said spoke mounting holes 9 is present. These spoke mounting bowls 11, 13 are provided with an edge 11a, 13a present in a plane parallel to the centre line of the wheel hub 3. At the centre of each spoke mounting bowl 11, 13 one of the spoke mounting holes 9 is present. Within each spoke mounting body 5, 7, the spoke mounting bowls 11, 13 are present in two adjacent rows. The spoke mounting bowls 11 in a first of the adjacent rows are in the shown embodiment oriented opposite to the spoke mounting bowls 13 in the other row. The spoke mounting elements 10 are interconnected via bridge pieces 14 which have, at least in part, a width smaller than the width of the spoke mounting elements 10.

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a front view of a second possible embodiment of a cycle hub assembly 31 according to the present invention. The cycle hub assembly 31 has overlap with the cycle hub assembly 1 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the shown embodiment, the bearing of the wheel hub differs from the first embodiment. It can be seen that least two adjacent spoke mounting elements 10 are interconnected via at least one bridge piece 14.

[0044] FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show a third embodiment of the cycle hub assembly 51 according to the present invention in a perspective view and in side views. In the shown embodiment of the cycle hub assembly 51 comprises a plurality of spoke mounting elements 55 and the bridge pieces 57, wherein at least part of the bridge pieces 57 have a width which is smaller than a width of at least one spoke mounting element 55 connected with said bridge piece 57. The embodiment as shown, could alternatively to being formed by 3D printing, be manufactured via machining methods such as a turning and milling technique. As can be seen in the figures, the bridge pieces 57 are also narrower than the spoke mounting elements 55. In the shown embodiment, the bridge pieces 57 are not located at a distance from the wheel hub 53 but are directly positioned upon the circumference of the body of the wheel hub 53.

[0045] It will be clear that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments which are illustrated and described here, but that countless variants are possible within the framework of the attached claims, which will be obvious to the person skilled in the art. In this case, it is conceivable for different inventive concepts and/or technical measures of the above-described variant embodiments to be completely or partly combined without departing from the inventive idea described in the attached claims.

[0046] The verb comprise and its conjugations as used in this patent document are understood to mean not only comprise, but to also include the expressions contain, substantially contain, formed by and conjugations thereof.