Spoke cap head abutment interface with rim bridge and spoke bicycle wheel

By using a shaped washer between the spoke cap and the bridge, initial movement adjustment is allowed and movement is prevented after tensioning. This solves the misalignment problem when the spokes are not arranged radially, and optimizes the alignment of the spoke cap and the spokes and the stress distribution, thereby improving the performance and weight of the bicycle wheel.

CN112874231BActive Publication Date: 2026-01-30CAMPAGNOLO SRL
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202011341440.5
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2019-11-29
Filing Date
2020-11-25
Publication Date
2026-01-30
Estimated Expiration
2040-11-25

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

When spokes are not arranged in the radial direction, misalignment between the spoke cap and the bridge leads to abnormal stress distribution, increasing component size to avoid yielding, especially as an undesirable weight increase in high-performance bicycles.

Method used

The design employs first and second washers, with washer surfaces shaped to allow for adjustment of movement in the initial step and prevent movement in subsequent steps. It ensures spoke cap alignment with spokes by defining a finite adjacency track, including a conical or spherical surface and a finite width adjacency track.

Benefits of technology

Maintaining the alignment of the spoke cap and spokes during tensioning reduces abnormal stress distribution, prevents excessive component enlargement, and improves the performance and weight reduction of bicycle wheels.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

An abutment interface between the head of a spoke cap and a bridge portion of a rim, and a spoked bicycle wheel. The bicycle wheel includes a rim, a hub, and spokes connecting the two, wherein the spokes are anchored to the rim by a spoke cap having a shank and a head. The shank is inserted into a hole in the bridge portion of the rim and faces the hub, and the head is hooked to the bridge portion. An abutment interface between the head and the bridge portion includes: - a first washer having a radially inner first surface and a radially outer second surface; - a second washer having a radially inner first surface and a radially outer second surface. The surfaces of the washers are shaped to: allow the washers to make adjustment movements during an initial step of the spoke-to-rim fixing operation; and conversely, prevent the washers from making any adjustment movements during subsequent spoke-to-rim fixing steps, in which the spoke cap is subjected to tension applied to the spoke cap through the spokes.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to spoked bicycle wheels, and more particularly, to fixing spokes to a rim by means of spoke caps. Background Technology

[0002] Throughout this specification and claims, unless otherwise indicated, spatial indications, such as spatial indications in particular radial, axial, or circumferential directions, will be given with reference to the axis of rotation of the bicycle wheel.

[0003] As is well known, in a spoked bicycle wheel, each individual spoke is secured to the rim by a corresponding spoke cap, which is a component having a shank and a head protruding from the shank, the shank being threaded (usually internally threaded). In the bridge portion of the rim (or, in the lower bridge portion of the rim where the rim has two or more bridge portions), the rim has multiple holes. The shank of the spoke cap is inserted into each hole from the radially outward direction, while the protruding head remains external and hooks onto the bridge portion. Thus, the shank of the spoke cap is screwed onto the end of the spoke. In this way, the spoke cap allows the spoke to be hooked onto the rim and allows for spoke tension: in fact, by rotating the spoke cap, the spoke can be screwed in or out relative to the shank. Typically, an abutment washer is placed between the spoke cap and the bridge portion to improve contact, especially when the rim material (e.g., aluminum or composite material) is fragile and can be damaged by excessive pressure applied by the spoke cap over a limited area.

[0004] During tensioning, the spoke cap should ideally be arranged to align with the spoke, as an extension of it. This is generally correct because spokes are typically arranged in the wheel along a fundamental radial direction.

[0005] However, the applicant has observed that if the spokes are not arranged radially, for example because the spokes are tangentially fastened to the flange of the wheel hub, tensioning the spoke-spoke-cap pair will cause misalignment between them due to the unbalanced abutment of the spoke cap on the bridge. In fact, the natural radial abutment of the spoke cap (with or without a washer) to the shank is perpendicular to the bridge (more precisely, perpendicular to the tangent of the bridge); however, if the spokes are not radially aligned, the spoke cap attached to the spokes is also not radially aligned before tensioning begins; in this position, the shank of the spoke cap forms two different angles (viewed axially) with the tangent of the bridge, one less than 90° and one greater than 90°. Continuing tensioning will cause the head of the spoke cap to press more against the bridge on one side than on the other, particularly on the side with the angle greater than 90°, thus tending to bring the tensioned spoke cap back towards the radial position.

[0006] This deviation of the spoke nipple from the spoke direction increases with tensioning, leading to an abnormal stress distribution on the spokes, spoke nipple, and rim bridge. Specifically, the spoke nipple is stressed not only radially but also tangentially; the spokes bear not only traction but also flexural forces. This abnormal stress distribution forces designers to increase the dimensions of these components in some way to prevent yielding. However, this results in an increase in weight, which is particularly undesirable in high-performance bicycles, especially racing bicycles.

[0007] This drawback has been addressed by shaping the head of the spoke cap and the end face of the washer adjacent to the head according to a spherical surface. However, even with this approach, misalignment between the spoke and the spoke cap cannot be avoided.

[0008] The problem upon which this invention is based is to allow a connection between the spokes, spoke caps and bridges, wherein the alignment between the spokes and spoke caps is maintained during tensioning and thus in the finished wheel, even when the spokes are not arranged in the radial direction. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Therefore, in a first aspect of the invention, the invention relates to an abutment interface according to claim 1; in a second aspect of the invention, the invention relates to a bicycle wheel according to claim 11. Preferred features of the abutment interface and the wheel are given in the dependent claims.

[0010] More specifically, referring to a first aspect of the invention, the abutment interface between the head of the spoke cap for fixing the spokes and the bridging portion of the bicycle wheel rim includes:

[0011] - A first washer having a radially inner first surface and a radially outer second surface, the radially inner first surface being used to abut against the bridging portion.

[0012] - A second washer having a radially inner first surface and a radially outer second surface, the radially inner first surface being adjacent to the second surface of the first washer, and the radially outer second surface being adjacent to the head of the spoke cap.

[0013] The face of the washer is shaped to allow the washers to move relative to each other and relative to the spoke cap during the initial step of the spoke-to-rim fixing operation, and conversely, to prevent any movement of the washers relative to each other and relative to the spoke cap during subsequent spoke-to-rim fixing steps, in which the spoke cap is subjected to tension applied to it by the spokes.

[0014] In fact, it has been observed that, in order to achieve the desired alignment between the spokes and spoke caps in the finished wheel (even when the spokes are in a non-radial direction in the wheel), two distinct features are important for the connection between the spoke caps and the rim: first, at the start of the tensioning operation, the spoke caps are allowed to be positioned along the direction of the spokes; then, during tensioning, the spoke caps are prevented from moving relative to the rim, so that in the finished wheel, the spoke caps are aligned with the spokes.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the above two features are obtained by providing the following: the abutment between the second face of the first washer and the first face of the second washer occurs along a first abutment trajectory, and the abutment between the second face of the second washer and the head of the spoke cap occurs along a second abutment trajectory, wherein the extension of the first abutment trajectory and / or the second abutment trajectory is respectively less than 15%, preferably less than 10%, of the area of ​​the first face of the second washer and less than 15%, preferably less than 10%, of the area of ​​the second face of the second washer. The measurement of the extension of the abutment trajectory is intended to be performed before the spokes are tensioned, because tensioning naturally implies an increase in the extension of the abutment trajectory due to the deformability of the material. In the above values, at least one of the contacts between the two washers and the contacts between the second washer and the spoke cap occurs in a finite area much smaller than the area of ​​the face of the second washer; this allows for a large initial degree of freedom of movement when no tension has been applied, while allowing subsequent substantial locking when tension applied to these small areas causes high contact pressure and thus high friction.

[0016] Preferably, both the first and second adjacent trajectories have finite extensions, such that the two aforementioned features (initial degree of freedom of movement and prevention of movement under tension) appear separately between the two washers themselves and between the second washer and the spoke cap.

[0017] Due to this abutment, in the initial installation steps when tension is zero or minimal, the spoke cap and two washers can freely adopt a posture in the non-radial direction of the wheel, guided by the connection between the spoke cap and the spoke. However, once the tension becomes greater, the abutment track with its limited extension ensures that the higher pressure immediately generated between the washers and between the second washer and the spoke cap prevents any further relative movement, but due to the applied tension, the natural tendency is to orient in the radial direction. As the tension gradually increases (and therefore the tendency of the spoke cap to move radially increases), the pressure at the abutment track becomes higher to prevent any movement.

[0018] Preferably, the first and / or second adjacent tracks are lines, i.e., they have approximately zero width, which maximizes the contact pressure. Of course, this geometry refers to the initial conditions before tensioning, and this geometry is lost as the applied tension increases due to material deformation.

[0019] Preferably, the first face of the second washer is defined by a first inner periphery and a first outer periphery, and the second face of the second washer is defined by a second inner periphery and a second outer periphery. Thus, the first adjacent trajectory coincides with the first outer periphery, and the second adjacent trajectory coincides with the second inner periphery. In this way, the feature of an adjacent trajectory with minimal width is obtained in a constructionally simple manner.

[0020] Preferably, the first and second surfaces of the second washer are conical or spherical. Obtaining these surfaces is relatively simple and ensures the desired results in terms of adjacency.

[0021] Preferably, the first face of the second washer is conical. Preferably, the second face of the second washer is conical. Preferably, the second face of the first washer is spherical. These shape features, individually or preferably all together, facilitate both the initial degree of freedom of movement and the prevention of movement under tension.

[0022] Preferably, the second washer is tapered, with its apex facing the first washer, and the angle at that apex is between 70° and 120°, preferably between 85° and 105°, and more preferably equal to about 95°. This shape facilitates the aforementioned abutment condition.

[0023] Regarding a second aspect, the present invention relates to a bicycle wheel comprising a rim connected to a hub by a plurality of spokes, wherein at least one spoke is anchored to the rim by a spoke cap having a shank and an enlarged head, the shank being inserted into a hole in a bridge portion of the rim and facing the hub, the enlarged head being hooked to the bridge portion, the bicycle wheel including an abutment interface between the head of the spoke cap and the bridge portion of the rim, characterized in that the abutment interface comprises:

[0024] - A first washer having a radially inner first surface and a radially outer second surface, the radially inner first surface being adjacent to the bridging portion.

[0025] - A second washer having a radially inner first surface and a radially outer second surface, the radially inner first surface being adjacent to the second surface of the first washer, and the radially outer second surface being adjacent to the head of the spoke cap.

[0026] The face of the washer is shaped to allow the washers to move relative to each other and relative to the spoke cap during the initial fixing operation step from the spoke to the rim, and conversely, to prevent any adjustment movement of the washers relative to each other and relative to the spoke cap during the subsequent fixing step from the spoke to the rim, in which the spoke cap is subjected to tension applied to the spoke cap by the spokes.

[0027] Preferably, the first washer has an opening, the width of which, in the absence of the second washer, allows the head of the spoke cap to pass through. This larger width of the opening in the first washer facilitates the degree of freedom of movement between the two washers at the start of tensioning of the spokes and spoke cap, and thus aids in alignment.

[0028] Preferably, the head of the spoke cap has a spherical surface facing the second side of the second washer. The spherical surface of the spoke cap head facilitates the aforementioned abutment conditions, making it easier to limit the extension of the second abutment trajectory. Preferably, the radius of the spherical surface of the spoke cap head is between 2 mm and 4 mm, more preferably equal to about 3 mm.

[0029] Preferably, the shank of the spoke cap engages with the head of the spoke cap at an engagement angle between 25° and 60°, more preferably between 30° and 50°. This angle is considered to be the angle formed by the axis of the shank of the spoke cap and the tangential plane of the head of the spoke cap at the point where the head of the spoke cap engages with the shank of the spoke cap. The aforementioned values ​​allow for desired abutment conditions, particularly when the second washer has the aforementioned tapered feature.

[0030] Preferably, at least one spoke has a non-radial orientation relative to the axis of rotation of the wheel. In fact, it is precisely spokes with such a non-radial inclination that derive the greatest benefit from the present invention.

[0031] Preferably, the bridging portion of the rim is flat in the axial direction of the wheel. In this way, the rim construction is particularly simple; in particular, no special treatment is required to form the shaped seat for the spoke head. Furthermore, the present invention equivalently ensures precise and balanced hooking of the spoke head, without misalignment between the spokes and the spoke head shank during tensioning. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the following description of some preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. In these drawings:

[0033] - Figure 1 This is a partial perspective view of a bicycle wheel according to the present invention;

[0034] - Figure 2It has an adjacency interface according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 An enlarged cross-sectional view of the wheel details, which is taken from a plane perpendicular to the wheel axis;

[0035] - Figure 3 It is a cut along the plane containing the wheel axis. Figure 2 A detailed enlarged cross-sectional view;

[0036] - Figure 4 yes Figure 1 An exploded view of the wheel, highlighting Figure 2 and Figure 3 The adjacent interface;

[0037] - Figure 5 yes Figure 2 A further enlarged cross-sectional view of the adjacent interface shown;

[0038] - Figure 6 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a wheel having an adjacent interface according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The accompanying drawing shows a bicycle wheel 10, which includes a rim 11 connected to a hub 12 under tension via spokes 13; X represents the axis of rotation of the wheel 10. The spokes 13 have a head 14 and a threaded end 15 opposite to the head 14. The spokes 13 are fastened to the hub 12 via the head 14, and the spokes 13 are hooked to a bridge portion 16 of the rim 11 via spoke caps 20 through the threaded end 15. The bridge portion 16 is flat in the axial direction, i.e., it extends on a cylindrical surface coaxial with the axis X.

[0040] Each spoke cap 20 includes: a stem 21 extending along the axis Y; and a head 22 protruding relative to the stem 21. The stem 21 of the spoke cap 20 is inserted into a hole 17 formed in the bridging portion 16 and protrudes radially from the hole 17 toward the axis X of the wheel 10, while the head 22 is held in a radially outward position relative to the bridging portion 16. A threaded axial hole 23 is formed in the stem 21, which engages with the threaded end 15 of a spoke 13; thus, the spokes 13 connected to the spoke cap 20 are aligned along the axis Y. The spoke cap 20 further includes: a first actuating portion 24 externally formed on the stem portion 21 and having a non-circular cross-section (e.g., hexagonal); and a second actuating portion 25 externally formed on the head 22 and having a non-circular cross-section (e.g., square). These two actuating portions 24 and 25 allow the spoke cap 20 to be rotated with a suitable wrench (not shown), thereby screwing the spoke cap 20 into or out relative to the spoke 13, thus obtaining a change in the length of the spoke 13-spoke cap 20 pair, and thus a change in the tension of such a spoke 13-spoke cap 20 pair in the rim 11. The use of actuating portion 24 or actuating portion 25 depends on accessibility, i.e., on the shape of the rim 11. The head 22 of the spoke cap 20 has a spherical shape convex toward the stem portion 21.

[0041] In the wheel 10 shown, some spokes 13 have a substantially radial orientation, while others have a distinctly non-radial orientation; when viewed from the axial direction of the wheel 10, the spokes 13 with a substantially radial orientation form a substantially right angle with the bridge portion 16 (i.e., with the tangent T of the bridge portion 16), while the spokes 13 with a distinctly non-radial orientation form acute angles α and obtuse angles β with the bridge portion 16 (see...). Figure 2 ).

[0042] An abutment interface 30 is arranged between the head 22 of the spoke cap 20 and the bridging portion 16. The abutment interface 30 includes a first annular washer 31 and a second annular washer 41. The first washer 31 contacts the bridging portion 16, while the second washer 41 contacts the spoke cap 20.

[0043] The first washer 31 has: a radially inner first surface 32, which is disposed on the bridging portion 16; and a radially outer second surface 33, which rests against the second washer 41. The first surface 32 is substantially flat, while the second surface 33 is concave and has a spherical shape. The first washer 31 has a very wide opening 39 at its center: as will be clear below, if the head 22 of the spoke cap 20 is not held by the second washer 41, the head 22 of the spoke cap 20 can easily pass through the opening 39.

[0044] The first washer 41 has: a radially inner first surface 42, which is disposed on the first washer 31; and a radially outer second surface 43, which rests against the spherical head 22 of the spoke cap 20. Surfaces 42 and 43 are both conical, with their apexes facing the first washer 31, i.e., facing the axis X of the wheel 10. The angle at the apex of the cones of these two surfaces 42 and 43 is between 70° and 120°, preferably between 85° and 105°; particularly and more preferably, such an angle is about 95°. It should be noted that this angle at the apex is not graphically represented in the accompanying drawings to avoid complicating the figures with other lines.

[0045] The first surface 42 of the second washer 41 is defined by the first inner perimeter 44 and the first outer perimeter 45; the second surface 43 of the second washer 41 is defined by the second inner perimeter 46 and the second outer perimeter 47. The inner perimeters 44 and 46 are wide enough to allow the shank 21 of the spoke cap 20 to pass through, but not the head 22 of the spoke cap 20.

[0046] A first abutment track is defined between the second surface 33 of the first washer 31 and the first surface 42 of the second washer 41. Ideally, this first abutment track coincides with the first outer perimeter 45 of the first surface 42 of the second washer 41. A second abutment track is defined between the second surface 43 of the second washer 41 and the head 22 of the spoke cap 20. Ideally, this second abutment track coincides with the second inner perimeter 46 of the second surface 43 of the second washer 41. In practice, the aforementioned abutment tracks may include narrow bands around the respective circumferences 45 and 46, provided that they are indeed narrow, particularly such that the area of ​​the abutment track does not exceed 15% (preferably not more than 10%) of the area of ​​the respective surfaces 42 and 43 of the second washer 41. Of course, what was just mentioned refers to the initial installation state of the wheel 10, that is, before a large tension is applied between the spokes 13 and the spoke cap 20; under the action of the traction stress caused by tension, the abutment track tends to widen significantly due to the deformability of the material.

[0047] In the construction of the wheel 10, the installation of each spoke 13 (regardless of the inclination of the spoke 13 relative to the radial direction) is performed by first fastening the spoke 13 to the hub 12 with its head 14. Subsequently, the spoke cap 20 is inserted with its shank 21 into the hole 17 of the bridge portion 16, thereby inserting into the adjacent interface 30, i.e., into the two washers 31 and 32; the first washer 31 is positioned with its first face 32 abutting against the bridge portion 16, and the second washer 32 is positioned with its first face 42 abutting against the second face 33 of the first washer 31. It should be noted that the width of the opening 39 of the first washer 31 will not be sufficient to hold the head 21 of the spoke cap 20; if the second washer 41 were not present, the head 21 of the spoke cap 20 would easily pass through the opening 39.

[0048] By rotating the spoke cap 20, it can be screwed onto the threaded end 15 of the spoke 13 until contact is established at adjacent tracks 45 and 46. In this case, the degree of freedom of movement ensured by washers 31 and 41 allows the spoke cap 20 to be easily arranged as an extension of the spoke 13, such that even if the assembly of the spoke 13 and the spoke cap 20 does not coincide with the radial direction of the wheel 10, the assembly of the spoke 13 and the spoke cap 20 is perfectly aligned with respect to the axis Y.

[0049] By further rotating the spoke cap 20, it is gradually tensioned onto the spoke 13, thereby applying traction between the spoke 13 and the spoke cap 20 between the rim 11 and the hub 12. Due to the very limited extent of the adjacent tracks 45 and 46, this tension rapidly results in high contact pressure between the components, particularly between the spoke cap 20 and the second washer 41 and between the second washer 41 and the first washer 31. The friction caused by this high pressure prevents any relative movement of the washers 31, 41 and the spoke cap 20, thus ensuring that the spoke cap 20 and the spoke 13 remain aligned along the Y-axis even if the Y-axis is not radially oriented in the wheel 10. Therefore, the spoke 13 is not subjected to bending stress, and the spoke cap 20 is not subjected to tangential stress.

[0050] Figure 6 A wheel 110 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown; elements in the wheel 110 that are the same as elements in the wheel 10 are indicated by the same reference numerals and are not described further, while corresponding but somewhat different elements are indicated by reference numerals plus 100 and are described by comparison with elements in the wheel 10.

[0051] In wheel 110, spoke cap 120 differs from spoke cap 20 because the head 122 of spoke cap 120 has a conical shape instead of a spherical shape. The adjacent interface 130 differs from interface 30 in the shape of the second face of the first washer. More specifically, the first face 132 of the first washer 131 (similar to face 32 of washer 31) is flat, while its second face 133 has a basic toric shape. On the other hand, the second washer is substantially the same as washer 41.

[0052] Therefore, as in Figure 6As can be seen, the first abutment track is generally defined in the central annular region of the first surface 42 of the second washer 41, while the second abutment track is defined in the inner region of the second surface 43 of the second washer 41. Although the first abutment track is different from the first abutment track of the interface 30, the first abutment track remains relatively narrow (preferably, its area is less than 15% of the area of ​​the first surface 42 of the second washer 41, more preferably 10%); on the other hand, the second abutment track has a wide extension, but is still less than 40%. For this reason, the abutment interface 130 is not very suitable when the inclination of the spokes relative to the radial direction is very high.

[0053] The wheel 110 is constructed in the same manner as described for the wheel 10.

[0054] In the above state, the first adjacency trajectory between the first washer and the second washer and / or the second adjacency trajectory between the second washer and the spoke cap has a limited range of extension. This state can also be obtained by using other combinations of the shapes of the washer face and the spoke cap face.

[0055] For example, one embodiment (not shown) may provide a spoke cap with a conical head, a conical second washer (having two conical faces), and a first washer having a second face that is also conical. In this case, an adjacent trajectory with finite extension is obtained by selecting conical shapes with different angles at the apex: for example, the angle at the apex of the conical second washer is significantly greater than the angle at the apex of the spoke cap and the angle at the apex of the second face of the first washer.

[0056] Another embodiment (not shown) may be similar to wheel 10, except that the second surface of the first washer is not spherical but conical or tortuous.

[0057] Another embodiment may be similar to wheel 110, except that the second side of the first washer is not toric but spherical, and the concave side faces the second washer.

[0058] For example, another embodiment may be similar to wheel 10 or similar to wheel 110, and has a conical spoke cap instead of a spherical spoke cap; in this case, the second washer (conical) has a different angle at the apex relative to the spoke cap, in particular having a larger angle.

[0059] Other embodiments may require, for example, one or the other facet of the second washer to be spherical or tortuous.

[0060] Therefore, there is a certain degree of freedom in choosing the shape of the spoke cap, the shapes of the two faces of the second washer, and the shape of the second face of the first washer. The size values ​​(the angle at the apex of the conical surface, the radius of curvature of the spherical surface or the complex surface) are selected such that the first adjacency trajectory between the first washer and the second washer and / or the second adjacency trajectory between the second washer and the spoke cap can have a limited extension; if this extension is less than 40% without deviating from the indicated optimal value, the advantage will become apparent.

Claims

1. In an abutment interface between a head (22) of a spoke cap (20) for fixing a spoke (13) and a bridge (16) of a rim (11) of a bicycle wheel (10), said abutment interface comprising: - a first washer (31; 131) having a radially inner first face (32; 132) for abutting on said bridge (16) and a radially outer second face (33; 133), - a second washer (41) having a radially inner first face (42) for abutting on the second face (33; 133) of said first washer (31; 131) and a radially outer second face (43) for abutting on the head (22) of said spoke cap (20), wherein the abutment between the second face (33; 133) of said first washer (31; 131) and the first face (42) of said second washer (41) occurs along a first abutment trajectory and the abutment between the second face (43) of said second washer (41) and the head (22) of said spoke cap (20) occurs along a second abutment trajectory, wherein said faces (32, 33, 42, 43; 132, 133) of said washers (31, 41; 131) are shaped so as to allow, during an initial step of a fixing operation of said spoke (13) to said rim (11), an adjustment movement of said washers (31, 41; 131) with respect to each other and to said spoke cap (20) and vice versa, during a subsequent fixing step of said spoke (13) to said rim (11), in which said spoke cap (20) will be subjected to a tension force exerted by said spoke (13) to said spoke cap (20), said faces (32, 33, 42, 43; 132, 133) of said washers (31, 41; 131) prevent any adjustment movement of said washers (31, 41; 131) with respect to each other and to said spoke cap (20), wherein the width of said first abutment trajectory and / or of said second abutment trajectory is substantially zero before the tensioning of the spoke (13) of the bicycle wheel (10), wherein said first face (42) of said second washer (41) is delimited by a first inner perimeter and by a first outer perimeter and wherein said second face (43) of said second washer (41) is delimited by a second inner perimeter and by a second outer perimeter, wherein said first abutment trajectory coincides with said first outer perimeter and said second abutment trajectory coincides with said second inner perimeter, characterized in that said first washer (31; 131) has an opening (39) whose width, in the absence of said second washer (41), will allow the passage of said head (22) of said spoke cap (20).

2. The abutment interface according to claim 1, wherein said first and / or second abutment tracks have an extension less than 15% of the area of said first face (42) of said second washer (41) and less than 15% of the area of said second face (43) of said second washer (41), respectively.

3. The abutment interface according to claim 2, wherein said first and / or second abutment tracks have an extension less than 10% of the area of said first face (42) of said second washer (41) and less than 10% of the area of said second face (43) of said second washer (41), respectively.

4. The abutment interface of claim 2 or 3, wherein, Said first and / or second abutment tracks are lines.

5. The abutment interface of claim 1, wherein, Said first and second faces (42, 43) of said second washer (41) are conical or spherical.

6. The abutment interface of claim 5, wherein, Said first face (42) of said second washer (41) is conical.

7. The abutment interface of claim 5, wherein, Said second face (43) of said second washer (41) is conical.

8. The abutment interface of claim 5, wherein, Said second face (133) of said first washer (131) is spherical or toric.

9. The abutment interface of claim 1, wherein, Said second washer (41) is conical, has an apex facing said first washer (31; 131), and has an angle at said apex comprised between 70° and 120°.

10. The abutment interface of claim 9, wherein, Said angle at said apex is comprised between 85° and 105°.

11. The abutment interface of claim 9, wherein, Said angle at said apex is equal to about 95°.

12. Bicycle wheel comprising a rim (11) connected to a hub (12) by a plurality of spokes (13), wherein at least one of the spokes (13) is anchored to the rim (11) by a spoke cap (20) having a stem portion (21) inserted into a hole (17) in a bridge portion (16) of the rim (11) and facing the hub (12), and an enlarged head portion (22) hooked to the bridge portion (16), the bicycle wheel comprising an abutment interface (30; 130) between the head portion (22) of the spoke cap (20) and the bridge portion (16) of the rim (11), characterized in that, Said abutment interface (30; 130) comprises: - a first washer (31; 131) having a radially inner first face (32; 132) and a radially outer second face (33; 133), said radially inner first face (32; 132) abutting on said bridge (16), - a second washer (41) having a radially inner first face (42) and a radially outer second face (43), said radially inner first face (42) abutting on said second face (33) of said first washer (31), said radially outer second face (43) abutting on said head (22) of said spoke cap (20), wherein the abutment between said second face (33; 133) of said first washer (31; 131) and said first face (42) of said second washer (41) occurs along a first abutment track, and the abutment between said second face (43) of said second washer (41) and said head (22) of said spoke cap (20) occurs along a second abutment track, wherein said faces (32, 33, 42, 43; 132, 133) of said grommets (31, 41; 131) are shaped so as to allow, during an initial step of the fixing operation of said spokes (13) to said rim (11), an adjustment movement of said grommets (31, 41; 131) with respect to each other and to said spoke cap (20), and vice versa, to prevent any adjustment movement of said grommets (31, 41; 131) with respect to each other and to said spoke cap (20) during a subsequent fixing step of said spokes (13) to said rim (11), in which said spoke cap (20) is subjected to a tension exerted by said spokes (13) to said spoke cap (20), and wherein the width of said first abutment track and / or of said second abutment track is substantially zero before the tensioning of the spokes (13) of the bicycle wheel (10), wherein said first face (42) of said second grommet (41) is delimited by a first inner perimeter and by a first outer perimeter, and wherein said second face (43) of said second grommet (41) is delimited by a second inner perimeter and by a second outer perimeter, wherein said first abutment track coincides with said first outer perimeter and said second abutment track coincides with said second inner perimeter, characterized in that said first grommet (31; 131) has an opening (39) whose width, in the absence of said second grommet (41), would allow the passage of said head (22) of said spoke cap (20).

13. Bicycle wheel according to claim 12, wherein, said head (22) of said spoke cap (20) has a spherical surface facing said second face (43) of said second grommet (41).

14. The bicycle wheel of claim 12, wherein, said at least one spoke (13) has an orientation according to a non-radial direction (Y) with respect to the rotation axis (X) of the wheel.

15. The bicycle wheel of claim 12, wherein, said bridge (16) of said rim (11) is flat in the axial direction of the wheel.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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