Axle with non-round tapered ends affixed into fork leg dropouts with openings that match the axle ends for a bicycle fork

• US 7,494,145 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2006
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hayes Bicycle Group Incorporated (HB Performance Systems Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Answer Products Incorporated (HB Performance Systems Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Rathbun, James Chris, Schroeder, Brady Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Jasmin; Lynda
• Assistant Examiner(s): CENTOLANZI, PATRICK M
• Application Number:
  US11/588,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20080116658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 280/276, 301/111.06, 301/110.6, 301/110.5, 301/124.2
• US Class Current: 280/276
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/026 comprising quick release devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 35/004 Mounting arrangements for axles
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 35/04 straight
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2206/00 Quick release mechanisms adapted for cycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/02 for mounting axles rigidly on cycle frame or fork, e.g. adjustably

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bicycle fork comprising an improved axle with non-round tapered ends affixed into dropouts with openings to match the axle ends through a taper-lock affixation for improving the torsional strength of the fork and facilitate ease of the axle installation. The improved axle consists of a first non-round end with interior female threads connecting an intermediate cylindrical portion which connects to a second non-round tapered end. An improved tapered split non-round nut having a cylindrical bolt possessing male threads lock the nut to the first end of the axle, wherein said bolt has an another preferred embodiment which connects a rotatable handle for ease of the axle installation.

Claims

1. An improved axle which is used to be affixed into dropouts of a bicycle fork leg, comprising:

a. a tapered split non-round nut having a rear end with a round opening located at a center of the rear end, an exterior tapered non-round wall with a front edge and having a split extending from the front edge to the rear end, the exterior wall defining an interior non-round bore having an interior non-round surface;

b. a hollow cylindrical bolt with an outer round head comprising a hollow neck containing male threads, the hollow neck transversely attached at a center location of a rear side of the outer round head, the outer round head having an interior hexagonal bore with an interior hexagonal surface;

c. a hollow axle body comprising a first non-round shaped end connected to an intermediate hollow cylindrical portion which in turn is connected to a second tapered non-round end with an exterior surface, the first non-round end having an exterior non-round surface, a front edge and an interior bore containing female threads, the hollow axle body comprising a shoulder located at the intersection of the intermediate hollow cylindrical portion and the first non-round end, the exterior non-round surface of the first non-round end matching the interior non-round surface of the bore of the tapered split non-round nut;

d. a first dropout containing a first mating opening, wherein said first dropout is affixed at a lower end of a first bicycle fork leg, a second dropout containing a second mating opening, wherein the second dropout is affixed at a lower end of a second bicycle fork leg, said first mating opening matches said exterior wall of the tapered split non-round nut, said second mating opening matches said exterior surface of the second tapered non-round end of said axle body; and

e. the improved axle affixed into the dropouts of the fork legs by having the improved axle inserted into second dropout so that the second tapered non-round end of the axle body is inserted into and matches the mating opening of the second dropout and the first non-round end of the improved axle is inserted through the mating opening of the first dropout and the split non-round nut is positioned over the first non-round end of the axle and tightened thereto by threading the hollow bolt into the threads in the first non-round end, the tapered split non-round nut being tightened into the first dropout opening while the tapered second end of the axle is pulled into said second mating opening when said cylindrical bolt is threaded into said first end of the axle.

2. The improved axle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the shape of the exterior tapered non-round wall of the split non-round nut and the matching shape of the mating opening in the first dropout is selected from the group comprising hexagonal, triangular, pentagonal and octagonal in shape.

3. The improved axle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the shape of the second tapered non-round end of the axle body and the matching shape of the mating opening in the second dropout is selected from the group comprising hexagonal, triangular, pentagonal and octagonal in shape.

4. The improved axle in accordance with claim 1, wherein said hollow cylindrical bolt further comprises a male threaded bolt connected to a rotatable handle for ease of the axle installation, said male threaded bolt having of a threaded end connected to a transverse disc member which further connects to a non-threaded shoulder which is coaxially affixed to a round connecting rod with a rotatable handle having an end and a head containing an opening to divide the head into a symmetrical right portion and a left portion, a transverse round rod rotatably connected to the right and left portion of the head of the handle, the round transverse rod at its center position perpendicularly affixed to the round connecting rod of the bolt.

5. An improved axle which is used to be affixed into dropouts of a bicycle fork leg, comprising:

a. a tapered split non-round nut having a rear end with an opening to receive a threaded bolt, an exterior tapered non-round wall with a front edge and having a split extending from the front edge to the rear end, the exterior wall defining an interior bore;

b. a cylindrical bolt with an outer head and having neck containing male threads, the neck transversely attached at a rear side of the head, the head having driving means therein;

c. an axle body comprising a first end connected to an intermediate cylindrical portion which in turn is connected to a second non-round end with an exterior surface, the first end having an exterior surface, a front edge and an interior bore containing female threads, the first end received within the tapered split non-round nut;

d. a first dropout containing a first mating opening, wherein said first dropout is affixed at a lower end of a first bicycle fork leg, a second dropout containing a second mating opening, wherein the second dropout is affixed at a lower end of a second bicycle fork leg, said first mating opening matches said exterior wall of the tapered split non-round nut, said second mating opening matches said exterior surface of the second tapered non-round end of said axle body; and

e. the improved axle affixed into the dropouts of the fork legs by having the improved axle inserted into second dropout so that the second tapered non-round end of the axle body is inserted into and matches the mating opening of the second dropout and the first end of the improved axle is inserted through the mating opening of the first dropout and the split non-round nut is positioned over the first end of the axle and tightened thereto by threading the bolt into the threads in the first end, the tapered split non-round nut being tightened into the first dropout opening while the tapered second end of the axle is pulled into said second mating opening when said cylindrical bolt is threaded into said first end of the axle.

6. The improved axle in accordance with claim 5, wherein the shape of the exterior tapered non-round wall of the split non-round nut and the matching shape of the mating opening in the first dropout is selected from the group comprising hexagonal, triangular, pentagonal and octagonal in shape.

7. The improved axle in accordance with claim 5, wherein the shape of the second tapered non-round end of the axle body and the matching shape of the mating opening in the second dropout is selected from the group comprising hexagonal, triangular, pentagonal and octagonal in shape.

8. The improved axle in accordance with claim 5, wherein said cylindrical bolt further comprises a rotatable clamp mechanism by which the bolt can be quickly tightened or released.

9. An improved axle which is used to be affixed into dropouts of a bicycle fork leg, comprising:

a. a tapered split non-round nut having a rear end with an opening to receive a first mating fastening means, an exterior tapered non-round wall with a front edge and having a split extending from the front edge to the rear end, the tapered split-non-round nut having an interior bore;

b. a mating fastening means;

c. an axle body comprising a first end connected to an intermediate portion which in turn is connected to a second non-round end with an exterior surface, the first end having an exterior surface and a second mating fastening means, the first end received within the bore of tapered split non-round nut;

d. a first dropout containing a first mating opening, wherein said first dropout is affixed at a lower end of a first bicycle fork leg, a second dropout containing a second mating opening, wherein the second dropout is affixed at a lower end of a second bicycle fork leg, said first mating opening matches said exterior wall of the tapered split non-round nut, said second mating opening matches said exterior surface of the second tapered non-round end of said axle body; and

e. the improved axle affixed into the dropouts of the fork legs by having the improved axle inserted into second dropout so that the second tapered non-round end of the axle body is inserted into and matches the mating opening of the second dropout and the first end of the improved axle is inserted through the mating opening of the first dropout and the split non-round nut is positioned over the first end of the axle and tightened thereto by fastening the first and second mating fasting means together, the tapered split non-round nut being tightened into the first dropout opening while the tapered second end of the axle is pulled into said second mating opening.

10. The improved axle in accordance with claim 9, wherein the shape of the exterior tapered non-round wall of the split non-round nut and the matching shape of the mating opening in the first dropout is selected from the group comprising hexagonal, triangular, pentagonal and octagonal in shape.

11. The improved axle in accordance with claim 9, wherein the shape of the second tapered non-round end of the axle body and the matching shape of the mating opening in the second dropout is selected from the group comprising hexagonal, triangular, pentagonal and octagonal in shape.

12. The improved axle in accordance with claim 9, wherein said mating fastening means further comprises a rotatable clamp mechanism by which the mating fastening means can be quickly tightened or released.

13. An improved axle which is used to be affixed into dropouts of a bicycle fork leg, comprising:

a. a tapered split non-round nut having a rear end with an opening to receive a first mating fastening means, an exterior tapered non-round wall with a front edge and having a split extending from the front edge to the rear end, the tapered split-non-round nut having an interior bore;

b. a mating fastening means;

c. an axle body comprising a first end connected to an intermediate portion which in turn is connected to a second end with an exterior surface, the first end having an exterior surface and a second mating fastening means, the first end received within the bore of tapered split non-round nut;

d. a first dropout containing a first mating opening, wherein said first dropout is affixed at a lower end of a first bicycle fork leg, a second dropout containing a second mating opening, wherein the second dropout is affixed at a lower end of a second bicycle fork leg, said first mating opening matches said exterior wall of the tapered split non-round nut, said second mating opening matches said exterior surface of the second end of said axle body; and

e. the improved axle affixed into the dropouts of the fork legs by having the improved axle inserted into second dropout so that the second end of the axle body is inserted into and matches the mating opening of the second dropout and the first end of the improved axle is inserted through the mating opening of the first dropout and the split non-round nut is positioned over the first end of the axle and tightened thereto by fastening the first and second mating fasting means together, the tapered split non-round nut being tightened into the first dropout opening while the second end of the axle is pulled into said second mating opening.

14. The improved axle in accordance with claim 13, wherein the shape of the exterior tapered non-round wall of the split non-round nut and the matching shape of the mating opening in the first dropout is selected from the group comprising hexagonal, triangular, pentagonal and octagonal in shape.

15. The improved axle in accordance with claim 13, wherein said mating fastening means further comprises a rotatable clamp mechanism by which the mating fastening means can be quickly tightened or released.

16. An improved axle which is used to be affixed into dropouts of a bicycle fork, comprising:

a. an improved axle comprising a tapered split non-round nut including an exterior tapered non-round wall with a split and having an interior bore and means for receiving a bolt, a bolt including a neck containing male threads, an axle body including a first end and a second tapered non-round end, wherein the first end includes an interior bore containing female threads, said first end matches the interior bore of the tapered split non-round nut;

b. a first and second dropout containing a respective first and second mating opening, said first mating opening matches said exterior wall of the tapered split non-round nut, said second mating opening matches said second tapered non-round end of said axle body; and

c. the improved axle is affixed into the dropouts so that the second tapered non-round end is affixed into the mating second dropout and the tapered split non-round nut is positioned over the first end of the axle and is tightened by threading the threaded bolt into the female threads of the first axle end so that the tapered non-rod split nut is tightened into the mating first dropout.

17. The improved axle in accordance with claim 16, wherein the shape of the exterior tapered non-round wall of the split non-round nut and the matching shape of the mating opening in the first dropout is selected from the group comprising hexagonal, triangular, pentagonal and octagonal in shape.

18. The improved axle in accordance with claim 16, wherein the shape of the second tapered non-round end of the axle body and the matching shape of the mating opening in the second dropout is selected from the group comprising hexagonal, triangular, pentagonal and octagonal in shape.

19. The improved axle in accordance with claim 16, wherein said bolt further comprises a handle to facilitate rapid tightening and release of the bolt.

20. An improved axle which is used to be affixed into dropouts of a bicycle fork, comprising:

a. an improved axle comprising a tapered split non-round nut including an exterior tapered non-round wall with a split and having an interior bore and means for receiving a first fastening means, a first fastening means, an axle body including a first end and a second end, wherein the first end includes a mating second fastening means, said first end matches the interior bore of the tapered split non-round nut;

b. a first and second dropout containing a respective first and second mating opening, said first mating opening matches said exterior-wall of the tapered split non-round nut, said second mating opening matches said second end of said axle body; and

c. the improved axle is affixed into the dropouts so that the second end is affixed into the mating second dropout and the tapered split non-round nut is positioned over the first end of the axle and is tightened by the mating fastening means so that the tapered non-rod split nut is tightened into the mating first dropout.

21. The improved axle in accordance with claim 20, wherein the shape of the exterior tapered non-round wall of the split non-round nut and the matching shape of the mating opening in the first dropout is selected from the group comprising hexagonal, triangular, pentagonal and octagonal in shape.

22. The improved axle in accordance with claim 20, wherein said first fastening means further comprising a handle for ease of the axle installation.