Bicycle Frame Assembly with Integral Fastener Passage

Abstract

A bicycle frame assembly having a number of elongate tubes that are connected to define a shape of the bicycle frame. The assembly includes a passage that is defined by the elongate member, a partition, and a bridge. The partition isolates the passage from an interior volume of the elongate tube. The bridge extends in a direction normal to an elongate direction of the passage and defines an inlet and an outlet of the passage. The inlet, outlet, and bridge are generally flush with an exterior surface of the elongate tube and provide a passage that cooperates with a flexible connector, such as a cable tie, for securing supplemental structures, such as brake and shift control cables, to the elongate tube of the bicycle frame assembly.

1 . A bicycle assembly comprising:
 a plurality of elongate members that are connected and form a top tube, a head tube, a down tube, a seat tube, at least one chain stay, at least one seat stay, and at least one fork leg;   at least one of the plurality of elongate members having a hollow tube shape that is defined by a wall having an exterior surface and an interior surface that faces an interior cavity bounded by the wall;   the at least one elongate member having at least one mount that is integrally secured to the wall so that an outer surface of the mount is generally flush with the exterior surface of the wall;   a passage defined by the mount and positioned inboard of the exterior surface of the wall and isolated from the interior cavity of the at least one elongate member; and   a rib that extends over the passage of the mount and defines an entrance and an exit of the passage;   wherein the wall, the passage, and the rib are integrally formed.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a cable tie having an elongated ribbed portion sized to pass through the passage. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the entrance and the exit of the passage is smaller than a head portion of the cable tie; and wherein the passage comprises at least a 90 degree bend. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising an elongate control member that extends between a lever positioned at a handlebar and at least one of a brake and a derailleur, the elongate control member being secured to the bicycle assembly at the at least one mount by the cable tie. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one elongate member and the at least one mount are formed of a carbon fiber material; and the wall, the passage, and the rib are formed of a continuous plastic matrix of the carbon fiber material. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising another mount formed in the at least one elongate member at a location that is offset along a longitudinal length of the at least one elongate member and at a common radial position as the at least one mount with respect to a longitudinal axis of the at least one elongate member. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising another mount formed in at least one other of the plurality of elongate members. 
     
     
         8 . A bicycle frame assembly comprising:
 a tube having a hollow portion defined by a wall having an exterior surface and an interior surface; and   a passage having a first opening and a second opening that are both at least generally flush with the exterior surface of the tube such that the passage extends inboard of the exterior surface of the tube and is fluidly isolated from the hollow portion of the tube; and   a connector that passes through the passage between the first opening and the second opening and secures a supplemental structure to the tube;   wherein the passage comprises at least a 90 degree bend.   
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising a rib that defines a portion of the passage and defines a shape of at least one of the first opening and the second opening. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the rib extends in a direction that is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the at least one of the plurality of tubes; and a wall of the passage comprises a portion of the wall of the tube. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the connector is further defines as a tie formed of a plastic material and is deformable to the shape of the passage. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the tie further comprises a head portion having a ratchet and a toothed rack portion that cooperates with the ratchet. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the passage is formed during manufacture of the at least one tube. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one other passage formed in at least one of the at least one of the plurality of tubes and another of the plurality of tubes. 
     
     
         15 .- 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus for securing objects, comprising:
 a panel including a first opening and a second opening; and   a passage wall connected to the panel, defining a passage;   wherein:
 a first end of the passage is the first opening; and 
 a second end of the passage is the second opening; and 
 a cross section of the passage is substantially equal to a cross section of the first opening. 
   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the cross section of the passage is less than or equal to 0.75 square inches and wherein at least a portion of the passage comprises at least a 90 degree bend. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , further comprising a bicycle frame tube, wherein the bicycle frame tube includes the panel and the first opening and the second opening are located on the same side of the bicycle frame tube. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein an inside of the passage is continuous with an external surface of the panel and outside of the passage is continuous with an internal surface of the panel. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the passage is configured to accept a zip tie. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the panel and the passage are integrally formed of a fiber-reinforced plastic. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the first opening and the second opening are located two inches or less from each other.