Wheel axle assembly
First Claim
1. A fork for a vehicle, comprising:
- a first substantially closed-bore dropout defining a first cavity;
a second substantially closed-bore dropout defining a second cavity;
an axle assembly having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is threaded, and wherein the second end of the axle assembly is configured to pass through the first cavity and enter the second cavity;
a rotatable fastener having an internal thread capable of mating with the threaded second end of the axle assembly; and
a retainer within the second cavity and capable, without mating the fastener with the axle, of axially retaining the rotatable fastener, allowing the rotatable fastener to rotate, and restricting axial movement of the rotatable fastener in only a first axial direction;
wherein the first cavity, the second cavity, and the inner thread of the rotatable fastener are substantially aligned along a common axis.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wheel assembly quick release lever pivots against a thrust washer to apply a force along the length of an axle. The thrust washer is pressed toward a sleeve nut at the opposite end of the axle, which displaces the thrust washer relative to the axle, drawing the sleeve nut and a pair of compression rings toward one another deeper into conical cavities of dropouts. The radially outwardly facing surfaces of the compression rings firmly seat against the tapered cavities of the closed bore dropouts, and the radially inwardly facing surfaces of the compression rings firmly seat against the axle to provide resistance to rotational movement of the axle relative to the dropouts. The inboard surfaces of the dropouts seat against the load-bearing axle faces of the hub, which provides resistance to lateral movement.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A fork for a vehicle, comprising:
-
a first substantially closed-bore dropout defining a first cavity; a second substantially closed-bore dropout defining a second cavity; an axle assembly having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is threaded, and wherein the second end of the axle assembly is configured to pass through the first cavity and enter the second cavity; a rotatable fastener having an internal thread capable of mating with the threaded second end of the axle assembly; and a retainer within the second cavity and capable, without mating the fastener with the axle, of axially retaining the rotatable fastener, allowing the rotatable fastener to rotate, and restricting axial movement of the rotatable fastener in only a first axial direction; wherein the first cavity, the second cavity, and the inner thread of the rotatable fastener are substantially aligned along a common axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A suspension system for a bicycle, comprising:
-
a front fork comprising at least a first leg having a lower end, wherein a first cavity is defined through the first leg; a rotatable fastener rotatably positioned at least partially within the first cavity; a retainer positioned within the first cavity adjacent the rotatable fastener and, in operable position, substantially preventing axial motion of the rotatable fastener out of the first cavity in only a first axial direction while allowing substantially free rotation of the rotatable fastener relative to the first cavity. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification