Optimal thermal properties in light weight and high performance braking composite clincher or tubular tire bicycle wheel rim

Abstract

A fiber reinforced plastic bicycle wheel rim is formed of six segments per side and formed in a section having precisely formed, machinable brake surfaces and preferably combining inner high modulus fiber reinforced plastic lamination as a main structural body and an outer lamination of improved frictional coefficient materials at the braking surfaces. The main structural body with overlapped individual sheets of unidirectional fiber reinforced plastic, having crossing fibers, in segments, and continuous unidirectional fiber bundles in areas of concentrated load, enables strong, light wheels for sew up or clincher tires to be formed. Because of the unique thermodynamic properties of a clincher bicycle wheel rim, an all-composite rim formed with an epoxy matrix with a Tg of 350 or greater is advantageous.

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         7 . A fiber reinforced composite circular wheel rim for supporting a clincher tire comprising:
 a hollow sectional shape defined by a spoke bed merging into brake walls having brake surfaces on their exterior;   said brake walls extending to first and second transition zones;   said brake surfaces extending transversely outwardly past said transition zones on clincher flanges;   a tire well extending between said transition zones;   said rim formed and arranged in a one piece hollow fiber reinforced composite structure from a plurality of laminated segments joined and overlapped to form said structure;   said fibers being entrained in a cured thermoset plastic matrix;   said matrix being formed of cured resin having a Tg of greater than 350° F.   
     
     
         8 . The invention of  claim 7  further comprising:
 said matrix being formed of cured resin having a Tg of at least as high as 360° F. 
 
     
     
         9 . The invention of  claim 7  further comprising: said matrix being formed of cured resin having a Tg of at least as high as 400° F. 
     
     
         10 . The rim of  claim 7  further comprising:
 said rim being formed of a hollow optimum compaction, low void structure wherein the fiber to resin ratio is greater than 65/35 by weight; 
 said laminations being compacted one against the other and cured to provide a structure having multiple overlapping fibers in a substantially monolithic thermoplastic matrix. 
 
     
     
         11 . The invention of  claim 10  further comprising: said matrix being formed of cured resin having a Tg of at least as high as 360° F. 
     
     
         12 . The invention of  claim 10  further comprising: said matrix being formed of cured resin having a Tg of at least as high as 400° F. 
     
     
         13 . A fiber reinforced plastic clincher bicycle wheel rim in which a plurality of first structural reinforcing fibers are encapsulated in a thermoset plastic matrix;
 said first fibers are held in said thermoset plastic matrix in an oriented manner relative to one another such that the strength and stiffness properties of the fiber are optimized for the loads to which the rim is subjected when said rim;   said rim having a spoke bed, first and second side walls and a tire well, with said tire well and walls joining at first and second apexes;   said spoke bed, first and second side walls and tire well define a hollow space between them;   said spoke bed, first and second side walls and tire well are continuous with no joints or secondary bonds between them;   first and second braking surfaces are on the exterior of said first and second side side walls;   first and second clincher rim flanges extend circumferentially outwardly from said first and second apexes having flange surfaces continuous with said braking surfaces;   said thermoset matrix being formed of cured thermoset plastic having a service temperature of greater than 170° F. and a Tg greater than 350° F.° F. so that said oriented manner is maintained at said service temperatures.   
     
     
         14 . A fiber reinforced composite circular wheel rim for supporting a clincher tire comprising:
 a hollow sectional shape defined by a spoke bed merging into brake walls having brake surfaces on their exterior;   said brake walls extending to first and second transition zones;   said brake surfaces extending transversely outwardly past said transition zones on clincher flanges;   a tire well extending between said transition zones;   said rim formed and arranged in a one piece hollow fiber reinforced composite structure from a plurality of fiber arrays overlapping to form said structure;   said fibers being entrained in a plastic matrix;   said matrix being formed of plastic having a Tg of greater than 350° F.   
     
     
         15 . The invention of  claim 14  further comprising: said matrix being formed of plastic having a Tg of at least as high as 360° F. 
     
     
         16 . The invention of  claim 15  further comprising: said matrix being formed of plastic having a Tg of at least as high as 400° F. 
     
     
         17 . The rim of  claim 14  further comprising:
 said rim being formed of a hollow optimum compaction, low void structure wherein the fiber to resin ratio is greater than 65/35 by weight; 
 said arrays being compacted one against the other and cured to provide a structure having multiple overlapping fibers in a substantially monolithic plastic matrix. 
 
     
     
         18 . The invention of  claim 14  further comprising: said matrix being formed of cured resin having a Tg of at least as high as 360° F. 
     
     
         19 . The invention of  claim 14  further comprising: said matrix being formed of cured resin having a Tg of at least as high as 400° F. 
     
     
         20 . The rim of  claim 14  further comprising;
 said arrays being compacted one against the other and cured to provide a structure having multiple overlapping fibers in a substantially monolithic plastic matrix. 
 
     
     
         21 . The rim of  claim 20  further comprising:
 said tire well being formed of arrays such that in the solid rim fibers are contained within a resin matrix, said fibers being aligned in a “U” shaped opening upward for a clincher rim or downward for a tubular tire rim.