Abstract:
A transport for material, item or a subject, is described, the transport including a support for the material, item or subject; one or more detachable ground engaging wheels, detachable from the support at a detachable mount; one or more lifts to facilitate lifting the support from ground level to a selected height, the lift being operatively connected to the support and the one or more detachable ground engaging wheels, when the wheels are attached to the support. A collapsible wheel is also described, having a plurality of arcuate segments, each one pivotally connected to adjacent ones at their ends; an adjustable-length flexible spoke connected to opposed or remote ends so that variation of the length of the spoke deploys or stows the collapsible wheel; a spoke length adjuster.
Abstract:
A process for manufacturing a bicycle wheel component, comprising the steps of providing a component having at least one braking area that cooperates with a braking body made by molding of composite material having structural fibers in a polymeric material, and post-molding machining of at least one region of the braking area by removing only polymeric material, without removal of the structural fiber, from the entire region so that the structural fiber outcrops at least in part from the polymeric material, and removing the structural fiber and possibly the polymeric material according to at least one groove within the region. A bicycle wheel component having a braking area of composite material, wherein in a region of the braking area, the structural fiber outcrops at least from the polymeric material, and the region comprises a groove through the structural fiber and possibly the polymeric material of the composite material.
Abstract:
A cycle wheel having a U-shaped radial cross section, with two lateral sidewalls located on opposite sides of a median plane of the rim and each demarcated by an outer surface facing away from the median plane, on the one hand, and a bridge connecting the sidewalls and including an outer surface facing toward the axis of rotation of the wheel, on the other hand. At least one median zone of the outer surface of the bridge, which has a transverse width measured perpendicular to the median plane and greater than 4 mm, is machined over the entire circumference of the rim.
Abstract:
A system for packing a human-powerable vehicle uses an inner annular module that can be incorporated into a wheel. The inner annular module has a open central region, attachment points for steel spokes in tension that radiate out from the annular module, and a feature to facilitate the detachable attachment of a hub by a user, so that a user detachable hub can be installed in the open central region when the annular module is used as part of a vehicle wheel. Removal of the hub facilitates the placement of the module over the axle of a second wheel. The attachment points for the spokes that radiate outward are in a circular configuration that is concentric with the center of the annular module. The attachment points for the spokes are on two parallel planes.
Abstract:
An embodiment is a method and apparatus for ultrasonic contact imaging. A thin-film transistor (TFT) array is deposited on a substrate. A receiver having a plurality of receiver elements is deposited on the TFT array to receive a received signal. A transmitter adjacent to the receiver generates a transmit signal at an ultrasonic frequency. The transmit signal is reflected from a surface to produce a reflected signal. The received signal is a superposition of the transmit signal and the reflected signal as result of interference. The received signal is representative of differences in acoustic impedances across the surface.
Abstract:
A spoked wheel includes a rim, at least one spoke and at least one sealing sticker. The rim includes a spoke bed wall with at least one spoke hole therein, a pair of tire-holding flanges extending from opposite edges of the spoke bed wall, a base wall located radially inboard from the spoke bed wall and connected to the flanges. The base wall has an opening corresponding to the spoke hole of the spoke bed wall. The spoke has a nipple portion inserted in the spoke hole of the spoke bed wall of the rim, and a shank portion extending from the nipple portion and through the opening of the base wall of the rim. The sealing sticker is provided to seal the opening of the base wall of the rim and close any gap between the opening of the base wall and the shank portion of the spoke.
Abstract:
A bicycle wheel is described that features interchangeable aerodynamic shells. These interchangeable shells allow for adjustment of the radial width of a bicycle rim. In one embodiment, these shells have magnets attached to them that allow the shells to be attached to and removed from a wheel quickly and easily, thereby allowing someone to easily change their shells for shells of a different radial width.
Abstract:
A bicycle wheel rim having a circular base portion including a proximal surface and a distal surface, and a pair of integral sidewalls extending generally radially outward from an intersection region of the proximal surface and the distal surface. The distal surface of the rim has a central hump, a trough contiguous with the central hump extending axially outward from the hump, and a flat shelf immediately adjacent, contiguous with, and extending axially outward from the trough. Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a bicycle wheel including the embodied rim, a plurality a spokes engaged at respective ends thereof with the rim and a hub engaged with the plurality of spoke members at opposite ends thereof. Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a bicycle wheel assembly comprising the embodied wheel and a tube and/or tire mounted on the rim.
Abstract:
Large impacts act on a spoke wheel and spokes fastened by nipples tend to be loosened when a racing off-road motorcycle and the like repeatedly jumps and lands. A hub is connected with a rim by using deformed spokes each having a deformed portion. The deformed spoke is fastened while being elastically deformed so that the deformed portion extends by the nipple. As compared to a straight spoke, the deformed spoke has low longitudinal elastic modulus and substantially the same stiffness with a spoke having an equal diameter.