Bicycle Tyre Tool With Orthogonal Hook for Safe Rim Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tools for fitting and removing bicycle tyres on wheel rims are complex, costly, and difficult to use, often leading to tyre damage and user injury from wheel spokes.
Innovation Solution
A tool with an elongate body and orthogonal hook portion that engages with the tyre's inner side wall for removal and outer side wall for fitting, featuring a channel for rim engagement and a protrusion for stability, allowing safe and easy tyre installation and removal without hand injury.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If existing tyre tools are used, then tyre fitting and removal can be facilitated, but the tools are complex, costly, and difficult to use
Solution Approach 1:
The tool is divided into distinct functional segments: an elongate body for handling, a tyre-engagement portion with co-planar plane for fitting operations, and a hook portion orthogonal to the longitudinal axis for removal operations. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall tool simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool combines multiple functions into a single device: the elongate body serves as a handle, the tyre-engagement portion facilitates tyre fitting by engaging the outer side wall, and the hook portion enables tyre removal by engaging the inner side wall. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for multiple separate tools.
2Ease of operation
If existing tyre tools are used, then tyre fitting and removal can be facilitated, but the tools are costly
Solution Approach 1:
The tool merges the handle, tyre engagement mechanism, and hook portion into a single integrated structure. The elongate body with co-planar tyre-engagement portion and orthogonal hook portion can be manufactured as one piece, reducing production complexity and cost compared to multiple separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool employs homogeneous material properties throughout the elongate body, with the tyre-engagement portion having a co-planar plane that simplifies manufacturing. The uniform construction reduces production steps and material costs while maintaining functionality.
3Ease of operation
If existing tyre tools are used, then tyre fitting and removal can be facilitated, but they may cause user injury from wheel spokes
Solution Approach 1:
The hook portion is arranged orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the elongate body, creating an asymmetric configuration. This asymmetry positions the hook portion at a 90-degree angle to the wheel plane, allowing the user to work from the side rather than reaching near the spokes, thereby eliminating the injury risk.
4Ease of operation
If existing tyre tools are used, then tyre fitting and removal can be facilitated, but they may damage the tyre
Solution Approach 1:
The tyre-engagement portion has a co-planar plane with the elongate body, creating a localized flat surface that distributes pressure evenly across the tyre's outer side wall. This local quality feature prevents concentrated stress points that could damage the tyre while maintaining effective engagement.
Data Source
AI summary
In some examples, a tool for fitting and removing a tyre on a wheel rim comprises an elongate body forming a handle for the tool, wherein the elongate body is generally planar in form, having a plane and a longitudinal axis, a tyre-engagement portion arranged to, in use, engage with an outer side wall of the tyre to thereby facilitate fitting of the tyre, the tyre-engagement portion having a plane which is co-planar with the plane of the elongate body, and a hook portion, orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the elongate body, arranged to, in use, engage with an inner side wall of the tyre to thereby facilitate removal of the tyre.